Who Designed This Underworld Dungeon?

Due to often staying at home and reading, Fanen hasn't really interacted much with women, except for his sister.

Sometimes some women he knows tease him for fun, leaving him unsure of how to respond.

At this moment, a beautiful woman in a dress is standing before him, and ordinarily, he would be blushing and stunned.

He is indeed stunned, yet Fanen isn't blushing at all; instead, his face seems to be turning pale.

He is thinking right now:

This situation is getting a bit scary, sister!

How come you stood up!

Because he knows that the elegant white-haired woman in front of him is the puppet that used to sit among the flowers, he's feeling quite horrified.

Previously, he viewed her as pleasing to the eye, but that was from the perspective of appreciating a piece of art; if he knew who crafted the puppet, he might even consider custom ordering one.

But now the artwork suddenly came to life and stood up!

Moreover, the puppet that stood up closely resembles a human, with its craftsmanship so exquisite that it doesn't evoke thoughts of "Pseudo-People" or "uncanny valley."

But instead, makes it feel even more eerie.

This is indeed a tough test for Fanen's ability to handle shock...

The puppet looked at him, thinking he hadn't heard clearly, and said again:

"Welcome back, kind Hunter."

"Stop, stop, I heard you, no need to repeat it again."

Fanen quickly waved his hand, unsure of what expression he was making, though he imagined it wasn't too normal. He rubbed his face vigorously to reset his expression, and then asked in surprise:

"How did you come to life?"

He didn't attack right away because the assurance provided by the Hunter's Dream made him believe the puppet was unlikely to be harmful.

The puppet didn't answer this question but simply placed her hands at her front and looked at him; despite her expressionless face, she exuded an inexplicable warmth that made one lower their guard.

Fanen himself felt the question was odd, pondered for a moment, and asked:

"What are you doing here, beautiful..... lady?"

This time the puppet finally responded.

"I am an automaton, here to take care of you in this dream."

Take care of me?

At that moment, many thoughts flashed in Fanen's mind, and he stepped forward excitedly, asking:

"Can you repair weapons for free?"

Although the Messengers can help repair weapons and seem quite skillful, talking about money really sours the relationship.

Puppet: "..."

"Hunter, pursue the Blood Echoes, those things hidden within blood." After a pause, she continued: "I will merge them into your strength."

Her tone was flat, making her words feel predetermined like a puppet's, fitting her image perfectly.

"You will go hunting monsters, and I will stay here protecting your fragile soul."

This sentence had a gentle feel, suggesting that even if Fanen died outside, she might still tend his grave in the Hunter's Dream.

Yet Fanen showed exceptional dullness, focusing only on strength when he heard it mentioned, completely ignoring the emotion behind the words.

Just as he was about to ask how Blood Echoes could be merged into strength, he suddenly remembered something important and hastily asked:

"Do you know how to leave here, this Dungeon?"

The puppet seemed different from Gilbert, perhaps knowing more?

"Of course, the portal is right there."

Following the puppet's gaze, Fanen turned to look.

In the white flower field, a Teleportation Gate had suddenly appeared, swirling magical waves resonating within the frame, offering a path back outside!

Fanen felt like he had used up all his life's bouts of stupor today.

The puppet came to life, the Teleportation Gate appeared suddenly, why so abrupt?

"Phew..."

He took a deep breath, trying to calm his emotions; the chance to go out was right there. Yet at this point, he became calm again.

Not backing down, but calm, for a question needed consideration in such a state:

If he were to leave now, would he run into the masses of parasitic creatures outside?

His strength indeed enhanced by Blood Therapy, but against seemingly endless parasites, could he really fight his way out?

Thus, Fanen turned to the puppet, asking:

"Lady, what does it mean when you said merging Blood Echoes into strength? Could you please explain in detail?"

Seeing the puppet seemed harmless, even beneficial, his attitude softened, carrying some respect.

"Come closer to me, and then close your eyes."

Fanen complied filled with anticipation, though obediently closing his eyes.

He felt his hand being held, the touch typical of a puppet, cold and not like a human.

Was the puppet holding his hand?

Inside, something seemed to awaken, and closing his eyes, he pondered, finally seeing what Leon and the others had long grown tired of: those rows of attributes and levels.