Is it wrong to try to meet someone in a dungeon?

As I trembled and gasped for breath, I looked up with a pleading expression... and a "figure" emerged from it.

"...It's a close call."

A low and brief voice.

That person was standing.

Those thick feet left two shocking cracks on the stone-paved stage, only stopping when their backs hit the wall.

Mr. Otto moved his massive body out of the recessed stone wall and slowly looked at me.

"No... Considering the difference in levels, your attack should be considered superior to mine."

This is simply a compliment.

Mr. Otto narrowed his reddish-brown eyes, praising the fact that the Holy Flame Heroic Slash could actually counteract his own magic (the War Pig).

Despite receiving praise, my face instantly turned pale.

My "Hero's Wish (Argonauts)" can only manage a draw? Or does it cancel out Mr. Otto's magic?

This is the Sacred Flame Heroic Slash that allowed me to defeat the claws of the Destroyer (Zagnot)!?

"That was an excellent strike, but..."

Despite my best efforts, I failed to seize the first and last golden opportunity, and was unable to defeat the "Fierce Warrior" in one fell swoop.

Even though the boar-man warrior's body was still emitting black smoke from being burned by the sacred fire, he walked forward leisurely as if he were completely unharmed.

"I promise you, just one strike."

Mr. Otto discarded the hilt of the only remaining greatsword and drew the fearsome "black greatsword" from behind his back.

The crystal on my gauntlet seemed to be calling out something.

I think it's probably urging me to run away quickly.

However, my body stiffened with fear, and I realized one thing.

If I turn my back on this person, I will surely die.

I will not be allowed to escape.

The only option is to fight the "strongest" opponent here until one of them falls.

"Next—it's just a simple struggle."

I finally understand that this amphitheater has become a hunting ground for ruthless wild boars.

*

Countless slashes flashed by.

Silver blades clashed fiercely with black sword shadows.

"Drink! Aa ...

Chun let out a beast-like roar from its mouth.

Even though her clothes were tattered and she was only wearing a breast wrap on her upper body, the female half-dwarf still roared and wielded a long sword with both hands, constantly blocking fierce slashes and waiting for an opportunity to counterattack.

The one who engaged in a fierce battle with the one-eyed blacksmith who had transformed into a demon was none other than Hegni.

The dark elf's cloak was also ripped to shreds, but there was no fear or contempt in his eyes. Instead, he regarded the woman, who was radiating sublime golden light and wanted to kill him on the spot, as a formidable enemy, and displayed the demeanor of a war king to fight her head-on.

Silver and black, gold and purple-blue, the afterimages of sword light and magic intertwine, tracing a series of paths.

The two fought more and more fiercely, and thus began an otherworldly battle that left even the most valiant warriors and adventurers speechless.

"Drink! Aa ...

"Roar!!"

Both sides unleashed their deadly attacks on each other.

On one side was a swordsman who threw down his scabbard and slashed diagonally downwards from the upper right with all his might.

On the other side, as if to counter it, a lightning-fast sword slash came from below at an extremely high speed.

Chun and Hegni clashed swords, and after exchanging positions, they remained in their post-attack stances for the time being.

“──!!”

Blood spurted from Hegney's shoulder.

But he let his cloak flutter in the wind and glanced at his injured left shoulder.

"────Ugh, uh."

The one who suddenly realized that they had already lost was... Tsubaki.

Blood splattered immediately after the body was struck by the sword slash from below, and the cloth wrapped around her chest tore in the air. Chun slowly collapsed.

Her long black hair, tied in a ponytail, came loose and radiated outwards. At the same time, the light of her ascension disappeared as if announcing that its time limit had been reached.

"...[One-Eyed Master], you can be proud. Your attack just now truly threatened my life."

Hegni, still holding the sword in his right hand, turned and said those words.

As Chun fell to her side, she stared at Hegny with her right eye, which was not covered by an eyepatch.

"However, this sword, 'Victim abyss,' is also known as 'Frontline Killer'... Your fate is the same as other swordsmen; you became fodder for the demonic sword."

The first-tier weapon, Sacrifice Abyss, is Hegny's beloved sword.

It is a cursed weapon created with the help of a sorcerer, and the ability gained in exchange for the price is "increased slash range".

The better a swordsman's eyesight, the easier it is to misjudge its attack range. In a one-against-many situation, it can attack multiple enemies at once, making it the purest form of killing power. When this weapon is used by Hegni, a first-class adventurer with top-tier melee skills, it transforms him into a Demon Sword Emperor who can handle both one-on-one duels and group battles with ease.

"hateful……"

Even Chun, who had handled countless weapons, was unable to discern the attack range of the pitch-black cursed sword (Sacrifice Abyss). Her brown skin was repeatedly injured by the sword, leaving several scars.

Even with a significant boost to his stats through foul techniques (level-up), he still couldn't defeat Hegni's sword.

"That's why... I don't want to... fight you..."

Sorry, Lord God—Brother Wel.

As Chun closed her eyes, she apologized in her heart to her own god and the fallen youth.

The defeat of the faction alliance's strongest fighter—the Lv.5 Blacksmith Master—instantly caused turmoil in the battle.

"The One-Eyed Master...!"

Seeing Chun's defeated figure, Daphne turned pale with fright.

The morale of the faction alliance was already severely damaged, and this only made things worse.

The loss of Tsubaki, who was stationed in the central forces—the loss of combat power at the first-level adventurer rank—has such a profound impact.

"Hey! What do we do now!?"

"The 'Demon Sword' is gone too!"

"The Goddess Chariot has taken down all the blacksmiths...!"

Perse, Sakura, and Chigusa, who were in a small team holding their posts, all let out screams.

Just as they said, Allen moved freely on the battlefield, prioritizing the elimination of those carrying the "Krozo Demon Sword." Regardless of whether it was the right flank, center, or left flank, he used his incredible speed to completely disregard distance, taking down the remaining Hephaestus Familia blacksmiths and adventurers from the inn town one by one.

As the deputy commander, Daphne was incapable of even proposing a strategy, let alone devising a countermeasure.

Just as Daphne was in a predicament that almost brought her to a standstill, the "War King" appeared before them without any mercy.

"You'll be the next sacrifices."

"...!? [Black Essence Demon Sword]!"

Having defeated Tsubaki, Hegni now sets his sights on Daphne and the others.

Hegny considered them, who were barely keeping the troops operational, to be the greatest threat at present—albeit a disturbing element of the ant-like degree—and moved to the battlefield on the right flank with utmost seriousness and dutifulness.

"Daphne...!?"

Cassandra, positioned in the center of the squad, had a deathly pale face, like a patient who had suddenly realized that their death was imminent.

Although Daphne reflexively shielded Cassandra, the therapist, behind her, she seemed indifferent, feeling that doing so would be completely futile.

A drop of sweat, mixed with blood and becoming sticky and heavy, slid down the girl's cheek.

"Ah! Hey!? What are we going to do now!? [Laurus Fuga]!! What should we do now!? Tell me something!"

Perth, who knew better than anyone on the scene how "desperate" it was to confront a first-class adventurer on the battlefield, was almost screaming in panic. The reason he didn't turn and run away was because, like Daphne, he understood that it would be pointless.

"Miss Daphne...!"

"【The Laurel Escapee】!"

Chigusa, who had set up her bow and arrow, and Sakura, who stood in front of everyone wielding the battle axe "Huang Gang," both called out to the on-site commander for instructions.

(Stop asking me, I'm not that great a commander (human) --)

Daphne's consciousness was completely occupied by the sound of her heartbeat.

(I can't come up with a brilliant plan to turn things around like a hero!!)

The urge to abandon all responsibility had completely taken over Daphne's mind.

(────But, Lily Luca, she──)

However, Daphne's mind drifted back to the profile of a certain young girl—

She managed to control herself at the very end.

(No matter how dire the circumstances, she never chose to run away...)

Various past events that occurred during the "Expedition"—encountering enhanced species (Moss Giants), fighting against the floor master (Amphispina), and other subsequent difficulties—emerged in her mind one after another.

Even though Lily was in deep despair and her petite body was trembling, she still persisted in fighting to the end.

Daphne, acting as a girl trained by a "master," never chose to turn and run away, no matter what happened.

(...Since that's the case, I guess I'll just have to bite the bullet and go for it.)

This is unbearable!

As Daphne poured out her grievances in her heart, her eyes became bright and piercing.

Even if this period of time felt like an eternity to the girl, it was just a fleeting moment of entanglement to the world.

Seeing Daphne instantly revert to her "threatening" aura, just as he had predicted, Hegny's eyes flashed with malice.

"You've decided to struggle, huh? Fine. From this moment on, I will treat you as 'enemies,' and with utmost focus and caution, without the slightest carelessness... I will hunt you down and wipe you out."

The War King did not underestimate his opponent.

No matter how weak the opponent, the Dark Demon Sword will show no mercy.

Daphne stared intently at the dark elf who hadn't revealed a single flaw.

A jet-black sword poised in a battle stance, a black cloak billowing in the wind, and the fully activated "Self-Change Magic"—

The commander (Daphne), who had observed the enemy with unparalleled clarity and gleaned all sorts of information from them, ultimately saw... a blade still pointed at her side.

"..."

She closed her eyes.

As if entrusting everything, she gently grasped the blue crystal hanging at her waist.

Please, everyone.

After Daphne finally opened her eyes, she issued the "worst order" like a tyrant.

"Let someone chop you up."

*

"Hmm—!?"

"Lady Aisha!!"

After a series of intense clashes of swords, the groans of the shrew (Amazon) and the screams of the girl (human) overlapped.

""it's over.""

In an instant, the sledgehammer and axe filled Aisha's vision as they hurtled towards her.