The crowd erupted into thunderous applause as Nova and Anny emerged through the shimmering blue barrier. Hundreds of faces turned toward them in unison, a sea of expressions ranging from awe to disbelief. The gathered masses maintained a respectful distance, forming a wide semicircle around the dungeon's exit.

Guildmaster Senna stood at the forefront, along with some noblemen and merchants in fine clothing. Her practical leather armor stood out among the silks and brocades worn by the wealthy-looking entourage flanking her.

These were clearly the city's elite—merchants whose purses clinked heavily with each movement, nobles with jeweled fingers and imperious gazes, all of them no doubt drawn by rumors of the incredible dive taking place.

The cheering faltered noticeably as the gathering caught sight of the two small figures stepping into the sunlight. The roar turned to confused murmurs, with several onlookers craning their necks or standing on tiptoes, peering over shoulders to see them better.

Nova squinted against the harsh daylight after hours in the dungeon's blue-tinged darkness. The early sun hung low in the east, casting long shadows across the plaza. They had been dungeon diving all night.

Nova smiled as he observed the crowd's reactions. 'At least their reactions are worthwhile. But I'd rather just get to bed right away.'

He gave a small bow of showmanship, hoping it would quiet the crowd. Anny followed suit, curtsying with the grace of an experienced dancer.

The crowd's enthusiasm gradually waned, giving way to a puzzled silence. Eyebrows raised. Heads tilted. Some spectators exchanged questioning glances, while others rubbed their eyes as if doubting their vision.

"Welcome back, you two!" Senna yelled, loud enough for everyone to hear. Her weathered face bore an expression of genuine amazement mingled with professional courtesy. "I didn't expect you to surprise us quite that much, and in a single day, no less!"

Nova rubbed the back of his neck, feeling grit and dust from the dungeon beneath his fingers. "Well, we're in a hurry. But we're quite exhausted at this point, so if you'll excuse us…"

Before Senna could respond, one of the well-dressed men stepped forward from her entourage. His movements were stiff and precise, like a clockwork automaton. His purple velvet doublet strained slightly across his substantial midsection, and gold chains hung heavy around his neck.

"Of course! The dive must have taken its toll." His voice carried the practiced smoothness of a politician, though his smile didn't quite reach his eyes. "But before that, you will have to get your loot checked so the taxes can be deducted."

Senna's shoulders dropped almost imperceptibly. A silent sigh passed her lips as she gestured toward the man. "This is Governor Crawford, ruler of Bergrott and its surrounding area."

'Right, the taxes… Well, at this stage, there's little point in fighting him. We'll get much higher value loot in the lower floors.'

"What percentage of the loot is deducted as tax, then?" Nova asked, looking up at the governor. His childish voice sounded unnaturally mature against the backdrop of adult murmurs.

"Forty percent," the governor replied. "But only as long as you cannot prove you're citizens of the Taurel Kingdom. We allow foreigners to dive in our dungeon, but only if they pay our taxes in full."

His tone carried the smug certainty of someone used to standing above others without challenge.

'This guy is stronger than Newark, but we could take him on rather easily… It's not the right move yet, though. But testing him should be fine.'

"Prove we're citizens? How do we do that?" Nova asked, keeping his voice innocent.

"All citizens receive a proof of citizenship at five years old, during the testing at the Church of Order. It can be confirmed at their church here in the city if you're registered."

"...But we're not old enough yet. What do the rules say about that?"

A murmur ran through the crowd as they listened. Some laughed, some gasped, but most simply shook their heads in disbelief, convinced they were witnessing some elaborate performance or confidence scheme.

The governor's eyes narrowed, then he leaned forward slightly. "Do you honestly expect me to believe a couple of four-year-old children beat six dungeon floors in a single day?" His sceptical gaze shifted to Anny. "Your friend there, I assume she's the drakeling you arrived here with?"

"The very same," Anny replied without hesitation. She extended her right arm, demonstrating the transformation by summoning brilliant red scales across its surface. Then she waved the transformed limb at the governor with a smile.

The governor maintained his composure, though a thin film of sweat now glistened on his forehead. "Right. You can change your forms at will. Why you decided to show up as two infants is beyond me, but if it's some clever way to avoid paying the correct taxes, I'm afraid you're in for—"

"Tell me," Nova said, interrupting the governor's words with unexpected authority. The plaza grew quieter as he spoke. "What exactly is forcing us to pay these taxes? Will the king come over here and beat them out of us? Or do you have some legendary adventurer on your payroll to enforce these rules?"

If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

To Nova's surprise, the Governor's face split into a wide smile. His teeth gleamed white against his ruddy complexion, and an unsettling glint appeared in his eyes.

"I'm so glad you asked."

'Oh, shit!'

In an instant, an unbearable pressure bore down on Nova's shoulders, forcing him to the ground. The invisible weight crushed against him like a mountain, driving the air from his lungs. A giant formation took shape around the dungeon's exit—intricate patterns of light etched themselves into the very air, pulsing with ancient power that made the hairs on his neck stand on end.

"Activating the formation, unfortunately, raises the taxation percentage to eighty percent." The governor's voice floated above him, dripping with false regret. "But I'm sure you'd rather have that than give your lives away, right?"

Nova struggled to even turn his head; the pressure was so intense that it felt like his bones might crack beneath it.

'Fuck! I was too hasty! This formation is powerful. It must have been put here by the king or one of his ancestors… I don't think even the unification skill will be able to handle this much power.'

"AAAAAAHHHHH!!!"

A furious shout, sending chills down Nova's spine, sounded from beside him. It was a cry of pure defiance, a declaration of war against the immovable force pressing down upon them.

Anny was fighting the formation with all her power. Her face contorted with effort, with veins standing out along her neck and temples. The air around her began to shimmer with heat, distorting like a mirage in the desert.

Nova barely managed to look to his side, witnessing her struggle against the impossible. Her eyes were changing. The familiar grey was being consumed by the specks of gold that spread outward like molten metal filling a mold.

"It's no use!" The governor laughed, spreading his arms wide as if embracing his victory. "Only someone at the king's level would be able to break this formation, so save what little energy you have left."

Nova barely managed to force words through gritted teeth. "Anny, we can just pay—"

"AAAHHH!!!"

Her second cry was deeper, more primal, resonating through both air and earth. Her body slowly lifted from the ground, pushed up by her arms. She got a foot up under herself, pressing the sole of her shoe flat against the stone. Her entire body trembled with effort as she raised her head from the ground.

"What in the hells?" the governor asked. His eyes widened as he took an involuntary step backward, witnessing the impossible.

She was resting on her knee now, able to look up at the man in front of her. Then she lifted herself further, getting her second foot below her. Soon, she stood at her full length.

Her eyes were now completely golden, shining with an inner light that seemed older than the sun itself. They fixed on the governor with such intensity that he stumbled backwards, falling on the cobblestones. The confidence was drained from his face, replaced only by fear.

A resounding snap sounded from the depths of the earth, like the mantle had suddenly broken cleanly in half right below them. The pressure keeping Nova down vanished in an instant, letting him scramble back to his feet.

Anny kept staring at the governor, looking as dangerous as Nova had ever seen her. There was something ancient in her stance, a presence that transcended her physical form. She reached slowly to her side, drawing her sword with deliberate ceremony.

The blade emerged from its sheath with a sound like distant thunder. The metal seemed to drink in the light around it, creating a pocket of deeper shadow that followed its movement. It seemed impossibly heavy in her arm, despite her casual grip.

She stepped forward, walking toward the governor. Each step left faint impressions in the stone beneath her feet.

"Anny?" Nova tried nervously. She seemed strange, not herself, just like the last time her eyes turned golden. That had only been for a brief moment, though. "Anny, let's not go that far!"

But she remained unflinching, holding the sword out to the side as she walked. With each step, the air around the blade rippled like water disturbed by a stone. It seemed to move slower than Anny somehow, like it carried a weight beyond logic.

Nova got up on his feet and moved over to her, putting a hand on her shoulder. She was burning hot. "Anny!"

At his touch, she stopped walking. Her golden eyes didn't blink, didn't waver from their target, but something in her posture shifted. Slowly, with the ponderous movement of mountains eroding, she lowered the sword to her side.

Then she blinked rapidly as the gold receded from her eyes. She looked around at her surroundings in confusion, as if waking from a dream she couldn't quite remember. "Ah... Nova?"

The sword in her hand was just a sword again— still deadly and well-crafted, but no longer a manifestation of cosmic law.

"Yes?" Nova searched her face, looking for any lingering traces of that strange power.

"What happened?" Her voice was quiet. The confusion in her eyes told him she had no memory of what had just happened.

"Well, we can talk about it later. Let's just go to the inn for now." Nova glanced around at the stunned crowd, acutely aware of how every eye remained fixed on them.

Anny followed his gaze, taking in the scene around them. The governor still cowered nearby, disheveled and stained with sweat. Her brow furrowed.

"...Are you sure? This looks pretty serious."

"The governor won't be stupid enough to stop us now... Will he?" Nova directed the question toward the man, staring at him with cold eyes.

'I could kill you for this. But right now, I don't care enough.'

The man was still on the ground, pale as only a bureaucrat could be, and sweating his fine clothes to ruin. His head shook from side to side. "O-Of course not! You may leave!"

"See? Now let's go." He put his arm around her shoulder and guided her forward through the crowd. They gave them so much space that some people nearly fell over to move out of the way, staring after them in awe and fear.

Nova turned back, looking at the guildmaster who now stood rooted to the spot. Her hand had moved to rest on her weapon's hilt, though she made no move to draw it.

"We won't be making any trouble unless trouble finds us," Nova assured her. "You can come to our room in the evening, Senna. There are some things I'd like to discuss."

Senna's shoulders relaxed fractionally, though her expression remained guarded. She nodded once. "I'll be there."

The duo continued through the last part of the crowd, the sea of people continuing to part around them. They navigated the winding streets of Bergrott, moving from the central plaza through narrower avenues lined with shops and homes.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.