Chapter 308: Finally Some Peace After Kicking Everyone Out Of The Dungeon

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Daniela sighed, lowering her head. "Maybe if I had helped things wouldn’t have taken so long... I’m sorry Riven, I am a coward... I couldn’t compromise to help you even though I know they’re doing bad things and destroying the planet... I was afraid. Somehow... it’s more fearful to fight humans than monsters to me."

She kept her eyes on the floor, waiting for him to say something.

Riven smiled faintly and hugged her, kissing her forehead. "There’s no need to be sorry, Daniela. Thanks to you I was able to claim the dungeon, you already did your part and without you, this wouldn’t have happened... Don’t blame yourself for anything else. You’re not at fault. I would never force you to do something you don’t want to do." He kept one arm around her shoulders for a moment longer, making sure she understood he meant every word.

"U-Uhh... It was scary!" Daniela cried, hugging Riven warmly and crying on his chest. "I was scared I’d die... sniff, sniff..."

She held on tightly, her shoulders shaking a little as the last of the fear came out.

"It’s okay, it’s over now," sighed Riven. "It was very close but... your Luck, it’s incredible. It saved us all. Your luck is the most amazing thing there is, Daniela. It has kept you from dying, haven’t you realized? And it saved us in return because you were helping us."

He kept one hand on her back while he spoke, waiting for her to calm down a bit.

"Umm... Hmm, I guess?" Daniela tilted her head. "But Luck alone cannot do enough... I need more I guess... I need to get stronger, but it’s hard for a Pierrot to grow stronger."

She wiped her face with the back of her hand and looked up at him, still a little unsure.

"Don’t worry, you’ll get some new equipment and weapons soon," said Riven. "The next person I’ll seek is amazing at crafting weapons and armor, even accessories. He’s the Ultimate Blacksmith."

"Huh?! T-There’s such a person???" Daniela was confused. "Don’t Blacksmiths are rare and also very... like, unnecessary? People rely on drops from dungeons and big corporations just create their own weapons with Magitech..."

She sounded genuinely puzzled by the idea.

"Yeah," Riven said. "That’s the usual consensus, Blacksmiths and their small businesses are often ignored. There’s only a few Blacksmiths out there that are A Rank, not even a single one is S Rank, so the general view of them is as useless... but this guy is like Label, he can grow. We’ll help him grow and in return, we’ll always have the best gear."

He explained it simply, knowing most people had the same opinion she did.

"Wow!" Daniela was surprised. "Can’t wait!!!"

She actually smiled for the first time since waking up, already thinking about what kind of gear she might get.

"Uuuggh... you bastards... would you shut your traps for a second? I am getting a headache here!"

The sudden voice made both of them turn.

Suddenly, Vladimir, whom Daniela had called a corpse before, slowly woke up and stood, glaring at Daniela and Riven with annoyance. "Won’t you shut down your traps for a second at least?!"

He rubbed the side of his head with one hand, looking like he had a serious headache.

"Well, good morning to you too," Riven sighed, standing back up as well and cleaning the dust from his clothes. "How has life been treating you, Vladimir?"

He kept his tone light on purpose, already expecting the usual reaction.

"TSK! I fell unconscious because of you and that shitty scientist obsessed with you!!!" Vladimir roared. "I need a break! I need vacations!"

He pointed a finger at Riven while he spoke, still clearly angry about everything that had happened.

"Good thing we’re moving to Beach City soon so you can take your break I guess," Riven shrugged. "Though... thank you for the help, pal."

He added the last word knowing it would get under the man’s skin.

"PAL!?" Vladimir growled and fumed, showing his sharp teeth as he turned into a werewolf. "I AM NOT YOUR FUCKING PAL! IF I COULD, I WOULD TEAR YOU TO SHREDS, RIVEN CLAYMORE!!!"

"Yeah, yeah, wash your teeth, your breath stinks," Riven sighed, slapping away his dog face. "Anyway..." Riven stretched his arms and legs and flexed his hands, feeling a little better.

The movement helped clear the last of the stiffness from his body after everything that had happened.

Now that he knew a lot more about the world and the past, and how everything... seemingly connected together into a much greater and bigger fight than he ever imagined, he had an even bigger impulse and resolve to move forward and accomplish his goals from now on and into the future. Three years was still not enough, but he’d try with all his might to make it possible, for his mother, who trusted in him so much, and for Elisa, the love of his life.

He thought about the limited time he had left and how much still needed to be done before those three years ran out.

And of course, for those around him as well, those he’d recruited and made into friends, into family itself, people he’d never thought he’d meet, but that had helped him and changed his life in their own way. Each of them had their own reasons for staying, and he wasn’t going to waste the trust they had placed in him.

"For now, let’s check the dungeon interior and what’s left," Riven said. "Come on, follow me."

He turned and started walking, expecting the others to stay close behind.

Riven walked out of the dungeon core chamber and into the dungeon boss chamber, where he saw the Sorrowful Heart’s corpse, walking toward it with disbelief.

The large organ still rested where it had fallen, looking strangely out of place now that the fighting was over.

"This heart..."

It was the heart of that man in the visions of this dungeon’s memory; the heart tore apart by the woman he loved... Genesis.

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