Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

One ordinary day, Fels approached Uranus in the prayer chamber beneath the Guild’s headquarters.

—“Hmm, what is it, Fels? I thought you’d already finished today’s report.”

—“Something has come up, Uranus. And it’s bad. Very bad.”

The almost ghostlike being held a parchment in his hands. Speaking hurriedly, Fels unrolled the old scroll and began to read the report to the god upon the throne.

—“A new monster-free zone, also known as a Frontier, has been discovered on the 37th Floor, near the Floor Boss chamber of Udaeus. It was our Familia, the **** Familia, who found it.”

Fels paused dramatically. Up to that point, Uranus found the report rather ordinary.

At least until Fels continued reading.

—“However, our strongest members, those of Level 4, passed through a rift within that area and vanished without a trace.”

The skeletal mage kept reading until he reached the bottom of the page. There, he noticed a smear of blood. Taking a moment, Fels turned the sheet over to read the back.

—“We don’t know if we’ll make it back to the surface alive, but I’m writing this report with the hope that someone will deliver it to the Guild. If you’re reading this... please, my friends need your help…” That was the end of the letter.

Finishing the reading, Fels lifted his gaze toward Uranus.

—“What happened to the one who wrote the letter?” asked the solemn god.

—“The letter was taken from a dying adventurer on the 18th Floor. Just as the sender feared, his party didn’t make it. As for the contents of the letter… what should we do? Perhaps Lyd and the other Xenos should handle it?”

Announcing the tragic fate of the adventurers, Fels seemed more concerned about the situation within the Dungeon, waiting silently for Uranus’s response.

Crackle

Sparks flew from the torches surrounding the altar, their flickering light illuminating the pensive face of the ancient god.

“If this is truly an unknown area of the 37th Floor, then there’s no other choice… Notify the Loki and Freya Familias. Tell them to send only their First-Class Adventurers.”

—“Wait, both of them? Isn’t that too risky, considering how poorly they get along?”

Uranus’s command left the skeletal man bewildered. But his reaction was understandable—after all, the Loki and Freya Familias got along as well as oil and water.

Even so, the god did not waver in his divine will.

—“The mysteries of the Dungeon must never be underestimated, and we cannot afford to lose even a single member of those Familias—not when the ‘Promised Time’ draws so near. That is why we must send every possible support.”

The god’s words echoed through the dark chamber.

Fels nodded after a moment, his black robe flickering in the light of the dancing torch flames.

“Understood. I doubt Goddess Loki or Freya will be pleased to receive a mission so soon, especially after we just defeated the remnants of Evilus… but I’ll see what I can do.”

The mage turned around and left the chamber to carry out his task.

Above the underground Guild Headquarters, the sun had already reached its zenith.

Above the underground Guild Headquarters, the sun had already reached its zenith.

Orario—the center of the world—remained unchanged, oblivious to the divine schemes unfolding in the shadows below.

And in the midst of it all—

—“Haha! Kuh!”

A certain white-haired boy fell flat on his back after a powerful kick struck the breastplate of his armor.

—“You’ve improved again, Bell. It’s a shame we barely have time to train anymore.”

A beautiful, pale hand reached out to him. Embarrassed after being knocked down so easily, the boy couldn’t bring himself to meet the gaze of the figure standing before him.

—“Don’t worry, Aiz-san. I’m just glad we were able to keep our promise to train… I thought you’d want to rest after finishing things with Evilus.”

Though the girl’s body blocked the sunlight, to Bell, Aiz still shone just as brightly. Unable to voice such a thought aloud, Bell shyly accepted Aiz’s hand and stood up.

It had been a month since the last assault on Knossos, where the Loki, Freya, Ganesha, Hermes, Dian Cecht, and Hestia Familias had joined forces to defeat the remnants of the dark organization known as Evilus.

A historic battle that no one on the surface ever knew had taken place—fought beneath the city within the man-made dungeon—and ended that very same night. Even the talking monsters, the Xenos, had taken part in the conflict.

And after all of it, the adventurers had finally found some time to rest.

In this case, Aiz and Bell spent their time together atop the city’s wall, the same place where they had first trained.

—“Don’t worry. Spending time with you is fun.”

—“T-thank you! I-I-I think so too!”

Caught completely off guard, Bell turned as red as a tomato the moment those words left Aiz’s lips.

At present, the rabbit-eared boy was Level 4 and already hailed as one of the city’s most promising adventurers. What few knew, however, was that Bell was already on the verge of reaching Level 5—thanks to his achievements during a joint expedition with the Takemikazuchi Familia and the support of Aisha Belka, both of which had pushed him to his limits.

In addition to that, Bell had taken part in the eradication of Evilus and had even defeated a corrupted demi-spirit in the process, earning a large amount of high-quality excelia.

During that time, Bell began to realize it was finally time to confess his feelings to the person he admired most.

And so, as Aiz offered him a lap pillow—something he couldn’t possibly refuse despite his overwhelming embarrassment—Bell began to speak.

—“Aiz-san, I heard the Harvest Festival in Orario is coming up soon. W-would you like to go to the celebration together?”

“The Harvest Festival… Are you asking me out on a date or something?”

Tilting her head slightly, Aiz looked at Bell with innocent curiosity.

The blonde swordswoman was a bit of an airhead, so she didn’t fully understand the meaning behind such events.

However, Bell’s mental circuits completely shorted out the instant the word date left Aiz’s lips, leaving his mind utterly blank.

—“It’s fine. I don’t mind going if it’s with you, Bell.”

—“R-really!?”

A smile appeared on the girl’s face; she always found Bell’s reactions amusing. But this time, the white-haired boy practically jumped up from where he sat, his face now inches away from hers.

He was so focused on Aiz’s answer that he failed to notice just how close they were.

—“Yes, let’s go together.”

—“O-oh, I-I—uh—!”

Just as Bell was about to reach the limit of his nervousness, footsteps echoed up the stairs leading to the top of the wall.

Then, a pair of beautiful blue eyes came into view.

—“Aiz-san! I finally found—ugh, you’re with that human…”

The surprise visitor turned out to be Lefiya, a elf from the Loki Familia, Aiz’s companion and Bell’s self-proclaimed rival.

Recently, Lefiya had been training to become a Magic Swordswoman, and had even cut her hair so that it now rested just above her shoulders.

Oh, Lefiya-san. How have you been? Have you finished training with Bete-san?”

“Yes, but I’m here on other matters—still, don’t think I’ll let you beat me!”

The flame of competition shone brightly in the elf’s eyes. Even so, Lefiya had never let go of her one-sided rivalry with Bell. Despite this, the white-haired boy never minded her, especially now that Lefiya was going through a difficult time.

It was well known that this change in her attitude was due to her grieving the loss of a dear friend, Filvis Chalia. Since then, she had been training with Bete to become stronger.

—“What is it, Lefiya?”

When Aiz interrupted the conversation between the half-elf and the boy, Lefiya remembered the reason she had come and cleared her throat before speaking.

—“Oh, right. The Guild issued a mission for our adventurers. We must depart immediately.”

—“Oh.”

—“Wait… did you just say ‘we must’?”

Aiz’s muted reaction was overshadowed by Bell’s, who noticed the small but important detail in Lefiya’s words.

The elf was Level 4… so why would she be going on a mission meant only for <first-class> adventurers??

At that, a small, arrogant smile adorned Lefiya’s face.

—It's because Riveria-sama said I was capable of helping, so I'll be going with them on the mission as a <support>.

The elf replied with an air of triumph over the boy. Clearly, Bell felt a twinge of jealousy at not being invited to the mission.

—I’ll talk to Fels-san later… maybe he’ll let me join them.

The boy thought, glancing at Aiz, then said:

—“I guess that’s all for today, Aiz-san.”

—“Yes.”

—“I’ll see you after the mission is over. I hope you tell me all the details!”

With that, Bell descended the stairs of the wall first, while Lefiya and Aiz watched, both waving goodbye.

—“Hmph, even though this mission is supposed to be secret.”

Feeling a bit of regret, Lefiya thought she wouldn’t be able to brag about her accomplishments to the boy afterward.

Leaving those thoughts behind, the two adventurers set off after Aiz said, “Let’s go,” heading toward where Finn and the others were waiting.

The Tower of Babel —a relic standing since the dawn of the age of gods— rose proudly above the clouds, as if it could pierce the heavens beyond the mortal world.

Beneath it lay the Dungeon.

Known as the Entrance to Hell, the Dungeon was a labyrinth of unknown origin where the monsters that threatened the world emerged endlessly.

With the aid of the Gods’ Blessing, humanity managed to repel those creatures and seal the Dungeon beneath the great tower. Yet, the monsters never ceased to crawl out of that sinister abyss, constantly trying to reach the surface.

Even so, the adventurers—tasked with preventing such a catastrophe—had continued their exploration of the Dungeon for more than a thousand years, still unable to reach its end.

Today, the Familias at the forefront of that exploration were Loki’s and Freya’s, both boasting several Level 5 and Level 6 adventurers. In the case of the Freya Familia, they even had a Level 7.

And Aiz, who arrived last at the meeting point in front of the tower, was one of those top adventurers.

—“Sorry for being late. I was… occupied.”

Bearing the title of Sword Princess, Aiz was a Level 6 with tremendous potential—though somewhat awkward in social situations.

—“Don’t worry. We’re still waiting for the Freya Familia’s envoys to finish their… negotiations, anyway.”

Greeting the taciturn Aiz was Riveria.

Known as Nine Hell, Riveria Ljos Alf was a royal elf, a Level 6 mage, and the greatest in her craft. Yet, to Aiz, she was nothing less than a foster mother. Still, since Riveria served as the vice-captain of the Loki Familia, the blonde swordswoman treated her with formal respect in public.

Riveria’s jade-green hair fluttered softly in the wind. A faint smile formed on her lips; she knew perfectly well why Aiz had taken so long—but had no intention of scolding her for it.

Bell Cranel… Isn’t it about time you asked her out?

A quiet sigh escaped the elf’s mouth. She was far too aware of what was going on between those two, but Riveria had no intention of meddling in Aiz’s affairs. Returning to her usual serious expression, she turned her gaze toward a small figure watching them from afar.

—Finn, Aiz and Lefiya have arrived. We can proceed.

“Understood. I suppose Ottar can explain the plan to his subordinates later.”

The elf’s staff touched the ground as she stopped in front of a blonde-haired, blue-eyed pallum. His name was Finn Deimne, a Level 6 adventurer known as Braver.

Despite his small stature, no one doubted Finn’s capabilities. His cunning, intelligence, and relentless effort had carried him to the top of the world as the captain of the Loki Familia.

Aiz walked toward her captain. Finn wore a complicated expression as he glanced toward a group of people arguing nearby, but he ignored them and focused on addressing the companions gathered around him.

The fierce werewolf Bete Loga <Vanargand>.
The berserker amazon twins Tione Hyrute <Jormungand> and Tiona Hyrute <Amazon>.
And last but not least, the veteran dwarf Gareth Landrock <Elgarm>.

Including Aiz and Riveria, they were all Level 6 adventurers.

On the other hand, Lefiya—a Level 4 who would also be participating in the mission—stood quietly beside Aiz.

—Before we begin, I ask that everyone refrain from unnecessary fights during this joint mission. Especially you, Bete.

The hobbit’s gaze fell upon the werewolf, who merely growled in response. Finn continued speaking.

—“The reason we’ve all been summoned here so suddenly is due to an emergency mission issued by the Guild. Apparently, a newly discovered cavern on the 37th Floor led to the disappearance of a group of Level 4 adventurers. That’s what we’re here to investigate.”

Aiz furrowed her brows. She remembered that was the same Floor Bell had mentioned accidentally falling into during his expedition. Hearing this, she felt relieved that Bell hadn’t stumbled upon that cavern while fleeing from the monsters.

After explaining that it would take at least two days to reach the 37th Floor with good cooperation between both Familias, Aiz watched as Finn turned and craned his neck upward—facing a massive man who had been listening to the entire briefing.

--Ottar, I trust that your <Familia> won’t get in our way despite our differences. That said, I’d like you to take the front line, at least from the <upper floors> to the <middle floors>, so you can regain your focus.

The scene was almost comical when you realized that a tiny hobbit was talking to a <Boarman> twice his height, but no one found it amusing.

The person standing before Finn—Ottar, just Ottar—was the captain of the infamous <Freya Familia>, as well as the strongest adventurer in the world.

Why? The answer was simple: his <status> as a Level 7 spoke for itself.

A power capable of leveling mountains and shaking the city with a “single blow”—That was the might of a Level 7 adventurer.

And Ottar was the only one in Orario—and for many, in the entire world—with such strength.

Recognizing this, and despite considering him a rival, Finn asked Ottar for his approval before proceeding with the crucial mission.

The silent <Boar> was more of a warrior than a strategist, so he simply nodded without a word and walked back toward his companions, a few meters away from where the <Loki Familia> stood.

"All right—"

But just as Finn was about to continue speaking, Ottar turned around and interrupted him.

--I think you’ll have to wait a moment. Allow me to calm them down first.

Referring to his companions as troublesome youngsters, Ottar gave the <Loki Familia> a weary look as a warning.

Finn replied with a “go ahead,” returning Ottar’s words with an ironic smile.

Despite the setbacks, Ottar managed to “calm” his companions with a few punches, and they were the first to enter the Dungeon, just as Finn had requested.

Two days passed swiftly, and the brave adventurers reached their designated floor without encountering much resistance.

The <Deep Floors> of the Dungeon—many called them the true beginning of the adventure, though few ever returned from its depths. Even for the most seasoned of adventurers, those levels represented an entirely different world: one of darkness, monstrous power, and ceaseless danger.

Yet for these <First-Class Adventurers>, such a descent was almost routine. They were the elite among elites, hardened by countless battles. Their bodies and minds had long adapted to the oppressive air, the crushing silence, and the faint tremors that marked the life pulsing beneath the Dungeon’s stone veins.

They were currently delving into the <37th Floor>, a place whispered about even among the Deep Floors as one of the most terrifying. Not only was a <Monster Rex> known to dwell there—a colossal, unique beast capable of wiping out entire parties—but the floor itself was engulfed in perpetual darkness.

The terrain was composed of winding caverns and narrow tunnels, the air damp and cold. The only traces of light came from the crystal-like minerals embedded within the rocky walls, their dim glow reflecting in fragments, offering the illusion of safety where there was none. These glimmers were the adventurers’ only allies in the suffocating blackness, a fragile hope in a place where even sound seemed to vanish into the void.

The only way to survive was to sharpen one’s senses to the extreme—listening for the faintest echo of movement, sensing the tremor of a monster’s presence before it struck. But even such vigilance could not guarantee survival. The Dungeon had a way of punishing overconfidence.

Among the echoing caverns, a voice filled with irritation broke the eerie silence.

--Tch, all we’ve done is clear the easy floors. Why do those bastards from the <Loki Familia> get to earn all the excelia from the Deep Floors?

The speaker was a <Catman> with sleek back hair and predatory blue eyes—Allen Fromel, also known as <Vana Freya>. His tail flicked in annoyance as he listened to the distant roars and explosions reverberating from the tunnels ahead, where the <Loki Familia> was engaged in combat.

Restless and craving battle, Allen slammed the silver tip of his spear against the ground, sparks flying as he leaned on it with a scowl.

--Hmph, perhaps it has something to do with the fact that you almost got Alfrigg and his brothers roasted by the <Amphisbaena> back on the 27th Floor?

The mocking remark came from a calm, melodic voice that echoed from the shadows of a nearby tunnel.

--Huh? I don’t remember asking for your opinion, Fuking Elf

From the opposite corner of the cavern, a tall, pale elf stepped into the faint light. His long and pristine uniform gave him a refined air, one entirely at odds with the foul mood hanging over the group. His name was Hedin Sellan, one of Freya’s chosen warriors and Allen’s so-called “comrade.”

--The goddess’s chariot’s complaints never cease, yet this humble servant understands the reason for such frustration. Still, you remain an utter fool.

Allen’s ears twitched. He growled.

--Ha!? What did you just say? You want a fight too, you fuking elf !?

Before Hedin could respond, another voice—timid, stuttering, but carrying an undercurrent of lethal intent—emerged from behind him.

--T-this humble servant recognizes only the foolish Hedin as his rival… b-but if you wish to fight, I won’t hesitate to stain my blade with your blood.

Allen turned toward the speaker with an incredulous glare.

--“The foolish Hedin,” huh? Pretty bold words from the bigger idiot of the two.

Hedin sighed in exasperation, adjusting the thin spectacles perched on his nose.

--You’re as theatrical as ever, Hogni. Can’t you try sounding less like a bard and more like a sane person?

The person in question replied with an exaggerated speech that could be summed up as a simple “shut up,” then turned toward Allen with a nervous expression. However, the sword in his hand showed no signs of hesitation—he would kill the <catman> if that was what it took.

His name was Hogni Ragnar, a dark elf and longtime rival of Hedin. Both were Level 6 adventurers, known respectively as the and the . Together, Hogni and Hedin formed a duo that was both comical and deadly.

The was just as strong—if not stronger—than the , but the endless conflict among its members often led them to fight each other. For better or worse, no one had any intention of stopping their companions’ clashes, even inside the Dungeon.

As proof of this, the four hobbit brothers—Alfrigg, Dvalin, Berling, and Grer Gulliver—didn’t lift a finger, nor did Hedin, when the dark elf and the catman began to fight.

The small hobbit tribe known as the was composed of those four twin brothers, in that order, and each was a Level 5 adventurer.

The four moved as one—their every motion perfectly synchronized, even their gazes aligned—as they watched the two Level 6 clash.

The relentless, devastating strikes of Hogni’s sword were met only by Allen’s incredible speed and spearwork—both dodging and countering in a furious exchange without yielding an inch.

Their battle shook the small chamber, and the debris flying like shrapnel could have easily injured their companions, but neither of them cared. They wouldn’t stop fighting until one of them fell or surrendered.

Because of this, Hedin’s mood soured as he was forced to stay alert, slicing apart the incoming debris with his double-edged rhomphaia. If his patience ran out, it was likely he’d join the fight himself as yet another combatant.

However, a muscular shadow emerged from the darkness and stepped between them.

—“That’s enough, you two.”

—“...!”
—“...!”

The very same man who had stopped them all on the surface appeared once again to end the fight. Ottar, with incredible speed and strength, deflected Hogni’s sword and nearly sent Allen’s spear flying with just two simple swings of his massive blade.

Planting the sword—almost the same size as its wielder—firmly in the ground between them after separating the two, the powerful Boaz spoke again.

—“We’ve finished off the monsters in the area. It’s time to enter the [cave].”

Without saying another word, Ottar withdrew his sword and walked toward the next passage.

Realizing that the Boaz wouldn’t be so kind next time, Allen and Hogni set aside their hostilities and started walking toward where the others were waiting for them, with Hedin and the Gulliver brothers following close behind.

—“Tsk, I still don’t get why this has to be a joint mission. Neither side needs the other for this.”
—“Well, today must be an unusual day—I actually agree with that stupid wolf from the [Loki Familia].”
—“Allen.”

The room they entered, not too different from the previous one where the members of the [Freya Familia] had been, was square-shaped. The only difference was that this one had no exit at all.

On the opposite side of the entrance through which the adventurers had come, a sinister crack—the mouth of a cave—was waiting for them. Around the cave’s entrance stood the members of the [Loki Familia].

As the rival group entered the room, Bete tried to throw a venomous comment their way, but Allen’s tongue was just as sharp as his. Both were quickly silenced by Ottar’s reprimand and Finn’s piercing gaze.

Once he confirmed that everyone was quiet before the cave’s entrance, Finn began to speak.

—“Alright, this is the place. As for how we’ll proceed, we’ll go in pairs since the path ahead is rather narrow. The pairs will be made based on size and compatibility. With that in mind—Ottar, you’re with me.”

Even if the adventurers who had vanished in this cave were all as strong as level fours, the ones standing here now far surpassed their predecessors. Because of that, the group was fairly relaxed.

After all, no one could find a reason to worry about a pair made up of Finn and Ottar—the two strongest adventurers in the city.

The group of adventurers advanced silently through the narrow path until they reached its end, which opened into another, wider chamber.

—“What the hell…?”

—“A door?”

Allen was the first to react, his tone filled with confusion, followed by Bete, who, along with the other member of his group, was among the last to arrive.

The rest, who were already there, stared at the door warily, readying their weapons in case of an emergency.

—“There’s no way this is part of Knossos… but why is it here?”

Finn voiced his thoughts aloud, recalling the Daedalus-made labyrinth that Evilus had once used as their hideout. Then, Tione responded to his words.

—“The structure’s different—and besides, we’re practically in the heart of the floor. It must be something else.”

—“I agree with Tione on this. But this door won’t open no matter how hard we try.”

—“Ugh! You’re right, it’s ridiculously tough!”

The old dwarf pointed out that the door was impossible to open, which seemed true, as Tiona complained after failing to move it even with all her strength.

The massive double iron door towered before the adventurers, tall enough to reach a third story.

Everyone took a moment to admire the mysterious entrance that stood there in the middle of nowhere.

—“Great. A dead end. Those bastards who brought this mission to the Guild really got us into trouble.”

—“Yeah, and didn’t they say those level fours went further in?”

—“Now that you mention it, there aren’t any people or corpses here. Where the hell are they?”

—“I doubt they could’ve opened this door when we can’t… Hey, Braver, what do you think?”

The identical voices of the brothers echoed one after another, expressing the collective thoughts of all the adventurers in the chamber. However, Finn had no answer.

Meanwhile—

“Spiritual magic.”

—““““What?””””

The voices of everyone echoed in unison, and all eyes in the room turned toward a single person.

The girl, usually quiet in situations like this, spoke almost unconsciously.

—“Uhh… I think I feel spiritual magic coming from the door.”

Still unsure why, Aiz stepped forward through the adventurers, ignoring the curious glances aimed at her.

Her blonde hair swaying with each step, Aiz reached the front of the door and stopped.

Riveria, Finn, and Gareth exchanged looks—only they knew that Aiz’s intuition had a real reason behind it.

As a descendant of spirits, Aiz, a demi-spirit, was highly sensitive to the magic around her, and it was this awareness that led her to stand before the door.

As if possessed by some unseen force, Aiz reached out and touched the surface of the iron door.

Rumble… rumble…

The moment her fingers made contact, the entire room began to tremble, and the sound of something metallic scraping filled the adventurers’ ears.

—“Ah! The door’s starting to open!”

As soon as Lefiya pointed out the obvious, everyone in the room had to shield their faces from the blinding white light pouring through the doorway as it swung fully open.

The light was so intense that it consumed the entire chamber, turning the world completely white.

—“What’s happening!?”
—“Dvalin, Berling, Grer! Don’t separate from me!”

Hogni’s shout and Alfrigg’s worried exclamation were the only sounds heard before everyone was swallowed by the mysterious light.

Three seconds passed, and the door’s light cut off as it slammed shut with a resounding crash. After that, there was only silence.

No one broke the silence…

Because there was no one left in the room.

Almost at the same time, on the surface.

—“It’s been almost three days since Aiz-san went on that mission…”

—“Hmm? Is something wrong, Bell-sama?”

—“Oh! I didn’t see you there, Haruhime-san. Don’t worry, everything’s fine. I was just thinking about something stupid.”

In the Hestia Familia’s headquarters—the Chimney Mansion—Bell was gazing at the sky through a large window in the main hall when Haruhime approached him with that question.

The boy dismissed the significance of his thoughtful expression, but for some reason, the uneasy feeling in his chest didn’t go away.

—“Maybe I should ask Fels-san how they’re doing later.”

Burying that thought as if it weren’t important, Bell turned his gaze away from the Tower of Babel and looked at Haruhime with a smile. Lunch was already ready, and he didn’t want to miss Mikoto’s cooking.

However, the boy had no idea what would happen after that day.

Blinded by an intense white light, I raised an arm in front of my face and waited for the glare to subside.

Seconds passed, and all I could hear were a few angry shouts from the members of the Freya Familia as we were swallowed by the light. I had no idea what was happening—I just waited.

One… two… the seconds kept ticking by until the light was no longer strong enough to make me shield my eyes.

However…

—“Eh?”
—“Where are we?”

The combined voices of the Gulliver brothers, along with Tiona and Tione asking at the same time, were the first thing that made me react.

I glanced at our surroundings, looking for the glittering rock walls typical of the floor or the giant door I had touched before it opened. But none of that remained.

Unlike the dark, cavernous floor we had been on before, now all that could be seen was pure white everywhere.

A white room.

Confused, I looked up, hoping to see a ceiling or maybe the sky—but I was mistaken. I couldn’t distinguish anything from here, as if I were very small inside this space.

Or perhaps the space itself stretched into infinity.

—Could this be related to the spiritual magic I felt?

That question ran through my mind the moment I realized that nothing about this was normal.

It wasn’t just a change of surroundings—I could feel it—we were in a completely different location.

We’re probably beyond that door, I thought. It must have been some kind of spell that activated when I touched it.

But… why me? Is it because I’m half-spirit?

Amid all my questions, a voice suddenly came from the left—

—“Aiz!”

R-Riveria? Why are you shouting?

Startled by her concerned tone, I looked toward Riveria, only to find her face right in front of mine all of a sudden.

—“I…! I’m sorry. I’m glad you’re okay. Well, I’m glad everyone’s okay.”

I followed Riveria’s gaze to the rest of the room. As she said, everyone who had been in the dungeon a moment ago had been brought here.

—“At least they didn’t separate us, huh?”

—“Finn! Remind me to ask the guild to raise our pay a lot for this.”

“You’re right, this wasn’t in our plans. Alright, everyone, gather around”

While replying to Gareth, Finn called all of us to near him.

We all obeyed, even the members of the Freya Familia approached—perhaps because no one knew what was happening, no one complained.

I couldn’t tell if he was exactly in the center of the room, but Finn was at least at the center of our group. He paused to think, but this time it took longer than usual.

—“We still have enough provisions to last at least a week, but that doesn’t guarantee this will be our only concern. For now, I don’t want anyone wandering off alone.”

Glancing at Lefiya’s pack—she was serving as support—Finn nodded at her when she confirmed the amount of supplies. He had the same reaction when he looked at one of the Hobbit brothers of the Freya Familia, who was in charge of his family’s provisions.

The Hobbit captain maintained a calm expression. Finn licked the tip of his thumb; it was what he did when he relied solely on instinct. However, his face changed—a touch of uncertainty crept into his gaze.

The Hobbit captain spoke aloud a second later.

—“Honestly… I don’t know what’s going on here.”

His statement took us by surprise, but no one lost their composure. In fact, it was quite normal for him to say that. Finn had mentioned that in situations like this, any idea was welcome, and everyone began sharing their thoughts.

—I won’t be of much help here…

My thought sounded pessimistic, even to me, but I knew very well that I wouldn’t have much to contribute once I saw Finn, Hedin, and Riveria start forming their own theories.

Perhaps feeling the same way, Vana Freya, the Hobbits <Bringar>, and even <King> Ottar stepped aside, just like Bete, Tiona, and my other companions.

Not too close, but not too far either, we started to separate from the round we had made in the room to investigate—if there was anything to find—on our own.

—“Hmm, Aiz-san, what do you think happened? Do you think we’ll be able to get out of here?”

Next to me was Lefiya. Having a friend as company was a relief, since all we had done by walking was keep seeing white… and more white.

Suddenly, Lefiya asked that question casually, but I couldn’t help noticing the seriousness behind it.

I don’t know.

My gaze faltered a little; I felt somewhat guilty thinking it might have been my fault that the door activated.

—“Maybe we’ll never get out because of that…”

It had only been about thirty minutes since we arrived, but I couldn’t help my chest tightening at the possible outcome.

Even so—Lefiya stepped forward to stand in front of me.

—“Stop right there, Aiz-san! You can wipe that look off your face. We will get out of here.”

—“Lefiya…” A confident smile spread across her face as she pointed at me. She didn’t seem to realize what she was doing, as she suddenly shifted her body erratically.

—“I-I mean! I promised Filvis-san that we would definitely see the halo of the Wishe Forest together. I’ll do it no matter what happens!”

Lefiya’s excited expression suddenly softened into a nostalgic one. I couldn’t help noticing that she was touching the hilt of her sword next to her staff as she said that last part.

A promise… Lefiya remembered the promise she had made to her friend, and it gave her the strength to keep moving forward.

—“You’re right, Lefiya… I also promised Bell that we’d go on a date at the next Harvest Festival. It’s something I have to keep.”

—“Y-yes…! W-wait, what!?”

I turned my back to my friend as I recalled the conversation I had with that boy on the day we trained atop the walls. For some reason, the word date felt embarrassing to say.

But I really wanted to do it with him. After all, I was glad that Bell and I could still remain friends even after what happened with the Xenos.

Regaining my spirits, I saw Tiona and Tione in the distance, both running toward me with smiles.

—“We will definitely get out of here.”

I mustered my courage with those words engraved in my heart and told Lefiya that we should hurry to catch up with Tione and Tiona.

Technically, we weren’t going back for nothing since this place didn’t seem to have any clear sense of direction, so the semi-elf didn’t hesitate to accept my proposal, and we began walking. Lefiya, however, seemed a little strange after hearing the last thing I said—but I decided not to pay it any mind.

Just then—

Crack

The sound of something breaking reached our ears.

—“Wh-what’s—”

Lefiya’s words were cut off suddenly as the sound occurred again, this time louder.

Then, the image of a crack spreading across the air appeared in my field of vision.

—“W-what?”

I wasn’t imagining it; a fissure had appeared in midair, cutting the path between us and the others. A quick glance toward where everyone else was revealed that they were in the same situation.

Tiona and Tione, in front of us, were somewhat far, while Bete and Allen reacted just in time and managed to fall back-to-back before the crack extended to their position.

But then—

CRACK

The sound was even louder this time; the entire room shattered like glass. I forced my vision to focus and looked at the rest of the groups.

Riveria, Finn, and Hedin were still together.

The Gullivers were with Gareth and Hogni.

Ottar was alone.

Once I finished checking, the fragments of the space barely holding together finally broke apart—and time seemed to stop.

—“Lefiya!”

Reacting as quickly as I could, I grabbed Lefiya’s hand and pulled her toward me.

A second later, the world that had “shattered” into pieces revealed its new form.

—“…!”

    My eyes widened as I took in the ethereal space surrounding us.

The sky was purple, but dark rock walls loomed everywhere, making it impossible to gauge the full extent of this place, like some kind of labyrinth.

—“A labyrinth? Are we back in the dungeon?”

I tried to orient myself, but this didn’t seem—or feel—like any dungeon I knew.

Then… what was it?

My gaze swept over the walls, stretching over twenty meters high, with an intense purple aura seeping through the cracks. It was brimming with magic—there was no doubt about that.

How are we supposed to get out of here?

That question lingered in my mind when I suddenly noticed a sensation against my chest.

—“Ahh, Aiz-san, your chest feels soft even with armor…”

—“Lefiya?”

—“Y-yes…! Eh!? A-Aiz-san, sorry! I wasn’t planning anything perverted…! Wait, where are we?”

With her hands around the back of my neck, Lefiya clung to me as she finally noticed the sinister surroundings.

—“I don’t know… it looks like a labyrinth.”

—“Yeah, you’re right. Should we explore?”

I didn’t like the idea, but there was no one else nearby, and staying in one place was a bad idea if monsters were lurking in this labyrinth.

I gripped the hilt of <Desperate>, took a deep breath, and told Lefiya to start moving.

We had no idea how deep this place went, but at least there was a path, and with only another dark wall behind us, there was nothing else we could do.

—“Ugh, the walls here are so hard… I can’t even scratch them with magic. What kind of place is this?”

We pressed on, taking turns at intersections—sometimes left, sometimes right, other times down dead-ends—then retracing our steps to try a different route. We repeated this process for at least two hours.

Thanks to our <Status>, fatigue from walking or running wasn’t an issue, but the failure to find our friends made me uneasy.

However, I soon realized we weren’t alone at all.

—“Aiz-san, there it is!”

Suddenly, Lefiya and I noticed a sudden movement in the corner leading to the next intersection.

—“RAHHHHHHHHH!”

—“…!”

The dark blur we had glimpsed surged toward us with incredible speed.

Once in front of us, the blur became clear—we realized it was a giant wolf.

—“Tempest, <Ariel>.”

I activated my magic on instinct and pulled Lefiya behind me—the monster was strong.

I knew it the moment it opened its jaws toward us.

Its sharp teeth glowed a vivid purple, as if enchanted by magic.

‘No… it can’t be. It is,’ I told myself as I got a better look at the wolf.

It was huge—about the size of a small house.

Its dark skin looked even more intimidating thanks to the purple flames burning along its back and the spikes of the same color protruding from its forehead, stretching past the bridge of its nose.

If it was a monster, then it had to be killed—and we had to move on. That was all.

Steeling my heart, I let the familiar, satisfying thrill of dungeon hunting wash over me and prepared to face the wolf.

But it exceeded all my expectations.

—“Rah!”

—“Kuh!”

—“Aiz-san!”

I couldn’t react!

I couldn’t process what was happening until the attack slammed into my body. Only then did I realize the wolf had hurled me through the air with a swipe of its paw.

A sudden heat seared my back, and the next second, an electric shock coursed through my body.

Without even leaving a scratch, I slammed against the wall like a ragdoll and fell to the ground. My back would have broken if not for my armor and the protective wind of <Ariel>.

Grrrrrrrrrr

Still on the ground, I saw through the strands of my hair how the wolf was drooling, slowly approaching me.

I used one hand to lift the upper part of my body slightly, raising the other to aim <Desperate> at it.

—“Ah.”

Then I realized—with that surprised sound escaping my mouth—that <Desperate> wasn’t in my hand.

The monster had hit me so hard that I’d dropped my sword.

By the time I noticed my fatal mistake, the monster’s teeth were already upon me.

This was the end.

—“Dad, Mom… in the end, I couldn’t…”

With death imminent, all I could do was think of my parents and close my eyes.

At the same time, a voice shouted.

—“<Wynn Fimbulvetr!>”

The wolf was engulfed by a mountain of frost a second later, frozen completely.

But that wasn’t all.

—“<Rea Leavateinn!>”

Barely frozen, Lefiya unleashed another spell taught by Riveria, and flames engulfed the wolf immediately afterward.

The wolf was obliterated in ashes and ice, leaving nothing behind on the cold labyrinth floor.

—“Aiz-san, are you okay!? I’m sorry for leaving you like that, but I thought it would be best to prepare magic in case this happened!”

Rushing toward me, Lefiya picked up <Desperate> and held it carefully in her hands. Her face was full of worry and horror at what could have happened to me.

She had just saved me.

I had been completely useless.

“Thank you, Lefiya, you did amazing. But… what was that? How did you cast two spells so fast?”

—“Oh, it’s my new <ability>. It’s called <Fairy Cannon>, and I can put one spell on hold while preparing another.”

—“That’s incredible.”

—“I don’t know what to say… Thank you!”

Lefiya held back her urge to jump for joy and handed me a recovery potion. I emptied it in one gulp, tossed the small vial aside, and turned my face toward Lefiya.

—“Next time, I’ll be ready too.”

—“Yes!”

Telling her in advance to have a spell ready in case of another ambush, Lefiya and I decided to continue venturing deeper into the labyrinth.

Five hours had passed since Lefiya and I continued advancing through the dungeon. We had made significant progress and had slain many wolves along the way.

—“More of those shadow monsters appeared, watch out!”

I used <Airel>’s wind to move freely across the battlefield, unleashing a flurry of slashes across one of the wolves and the small monsters at its feet.

Blood gushed from the wolf’s body, and unable to withstand it any longer, its body collapsed like a crumbling building, burying the smaller monsters beneath it.

Each drop of blood that splashed toward me was dispersed in the air by <Ariel> before even touching my skin, the wind dissipating a second later as I confirmed the monster was dead.

—“Ruoh!”

The other wolf let out a howl of pain before dying violently from a spell cast by Lefiya.

Silence fell over the room.

—“Another group down. What do you think we should do, Aiz-san?”

—“For now, we just need to keep moving.”

My eyes focused on the corpse of a dark monster protruding from beneath one of the wolves. Its body resembled a shadow war monster from the dungeon, but slightly stronger. Still, it didn’t pose as much of a threat as the wolf.

Even so… a bad feeling settled in my chest. It indicated that this labyrinth was far more dangerous than I had anticipated.

I signaled Lefiya to continue.

There was no time for rest, especially as more monsters began to appear.

And as if in response to that thought—

Crash Crash

The sound of sudden combat erupted from the left at a three-way intersection.

—“Finally! We found someone!”

As time passed, I had started losing hope until I heard it. My intuition told me someone was on that path.

I immediately moved using <Airel>, and anticipating it, Lefiya ran without me leaving her behind.

The path led us to another branching room, this time with four different routes to choose from, but that was our least concern.

My gaze quickly settled on the center of the room where the battle was taking place.

Then, a huge, muscular silhouette emerged among the monsters.

—“It’s Ottar!”

I had been expecting Riveria or Finn, but I was still glad to find the <king>.

Surrounded by those giant wolves from every direction, the powerful Lv.7 managed each onslaught with his massive black sword.

The clashes between the wolves’ claws and his blade produced a grating sound that annoyed my ears, but it helped me locate him.

—“<Sword Princess>… I was wondering if the others were here.”

Ottar spoke calmly as he saw me, a bead of sweat running down his forehead while he blocked and countered attacks.

—“I’ll help you!”

A war cry escaped my mouth as I leapt using <Ariel> with all my strength, the sound of metal whistling through the air as my sword descended upon one of the wolves in a storm of furious slashes.

Ottar nodded at my assistance and prepared to face the remaining two wolves.

One wolf missed its attack, and Ottar took the opportunity to cut off its head. The other wolf saw its chance and lunged its claws toward him without hesitation.

However, Ottar ducked just as the enormous claw nearly took half his body. I, in turn, leapt over it, realizing it was coming for me.

The wolf’s world froze as it had to deal with both of us—but it failed.

Ottar’s attack at the monster’s front legs forced it to its knees, leaving it perfectly positioned for a single slash from <Desperate> to sever its eyes.

—“UOOO-!”

It wasn’t even able to howl in agony before Lefiya’s <Arcs Ray> delivered the finishing blow, piercing its brain.

Turning simultaneously, Ottar and I readied ourselves to face the last monster when—

—“ROOOOAAAAAAAARHHHHHH!”

The wolf screamed desperately. Too loud, I thought, instinctively covering my ears.

—“Don’t get distracted!”

Ottar’s shout snapped me back into the battle, but the boaz leapt straight at the wolf, decapitating it before I could intervene.

Despite that, the wolf seemed to have accomplished its goal.

—“...!”

A chill ran down my spine as I saw the monster’s fanged mouth twist into a ghastly grin.

—“It’s over—! Huh? What’s wrong, Aiz-san?”

“...Run, Lefiya!”

With an electric jolt through my body, I spun toward my elven friend and shot forward like an arrow a heartbeat later.

Lefiya didn’t understand right away—but then she heard it.

Thud.

A small yet distinct sound echoed through the vast and lonely labyrinth.

Thud. Thud. Thud.

Then, it multiplied.

And Ottar, who had been standing still, finally understood.

Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud.

We all sprinted toward the nearest exit, trying to get away from the sound—but it was already too late.

“...Above the walls.”

“...!”

Ottar’s warning murmur made me look up instinctively.

My eyes searched desperately along the towering walls—then, after a second, I saw it.

A dark claw hooked over the top of the barrier, leaving deep gouges as it dragged itself upward. The wolf that emerged glared down at us with murderous intent, and four more of its kind followed behind it an instant later.

“We can still fight.”

The newly arrived wolves leapt down the wall with chilling speed. I stopped in place, readying my weapon to face them all if I had to.

But—

“You shouldn’t fight so recklessly. Look closer.”

Ottar didn’t stop running as he reprimanded me, but his eyes were pointing toward something.

The wolf that remained on top of the wall let out a deafening roar, and several more shadows surged from behind it—more wolves.

And then, one after another, like black dots, they began descending from the walls above.

““““““““RUOOO!””””””””

The wolves charged toward us like a furious storm. I counted twenty, then forty, and after that... simply too many.

“Aiz-san! We have to get out of here!”

I’d frozen for a moment, but Lefiya’s scream brought me back to my senses. There was no way we could win—even with a Level 7 here.

Following that grim thought, my eyes caught the worst sight imaginable a heartbeat later.

“...Lefiya!!”

“Eh—?”

Just as I had feared, each of those wolves had the same power as the black minotaur from the Xenos incident. Every one of them was a Level 7-class monster.

That’s why Lefiya looked so shocked when I screamed—because, as a Level 4, she hadn’t even noticed the massive wolf bursting from the wall beside us, jaws wide open to devour her whole.

I moved just as its fangs were about to touch her skin, yanking her back by the arm and throwing her behind me as my own momentum carried me forward.

“Aiz-san!”

“...!”

My face twisted in pain as the beast’s teeth clamped around my arm. Instead of trying to tear free, I lost the chance to counter when the wolf used its grip to hurl me straight toward the oncoming horde.

—

“I don’t have time for this.”

Suspended in the air, I could only hear Ottar’s low growl as he cut the beast in half, saving Lefiya.

But I was already too far from the reach of the Level 7, and Lefiya had no <Mind> left, nor potions to cast a chant. I was lost—thrown into the swarm, with the world around me slowing to a crawl.

I stared at the flood of monsters, knowing my body would be shredded the moment their fangs reached me.

I could fight—delay the pack a little longer, give Lefiya and Ottar time to escape—but I stopped when my life began to flash before my eyes.

No one will save me, right?

In that instant before death, I remembered. The reason I became an adventurer. The reason I chose to wield a sword.

It was because no one saved me. No matter how much I cried or begged for help, no one came. From that day on, I knew I had to be strong—to live by my own strength.

And yet…

“I hope you’ll find your own hero someday, Aiz.”

Those words—from the only man I’d ever called a hero, my father—returned to me with cruel irony.

Turning away from the monsters before me, I looked back—at Lefiya, eyes brimming with tears, arms outstretched toward me while Ottar held her back from a certain death.

“Don’t come,” I told her silently with my eyes. I didn’t want someone so precious to me to die like this.

As if she could understand the emotions behind my tacit gaze, Lefiya’s eyes dimmed, and she stopped struggling. A faint smile—half relief, half sorrow—crossed my face.

“I’m sorry, Dad... I couldn’t save Mom. I couldn’t avenge you.”

In the end, the hero I had been waiting for so long was nothing but a lie. That was a fact that wouldn’t change even now, and I was willing to accept it. After all, I had promised never to ask for help again since the last time.

Or so I thought…

—Someone, please… save me.

The promise broke. The words that should never have been spoken escaped my lips, a hollow plea from the depths of my heart.

But I knew it was useless.

—No hero will come to save me, after all.

Those were my last thoughts before closing my eyes in front of the monster’s jaws.

Then—

—I heard you loud and clear, princess~

Someone answered.

—…!

My eyes snapped open, startled by the sudden voice. The sight that greeted me was shocking.

—Impossible…

That was all I could say as I looked at the bloodstain where the monsters had been. My breath left me as I realized I was suspended in midair.

Or rather, someone was holding me up.

My mind struggled to keep up with what was happening, but I could make out the hooded figure cradling me gently against their chest as I lifted my gaze.

Dressed entirely in black, with a face I couldn’t see due to the speed of events, the person had laid me on the ground before I even realized it.

My eyes lost him for a moment, but the person—the man, I realized from his build—had only moved a few steps ahead of me, giving his back.

—It’s strange to be rescued, isn’t it? Don’t worry. You can let me protect you this time.

He spoke without looking at me, his gaze fixed ahead, where the swarm of deadly monsters awaited.

Only the monsters’ roars and the thunder of their steps filled the vast labyrinth, but all of it faded into insignificance as I focused entirely on the newly arrived adventurer.

His hands moved slowly toward his waist, drawing a black, ornate sword from its sheath.

I couldn’t help but swallow as I realized he was about to face a horde of powerful monsters that even I couldn’t defeat, even with the support of the entire <Family>.

—RAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!

The first wolf let out a roar so powerful it made the ground tremble, followed by a dozen more behind it.

Yet the man paid no mind, not even to the growing wave of attacks bearing down on him.

The wolf’s claws blurred in motion, aimed at his body to strike.

In response, he made a single move: he simply swung his arm.

Shrink

The whistle of his sword cut through everything else.

—…!

A thin line traced visibly through the air, as if the very space itself had been sliced by his blade before reaching the wolves.

Breathless, I watched with my own eyes as the entire pack of monsters disappeared in an instant.

It was too fast! Could it have been some artifact?

“No, it’s not that.” Disbelief and shock whirled in my mind, but there was one thing I understood as I saw the second wave of monsters approaching.

None of them were a match for him.

His distant back moved farther away as he advanced dramatically, plunging into the parade of monsters on his own.

Without stopping for a single second, every step he took was a swing of his sword, cutting down one, ten, twenty, and more monsters in a single stroke.

TREMOR TREMOR

I shuddered. Without warning, the walls of the labyrinth, the floor, even the sky itself seemed to shake from the sheer force of his attacks.

—…Who is he?

I asked myself, watching as the numbers of monsters—which had been over a thousand just moments ago—crumbled before the lone swordsman in front of me.

His sword sliced through the monsters’ flesh with elegance, their blood spraying and falling like rain.

Yet the pristine image of the man advancing remained untouched, not a single drop of blood marring him.

BA-DUMP

My chest heaved. An unfamiliar feeling pierced my heart, making it pound as I watched the back of the man who had saved me.

I couldn’t tear my eyes away even for a second, drawn in by the mesmerizing grace his sword evoked with each movement.

But by the time I realized it…

He had already cut down every single monster on his own.

The head of the last wolf fell into the blood of its companions with an uncomfortable Splash, and then everything fell silent.

Though that silence was broken in less than a second by a single shout.

—A-Aiz-san! What… what was that!?

Lefiya’s voice rang out from behind, streaked with tears. The elf ran straight into me, throwing her arms around me.

The momentum of her charge made me stumble back, but her arms wrapped tightly around me as tears streamed from her eyes.

Unable to do anything in response, I returned the gesture, trying to calm her.

But things weren’t over yet.

Just behind Lefiya, I heard the footsteps of the great <boaz> approaching. I turned my neck to look, but his gaze wasn’t on me.

All his eyes sought was “that man” who had saved us.

I had forgotten for a moment thanks to Lefiya, but the man still stood where he had slain the last wolf, his sword planted in the ground as a mark of victory.

Lefiya didn’t seem to notice him until I released her from the embrace. Only then did her expression shift to seriousness as she took her staff and sword in hand.

Everything was calm, free of any conflict with the monsters. It was the perfect moment to speak.

Then…

—Who are you?

The question that had been lingering in the air finally came from Ottar, who was just as curious as I was about the identity of this person.

Still with his back turned, I could only imagine the man’s expression as Ottar asked.

—It’s useless… I don’t know anything about him.

I told myself, my heart pounding harder with every second.

Ottar, in turn, readied his sword when the man didn’t answer immediately.

—Did I ask you a question? Who are you?

—Hmph. It’s been a while, but you all look exactly the same, huh?

I felt his gaze from under the hood glance at us over his shoulder. He spoke, ignoring Ottar’s question again, but I realized something upon hearing him.

—His voice… it’s like…

A flicker of familiarity sparked in my mind. It wasn’t exactly the same, but the sound reminded me of someone I knew.

The shadow of a “certain boy” appeared in my thoughts, though I wasn’t sure how likely it was.

My inquisitive expression must have given him a clue, because his next words surprised us.

—I’m a little saddened that you don’t recognize my voice, you know, “Aiz-san.”

Just as surprise and exhilaration washed over me at the confirmation of what I was thinking, the man turned and pulled back his hood.

—…!

My mind froze, as if someone had thrown a bucket of cold water over me when I saw him.

It was impossible not to recognize that white hair that immediately caught your eye, and those ruby-red eyes like jewels.

Even though his height didn’t match the last time I saw him, and the shape of his gaze and the aura around him had changed, there was no doubt—it was him.

—…Bell?

My golden eyes met his ruby ones as I uttered the name.

His cold gaze sent shivers down my spine, but the pressure vanished a second later when he returned that familiar smile I always saw.

—It really has been a while, hasn’t it?

Chapter Text

Without worrying much about the “infinite” distance of the labyrinth, Bell fixed his eyes on a certain point and accelerated at high speed.

--"""...!"""

Their words were lost a second after Aiz and the others felt the sudden change in pace.

The dull sound of something breaking behind them—the sound barrier, probably—shook them as they struggled to react to the speed.

—He’s going even faster than Allen at full sprint.

That thought crossed Ottar’s mind as he compared both adventurers’ speed, though the level 7 wasn’t sure how accurate that comparison was, since he couldn’t even tell how fast they were actually moving.

--Don’t worry! We’ll be there in the blink of an eye!

The sound of his voice arrived with a delay, but it wasn’t exactly reassuring. Lefiya and Aiz kept their eyes shut, waiting for everything to be over just as Bell had promised.

Thirty seconds passed, and only then did Bell slow down.

--See? I told you it wasn’t that bad.

The sensation of stopping hit them like a sudden pull. In truth, if not for their <Status> resistance, the three adventurers would’ve died from the recoil, but Bell had already anticipated that.

The boy’s gaze dropped downward, and following his eyes, Aiz saw a circular-shaped chamber. Its shape reminded her of the central plaza in the <Tower of Babel>, but it was completely empty except for the glowing stone walls surrounding it.

--There they are.

The entire group of adventurers from both the <Freya Familia> and <Loki Familia> were visible in the distance, all standing before the large space that acted as the entrance to the circular chamber.

Bell descended smoothly toward them, gently letting the adventurers down a few steps ahead of him.

The first to react was the royal elf.

--Aiz, thank the heavens you’re safe!

Riveria’s green hair swayed side to side with each hurried step she took. The elf opened her arms and wrapped them around Aiz and Lefiya in an embrace. It was the first time both had ever seen Riveria so stressed.

--Aiz! Lefiya!

Tiona and Tione rushed over to join as well. On the other hand, Finn, Gareth, and Bete were content to watch the reunion and the newly arrived ones from afar.

The three adventurers were relieved—though Bete would never admit it—to see their comrades safe and sound. But their gazes quickly shifted elsewhere, not because they weren’t worried, but because someone—not something—was making them uneasy.

The members of the <Freya Familia>, unlike those of the <Loki Familia>, didn’t even care about their captain’s return. Their attention was entirely focused on Bell.

--...Could you at least pretend I don’t look suspicious?

--Shut up, damn rabbit, if you even are the damn rabbit, that is.

--Don’t take it the wrong way, kid. It’s just that you look and act very different from the last time we saw you.

--Yeah, how the hell did you change that much?

Bete’s open distrust, Gareth’s watchful eyes, and Finn’s fake smile—Bell noticed them all. But none of them wanted to kill him... for now.

--Come on, Finn, there’s nothing to worry about! Wasn’t it awesome seeing Argonaut-kun go Bang and Boom on those monsters!?

With one arm wrapped around Aiz’s neck, Tiona cheerfully described how Bell wiped out all the monsters in her chamber before she could even see it.

--That’s exactly why the captain wants to know what’s going on, you idiot Tiona. Same as everyone else, right? Everyone saw him take on those monsters.

The older of the two Amazon twins scolded her sister from her spot beside Finn, their backs to the door leading to the labyrinth’s center.

Tione’s words were true. Although Aiz’s team was the only one truly in danger, every single adventurer there had been chased by monsters—and every one of them had witnessed Bell’s overwhelming power as he crushed them.

Was it really possible? No one could believe it.

However—

--So, level 9, huh? That’s certainly insane, but that wasn’t the original question Hogni asked you, was it?

Only one elf noticed the true intention behind the boy’s act.

“Bell Cranel isn’t someone ruthless.”

Basing his reasoning on that, Hedin assumed there was another reason Bell had intimidated Allen like that.

--Answer me, Bell Cranel. What kind of things have happened since we started this mission—or rather, since we entered this dungeon?

--You’re quite sharp, aren’t you?

A humorless smile spread across the boy’s face once his ploy had been uncovered.

Allen, who had been the scapegoat of his act, urged him to answer with his ever-annoying glare, which hadn’t lost its intensity despite the beating.

Seconds passed as Bell pondered whether to respond or not.

--Sigh I wasn’t planning to say it in the city anyway. To be honest, we still don’t know much, but this labyrinth distorts the flow of time. More specifically, time outside passes faster than it does in here.

The boy paused, his eyes fixed on Finn and Ottar standing side by side. He placed a hand over his chest, his expression clouded with pain.

--…Because of that, it’s been five years since the last time I saw you all.

--““““““……!””””””

The amount of time wasn’t a joke.

Of course, for a god, it would be nothing more than an ephemeral blink—like a gentle yawn would be for an elf.

And yet, for adventurers like them, it was an eternity.

“Five years that had felt like less than a day.” At that thought, everyone fell silent. Even Hedin, who had been pressing Bell just moments ago, went completely quiet.

But the most shaken of all wasn’t the scholarly elf, nor the fierce <Boaz> or the burly dwarf—it was the small hobbit.

Finn, who had recently set his sights on becoming a “true hero” by following the boy’s image, felt a sudden emptiness in his chest.

What had become of Orario, the city he’d sworn to protect? His heart began to pound heavily, but Bell didn’t even blink at the sight.

--Should I say “surprise”? I know it’s unpleasant, but at least you guys ended up on this side of the coin.

--Huh? What do you mean by that?

--I mean, don’t feel too bad about this, Finn. Believe me—you haven’t seen anything yet.

Leaving those words hanging in the air, Bell walked ahead through the group of adventurers toward the central chamber, his cloak fluttering behind him.

Aiz, who had been watching everything in silence, was the first to follow.

We stayed behind Bell as we followed him toward the deepest part of the labyrinth.

--…

With our eyes fixed on the boy’s back as he walked ahead, no one dared utter a single word.

It wasn’t fear, but there was a certain unease lingering in the air after watching him defeat someone at level 6 as easily as flicking a finger.

Level 9… you really have become strong.

A somewhat complicated feeling welled up in my chest. I was genuinely happy for him—after all, as his mentor (the little Aiz in my imagination cheered at the thought)—I had always hoped he’d become stronger.

I mean, I’m not Finn or Riveria, but I did teach him a few tricks, right?

Memories of Edas Village flashed through my mind. He didn’t want to admit it, but I definitely am.

--Hey, Aiz, looks like you’re pouting right now.

--Eh? You’re imagining things, Riveria.

“It’s not that we’re ungrateful, but you don’t belong here, <Rabbit’s Foot>.”

The amazon added. The kukri in Tione’s hands moved skillfully, performing tricks as she eyed Bell—ready to strike at any moment.

Aiz was about to intervene, but two others spoke before she could.

“Hmph, I agree with the <Loki Familia>. How could an incompetent fool like you possibly achieve such a feat?”

“The cowardly rabbit who won his goddess’s favor has turned into the mightiest dragon... yet neither I nor my oldest nemesis could imagine the journey that brought you to such heights.”

Adjusting his glasses, Hedin joined the conversation with Hogni at his side. The elf’s eyes gleamed with curiosity behind his crystal lenses.

“What this idiot means to say is, ‘How the hell did you get so damn strong in such a short time?’”

Allen was blunt and to the point as he stepped in too.

He was the one who put everyone’s thoughts into words, and with that single question, all eyes turned toward Bell.

Standing a few meters away from the rest, Bell didn’t move to answer right away.

“The explanation is simple, really. It’s about my level. I’ve climbed a few steps up, you know?”

The boy scratched the back of his neck with a small, proud smile. At that, Allen suddenly snapped, stepping forward and grabbing him by the collar.

“Tch, I think it’s pretty damn obvious that you’ve leveled up, dumb rabbit. The question is—how many?”

“Enough to take all nine of your lives, kitty.”

“...!”

Crack

The sound of stone shattering sent vibrations through the catman’s body before he—or anyone else—could grasp what had happened.

All they saw was Allen being hurled into the wall a second after Bell’s reply—but no one saw the boy move an inch.

As the catman recovered from the shock, Bell slowly lowered his hand, which had been extended forward—aimed right where <Vana Freya> had been standing.

Everyone understood in that instant. Bell was the cause. Yet the boy hadn’t even tried.

It had been just a light push. That was what his aura conveyed when they saw him.

A single push strong enough to send a level 6—Freya Familia’s vice-captain, no less—flying.

“Urgh, y-you, what leve—”

“Nine.”

The word left the boy’s mouth, cutting through the wounded catman’s words. Allen’s body was covered in countless scratches.

Bell’s eyes spilled a powerful intent across the entire room before he spoke again.

“The answer to your question is nine.”

Blood dripped freely from Allen’s forehead, but that single sentence was enough not only to silence him—but to freeze him in place.

The same went for everyone else in the room, staring at the boy wide-eyed.

Had they heard him right?

That question struck them all as realization sank in.

Ottar—the one with the highest <Status> among them—was the most shaken.

<The Record Holder>, Bell Cranel.

A level 9.

Such a <Status> didn’t just surpass level 7—it went far beyond. Ottar and the veteran trio of the <Loki Familia> knew full well the true meaning behind that <Status>.

The shadow of the <Zeus> and <Hera Familias>—the strongest in Orario’s entire history.

Before them stood the individual who now rivaled the central powers of Orario’s golden age.

Then—

Ring

The woman moved her hand, ringing the bell whose sound resonated through the room like a magical wave.

That’s when Bete realized why he had such a bad feeling.

The bell itself was being charged with all the magic of the place, now holding an amount of magical energy that the wolf could not even imagine.

--Bete, fall back now!

Finn’s shout, who could see the small object even from the other side of the room thanks to his enhanced <state>, was a reflex reaction after realizing the same thing as Bete.

However, despite the direct order from his captain, Bete planted his feet and closed the distance toward the mysterious figure while shouting:

--Don’t even think about it, Finn! I’ll destroy that thing before she can use it as a weapon!

He said, his eyes fixed on the dense darkness hiding the face under the hood.

At less than five meters, Bete noticed red lipstick at the bottom of the hood. Combined with the figure’s build, he realized it was a woman ringing the bell in front of him.

Her mouth, the only thing visible under the hood, formed a malicious smile that confused the wolf.

Ring Ring

Just as the wolf thought, the bell was key, but unlike him and what Finn believed, it wasn’t a weapon.

It was only an instrument, one used to attract the attention of something.

In front of the bell, a rift appeared in the air.

A hole in space itself.

Bete’s eyes widened in shock, but just as he tried to step back, something came out of the portal.

The open jaws of a massive monster and a blinding light from its throat aimed directly at Bete.

Dragon fire.

With no other choice, Bete crossed his arms in an X and braced to take the infernal attack head-on.

--You’re still the same as always, Bete Loga.

Grasped by the back of the neck, Bete was yanked backward by a great force that lifted his feet off the ground.

In disbelief, Bete realized one person among all the adventurers standing in front of the door was no longer there.

That person was now right in front of him, his white hair flowing thanks to his rapid dash to save the wolf.

--...You bastard rabbit.

The wolf had never expected to see the white-haired boy’s back like this. As for Bell, the boy lifted his leg backward.

--You say “thanks for saving my ass,” seriously, Bete… I can’t believe one of my friends is crazy about you.

Bored, Bell swung his foot forward, striking the dragon squarely on the jaw as its fire was about to emerge from its mouth, forcibly closing it.

The force was such that the rest of the dragon’s body shot out of the portal like a geyser, revealing its over-20-meter-long black body suspended in the air.

--So, you’re the master of this place? You don’t look human… Are you a spirit?

Bell’s figure became a blur as he shifted his stance and leapt on top of the dragon in less than a second, his voice bored as he looked down at the woman with the bell.

The silhouette remained silent, her mysterious aura letting Bell know he was probably right.

Only a spirit could wield such magic beyond human understanding.

--That bell opened a portal… Could that be what keeps so many monsters in this place?

With his eyes fixed on the object, Bell narrowed his gaze and prepared to destroy it.

--Rrghhh!

--Sorry, but that thing is more important than you.

The boy’s foot landed on the dragon’s wounded snout, and Bell began running down its body with astonishing speed.

--Jum.

A single sound came from her; instead of using her bell, the woman merely raised a finger pointing at Bell.

--You’ve got to be kidding!

Bell quickly turned his face to the side as a violet laser shot out from the hooded woman’s fingertip. If it weren’t for his reflexes, he could hardly imagine what would have happened, and he instinctively placed a hand on his waist.

A black flash gleamed from his belt. Bell prepared to finish his descent and lifted his foot off the dragon’s body.

--Tch!

The witch tried to react, firing more beams of magic, but Bell’s sword deflected every attack despite him being mid-air.

Bell’s body spun rapidly, transforming him into a human saw with the edge of his sword aimed directly at the witch, ready to execute her, but—

--Heh, I suppose you don’t feel like dying.

She reacted quickly, moving backward to skillfully evade Bell’s sword, which was impressive—if not for the fact that she couldn’t protect the bell in the same way.

The tip of the blade sliced through her as if she were nothing more than a sheet of paper, making it clear that the spirit wasn’t Bell’s ultimate target, but her tool was.

The sword continued until it hit the ground where Bell landed, leaving a spiderweb-shaped crack across the stone.

With one knee bent and the other on the floor, Bell looked ahead at the bell, now split in half on the ground, a smile on his face as he looked at his opponent.

Only then did the silhouette show the slightest hint of anger.

--Bell Cranel… you’ve become a nuisance to our plans again.

--Again? Sorry, but I’ve crushed many like you. You’ll have to be more specific if you don’t want it to happen again.

Not intending to let her escape, Bell moved his body forward alongside his left arm holding the sword embedded in the ground, dragging it across the stone to create a trail of cutting air and shrapnel.

--No need to compare us to Evilus or his remnants. They’re insignificant in comparison.

A torn piece of fabric flew through the air where the witch had been. Bell followed the bold movement with his eyes, finding her figure two meters to the right.

A terrifying intensity, almost tangible, radiated from under the veil toward the boy, accompanied by a single sentence.

--<Hexenkreis>, that is our name… No need to remember it, for it will be the last thing you hear.

--If I had a coin for every time I’ve heard that~

Bell replied arrogantly as he cut through the witch’s words and closed the distance between them in a single step.

However—

--Farewell, Bell Cranel.

Bell’s eyes widened in surprise as the edge of his sword passed through the witch’s body in a horizontal cut. He immediately realized it was an illusion when he felt no contact through the metal. Bell cleared the figure with another slash and searched for the witch’s location.

Without hesitation, he saw her presence vanish into a black, viscous substance, the witch’s smile, which had remained beneath her hood, the only thing left until the end.

--Ugh, I hate those who can teleport.

Bitterness filled his expression, but the boy couldn’t sheath his sword.

--Bell, if you’re done, it’d be great if you gave us a hand!

Finn’s cry for help snapped Bell back to the dragon. Apparently, destroying the bell wasn’t enough to send it back to where it came from. Still, Bell didn’t lose his determination.

--Ha!? We don’t need help from that guy!

Allen didn’t seem too pleased at the idea as he dodged a fireball flying toward him. The massive black dragon continued its indiscriminate attacks on both <families>.

--Amazons, dwarf, hit the ground! Another breath is coming!

Hedin shouted from his position on the artillery.

--Damn! Even Riveria’s enchantments aren’t enough!?

Tione shouted, moving her feet nimbly to retreat alongside her sister and companion. As the dragon attacked more aggressively, the two strongest <families> of Orario faltered in their improvised defense. Several of its assaults shattered the ground with its claws, shook the room with its roar, and turned it into an inferno with fire from its mouth. Both young women and the old dwarf did their best to draw its attention while the mages or adventurers with strong offensive magic in the rear loaded their most powerful attacks.

Protected by Ottar, Finn, the Gullivers, and Aiz using <Ariel>, Allen, Bete, Riveria, Lefiya, and Hedin focused their minds to strike the dragon, aiming to kill it in a single blow.

Bete activated his fire-type enchantment magic <Hati>, Allen his spell to transform into an unstoppable spear to pierce the dragon. The two were the first to advance.

--UOO!

Large fragments of stone flew from below with every step the dragon took. Even the slightest movement of its body caused destruction; its body was tough enough to withstand both their attacks. Bete, who tried to burn its right wing, and Allen, attempting the same on the left, learned the hard way when the dragon flapped both limbs, sending them flying with the resulting wind blast.

Hogni took care of catching them in mid-air as support, but neither of the two beastmen thanked him.

--!<Rea Laevateinn>!

--!<Wynn Fimbulvetr>!

--!<Varian Hildr>!

At that moment, the three elves unleashed their spells.

They poured a great deal of mental energy into it, and the fire, ice, and lightning combined perfectly into a storm that would destroy everything it touched.

––

Unable to resist, the dragon was engulfed by the ultimate spell of the three strongest mages in the city.

--ROARGHHHHHHH!

--You’ve got to be joking.

Just like with Allen and Bete, the spell was rejected by its black scales, as hard as orichalcum.

Angered by the annoying attacks, the dragon spread its wings, lifted off the ground, and then dove toward the adventurers.

--...!

At that very moment, Bell intervened at lightning speed.

He had only glanced at the situation and joined in after realizing the threat was too great for them. Flying in front of the dragon, the adventurer presumed to be lv.9 approached and punched it to the ground.

Everyone’s faces twisted in equal surprise as they saw how only a relatively “strong” attack was enough to put such a powerful enemy on the defensive.

Bell continued flying downward after striking the dragon, charging a second time at its face, this time extending his right hand in front of the dragon’s eyes.

The boy moved his lips to form a magical chant.

--<Gospel>

With just one word, the spell was unleashed like a sonic block from the palm of Bell’s hand.

Unable to withstand the force of the spell, the entire labyrinth began to shake, and the walls started cracking.

The concentrated wave struck the dragon violently, exploding all its internal organs with little effort as each second passed.

--That spell is…!

--The magic of Alfia!

Astonished, Gareth and Riveria exclaimed as they recognized the name and nature of the magic at a glance. Meanwhile, the dragon screamed in agony, being destroyed from the inside out by the deafening sound that even tore through its supposedly indestructible scales.

--<Rugio>

--RARGHHHHHHHHHH—!

The <activation key> invoked by Bell transformed the concentrated sonic wave into sound explosions powerful enough to blow up an entire district of Orario.

As expected, not even the dragon could withstand the attack, and it was reduced to nothing more than chunks of decomposed flesh as the explosions struck it, until finally only ashes remained.

--Hmph, as she would say, you were really noisy.

Bell’s words, standing and looking down at the ashes left by the monster with a hint of disdain, echoed throughout the now silent room.

Aiz and the others could only do what they did when attacking Bete: watch in shock. They could only observe the white-haired boy in action, not help him. The ashes on the ground scattered in another direction as Bell stepped over them.

--Truly unexpected, right? And I have no idea what <Hexenkreis> is, but that doesn’t change the fact that we need to get out of here.

The battle was over, and there was no need to linger—this was what the white-haired boy had in mind when he said this.

--That just now… How did you do it? That magic belonged to someone else.

From a distance, Riveria was the first to ask about the spell that dominated the dragon. Her question caught Lefiya’s attention, who turned to ask the twins, but they didn’t know either.

Only Bell responded.

--You mean <Satanas Verion>? Certainly, it’s not my own magic, but the previous owner and I are deeply connected, if you ask me.

--Connected to Alfia? I really find it hard to imagine someone like he—

--Ljos Alf, you may ask any reasonable question, but it’s better not to mess with my family… unless you want to insult my father, of course.

His bloodthirsty tone ended with a small joke, but Riveria instinctively knew the warning wasn’t a joke.

Regarding what Bell indirectly revealed, Riveria decided not to bring it up.

This was understood by Ottar, Finn, Gareth, and the other senior members of each <Family> present—they alone knew the origin of Bell’s magic.

Among them was Aiz, though she still didn’t remember who they were referring to so carefully.

--Oh, so it’s the same portal then?

Bell’s curious words paused Aiz’s question, and the adventurers quickly began moving again in the direction the boy indicated. A new rift in space, colored sky blue, revealed an exit to the outside where the witch had been standing near the center.

Without straying far, the adventurers entered one by one.

--Let me see if I understand, you’re saying those just now were a lv.8 monster and a lv.7 witch?

Tiona asked, scratching her head.

--Yep.

Bell replied casually.

The Amazon watched the back of the white-haired boy leading the group. Everyone felt a little relieved since, despite everything, the portal had brought them to a more familiar place—the dungeon. Not <floor 37>, but floor 40. Still, they were home. After that, Bell began to talk about the previous attack, once he was sure of what he saw and had analyzed it.

--Ugh, no wonder we couldn’t do anything… What the hell, how much could everyone have advanced in these five years?!

--Ah yes, speaking of that, it’s true I’m lv.9, but that’s not all. The rate of adventurers in the city has changed, as well as the average level needed to enter the top ranks.

The conversation between Bell and Tiona quickly became important the moment the boy brought up the topic; every adventurer, without exception, perked up their ears.

As if expecting this, Bell continued speaking, this time more relaxed than in the previous labyrinth.

--Although the <Freya> and <Loki> <Families> haven’t fallen behind as Orario’s powers, currently the <Ganesha> <Family> and a certain "justice" <Family> dominate the top ranks, along with, of course, my <Family>, which sits at the very top.

While Finn took mental notes with every syllable leaving the boy’s mouth, Bete grew irritated imagining the arrogant smile Bell must have had as he walked. Allen, on the other hand, noticed that Bell didn’t mention the <Freya> <Family>, anticipating their likely explosive reaction, so the boy cleared his throat.

--As for the <Freya> <Family>, they are currently the <Family> with the most lv.5 members, like <Ganesha> once was, and have more than 20 lv.6 members, which isn’t bad, but they are no longer anywhere near being considered the strongest <Family>.

The sound of heavy steps and dragging weapons abruptly stopped in the lonely corridor of the newly arrived <floor 39>, as everyone behind Bell froze completely.

A "What?" escaped the boy’s mouth as he turned his head to look at them over his shoulder.

Bell’s eyes, which until now seemed normal, appeared to intensify in color along with his aura.

Almost consuming their disbelief, a fierce, pleasure-filled smile spread across the face of the self-proclaimed lv.9.

--Right now, you need at least a squad of lv.7 to be considered strong. On top of that, the captains of the <Families> I mentioned are lv.8 each. As you can see, Orario has grown stronger in the absence of its heroes.

Bell’s words seemed impossible for his friends to comprehend, as if they were beyond their wildest ideas or dreams.

Lv.6s were no longer rare, and the once-mighty lv.7 was no longer sitting on the throne of power.

Even Ottar realized what would happen once they reached the surface.

They would be discarded.

In a world where what they had considered the pinnacle had become the average, it was likely that the city would not welcome them, making them equal to the adventurers they were supposed to rescue on this mission—who had probably already died.

--Honestly, I didn’t save them for that, you know?

--…!

Ottar’s gaze shifted as he realized the boy had read him perfectly. Even though Bell turned forward again, giving them his back, he didn’t stop speaking to the adventurers.

--Honestly, this isn’t even a mission… No one expected to find you here but me. I was told there was no point in searching for you once you were no longer needed. Even so, I missed my friends.

Bell lowered his head, suddenly slumping with his gaze to the ground, and for some reason began talking so much.

--Argonaut-kun…

--You were all dead until a few hours ago, you know? I honestly thought it would be a miracle just to recover your bodies.

A humorless laugh escaped him, prompting a reprimand from Hedin.

--Then why bother finding us?

--I just… wanted a test, a confirmation to surpass them, to finally bury everything that happened.

--…?

Only Aiz caught the boy’s discreet gaze fixed on her as he spoke these words, but Bell didn’t stop there. The adventurer continued talking after crossing a fork that would lead them to the main path of the next <floor>.

--However, this isn’t just for me, since there are many others who wanted to know what happened to you, even if they’d never admit it in front of me.

Bell paused, pulling a portable torch through a ring on his index finger—a so-called <magical item>—to illuminate the dark corridor they were traversing.

--For the <Freya> <Family>, you should know that Anya is waiting for you, Allen. Just like a certain girl from the city whom I called a friend long ago.

The eyes of the Freya members widened, fully understanding the nuance and meaning behind that remark about the girl from the city.

--What about the <Loki Family>?

Finn asked, breaking the empty space left by Bell’s previous statement.

--I couldn’t say if there are many or few, but they definitely want to see you. Although Bete has matters to attend to with people outside his <Family>.

This time, Bete didn’t get irritated by the comment and considered it seriously, as did everyone else.

Which led to a single question.

--What caused all of this change?

For the first time after hearing this, it was Bell who stopped and turned to look at them.

The color drained from his eyes, like a traumatized child recalling the past.

Everyone watched him with a sense of urgency.

Bell seemed to struggle for several seconds before finally forcing the words stuck in his throat out.

Those words took everyone’s breath away in the next instant.

--Orario… was attacked by the Black Dragon King.

Chapter Text

I can still feel them….
the wounds from that day, carved deep into my body and soul.

The claws that tore through my flesh, ripping off my limbs each time they drew near.
Its flames, as hot as the sun, burned the air in my lungs before I could even raise my sword.

That thing
That monster—
did nothing but drown us in despair as it destroyed everything in its path.

No matter how many times I stood up, no matter how much I fought,
the result was the same.

I couldn’t stop it.
I couldn’t save them.

–Lili feels... the pain of not being able to keep supporting you, Bell-sama...

The last words of my first friend vanished amidst the destruction as that living disaster unleashed one of its final attacks.
It tore one of my arms off—barely leaving me standing—but the Hobbit died when every bone in her body shattered from the shockwave.

My blood spilling everywhere had never mattered less than in that moment,
as I watched the light fade from her eyes.

–... Lili—more than forming a single thought, I just froze in shock.

And because of that one action, hundreds of lives were lost.

--AAAAHHHHHHHHHH!

The screams of countless healers and squires giving their lives to protect me sounded distant until I regained my senses.

There was no time to grieve. I could only keep fighting.

The battle went on for several minutes—
or was it hours? I no longer knew.
Several fronts in the vanguard had fallen, and we still hadn’t even scratched it.

Then, another blow—

--Heh, sorry, buddy. Looks like this is it for me...

Several lives withered away, but I only turned when I heard the sound of his hammer falling and breaking.

Welf’s words and smile were shredded by the monster’s claws.
My face twisted in horror as I watched my best friend disappear in a spray of blood.

–No!

Lost in a sudden whirlpool of rage, I ran straight at the nightmare as if something had changed.

Yet my body grew heavier with every step.
My determination faltered.

Not because of the countless wounds carved into my flesh, nor from the lack of mental strength— but because I could feel the lives of my friends flickering out with every step I took forward.

--Nooooo! COME BACK

Daphne’s desperate screams pierced the air as Cassandra was trapped beneath the rubble of <Babel> after saving her from what should have been her fate.

--"""Mother!"""

The cries of Runoa, Anya, and Chloe echoed as Mia-san sacrificed herself to save the civilians about to be consumed by the flames.

--RUAAAAAAGGHHHHHHHHH!

The furious roar of Ryuu, who refused to stop fighting even as her friends lost hope.

–No! No! Don’t keep going!

I gave everything I had to shove the elf away from the inferno, an act that cost me one of my eyes, pierced by flying shrapnel.
Yet I recovered almost immediately as Airmid cast her healing magic on me.

That way, I thought I could reach it—but I was wrong.
Its attacks were beyond anything I could endure.

My body was shattered, healed, torn apart, reassembled, broken into pieces, put back together again.
I stood up again, and again, and again, and again, and again, and again—

--It hurts! It hurts! It hurts! It hurts! It hurts!

Amidst all the blows and flames, my mind began to drift.

Am I still alive?

For just a second, the way I hung suspended in midair with the world nearly frozen made me doubt it.

But my hand tightened around the Hestia Knife.

Of course I’m alive—I can feel pain!

Wait… how do I know I’m not dead?

The cycle repeated endlessly, until I could no longer tell whether I was alive or not.
All I knew was that I definitely wasn’t “living.”

The only thing sharper than the pain was the precision of my Lv.7 senses, able to distinguish each death, each sound amid the chaos.

I could no longer see or feel anything through the flames, but I knew what was happening.

Lumiere, Naaza, Falgar.
Cruz, Sister Maria, Royman, Lyd, Gross.
Dormul, Mord, Hyakinthos, Narfi...

They were all leaving. The noise and chaos were fading too.
It took me a while to realize why— even after my world went completely dark.

My body floated in a deep, endless abyss.

–Am I… finally...?

With a smile—or what I thought was one—I accepted death’s embrace as a gift from the heavens.

But even death refused me.

--Bell-kun...

My heart broke when I heard her voice in the darkness.

--Close, but not yet, I’m sorry, Bell-kun. You still have a long way to go before you can see us again.

Though I wished otherwise, my chest began to pound the moment I heard it.

That warm voice, like a gentle fire protecting me from the winter’s cold, brought me back to reason.

–That voice... No, it can’t be! Not you!

Desperate, the moment I regained awareness, I opened my tear-filled eyes and searched frantically for the source of that voice in the void.

My eyes caught a light in the distance, widening completely at the painful sight.

--Don’t worry—

--We know you can overcome this.

It was Lili and Welf, smiling as if nothing had happened, speaking those carefree words.

My voice caught in my throat when someone else finished their sentence.

--Yes, you must remember, Bell. After all...

I started screaming desperately when I saw her—
her twin tails loose, letting her beautiful hair fall to either side as she spoke.

Even after I thought I had lost everything, I never imagined seeing her leave too.

Kami-sama smiled beside Welf and Lili.

Together, they finished what they had to tell me.

--"""You’re a hero, Bell."""

The three voices merging into one carved a deep scar into my heart as I woke up in the middle of the silent battlefield.

Thud

Beside me, the lifeless skeleton of Fels-san collapsed with a dull sound, devoid of life.

Somehow, I understood— he had traded his own life for mine, and the tears already falling only grew stronger.

But that wasn’t all.
What was left of me finally broke when I realized the <Hestia Knife> in my hands had stopped glowing, as if its very essence and life were gone.

Because the source of its power—
the <blessing> engraved on my back, the one she had left upon me—
was gone too.

Kami-sama had left the mortal realm.

--HEEESTIA-SAMAAAAAAA!!!

Back to the present.

--Before everything happened, Orario was already going through hard times. Several gangs had started to resurface, trying to take control of the city. But the <Hestia Familia>... and Ganesha joined forces to stop them.

Burying the hallucinations still playing behind his eyes deep in his mind, Bell began explaining what had become of Orario after the disappearance of its strongest adventurers.

--At that time, I was already Level 5, and the “strongest adventurer” left standing because of my irregularity. So, it wasn’t too hard to crush the gangs when I teamed up with the <Ganesha Familia> and the remaining <Loki Familia>.

Bell explained that, although organized crime had risen again from Orario’s underworld, this time there was no room for them to act—and they were completely wiped out within a year.

--About six months later, I reached Level 6, and Uranus made public a warning about a disaster coming from the north. As you might know, that’s where—

--The Valley of Dragons, Bete cut in, remembering the place as the home of the monster that had killed his family.

--That’s right. News of entire kingdoms and villages being wiped out by dragons reached the city, and we prepared for about three months. It was truly hell—most of the city was destroyed, but civilian losses were minimal, and I reached Level 7, along with many other adventurers who leveled up as well.

Just as Bell said, Orario’s adventurers—at least the good ones—were inspired to climb again after the loss of both the Loki and Freya Familia executives. This led to a chain of mass level-ups due to the city’s catastrophic events and the <excelia> that came with them.

Holding off thousands of dragons, and even killing them, was an impressive feat in itself—but the boy had more to say.

--However, the worst came afterward.

Bell tightened the hand that wasn’t holding the torch, his tone filled with real frustration.

--That monster, the Black Dragon King, really defeated us, you know? We thought the city would finally be at peace... but instead, we ended up with another wound on top of the one that was already open.

Aiz’s heart pounded violently.

Hatred, anger, frustration, sadness—all of those emotions swirled together inside her, feeding her black flame as she listened to him talk about her goal.

--No matter what I did that day... no matter how many times I died or got hurt... I couldn’t do anything. Even when everyone trusted me... I failed.

The boy’s voice remained steady until that last word—heavy with regret.

This time, no one could keep themselves from trying to understand that feeling—his feelings.

To them, and to the world, Bell Cranel had become a formidable—perhaps even invincible—adventurer. But the truth, for the white-haired boy himself, remained unchanged.

Deep down, the Bell from four years ago who carried the weight of the world was still just a scared child, crushed by the responsibility on his shoulders.

Those who were supposed to share that burden couldn’t help but look at him with guilt. The blue eyes of Finn were no exception as he stepped closer to say something.

--We... I honestly... I’m sorry that you—

--Don’t do it. Stop.

Bell immediately protested, shaking his head.

--You don’t need to apologize, Finn. None of you do. I don’t blame you for what happened—really, I don’t. It’s just that... I don’t know how I should feel about all of you.

His smile, which showed more pain than joy, faded for a moment as he spoke from the heart.

--You may not have been there to help, but it wasn’t your obligation either. Nor was it mine. I chose to protect the city where everyone I loved lived, and it’s my fault that I failed. I’m the one who has to live with that—not you.

Everyone in the narrow corridor realized through his words that Bell’s true change wasn’t just in his <Level> or appearance—but also in his mindset.

The adventurer standing before them was no longer the “little rookie,” but a 19-year-old young man who had matured in both strength and experience.

Allen, who had been looking directly into Bell’s eyes, frowned in annoyance upon realizing the sincerity behind Bell’s words and took a step forward.

--...Don’t expect any thanks either. Not everyone here cares about that kind of thing.

--Allen.

Ottar grabbed the catman’s arm, calling him out disapprovingly. He might not have cared about people beyond his goddess, but even he couldn’t tolerate an insult toward Bell—the boy had earned his respect.

However, Bell only watched the gesture with mild amusement and gestured for Ottar to calm down.

--Don’t worry, Ottar. I promised to save you—the <Freya Familia>. After all, I owe both “the goddess” and “the girl from the city.”

Bell ignored the surprised stares from Freya’s children and the confused looks from Finn and his group as he spoke in code.

They kept looking at him as if expecting him to say more—but he didn’t. No one dared to break the silence.

Only the crackling fire filled the dense darkness of the room.

Not long after, the sound of footsteps echoed from the next corridor, growing louder and putting the adventurers on alert.

--Wait—Bell raised his hand for them to lower their weapons, assuring them it was fine as he pointed the torchlight ahead.

Then—

--Nii-san! I finally found you, Bell Nii-san!

The sharp, high-pitched sound—a human voice—called Bell by his name, immediately drawing everyone’s attention. It could only be another adventurer.

Bell’s expression flickered between clear irritation and a humorless smile as he spoke.

--Long time no see, Fina.

What are you doing here? The words remained in Bell’s mind as he looked at the newcomer.

Her appearance was hidden by the blinding light of a <magic stone> lantern in her hand, but soon she became visible when she jumped toward Bell, dropping the lantern as she hugged him.

--Ha, don’t tell me you were worried! You know full well no monster on these <floors> dares to attack me.

A bead of sweat rolled down Bell’s temple as he threw the torch to the floor to avoid accidentally burning his friend.

--I-I know that! But that’s not why I came! Nee-sa—I mean, our captain sent us!

--Ryuu sent you? Damn, I need to get back fast.

The boy cursed under his breath, resisting the urge to roll his eyes knowing everyone was watching his sudden exchange.

--Eh? Who’s there?

The girl on top of Bell noticed the other presences.

Her arm left his neck as she picked up the lantern and aimed it toward the moving shadows.

The first thing her eyes caught was the towering Boaz standing behind the small figures of Finn, the Bringar brothers, and Allen.

Riveria’s jade hair, Aiz’s golden eyes, the two identical Amazons (save for their chest size), the wolf, and the elven swordsmen beside the high elf—

Fina’s lantern illuminated them in that order, and they, in turn, admired the girl.

Wearing a standard adventurer outfit consisting of a brown vest and matching shorts, a beautiful female beastman revealed herself. Her blonde hair resembled Haruhime’s, while her red eyes mirrored Bell’s. Were it not for her youthful, teenage appearance, the adventurers could have easily mistaken her for his daughter.

Her petite, youthful body resembled Haruhime’s as well—but that hardly mattered now.

--Oh.

That sound was all the girl could muster.

--As you can see, these are—hey, you okay? Fina?

Frozen in place, Fina stared wide-eyed at the adventurers as Bell touched her cheek.

Her neck nearly snapped as she turned sharply to look Bell in the eyes, seeking an explanation.

--Mission accomplished. That’s all.

The boy replied, closing one eye, his tone dripping with cynicism.

--That’s all? Nii-san! You know what will happen if the city finds out—!

--Don’t worry, they won’t. Except for their own <Familias> and a few exceptions, no one will know I brought them back.

Realizing that the girl’s distress was his fault, Finn asked bitterly,

--So... they still remember us. But why would our return be a problem?

--Isn’t it obvious? Even if Level 6s aren’t a big deal anymore, the fact that the <Freya> and <Loki Familias> got their former executives back would shake morale among those trying to climb up. And Orario can’t depend on its strongest groups anymore—not like before.

The city’s new stance was for everyone to grow stronger together, in short. Finn looked at Bell once he understood, and the boy continued where the girl had left off.

--I hate to admit it, but it’s true. The city’s motivated—they’re even aiming to surpass me. But that’s only because, publicly, I’m listed as Level 8. Only a handful know my true strength.

Just like Ottar once was, Bell had become the goal of every adventurer—the king on the hill.

And all of Orario was trying to take his crown.

--That doesn’t make sense if we’re talking about Orario. Why would the useless ones now try to surpass you if you’re even stronger than that stupid boar over there?

Bete’s comment pointed at the adventurers he knew—“a Level 8 is too much,” he thought. Most of the “useless” people in the city felt the same way.

However—

--Well, the reason’s simple... I’m not the strongest in this world.

Bell’s ruby eyes burned with the flames of competition and frustration—but beyond that...

--That title belongs to that monster. And believe me, a Level 8 or 9 is nothing compared to it. That’s why everyone—and I—must become stronger.

Greed.

Bell’s gaze showed his burning desire to surpass even his current self.

To Aiz and the others, it was clear that Bell’s drive wasn’t his alone—it belonged to all of Orario as well. They were no longer the only ones pursuing true strength.

Fina, standing beside Bell, suddenly spoke.

--Yeah! And that’s exactly why I’m Level 6 now! So don’t be too surprised if I end up stronger than some of you, hehe!

--You too!?

Alfrigg’s shout reflected everyone’s thoughts—no one had imagined that the girl before them was that powerful, even Aiz was shocked.

--Yeah, yeah~ speaking of which, where are Lai and Ruu? You might be a Level 6 and all, but you didn’t come alone, did you?

Scanning her quickly, Bell noticed the lack of scratches on her face and clothes—there was no way she could look that good in the <Deep Floors> if she were alone.

--Of course not! Lai and Ruu are here too—they’re waiting on the <37th Floor> guarding Udaeus’s sword!

At the mention of the <37th Floor Boss>’s drop item—a sword Aiz herself had discovered years ago (to her, months) when she became the first to defeat Udaeus solo—Hedin spoke up.

--Let me guess, more Level 6s?

A smile crept across Bell’s face as he replied, “Actually, a Level 6 and a Level 7.”

Hearing that, Tiona’s jaw dropped, while Tione froze in disbelief.

Seeing everyone else equally stunned, Bell simply said,

--I’d like to tell you more, but I want to see those kids now. So follow me.

The white-haired boy’s footsteps echoed through the cold dungeon.

 Three days had passed.

The group of adventurers had grown by two more members as they continued their ascent through the <upper floors>, already on their way back to the first <floor>.

Aiz’s golden eyes remained fixed on Bell’s back. The blonde girl hadn’t been able to stop marveling at the fact that not a single monster had appeared during their journey—just because of his presence alone.

Within that same line of sight, Aiz caught sight of the two young people walking right behind Bell with interest. They were Lai and Ruu.

It was hard for her to believe that those two boys were the same orphans from [Daedalus Street] who used to play with Bell and Fina all the time.

Lai, who had already reached her age, was now taller than Aiz—almost Hedin’s height. His gaze still held that familiar light of passion and adventure, though a striking cross-shaped scar on his cheek made it clear how far he’d come as an adventurer.

The boy, whose brown hair had grown long enough to resemble Bell’s from years ago, had been declared a level 7—putting him above almost everyone present except for Ottar (who had more experience than him) and, of course, Bell himself.

As for Ruu, Aiz felt somewhat relieved that the small elf wasn’t taller than her—just a few centimeters shorter. His beautiful blond hair had grown freely down past his neck, to the point one might mistake him for a girl at first glance. Yet the sharp features of his face revealed his more masculine side.

Unlike his friend/brother, who was a level 7 swordsman, Ruu was a level 6 mage. The quiet, absent-minded elf lacked nothing—his destructive magical power far exceeded what his level should allow.

And Fina, also level 6, served as the group’s scout and strategist—their very heart.

With such a solid formation, the blonde swordswoman admitted to herself they would have no problem advancing past the <40th floor> on their own. But then Aiz stopped admiring the next generation and focused again on Bell, whose back had come to a sudden halt in the middle of the path.

“Tch—almost forgot.”

A self-directed sigh escaped Bell as he began channeling magic into the ring on his left ring finger, pulling several cloaks out of it.

“No one in Orario can see you, so use these <cloaks of invisibility> until we reach the <Guild>.”

The black garments flew through the air and landed in everyone’s hands—Aiz included. Each adventurer received the magical item, apparently prepared in advance.

However, Hedin, who neatly folded his cloak the moment it touched his hands, was the first to protest.

“The <Guild>? You’ll have to forgive us, Bell Cranel, but we’re in a hurry to report to Lady Freya at once.”

“….This time, I agree with Hedin,” Finn added, arms crossed. “Bell, we’re all far too anxious to see our friends to stop for a report.”

The small captain stood firm before the level 9 adventurer, but Bell’s crimson eyes didn’t waver. He only blinked before answering:

“I have to bring you before my <deity> first. Before we make any other move. That’s not up for discussion.”

“Your <deity>? You mean Lady Hestia?”

“As I said, there’ll be no discussion about where we’re headed.”

With those words, Bell turned away, leaving Finn wondering why he hadn’t answered the question directly.

“You heard the boss,” Lai said.

Instead of Bell, who simply walked forward calmly, Lai, Ruu, and Fina faced the rest of the adventurers.

All kindness vanished from the youths’ eyes as they readied their weapons—against fellow adventurers—as if they’d done this sort of thing many times before.

“Then we have no choice,” Ottar and Finn said almost in unison.

Their gazes met—two veterans who had known each other as rivals for over twenty years. Each knew exactly what the other was thinking.

“We’ll follow Bell Cranel for now,” Ottar declared.

“Eh? Ottar?”

“The same goes for us, <Loki Familia>,” Finn added.

In the end, no one objected, though there were plenty of grumbles toward their captains. This allowed Bell’s three young subordinates to finally relax.

A clap echoed at the end of the corridor as Bell brought his hands together to draw everyone’s attention.

“Are we done? Time to head to the surface… A shame we have to use such an old route.”

Finn’s eyebrows rose at that last remark. The path ahead was supposed to lead to the spiral staircase of the Tower of Babel—so why call it old?

Was there really an adventurer who didn’t need Babel to reach the Dungeon?

With that question swirling in her mind, Aiz quickened her pace, moving ahead to cross the threshold.

Her eyes could hardly believe what they saw next.

POV Aiz Wallenstein.

My eyes widened as I climbed the last step that would take me out of the <first floor>—to the surface.

—Bell, what does this mean?

The words were practically torn from my throat; I didn’t know how to feel about what was in front of me.

The stairs, usually filled with a constant flow of adventurers going up or down to test themselves in the Dungeon; the unmistakable clatter of weapons at their sides; even the simple, worn-out ceiling that used to shadow the great chamber—

None of it was there.

Several of my memories in Orario had been forged here. Every drop of sweat, blood, and tears shed from my body started in this very place. That’s why all I could do was stand in shock when I saw it.

The wide chamber was filled with piles of broken stone, the dust accumulated through the years thick in the air. My eyes followed the cracks along the walls around me, where roots of trees and blooming plants were visible, thriving through the dampness seeping into the neglected structure.

But that wasn’t the most shocking thing—my neck craned upward, and I felt my golden eyes tremble at the sight of the empty space where the ceiling should have been.

The <Tower of Babel>, the immovable symbol of Orario that defined it as the center of the world, was...

My thoughts were cut short the next second when his voice echoed through the silent room.

—You’re seriously asking that? It’s obvious, but I’ll tell you anyway.—Bell’s eyes stayed closed for a moment before opening again as he answered.—It’s the result of my defeat.

—That can’t be...

The shock spread through the group as they climbed the stairs.

From Lefiya to <Bringar>, everyone took their time to take in the sight—the absence of the monument that had always been there and was supposed to always be there.

—Wait, what about Lady Freya’s home—

—Oh, don’t worry about that. Freya’s completely fine, at least physically. She’s in <Folkvangr>, waiting for our return.

Bell calmed the dark elf with a smile before Hogni could even voice his panic. The white-haired boy gave us time to process it, adding his explanation as he went on.

—<Babel> was destroyed during the battle against the <King of Monsters>. I never ordered it to be rebuilt, but no one wanted to anyway. Maybe the city’s too scared it would just be destroyed again.

His words struck us like a rain of arrows. The image of terrified faces watching the tower fall flashed vividly in my mind.

The feeling of hatred toward “that thing” grew stronger the more I listened, but there was nothing I could do against the reality before me.

—Would we really have changed anything by being there?—I had a nearly certain feeling that most of us—the ones who had stayed behind—were asking ourselves that same question, unable to take a single step past the doorway we’d come through.

The only ones who had the resolve to keep walking toward Bell as if nothing had happened were the three kids following him.

It was as if an invisible line was drawn between us.

In front of us were those who had moved forward, and behind it, those of us who had never considered being left behind.

However, it was two beastmen who took the first step forward.

—So Orario almost came to an end? Fine by me. As long as there’s a world where my goddess still lives, that’s all I need to become stronger than any bastard in my way. And that includes you.

The first was <Vana Freya>, proud and with his head held high as always. Yet the person beside him was even more stubborn.

Bete clicked his tongue before speaking.

—Listen up, rabbit—no, Bell, because I’ll only say this once.

Though he didn’t seem very interested, Bell’s eyes shifted slightly, glancing at Bete out of the corner of his eye as he waited for him to finish.

—Your training, your <level>, your techniques... I’m going to surpass all of it. That’s how I’ll thank you—for finally stopping being useless and acting like a man.

Even though it didn’t sound like gratitude at all, I noticed it—just for a moment—Bete had slightly bowed his head while clenching his fists hard together.

Just like him, <Vana Freya> expressed his own acknowledgment and resolve. Both agreed on surpassing Bell, which inspired everyone else to take a step forward.

I took a deep breath, gathering all the memories I had with that kind boy, and then I moved too—his bright smile fading into the image of his cold expression now.

—This time, I’ll fight beside you.

We all reached our resolve and lifted our heads. Seeing this, Bell finally turned to face us.

His ruby eyes narrowed, and the fierce grin he wore when rescuing us in the Dungeon returned to his face.

—Looks like you’re truly ready for the new era. Good. Then follow me.

He turned his back to us once again—but this time, it was different.

This time, it felt like he was waiting for us, instead of just walking away.

We all stepped forward to follow him through the city.

-O-oi, is this really Orario?

--No, rather, are you sure it’s only been five years?

Even after living here for more than ten years, I had never explored Orario as much as I did the Dungeon. But right now, the labyrinth city intrigued me more than anything else.

Gray stone tiles formed the roads—warped and ancient, just like I remembered on the path to Babel—but everything changed once you moved away from the city center, as if you were walking from one era into another.

Large metal machines shaped like long, oval balloons floated intermittently through the skies—slowly—but most importantly, they weren’t moving with magic.

Buildings curved, swept, and rose into the air in spires, pillars, and towers, accented by all kinds of colors. But everywhere, a fragment of dark metal was present—<mythril>, I realized.

Beyond it all, visible at times through the gaps between buildings as we walked, I could see how the valley of mountains beyond the city had changed—leaving behind a vast crater-like void, as if created by the clash of two absolute forces.

My eyes lingered on Bell for a moment, imagining the magnitude of such a battle.

—It’ll be hard to move through the main street with me around.

The white-haired boy said this over his shoulder, taking a turn off the main street into a series of small alleys.

—Wouldn’t it be easier if you used an invisibility cloak too?—Tiona’s voice came from the back of the group, trying not to sound too loud.

—Nah, I need to make sure I’m seen at the Guild. I haven’t shown my face in a good three months, according to Lai.

—So the artificial Dungeon really did affect you.

—Yeah, but not the same way it did you guys. Maybe because I came through a different entrance.

—Another entrance?

—Something I’ll talk about later.

I stopped watching Bell when he ended his conversation with Finn. My eyes scanned the buildings around us. The alleys were clean, free of garbage or criminals—another difference from the old Orario.

We kept walking in silence for several more minutes before returning to the main street. Bell pulled up his hood just before stepping out of the last alley.

Maybe it was because he looked a little beat up—whether it was dust from the caves or blood from the monsters he’d killed—but nobody gave him even the slightest glance as he walked freely toward our destination.

—No, it’s more like he’s suppressing his presence so well you wouldn’t notice him unless you were looking directly at him.

His walking pace, his breathing, his rhythm—all perfectly blended into the air around him—made it clear: Bell was like the most elusive assassin I’d ever seen.

In contrast to him, who simply hid in plain sight, Ruu, Lai, and Fina jumped between buildings with great agility, forming a perimeter around us—apparently being careful in case a <first-class> adventurer detected our invisible group and attacked.

The street we followed was packed with pedestrian traffic, as expected of a main avenue. The shops and countless unfamiliar signs caught my attention: restaurants and taverns, armories, clothing stores, and even a few that read “free trade of magic stones.”

—The Guild lost its monopoly over magic stones. Kingdoms like Altia and even the elven realm can now request supplies directly.

Bell said this while glancing toward me as I stopped to read the sign carefully. He really seemed to notice me. “Sometimes they even pay better than the Guild itself, depending on their request,” he added before walking on.

As if to emphasize his point, the door swung open, and a group of adventurers came out with big smiles and coin bags in hand, loudly passing by us.

I turned around when I noticed a moving image playing on the surface of something like a crystal screen attached to the wall of a nearby building with black supports. As I got closer, I realized it was projecting a view of countless statues of heroes in a place that looked—if not exactly was—the city’s graveyard.

Curious, I stepped closer, only to be surprised again when a woman’s voice came from the device.

—A week before the anniversary of the “Dragon King Festival,” all of Orario eagerly awaits the return of Bell Cranel-sama, the guest of honor every year and current director of the Gui—

—Come on, Aiz~ you can watch the news all you want later.

Bell gently pulled me back with one hand, cutting the voice off. “What was that?” I couldn’t help but ask him.

—No idea. Better wait and ask Asfi—she’s the one who invented it, using Fels’s <oculus> as a base.

He adjusted his hood again, hiding from the curious gaze of a girl passing by.

—I guess there’s no limit to what genius craftsmen can create when it’s for the sake of the world. As for me, the only way I can contribute is with the power I possess.

—So Asfi’s still alive...

—Oops, guess that ruins one of the surprises.

Even though he did it on purpose so that even I would notice, Bell still seemed to regret his slip, covering his mouth with his hand after mentioning our mutual friend’s name.

I could feel the shared relief among the members of my <Familia> upon hearing that. The simple mention of Asfi made us believe more firmly that not everything had gone wrong.

We continued walking, seeing all sorts of things along the way: iron carriages that didn’t need horses, more people using that magic ring Bell used to summon and store things from nowhere, a “fast food” stand with a big red “M” logo selling a new type of Jyagamaru-kun—I was especially interested in visiting that one later—and many other wonders that hadn’t existed before.

Finally, we stopped before an imposing complex of buildings. In front of us stood a massive open marble gate that could only be the entrance to the Guild.

I was stunned. Honestly, it wasn’t that the Guild I remembered was small, but the cluster of white buildings stretching before me—all connected by several arched stone bridges at different heights above—was undoubtedly far more imposing than the original.

—*Inhale*... Time to get back to work.

After taking a long breath, Bell threw back his hood and straightened his posture, his gaze sharpening. The presence he had kept hidden before now felt completely different. The boy stepped inside, fully aware that we would follow a second later.

—This place...

Even I could see how much the lobby had changed—it now resembled a palace more than the Guild hall I once knew.

The architecture of the walls, ceiling, and floor was made of black stone—darker and shinier than obsidian—and carved columns divided the space every seven meters or so. A thin white carpet acted as a pathway from the entrance to the center of the place, where it split into a cross, each direction pointing to a different section.

“I have to visit someone; I’ll be back in five minutes. You can look around while you wait, but don’t take off your cloaks under any circumstances.” I assumed he didn’t want to be seen by the crowd yet, since Bell disappeared into thin air, leaving all of us in an awkward silence.

“I suppose we can look, but don’t touch anything.”

Speaking softly enough that only our small circle of invisible adventurers huddled by the side of the hall could hear, Finn announced his intention to explore the new headquarters for information.

Of course, the <Freya Familia> wasn’t interested and simply stood waiting.

As for us, we split into groups without a specific number of members.

Tione followed Finn to the “library” section, with Tiona right behind her. Gareth stayed behind to keep an eye on the <Freya Familia> along with Bete, while Lefiya, Riveria, and I continued to observe the grand hall.

I realized it wasn’t just decoration. Walking closer to the walls, with Lefiya a step behind me, I noticed Riveria had stopped to admire a painting of some hero or a statue of a jade monster.

One of my hands touched the wall—the material felt far stronger and more fortified, like an impenetrable fortress. Shields covered in swords and names stretched across the surface of the walls, each with an emblem engraved on it.

I looked at them curiously; they all bore the names of different <Familias>, known or not.

I recognized the emblems of the <Apollo Familia>, Soma, and even the <Dian Ceth Familia> hanging on the wall.

There was a metal plaque beneath each shield with something inscribed on it. I leaned in to read the words written in Koine, starting with the <Dian Ceth Familia>.

“Their sacrifice before the calamity of a single eye will never be forgotten. Oh, beloved heroes and heroines, rest in peace beside the gods in paradise.”

Below the message stretched a long list of names, written alphabetically:

Bernadette Alison
Cecil Brunette
Lucia Thawne
Martha Stewart
..........

The list went on and on until it stopped after about fifty more names.

I checked twice, but I couldn’t find Airmid’s name anywhere. Still, that was far from comforting.

My eyes began to tremble.

No way.

Then those people are…!?

“Aiz-san…” Lefiya murmured my name in a faint tone, but her voice grew more and more unintelligible as panic took over me.

The shock running through my head was cut off by one thought—what about the other <Familias>!?

My eyes darted quickly to another direction—to the next shield and emblem, the <Apollo Familia>. I skimmed past it, but not before noticing the name “Hyakinthos Clyo” among the list.

The figure of a healthy man caught my attention among the other emblems—the <Miach Familia>, one I remembered because they got along with Bell and didn’t have many members, actually.

All of their members except one had died—or so I concluded, since there were only two names out of the three women I remembered.

I swallowed hard, but there was no time to focus on just that.

I kept scanning hurriedly, searching for the image of a smiling <jester>.

“Aiz-nee, don’t do it.”

“...!”

The sweet voice of the girl caught me off guard once more. I had completely forgotten they were still following us, but Fina seemed to be the only one of the trio present.

To the people passing through the hall, it would’ve looked like Fina was simply staring at one of the shields, but in truth, the girl was looking straight at me—with a gaze of warning and sadness.

The same went for Lefiya, since one of the girl’s eyes flicked in her direction.

“Nii-san said there will be time for that later.”

“I know, but my friends…”

“You’re the <Sword Princess>, aren’t you? I trust you can control that feeling.”

I clenched my fist in frustration.

I knew what most people thought of me—maybe even the girl in front of me wasn’t an exception.

“She’s just a sword.” Even I believed that, after all. But still—

It was impossible not to worry about my friends.

Holding onto that feeling, I was about to remove my cloak to speak to the girl in front of me when—

“Huh!? Bell Cranel has returned!”

The shout of an adventurer passing by echoed audibly through the entire hall, making everyone turn instinctively in that direction.

All eyes were on the northern end of the hall, where the silhouette of a man walking casually through the crowd suddenly became the center of the world.

Eyes sharp as blades, a crushing presence like that of a dragon king, and the <level> to back it up. Everyone surrounded him.

“How did your solo expeditio   n end!? Did you make it past the glacier zone!?”

A young man not much older than Lai suddenly shouted, his eyes shining with excitement. I understood instantly—he saw Bell as an idol.

A voice interrupted before Bell could respond.

“If that’s the case, then is there another boss beyond that zone!? Is the dungeon really infinite!?”

This time it was a beastman, followed by the voice of a dwarven blacksmith. A human mage asked something immediately after.

And so, one after another, the questions began to pile up.

They all had different faces, different races, and different questions, but there was something they all shared as they looked at the white-haired boy:

Hope.

Eyes full of light, mouths forming smiles, bodies jumping around him—everyone was happy around Bell, instead of looking hollow as one might expect after the disasters of the past.

“If only he could remember that it’s not just his strength that brings people together…”

Fina said beside me with a small smile directed at her older brother. I couldn’t help but admire him too—the light Bell radiated.

Lai suddenly appeared beside us, Ruu behind him. I looked at the two of them while Lefiya was quickly swept up by the atmosphere, muttering a bunch of inaudible things with a dark aura floating over her.

--Aiz-san, do you know what they call Nii-san now?

Without looking at me, his eyes fixed on Bell, the boy asked.

“No,” I answered, shaking my head.

Now that he mentioned it, I was curious.

Bell’s nickname—<Little Rookie> or <Rabbit Foot>—had once represented his growing identity as an adventurer. But what about now?

For the boy who kept running, far beyond all of us…

What kind of name did the strongest man of this era receive?

Lai stayed silent for a few seconds before answering.

—“The Knight of the Cosmos,” <Orion>.

He declared it plainly, saying nothing more about Bell, who was still surrounded by endless questions.

<Orion>, huh?

At that moment, I couldn’t recall her face, but I knew there had once been a goddess who called Bell that name. Could it be a coincidence?

I hoped to ask Bell later, though it was nearly impossible with the crowd around him, still shouting nonsense.

At least, until one particular voice rose above the rest.

—Bell Cranel-sama! Are the rumors true that your dungeon mission was to recover the corpses of the executives of the <Loki> and <Freya Familias>!?

Only then did Bell’s gaze shift from person to person before locking on the man who asked—a gossipy adventurer, apparently.

—Hiii!

That single glance from Bell was enough to silence the entire hall. It was like watching a goblin hunted by a dragon from the deep floors.

His eyes looked irritated by the question, but…

—Corpses...? That makes no sense. It’s been years since then. We’ve buried far too many people already to worry about a dozen more bodies, don’t you think?

Smiling, Bell placed a hand on the nervous adventurer’s shoulder. Despite the kind expression on his face, it was almost impossible not to feel fear before the might of a level 9.

—Next time, be more careful with—

—¡Bell Cranel!

—¡…!

But then, an even greater storm swept through the hall.

—So you’ve finally returned, you indecent human!

No—more like a <tempest>.

A blonde woman with pointed ears—an elf—burst into the hall.

—Oh shi—uh, I mean, what brings you here, huh, justice-obsessed maniac?

—Do you have any idea how reckless it is for you to keep going so deep into the dungeon!? Grow up already!

As soon as she arrived, I recognized her.

Even though her hair looked different—now completely blonde—I couldn’t mistake the strength in her gaze. It was her.

Her name...

Ryuu?

—It’s Lyon-sama!

A cheerful adventurer’s shout echoed.

—Th-the captain of the <Astrea Familia>!

Someone else added right after.

The elf stole every gaze with her entrance, wearing a white battle suit with blue and gold details. Her hair was tied into a high ponytail.

She had been one of the waitresses at that bar… and an excellent adventurer. I remembered she and Bell got along well, which made the scene all the more awkward.

What happened between them?

I couldn’t get the answer, and just watched their exchange unfold.

—Ahem, did you forget which of us is literally the Guild leader? You should at least call me “boss,” you know?

—You’d have to switch the positions of the sun and moon for that to happen.

—Is that a challenge?

Their argument grew sharper—the elf’s brow furrowed while Bell’s expression stayed calm.

—Is it really too much to ask that you stay in one place?

—Yeah, some of us are too busy solving the real problems instead of playing hero of justice.

—Excuse me? Someone has to keep the city in order so you don’t have to worry about anything except killing monsters.

—Then I thank you for doing such an excellent job, since that’s all I’ve been doing for months.

—A sarcastic thank-you, huh?

Their voices, their expressions, their words—all pointed to mutual irritation.

But there was something odd.

Their eyes.

One glance told me they didn’t mean what they said.

In fact, even though Bell wasn’t smiling, there was peace in his eyes—he looked happy.

I’d never seen his “current self” like this. Not once had he shown what was truly in his heart, unlike before.

And maybe that’s why their argument felt hollow. They weren’t enemies clashing—they were two people talking, oblivious to everything else around them.

As if they were the only ones in the world, looking only at each other.

Something stirred in my chest when I realized that.

What is this feeling?

I didn’t have time to think about it, because Bell spoke again a second later.

—Anyway. Setting the stupid elf aside, who here thinks they can slack off? Back to work. Now.

The white-haired man abruptly ended the conversation, sending everyone but the elf scattering back to their duties.

The noisy guild hall became a vast, silent chamber. Only one person spoke again.

—We need to talk to the old man.

Those few words erased the frown from Ryuu’s face. Her expression went blank as she said:

—What kind of trouble have you gotten into this time?

With the same serious look, Bell’s eyes swept the room—and a chill ran down my spine when I realized he was staring right at us through the invisibility again.

—A big one. So follow me.

He didn’t say more as he turned toward the employee corridors.

Beyond them, a long hallway led underground.

Along the way, several people in the same black uniforms I’d seen for years walked beside Bell, handing him reports and updates about the city.

—Director, the reports on the new adventurer candidates’ training progress have arrived. More than half have reached the minimum level...

—The nobles of Altia request your attendance at a gala...

—The <Idun Familia> asks for more time before their harvest...

The boy never slowed his pace, listening silently, analyzing every piece of information with precision.

—Everything seems routine. Good. Someone tell Misha I still need her running the Guild while I’m busy. If something urgent happens, call me.

“Yes, sir,” the employees replied before returning to their stations.

So it was true—Bell was the current Guild leader. That made him not only the strongest adventurer in Orario, but also its most influential person.

The bad feeling in my chest only grew stronger, but all our questions would be answered once we passed through the doorless archway leading below.

We crossed the threshold silently, walking in a line. Ryuu was in front, still unaware of our presence, with Bell behind her.

The path was dark, no torches lighting the end, but it wasn’t long before the steps stopped.

We entered a medium-sized circular room.

—Bell, did you complete your mission?

Seated on a great stone throne surrounded by a ring of torches, a man—no, a god—greeted us.

The gaze of his blue eyes was as deep as the sky.

—Yes, Uranus-sama... Finn, Ottar, the rest of you, you can remove your cloaks now.

The atmosphere changed in an instant.

Uranus, the god who kept the Dungeon under control.

Bell knelt before the ancient god and asked us to drop our camouflage.

—So it was you hiding in the hall. I was wondering why Bell hadn’t done anything about it.

Without a trace of surprise in her voice, Ryuu turned to look at us.

Both her blue eyes and Uranus’s were fixed on us while Bell remained motionless, staring at the ground.

—What did you find?

At the god’s question, Bell began recounting the story of the artificial dungeon. He left out how he entered or from where, limiting himself to explaining our situation and how he’d gotten us out.

After listening silently, Uranus’s lips moved.

—Orario has changed over the past five years, as you can see. However, however, allow us to borrow your strengh once more

We all stayed silent at the god’s request—except for one person.

A small figure stepped two paces forward, her face faintly lit by the torchlight.

—None of us here have stopped being adventurers, Uranus. But before we lend our aid, I’d like to know the true situation in Orario after the dragon’s attack.

The torch flames flickered violently; Uranus’s eyes reflected them like memories—of an inferno that had devoured everything.

—The true situation, you ask? Very well.

Without moving an inch from his seat, Uranus began to speak.

Over a million people died that day.

Among them, a little over 100,000 adventurers—roughly 70% of Orario’s fighting power.

Only a handful of <first-class> adventurers survived, Bell among them.

And the city? Completely destroyed—reduced to ashes by the furious breath of the monster king.

“It was an unprecedented disaster, unseen in the mortal world since the descent of the gods,” Uranus said, finishing his grim account.

It sounded like a nightmare.

The terror, the death, the screams—of those who fought and those who didn’t—crawled through my mind. Hands seemed to reach up from the ground to grab me.

“Why didn’t you save us?” they said. My heart twisted helplessly.

The same went for all of us who had been left behind.

However—

—Orario has indeed known despair like never before. But that does not mean your hope has ended. There are still those who fight for it.

The god’s voice remained solemn, his eyes turning to Bell and Ryuu as he continued.

—It is only thanks to that that Orario has risen stronger than ever. Thanks to him and his companions.

Bell Cranel, <the Last Hero>.

The “spear” of the mortal world. That’s what Uranus called him.

But he also said this:

—Bell is the leader of the <Guild>, as well as the captain and sole member of the <Uranus Familia>, my dependent.

— ——

What?

My eyes widened in shock just as Bell stood, turning his back on his divine patron.

Without letting the surprise fade, Bell continued where the god had left off.

—Once again, I ask you—will you lend me your strength?

He raised one hand to his chest and clenched it into a fist.

—Even if its claws tear off your arms and legs, even if the wind of its wings is too strong to stand, or if its hellish breath reduces you to ashes—

“Keep fighting,” he said. “Forward, without surrender.”

—Only then will you save this world and protect what you love. So help me, heroes of the past.

The flames of hatred, hope, and vengeance—all burned within him as a bright, pure white light that refused to fade.

Bell lowered his open hand toward us, and then said:

—Help me subjugate that dragon.