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

The monsters hid, holding their breath in concentration.

"..."

My back started to feel cold.

I shivered.

However, I cannot stop moving forward.

Reason prevailed over instinct, and I quickened my pace. I encouraged my entire body to move forward as quickly as possible. While the silence still lingered, it was still possible; there was still time.

Despite nearly tripping several times, I didn't care and just kept rushing forward in a straight line through the large passage that seemed to be prepared for a giant monster.

then……

"...!"

I have arrived.

A vast, indeed long and large hall.

Unlike the haphazardly shaped chambers of the previous middle level, this one was a flat rectangular prism. From the large circular entrance where I was standing to the depths of the chamber, it was probably about two hundred meters. In terms of length alone, it was larger than a granary. The width was about one hundred meters, and the distance from the ground to the ceiling was probably less than twenty meters.

The walls and ceiling of this hall are made of rough rocks, only the left wall has a different structure.

The surface was so smooth it made one doubt their own eyes, as if someone had polished it, without a single bump or unevenness. It was as if it had been crafted by numerous stonemasons, with no seams on the walls, stretching from one end of the cave to the other, filling the entire field of vision.

I craned my eyes and looked up at the strange wall that looked beautiful, yet extremely unnatural.

"The Wailing Wall...!"

That's it—the feeling of being shocked and then disappearing.

(illustration)

Named by the adventurers who reached this hall and returned alive, the final barrier (wall) of the 17th floor.

It is a massive wall that gives birth to only one specific monster and is the master of the cave.

I held my breath, abruptly shifting my gaze away from the "Wall of Sighs," and stepped into the hall.

The same was true here; there was no sign of any monsters. The imposing wall to my left repeatedly drew my attention, its presence shaking my heart, but I was only focused on traversing the darkness of the cave. My fingers dug deep into the bodies of Lily and Welf, whose eyes were closed, and I couldn't let go.

While there's still time.

While we can still pass through this place safely, let's take advantage of the current situation.

As long as one can escape into the depths of their vision, to the cave that opened up in the very center of the wall—

It's like mocking me for being so single-mindedly focused on moving forward.

There was a snap.

“——”

rang.

That sound.

I turned to the side, and there it was.

I stared in astonishment as it was right in front of me.

A huge crack, like lightning, was etched across the wall from top to bottom.

"...!"

My mind went blank for a moment, and then I took off running.

I grabbed Lily and Welf's bodies to keep them from falling, and desperately lifted my heavy legs.

I've only gone halfway through the space. It's so far, so incredibly far. Why is it so far? My vision is blurry; the distance between me and the exit hasn't shortened at all.

During this time, the walls continued to crack. Crack, crack, the sound grew louder. Gradually, the sound transformed into a heavy, guttural cry, like gasps, groans, and sighs, shaking the entire hall. A sonic tsunami, like an avalanche, made my eardrums groan.

The groans and cries continued to increase, the cracks grew larger and deeper, and the earth was shaking on the 17th floor.

Approaching the critical point, an even stronger impact pounded against the wall from the inside—the next instant…

A loud shattering sound.

Breathing has stopped.

Immediately afterwards, the rocks flew off, collapsed, and tumbled to the ground with a deafening roar. Behind them, fragments of a massive, shattered wall lay scattered.

Then, with a loud "boom".

It sounded as if something enormous had landed on the earth, making an exceptionally loud thud.

"..."

As if entangled by an invisible thread, I stopped in my tracks.

No, stop—don't look.

The neck, ignoring the cries of reason, began to turn on its own.

In the jarring silence, I turned to look behind me.

"..."

That's in the flying dust.

An excessively large silhouette. Thick neck, broad shoulders, tiger-like arms, and powerful legs. A shape remarkably similar to that of a human. The skin glimpsed for a fleeting moment in the shadows was grayish-brown.

A large amount of stiff black hair, as shiny as grease, extends from the back of the head and grows to the base of the neck.

Bell dares to assert that of all the creatures he has ever seen, the one in front of him is the largest monster (creature).

That's it.

Trembling, he clutched his entire body tightly.

Unlike with the Minotaur, this fear did not stem from psychological trauma.

Fear. The immense disparity in power between races and individuals.

The gap as an absolute "existence".

—This is the floor owner.

A giant with a total height of seven meters.

The Lone King of the Labyrinth – "Goliath".

(illustration)

"--Whoa whoa……"

On the other side of the gradually dissipating smoke, a bright red eyeball as big as a human head began to move.

The eyeball reflected my frozen state, and it slowly turned towards me, making a loud, clattering sound as it turned its body.

The body instantly regained its intense heat.

The previously dormant alarm bells rang in full force, shattering the pause in time.

"Ooh o ...

I took off running.

Escape the scene at all costs.

Goliath roared and began to chase me. Each time the giant's foot stomped down, the ground cracked and trembled, shaking the entire hall.

Run as fast as you can, run as fast as you can, run as fast as you can.

As the word "sincerity" suggests, I frantically fled from the immense pressure and murderous intent that suddenly approached. I left fatigue, thoughts, and fear behind, grabbing only my companion's body and rushing towards the exit in front of me.

The landscape of the cavern stretched continuously across both sides of the field of vision. The cave leading to the 18th level approached rapidly like a tsunami. Even faster, mercilessly, the giant's pursuit drew ever closer.

Run, run, run, run, run, run, run, run, run, run, run, run, run!

Although Goliath's loud voice countered my shouts, I also shouted loudly.

A strong wind arose from behind. The monster could be felt raising its massive arm high above its head. The devastating blow was about to strike.

It needs to be faster, bigger, even if it's just a second faster, or even if it's just taking one more step.

I poured all my remaining strength into my feet as I stomped on the ground.

Charge forward. Run as fast as you can.

I jumped into the cave.

"Ooh o ...

A giant iron hammer falling from above.

I escaped into the cave at the last second, and there was an explosion right behind me—along with a shockwave.

“Ugh!”

He was blasted away.

An unimaginable blast wave hit my back, and my body, which was floating in the air, was thrown away.

What followed was a heavy "thud".

His whole body was slammed against the stone wall, but even so, the impact force did not diminish.

I bumped around inside the narrow cave.

"Eee! Ugh! Ah—!?"

The ceiling, walls, and floor bounced around like a ball.

The world flipped two or three times, and with endless, violent collisions, Lily and Welf were both pulled from my grasp. The three of them were thrown and rolled together, falling deeper into the cave.

The impacts from all directions and the pain of the violent collisions left my mind foggy; I could only feel myself being slowly pulled downwards.

I haphazardly made my way through the cave, which was supposed to be sloping downhill, and finally—

“Ugh—!”

There was a loud thud.

I was vomited out of what seemed like an exit cave and violently thrown to the ground.

After the impact of the fall, I scraped along the ground for a distance before finally coming to a stop.

His body lay prone on the ground, refusing to move an inch. He couldn't even turn his neck by a single C-shape.

The horizontal field of vision appears red and blurry.

My whole body aches. I must be covered in wounds. The wound on my forehead has reopened, and my face is covered in blood.

The soft touch that supported my entire body must have been grass.

The surroundings felt warm and bright, as if bathed in sunlight. Why? I don't know.

"..."

Listening to the quiet rustling sound, like leaves rubbing together, I searched for my companion.

Lily and Welf—both are there. I can feel their faint breathing. The three of them are probably lying together lovingly.

I desperately tried to maintain my consciousness, which was almost drifting away, and told myself that it wasn't enough, it wasn't possible yet.

I have to save them both... save Lily and Welf. I need to heal them quickly.

So, as I chanted "Move, move" to the stone-cold body... I noticed someone walking towards me.

"...!"

The soft rustling of footsteps on the grass drew closer.

The figure came right in front of me, looking down at me, its shadow covering my body.

In an instant—I exerted all my strength.

Raise your right hand and "snap!" grab the other person's slender leg.

Through the boots I was holding, I could feel the man wavering, and then I opened my trembling mouth.

"Please save my companion...!"

I forced out a sound and pleaded with the other person.