Single for Eternity

Stepping into the cave, I was immediately greeted by a mesmerizing sight—thousands of crystal-filled torches mounted along the walls, their glow casting eerie reflections on the icy surfaces.

A cold wind whispered through the cavern, carrying with it the distant clang of iron striking stone—the unmistakable rhythm of miners at work.

I knew this cave ran deep.

Not literally straight down, but in a ladder-like pattern, descending level by level.

If my memory was correct, it went at least 20 to 25 levels deep.

I didn't waste time.

Moving swiftly, I darted past the terrified expressions of the townsfolk. They barely had time to react—probably couldn't even see my face properly before I vanished from their sight.

By the time I reached Floor 23, chaos had already erupted.

Screams filled the air.

"Run!! The floor is collapsing again!"

"Save yourself!!"

"Go up!!! Faster!!"

Panic spread like wildfire as workers fled the scene, scrambling over one another to escape.

Some even had the audacity to try and tackle me in their desperation.

Keyword: try.

Their bodies simply bounced off me like rubber balls against a wall, collapsing to the ground with stunned expressions.

Fear.

Confusion.

Shock.

I ignored them.

"Collapsed again?" I muttered under my breath.

This has been happening for a while now?

That was bad news. Mining was the lifeblood of this region. If collapses were frequent, production would have slowed drastically.

I need to solve this issue. Fast.

Cave-ins don't just happen.

They usually result from poor mining techniques, tremors, or explosions.

But these miners should at least know how to mine safely, right? Their survival literally depended on it.

…Or maybe not.

Still, something felt off. The only tools they had were basic pickaxes. No explosives. No advanced machinery.

So what was causing the repeated collapses?

Just as I was about to push forward, a small hand suddenly grabbed my wrist.

The audacity.

I turned, meeting the tear-streaked face of a young girl, her body trembling.

Through hiccupping sobs, she pleaded, "P-Please… mister… my grandpa is still inside… s-sob… please save him…"

Before I could even respond—

[ System: Ding! Heroine found. ]

[ 〜⁠(⁠꒪⁠꒳⁠꒪⁠)⁠〜 ]

[ System: Host, would you like to— ]

'Shut up!!!'

'I wasn't going to associate with the heroines'

System would probably try to actively set me up with them, if I as much as muttered their name.

Without hesitation, I shrugged her off.

She flinched.

Her teary eyes widened, but before she could latch onto me again, I had already moved forward, ignoring the collective gasps from the onlookers.

Now, instead of running for their lives, they were staring at me in shock.

...

At last, I arrived at the collapsed section of the mine.

The tunnel was completely blocked off, sealed as if someone—or something—had deliberately done it.

I scanned the area.

No cracks, no natural signs of stress fractures—nothing that would indicate a spontaneous cave-in.

Which meant one thing.

This wasn't an accident.

Something caused this collapse on purpose.

Without wasting time, I dug in, tearing away the heavy rubble like they were mere pebbles.

The crowd behind me gasped in sync.

Oh? Now they weren't terrified? Shouldn't you all run all the way up?

Ignoring them, I worked quickly, hurling debris aside until I spotted an opening just big enough for me to squeeze through.

Perfect.

Stepping through, I entered the deeper part of the mine.

...

The air was thick with dust and smoke. The strong stench of iron—probably blood—hung in the air.

Scattered around me were large chunks of shattered ore.

And bodies.

Men and women, young and old, buried under debris.

I moved without hesitation, pulling them free, one by one.

Some were completely immobile, their bodies crushed or wounded beyond movement. Others—though injured—could still walk.

I turned to the ones who could move and commanded, "You—take the injured and get out of here. I don't want to see a single person left behind."

Surprisingly…

They didn't flinch.

They didn't hesitate.

In fact—

They looked happy.

With actual smiles on their faces, they nodded and obeyed without question, helping the wounded as they made their way out.

I blinked.

…Why the hell are they happy about being ordered around?

I shook my head. Idiots.

Then—

I heard it.

A faint growl from deeper within the cave.

Barely audible.

But with my enhanced senses, I didn't miss it.

Something was lurking ahead.

Something angry.

And judging by the deep, guttural tone—

It was pissed that I had just stolen its prey.

A smirk crept onto my lips.

Time to meet the bastard messing with my money source.