The Fukaros Familia, starting from DanMachi.

"Chigusa!!"

"careful!!"

At almost the same time, Yamato no Mikoto and the leader of his clan, Kashima Sakura, also discovered this terrifying monster.

They watched helplessly as the fire axe-wielding Hilichurl thug raised his flaming axe high, whistling through the air, and brought it down on Thousand Grass, who was still frozen in place.

"No--!"

The two men, their eyes bloodshot with rage, roared simultaneously and charged forward without regard for anything else.

At the critical moment, Ming, who was the most agile, leaped like an arrow and grabbed the terrified Chigusa, rolling to the side.

The robust cherry blossom chose to use its own body to build an iron wall for its companions.

"Stop...right now!!!"

Standing at 1.9 meters tall, Sakura is already a strong man among humans. His strength far surpasses that of adventurers of the same level; otherwise, he would not be able to use the heavy two-handed axe as his main weapon.

But in front of those three-meter-tall thugs, he still looked like a child who had not yet reached adulthood.

"clang--!!!"

The deafening roar of clashing metal was deafening, and blinding sparks exploded like fireworks.

Sakura felt an irresistible, terrifying force coming from the axe handle, and her hand instantly split open, splattering blood everywhere.

His beloved axe let out a mournful cry and flew out of his hand.

He was like a cannonball struck head-on by a battering ram, sent flying and tumbling across the ground for more than ten meters before coming to a stop, the blood spurting from his mouth drawing a tragic arc in the air.

With just one strike, this powerful member of the Takemikazuchi Familia, who was about to upgrade to Lv.2, completely lost his ability to fight.

"Lady Sakura!"

Having just saved Chigusa's life, he was immediately horrified upon seeing this scene.

The other members of the Takemikazuchi Familia, who were just about to step forward to help, froze in place. They stared blankly at the Fire Axe Hilichurl thug that stood like a demon god, their faces filled with despair.

"Are you... joking?... Why would such a monster appear in the upper levels?"

A young member of the group trembled and groaned.

"Run!"

Yamato shouted at his dazed companions, drew his katana, and charged alone towards the Fire Axe Hilichurl thug with a resolute look in his eyes.

She knew that someone had to stop it.

But the next moment, the Fire Axe Hill Thug suddenly roared, and a terrifying sonic wave swept out, causing the charging Ming's body to stiffen abruptly and pause for a moment.

In a battle between masters, life and death hang in the balance.

The Fire Axe Hilichurl Thug appeared before Life in an instant, with a speed completely disproportionate to its massive size.

The speed was so fast that she couldn't react at all.

He only had time to rely on his honed combat instincts to roll awkwardly to the ground.

"boom!!"

The flaming battle axe slashed down, grazing her body and carving a deep trench in the hard ground, its charred edges still emitting wisps of smoke.

Ming could feel the scorching heat rushing towards her. She had no doubt that if this axe blow landed, her light armor would be completely useless, and she would be instantly split in two.

The other members of the Takemikazuchi clan, seeing their lives in danger, finally broke free from their fear.

Summoning their last bit of courage, they roared and charged toward the Fire Axe Hilichurl thugs.

"Come back. Don't go to your death."

Sakura, whose face was covered in blood and who had been helped up by Chigusa, saw this scene and her eyes showed despair. She roared at the top of her lungs.

But it was too late.

The Fire Axe Hilichurl thug didn't even turn around; he simply swung his hand impatiently.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

The young adventurers flew through the air screaming like tattered sacks, their blood splattering everywhere.

The crisp sound of bones breaking was so jarring in the silent cave.

"Everyone……"

She narrowly escaped the attack, and when she looked up, she saw a scene that broke her heart and filled her with despair.

Chigusa, holding onto the cherry blossoms, covered her mouth tightly, her eyes filled with tears of sorrow and fear, her body trembling like a leaf.

"Aaaaaaahhhhh!!"

Sakura let out a furious roar, shoved Chigusa aside and told her to run away, then picked up the battle axe that had fallen not far away, and dragged his badly injured body, staggering but determined, and charged forward again.

"No... Someone... Someone please save us..."

How could Chigusa possibly escape alone? Her legs went weak, and she collapsed to her knees in despair, letting out a heart-wrenching cry.

……

"Rivia, can you hear cries for help?"

Tiona, who was searching for the Sea Demon in another passage, suddenly stopped. Her keen Amazonian hearing seemed to have caught something.

Riveria, who was at the back of the group, also stopped. She closed her eyes, and her elven senses extended outwards under the impetus of magic.

A moment later, she suddenly opened her eyes: "It's the adventurers' cries for help, let's go."

Without hesitation, the elven princess of Loki's Familia turned around and led the group swiftly toward the direction from which the sound came.

The Loki Familia enjoys such great renown in Orario not only because of their strength, but also because they fought valiantly against the dark factions to protect the city during its darkest times.

Leaving someone in distress is not their style.

Meanwhile, on the other side...

A green figure was slowly walking down the stairs leading to the lower level.

Liu Liang, who had just finished paying respects at the graves of his companions, also heard the desperate lament that pierced through the layers of rock walls.

She abruptly stopped, and a complex light flashed in her usually aloof blue eyes.

Although she had long since decided that she was no longer qualified to talk about "justice," the innate kindness etched deep in her soul still led her to make that choice.

Without any hesitation, Liu's figure transformed into a green gust of wind, rushing towards the direction from which the sound came.

Just as that giant axe, burning with ominous flames, was about to cleave the heavily wounded, charging Sakura in two—

"Gospel!"

An invisible sonic bombardment, carrying destructive power beyond reason, roared in.

The Fire Axe Hilichurl thug reacted with astonishing speed. Instinctively sensing the threat, it abandoned its prey in the blink of an eye and instead held its massive flaming battle axe horizontally in front of it as a shield.

"boom--!!!"

Like a real cannonball exploding, a terrifying shockwave spread out in a ring, sending rubble and dust flying everywhere.

The incredibly heavy Fire Axe Hilichurl thug was so shaken by the force that he staggered back several steps, each step leaving deep cracks in the hard rock.

But it was completely unharmed.

Not even a single mark was left on the Flame Axe.

But this brief pause is enough.