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

It was just that the giant shattered the earth with a single slap, and the flying rocks that were stirred up happened to hit him.

He collapsed to the ground, blood splattering everywhere, like a rotten tomato, and remained motionless.

Next up is Yarisa.

She tried to save Nathan, who was barely clinging to life, but was instead surrounded and ravaged by the monsters.

In order to protect Yarisa, who was crying for help, Bada roared and broke through the encirclement, sacrificing an arm to rescue Yarisa and Nathan.

But that's where it ends.

"Run! Get out of here! Lefia ahh ...

Filled with self-reproach and regret, Badain shouted a reminder and desperately swung his giant axe with only one hand to resist, but he was already like a candle in the wind surrounded by the Minotaur.

The other squad members, affected by the floor master's roar, were all forced into a state of restraint and were the first to collapse. They were brutally beaten to pieces by the massive arms that swung down.

With tears welling up in her eyes, Lefia could only stand there in place.

Deep down, she believed that as long as the captain (Badain) was there, there wouldn't be any problems no matter how bad the situation got.

Although Badain is a problem student who is prone to getting carried away, he is both strong and reliable. He always protects Lefia and the others like an older brother. As long as he is strong and capable by her side, Lefia firmly believes that they will be able to overcome any danger they may encounter.

However, Badain had already lost an arm, his face etched with despair, and he was about to be killed by the Minotaur.

The dungeon was laughing loudly. It looked down on these students who had forgotten why this "Promised Land" was revered as the "Center of the World" and how many lives this "Demon Cave" had taken since ancient times. It reached out its cruel hand to stroke their cheeks, preparing to snap their necks in one fell swoop.

Lefia lost all fighting spirit in an instant.

"[Liberation...a beam of light...the bow of the sacred tree...]"

Panicked, Lefia gasped for breath, squeezing out incantations from her trembling throat, filled with despair.

Her legs wouldn't obey her commands.

There was no way to turn around and run away.

He could collapse to the ground at any moment.

The problem is that if she doesn't finish the incantation soon, Badain, who is fighting alone, Nathan, who is lying in a pool of blood, and Yalisa, who is covered in wounds, will all die.

However, a huge black shadow covered Lefia, who was gripping her wand tightly, her hands stiff, and she was about to faint from fright.

"──────"

The symbol of nightmares slowly raised its fist.

Just as her heart was pounding so hard it felt like it was about to burst, Lefia, having finished her incantation, quickly cast her "magic".

"Spirit, [Spirit Bow and Light Arrow]!!"

The released, shimmering arrow collided head-on with the giant's fist.

It unleashed an unprecedentedly bright light, turning Lefia's vision a blinding white.

She was then blown away by the sound of the explosion.

"Huh!?...!?"

Goliath only leaned his upper body backward.

Its fist, which had collided head-on with Lefia's all-out cannon fire, was raised high above its head, appearing as if it had been knocked back by the impact.

The fist was just emitting black smoke; there wasn't a single scratch on it.

Lefia's "magic" only managed to slightly block one of the giant's attacks.

"Ah, ah... ahh...!"

Goliath slowly regained its footing, its cold, monstrous eyes gazing down at the trembling, weak elf. At that moment, Badain collapsed, exhausted.

Lefia was completely powerless to help.

They were completely powerless to resist.

The "Seventh Squad," to which Lefia and the others belonged, was completely destroyed at this moment.

(—How much have I changed since then?)

Memories from that year flashed through my mind at high speed, and a surge of intense emotion welled up within me.

Because she is so pathetic, because she is so powerless, because all she can do is cry, she has ended up losing someone she cherishes. Lefia now firmly believes in this conclusion.

To erase this tragic memory, and to vent the anger and hatred she felt towards her past self, she screamed at the top of her lungs.

"Shoot through, arrow that will surely hit!"

"Ooh o ...

With this clear chant, the enraged Goliath raised his fist high.

That was a right fist aimed at Lefia, the same giant fist that had once plunged her into the abyss of despair.

Lefia's eyes widened as she overheard past memories merging with the present moment.

How much stronger did I become after that?

—Let's give him a try!

"[Spirit Bow and Light Arrow]!!"

A huge beam of light shot out from the short staff that stretched forward, and Goliath also threw a powerful punch at the same time.

A fatal blow clashes head-on with a fatal blow.

The dazzling flash that followed illuminated the faces of the elves and monsters.

The balance of the battle lasted only a moment before Lefia's magic instantly obliterated the giant's entire arm.

"~ ...

Goliath, whose right hand had vanished from his fist to his shoulder, let out a piercing scream.

It pressed its left hand against the wound that was constantly smoking due to the high temperature, painfully shaking its messy black hair, and the rumbling sound it produced filled the entire cavern.

The sound was so loud that it terrified Nano and the others who were trapped inside the barrier and isolated from the outside world.

The students, who knew perfectly well who had caused the monster to emit such an unprecedented and terrifying cry, were all terrified and turned pale.

"[Unleash a beam of light, the bow of sacred wood. You are a master archer!]"

Lefia, moving at high speed, wanted to deliver a fatal blow to Goliath using parallel chanting, but enemy reinforcements who had arrived from the entrance began to attack and obstruct her.

"You...stop getting in my way!!"

Lefia, her eyes blazing with fury, unleashed a bloodbath.

Faced with monsters that were either torn to pieces by the sword or had lost limbs but still clung to her relentlessly, Lefia was forced to use "magic." A blinding flash instantly wiped out a portion of the monster army, but reinforcements continued to besiege Lefia. The tormented Goliath, blinded by rage, launched attacks relentlessly, even at the cost of friendly fire.

The situation reversed in an instant.

A highly skilled individual was surrounded and attacked by a group of up to forty.

Despite managing to avoid being directly hit by the giant fist, the slender Lefia was still thrown back by the impact, and the relentless claws and fangs took away pieces of her body.

Lefia was dressed in rags, and blood was streaming down her face.

Her long ears were missing a section, and her thick golden hair had become shorter.

The monsters' ferocious roars seemed to transform into cruel laughter, but Lefia remained unfazed.

She did not succumb to despair, did not tremble, and was even fearless.

She did not stop, continuing to weave songs and endless sword shadows.

All that could be left in her head was the questioning of herself.

How will that person act?

How will that person respond?

If it were Miss Phil Weiss, how would she respond?

The answer to these questions comes from the body. Every move, from Philwis's actions and postures to her parallel chanting (moves), is imitated by Lefia with all her might and projected onto herself.

“Drink aaaaaaaaaa!”

Accelerate, accelerate, and accelerate again.

With a single sword stroke, he cleaved the "Unicorn Rabbit" in two; magic blasted the "Minotaur" into fragments; the fire breath of the "Cerberus" charred the "Fanged Lion Tiger"; and he lured the giant (Goliath) to attack, turning the entire pack of black dogs (Cerberus) into mincemeat. Running, chanting, dancing, flashing swords, he ceaselessly wielded his short staff and dagger.

(Illustration 020)

Even with her cheeks slashed by fangs and her thighs torn by claws, all the offense and defense will push Lefia to the next level.

I have gradually become more and more proficient at it.

He had become a "magic swordsman"!

He held his own against both giants and monster armies, fighting to a draw!

I am gradually becoming a powerful being capable of protecting myself and saving others!

(But—)

In the darkness within my heart.

A "white elf" was standing in the corner.

That was "her" phantom, which had been there since some unknown time.

She never smiled throughout.

Even though he wanted to become like her, to be as strong as her, she looked at him with a sorrowful expression.

why?

Why did you make that face?

Lefia didn't understand.

Although Lefia couldn't understand it, she knew that as long as she became stronger, a smile would surely appear in her heart.

As long as I get closer to her, I'm sure I'll get her praise and bring a smile back to her face!

"so!!"

The magic exploded, turning countless monsters to ashes.

Amidst the carnage of the battlefield, Lefia continued to sing mournful songs, her sword playing a magnificent melody.

*

"Loki."

As Loki gazed out from the sky corridor of her headquarters at the underground city beneath the Tower of Babel, someone suddenly called her name from behind.

The person who stopped in front of her was Riveria.

"Oh? Riveria, are you alright staying here? I thought you were worried about Lefia and had already gone into the maze."

"Grace went there. He said, 'Playing in the sand and turning over dirt isn't an elf's job.'"

Loki understood immediately after hearing this.

The earth race (dwarves) are unparalleled in their expertise in excavation and mining. If they, inextricably linked to mines and mining, were to be involved, the forest race (elves) would only embarrass themselves.

Moreover, it's not just the various factions; even the "school district" has been mobilized. Even if the underground city isn't completely packed, there's still a surplus of manpower. No matter how vast the underground city is, the area affected by the collapse is at most three levels.

"So, Riveria, having nothing better to do, came to keep me company and chat, is that it?"

"That's half the reason."

"So the other half's reason is to check if the amount of 'favor' has decreased... is that right?"

"...Since you've already figured it out, don't answer me in such a roundabout way."

Riveria closed her eyes and sighed, and Loki chuckled softly at the sight.

The elven royalty looked at the insightful goddess with reproachful eyes and urged her on.

"So, has the quantity decreased?"

"Don't worry, the number hasn't decreased, Lefia is safe and sound."

"...It would be more accurate to say that 'the situation is currently peaceful'."

Loki stopped smiling and turned his gaze to Riveria.