After asking Guildmaster Senna a few more questions, Nova and Anny moved to an inn where they hired a single room. The Silver Spear, as Senna had recommended, was cleaner than they expected. It was a three-story building of gray stone, with surprisingly nice decor and thick walls that muffled the constant bustle of the city.

"One week for now," Anny told the innkeeper, sliding across a small bag of gold coins which had appeared out of nowhere. "We might be staying longer, depending on how the dungeon goes."

The old man behind the counter nodded, but his eyes lingered on Nova's small form with obvious curiosity. "Are you… both going down there?"

"He's older than he looks," Anny replied with a tight smile, revealing just a hint of her drakeling teeth.

The innkeeper didn't press further. In a dungeon city, oddities were common enough that most locals had learned when to stop asking questions.

Upstairs in their room, they quickly changed into their respective armor and equipment. Nova fastened the salamander-infused sword at his waist, feeling the metal warm to his touch. Even sized for his child form, the armor radiated quality that few smiths in this world could match.

Across the room, Anny secured her own armor after shrinking back to her normal size. The troll-skull shield hung across her back, shimmering with light as it settled into place.

"Does it fit well?" Nova asked, watching her adjust the straps on the armor.

"Perfect," she replied, testing her range of motion with a few practice swings of her manticore blade. "You must have watched me closely to get the measurements so accurate."

"If I couldn't do that much, what kind of master blacksmith would I be? I could easily make one for Larena or Millie as well."

She seemed unhappy about that answer for some reason.

Once fully equipped, they shouldered their now lighter backpacks, having left most of their traveling supplies secured in the room. Anny had put some supplies in her ring, making her backpack nearly empty.

As they walked through Bergrott's busy streets toward the dungeon entrance, Anny's mental voice reached Nova through their ring connection.

(How many levels do you think we should do alone?) she asked, sounding slightly worried. Of the two of them, she was the weakest against the random effects on each floor, and the most vulnerable despite her physical power.

Nova considered as they navigated around a cart laden with mining equipment. The streets near the dungeon were packed with merchants selling everything an adventurer might need—potions, weapons, maps of upper levels, even "lucky charms" guaranteed to improve one's survival chances.

(If it was just about fighting, I'm sure we could beat level seven alone without any issue. But the puzzles and random effects are scaring me a bit. Plus the fact that there's no way to get any help if one of us gets stuck.)

They passed a group of battered adventurers emerging from a side street. One limped heavily, supported by his companions. None looked triumphant.

(Right, that's what worries me. And it's possible there are puzzles that require more people as well, right?) Anny projected, casting a look of concern at the injured party.

(…Yeah, that's a possibility. I can conjure a few apparitions for puzzles like that, but you would have a hard time. The winnings for going solo are much less than they will be in the latter levels, so do you just want to go in together from the start?)

He assumed that's what she wanted, and he knew it was much safer, however weak the monsters were supposed to be.

(I think I prefer that, yeah. I am worried you'll get stuck somewhere.) Her mental voice was filled with fake bravado, but he knew it was on purpose.

(Hah, sure, let's do that then.)

The tiny duo made their way through the crowd, drawing a few stares due to their strange getup. Few four-year-olds would be decked out in top-quality armor, after all. But no one seemed to recognize them as the same pair that had landed in the square a short hour earlier. Without Anny's drakeling form and Nova perched on her shoulders, they were just two unusual children.

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"Look at the little warriors," a woman whispered to her companion as they passed. "They must be from some noble house."

"Who would ever make armor for such small children?" her friend asked, sounding frustrated at the waste of gold. "They'll outgrow them long before seeing a single battle!"

Nova and Anny ignored the speculation, focusing on the massive structure that loomed ahead. Up close, the dungeon entrance was even more imposing than it had appeared from above. Black stone rose in sweeping arches, carved with scenes of battle and triumph that seemed to move in the shadows when viewed from the corner of one's eye.

Unlike most buildings that invited entry, the dungeon's architecture seemed designed to warn visitors away.

Yet despite its forbidding appearance, people streamed in and out constantly. There was a strange festive atmosphere around the entrance plaza, with vendors selling food, drink, and equipment. Bards performed tales of legendary explorers, while bookmakers took bets on which teams would return and which would not.

"First time?" asked a burly man sitting at a small table near the entrance. A ledger lay open before him, and a small queue of adventurers waited their turn to register.

"Yes," Nova replied, stepping forward.

The man looked up from his ledger as he heard Nova's light voice, and squinted down at them. "Children aren't—"

"We received this from Guildmaster Senna," Anny cut in, holding up a small emblem that should have allowed their access. " She's already approved our entry. If you have concerns, take it up with her."

The registrar hesitated, then shrugged. "Names?"

"Nova and Anny. We'll be entering together."

The man dipped his quill and wrote their names in the ledger. "Five silver for registration, two copper for the waiver."

Nova placed the coins on the table. "What's the waiver for?"

"Standard release of liability. The guild isn't responsible for deaths, dismemberment, mental collapse, soul damage, or any other harm that may befall you in the dungeon." The registrar recited the terms with practiced boredom. "By paying the waiver fee, you acknowledge these risks and absolve the Dungeon Guild of any responsibility for your welfare."

"Cheerful," Anny remarked.

"Do we get anything for the registration fee?" Nova asked.

The man nodded and reached beneath his table, producing two small metal tokens on leather cords. "Wear these. They mark you as registered divers and track your progress. When—if—you return from your dive, present them to claim any rewards from your sponsors. Any taxes will be applied after all your loot has been checked, and you can choose what you want to keep."

"Sponsors? Are they needed?"

"Not at all, but you'll find several people around here willing to bet on divers for a split of the retrieved materials. They often offer good equipment and rewards for each level beaten."

"Not something we need to consider, then," Anny concluded.

Nova slipped his token around his neck, feeling the faint essence embedded within—a simple tracking enchantment, nothing malicious. Anny did the same, tucking hers beneath her armor.

"Any last advice?" Nova asked the registrar.

The man's weathered face softened slightly. "Don't get cocky. Even the first level has taken experienced adventurers. The dungeon has a way of finding weaknesses you didn't know you had."

"We'll keep that in mind," Nova said with a nod of thanks.

They moved past the registration table toward the massive obsidian archway that marked the true entrance. A faint blue shimmer filled the opening—not quite a barrier, but something between a membrane and a mist.

"Remember, once we're in, the only way out is forward," Anny said, fingering the hilt of her manticore blade.

"Until we beat the floor boss," Nova agreed. He flexed his hands, feeling essence gather at his fingertips. "Ready when you are."

Anny grinned, bumping her shoulder into Nova's. "Born ready."

Side by side, the two small figures stepped through the shimmering blue veil and into the dungeon. The membrane parted around them, cool and tingling against their skin, then closed behind them with eerie finality.

Inside, the noise of the bustling plaza vanished instantly. A long stone corridor stretched before them, lit by strange blue crystals embedded in the walls. The air was cooler here, carrying a faint mineral scent.

"Interesting," Nova murmured, examining the nearest crystal. "These aren't magical, they're bioluminescent."

"Look," Anny pointed to the floor, where faint runes glowed in a circular pattern. "Is that a formation?"

Nova knelt to examine the markings. "...I think it's a system interface," he said after a moment. "It's probably where the dungeon—"

Before he could finish, the runes flared bright. A translucent blue screen materialized before them, floating at eye level.

[Welcome to Bergrott Dungeon!]

[Floor 1 - Special Effect: Air resistance is multiplied by ten.]

[Objective: Defeat the Floor Guardian]

[Party Size: 3]

[Note: All loot is shared evenly among party members.]

The screen flickered once, then dissolved into motes of light that scattered across the corridor before fading.

'...Party size three? What the hell does that mean?'

He turned around, seeing only Anny nearby. But a horrible premonition started building in his stomach. His eyes flashed red, and suddenly, a new silhouette came into view right next to them. Just as small as they were.

'How?! HOW?!'

"MILLIE!!!"

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