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

"I know I'm being too optimistic! I'm the one who threw you away, and now I need you to lend me your strength!"

Even though he knew there was no way anyone would respond, Welf continued to shout.

He parted the lush vegetation, constantly turning his head to look around and scan every corner.

"But I want to help a friend! Please—let me crush you!"

The next instant, as if his voice had reached them, a corner of the forest emitted a red glow.

Welf's eyes widened, and he immediately ran towards the spot. Deep in the bushes, the weapon was stuck in the roots of a large tree.

The white cloth loosened slightly, revealing a dazzling crimson jewel set in the center of the blade, where there was no guard. Welf steeled his resolve and grabbed the weapon, which radiated a burning glow.

He slung his weapon over his right shoulder and charged up the slope in one breath.

"...!"

The weight pressing down on his shoulders made Welf grit his teeth.

Once the "Demon Sword" has exhausted its power—reaching its limit—it will shatter into pieces. This is the price one must pay to gain power equivalent to magic. This is the inevitable end for demonic weapons.

It cannot share the joys and sorrows with its users, nor can it watch over their growth. It will shatter before death can separate them.

Welf hates the "Demon Sword." He hates weapons that abandon their users and die alone.

Welf hated their destiny, which prevented him from fulfilling their original purpose as weapons.

—Yes, it's boring, it's just a kind of sentimentality (obsession).

Since this weapon corrupts both the user and the blacksmith, preventing them from even fulfilling their desire to be weapons, it's better to avoid encountering anyone and remain forever in obscurity.

Welf, who was unfortunately able to create the "magic sword," always hoped to carry on this sentimentality—this obsession.

"!"

They emerged from the forest. First to come into view was Goliath, who seemed poised to break through the deep purple barrier at any moment; then came the adventurers fiercely battling the monster; and finally, at the very back, Bell wielding his greatsword.

Hearing the tolling of the clock tower, Welf immediately understood the center of the battle's momentum. He rushed south from the eastern forest towards the monsters closing in on Bell, determined not to let the boy be trapped in a deadly situation again.

In the blink of an eye, he had arrived in front of the large group of monsters, and then he waved his white cloth weapon.

"Listen up! Get out of my way if you don't want to die!"

As the white cloth was roughly swung away, a large ball of fire burst forth.

The adventurers nearly rolled their eyes as they narrowly escaped, only to have the wildfire wipe out all the monsters, burning the entire grassland to ashes.

Just as the intense firepower stunned the adventurers, the white cloth burned away, revealing the appearance of the weapon.

A longsword with no decoration, consisting only of a hilt and a blade. Its appearance is rugged and simple, as if carved directly from rock, yet the blade seems to contain the power of condensed flames, and its shape is also beautiful.

The dazzling crimson "magic sword" cracked in Welf's hand with a snap. The fact that the weapon self-destructed after only one use saddened Welf, who then looked back.

"It's about to break through...!"

Just as if issuing a decree to unleash a heavy pressure spell, Goliath plunged his hands into the barrier and pried it open. "Roar!" the giant roared, freed from his confinement. Ryu and Asphie grabbed their weapons, ready to fight—but only Welf walked up to them.

He was locked in a stalemate with Goliath, gripping the longsword only with his right hand, pulling it behind his back to build up his strength.

His calm and composed face revealed only a pair of eyes that glared sharply and fearlessly.

one strike.

Welf shouted out the true name of the "Demon Sword," which was named solely for this one strike.

"Fire Moon—!"

In that instant, everyone's vision was engulfed in flames.

A burst of crimson flames shot forward. The sword, raised high overhead and swung downward, unleashed a massive jet of fire that engulfed Goliath in a straight line.

The flames engulfed its massive body, ravaging the enemy with a deafening roar as the fire raged.

(illustration)

"Aaaaaah!"

As if he had been pushed into a deep abyss of karmic fire, Goliath's body was engulfed in flames.

Self-regeneration simply couldn't keep up. The healing light and countless red particles that emerged were immediately swallowed by the giant jaws of the fire beast, which sought to incinerate the giant's immense magical power.

During the long battle, Goliath's body suffered its first fatal wound.

"That's 'Kroso's Demon Sword'...!"

"It can even surpass formal magic (origina)!"

Witnessing the massive vortex of flames, not only Asphie but even Ryu, an elf, felt a chill. That was no inferior magic; what appeared before them was a power capable of instantly incinerating even an elven forest.

The legendary sword, said to be able to "burn the sea," has unleashed its power.

“——”

The scorching heat and sparks, along with the cracks appearing on the sword's blade.

In the blink of an eye, cracks spread like lightning across the entire "magic sword" in Welf's hand, shattering it.

--sorry.

Facing the countless fragments that uttered a sharp farewell, Welf lowered his head and murmured to himself.

◆

(—Three minutes.)

Bell remained calm and realized that the time was ripe.

His deep red eyes never wavered, remaining fixed on the front, in the center of his field of vision.

There stood only the black giant, Goliath. At that moment, the giant burned fiercely in the crimson flames, its intense red glow the only feature in the desolate night-shrouded building.

Facing the monster that had repelled the onslaught of a large group of adventurers and routed them, Bell prepared his ever-glowing black greatsword.

The trigger for his "Hero's Wish," the object of his imagined aspirations, is "Hero David."

The ancient overlord who, after one-on-one duels with powerful enemies and standing up against an army of tens of thousands, ultimately achieved victory.

Imagining the heroic figure of a great hero, Bell slowly leaned forward.

"—Everyone, make way—!"

The race begins.

At Hestia's command, he charged across the vast grassland with a powerful kick.

Carrying a black greatsword that glowed white, he rang out the bell tower with a resounding twang, charging towards the scene before him, towards the fiery giant monster. Even the boiling blood coursing through his body transformed into the force that propelled him forward, rushing towards the golden opportunity created for his comrades—the first and final strike.

The moment the command was given, the adventurers leaped out of Bell's path.

Welf, Life, Ryu, Asif.

Everyone who had cleared a path stared at Bell's profile.

Like prayers, trust, and encouragement—it was all telling him, "Go for it!"

Bearing the gaze of everyone on his back, Bell increased his speed and sprinted forward.

"Roar!"

Goliath's burning gaze pierced through Bell, who was approaching him.

It let out a shout that was a blend of yelling and roaring, pulling its burning, powerful arms behind its back.

The giant unleashed a sweeping attack, channeling all his strength. Facing the blow from his right arm, capable of crushing anything, Bell didn't slow his pace.

—As the goddess (Hestia) said. Bell received "the blow of a hero."

Bearing those words in mind, Bell swung his black greatsword and raised it over his right shoulder.

The distance has been shortened.

The enemy's massive body drew closer, as if it were about to crush him.

And my hands are full of surging power.

Having staked everything on the lightsaber that had been combined into one, Bell unleashed his only attack.

"Aa ...

burst.

“——”

The pure white aurora overwhelmed Welf and the others' vision, and everyone covered their eyes with their arms.

Bell's roar silenced Goliath's shouts, along with the earth-shattering boom.

All of this temporarily robbed everyone of their hearing, and in the end, all that remained was the silence of victory and defeat.

Several people who had regained their sight opened their eyes tremblingly, only to see the giant standing there with half of his body remaining, having lost his right arm and upper body.

The left arm and lower body that had fallen to the ground remained frozen in place, like a statue.

White smoke rose from the broken edge of the black greatsword's blade where it had disappeared, and Bell remained frozen in the posture of swinging the sword all the way to the end.

Seeing that scene, everyone was silent and stood there in a daze for a long time.

"...It was blown to smithereens...completely destroyed."

Welf's dazed murmur seemed to become the catalyst, allowing the paused time to resume its flow.

The stiff and motionless Bell collapsed, kneeling on one side. The greatsword, now without its blade, pierced the grassland like a crutch, and before his eyes, Goliath's remaining lower body and left arm turned to ashes.

At the same time, it lost its upper body and the body made of magic stone, and after a period of time, it slowly disappeared as if it were melting.

A part of the corpse flew into the air with a "whoosh," leaving behind a large amount of dust containing the fallen item—"Goliath's Hard Hide."

(illustration)

"—Ugh ugh ...

The next moment, the crowd erupted in cheers.

The adventurers around them raised their hands, put their arms around each other, or even shouted "Long live!" with tears in their eyes. The chipped swords, spears, axes, and shields in their hands seemed to be singing a triumphant song, gleaming with silver light.

The inexpressible sound waves resounded all around like a tsunami, shaking the entire prairie.

The earthquake, which had just occurred, seemed like a hoax, and the dungeon returned to silence, showing no signs of giving birth to any more monsters. Seeing the battle over, the adventurers of Rivera Town and Modo's group were all flushed with excitement, sharing their joy.

"Bell!"

"Bell!"

With teary eyes, Hestia was the first to rush out, followed by Welf, Lily, Ryu, and Mikoto, who ran towards the exhausted Bell. The rest of the group also rushed to his side.

The crystal flowers remaining on the ceiling cast a shimmering blue light.

The surrounding area was filled with continuous joyful cheers, which enveloped Bell and the others, as well as the entire space of the 18th floor.

◆

"Ah...ah! Oh!"

Hestia and the others ran out of the southern grasslands.

Hermes was left alone, staring intently at Bell, the center of the cheers, his orange-yellow eyes gleaming.

Hearing cheers erupting from the direction of the stronghold, enveloping the surrounding area, he smiled with delight.

"I saw it! I, Hermes, truly witnessed it with my own eyes! Your grandson, your parting gift!"

He seemed to be shouting at someone who wasn't there, so excited that he was completely absorbed in the moment.

Hermes recalled the words of his childhood foster parents.

He was ambitious and persistent—but he just lacked the talent.

"I'm afraid he won't amount to much," his grandfather once said.

"Stop talking nonsense! Are you so old you're blind?!"

Seeing this scene, could you still say such a thing? He gestured exaggeratedly, pointing at the scene before him.

Hermes smirked, his expression one of pure ecstasy.

"Rejoice, great god (Zeus), your adopted grandson is the real deal! He is the last hero left behind by your [familiar]!"

Hermes, still brimming with excitement, continued joyfully: