A Pug's Journey (Cultivation Starts with Breathing)

As I trotted home after my reunion with Aephelia, my thoughts churned. That tattoo reward… It called to me.

But was I seriously considering doing this crazy dungeon? My rational side screamed reckless. My adventurous side whispered back, worth it.

I slipped through the quiet alleys, taking a longer route to clear my head. By the time I reached our residence.

The guards at the door—stern Sunmire knights—barely gave me a glance, having been briefed that a random small creature roaming the premises was probably a Godbeast in disguise.

Inside, the lights were dimmed. Mira greeted me with a relieved smile in the foyer. "Welcome back, Sir Pophet," she whispered. "Her Ladyship has retired for the evening. She asked for you earlier but I told her you'd be along shortly." There was a gentle hint of reproach in her tone, but mostly she seemed glad I was back in one piece.

"Sorry to worry you," I whispered back. I padded past her toward Rinvara's chambers. At the door, I paused, quieting my steps.

Rinvara was awake, sitting in bed with her back propped by pillows. A single crystal lamp cast a soft glow over her bandaged eyes and silver-white hair. She turned her head slightly as I entered, a smile touching her lips.

"There you are," she said softly. "Enjoyed your freedom, little brother?"

I hopped onto the foot of the bed and crawled up to her side. She reached out and I nudged her hand with my nose in apology. "I lost track of time," I admitted. "But yes… it was nice."

Her fingers found my fur and scratched gently. "I'm glad. You deserve some nice things."

We sat like that in comfortable silence for a moment. My heart was beating a bit too fast. Now that I was here, I realized I really wanted to ask her something, but I already knew she wouldn't like it.

Perhaps she felt my agitation, because she tilted her head. "Something on your mind?"

Subtlety has never been my strong suit, so I just blurted it: "Rinvara… have you ever heard of the Bottomless Inn dungeon here in Valden?"

Rinvara's hand stilled. "Yes, I have," she said carefully. "Why do you ask?"

I took a deep breath. "Well, hypothetically… if someone were to complete it, they could gain a mana affinity. A-any affinity they choose. You know what that could mean for me." My voice betrayed my excitement despite trying to sound nonchalant.

Rinvara's face clouded. Even without eyesight, she fixed me with a look. "Pophet. No."

I opened my mouth, but she cut me off, her voice gentle but firm. "Absolutely not. That dungeon is dangerous. Godbeast or not—how do you intend to stir soup or mop floors? Do you even know how to? And what if something goes wrong?"

I hated how reasonable she sounded. "I can handle myself," I grumbled while trying to keep my voice steady and mature.

For some reason, being in this form made me feel a lot childish.

She pinched the bridge of her nose, clearly sensing I was not letting this go. "Pophet, you are my brother and I adore you."

Her voice wavered, a tremble of emotion creeping in. "And you'll risk your life for what? Mana? I know how you feel and how you have lived without it all this time. We'll find another way for you, I swear it. Just… not this."

Guilt gnawed at me. I hadn't meant to upset her. I nuzzled into her lap, trying to offer comfort. "Alright," I murmured, trying to sound consoling. "If you're this against it, I'll drop it. I promise."

She relaxed slightly, her hand coming to rest on my back. "Thank you."

I chuckled weakly, though inside my chest, disappointment and resolve wrestled like feral cats. I did understand her fears. But… but the idea of gaining a mana affinity burned bright in my mind. I couldn't just snuff that out. Not yet.

We talked a little longer about more mundane things.

Eventually, Rinvara yawned, her strength waning. I curled up at her feet, a warm little guardian as she drifted to sleep. Mira came in to check on us, and I gave her a reassuring wink that all was well. Or at least, that's what I tried to convey. She dimmed the lamp and left quietly.

I remained there long after Rinvara's breathing evened out.

I stared into the darkness with unblinking eyes. My mind refused to settle. Over and over, I pictured that tavern dungeon: the clamor of kitchen work, the eerie customers, the high stakes… and at the end of it, the phantom innkeeper drawing out a tattoo that could change my fate.

A chosen affinity. A chance at mana.

I carefully slid off the bed, landing on the rug without a sound. I crept across the room, listening—Rinvara slept peacefully. Good. It was past midnight now; Mira was likely asleep or on watch somewhere else.

In the stillness, I made my decision. Or perhaps I acknowledged a decision I'd already made back at that café.

I was going to that dungeon.

I felt a pang of guilt, glancing back at Rinvara's sleeping form.

Silent as a whisper while still in my small-sized form, I nudged open the balcony door that Mira had left slightly ajar for the night breeze. The gap was just enough for me to squeeze through.

Outside, Valden City stretched under the moonlight, a patchwork of silver streets and glowing windows. Farther into the city, I could see the faint halo of lights around the dungeon's location.

The city that had been lively by day was now ghostly quiet. My paws pattered on cobbles as I navigated the winding lanes from memory. Only the occasional drunkard or night watchman crossed my path. I darted by, unseen in the gloom.

Before long, I stood once again before the stone archway of The Bottomless Inn. At this hour, it was much calmer. A single lantern burned at the checkpoint desk. An official dozed in his chair, and a pair of bored guards leaned against the wall, chatting softly.

I hid behind a barrel, observing.

Before long, I heard the clatter of boots and the familiar buzz of adventurers arriving in bulk. A group of twenty, by the look of it—laughing, grumbling, checking straps, slapping backs.

Perfect.

Summoning my courage and minimizing my snout sweat, I crept forward.

"Oi, what's that?" one guard muttered, noticing movement. He stepped toward me, hand casually resting on his blade hilt.

I froze. Think, Pophet. Think fast.

Then, inspiration struck—I stepped into a shaft of moonlight and plopped down in the most innocent doggy pose I could summon. Tongue out, tail wagging, ears tilted with weaponized cuteness.

The guard broke into a grin. "Well, I'll be. It's just a little beast."

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He knelt, clicking his tongue. "Hey there, fella. Where'd you come from?"

I trotted right past him, acting like I owned the cobblestones. The second guard chuckled. "Probably from one of the noble houses up the hill. You know how those ladies get—lapdogs and luxury biscuits. Wonder what breed it is."

"Should we… catch it?" the first asked, watching me wander straight toward the adventurers.

"Nah," the other shrugged. "Too much trouble. It can't enter the dungeon anyway. It'll either just wander back home or end up spoiled by some rookie. What harm could it do?"

Oh, if only you knew.

The adventurers were gathered at the threshold, ready to enter. One of them stepped into the archway.

The oak doors creaked open with dramatic slowness, the warm tavern glow spilling out. A few of the adventurers stretched and some of them looked quite excited.

And me? I just walked right in with them.

Nobody noticed the tiny foot-sized Godbeast among twenty pairs of boots and greaves. I slinked in beside a tall red-haired woman chatting about potatoes, keeping pace like an unusually determined mascot.

When the doors began to close behind us, I gave a quick glance back at the guards—who were already returning to their conversation about something involving two drunk duelists and a goose.

The door sealed with a heavy boom.

And just like that… I was inside. I had sneak-joined a full team of twenty adventurers.

I looked around the strange half-lit tavern interior, with my heart thudding with excitement.

The smell of ale and roasted meat drifted through the air. The floorboards creaked beneath our feet (and paws), lanterns flickered, and off to the side a large chalkboard read:

"WELCOME INN STAFF - YOUR SHIFT BEGINS IN AN HOUR."

* * * * *

Dungeon Guide Excerpt - "The Bottomless Inn" (Valden City Repeatable Dungeon)

> Official Designation: Dungeon VC-06, colloquially "The Bottomless Inn."
Location: Underneath Old Valden Tavern, East Valden District, Sunmire Kingdom. Entrance via stone arch on Silvercross Avenue.

> Dungeon Type: Repeatable Cooperative Survival Scenario.

Nature: Semi-permanent dimension in tavern/inn form. Resets with each attempt. Does not collapse upon completion, allowing unlimited attempts over time.

Access: Open to challengers of any rank. Up to 20 individuals enter per instance (exceeding 20 will automatically split groups into separate parallel instances)

> Objective: Survive 5 days and nights (120 hours) inside the Inn.
Challengers must operate the tavern and satisfy the needs of its "guests" for the full duration. Completion is signaled at midnight after the fifth night, upon which the front door will permit exit for Challengers.

> Environment & Rules:

Inn Layout: The dungeon generates a 20-room inn with a tavern on the ground floor. Rooms are simple but functional, meant as quarters for challengers. The tavern includes a kitchen, bar, pantry, and common dining area. All tools and ingredients for basic cooking and cleaning are provided (and mysteriously restock themselves overnight).

Mana Suppression: All mana-based abilities are nullified upon entry. Personal mana reserves are frozen, and magic spells cannot be cast inside.

Weapon Nullification: Any weapons or offensive artifacts carried in will vanish at the threshold and be returned to challengers only upon exit.

Communication Jam: No contact with the outside. Communicators, scrying spells, etc., do not function until you leave.

> Customers & Challenges:

Endless Patrons: Throughout the five days, a random assortment of "customers" will continuously arrive at the tavern. They range from ordinary travelers and farmers to more exotic entities (e.g., ghostly apparitions, minor demons in disguise, enchanted beasts in humanoid form). They come and go at all hours, day and night, ensuring no real downtime for challengers. Sleep must be taken in shifts, if at all.

Tasks: Customers will place orders for food and drink. Challengers must cook, serve, clean, and maintain the inn.

Odd Requests: Most orders are standard fare (stew, ale, a room for the night). However, some patrons will request bizarre or disturbing items. Confirmed reports include:

A guest requesting a human thumb in their stew.

A cloaked figure asking for a cocktail shaken with an eyeball instead of ice.

A child-like voice from an empty corner demanding blood pricked from a scar.

These "special" orders occur sporadically, perhaps 1-2 times per day.

Outcome if Refused: Unknown.

The guide's authors note that parties who outright failed or refused a special request often didn't survive to report why. It is strongly advised to find a way to appease these requests, if possible, without sacrificing your team's lives. Creative substitutes have worked in some cases (one team famously used a boar's eyeball in place of a human one and the patron was satisfied).

> Survival Statistics:

Historical Survival Rate hovers around 80%. In a full party of 20, on average, 16 make it out alive.

Standard casualty count: 4.

Causes of death (from autopsy or survivor testimony):

Fatal injuries from violent patrons (brawls with ogres, throat-slashing by a "smiling lady," mauling by something that "looked like a were-bear in a tutu," etc.).

Exhaustion or mishaps (heart attacks, falling down the cellar stairs while carrying a keg after 4 sleepless nights).

Mysterious disappearances (where someone vanished during a power outage or was "taken" by the inn after a failed special request—presumed dead, no bodies recovered).

> Team Composition & Strategy:

Optimal Team Size: 4-8 people coordinating closely. While up to 20 can enter, having a pre-formed group larger than 8 is discouraged. Why? Larger groups tend to draw mistrust from other entrants. No solo adventurer or small team wants to join an instance with, say, a clique of 10 from the same guild—they'll suspect (often correctly) that those 10 will prioritize their own and use outsiders as fodder (or stew fodder…). Thus, big groups may struggle to fill all 20 slots and could end up short-handed.

Strangers Welcome: Don't be afraid of mixed parties. Many successful clears were basically impromptu teams of individuals who had complementary skills.

Assign Roles Early: Upon entry, decide who will be Chef, who will tend bar, who will clean, Rotate if needed to stave off exhaustion. A well-organized tavern crew has higher odds of survival.

Keep Guests Happy: It's not explicitly stated that you must keep a high customer satisfaction, but happier patrons tend to be less violent and more cooperative. One team that treated the customers exceptionally, such as learning names, remembering favorite drinks throughout a 12-hour long drinking spree, reported fewer "weird" incidents.

> Victory & Rewards:
Upon dawn of the sixth day, if the challengers have survived, all remaining patrons will quietly depart. The tavern will fall empty and still. The front door will open wide, leading back to Valden City.

Before leaving, each survivor will receive a visit from the Innkeeper (often described as either a kindly old man or woman in neat attire) who will present an inkbrush and ask what affinity you seek. They then etch a tattoo onto your body, typically on the forearm or chest (location may be requested politely).

> Affinity Tattoo Details: The tattoo's design will reflect the chosen affinity. For example:

A flame-shaped sigil for Fire affinity - granting the challenger enhanced attunement to fire mana (easier casting of fire spells, resistance to heat).

A wave crest symbol for Water affinity - improves control over water mana and fluid magic, plus a minor resistance to pressure.

A mountain rune for Earth affinity - bolstering earth magic and possibly sturdier skin/bones.

A gusting wind icon for Air affinity - attuning the bearer to wind magic, lightening their steps.

A luminescent sun for Light affinity - enhancing holy or light-based spellcasting ability.

A crescent moon with stars for Dark/Night affinity - aiding in stealth.

Note: Affinities outside the classical or elemental spectrum are possible but risky. Choosing something overly abstract or esoteric can result in a null-tattoo. Records show:

A man who requested "Affinity for Gold/Wealth" got a gold-colored coin tattoo on his palm… which did absolutely nothing except make pickpockets target him.

An adventurer asked for "Infinity" and received a tattoo of an infinity symbol on her forehead. No discernible effects.

If the Innkeeper looks confused by your request, quickly rephrase or pick something more common. You usually only get one ask.

One Tattoo per Customer: The dungeon will not grant multiple tattoos to the same person; repeat clearers report that the Innkeeper simply tipped his hat and said "Thank you, come again" with no second reward.

> Post-Dungeon Care:
Survivors often exit extremely fatigued and malnourished (five days of nonstop labor!). The Guild maintains healers and medics nearby the exit 24/7. It's common to spend a day or two recovering in the infirmary after a challenge.

A few survivors found strange keepsakes in their pockets (a coaster, a room key, a bar towel with the inn's logo) which are harmless but curious mementos. One fellow came out wearing a chef's hat he swore he didn't have on before, possibly a parting gag from the dungeon.

Good luck, and may the Light of Sunmire shine upon you... because inside that Inn, it's always a bloody long night.

— Excerpt from "Surviving The Bottomless Inn - Valden City Dungeon Guide, 11th Edition."