P/N let me know if there's any mistakes and I will try to fix them
CHAPTER 7
The King Of Atrocity
Luminescent moss clinging to the ceiling twinkled like stars dot-
ting the night sky.
The moist air smelled of a primeval forest after a heavy rain-
fall. Grasses and wildflowers grew along the floor. In one corner,
beads of moisture dripped from the roots of a massive tree into
one of the puddles here and there, creating soft plips and tiny rip-
ples.
The tree bark covering the passage walls marked the Dun-
geon's Colossal Tree Labyrinth.
A dragon girl stood alone.
Her silver-blue hair glowed in the light. Her amber eyes,
streaked with tears, gazed high overhead, toward the ceiling hid-
den by wood and illuminating moss.
The girl knew the real stars.
She had gazed upon the night sky of the world above with a
boy, standing inside a small garden.
It was beautiful. So much that she had felt her chest tighten.
She had held onto the boy, enjoying his awkward smile, and
always watched him.
All the trees and plant life illuminated by the specks of blue
light couldn't hold a candle to the constellations in her memory.
This dreamlike realm had stolen the hearts and minds of count-
less adventurers. However—it looked dull and subdued to the girl
who had seen starlight with her own eyes.
After all, she had never stopped yearning for the real thing.
For the view on the surface.
For the people who had taken her in as one of their own, as
family.
For the smile of a certain boy, who was always startled and
flustered at her behavior before eventually indulging her.
The girl, Wiene, thought about what lay far, far overhead, be-
yond the many floors that separated the Colossal Tree Labyrinth
from the surface, and clasped her hands together by her chest.
"Bell…"
Her lips quivered as they formed his name.
A sharp pain ran through her chest, so intense that her amber
eyes started glistening with a fresh wave of tears.
"Wiene, we're leaving."
Wiene heard the harpy girl's voice behind her but didn't ac-
knowledge it right away. She gave a small nod after a few mo-
ments passed.
Tearing her gaze away from the ceiling, Wiene turned, her sil-
ver-blue hair fluttering.
She stepped forward to join her comrades, and together they
left the room where they had been waiting.
The twenty-fourth floor of the Dungeon.
Wiene's group advanced through the passageways.
The young vouivre girl, still unable to fight, walked in the cen-
ter of a small squad of Xenos.
The group consisted of an arachne, a harpy, a formoire, a hip-
pogriff, a war shadow, and the vouivre herself, Wiene. A party of
six monsters.
The other Xenos had split off into groups ranging from five to
seven members for the journey to their destination, much like ad-
venturers would do on an expedition.
Even without armor, a group of unrelated monsters from vari-
ous floors traveling through the Dungeon in a group would stick
out like a sore thumb. In fact, the sight of an arachne and a harpy
clad in robes and walking in single file would have the same effect
as a circus parade through the center of town.
There were currently more than forty-four Xenos. If all of
them moved together as a group, adventurers would surely spot
them, and rumors would spread like wildfire. One of them being
discovered was bad enough, but if a large group of armed mon-
sters traveling together became public knowledge, it would cause
many problems. Not only would the sighting spread fear and
panic among adventurers, it would also invite unwanted atten-
tion.
Hence why they always split up into smaller groups when pro-
ceeding en masse to avoid being noticed by passing adventurers.
This was especially true in the middle levels, which were rela-
tively cramped compared to the vast passages found in the deep
levels.
Xenos leaders like the lizardman, Lido, and the siren, Rei,
were part of the first two groups to set out. It was their job to se-
cure a route for the comparatively weaker Xenos to follow by
making sure no adventurers were in their path. They also elimi-
nated other monsters and dealt with Irregulars along the way.
Their role was the most dangerous in that they were often drawn
into combat and forced to adjust to ever-changing circumstances.
Wiene was assigned a safe position toward the back.
Her protectors included a formoire from the deep levels along
with seasoned veterans from the Xenos's ranks.
Wiene wore a long black robe with a hood hiding the glimmer-
ing garnet embedded in her forehead. Unable to distance herself
from thoughts of Bell and the others, she walked with her head
down and constantly on the verge of tears.
"Wiene, you have cried enough."
"S-sorry, Ranieh…"
The arachne at the head of the party scolded her harshly, caus-
ing Wiene to flinch and shrink a little.
Her name was Ranieh.
She possessed the shapely upper body of a human female but
walked with the many legs of a spider—an arachne Xenos. Their
group had been placed in her care. Ranieh's upper body was well
protected by adventurer's armor, and her helmet's visor hid most
of her face.
"This is no Hidden Village. Our wild brethren could attack at
any time. A mind distracted by thoughts of humans will get you
killed."
Ranieh's sharp rebuke was laced with irritation, and her flow-
ing white hair shifted as she glared at Wiene from behind her
visor. Her humanoid red eyes—arachnes typically had compound
eyes—were proud and willful.
Her skin was white as the frozen tundra, the same color as her
hair. A human would assume from her pallor that she was deathly
ill. However, that did nothing to detract from her stunning
beauty.
If an adventurer caught a glimpse of her, her arachnid legs
would immediately inspire fear and dread, only for her alluring
feminine figure to draw their attention. She possessed beauty that
would make goddesses jealous.
Despite that, Ranieh was extremely wary of both people and
monsters. In fact, she refused to remove her helmet in the pres-
ence of anyone other than fellow Xenos, hiding her loveliness
from view.
"Wiene, are you still sad?"
"…Yes."
"The surface dwellers…Bell and his friends. You'll see them
again, I know it."
The harpy named Fia, dressed in a robe similar to the vouivre
girl's, noticed that Wiene was struggling to cope with Ranieh's
reprimand and came to walk beside her to reassure her. Fia
seemed about the same age as their new companion, with deep-
red hair flowing past her shoulders and a smile on her face.
The vouivre girl used her arm to wipe away her drying tears as
well as the fresh ones building up in her eyes, then managed to
give the slightest of nods…when a giant, fur-covered finger
reached down and gently wiped the last of the tears from her
cheek.
"Uooh…"
"…Thank you, Foh."
Wiene's smile grew as she looked up at the hulking formoire
named Foh. Despite his massive and intimidating frame, Foh had
a kind heart.
Unable to use language like Wiene and the others, he commu-
nicated through various howls and grunts. However, his expres-
sive body language and tone were more than enough to convey
his warm personality. In battle, that body became a shield thanks
to the gigantic breastplate across his chest, transforming him into
a living wall. Foh would then use his large mace to either crush
enemies or launch them high into the air to protect his comrades.
Although it was difficult to interpret his thoughts just by look-
ing at his round pitch-black eyes, he was always watching over
the group.
As did the others.
The harpy Fia was much more interested in the surface and its
inhabitants than anyone else. Bubbling with curiosity, she always
had a question to ask.
Cliff the hippogriff preferred to be airborne, and the sound of
his flapping wings was always close by. The lighthearted and
cheerful monster also enjoyed teasing those around him.
The war shadow Orde, though unable to produce any sounds,
was always the first into combat and willing to do anything to
support the group.
Ranieh might have been scary, but only out of concern for the
safety of those like her.
Everyone was kind.
They welcomed Wiene with open arms from the moment they
met. Very little time had passed, and yet she was treated like a
longtime friend and ally.
Wiene belonged here. It was the one place she could be among
those like her, ones who accepted her.
But still…
Even though Wiene understood all that, she couldn't expunge
that twinge of loneliness from her heart no matter how hard she
tried.
All because of those people who had found her when she was
crying alone, held her, and smiled together with her.
The vouivre girl still longed for their warmth.
It didn't matter that they were people, unlike her.
"…Wiene, forget them. They'll never bring you anything but
pain."
The arachne Ranieh appeared to take issue with Wiene's con-
versation and issued an irritated, contemptuous warning.
Unlike Lido and Rei, Ranieh was part of the group of Xenos
that detested the people who lived on the surface.
The senior gargoyle, Gros, was the leader of this faction. While
those who shared their beliefs were in the minority, they still
made up about one third of the Xenos, united by their mutual
hostility toward the surface races.
Wiene had no idea of what had happened to them in the past.
But it made her sad.
"Ranieh, why do you hate Bell and his friends so much…?"
"..."
"Bell, Haruhime, and the goddess are all very nice. They gave
me lots of hugs!"
"That's only because they felt like it at the time…"
"That's not true!"
Ranieh's refusal to acknowledge the bond that Wiene had
shared upset the vouivre girl, bringing tears to her angry eyes
again.
The arachne's face contorted bitterly as she watched her new
companion.
Ranieh had been this way since they met. She had better com-
mand of the language spoken by people than most Xenos, but her
feelings concerning the surface dwellers were far from longing or
admiration.
Her words were always infused with anger, hatred, or perhaps
something bordering on grief.
"Such ignorance."
"Huh?"
"You know nothing of the people. Nothing of their cruelty,
their cunning."
Other members of the group remained silent as Wiene glared
at Ranieh with burning intensity. The arachne's response was
short.
One day, they'll come for you, too.
Just as those words began to leave her mouth, something hap-
pened.
Wiene's curved, tapered ears picked up a desperate scream in
the distance.
"!!"
Wiene's shoulders gave a huge twitch.
Ranieh and the other Xenos turned toward the voivre girl,
confused as to why she'd suddenly stopped walking.
"Wiene?"
"Hey, what's the matter?"
"A-a voice..."
The arachne watched with concern as Wiene's ears flicked
back and forth.
Dragons were known as the strongest of all monsters for a rea-
son, as their potential strength and abilities were much greater
than other species'. Vouivres, a type of dragon, had particularly
acute senses, such as hearing.
The very faint sound was coming from somewhere far away on
this floor—a scream inaudible to the other Xenos, though the
dragon girl's ears could pick it up.
"She's crying…'Save me'…"
Wiene knew right away.
The scream didn't belong to an adventurer or monster but to a
Xenos like themselves. A monster capable of thoughts and feel-
ings, one of their own kind.
At the same time, the shrieking was so desperate that Wiene
almost felt like she was the one being torn apart.
Wiene hadn't been alive very long, but this was her first time
hearing such an agonized scream.
Shuddering, she wrapped her thin, branch-like arms around
her body.
"'Save me'…Is it one of our comrades calling for help?!"
"Y-yes…She's hurt, really bad…We have to save her!"
A wide-eyed Fia inquired about what she had heard, and
Wiene nodded.
It took all the courage the vouivre girl had in her small frame
to reply as she tightly hugged her body. Memories flooded her
mind, reminding her of how that boy had responded to her cries,
as she looked around at her companions again and again.
"What should we do, Ranieh?"
"..."
The harpy, hippogriff, war shadow, and formoire all looked to
the arachne.
Judging by Wiene's words, the screaming didn't belong to a
member of their group. Chances were that it was a Xenos they
had never met before.
Ranieh paused for a moment with all her companions' eyes fo-
cused on her. Taking one last look at the tears forming in Wiene's
eyes, she broke the silence.
"…We will investigate. Wiene, lead the way."
The arachne, in charge of the group, could tell from the dragon
girl's eyes that something was seriously wrong.
In the vast Dungeon, ignoring a comrade desperately calling
for help while in mortal danger was something that the Xenos
could not do.
As Ranieh donned her metal helm, the atmosphere became
tense. The formoire's fur stood on end, the war shadow audibly
tensed, while the hippogriff flapped its wings vigorously.
As they postponed their plans to rendezvous with Lido in the
deep levels, the arachne led the party in a different direction.
"Orde, go."
" ."
The war shadow took off quickly at Ranieh's order. The rest of
the party followed him a few moments later.
The war shadow wore full-plate body armor.
Since his human-shaped shadow form was hidden from head
to toe beneath the armor, it was impossible for adventurers to
know there was a monster beneath it at first glance. Therefore, he
took the point position to make sure their path was clear of ad-
venturers and other dangers before the party advanced.
Orde raced through the dark hallways, seeming to the unwary
observer like no more than a solo adventurer on the prowl in
clinking heavy armor. He checked around corners and scouted in-
tersections before informing them it was safe and guiding the
group to a clear path. Whenever a monster barred their way, he
pulled back his gauntlets to reveal five sharp fingers—a war
shadow's deadly armament—and easily sliced through enemies
on his own.
"—Gros, we may have found another like us. Going to take a
look."
Ranieh held a red crystal and spoke into it while rushing
ahead on four legs.
The crystal glowed for a moment before producing a response.
"What?—Wait, Ranieh. Do nothing until we arrive."
"No, I must insist."
Ranieh firmly vetoed the reply from the crystal.
"Listen, Ranieh. Something isn't right. It could be a trap—."
"Even so, it cannot wait, Gros."
She interrupted the escalating plea and tightened her grasp on
the crystal.
"Now that I've heard the cry, nothing can stop me."
The group was close enough that the others could hear it as
well.
It was a sharp cry, like metal scraping against metal, that
made them want to cover their ears. The sound grew louder with
each step and agitated them. Their feet thudded a little harder,
and their wings flapped a little stronger as the Xenos accelerated.
Ranieh clenched her fangs together to endure the tormented
wails piercing her ears.
"If humans are behind this, all the more reason we cannot ig-
nore it."
Her face devoid of emotion beneath her visor, she ended the
conversation.
The arachne ignored the voice attempting to stop her and
shoved the crystal back into a pouch beneath her armor.
"There…!"
"Orde, the room up ahead!"
Wiene had guided the party this far, but her directions were no
longer necessary. Ranieh shouted orders at the top of her lungs.
She was looking at a tall gap in the bark-covered Dungeon
wall. It led to a room that branched off from the main path. Orde,
in his full-plate armor, charged through the opening.
As soon as Ranieh, Wiene, and the rest of the party made it in-
side a moment later—a horrifying scene greeted their eyes.
"Wha—?"
The ground was flecked with feathers and red droplets.
Luminescent moss lit the center of the room. A single, lone
tree stood there with blood pooling at its roots.
And chained to its thick trunk was a thin body.
It was as though a shrike had caught and impaled her.
Her body was covered in wounds from head to toe, and she
had lost so much blood that her garments appeared glistening red
—evidence of the torture she'd been subjected to. Her winged
arms, spread wide, and bloodstained lower body formed the
shape of a cross as her head hung limply.
It was a lone siren, both her wings nailed in place with steel
stakes.
"Eep…?!"
Wiene had no words for the horrid scene. Only a gasp of shock
escaped her lips.
The crucifixion of a monster.
A grotesque sight that was unthinkable in the Dungeon.
A swarm of giant black insects buzzed in the air, circling
around the top of the tree like vultures. More than likely, the
deadly hornets were drawn here just like Wiene and the Xenos.
Their unfeeling eyes were trained on the dying siren as they
darted about, moments away from digging their pincerlike jaws
into her flesh.
"…!! Fia, Cliff!" Ranieh shouted an instant later.
The harpy flung the robe from her shoulders before their
leader finished calling her name and leaped with the mightily
howling hippogriff. The swarm of giant insects immediately
moved to intercept, but they were no match for feathery projec-
tiles and a razor-sharp beak. Soon, the skies were clear.
Then they rushed to the siren, shattering the chains and stakes
with their talons.
Suddenly free, the siren's limp body toppled forward as the
formoire dashed to her side with huge strides and caught her.
"What happened?! Answer me!"
Ranieh rushed to the siren lying in Foh's massive arms. Wiene
and the rest were close behind.
The siren's feathers were naturally brown. Even covered in
blood, she had a shapely form and a beautiful countenance. Most
important, the moment they saw other monsters attack her, they
knew she was one of their brethren.
The girl was a different race of siren from Rei's, and she must
have lost the ability to speak. Glassy-eyed, she barely moved her
lips as she tried to tell them something.
Damn…!
It was impossible for monsters to do something like this. It
was clearly people.
Ranieh's rage at what one of her kind had been subjected to
reached a boiling point. But one memory still lingered in the back
of her mind, a voice she had heard on the way here cautioning her
this could be a trap.
The arachne looked up, determined to warn her allies, when—
"—Run…away."
Eyes open, the blood-soaked siren pleaded in a wavering voice.
And then—
"Wow, so monsters really can cry, huh?"
A man's thin, wispy laughter reached them.
"You guys care for one another way more than us adventurers
do."
Discarding their tree-bark-patterned camouflage, some twenty
adventurers revealed themselves, forming a ring around them.
Tossing aside the fragrant pouches that masked their scent,
the adventurers surrounded the tree, trapping Wiene and her
companions.
The Xenos looked toward the room's only exit and found a
man in goggles tapping the shaft of a red spear against his shoul-
der and blocking their escape.
"Agh, seriously, that was too easy."
The man's lips curled like a crescent moon.
"Adventurers…!"
All questions had been answered—Ranieh snarled at the peo-
ple who had ambushed them.
More accurately, at the band of hunters.
It was a mix of humans, animal people, dwarves, and Ama-
zons. All of them wore the same cruel smile as the apparent, gog-
gled leader while tightening their grips on an assortment of
weapons. Several blades and spear points dripped with fresh
blood, almost certainly having torn into the siren's body over and
over.
"You're the ones who…!"
"Do you even have to ask, spider lady?"
Their tortured companion had been bait.
The adventurers had chained her to a tree and nailed her
down to prevent her from escaping, then tormented her to make
her scream.
The hunters had used the siren's exceptionally loud voice to
cut through the din of the Dungeon and lure in the Xenos.
Ensuring that Wiene, whose sensitive ears could hear the
screams, would come.
Behind the smoky-quartz lenses, Dix seemed amused by the
stunned girl.
"We set up here to make sure you didn't get into the deep lev-
els but…damn, I didn't think it'd work this well!"
With five hunters at his side, their backs to the room's only
exit, Dix had sealed the Xenos's escape route.
The man's ominous laughter echoed in the deserted corner of
the Dungeon.
"!!"
It happened in an instant.
While most of the group was still trying to grasp the situation,
the ever-silent Orde shattered the silence and rushed at Dix head-
on.
He tore through the air with speed worthy of a mid-level, sec-
ond-tier adventurer. His heavy jet-black armor was a blur as the
seething war shadow channeled his rage into the tips of his claws
and descended on his target like a vengeful spirit.
However, the man wearing goggles didn't even bother raising
his spear in defense. Just as Orde's outstretched arm was about to
strike him right between the eyes…
" !!"
A greatsword appeared from behind Dix's shadow and cut
Orde in half.
"Eh?"
Another sound slipped from Wiene's lips.
As if in slow motion, she watched the war shadow's body split
in two and collapse to the floor.
The massive blade had cleaved through the plate armor—
Orde's torso fell away from his lower body and rolled to a stop.
"Gran, you idiot. What if we could have sold the monster in-
side?"
"M-my bad, Dix…"
Orde had been slain by a tall, muscular man.
A black tattoo covered most of the bald hunter's face. It was
unmistakably that of a criminal.
Despite his towering frame, Gran had swiftly jumped out from
behind his leader and eliminated the threat with one flash of his
greatsword. But even with his jaw-dropping strength and speed,
one angry quip from Dix was enough to make him cower in fear.
"O-Orde…?" whispered Wiene in disbelief as she drifted list-
lessly toward the dying war shadow.
As Orde lay facedown, his armor clattered as he extended a
shaking arm toward the dragon girl—Stomp!
Dix drove his foot straight through the helmet, crushing
Orde's head.
A pool of blood grew from beneath his boot, the dark liquid
seeping out in every direction.
A moment of silence passed among the Xenos. But the man
didn't care. Dix took a few steps forward without even glancing at
the fallen monster.
"Less than I expected…Guess there's no need to use that,
then." The man in goggles mumbled, "What a letdown," in disap-
pointment. However…
The corners of his lips peeled back as his gaze fell on Wiene
once again, frozen in place.
"All right—the hunt's on."
The hunters howled their approval of their leader's order.
"Damn you all!!"
As Ranieh yelled, the Xenos let loose their howls.
In the blink of an eye, the grinning hunters had collided with
Ranieh and the others in battle.
"Ah…ahh…!"
Wiene couldn't move.
The mixture of ferocious howls, clashing blades, and unbridled
desire to kill was too much for her. Her comrades, who had been
so kind and warm to her, suddenly became savage beasts that
only heeded their instincts. They brought talons, claws, and fangs
down upon their enemies without hesitation.
Blood spurted through the air, followed by shrieks of pain.
The arachne ensnared several hunters with her spider web-
bing, the harpy's feathery missiles ricocheted off armor, and the
hippogriff dived at the hunters over and over from high above.
Any human or animal person who came too close was in-
stantly caught up in the onslaught.
"?!"
"Ha-haa—!!"
However, the hunters weren't fazed.
One adventurer would seem to fall as another leaped over him
from behind; the shielded body blow that followed would become
a swipe at the legs to knock a monster to the ground before it
knew what had happened. They struck out with their blades,
using even their own allies as bait, and worst of all was the light
of magic bringing supernatural healing and arrows of flame.
The hunters were strong. Moreover, they had a solid strategy.
None of them was foolish enough to single-handedly take on
any of the Xenos, who were much stronger than average mon-
sters. Instead, they overwhelmed weak points with sheer num-
bers, attacking in quick succession like a vicious pack of wolves. It
might have been humanity's most rudimentary strategy for hunt-
ing monsters, but it was efficient and effective. What's more, the
hunters forced Ranieh and her allies out of formation by targeting
the vouivre girl.
The four Xenos fought valiantly to protect Wiene, who was un-
able to join the battle. However, they drifted farther and farther
apart as time dragged on.
"Agh!"
One Amazon snuck past her badly injured allies and managed
to get in range, slamming the harpy girl to the ground with a high
roundhouse kick. At the same time, a magic spell hit home and
sent the hippogriff hurtling to the floor. As soon as he reached the
ground, several spears mercilessly skewered him at once. Ranieh
was so focused on protecting Wiene from volleys of arrows and
thrown hand axes that she didn't see Gran's greatsword in time,
her lapse luckily only costing her her helmet.
With such a wide array of weapons and magic at their dis-
posal, it appeared the hunters would overwhelm the Xenos in a
matter of moments.
"ORRRHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH-
HHH!!"
"Wha—GEHHH!"
Suddenly, the formoire unleashed an earsplitting roar and
swung his mace in a sweeping arc that sent several hunters flying.
Foh stood alone, his two-meder-tall frame staying upright no
matter how many hunters tried to cut him down. Their clever
teamwork and strategy weren't enough. Unlike typical monsters,
Foh could read their movements, giving him the chance to protect
himself from the waves of arrows and magic raining down on him
with minimal injuries. The formoire knocked the hunters away,
one by one.
A dwarf attempted to block the incoming mace with a shield
but wound up facedown on the floor from the sheer impact.
"It's no good, Dix!! This thing's insanely powerful!"
One of the hunters raised a desperate cry. Even with five gang-
ing up on the formoire, they couldn't suppress him.
"Oh, come on. It's just one beast."
Dix watched the battle from his spot at the entrance, respond-
ing with exasperation. He lifted the twisted spearhead as he
hoisted his red weapon.
The man in goggles, nothing more than a spectator up to this
point, began to move.
"ORHOHH!!"
The formoire Foh noticed the man casually advancing.
Seeing the badly injured hunters take several steps back, he
narrowed his eyes at the newcomer. Shoulder muscles bulging,
the Xenos took aim at the man's head and swept the mace to the
side with all the strength he could muster.
It traced a straight horizontal line.
The air howled from the powerful force.
The attack could instantly turn him into a mangled lump of
meat, and Dix—smoothly deflected it with the shaft of his spear.
" ."
Sparks flew as the loud clash of weapons rang out.
A single spear turned aside the massive mace, delivering the
blow to empty air.
Though the formoire's arms were three times larger than
Dix's, the hunter successfully neutralized the attack.
Skill and technique. It was a demonstration of the strength
and ability the ruthless hunter had cultivated.
In the moment before the next attack, the man's evil sneer re-
flected in the formoire's black eyes.
Dix used his momentum to slip past his opponent and position
himself in a blind spot.
"One time I got busted up pretty bad capturing a big one."
Still at the end of his swing, Foh's back was completely ex-
posed.
Dix's eyes locked onto his solid, muscular target, and he thrust
his spear straight forward.
"You ain't what I need."
Shing! A sharp, metallic sound echoed through the room.
The rubellite spearhead pierced the heavy breastplate before
plunging into the formoire's thick torso.
Foh was completely run through, and blood spurted from his
mouth.
"Foh?!"
Ranieh screamed, still fighting on her own farther away.
Wiene could only stand and watch.
"Gurh, oorh...!"
The mace slipped from his weakened grasp.
Looking down at the sinister spearhead protruding from the
middle of his chest, the formoire took hold of it with trembling
fingers.
As he tried to pull it out—Dix laughed cruelly behind him.
"Die."
He yanked upward with all his might, and the spearhead sliced
through the rest of his torso.
The formoire, chest split apart from the sternum, dropped to
his knees before collapsing to the ground.
" ."
Just before hitting the floor, Foh looked slightly to the side, his
lifeless gaze meeting Wiene's eyes.
Blood pouring from his body, he still managed to reach out
slightly with his right hand—the same large, furry hand that had
once dried her tears. The world lost all color for the dragon girl.
"…Foh?"
There was no answer to her faint call.
Wiene could hear the arachne fighting against more hunters as
tears began blurring her vision.
"Orde, Cliff, Fia...?"
The cloven war shadow lay in a pool of his own blood, several
spear shafts protruded from the deceased hippogriff's body, and
the limp harpy lay facedown on the floor, possibly dead as well.
The siren had been laid to rest on the floor, the light already
gone from her eyes.
Wiene called out her friends' names, her spirit breaking.
"N-no...No!"
Tears spilled from her amber eyes, streaking her light-blue
cheeks.
Her building emotions burst free, tearing through her as she
screamed.
"NOOO!!"
Yelling at the top of her lungs, she rushed to the slain for-
moire's side.
She kneeled next to him, paying no attention to the blood be-
fore embracing his large right hand against her chest. Never again
would it wipe away her tears.
She didn't know how to stop the gushing from her eyes and
simply kneeled there, wailing.
"No, no, noo…!!"
With gasping sobs, she dampened the formoire's corpse with
tears.
This can't be happening.
This has to be a dream. Someone, please wake me up!
Wiene pleaded as emotion rent her heart in two. But the silent
Dungeon didn't grant her wish, only showed her the cold reality
of the corpses in her midst.
She clung to the formoire, her sobs showing no signs of stop-
ping. Then.
A dark shadow fell over Wiene.
"Don't fret, monster."
" ."
Dix looked down at the sobbing dragon girl and grinned.
He laughed, as if nothing could give him more pleasure than
the pain in her eyes.
"You're not gonna be left out."
Wiene's tearful eyes opened wide.
Her hood had started to slip off. He caught a glimpse of the
beautiful jewel glinting underneath and swung his red spear with
one hand.
Her vision flashed red. Jarring pain coursed through her en-
tire body.
Wiene lost consciousness soon after.
"Gah, raaawh…!"
Both arms and all spider legs broken, Ranieh fought to the last
but reached her limit.
A deep silence fell over the room. It was so quiet, the battle
that had just transpired seemed like a distant dream. However,
the badly gouged floor and walls told the story of the fierce strug-
gle that had only just ended. Apart from the hunters, the room
was eerily still.
Ranieh was dragged up to where Dix stood near the harpy girl.
"Just had to do it the hard way—didn'cha!"
"GAH!"
"Damn, that hurts…"
The large man, Gran, kicked her with the tip of his boot before
unceremoniously throwing her to the floor.
Pressing the wound he had suffered from fighting Ranieh, the
man scowled at her. Many around him tended to their own in-
juries with a combination of magic and potions.
...!
Ranieh had lost her helmet, leaving her beautiful white hair
and snowy skin in plain sight. Lying on her stomach, she scanned
the surroundings.
Wiene lay motionless at her side. The dragon girl's eyes were
hidden by her hair, so it was impossible to make out her expres-
sion. Ranieh could, however, see several bruises and lumps all
over her body. The hunters must have administered a beating to
ensure the defenseless girl remained unconscious. Her robe was
damaged and torn in many places; even her tough scales were
cracked and broken.
"When did these things get so strong…? Damn."
"That formoire, I tell ya. These guys must've been the cream of
the crop."
Foh was dead. Orde and Cliff had been killed as well. All three
of them were nothing more than piles of ash now.
The harpy lying on the other side of the dragon girl was still
breathing. Eyes closed and face slack, she was only unconscious
like Wiene.
Only monsters with human features had been left alive.
Ranieh immediately understood what that meant.
These were the hunters the Guild messenger Fels had told
them about. These people captured monsters like Wiene and sold
them on the black market to satisfy their own greed. The arachne
knew they intended to sell off the Xenos to some unknown buyer.
Ranieh gritted her fangs as she listened to an Amazon and ani-
mal person chat nearby and drowned in her own anger and feel-
ings of powerlessness.
"Hey, all of you. Get your asses moving and carry the vouivre
out of here. There could be more of these things on the way, so
keep your eyes open."
Dix issued orders while tapping the spear against his shoulder.
The other hunters shuddered and obeyed at once. They split
into two groups, one to take care of the monsters emerging from
the Dungeon walls and the other set to work on the Xenos.
…!
As Wiene was lifted from her line of sight, Ranieh focused
what strength she had left into the tip of her finger.
Pointing at the vouivre, she launched a single thread of silk. It
was normally used to ensnare prey—a spiderweb.
However—slice!
"...?!"
"What do you think you're doing?"
The warped, rubellite spearhead severed Ranieh's web.
Somehow, Dix was able to spot the nearly invisible thread. The
arachne forgot to breathe as he stared down at her.
"Spiderweb…Trying to leave a trail? That ain't happening."
The goggled man smirked as Ranieh scowled and trembled
with rage.
This man was clever, cunning, and sly.
Those very traits inspired fear in his allies. He was always
calm and prudent, leaving nothing to chance. Ranieh was certain
that the reason her Xenos comrades, Fels, and the others on the
surface were still unable to locate the hunter base of operations
was because this man was in charge.
She glared at him with enough hatred to kill. But Dix just
stood there, red spear over his shoulder.
"Aww…This one's no good. We can't relax around it. Pocketing
this one would just set your jacket on fire."
He grabbed a fistful of Ranieh's white hair and hauled her up
so that her eyes were level with his sneer.
Dix's smile only deepened as the arachne's face, contorting in
pain and anger, reflected off his goggles.
"This one dies here."
"...!!"
He sentenced her to death, merciless judge, jury, and execu-
tioner.
Other hunters gathered around Dix as he let go of her hair and
stood up.
Ranieh broke out in a cold sweat as she watched the humans
unsheathing their weapons and drawing near.
"H-hey, Dix, can we?"
"Can we what?"
Just then, three men took a step toward Dix to get his atten-
tion.
Their intentions were evident from the grotesque smiles on
their faces.
"We're gonna kill it anyway, so before that…can't we have a lit-
tle fun?"
"..."
"We don't got much time, I know that…J-just look at it. It'd be
a waste."
Ranieh didn't know what they were talking about at first.
However, a wave of nausea and revulsion coursed through her
the instant she understood.
"…Do as you like."
Dix glanced between the arachne and the men before sneering.
He jerked his chin in Ranieh's direction, and the three men
couldn't have been more excited, dark smiles twisting their faces.
"H-heh-heh…Be good now, you hear?"
Rough breaths, perverted grins.
Gazes that practically licked her body. She understood.
These men had a monster fetish.
It was a perverse attraction that some people felt toward mon-
sters, more specifically humanoid ones like lamia or monsters
that possessed human characteristics.
Most people shunned and despised them for it.
And they were going to violate her.
Not only had they robbed her of her friends, they intended to
trample her dignity as well.
Dix and the other hunters watched with anticipation as the
clearly excited men descended upon her.
Ranieh's fists clenched beneath her broken forearms, shaking
with rage.
"S-stop this…! Don't touch me!!"
"Don't be feisty, now. You there, hold it down."
The men ignored Ranieh's threats and feeble thrashing and
reached for her.
Badly injured and outnumbered three to one, she could do lit-
tle to defend herself. Her arachnid lower body was pinned in their
strong grasp, and goose bumps rose on her skin. Her armor was
ripped away, exposing her substantial chest, and a single layer of
adventurer's battle cloth was her last line of defense from the
hunters' prying eyes.
The first signs of fear passed over her face as their hands crept
closer and closer.
The men noticed her expression, and their hearts skipped a
beat in sadistic excitement. Licking their lips, the three of them
dove for her.
" ."
In that moment.
Ranieh's expression changed from fear of abuse to her body
and soul to something much more vicious.
Her fangs bared, and her pupils narrowed to slits to form the
face of a truly ferocious monster.
She opened her jaws wide and spat some fluid onto the three
men in the blink of an eye.
"Geh—GAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
A chorus of bloodcurdling screams ensued.
"I-it burns…!!"
"It's melting!"
"Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! The hell are you guys doing?"
Lured in by Ranieh's acting skills, the three men staggered
back in excruciating pain. The other hunters chuckled at the spec-
tacle as the three men clutched their eyes or collapsed to the
floor.
Insectoid monsters were known for their poison-based at-
tacks.
While many of them were paralyzing agents designed to pre-
vent prey from escaping their webs, Ranieh's was highly acidic
and powerful enough to liquefy targets.
Indeed, the onlookers recoiled from the clouds of putrid
smoke rising from the three men.
"G-GODDAMN MONSTERRRRR!"
Enraged, the trio who had fallen for the arachne's unexpected
trap drew their weapons.
Ranieh saw the metallic blades flash—and smiled.
"—Ghh!"
Three swords pierced her torso all the way through.
The blade tips struck the Dungeon floor, protruding from her
back.
Blood gushed from the three wounds and burst from her
mouth.
The liquid splattering across the floor was red, no different
from a human's.
"Agh, gh, ha…ha-ha! Aha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha—AHHHHHHHHH-
HHHHH!!"
Cries of pain and suffering became one ferocious howl.
Ranieh, her lips dyed red and slick with blood, swung her bro-
ken arms around with the last of her strength. Though fatally
wounded, she managed to strike the three men who stabbed her.
They tumbled backward, screaming.
Dix whistled at the spectacle as the other hunters called out to
one another, arming themselves once again.
"Hah! Haa…! I won't allow any of you bastards to shame this
body!!"
Forcing herself upright despite her broken limbs, Ranieh
breathed heavily, then shouted as loud as she could.
The hunters watched, taken aback by her overwhelming forti-
tude.
"Even…if I die—I'd never let you have it!!"
Then, using her hand, Ranieh gored herself in the chest.
Dix and the hunters watched in amazement as Ranieh took
hold of the "core" buried deep inside her flesh and flashed a
bloody smile.
"Gro…s—I leave the rest to—."
Those words trickling from her mouth became her last.
She tightened her grip, and crack! Everyone heard it—the
magic stone shattered.
The bloody yet still alluringly beautiful arachne disintegrated
into a large pile of ash right before their eyes. A moment later, it
vanished.
"...I-it freaking offed itself."
The hunters shrank back after witnessing the monster choose
her own escape.
A pile on the floor was all that remained of her. She hadn't
even left a drop item behind.
The hunters watched with quivering eyes, her brave yet tragic
death burned into their memories.
"Ho-ho…Now that's what I call cool. That's my kind of style."
Dix was the only one among them unaffected by what had just
transpired.
Seeing their leader completely unmoved by the spectacle, the
subordinate hunters began to recover, their calm smiles returning
one by one.
The man in goggles smiled at the heap of ash—the monster's
remains on the floor.
"She was on to something there. The only one allowed to do
something to me is me. I take orders from no one. Turns out we
were pretty compatible," Dix declared self-centeredly, even
though he was the offender.
The male hunters jeered, "Are you really one to talk?" inviting
laughter and guffaws.
The man adjusted his goggles with one hand and turned to
face them with a slight grin.
"We could use this as bait to draw out more of the ones that
might be around but…no need to get greedy. We're leaving," Dix
flatly stated as he turned on his heel.
The three men with patches of melted flesh staggered to their
feet, and the rest of the hunters followed the leader toward the
exit.
"We got us a vouivre to show off. Best to get it back to base
first."
Turning their backs on the ash that was once an arachne, the
hunters left the room for good.
As the group of criminals advanced through the Dungeon
halls, the harpy's and vouivre girl's limp bodies swayed under a
hunter's arms.
A single, round tear dropped from a closed amber eye as the
dragon girl was taken farther and farther away from what was left
of her comrades.
Several hours later.
"...ou."
A gargoyle landed in the middle of a room absolutely littered
with ash.
The monster's gaze traveled from end to end as a unicorn and
a silverback came up beside him.
A familiar breastplate with a gaping hole in the middle. An
oversize mace. A shredded robe and a complete set of heavy plate
armor sliced in half. The monster's stone body trembled and clat-
tered at the sight of the scattered equipment among the ashes.
From there, the gargoyle walked to the other side of the room
and reached into an uprooted flower bed.
His quivering fingers grasped a red crystal that had been
thrown there while the marauders were distracted.
The gargoyle held another crystal just like it in his other hand.
Gros flung his head back and gazed toward the ceiling.
"OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORRRHHH!!"
He unleashed a monstrous roar of burning indignation that
echoed throughout the labyrinth.
" ?"
I turn around and look behind me.
All I see is the bluish Dungeon walls and ceiling. Randomly lo-
cated light sources illuminate the intersections and labyrinthine
halls that seem to stretch on forever. A party of adventurers must
be close by because I can hear their restless voices coming from
around a nearby corner.
I'm standing in the middle of a passageway, staring at the
ground that so many of my fellow adventurers have walked.
I could've sworn I heard something...that the Dungeon just
shook.
"BGYAA!"
"!"
As I look over my shoulder, a sudden cry rushing toward me
gets my attention.
A goblin is charging. I spin away from the low-level monster's
swipe at my chest and raise the Hestia Knife in my right hand.
I'm in the Dungeon, third floor.
It's been so long since I spent time on the Dungeon's upper
floors that this area looks new to me. Back when I first joined my
goddess's familia, when I was just Level 1, I came through here all
the time. This is where my adventures started.
I've been on this territory for lower-class adventurers since
morning.
"GIII!"
The monster swipes at me with both arms in a frenzy, but I
dodge by leaning slightly left and right.
The goblin's movements are slow and lethargic, or at least
that's how it seems to me now. I could bury my knife in its chest,
breaking the magic stone inside right now if I feel like it.
But I can't bring myself to follow through on a counterattack.
"UggAHH!!"
"...!"
The goblin yells at me, frustrated that none of its attacks are
connecting.
Its rage-filled eyes lock on to me—its urge to kill sends a jolt
down my spine, making my hand twitch.
My fight-or-flight instinct kicks in as a natural urge to chal-
lenge monsters pushes me forward. The Hestia Knife traces an
arc through the air.
"—GIAA!!"
The violet blade carves a chunk out of the monster's chest.
Just like I wanted, it pierces the magic stone.
The goblin freezes in place, as if it knows its core crystal has
broken, before fading into ash with a soft swish.
I slew the monster with a technique that has become second
nature.
"…"
I look down at the gray pile at my feet.
There's a sharp tooth in the middle of it.
It's a drop item like any other…I stare at the goblin fang for far
too long, unable to bring myself to pick it up.
I came into the Dungeon today because there's something I
need to know:
Can I still kill monsters?
Can I still hunt monsters and stay as an adventurer in Orario?
…I…can do it.
I've slain several of them since entering the Dungeon this
morning.
All by breaking their magic stones, reducing them to ash like
just now.
Yes, but—I haven't been able to look away from the truth that
complicates everything, that nothing can sugarcoat.
Not since I met Wiene.
I know the monsters called Xenos can feel emotions and think
for themselves.
Now, when it comes to murdering monsters…I hesitate.
Even though I can still fight…it's nothing like how it was be-
fore.
I wonder if I'll ever go back to how I was, prowling the Dun-
geon like the adventurer I used to be.
It's impossible to get the question out of my head.
A single second is the difference between life and death when
facing monsters. It's only a matter of time before I die if this
keeps up. And to a monster's claws or fangs, no less.
"GRUAHH!"
"OOO!"
Several kobolds and a dungeon lizard climbing on the wall ap-
pear as I meander through the Dungeon halls. I grit my teeth and
engage them in combat.
The small group comes at me at once, and my body responds
on its own. While I evade their deadly attacks, their dying breaths
reach my ears as my knife destroys the dark-purple stones inside
them.
"Don't waver. Don't hold back for our sake."
A certain lizardman's voice rings in my ears every time I come
face-to-face with a monster.
It was the last thing he said to me at the Xenos hideaway be-
fore we went our separate ways.
"Don't you ever die. I want to see you again."
I'm pretty sure I'd be practically useless right now if he hadn't
said that.
Don't die—I can still hold a weapon thanks to that admonition.
Because he…a monster hopes I stay alive so we can meet again
one day.
"..."
I turn away from the piles of ash that were once the monsters I
defeated and walk on. In the end, no clear answer has presented
itself, even after all my contemplation. My heart still troubled, I
set a course for the exit.
I should hurry up and reach a decisive conclusion.
That would be the logical thing to do.
Regular monsters are completely different from Xenos like
Wiene and Lido. Even if I hesitate, monsters will keep trying to
kill me. People and monsters are bound to fight.
But for the purpose of earning money…and catching up to my
idol…is it really okay to kill them? Am I allowed to fight and kill
for personal gain?
I realize that I don't really have a reason why I need to kill
monsters.
If I'm having thoughts like this in my line of work…I won't last
long.
"Bell Cranell…"
"It's the Little Rookie."
A party consisting of animal people, prums, and other demi-
humans glance at me as I silently trudge by, whispering among
themselves. I'm sure I heard my title at some point.
The Dungeon layout is circular.
It gets wider with each successively lower floor.
The fifth floor, part of the upper levels, is said to be about as
wide as Central Park on the surface. I wonder if it's because
there's less space up here compared to the middle levels, but it
feels as though I keep finding adventurers around every turn.
Then again, there are a lot more lower-class adventurers in the
first place, so it only makes sense people run into one another
more.
I guess Hestia Familia's fame from the War Game against
Apollo Familia is still alive and well. People recognize me fairly
often.
It's true that I'm hanging around a floor that people officially
recorded at my level don't usually stick around—and all by my-
self, too—so I'm sure it's a sight to see. Every time I meet their
eyes, they seem puzzled.
But I can't do much more than stare back.
Oh, I'm already here…?
Having arrived at the Beginning Road on the first floor, I make
my way up into the yawning opening that connects the Dungeon
to the surface.
There's a spiraling staircase beneath Babel Tower, and the
ceiling overhead is decorated with a sky-blue mural. There's
hardly anyone else here, since the morning rush is over, and it's
too early—right before lunchtime—for most adventurers to head
home. My eyes are fixed on the silvery steps as I ascend one at a
time.
Just one foot in front of the other until…someone stops in
front of me.
"Ah…"
When I look up, I see a single adventurer.
A silver breastplate and a single sword hanging from the waist.
Long blond hair sparkles in the magic-stone lamplight like ra-
diant sand in the desert.
And two eyes the same golden color as her hair look back at
me.
"Aiz…"
My idol's name slips from my mouth before I realize it.
"..."
The blond-haired, golden-eyed girl and white-haired boy ex-
changed a few words before returning to the surface together.
A black-robed mage silently watched the scene unfold through
a blue crystal set atop a pedestal.
"Has something happened, Fels?"
"…No."
Fels responded curtly to the deep voice's question from be-
neath the robe's black hood.
This was the Chamber of Prayers beneath Guild Headquarters.
The four burning torches in the middle of the room were all
that kept darkness at bay in the stony space. Directly in the center
of this seemingly ancient temple was a towering, majestic altar
with an equally majestic deity seated on it like it was a throne—
Ouranos.
"So then, there has been no movement beneath Babel."
"Unfortunately not. These hunters…There has not been a sin-
gle sign that Ikelos Familia has passed through the tower."
Fels nodded, confirming Ouranos's thoughts.
Fels had an "eye" set in place over the pit leading to the Dun-
geon beneath Babel in the form of a spherical blue crystal hidden
in the artwork adorning the tower's basement ceiling.
It was an oculus, one of a set of twin crystals created by "Fels
the Fool," once known as the Sage.
Each crystal could display what its twin was seeing and hear-
ing. It was the only magic item in existence capable of long-dis-
tance communication. They were extremely difficult to make;
Fels had struggled from lacking the correct materials on hand,
and the task had required a level of mastery that even Perseus
had yet to achieve. The mage had also supplied the owl familiar
that had been rescued from death with one of these magic items
to replace its missing eye.
Fels used the power of this mobile oculus to keep a literal eye
on outlaws and blacklisted adventurers—similar to how Wiene
had been monitored while she was on the surface.
These activities were such a well-kept secret that Ouranos's
subordinates—in other words, the Guild employees themselves—
didn't even know Fels existed. Ignoring minor transgressions or
isolated incidents, the black-robed mage had kept watch over the
Labyrinth City for many years to make sure Orario and the Dun-
geon did not take a turn for the worse.
"There have been no new developments, Ouranos. Despite
learning our enemies' true identity, tracking them has proven im-
possible."
Thanks entirely to Hermes Familia's efforts, they were almost
certain that the hunters responsible for selling monsters on the
black market belonged to Ikelos Familia.
Fels had used an oculus to observe the Dungeon's entrance
during the recent journey to the Xenos Hidden Village two days
ago. Despite the constant surveillance since then, there were no
sightings of any adventurers registered with Ikelos Familia pass-
ing through.
The movements of the hunters remained in the dark, as if they
were laughing at Fels's efforts.
"Since they haven't returned to Babel, they're either still in the
depths of the Dungeon or hiding in Rivira…But then again, that
seems unlikely."
The heart of the problem was how they were able to avoid
Fels's eyes while still bringing captured Xenos to the surface and
smuggling them outside Orario's walls.
Only one possibility came to mind.
The black-robed mage turned away from the blue crystal on
the pedestal and peered up to make eye contact with the deity on
his seat at the altar.
Making the best attempt to speak in a calm, concise voice, Fels
laid it out plainly.
"It must be what we've suspected for some time…There is an-
other Dungeon entrance, separate from Babel."
"…"
"As we thought, our enemies who abduct monsters are not op-
erating from a base located on the surface—."
Crackle. Sparks scattered from the torches.
Motes of light fell to the stone floor as silence descended on
the Chamber of Prayers.
In the dim light, Fels and Ouranos exchanged eye contact but
no words.
"What is the Xenos situation?"
At long last, Ouranos spoke again.
Fels's intricately patterned black glove disappeared inside
folds of dark fabric.
"I believe they're en route to a separate Hidden Village as
planned…However, I have yet to receive word from Lido confirm-
ing their arrival."
Another crystal the same shape as the one on the pedestal ap-
peared from Fels's robes.
Being on the surface didn't prevent the mage from maintain-
ing regular contact with the Xenos, thanks to another set of oculi.
The magic item served as an important link that enabled Fels to
maintain communications wherever they happened to be in the
Dungeon, as well as rapidly issue quests to investigate and/or
eliminate Irregulars.
However, the oculus did have one drawback, in that it could
interact only with its paired twin. In other words, Fels needed a
separate crystal pair for each location that required surveillance
and each person who required a line of communication. It was
cumbersome at best. Indeed, Fels's full-body robe was bulky with
crystals.
The Xenos had been given several sets of oculi to use, but their
leader, Lido, carried the only one that connected to the surface.
Fels grasped a yellow crystal, attempting to peer inside—and
abruptly froze.
"What is the matter?" Ouranos inquired, sensing something
was amiss.
After a long pause, the black-robed mage finally spoke in a
shaky voice.
"Lido's crystal has gone dark…"
A violent sound cut through the air.
The yellow crystal slammed into the floor and shattered.
"—What're you doing, Gros?!"
A lizardman's surprised and angry voice echoed in the Colos-
sal Tree Labyrinth.
It happened inside a room deep within the Dungeon's twenty-
fourth floor. Sundry monster species had gathered in a dark room
devoid of Lamp Moss. They were equipped with armor and
weapons: Xenos.
The lizardman Lido and the gargoyle Gros were in the middle
of the group, staring each other down.
"Why'd you break the crystal?! Now we have no way to reach
Fels and…!"
"We have no reason to listen to Fels's words!! No reason to fol-
low his commands!! We know what must be done!!"
Now that the only oculus capable of communicating with the
surface was broken, Lido demanded an explanation from Gros.
It started with a message from Gros's group.
—Ranieh's band has been slaughtered; Wiene and Fia, cap-
tured.
Hearing the news, Lido had used all the oculi in his possession
to summon each Xenos troupe. The siren Rei and other leaders
immediately led their units to the current room to receive details
and share information. Then, just as Lido was about to inform
Fels—Gros's stone claw ripped the crystal from his grasp and de-
stroyed it.
"Fels will say the same thing he always does! 'Endure. Stay
your hand for now.' Enough!! We've tolerated far more than we
can take!"
The ash-colored gargoyle shouted back, overpowering Lido's
voice.
Fels and those who sided with the mage were concerned only
with keeping the Xenos a secret. Gros no longer cared about the
concerns of those on the surface.
He had dammed up his rage every time another of their com-
rades was abducted, but now he howled furiously.
Several pieces of broken armor and weapons lay at the feet of
the Xenos assembly.
Gros had retrieved what was left of their slain allies and
brought them here.
"I saw everything; I heard everything!! I saw what the people
did; I saw Ranieh's death!!"
"...!"
He shared a set of twin crystals with Ranieh.
In an ironic twist, it was the oculus Fels had given him that
pushed Gros over the edge, igniting the black flames in his heart.
After witnessing firsthand the hunters massacre his friends, noth-
ing could soothe his seething hatred.
Gros wasn't alone.
Both Xenos factions, Lido's and Gros's, were up in arms.
Gros's side viewed people in a negative light to begin with—
but the Xenos who allied themselves with Lido were also boiling.
A griffin's eyes smoldered with anger that the hippogriff had
been murdered.
A lamia whipped her hair about as she wailed, swearing re-
venge.
A troll pounded the ground, fists clenched so tightly that blood
dripped from between his fingers as debris filled the air.
A unicorn, a silverback, a crimson eagle, a metal gazelle…Most
of the Xenos gave in to the fury coursing through them.
Other than Lido, the only Xenos capable of rational thought
were the depressed, downtrodden red-cap goblin, the tight-lipped
siren Rei, and an al-miraj with her front paws clamped tightly
over her eyes, fighting back tears.
"We don't need Fels's help! Nor will we allow anyone to stop
us!! This is our problem and we will solve it!!"
Shaking with rage, Gros widened his red stone eyes, incapable
of tears, as he howled a truly monstrous declaration:
"Revenge!! Revenge for Ranieh, Orde, Cliff, and Foh!! Rescue
our brethren!! The surface dwellers shall regret this day!!"
The gargoyle roared.
The surrounding Xenos joined in, howling in agreement.
—Revenge!! Revenge!! Revenge!!
The room shook as more voices joined, rife with intensity.
Amid his comrades howling with no regard for nearby adven-
turers or monsters, Lido winced.
His scaly red hands clenched into trembling fists.
"Kill them all!! Murder anything and anyone that stands in our
way! Wipe them out!!"
"If we—if we do that…we'll be no better than the ones who kid-
napped Wiene and Fia…!"
Lido bellowed through clenched fangs. On the verge of tears,
the lizardman forced the words from his throat.
The flames in his heart blazed as strongly as Gros's faction's.
There was only one thing allowing him to stay calm enough to see
reason—his yearning.
"After everything we've done, everything we've been through—
are you going to throw it all away?! Will you abandon the dreams
of our fallen comrades, to one day see the light on the surface…?!"
It was his dearest wish to walk aboveground, to coexist peace-
fully with humanity.
Lido couldn't let go of this powerful desire in his heart. This
ideal gave him a sense of purpose and a reason to live. He
pleaded with the other Xenos to see how they were about to step
over a line that shouldn't be crossed.
"There are people like Bellucchi!! Have you already forgot-
ten?!"
Lido shouted the name of the boy who had shaken his hand.
"Not all adventurers, not all people are bad!"
Lido poured his heart and soul into every word, but it was no
use.
His comrades were too far gone.
Without faltering, Gros immediately countered.
"How many times do you need to be betrayed to understand?!"
"!!"
"Where are all the people who showed us kindness now?!"
Many Xenos had been fortunate enough to encounter merciful
adventurers before meeting Bell. Lido and his group felt hope for
the future every time that happened.
However, when push came to shove, they all sided with the
surface races.
They abandoned the Xenos to their fates.
"The truth is that that boy will turn his back on us!! He will
forsake us one day! People and monsters cannot live together in
peace!!"
"...!"
"Open your eyes, Lido!"
The gargoyle pulled no punches as he urged the lizardman to
give up on his absurd dream.
Lido had no response, offering little resistance as Gros pushed
him aside and called the Xenos to action.
"We'll take back our friends, no matter the cost!! Ranieh's last
wish shall not be in vain!"
Gros spread his ash-colored wings and flew out of the room.
Answering the gargoyle's thunderous roar, other Xenos fol-
lowed him.
Thirty-some monsters had come together to accomplish a sin-
gular goal as one.
"It's no use, Lido…Nothing can stop them now."
As Lido slumped, tormented that he couldn't stop his allies in
time, Rei approached and spoke to him.
She had tucked both winged arms against her chest as if hug-
ging herself, and it was all she could do to keep her shoulders
from quivering.
"Damn it all…"
He glanced at the siren resisting her anger as his face con-
torted.
Then he looked straight up, gazing toward the surface land-
scape he had never seen.
"I'm sorry, Fels…Bellucchi."
His feeble apology faded into the darkness.
The die had been cast. The only option left was to move for-
ward.
Even if things could never return to how they once were—his
comrades could be freed at the very least.
Lido's mind was set. At the same time, he released his dam of
anger and rage and let them wash over his heart. The raw emo-
tion he kept sealed away instantly consumed him.
The lizardman took on a vicious aura as he jerked the vertical
longsword and scimitar at his feet out of the ground.
"Rei, Lett. Come with me. We follow Gros."
"…Yes."
"Understood…"
"Aruru, go find that person."
The al-miraj gazed up at Lido's emotionless face with round
red eyes from next to the siren and red-cap goblin.
"They should have arrived at the Hidden Village by now. Ex-
plain the situation and bring them along."
The rabbit monster stayed quiet but nodded, long ears flicking
forward.
With a short high-pitched squeak, the al-miraj jumped onto
the hellhound waiting beside her. She straddled its back like a
horse's, and the hellhound bounded away. The rabbit's blue battle
jacket fluttered in the wind behind her.
"Let's go."
Lido and his allies raced to catch up with Gros.
The lizardman's thick, snakelike tail whipped back and forth
as he picked up speed.
The bloodshot yellow eyes in his profile—were already those of
a monster.
"Falgar, they're here—Ikelos's crew."
Hiding their emblems, which depicted winged traveler's hats
and sandals, a small group of people started to follow three men.
Trailing the new arrivals, they blended into the flow of adven-
turers in Rivira. As always, crystals shone overhead.
Light shone down from the rock formations shaped like mums
in bloom, indicating it was afternoon on the eighteenth floor. Up-
per-class adventurers walked in and out of the small town built
atop an island in the center of a large lake. Many used this amal-
gam of hotels, shops, and bars as a base for trips deeper into the
Dungeon or as a rest point on their way to the surface. Thanks to
the town's various businesses, heated negotiations between
greedy merchants and residents were not uncommon.
Angry shouts formed a cacophony with hearty laughter as
members of two rival familias stared each other down on the
streets. A fight broke out soon after, but no one batted an eye at
such a familiar sight in the town of rogues.
"Boris!"
"Yeah? What's buggin' you?"
It didn't take long for the residents of this town surrounded by
jagged rocks and crystals to realize that something out of the or-
dinary was happening.
"The monsters seem restless…Something isn't right."
The fully equipped adventurers gathered on a cliff for a better
view.
Every set of eyes was drawn to a single location amid the forest
and plains of the safe point.
At the center of the floor, where the roots of the Central Tree
led below…
"Those are…"
Now that I'm out of the Dungeon, the sky is bright and blue like
always.
The sun is right overhead, so it must be close to noon already.
I'm a good distance away from a main street. Shops of all
kinds line the road. There's a crowd of people around a flower
shop manned by several young demi-human women who don't
have connections to any familia. Several neighborhood kids are
with them, bright smiles on their faces as they look at the colorful
plants. I watch them for a few moments before I realize that I'm
staring.
For a moment, surrounded by lively, peaceful sounds of the
city, I feel like I've gotten lost wandering down some unfamiliar
street.
Erasing those thoughts from my mind, I walk past all the
shops before coming to a stop.
"…Um, sorry. For, you know, taking up your time."
"It's all right."
We face each other in a vacant lot surrounded by houses. It's
just Aiz and me.
During our chance meeting on Babel's spiral stairway, I
stopped her knowing full well she was on her way into the Dun-
geon.
As for why, I wasn't sure. But I've been chasing after her for so
long as my idol, and I felt like there's something that I needed to
ask her.
My mind wouldn't settle down. Aiz must've noticed my inter-
nal struggle and suggested that we go someplace else. Leaving
Babel, we started looking for a sparsely populated corner of town.
Now here we are, face-to-face.
"…"
"…"
Our eyes meet.
How long has it been since the two of us have been alone like
this?
Her beauty could give any elf or goddess a run for their money,
and looking at her is enough to make you forget time is moving.
Her face doesn't show much emotion, and I can't tell what she's
thinking, but it's like her eyes keep pulling me in.
I forget almost everything, and I even start to think, If only
that golden luster could keep me under its spell…
"…What's wrong?"
Aiz asks slowly.
Her words are heavy with meaning. It's like her golden eyes
see right through me. As though she's asking, What happened?
Why do you seem so confused?
My lungs feel tight. My heart is pounding obnoxiously loud in
my ears.
My mouth is drying…Finally, I manage to spit it out.
"Aiz…"
"…"
"If monsters had a reason for living…had feelings just like you
or me, what would you do?"
And now I've said it.
If you met monsters who could smile like people, worry about
things, shed tears just like people—could you still draw your
sword against them? I ask the swordswoman who I adore.
"…"
Aiz closes her delicate lips.
Even though she almost certainly doesn't understand why I'd
ask such a question, she's still thinking of a sincere answer rather
than responding casually or analyzing the question.
Time passes.
A warm summer breeze passes between us.
Never once taking her eyes off me, Aiz finally opens her mouth
to speak.
"If monsters hurt someone…No, that's not it."
She stops in midsentence, shakes her head—then she gives me
her answer.
"If anyone cries because of a monster—I'll kill that monster."
"!!"
My shoulders jump after hearing those words. I'm not breath-
ing.
Aiz declared her intentions without any hesitation whatsoever.
Even if the monster had a soul like a human, she would strike
it down right then and there.
My idol's reply is blunt and brutal. I freeze up.
Aiz's saber mercilessly tearing into Wiene and the other
Xenos…The image flashes through the back of my mind.
Dumbstruck, I stare at her focused, unchanging expression.
In fact, her eyes are asking me:
—Would you not?
"...!!"
That's right. I've lost someone important, too.
Gramps, an irreplaceable person in my life, was killed by a
monster.
And I remember how I cried when it happened.
The reason I didn't become consumed by hatred and a desire
to avenge his death is because I never actually saw his body and
that I felt so lonely at the time that the anger never had a chance
to set in.
I'm paralyzed, straddling the threshold between ideals and re-
ality, between people and monsters.
My heart drums a furious rhythm under Aiz's stare.
"I—"
Then.
As I break out into a sweat and muster the courage to speak—
at that very instant…
Clang! Clang!!
A shrill ringing echoes through the sky.
""?!""
Aiz and I turn and look up.
The bells that go off every day at noon? No.
Those always ring from the east end, but this sound is clearly
from the north. What's more, the intensity of the ringing defi-
nitely isn't normal.
It's like the messenger is distressed.
"That direction, probably Guild Headquarters…The city's
warning bells?"
Aiz's mumbling sends a jolt down my spine.
Yes, now I remember. I heard these bells go off not too long
ago.
When the Rakian army—when Ares Familia launched an at-
tack on Orario, they rang the same huge bell above Guild Head-
quarters.
An alarm only used to announce a state of emergency. This is
for sure Orario's alert system.
I hold my breath as that earsplitting tone assaults my
eardrums.
"—Emergency! Emergency!! Attention all familias residing in
Orario! The Guild will soon issue a mission!!"
As if confirming my fears, magic-stone amplifiers carry a voice
from Guild Headquarters.
A familiar half-elf's voice echoes throughout the city streets.
"Monsters equipped with armor and weapons have destroyed
Rivira on the eighteenth floor!! Large numbers of them on the
move have been confirmed!!"
—Then comes the knockout blow, emptying my lungs of air.
"The Guild is ordering the immediate deployment of all adven-
turers to exterminate—What? A-are you certain?…U-under-
stood."
As the world comes crashing down around me, the announcer
pauses in utter bewilderment before continuing.
"All citizens, including adventurers, are hereby forbidden to
enter the Dungeon!! The Guild will contact familias directly.
Please stand by at your respective homes!! Once again…"
The urgency is palpable.
Aiz's intense gaze looks up at the sky. I can't say a thing.
Rivira, destroyed?
Armed monsters? Large numbers on the move?
Lido and the others…Wiene?
It can't be. What could've…?
A wave of heat rushes through me as my thoughts spin wildly,
to no avail. Confusion and turmoil flood every corner of my being,
and sweat pours from me.
The warning bells echo endlessly through the city, while my vi-
sion blurs.
Our everyday lives have been turned upside down. The omi-
nous news drops like a stone and sends ripples out into the city.
Trouble is about to fall on Orario.