Chapter 17: Dungeon X Danger

Chapter Seventeen

"This..."

Orion was shocked, to say the least. He had expected the usual application rejection notice, as that was what he had been receiving for as long as he had started applying to join any dungeon raid. But this... this was the complete opposite of what he had expected to receive.

Orion read the message once more, just to make sure he wasn’t misreading the information. The message read:

[Ding!]

[Congratulations, Warrior Orion.]

[Your application to join the Dungeon X Raid has been approved.]

[The raid will commence in three days.]

[Click the side box for the dungeon location and other details.]

He hadn’t misread it, because that was exactly what was written: Dungeon X.

Orion opened the side box, and several new pieces of information immediately appeared, including the dungeon’s location, the exact time and date of the raid, the requirements, and several other details.

His gaze skimmed through the information until his eyes landed on the amount of points being offered. Orion blinked once, then twice, then two more times, almost as if he was looking at something that could only exist in a dream.

The number displayed on the screen contained one, two, three, four, five zeros: 300,000 Points.

Three hundred thousand points. That was the reward being offered for a single dungeon raid.

Beside the offer was a section where he could fill in his account details, and the enormous reward would be credited to him immediately.

Orion’s mind went completely blank for a few seconds as he simply stood there like a statue. Three hundred thousand points... that much money was something he couldn’t have made in years.

Even if he continued grinding tirelessly every single day, he would never be able to raise such an enormous amount anytime soon. And yet... that huge amount was being offered for a single dungeon raid.

Something was wrong.

"Hey, kid, what’s wrong? You’ve been silent for a while," Old Dian’s voice pulled Orion out of his thoughts. "Perhaps you got rejected by your crush?"

The old man joked, trying to tease him, but Orion shook his head. He decided to ask the old man about this Dungeon X, surely knowing it couldn’t be a simple dungeon to offer such an insane amount of points.

And as an older man who was higher level than Orion and had undoubtedly experienced far more things in the world, Old Dian might know something about it.

"Uncle, I got an accepted application," Orion looked at him. "I got a dungeon raid offer."

Old Dian was stunned for a few seconds, and then a bright, warm smile appeared on his face.

"Really? That’s good news!" His expression immediately brightened. "This calls for celebrat..."

"The dungeon is designated as Dungeon X."

Old Dian stopped mid-sentence. His expression changed instantly. The excitement vanished from his face, his eyes widened, and then... horror filled them.

His gaze shook as he stared at Orion in alarm.

"This is terrible news," the elderly man suddenly became serious. "Kid, you need to reject that offer immediately."

Orion blinked. His instincts had been right: Uncle Dian definitely knew something about Dungeon X.

"Uncle, can you tell me what this Dungeon X is about?"

Dian’s gaze became solemn, and fear swirled within his eyes. For several seconds, he said nothing, and then he sighed and slowly sat back down.

Orion sat on the seat beside him, looking at the old man intensely.

"Listen, kid..." Old Dian’s voice was heavy. "That Dungeon X is not a normal dungeon."

He paused, adding, "Let’s just say it is a dungeon that defies all common sense."

His expression became grim, "If you go into that dungeon, I’m telling you right now... you won’t survive."

Orion didn’t say a word. He simply sat there, silently thinking. The fact that the reward was so ridiculously high was already a huge red flag, and yet... it was precisely because of that massive amount of points that he felt reluctant to reject the offer.

After all... he desperately needed points to pay for Iris’s treatment. Three hundred thousand points... that amount was more than enough to help send Iris for treatment.

Seeing the reluctance in Orion’s eyes, Dian decided to tell him about the terror surrounding Dungeon X.

"Listen, kid," his voice became even more solemn. "Dungeon X has existed for who knows how long. Nobody knows exactly when it first appeared, but it was discovered over twenty years ago."

Old Dian’s gaze became distant. "And even now... that dungeon has neither been cleared nor disappeared."

Orion’s eyes widened in surprise. It hadn’t been cleared... and yet it hadn’t disappeared? Just what kind of dungeon was capable of something like that?

The answer was simple: none. No normal dungeon should be capable of such a thing.

Old Dian’s eyes remained distant, as though he were refreshing an old and painful memory. "That dungeon is cursed, kid," he looked directly at Orion. "So please... don’t go throwing your life away in there. Just reject the offer."

Orion remained silent, his mind conflicted. Iris’s sickness was getting worse by the day, and no matter how hard he struggled to clear the Basic Green Dungeon, no matter how tirelessly he continued grinding... the rewards he received were far below mediocre.

There was no way he could raise enough funds this way. But if he accepted the offer... three hundred thousand points. That was more than enough.

Enough to help send Iris for treatment. Enough to give her a chance.

Orion lowered his gaze, wondering what he should do. He had no idea.

Old Dian looked at him with worry. "Listen, child... if you go in there, you won’t be able to return." His voice softened. "So listen to me. No matter how much they offer you, it isn’t worth your life."

Dian placed a hand on Orion’s shoulder. "And if you’re concerned about your little sister, we can look for another way."

He stared at Orion seriously. "There has to be another way besides going into that dungeon."

Orion’s head remained lowered. He didn’t say a word. After a while, he finally sighed and turned toward the old man with a bright, warm smile, "Don’t worry about me, Uncle. I wouldn’t make any rash decision."

Orion said this as he turned around, preparing to leave.

"Orion..." Dian called out, causing Orion to pause.

The old man had never called him by his name before, and that alone showed just how worried he was for him.

"I already lost a son to that dungeon..." Dian’s voice was heavy. "I don’t want to lose another one."

He looked at Orion with a pleading expression, "So please... don’t accept it."

Orion nodded silently. He said his goodbye to the old man before heading toward the city to sell the usual Goblin Teeth he had gathered... four in total.

Since he had cleared the dungeon four times, he had earned another 200 points. He said goodbye to Mia as well before heading toward the outskirts of the city where the Stormblade Orphanage was located.

As he walked, Orion’s gaze remained locked on his phone. The Dungeon X offer was still displayed on the screen, but it wasn’t the offer that kept occupying his mind; it was Uncle Dian’s words, which continued ringing inside his head over and over again: I already lost a son to that dungeon...

There was no doubt about it. Dungeon X must hide unimaginable danger. But should he reject it? That would probably be the right thing to do, because after all, three hundred thousand points sounded far too good to be true.

But if he rejected this opportunity... he might never be able to raise enough points for Iris’s treatment. And the other dungeon raid applications? They had all been rejected. Every single one.

Orion found himself caught between a rock and a hard place, desperately trying to find a way out.

Soon, Orion arrived at his home. But the moment he stepped inside... his gaze changed slightly.

Something was wrong.

He opened the door to find that most of the children were nowhere to be seen, with only Lily and Dame there.

"Big Brother!" Lily cried out and immediately fell into Orion’s embrace. "Big Brother... Lily is so scared."

Orion smiled gently and consoled her, then shifted his attention toward little Dame, asking, "Where is the rest?"

"They were already put to bed."

Orion frowned. Something was definitely wrong. There was no way the children would willingly go to sleep before welcoming him home and feeding him... heck, they wouldn’t even sleep before hearing his nighttime stories.

So what had changed?

Orion led Dame toward the children’s room while still carrying Lily in his arms. Racheal was there. The moment she saw Orion, she welcomed him home with a smile, but the solemnness in her eyes couldn’t be hidden, showing she was in pain.

Something had definitely happened.

Lily was already fast asleep, it seeming that the moment she had fallen into Orion’s embrace, she had finally felt safe enough to sleep.

Orion gently handed her over to Racheal, and he was about to ask what had happened when Dame suddenly pulled at his hand. Orion turned, seeing Dame’s eyes were slightly teary.

"Big Brother..." His small voice trembled. "Will Iris be okay?"

The moment Orion heard those words... a girl’s pained cry suddenly filled the building.

Orion’s gaze changed instantly. That voice... there was no doubt. It was Iris.

He immediately ran through the building at full speed. Soon, he reached their mother’s room, standing beside the door where Jack and Noah were with solemn expressions.

The moment Jack saw Orion, he ran toward him and hugged him tightly, tears streaming down his face.

"Big Brother... Iris’s condition has gotten worse," his voice trembled. "Will she be okay?"

Orion gently patted his head, his voice calm and reassuring. "Don’t worry. Big Brother is here. Everything will be fine."

Jack nodded and slowly pulled away. Orion reached for the doorknob. The moment his hand touched it... cold.

It was unbelievably cold, almost as if the doorknob had been frozen solid only a moment ago.

Orion’s expression became serious. He pushed the door open and stepped inside, seeing frost covered almost everything in the room.

His eyes immediately landed on Elias, who was standing to the side with his fists clenched tightly, looking helpless.

Then Orion’s gaze shifted. Their mother was beside Iris, desperately trying to ease her daughter’s suffering.

She tried using her healing power, but it had no effect whatsoever. All she could do was continue trying... again and again... doing everything within her power to reduce Iris’s pain as much as possible.

Her expression was filled with guilt and anguish, the kind of pain only a mother could understand when watching her child suffer through something so unimaginable.

Then Orion’s eyes moved toward the bed. A white-haired girl lay upon it. The bed itself was almost completely frozen.

Iris’s face was twisted in deep pain, her teeth chattering uncontrollably as though she were freezing... in fact, she was freezing, and the fact that she was fighting against the frost growing inside her body was precisely what was causing her so much pain.

Iris’s eyes slowly fluttered open. Her gaze found Orion standing at the doorway, and despite the unbearable pain coursing through her body, she forced a smile onto her face, clearly trying to hide how much pain she was in.

"Big Brother... welcome home."

Orion rushed to her side, placing a hand gently on her head. The moment he touched her... a chill rushed through his hand.

It was so cold that it almost felt as though he wasn’t touching a human being at all; it was like touching a block of ice.

Seeing the worry that immediately appeared on Orion’s face, Iris slowly raised her weak hand. Orion quickly held it in his grasp.

"Big Brother... Iris feels bad for making you worry," her smile trembled under the pain she was enduring.

"Don’t worry," Orion’s voice was gentle. "You’ll be fine. I promise."

Iris smiled and nodded. "Iris always trusts Big Brother." She forced another warm smile through the pain. "If Big Brother says I will be fine... then Iris will be fine."

Looking at her... seeing her smile through such unbearable pain... Orion gritted his teeth.

But then... he smiled as well. A faint, determined smile appeared on his face.

"It seems... I have made my decision."

Orion reached into his pocket and brought out his phone. He opened the Dungeon X raid offer.

He stared at the screen for only a brief moment. Then, without another delay... he accepted the offer.