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

"call!"

"Woo, woooo ...

Modo aimed his longsword at the White Rabbit, who was charging at him equipped with the "Ushiwakamaru" weapon, and slashed down with it.

Facing the blue sword that came from the left diagonal, Bell used his left hand to grip the red dagger and knock it away.

With a loud clang, a fierce crimson arc deflected the blue-green slash, causing the broken sword to appear in mid-air and dance in the void. Modo's body was pushed back by the impact of the weapon being deflected, with only his right hand, gripping the hilt, raised high as if in a cheering gesture and frozen in place.

Bell didn't stop at all.

Using the force of his outstretched left hand, he spun around his body, pivoting on his left foot, which was tucked into Modo's arms.

Bell raised his right foot, creating a ferocious vortex, and unleashed a spinning kick personally taught to him by Ais.

"Aa ...

He kicked Modo in the right side of the head with his right heel.

"Ugh!"

Just like when Bale was hit in the first place, he took a full-body blow to his right temple.

The added centrifugal force sent Modo's body flying, followed by a "crack" sound. The sound came from the black helmet (Hades Helmet) on his head.

Cracks covered the entire helmet, and the magical artifact shattered into a pile of fragments. At the same time, Modoki's "transparent state" was also lifted after losing his helmet.

With his trembling hands supporting him on the ground, his body appeared on the stage.

"Gurgle, ugh... you brat...!"

Modo swayed as he stood up, pressing his head, and glared at Bell with bloodshot eyes.

Despite being brutally beaten and covered in bruises, Bell was panting as he got back into position.

The sounds of fierce fighting rang out all around them. Their eyes met, and they were about to settle things once and for all.

"Stop it!"

The sounds of swords and halberds abruptly ceased.

Bell and Mordo, who were about to throw a punch, stopped and turned to look at the person who was shouting loudly.

Sure enough, it was Hestia there. The little goddess was accompanied by Lily, who kept a close eye on the adventurers, including Bell, who were engaged in a chaotic battle.

"Bell, look, I'm safe and sound! Stop fighting pointless battles! And stop killing each other!"

Seeing Hestia shout to stop him, Bell was completely relieved and slowly lowered his arm.

Welf and the others also laid down their weapons and silently followed the goddess's will.

However, Modo, his face contorted with rage, continued to shout and spit as he berated his companions who remained frozen in place.

"We don't need to listen to the gods! Charge! Take them down!"

The high-ranking adventurers had already been thoroughly defeated by Ryu, but they seemed to think that there was no turning back now, so they raised their weapons again. Modo also made a move to pounce on Bell in front of him.

however.

"—Stop it."

The goddess's calm words swallowed up the surrounding sounds and impacted the space.

As if experiencing sleep paralysis, Modo and the others froze in place. Their expressions were stunned, their faces ashen as they turned back to Hestia, their throats trembling. Bell and the others were the same, speechless with awe at the expressionless goddess.

The divine might that commands the mortal realm to bow down in submission. The transcendent existence that compels people to submit is evident here.

Not for herself, but to stop the children from continuing to fight and hurt each other, Hestia unleashed Kamui.

"Put away your swords."

"Ugh, ah..."

Hestia used a tone and expression that Bell had never heard before to persuade everyone to listen.

Modo and the others groaned, forced to retreat step by step by the mysterious blue eyes.

"...Ughh ...

One adventurer turned and fled, followed by one or two more people chasing after him. Finally, Modo shouted, "Wait, wait for me!" and ran away as well.

The forest is like a place after a storm, where only tranquility remains.

"—Bell, are you alright!"

"Wow!"

Unable to move an inch after being struck by Hestia's body, Bell finally snapped out of his daze. The tearful goddess took a high-grade elixir bearing the mark of Mih from her pouch and poured it directly onto Bell's face. Bell barely managed a "Whoa!" before the sweet solution healed his injuries and swelling, and even restored his strength.

"Waaah—I'm so sorry...it's all my fault you got beaten up so badly...!"

"Ah, no, God... If you really want to talk about it, it's all my fault. I didn't protect you well. So, um... please, please stop crying."

Seeing Hestia sobbing and clutching her chest, Bell was at his wit's end. He could only gently hug her back, as if comforting a child. The reason he would normally not dare to do such a thing was because the scene just now seemed like an illusion. She was no longer the solemn and dignified goddess, which confused Bell.

Even though the "divine power" was sealed, the gods were still "gods" to be revered by the children.

Even so, the gods never use their divine power to suppress others with a superior attitude, because life in the lower realm (this world) is just a game... More importantly, they deeply love the children living in the lower realm and respect their stories (life).

Thinking of the gods who did not exercise their power for personal gain or desire, and who tried to live as human beings like the people of the mortal world, and the petite girl in his arms with tears in her eyes looking up at him... Bell truly felt affection for them at that moment.

"Are you alright, Bell?"

"Welf..."

"Lily understands you're doing this out of necessity, but please don't go alone! At least discuss it with Lily or someone else; I'm sure that will help you come up with more solutions!"

The little goddess (Hestia) whimpered and burrowed into his chest, while Welf gave him a wry smile, and Lily snapped at him. "Sorry, thank you." Seeing the deep camaraderie within the team, he ordered them to watch with smiles on their faces.

"...Um. I'm sorry, Ming, for causing you trouble."

"No, Goddess Hestia. We're alright."

"Thank you, masked lady, for saving us too."

"Masked..."

Hestia stopped crying, cleared her throat, and only then did she adopt a goddess-like demeanor. Ryu covered her face with her hoodie and muttered to herself, and everyone relaxed.

After a battle, Tranquility visits the forest and embraces Bell and the others who are smiling at each other.

Then, just as Hestia was about to say, "Anyway, it's all over now"—at that very moment...

“Eh…?”

The ground beneath my feet shook.

No, the entire floor was shaking.

"Earthquake?"

“No, this is…”

Is the dungeon trembling?

Chigusa, Mikoto, and Sakura looked down at their feet, appearing panicked.

As the shaking intensified, the surrounding trees swayed from side to side, their leaves rustling loudly.

"This vibration...it feels uneasy."

As Ryu said this, Bell and the others also realized it.

This is a precursor to an abnormal situation.

The floor continued to shake, and the next moment—silently...

Dark shadows began to appear in the light shining overhead, and the surroundings became darker.

"...Hey. What's that?"

Looking up at the sky, Welf murmured blankly.

Countless crystals covered the entire ceiling, illuminating the 18th floor. Among them, the white crystal in the center replaced the sun.

A huge object is stirring.

Like peering into a kaleidoscope, enormous shadows reflected within the crystal, forming black mirror images—creating an eerie scene. Something deep within the crystal intruded upon the light illuminating the floor, casting shadows all around.

Like everyone else, Bell stared at the ceiling, frozen in place. Suddenly, an even stronger tremor erupted. The force, powerful enough to shake the entire 18th floor, caused everyone to reach out and grab the surrounding tree trunks for support, lest they fall.

Then—there was a snap.

A crack.

Something huge was still stirring inside the white crystal, and crooked deep lines appeared on it.

"Cracks...? Is it a monster?!"

"That's impossible! This is a safe floor!"

Crystal fragments gleamed from the resulting cracks and fell fragilely.

Upon hearing Ming say that, Lily screamed as if she were being shrieked, and the cracks widened, affecting the blue crystal.

As if peeling back the inside of a crystal, the black figure gradually grew larger.

"Hey... could it be that I caused this?"

Upon hearing this, everyone turned to look at Hestia.

Under the gaze of Bell and the others, she looked up in astonishment, staring at that point on the ceiling.

"That's only a little bit of divine power... You must be kidding, right?"

As if trying to crush everything below from above, a cracking sound suddenly rang out, and Hestia's eyes widened.

"We've been discovered...?"

"No, it wasn't Hestia who caused it."

The building was still swaying intermittently, and Hermes looked up at the scene from the tree.

"Hermes, what trouble have you gotten yourself into this time!?"

"Even if I used any tricks, I wouldn't have that much power."

Hermes stared intently at the black shadow after being met with Asphie's distrustful shout.

"Ah, Uranus... where did the prayer go? I haven't heard of such a thing."

Hermes, with an expression that suggested he was about to click his tongue in disbelief, narrowed his eyes and uttered these words as if cursing.

"It's not enough for just you to understand; please explain clearly! What exactly is going on?"

"They've probably lost control. And they've never been this neurotic before, which is why they noticed our presence."

Hermes, as if speaking a monologue, continued to address the bewildered Asphie:

"The underground city harbors hatred. It hates the gods (us) for locking it up in this underground place."

Seeing Hermes staring intently at the ceiling, Asifi was puzzled and about to speak when the continuous sound of shattering crystals interrupted her.

The distant howls of the monsters inside the building overlapped and echoed from all directions.

"Asfi, go to Rivera town and get reinforcements."

"Reinforcements? You mean, are we going to fight that? Not leave this floor to take refuge?"

"No, I'm afraid..."

As if in agreement with Hermes's words, a sound of something collapsing and rocks colliding violently came from the south.

Asifi turned her head to look south, her eyes widening as she gasped.

"The cave (escape route) is blocked... They really don't intend to let us go."

"—! Oh dear! If I don't make it back alive, I'll hate you to death, God Hermes!"

Asphie seemed to give up and leaped off the tree. Hermes shrugged apologetically as he watched her go, then turned his gaze back up.

"Next..."

Endless cracks. A continuous downpour of quartz.

From the center of the crystal, which resembled a blooming chrysanthemum, "that" spoke and poked its head out.

Upon seeing that scene, Hermes smiled with his eyebrows lowered, looking utterly troubled.