Chapter 33 - 32: Weighing Stones and Limits
The familiar bustle of the Guild Hall buzzed with noise—adventurers shouting over each other, bags of loot being dropped on counters, and the sharp clink of coin being counted. The scent of sweat, parchment, and steel hung heavy in the air.
Ethan stepped inside with Lili walking confidently beside him, her cloak slightly torn, pouches packed full with loot from their first official dive. They made their way through the crowd, past rows of bulletin boards and update stations, toward the front desk.
A bored-looking receptionist glanced up, eyes slightly widening as she noticed Ethan’s dust-covered gear and the sheer amount of loot Lili was carrying. "Turning in materials?" she asked, standing a bit straighter.
"Yes," Ethan replied. "From the first through sixth floors."
The woman nodded, already preparing a form. "Please empty the contents here."
Lili went to work, efficiently pulling out magic stones, fangs, hides, claws, and even a silverback tusk. It took several trays and an extra set of hands from another clerk just to catalog everything.
Ethan leaned against the counter, watching the organized chaos. His muscles still ached, but not from fatigue—rather, from being on the edge for so long. In that last fight... he could feel it. That strange tension in his body. A wall pressing in from all sides.
He was close to the ceiling of Level 1.
The stats he’d seen with Hestia a few days ago were already starting to feel outdated. His body moved smoother, faster. His instincts sharpened. He knew he wasn’t strong enough to match a Level 4 adventurer—but in terms of stats, he was pushing right up against the boundary.