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

"[—The flames will be released soon.]"

She has long emerald-green hair and a white-based magic outfit, with her silver staff held slightly horizontally.

An elf with long, pointed ears and unparalleled beauty.

"[The flames of war are creeping in silently, and destruction is inevitable. The war horns sound loudly, enveloping all the brutal chaos of war.]"

More beautiful than anyone else on this battlefield, she weaves incantations with her melodious voice.

The rhythm is strong and powerful, and the singing is both smooth and beautiful.

The magic circle unfolding beneath their feet emitted a vibrant green light, scattering countless particles of light.

Her eyebrows arched, her lips continued to weave incantations, and her eyes were fixed on a point in front of her.

"Come forth, crimson flames, merciless fire!"

Hearing the smooth chanting, everyone mustered their last bit of strength.

They gritted their teeth, eagerly awaiting the moment they had been waiting for.

"—Roar! Ro ...

The monster, "Fomer," roared.

A particularly large monster in the group suddenly charged forward, knocking even its own companions away. It raised its weapon to the highest point above its head.

The rapidly advancing, enormous figure caused one of the vanguard personnel facing it head-on to widen his eyes through the gaps in his shield.

An extraordinary arm strength delivered a blow that slammed into the erected shield, engulfing those around it and sending a corner of the front line flying.

"—Bert, fill the gap!"

"Tsk, what's going on!"

A hole was breached in the defensive line. The werewolves, responsible for guerrilla warfare, rushed to the scene, but it was too late to provide reinforcements. Several monsters thus infiltrated the interior.

The mages who were originally protected by the vanguard turned pale instantly; at the same time, Vermor also unleashed a devastating attack.

"Lefia!?"

A girl was thrown into the air.

Although she avoided the direct hit, the shockwave from the blunt weapon that shattered the ground still sent her slender body flying.

"--ah."

"call……!"

A black shadow appeared in front of the girl who had fallen to the ground.

Furmore, with his ferocious beast-like face, is the colossal monster that just broke through the wall of his companions.

The red eyes, gleaming with a fierce light, looked down at her, freezing the girl in place.

Her azure eyes reflected the figure of the blunt weapon raised and swung down.

Then,

A slash.

"what?"

Two beams of light, one gold and one silver, streaked across the field of vision.

In an instant, blood spurted from Furmore's body, and his head, which had been flying through the air, fell to the ground.

"..."

In front of the girl's blank gaze.

A female swordsman with flowing golden hair silently flicked her silver sword, making a "whoosh" sound.

"Ais!"

The Amazonian girl, who witnessed the entire process from the forward position, cheered.

After confirming that the girl who had fallen to the ground was safe and sound, the girl known as Ais immediately took action.

Accompanied by the sound of wind, the silver sword flashed intermittently.

She closed in on the remaining monsters that had invaded the rear, and with a single, decisive blow, wiped out all the Vermor in front of the mages and archers.

"Hey, Ais, wait a minute!"

Keep going.

She ignored the voices trying to stop her and charged towards the still-attacking Vermore army.

He leaped high over the head of the forward who had raised his shield.

"...That's too strong."

Someone murmured.

The whisper escaped from someone's lips.

The intense sword dance finally unfolded.

One slash followed another, creating a storm where any monster that got close would be cleaved into pieces by the sword.

Dodging the giant arms that lunged at her, she severed body and head one after another, her every move both elegant and cruel.

When the number of monsters collectively attacking the vanguard decreases sharply.

Many people gazed at the Fiora's heroic figure with awe and wonder.

"You are the embodiment of karmic fire."

"[Sweeping away thousands of troops and bringing the curtain down on large-scale warfare]."

Behind them, immense magical energy continued to rise.

The long-awaited epic chant has finally come to a close.

"Ais, come back!"

Hearing the voice calling her, the girl, Ais, glanced back and leaped into the air.

As the roaring monsters looked up at her, she drew a large arc in the air, somersaulted, and landed in the center of our army's position, returning to her ranks.

"[Burn everything, Surtr's sword—I am Alfre!]"

The next instant, with a loud bang, the magic circle expanded, reaching Ais and the others—as well as all the Fumors—at their feet.

The entire battlefield is within the effective range.

Raising her silver staff, the elven mage Riveria unleashed her "magic".

"【Advanced Sword of Victory】!!"

Fire.

From the ground—a magic circle protruded countless pillars of fire.

With a deafening explosion, radiating flames shot out in succession, dodging Ais and the others. The pillars of flame, reaching all the way to the ceiling of the large space, were quite thick, not only piercing through the Vermor army but also engulfing their massive bodies.

The monsters disappeared one after another into the depths of the raging flames, their mournful screams overlapping in layers.

Wide-range annihilation magic. In the blink of an eye, it wiped out an army of over fifty monsters.

The space was filled with heat and sparks, and the world was enveloped in scorching heat.

Everyone quietly put down their weapons.

Ais and the other "adventurers" also had their faces stained crimson.

▲

There is a "cave" in the world.

It was a huge hole that had quietly opened up in a corner of the continent. In ancient times, before humans discovered it, that "cave" already existed, and no one knew its origin.

The "cave" is a den of monsters that can spawn an endless stream of monsters.

Alien monsters poured out of the great hole and ravaged the land, sweeping across forests, mountains, valleys, oceans, and skies—everywhere in the world. Humanity was helpless and suffered devastation. To reclaim their dominance over the land and to avenge their people, humanity transcended racial barriers and launched a united counterattack.

Fortunately, thanks to the active performance of those later known as "heroes," the human race and the monsters engaged in a back-and-forth battle—finally reaching the "cave," which could be considered the origin of the monsters.

Deep within the "cave" lies another world, different from the surface.

That was an "underground labyrinth" divided into countless floors.

Even without sunlight, it is filled with incredible light sources, with unprecedentedly lush flowers and plants growing, and minerals that can only be mined here. Not only are there valuable resources, but there are also monsters that can produce "magic stones." In this underground labyrinth—the dungeon—there are "unknown" things everywhere.

So the human race, under the name of "Lid," began to build towers and fortresses above the "Cave" and recruited ambitious people to resist the monsters coming to the surface.

Meanwhile, some curious explorers began to emerge among the human race, dreaming of exploring the world on the other side of the "cave," that is, the vast, undeveloped underground region.

Unbeknownst to many, the term "adventurer" has become...

In many cases, it has come to specifically refer to those who cannot resist the temptation of the "unknown".

From that time on, time has passed.

At that time—the watershed of "antiquity"—the world ushered in a turning point.

The "gods" have descended.

These truly transcendent beings manifested themselves in this world, that is, in the "lower realm".

Having grown weary of spending their long lives in the "heavenly realm," they found amusement in the humans (children) of the lower realm—those who cultivated diverse cultures and fiercely battled monsters.

Since the arrival of the gods, the world has changed.

With the "blessings" of the gods that brought infinite possibilities to the people of the lower realm, the human race's power increased rapidly, and they began to embark on a path of development.

Even the land with monster lairs underground is no exception.

The labyrinth city of Orario.

Through rise and fall, the fortresses that were once built on top of "cave" have evolved into one of the continent's most prominent metropolises.

Wealth, fame, and most importantly, the alluring land of the "unknown" still slumbering.

Outlaws possessed by desire, adventurers deeply fascinated by the "unknown," and gods seeking entertainment have all gathered at the center of this world.

Many people's thoughts and stories intertwine and intersect here.

The ancient era of praying to the gods for salvation has ended.

Today is an era in which people beg for a small amount of help from the gods, hold onto this small token of charity, and rely on themselves to fulfill their wishes.

Wealth, fame, the unknown.

A height that is out of reach, a longing—a deep-seated wish.

This is the age of God.

Side Story: Sword Oratoria Chapter 1 - Loki's Familia

A noisy commotion arose.

The sounds of metal scraping against metal mingled with the murmur of casual conversation as many people busied themselves with various tasks. Some carried equipment, others drove iron stakes into the ground, and still others jogged around relaying messages; everyone had something to do.

A medium-sized camping scene.

In this place where humans and demi-humans mingle, a head of long golden hair flutters in the wind.

She wore light blue clothing, revealing a body with delicate lines; her skin was smooth and supple; her features were quite slender and well-proportioned even from a distance; and her eyes, like her hair, were golden and held a transparent radiance.

Her beautiful face, which attracts the attention of both men and women, is no less than that of an elf, and can even rival that of a goddess.

The blonde, golden-eyed girl, who even exuded a mysterious aura, was walking around carrying a folded cloth.

"Miss Ais!"

Hearing the voice calling her, she—Ais—stopped in her tracks.

Looking back, I saw a girl with her thick, golden hair tied in a ponytail standing there.

Ears as pointed as leaves protruded from a strand of hair hanging down on either side of her face.

Those were the elves, renowned for their moon-like beauty and flower-like countenance.

"Thank you so much for saving me just now! I'm always dragging everyone down... I'm so sorry!"

"...How are your injuries, Lefia?"