<h4>Chapter 108 Determination To Grow </h4>


    Rey was still reeling from shock after everything he had just experienced.


    He touched his face and remembered how the crazy girl known as Belle kept poking him andughing about it.


    "She''s crazy…" Rey muttered with wide open eyes.


    ''If I wasn''t careful… I would havepletely fallen under her spell. That''s too dangerous!''


    Back then, when she was moving closer to him, his [Danger Sense] Skill kept sending rms to his head.


    Rey was so d he listened.


    He used [Blindness] to shut off his eyes and [Grand Sound Magic] to ensure his ears wouldn''t hear a single thing that Belle said.


    Since he knew the conditions for activating [Grand Charm], a Skill he already had, it wasn''t too difficult to avoid it.


    It wasn''t until his [Danger Sense] died down that he deactivated his [Blindness] and allowed her words to be audible again.


    He used the [Mimic] Skill to replicate Alicia''s glowing eyes and his ss privilege let him fake the part of being under Belle''s control.


    If that hadn''t been the case, he probably wouldn''t have gotten away with it.


    ''It seems my Level isn''t high enough to resist that Skill. It''s too dangerous…''


    Rey had the Skill, and he knew how it operated. He had also tested it out on monsters, but since every enemy he faced was considerably weaker than him, he never felt like it was too powerful.


    But now he understood.


    "It''s in A-Tier for a reason…" He whispered.


    "Still… to think that was her goal all along…"


    Since he was in his right senses throughout the entire ordeal, Rey heard everything Belle mumbled to herself.


    …. Everything!


    ''So she''s after Alicia and Adonis, huh? That''s insane. What did they ever do to her?''


    Rey knew it wasn''t any of his business, but he found such a radical switch in personality to be very perplexing for him.


    ''I guess I''m not the only one keeping secrets…''


    Thankfully, from what he heard, she didn''t n on enacting her evil scheme anytime soon.


    That meant they were both safe… for now.


    "I should probably just pretend like I''m under her influence for the time being."


    There was nothing to gain from making Belle his enemy.


    From what he heard, she literally had the entire ss wrapped around her little finger.


    Belle also had more credibility and importance to the United Human Alliance and their Royal Council than he did.


    If he tried to stir something, she could end up letting it backfire on him.


    ''And I doubt the Council will pick me over her.''


    Rey knew he could probably try to work from the shadows to stop her, but he found all of that to be unnecessary.


    This wasn''t even his fight.


    Rey was also pretty certain that this wasn''t the mastermind he was searching for , since it didn''t fit the profile.


    Belle''s ability would have let her just make Rey admit to his crimes, or even incriminate himself.


    There would have been no need for such a convoluted mess. Besides, she already made it clear who her targets were.


    She didn''t really need him to achieve it.


    ''Besides… there''s still time. I can''t afford to be worrying about her schemes now.''


    As long as the world still needed the Otherworlders, she wasn''t going to harm Adonis and Alicia in any real sense.


    ''Right now I should focus on Leveling Up and getting stronger.''


    Even now, as Rey sat on his bed, he couldn''t help but think about Adonis and what he was up to in training.


    The thought alone motivated Rey to get up and prepare for the only ce he knew he could get stronger—The Royal Dungeon.


    "Wait for me, Adonis! I''ll be sure to catch up to you!"


    ************


    ~WHOOOSH!~


    As Adonis swung his de, sweat sprayed from his body, staining the wooden floor of his private training room.


    Several broken desy by the side, and right now he was wielding yet another.


    ~SWISH!~


    His muscles contracted as he neatly made arcs with his sword. As the air was sliced by his concentrated de, the force exerted made it crack.


    His muscr body took a few more steps, dancing as he made swings with different styles while applying varying forms of footwork.


    And then…


    ~CRACK!~


    … Hid de shattered once again.


    "Haaaa… haaa…"


    Adonis leaked out heavy breaths as he tossed aside the broken de that he wielded.


    His eyes darted to a corner in the room where there were still a couple more des left.


    "I guess… I''ll have to get more soon…"


    More heavy breaths escaped his lips as he walked to the corner and got another de.


    The calluses on his palm became overshadowed as he grasped the hilt of his next sword.


    He walked to another side of the massive training room where the shards of broken des were yet to stain the ground.


    "Haaaaa…"


    Adonis took a deep breath and closed his eyes, ready to begin yet another set.


    "Not enough…" He whispered to himself.


    Memories of his past shes in his head, but he shoved them aside.


    All of those horrors did not exist anymore.


    The threat that they would return caused his heart to ache, but that only made Adonis grip his de even harder.


    Resolve pervaded the entirety of his demeanor as he perfected his stance.


    ''I won''t let anyone else get hurt…''


    He tookfort in the happy memories he had in this second chance he had.


    He was able toe out of his shell more, have new friends, find new people… have a lot more fun.


    But also… he had been able to get stronger!


    As a Level 10 Hero, Adonis was as strong as a Level 100 Commoner.


    Still…


    "… It''s not enough!" He yelled out.


    There was no way he could afford to getcent now.


    The monsters he had to face were a lot more powerful thanmoners. If he wanted to reach their level, he had to grow a lot stronger.


    ''Brutus should be back from the Dungeon very soon. Probably in a few days…''


    Once he returned, they would get back on track and the events were going to y out exactly the way they were supposed to.


    ''I got the Item I wanted. I''ll use it to open a fissure in space and draw in stronger monsters so I can Level Up faster.''


    If possible, others would also be able to get much stronger with the experience.


    Adonis knew it would be scary for them. He was sorry about that.


    However, it had to be done.


    ''I need to be at least Level 50 before I can confidently say I can take down a Dragon.''


    Adonis feared for his ssmates who didn''t know what despair awaited them with the Dragons that were still nothing more than looming threats at present.


    People like Rey came to his mind, and Adonis couldn''t help but make a sad smile.


    ''One day… maybe he''ll be strong. But, he doesn''t have to be.''


    That was why HE was here!


    To make sure Rey, and his other ssmates, wouldn''t suffer the way they did thest time.


    "I''ll change everything..." Adonis muttered to himself, once again swinging his de and sending sweat sshing all around him.


    "… And I''ll save everyone!"


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    This is… oof… quite a lot, isn''t it?


    What do you think? I want to hear your thoughts!