I can see ash-colored rocks everywhere I look. The walls, floor, and ceiling are
all made of solid stone. The air is dank, almost musty.
It looks like any cave deep in the heart of the mountain. If I didn't know any
better, I'd say that's exactly where we are. Standing here at the top of the
thirteenth floor, the so-called "front line" of the middle levels of the Dungeon,
that's the only way to describe this place.
"So this is the middle levels…"
"Lilly's heard about it before, but it's much dimmer in here than farther up."
Welf, his hand on the handle of the broadsword strapped to his back, and
Lilly, her eyes quickly scanning the room, voiced their first impressions.
A seemingly endless descending stone tunnel was waiting for us after we left
the upper levels. It had to be the pathway that connected to the first "room" on
this level. But still, this is the first time I've ever seen a straight path that doesn't
have a visible exit.
Also, there are large well-like holes in a few places beside the walls—pit
traps connecting to the lower levels—in here, too. The landscape, the poor
visibility…it's nothing like the upper levels.
"Level thirteen is known for its long hallways going from room to room. We
can't safely engage monsters in this area, so Lilly suggests we find the first room
as quickly as possible."
Welf and I nod to each other as Lilly explains the situation.
From what I can see, I'm pretty sure that this hallway is wider than the ones
upstairs, but we'd still have a hard time if a monster showed up.
It's too cramped in here to fight effectively as a team, especially if we're
surrounded by a group of them. Trapped among monsters in the middle of the
hallway—with no escape route and no backup…just the thought of it gives me
chills.
Engaging monsters in a room with plenty of space to systematically take
them down one by one, on the other hand…Numbers and strategy are very
valuable in a fight, and that's exactly what a party gives us.
"Let's advance while there aren't any monsters around. Mr. Welf, this is a
one-way path, so please move ahead as quickly as possible."
"All right."
Lilly must've spent a lot of time studying the information available at the
Guild. It's like she has a map of level thirteen in her head or something. She's
not just a porter, she's a supporter in every meaning of the word. As I think
about how lucky I am to have her in the party, I look ahead at Welf.
The three of us advance through the middle levels in a straight line while
making sure to keep some space between us.
"…But still, these things are awesome!"
"The salamander wool?"
"Yeah, can't complain about a thing."
Welf starts up a conversation just as the eerie silence of the Dungeon was
starting to get to me. Lilly quickly joins in.
Conversations like this are rather pointless, but they help ease the tension. I
think that's a hidden benefit of working with a battle party. The loneliness and
isolation of being solo really adds up after a while.
"Lilly never dreamed of the day that she would be able to wear this fancy
fabric. Thank you so much, Mr. Bell. Lilly'll take good care of it."
"Ah-ha-ha-ha…I did get a discount."
I turn my head around to see Lilly happily grinning at me. All I can do is
force a smile and take a look at how each of us is wearing salamander wool.
It's a glossy red fabric that's so light and thin that it almost flutters with each
movement. Most people would think it were weightless if they saw someone
wearing it on the street. My inner shirt and pants, Welf's long jacket, and Lilly's
new robe are all made from the same material.
"Fairy Protection"—cloth that fairies have literally woven their magic into.
Basically, it's an item that has some kind of magic effect because of them.
"Even with a discount, just one set of fairy-made material costs an arm and a
leg! How much was it for three?"
"Well—um…To put it simply, they were five zeros on the end…"
"Mr. Welf, make sure that you pay back every val Mr. Bell spent on you, got
that?"
"You're quite the calculating prum when it comes to money, you know that?"
Eina had insisted that we all equip salamander wool before venturing into the
middle levels, and I followed through on my promise. The others took a little
convincing, but now all of us are wearing it.
Welf and I are wearing ours under our armor while Lilly is draped in one big
robe that covers her entire body. I suppose it could be thought of as fancy fabric,
since it practically sparkles vibrant red in the low light.
"To think that a High Smith couldn't make anti-flame equipment on par with
this wimpy jacket…I don't got a chance. Those fairies are something else."
I can feel a bit of resentment toward fairies in his voice as he straightens the
sleeve on his jacket.
Just like animal people, fairies—salamanders, sylphs, undines, gnomes, and
so on—are classified by their element and place of origin, which also means that
"Fairy Protection" items also vary depending on what kind of fairy created it.
Salamander wool, made by the fire-wielding salamanders, is very good at
protecting against fire and heat. I'd call it an "anti-flame material." It's said to be
very good against cold as well.
Fabric made by the water-dwelling undine not only protects the wearer from
water-based attacks but can keep him or her cool in areas with intense heat.
I've even heard people say that items blessed with a fairy's spiritual
protection are like a gift from "another god." While this fabric may not be as
strong or sturdy as the kinds that we humans make, the strong elemental forces
that dwell within the material more than make up for it. Just as Welf said, even
the High Smiths' work can't hold a candle to the things fairies can do.
"But Lilly's glad we have them. Lilly feels less anxious about going into
deeper levels."
"…Hellhounds, right?"
That's the name of one of the monsters on this floor. They're the main reason
that Eina was so insistent that we have salamander wool.
These doglike monsters are also known as Baskervilles. Compared with other
monsters in the middle levels, they're not all that physically powerful. The real
danger is the flaming projectiles they shoot out of their mouths.
The flames are hot enough to get even some of the better types of armor to
crack. It's been said that the inferno unleashed by a pack of hellhounds can be
strong enough to reduce an unlucky battle party to ash on the spot.
Whenever reports of a battle party being wiped out on the thirteenth or
fourteenth level come to the surface, it's more than likely hellhounds are to
blame. There is a good chance that even adventurers who have leveled up will be
reduced to cinders if they take a direct hit.
"Mr. Welf, Lilly believes you already understand this, but—"
"Yeah, I'm gonna stop you right there. If a hellhound shows up, charge
forward and take it down, right? I have no interest in bein' cooked alive."
This is just my opinion, but I think that this is an adventure's rite of passage
in the middle levels.
All the monsters in the upper levels could only attack from short range and
charge with claws, clubs, and whatnot. But the monsters here have learned how
to attack from a distance. Maybe saying that they've learned how to use
something like magic would be easier to understand?
The upper levels and middle levels are very different.
Lyu's words echo inside my mind; they seem to be etched inside my memory.
In any case, hellhounds are very dangerous monsters that we have to be
aware of while we're in the middle levels.
"…!" After walking down the rocky path for a few minutes, all of us stop
talking and freeze in place at almost the same moment.
My updated status also strengthened my hearing enough to hear a tup…tup…
sound. Something's coming this way. The three of us get into position, all of our
eyes locked on the darkness before us as the sound gets louder.
"…Right off the bat."
Welf's voice echoes through the musty air.
Two dark shadows appear in the dim light. Coming from the other end of the
path, the monsters finally come into view.
Their muscular bodies are completely black. Eyes glowing a deep red, they
practically embody the meaning of the word "monster."
Four-legged frames far too brawny to be a dog's. Hellhounds.
Their faces, too vicious to be mistaken for wolves, distort as the two of them
howl in our direction.
"So, how's this distance? Should we get closer?"
"My adviser warned me not to underestimate the hellhound's range…"
"Well then—charge!"
Welf hoists his broadsword over his shoulder as he gives us the signal to
attack. I quickly get into position behind his right shoulder.
The two hellhounds roar in unison before charging at us with all speed.
A distance of about fifty meders is gone in the blink of an eye.
"OooooooOONN!"
One of them howls and jumps straight at Welf.
Despite being the size of a small cow, the beast carves through the air.
I jump in front of it before it can reach its target and raise a shield.
I've got a small, buckler-style shield in my left hand and the fifty-celch-long
shortsword in my right.
Welf prepared them for me during the week that we spent practicing our
battle formation on the eleventh and twelfth floors. Since I'm in the middle, I
need to be able to both attack and defend.
I catch a glimpse of its razor-sharp teeth as it comes at me with its jaws wide
open—before I shove the buckler straight into its mouth.
"Gah…!"
It's heavy.
But I can take it.
Even with its sharp fangs around my shield and taking the full force of its
jumping attack, I manage to keep my feet and stop its momentum.
The hound is stuck in the air, legs flailing.
Welf charges in as if he'd been waiting for that moment and slices the beast's
defenseless body in two with one swift, arcing strike of his broadsword.
"aGA?!"
The two halves of its body fall to the ground.
A strong defense paired with a powerful counterattack, perfect coordination
between middle support and the front line.
I pull my blood-splattered shield out of the fallen beast's mouth.
"Uuuuuuu…"
The remaining hellhound growls at us from a distance as it raises its
hindquarters and lowers its head to the ground. All of us realize immediately that
it is getting ready to spit fire.
It bears its fangs at us. I can see sparks flying around in its mouth, in the
spaces between its razor-sharp teeth.
"—A little slow!"
"GYAN?!"
However, the hellhound takes a golden arrow to its right eye just as it was
about to launch its fiery attack.
It came from Lilly's hand bow gun. It might not be the most powerful
weapon, but it packs more than enough punch to stop an enemy in its tracks with
good accuracy.
Welf dashes by me with the red swish of his jacket, straight up to the injured
beast. He brings his broadsword down over the beast's head in one continuous
motion.
The last hound lets out a yelp before falling, its cheeks still bright red from
the flames.
"Not a bad start, eh?"
"We'd be in a lot of trouble if we couldn't work together at this point. This
amount of coordination should be expected."
"Yes, but that worked pretty well."
The battle over, we return to our usual selves.
Sure, there were a few moments that made me a little nervous, but I feel very
relieved that we were able to slay two hellhounds that easily. As long as we're
careful, we should be strong enough to take any monsters on level thirteen. Just
knowing that much is worth a lot.
We also learned that the hounds need time to build up their fireball attack…
I've got a good feeling about this.
Anxiousness starts leaving my body as Lilly sets to work retrieving the magic
stones.
"Oh? We've got more company."
"!" I snap back into battle mode at the sound of Welf's voice.
The next monsters to emerge from farther down the path are three
surprisingly large rabbits.
Floppy ears, white and yellow fur, and a fluffy tail. They're hopping along on
their hind legs, a long sharp horn sticking out of their heads. I think they're
about Lilly's height.
These monsters are basically needle rabbits that learned how to walk on two
legs.
"Is that…Mr. Bell?!"
"Of course not?! What are you saying?!" I snap back at a wide-eyed Lilly.
The rabbit monster, Al-Miraj. First appearing on level thirteen, these things
may look cute but are actually extremely aggressive.
"So we're fighting Bell, huh?…That's a tough joke."
"Is—is that a joke?!"
Welf tries his best to make a serious face but I can see him holding back tears
of laughter.
The small pack of Al-Miraj in front of us each go to one of the small rocks on
the ground and smash them open with a hard stomp. All of them pick up a piece
of the rubble, the latest natural weapon provided by the Dungeon.
It looks like a small tomahawk that each of them can carry in one hand. Does
that mean that all these rocks on the ground are actually landform weapons?
Three monsters all equipped with weapons. Suddenly all of the horned
rabbits look in our direction, their pale red eyes softly glowing.
"Three on three."
"Lilly is just saying, but it needs to be three on one, three times, yes? We'll
be overwhelmed if each of us tries to take one on alone. If Mr. Welf makes one
mistake, Lilly will be very vulnerable."
Al-Miraj are actually some of the weakest monsters in the middle levels. As
long as you're aware that they are more agile than silverbacks, then even the
upper ranks of Level 1 adventurers can hold their own against one.
However, there's a reason that these rabbits are classified as Level 2
monsters: They're surprisingly dangerous in groups.
Each one of the Al-Miraj lets out a series of high-pitched squeaks as they
advance on our position.
"The one on the right first!"
"G-got it!"
"But, you know, this is the first time I've ever felt bad about slayin' a
monster…These things are too damn cute."
"Kyauu! Ki, kiii!"
A three-man battle party versus a group of three monsters.
Six shadows charge forward and clash in the dim light.
"Hermes is back?"
Hestia handed a customer a fried potato puff as she turned to face
Takemikazuchi.
"Isn't it still too early? He was even at the last Denatus."
"That's what I'd like to find out. He wouldn't come back so soon without a
reason."
"Thank you very much!" said Hestia to the customer and gave a short bow.
Takemikazuchi stood next to her, resting his elbows on the counter and wearing
a scowl.
They were at a food stall on North Main Street. Hestia's friend had shown up
unannounced during business hours and said, "We need to talk." Hestia couldn't
say no to him, so she listened to what he had to say while working behind the
counter.
"My, my…Aren't you doing good business over here?"
"Heh-heh, of course. I'm here, aren't I?"
"Curses! I had no idea that a mascot had this much impact…"
There was a constant stream of customers at the food stall, enough to make
lines at the cash register. Takemikazuchi, who was not used to this much activity,
looked around with a look of defeat on his face. Hestia put her hands behind her
back and puffed out her chest.
Since the two of them were wearing aprons, both of them blended in very
well despite being deities.
"So, what did Hermes do? You said he came to your place, Také?"
"He did…Have you seen him since his return, Hestia?"
"Nope, I haven't. I didn't know he was back until you told me."
Hestia's body practically moved on its own as she bagged freshly fried potato
puffs that a female animal person had just prepared and handed them to a series
of customers. Every single one of them smiled as they took their potato puffs,
patting Hestia on the head before leaving the stall.
"He said that he was interested in that boy of yours, Bell Cranell…or
something like that. I can't help but feel that he's planning something."
"Um…Aren't you overthinking this a little bit? I don't think Hermes is the
kind of god who would start something."
The god Hermes was not one to instigate a fight.
Whether he was very good at maneuvering through various situations or just
very shrewd, Hermes was a well-connected god who often played peacekeeper
when other gods or goddesses were fighting among one another.
The Hermes that Hestia knew was open-minded and assiduous.
"He's not the only one to try to make a move on Bell recently…Just this past
week, there's been so many that it's getting annoying?"
"You carry his burden well, Hestia. As for Hermes, I can't stand him. There
is not a word out of his mouth that I'll actually believe."
"Ha-ha-ha. Hermes does give you a hard time, doesn't he, Také."
Hestia's and Hermes's domains in Tenkai were right next to each other. They
were neighbors, in a sense. They had been on good terms long enough that they
knew a lot about each other.
Hestia smiled and laughed with a half-elf girl who was even shorter than she
before sending her back to her mother.
"It's not that I don't understand what you're saying, Hestia…I've just got a
feeling that this time is different."
"…Any reason why?"
"Call it divine intuition."
Hestia thought for a moment as she stared back into Takemikazuchi's violet
eyes and scratched her chin.
If he was depending on his intuition, he had no proof.
"—Takemikazuchi, are you sure you should be wasting time in a place like
this…"
"Ah, my apologies, Manager. There was something I had to do…No, I'm
sure our sales will increase soon, yes. I'll work very hard."
"You can say anything you want, but you could learn a thing or two from
Hestia…"
"I will, sorry for the inconvenience. I will double my efforts—you'll see what
I can really do tomorrow!"
Hestia was lost in her own thoughts as the food-stall manager appeared and
Takemikazuchi bowed in apology over and over. She happened to catch a
glimpse of this and wondered what this world was coming to, a god having to
bow and scrape to one of the children. She completely ignored the fact that she
herself had multiple part-time jobs and had done the very same thing on
countless occasions.
"I'll take my leave, Hestia. It might be meaningless to tell you to be careful,
but still, keep an eye on Hermes."
"Sure, thanks, Také."
Takemikazuchi made his way past the manager and turned around to wave
one last time before returning to his own shop. Thankful for her friend's concern,
Hestia smiled and watched him leave.
"Hermes, huh…"
She stuck her head out of the side of the food stall and looked toward the blue
sky.
She thought about her neighbor, especially about that charming smile of his.
It happened to remind her of one other deity.
"…There's no way, right?"
Her soft voice was carried away by a whimsical gust of wind.
The sun shone down through a blue sky filled with white puffy clouds.
West Main Street was filled with crowds of people and countless horse-drawn
carts bathed in the soft sunlight of early afternoon. A certain deity and one of his
followers made their way through the middle of all of it.
"So then, Asfi, what did you find out?"
"According to the public information available at the Guild, he has completed
level eleven and spent the last ten days on level twelve."
The deity having a conversation surrounded by the hustle and bustle of the
citizens of Orario just happened to be Hermes. Asfi, the human woman he was
talking to, followed close behind as he made his way through the crowd.
The woman wore a white cloak and rather unusual sandals on her thin feet,
each of which had a pair of golden wings curving around the sides.
"Also, someone at Babel Tower had something interesting to say…He
apparently bought enough salamander wool to equip a small battle party earlier
this morning."
"Oh, don't tell me he's gone to the middle levels?"
"Most likely," responded Asfi. Hermes's lips curved up in a smirk.
"And only ten days after leveling up. Just how a record-holder should be.
Very fast indeed."
"In addition, I have discovered he possesses extremely powerful Magic. He
used what must have been a very long spell to cast magic so powerful that it
wiped out an infant dragon on level eleven. There were many witnesses."
The woman giving this information to her god would have looked right at
home in the company of other deities as well. She had a perfectly symmetrical
face, her eyes brimming with knowledge, and brilliant silver glasses framing her
feminine features. Her hair was a stunning aqua blue with a few lighter shades
mixed in. It was as if strands of water were flowing from her head.
Ignoring the eyes of the animal people and dwarves that passed by, Asfi
continued her report.
"…That's not the only reason."
"Go on."
"Many adventurers believe that the only reason he defeated a Minotaur is that
he was lucky enough to land this Magic attack. That he is a weakling who only
finished off a Minotaur that had escaped from Loki Familia. Some go as far as to
call him the 'Phony Rookie.'"
"Ha-ha-ha-ha! Phony Rookie! Got a nice ring to it!"
Hermes's mouth opened wide as he laughed.
Many people were startled by his roar of laughter and stared as he passed by.
But Hermes was enjoying himself too much to care, his shoulders jumping up
and down in glee.
"But he only managed to hit it with his Magic, he only delivered the last blow
to a monster with its foot in the grave…A god's Blessing won't be fooled by
cheap descriptions…But yes, I understand what you're trying to say."
Hermes narrowed his already thin eyes as soon as his own laughter died
down.
"I believe these opinions can all be explained by one thing: the fact that he
leveled up so quickly…"
"Ah, yes. Adventurers are always so hard on one another."
"I have confirmed that Bell Cranell is not very well-liked by other
adventurers."
At that point the noise on the street became too loud for their conversation to
continue.
A group of bards composed of many races had set up their instruments in
front of a shop nearby and were giving a live performance for the townspeople
under the blue sky. They sang of the many places they had visited, the things
they had seen with their own eyes, and expressed everything with upbeat tones
and sometimes dark chords as their story unfolded. A large ring of people
formed around the bards on the street. Even people on the upper floors of the
surrounding shops and houses opened their windows and leaned outside to hear
them.
Hermes stopped to listen to their songs as well. He clapped just as loud as the
rest when they had finished and gave them some gold coins.
The traveling bards couldn't believe their luck. This smiling god had not only
enjoyed their performance, but given them money as well. Their gratitude was
immeasurable. The people on the street who witnessed what just took place
looked at Hermes with adoring eyes.
Asfi asked her god a question as soon as they started walking again. "Do you
plan on doing anything to the Little Rookie?"
Hermes could feel her eyes boring into the back of his head as they continued
forward, but he listened as she continued.
"Ordering me to collect information without giving a reason, you must be
very interested in him…"
"What's this, Asfi? Are you jealous because I haven't been around?"
"Hardly!"
Asfi dropped her formal tone in an instant of anger, quickly turning her head
away and massaging her forehead.
Hearing her god's teasing tone had brought out all the frustration that had
built up while working for him over the years. Her composure was gone.
A face that had exuded an aura of knowledge now only showed the
resentment of someone who had been led on wild-goose chases by a particular
deity for far too long.
"I'm saying I've had enough of your errands. I've done so much so that you
can just go anytime! Think of what I've been through!"
"I'm grateful to the others, and especially to you, Asfi. Without you, things
would fall apart pretty quick. I'm counting on you quite a bit. Trusted by your
friends and your god—ha-ha! That's quite the position!"
"…I hate this."
She sounded like she was about to cry for a brief moment. Hermes just
smiled at his follower and playfully patted her on the head. Asfi's silver glasses
were jarred loose from the impacts and fell to the tip of her nose as she looked at
the ground.
"…Have you made contact with Hestia yet?"
Asfi sighed as she pulled herself together and asked a completely different
question.
Realizing that her rambling god had no intention of revealing his plans to her,
she decided to try a different route.
In response to her question, Hermes forced a smile and said, "No, not yet.
"I must talk with a certain someone before I can do that."
Before a stern-looking Asfi could respond with another question, Hermes
came to a stop in front of a certain bar.
It was a rather large bar and café built on West Main Street. A large sign
above its front door read THE BENEVOLENT MISTRESS, written in Koine, the
universal language.
The café terrace was filled with customers at this time of day. Hermes and
Asfi walked right by it and through the entrance.
"Welcome, meow!…Mew? Lord Hermes?"
"Oh! Chloe, it's been too long! Sorry, but could you call Mia for me?"
Hermes smiled brightly at the cat person who greeted him at the door.
The catgirl stared at Hermes and Asfi for a long moment before saying,
"Sure, meow. Just a moment, meow!" She wasn't about to refuse the request of a
god.
Chloe disappeared into the back of the bar and not two seconds later—
The floor creaked as the massive body of a dwarf woman appeared behind
the bar.
"The hell's a god want in the middle of the lunch rush?"
"Don't look at me with those sour eyes, Mia. You're ruining your pretty
face."
"Any more jokes and I'll take off yer head. I'm busy, y'hear? Ya got
somethin' to say, then out with it."
Mia was not the least bit intimidated by the god in front of her. In fact, the
owner of the bar was scaring Asfi enough to shake in her sandals behind
Hermes.
The deity, on the other hand, was not the least bit afraid, and walked right up
to the counter, resting his elbows on the edge.
"Well then, I'll get right to it—could you make an appointment with Lady
Freya for me?"
Hermes lowered his voice as he leaned over the counter between them, his
face right in front of Mia's.
The dwarf held her ground, locked eyes with Hermes, and cocked an
eyebrow.
The deity's orange gaze and her piercing stare bored into each other.
Until finally, "Humph."
"I'm not a messenger for fool gods. You've got feet—if you wanna talk to the
Lady so bad, use 'em." Mia practically spit the words out of her mouth, flatly
rejecting Hermes's request. "Hmph," she angrily sighed out of her nose and
disappeared back into the kitchen. Hermes watched her robust body vanish
behind the door before turning to Asfi, forcing a smile as if to say, That didn't
work.
Not my problem, she seemed to reply with her disinterested look.
"…Lord Hermes?"
Hermes looked over his shoulder in response to hearing his name, his
expression changing in the blink of an eye. "Hm? Oh! If it isn't Syr! It's been so
long! How've you been?"
Syr, dressed in her waitress uniform, had just come into the main part of the
bar after returning from her break.
"Yes, a very long time indeed, Lord Hermes. I'm glad to see that you are
well."
"Ahh, you always were the one with the best manners. What do you say, Syr,
want to get out of here and have some fun? A date with you would go a long way
to healing the heart that Mia just ripped to shreds. You'd do that for me, right—
Hey! Ow-ow-ow! Let go of my ear, Asfi, you'll tear it off!"
Syr politely smiled at the god's attempt to use what just happened as a pretext
for something completely different. "I'm going to have to decline," she
responded as Asfi punished Hermes while silently glaring at him.
Syr guided them to a seat at the bar, Hermes grudgingly massaging his ear
along the way.
"Please have a seat here…"
Syr gestured to a seat at a table, but Hermes walked right past it toward the
counter.
The chair that Hermes plopped himself down on was normally the seat that
Syr reserved for Bell, his usual spot.
The girl was speechless as Asfi took her position behind Hermes. The deity
looked up at Syr and smiled.
"Hey, Syr, can I ask you something?"
"Yes…What is it?"
"If you happen to know anything about Bell Cranell, would you tell me?"
The girl's shoulders twitched.
All the waitresses within earshot made eye contact, silently communicating
with one another in the noisy bar and café. Syr looked down at Hermes's evercharming smile and constructed a friendly face to hide her true feelings.
"Why would you ask me a question like that?"
"Well, I heard that he is rather fond of this bar."
Hermes took a quick glance behind him at Asfi before looking back up at
Syr.
"You see, I'm very interested in the Little Rookie. What? Don't tell me you
think I'm going to do something strange to him. So how about it?"
Syr politely smiled again at Hermes's verbal advances.
"There's nothing that I want to tell you at this time, Lord Hermes."
She didn't even blink as she spoke. It looked as though the waitresses had
decided to protect the boy.
Hermes shrugged his shoulders like he was joking around. "You don't trust
me?"
The young waitress's smile expanded as wide as it could go. "No, not the
least bit."
"—CHIGUSA!" a man fearfully called out to his ally.
His shrieks of terror echoed through the rocky cave as a human girl fell to the
ground with a stone tomahawk coming out of her shoulder.
Thud! Dry gravel shifted as she landed hard.
A stream of fresh blood was illuminated by the flickering light of torches
around her.
The monsters around them let out a series of high-pitched squeaks and
squeals, celebrating their kill.
"Someone from the middle, advance! Cover Chigusa's spot!"
"H-help her! That wound is deep!"
A group of adventurers and a swarm of monsters were engaged in combat on
the thirteenth floor of the Dungeon.
The adventurers' armor and weapons were all decorated with the same crest,
a sword sticking out of the earth. Takemikazuchi Familia's crest.
The party of six adventurers—currently five standing in a ring—were in a
defensive struggle against the onslaught of a group of seven Al-Miraj.
However, there had been a weak spot in their ranks.
The rabbit monsters' quick movements had momentarily confused the battle
party and one of the beasts seized the opportunity to take down one of their
frontline members with a tomahawk throw.
The surprise attack had come from an Al-Miraj that stayed behind the other
monsters running circles around the adventurers. It was a potentially lethal blow
from a monster that had mastered the use of the landform weapon.
"Kyiiah!"
"Gah?!"
The Al-Miraj suddenly changed their strategy. They could all see the gigantic
opening in the trembling Takemikazuchi Familia's formation and quickly moved
to exploit it.
The monsters in the upper levels didn't have the ability to read the situation.
While there wasn't much change in physical strength, the difference in
intelligence between the monsters of the upper and middle levels was worlds
apart.
Clashes of steel and stone rang out through the cavern and were quickly
followed by human screams of pain and agony.
The Al-Miraj had surrounded the party in a netlike formation—no matter
where the humans looked, they could see the ring of monsters getting closer and
closer.
"Yah!"
"Kyuiii!"
The battle party was losing ground in the face of the monsters' onslaught.
One girl lashed out against the attack, her shiny black ponytail fluttering
behind her.
Stepping in front of her fallen comrade to protect her, the girl swung her
blade so fast that her allies saw only afterimages as it sliced through the nearest
Al-Miraj.
"Captain Ouka, lead the retreat! I'll cover you!"
"Thanks, counting on you!"
Mikoto's violet-and-purple armor glinted as she stood tall and urged her allies
to make an escape.
The man in charge of the group gave the order and Mikoto took her place in
front of the monsters to cover their retreat.
Her weapon of choice was a curved katana blade more than ninety celch
long.
Mikoto faced down the monsters' pursuit with both hands firmly clasped on
the hilt of her blade.
"…Haaaaanh!"
Yelling at the top of her lungs, she charged the first Al-Miraj with lightning
speed. She easily dodged its attack as her counterattack hit flesh. The rabbit
monsters outnumbered her, but none of them could get past her.
Her graceful, refined movements were completely different from those of the
other adventurers and monsters around her. Mikoto's Level 2 skills made her
more than a match for anything on the thirteenth floor of the Dungeon.
Even the Al-Miraj, known as one of the most agile monsters in the middle
levels, couldn't keep up with her movements.
Any one of them that was careless enough to attack her head-on was cut to
shreds.
"—oooooghhh!"
"!"
The tables turned yet again when a savage roar strong enough to send
vibrations through the cavern came from farther down the tunnel.
Mikoto and the remaining Al-Miraj turned to face it.
Two gigantic bodies the size of boulders rolling toward them greeted their
eyes.
"Hard Armoreds!"
Hard Armoreds were armadillo-like monsters that had the best defense in the
upper levels. The small shield strapped to Mikoto's back was made from the
plating that covered their bodies.
Mikoto was lost for words. She knew that her badly injured and vulnerable
friends were still right behind her. They would not be able to escape without her
help.
A Hard Armored in its rolled-up state was practically invulnerable to physical
attacks. Most blades would just bounce off its spinning body, not even slowing it
down.
Her allies would have no time to brace for their assault should either one get
by her.
—No choice!
Mikoto stopped backpedaling and let the rest of the party gain some distance.
The surviving Al-Miraj took cover against the walls of the cavern as the Hard
Armoreds picked up speed. The average adventurer would have turned tail and
run, but Mikoto drew her shield and dug in her heels. Determination swelled
within her, her eyebrows arched over her eyes in readiness.
Leaning forward and dropping her hips, Mikoto sprang toward the oncoming
monsters.
"—Grgh—!!"
She braced the shield against her left shoulder and dove toward the closer of
the two. The impact shook her to the bone.
Dadadadada! The space between each of the Hard Armored's plates
slammed into Mikoto's shield at high speed, sending even more shock waves
into her torso. Each hit was so loud she wanted to cover her ears.
She kept her eyes locked on the monster's rotation, her feminine frame
shaking to endure the sheer force of its attack. But her shield held strong and her
stance did not break, heels still firmly braced against the ground.
—NOW!
She summoned up every ounce of strength she had left.
The Hard Armored that she had stopped struggled to regain its balance and
started to roll to the side. However, the other one was still rolling full speed and
coming up fast. Mikoto moved to engage.
The two monsters slammed into each other with incredible force. The impact
sent all three combatants flying, the Hard Armoreds toward the walls and
Mikoto straight back.
This proved to be a blessing in disguise. Both monsters hit the walls with
such force that their limp bodies fell to the ground. Their bodies unrolled, and
Mikoto could see a blank look in their eyes that was synonymous with head
trauma.
"Mikoto, that's enough! Catch up to us!"
"On my way!"
Her party had built a considerable lead and called out to her.
Body beaten to a pulp and armor heavily damaged, she rolled over, stood up,
and turning her back on the remaining Al-Miraj, took off with all the speed she
could coax out of her legs.
"Are you hurt?!"
"I can still fight! What of Chigusa?"
One of her party members cast fire Magic at the Al-Miraj behind her to slow
them down, as Mikoto caught up with the rest of her allies. She wasted no time
in asking about her injured friend.
She ran past the end of the line and all the way up to the front of the group.
"Not good. The potions we have may be able to save her, but first we need a
safe place to heal. It's too dangerous here."
If a simple potion were enough to treat her, there would be no problem.
However, Chigusa's wound was far too deep for items to be of much use.
There was no way to predict when monsters might come bursting out of the
walls. The chances of being surrounded while healing if they chose a bad
location were extremely high.
Of course Chigusa would be unable to fight, but the person healing her would
need to be protected as well. They needed a place where they could survive for a
short time at only a fraction of their battle strength.
"That means…"
"Yes, we'll pull back to level twelve…Sorry to ask so much of you."
"Please don't say such things! We are a battle party!"
Mikoto was quick to brush off Captain Ouka's apology. Defending allies was
common sense to her.
The echo of boots on gravel echoed through the cave. Not far behind the
members of Takemikazuchi Familia were the shrieks and howls of the monsters
in hot pursuit.
The entire left side of Mikoto's body—the side that had taken the brunt of the
Hard Armored's rolling attack—throbbed in pain. Doing her best to hide this
from the others, she looked toward Chigusa.
Her arms were draped around the shoulders of two other party members, the
tips of her feet dragging on the ground as they ran. The stone tomahawk was still
buried in her shoulder blade, her armor and clothing dyed a deep bloodred. The
shallow rise and fall of her chest was the only proof that she was still alive.
Mikoto grimaced at the state of her poor ally. She could barely breathe when
their eyes met.
The normally shy girl's cloudy eyes were partially hidden by her bangs, but
the expression on her face said only one thing: Sorry.
Mikoto shook her head.
"…Not good."
"What is it?"
"More monsters. Now there are hellhounds chasing us…!"
"…!"
The rear watchman's warning made everyone break out in a cold sweat.
Mikoto took a glance behind her only to see the group of Al-Miraj bounding
toward them accompanied by four dark, dog-shaped shadows with glowing red
eyes.
It was not difficult for the adventurers to visualize their own bodies burned to
smoldering cinders, just looking at the monsters' hot breath.
The true extent of the Dungeon's darkness and despair flashed before
Mikoto's eyes.
"Move!"
All of them pushed their bodies even harder at Ouka's command. Everyone
knew Death had them cornered. Even Mikoto was running with everything she
had.
At last the cavern came to an end and they emerged into a room. This room
wasn't square, but a massive dome.
The ceiling was unbelievably high. There was a stone hanging precariously
from its highest point in the center. It looked as though the slightest vibration
could send it crashing to the floor below. The walls were extremely rough and
full of holes. All the scraps of rock on the ground could mean only one thing: a
swarm of monsters had just been born.
The sounds of the fierce battle echoed through this wide space that any party
could use to its advantage.
Are they…a Familia new to this area?
A small battle party was trying to fend off a group of monsters on one side of
the room.
A group of three, two human men and a prum girl by the looks of them.
Mikoto had never seen a battle party like that in all of her trips to the thirteenth
floor.
She reasoned that today must be one of their first trips to the middle levels.
"…We're going over there."
"?!"
Mikoto's body lurched as if Ouka's words had been a slap in the face.
No one in the group had to ask. They knew what he was planning to do.
A "pass parade."
It was a strategy used inside the Dungeon. Simply put, it was a way for one
battle party to escape from a monster by passing it off to another battle party that
happened to be nearby.
There was an unwritten rule that battle parties made as little contact with one
another as possible in the Dungeon, but everyone accepted that there were times
when sacrifices were necessary to protect something important. Accidents
happened every day in the Dungeon, and using another party was one way to get
your own out of a sticky situation.
"Please reconsider, Captain Ouka?! If we do that, then those people…"
Executing a pass parade now would mean the small party of adventurers
would become that "sacrifice."
She could tell that that party was struggling as it was. They were trying to
fend off a large pack of Al-Miraj just as Mikoto had done only moments ago.
They would be overwhelmed if any more monsters joined the fray. Should
the pack chasing Takemikazuchi Familia get too close…
"Your lives are far more important to me than some random people."
"…!"
"If it leaves a bad taste in your mouth, you can scold me to your heart's
content when we get out of this."
Ouka's decision was final. Mikoto's face looked like that of a child who'd
realized her parents had disappeared.
She looked back at her allies.
They were in dire straits. Most were covered in blood, their breathing shallow
and staggered as they sprinted for their lives.
Their Familia's emblem glinted dark red beneath a splattering of fresh blood.
Mikoto was on the verge of tears for the first time since this ordeal started.
…I'm so sorry!
It was too late to change their route now. They were close enough to see the
whites of the other adventurers' eyes.
She caught the gaze of a white-haired boy as he sliced through one of the
rabbits and tried her best to communicate a heartfelt apology.
Bell could hear, could feel all of the Al-Miraj coming at them from all angles.
The continuous onslaught of monsters didn't allow for a moment of
hesitation.
"Not even enough time to breathe, eh?"
"Then don't talk!"
Welf swung his large blade, sweat flying everywhere, as Lilly delivered the
final blow to a monster with a well-placed arrow.
Bell was fighting very well despite being completely surrounded.
With the exception of Agility, Welf's Status was greater than or equal to the
Al-Miraj. He fought on the front lines with Lilly's support. It was Bell's job to
make sure that they didn't get flanked by taking out as many of the monsters as
he could.
Most of the rabbits fell to a single slice from Bell's blades. It didn't take the
monsters long to figure out that it was useless to take him head-on. His speed
and power were just a little bit higher than the average Level 2 adventurer.
"Welf, get down!"
"Gotcha!"
Seeing that Welf was about to be hit from two sides, Bell jumped to his aid.
Bell flew over the back of his kneeling friend, slicing one Al-Miraj in half
with the blade in his right hand and slamming the side of his buckler into the
head of another.
That was too close…!
The boy might have been holding his own, but his mind was racing.
Fatigue was beginning to catch up with him. His limbs had never felt this
heavy at any time in the upper levels.
Of course the most powerful member of an unbalanced party had to carry the
largest workload in combat, but the increase in number and intelligence of the
monsters in the middle levels served to make that burden even harder to bear.
Bell was starting to realize just how little endurance he had. Another second
and he would have been too late to save Welf. That thought sent a drip of cold
sweat down his face. He was going to need a rest, and soon.
…?
Bell saw something strange out of the corner of his eye as he watched Welf
deliver the final blow to the dazed Al-Miraj.
It was a party of five—no, six adventurers. The members of a different
Familia came closer and closer by the second.
Bell raised his eyebrows in confusion. Battle parties preferred to avoid as
much contact as possible in the Dungeon to avoid problems on the surface. He
could understand if they were heading directly toward the exit, but their current
path would bring them very close.
Almost as though they were targeting him.
"—"
The heavily damaged battle party was coming toward them on purpose.
They passed within a stone's throw of Bell on their way by. He happened to
catch the eyes of the girl with a glossy black ponytail.
Blue velvet eyes on the verge of tears locked with ruby-red ones for a brief
moment.
"—?! Oh no! They led more to us!"
Meanwhile.
Lilly was the only one able to respond to the other battle party's actions and
tried to warn her allies.
She had experienced this very same tactic during her time as a thief. She
knew this practice all too well.
"Huh…?"
"We've been used as a decoy! More monsters are coming!"
Lilly practically screamed at Bell's dumbstruck face.
A moment later, just as she predicted, another swarm of monsters appeared in
the room.
There was almost double the number of Al-Miraj they had been fighting, as
well as a few hellhounds coming at them. The color instantly drained from Bell's
and Welf's faces.
Bell spun around just in time to see the last member of the other Familia
disappear through the room's exit.
"Retreat! Mr. Welf, the tunnel to your right! Move!!"
"What the—You've got to be kidding?!"
Bell's battle party scrambled in confusion.
Fear was beginning to rear its ugly head. Welf wildly swung his broadsword
in front of him. The blade didn't cut through the Al-Miraj blocking his path, but
it was strong enough to force the monster out of his way. The tunnel entrance
now clear, he followed Lilly's orders and dove straight in.
Bell and Lilly weren't far behind.
We can't get away…!
The tunnel path slowly widened before them as Lilly came to a sudden
realization. Bell would have to hold them off.
These monsters were faster. While Bell might be able to get away, it was a
given that a supporter with a weak Status had no chance in one of the middle
levels' connecting tunnels.
The pack of monsters formed a line, bared fangs flashing in the dark. None of
them could tell how many monsters were there—the beasts were kicking up
enough dust to hide their numbers. It was a sight that would make any normal
person collapse on the spot.
Bell chanced another look over his shoulder as he ran next to Lilly. It was as
though a nightmare had come to life.
"Mr. Bell?!"
"Hey, Bell!"
"I'll catch up!"
The decision was made in a flash.
Ignoring Lilly's and Welf's objections, Bell turned his back to them.
Basically, he spun 180 degrees.
He planted his feet and squared his shoulders in the face of the oncoming
wave of monsters.
He raised his shielded left arm straight out and took a deep breath.
"Firebolt!"
He unleashed three rounds of his Magic straight down the narrow tunnel.
The rocky pathway was filled with three pillars of flaming electricity in the
blink of an eye. The whole path was illuminated in violet flames, incinerating
everything in their path.
A blast of hot air expanded from the sea of flames. Using this kind of Magic
in such a small space was technically illegal in the Dungeon due to the high
possibility of other adventurers taking damage, but these were desperate times.
Bell lowered his arm, his body illuminated by the flames.
Shadows danced on his face for a moment before—his eyes shook with fear.
Four shadows emerged from the wall of flame.
It didn't finish them?!
The hellhounds survived.
Every other monster in the swarm was burning. Their seared carcasses
littered the floor of the tunnel. Perhaps because hellhounds had the ability to spit
fire themselves, they also had an unusually high resistance to fire magic.
Their crimson eyes cloudy, bodies decorated with fresh wounds, the group of
demonic dogs hacked the ash out of their lungs and released a ferocious howl in
unison.
"OWooooooooooooOOOOOOOOOO!!"
"!"
They launched themselves at Bell in a vicious rage. He was quick to dispose
of the first one with a swipe of his shortsword and knocked the second one into
the air with his shield.
But the remaining two ran right past him.
"Lilly, Welf—!"
Completely ignoring the white-haired boy, the two beasts had their eyes set
on the other two adventurers farther down the tunnel.
Lilly and Welf took emergency action as Bell's warning came echoing off the
walls.
Lilly did a half turn. Her best chance to survive the initial assault was to use
the broadsword attached to her backpack as a shield.
Welf took a defensive stance and raised his own sword high above his head.
"—Garrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!"
"Aggh?!"
"Come get some!"
Impact.
The sword on Lilly's backpack successfully repelled the hellhound's tackle,
but she wasn't strong enough to stay on her feet, so she fell to the floor.
Welf's powerful swing missed its intended target.
The other hound had Lilly pinned down, standing on top of her backpack and
snapping its jaws just above her head. Bell flew in from out of nowhere and
kicked the dog to the side after disposing of the one that came after him.
The kicked dog hit the ground hard, its body broken at the same moment that
the hellhound that dodged Welf's attack collapsed.
"Are you guys okay?!"
"Y-yes…"
"Somehow…Damn."
Lilly dusted herself off as she stood up. Welf smirked a thin, pained smirk as
he grabbed his arm. The hound's claws must've hit their mark; long streaks of
fresh blood ran down his forearm.
The pain of knowing he hadn't been able to protect his allies pierced Bell
from within. However, what he saw behind Lilly and Welf made his blood run
cold.
"T-there's more!"
The boy could see the shadows of several monsters making their way up the
tunnel from the other side.
At the same time, Lilly saw even more shadows coming from behind Bell
and said in a very raspy voice:
"Pincer attack…"
"Well, isn't that depressing…"
A pack of Al-Miraj had made its way through the burned hallway, all the way
up to their current position.
The three adventurers were quick to take a triangular formation, their backs
turned toward one another. Bell scrunched up his face as he looked past the
remains of the hellhounds and to their next opponents.
"Why is it that monsters spawn so fast in the middle levels? I need a break."
"Because it's the middle levels, right?"
"Ha, ha-ha…"
Lilly pulled a few potions from her backpack and passed them around as the
boys tried their best to lighten the mood.
The liquid could restore their physical strength, but there was nothing they
could do about the mental fatigue taking over their minds.
It was hard for any of them to concentrate.
"Mr. Bell, Mr. Welf, Lilly recommends we retreat. We need to rest and
regroup. There will be no end to the monsters at this rate."
"Sounds great to me, but what are we gonna do about this?"
"Focus on one side and…break through?"
"Yes, Lilly believes that is best."
Lilly nodded at Bell's idea. All of the monsters had started to surround them.
The party knew that there was no more time for talking, and they readied
their bodies for what was coming next.
"Well, then…"
"Yeah."
"…Let's go!"
The Dungeon slowly but surely took away every bit of mental and physical
strength that Bell and his battle party had left.
It wouldn't let any adventurer who made even the slightest mistake get away
with it.
The Dungeon was very sly. Like a salivating hunter toying with its prey, the
Dungeon didn't go in for the kill all at once, but strategically wore its meal
down.
Occasionally having monsters howl at them from afar—
Sometimes shaking the ground beneath their feet with strong quakes—
And, of course, consistently birthing monsters at just the right time to cut off
their escape—
These little incidents weren't much on their own. However, not knowing
what was coming next weighed heavily on the group. None of them could hide
their exhaustion.
It was much easier to bring down a castle with a broken foundation. Lost
physical strength was not easy to recover. And once they noticed something was
wrong, it was already too late.
The prey let out groans of agony, weak bodies hunched over as they fought to
catch their breath. Only then did the Dungeon bear its fangs.
"—"
Crack!
A very unwelcome sound reached Bell's ears, his body already on the verge
of collapse.
He had lost track of how long he had been half fighting, half running away
from monsters. His gaze raced around the tunnel, trying to find the source of the
noise.
The walls looked as solid as ever, but the noise was getting louder. The
mother Dungeon wasn't about to pull any punches now.
Crack, crack!
The foreboding sound surrounded them, echoing from all sides.
Huh—?
Bell was the first to figure it out.
The sound was coming from above. Welf and Lilly followed his line of sight
and gasped.
A weblike network of cracks and fissures sprawled out over the ceiling above
them. The parties stood and watched as the web expanded farther down the
tunnel in both directions. It was too wide to believe.
Another crack, and more echoes. It got harder to tell the difference between
new crevices opening and the echoes with each passing moment.
A piece of rock fell from the ceiling as the entire tunnel groaned, unable to
bear the weight any longer.
Bell's body was frozen in place. The boy could feel the blood draining from
his head.
—Monsters!
The second that thought crossed his mind…
…The ceiling shattered in a thunderous roar as a swarm of bad bats was born
from the tunnel ceiling.
"KYAAAAAAAAAA—!!"
A chorus of high-pitched squeals rang out as the bad bats took wing for the
first time.
The dim lights from above were suddenly blacked out by countless shadows
in the air.
Shrouded in darkness, Bell and the others could only catch a glimpse of the
heavily damaged ceiling.
Until, finally, it caved in.
"""—?!"""
Bell's, Lilly's, and Welf's eyes practically jumped from their sockets. All of
them sprang into action a moment later.
It was a rockslide intended to kill. The three of them made a mad dash
forward, trying to escape the onslaught.
One hit after another, new pain erupting with every blow. Their eardrums
were assaulted by the thunderous barrage of stones and boulders falling like
water. Rocks and boulders just kept coming from above.
There wasn't even a sliver of time to look out for one another.
The three ran as fast as they could to escape the howl of the Dungeon itself.
"Gah, haa…!"
At last the rockslide subsided.
Welf gasped for breath, the air filled with thick dust and debris.
Bell's hands broke out in a cold sweat, but he didn't look in Welf's direction.
He could tell by his voice that he was hurt.
There was a small cough in the distance. Lilly.
Wiping away the blood that seeped from the many small cuts on his face,
Bell tried to call out to his friends to make sure they were okay.
"Urkh…"
However.
His throat was too dry and full of dust to produce the sound.
"—"
Shapes were coming into focus now that the dust started to settle.
There were several dark shadows climbing over the rubble that sat on top of
where he had been standing just a few moments ago.
A pack of hellhounds.
In that moment, Bell's voice was truly gone.
"Garrrrr…!"
All of the hellhounds' heads were low to the ground.
Sparks flew as smoke rose from their mouths.
They started bearing fangs; the rubble underneath their feet was illuminated
in red, glowing light.
—Oh no.
Lilly turned pale.
She was gripped by the despair of what was about to happen.
—Can't make it!
Welf gritted his teeth, as if he were cursing his lack of luck.
This is—
Bell's eyes were opened.
Opened to the strength and number of the monsters.
Opened to the mercilessness of the Dungeon.
Opened to the constant flow of absurdity.
The hellhounds rose and flung their heads forward.
The battle party was lit up by the volley of flames that exploded from their
mouths.
The orbs of flame tore through the air, waves of intense heat bursting through
the tunnel.
—The middle levels!
There was a massive explosion