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

"Thank you for saying that. We don't want to start a conflict with you."

As he walked past, the boarman spoke calmly, and Finn answered him.

Without saying anything more, Otto left the cave through the passage where Finn and the others had come from.

He left his nemesis behind and walked down the narrow, dark passage.

"I curse my carelessness and negligence, for failing to stop her."

Ota let the blood drip from the lacerations left by Ais, clenched his rock-hard fist, and whispered a meaningful sentence—a curse upon himself.

The strict martial artist never looked back, but kept his eyes fixed on what lay ahead.

"Let me put aside my own incompetence for now, but let me say one thing."

He listened to the roars of bulls and the shouts of adventurers echoing from the distant depths of the labyrinth behind him, and continued:

"Break out of your shell, push aside others' helping hands, and embrace the 'adventure.' You must only look ahead."

O'Hara raised the corners of her eyes and said at the end:

"Respond to that person's favor."

◆

Light streamed from the depths of the dim, monotonous road.

"...!"

As the light from the cave drew closer, Ais quickened her pace and ran forward.

Suddenly, her vision cleared, and she saw the Minotaur, a single-horned monster, in the center of the vast space, and a boy lying on his back, far away from the monster.

When Ais saw the latter's appearance, she almost stopped breathing.

The Minotaur was walking toward him when she noticed Ais's presence—she saw the boy's chest rise and fall slightly, a sense of relief spreading throughout his body.

Ais was overwhelmed with mixed feelings, but it only lasted for a moment before she stared intently at the bull with the expression of a Fiora.

"...!?"

The alien monster, equipped with an adventurer's greatsword, was so intimidated by her aura that its body hair trembled and it stood frozen in place.

Ais didn't finish watching before rushing out and running into the Minotaur's path, shielding the fallen boy with her back and blocking its way.

The aftershocks of the magic (Wind Spirit Swiftness) created a gentle breeze that stirred the flowers and plants growing on the cave floor.

“——”

A gasp came from behind.

The boy must have gotten up. Ais shook off her worries, gripped the hilt of her sword, and glared at the bull in front of her.

"Ooh, oh ooh...!"

Seeing that the monster was clearly frightened, Ais did not speak.

Only within the armored chest lay a calm emotion, perhaps an anger.

The sharp sword energy, together with the wind, formed a vortex.

"Found her! Ais—!"

"Tsk, don't go running around for such trivial matters!"

Not only Tiona and Bert, but Tione and the others also entered the cave with their footsteps. Ais's gaze swept over the Minotaur's entire body.

Ais didn't know if it was a trained monster, nor what Otto and his companions' purpose was. But she concluded that the monster had to be eliminated as soon as possible to prevent it from harming the boy again.

Suddenly, a rustling sound was heard.

A faint sound came from the grassland behind her.

Ais looked away and glanced back slightly, only to see the stunned boy—the battered Bell—supporting himself with his hands and straightening his upper body.

"...Are you alright?"

--How are you?

Just like that first encounter.

When Ais defeated the Minotaur and saved the boy, she said the same thing to him.

A look of relief appeared on her lips.

"...You did your best."

—He really did his best.

It's different from back then.

He fought the Minotaur and survived, and Ais offered no exaggeration in praise and consolation.

My heart is filled with tender feelings.

"I'll save you right away."

—I'll defeat that Minotaur.

Ais dispelled the spell (Wind Spirit Swiftness) and tightened her grip on her beloved sword (Sword of Despair).

Just as Ais was about to take a step forward.

At that moment.

(—Huh?)

The sound of footsteps pounding the ground could be heard.

It wasn't Ais who posted it.

It wasn't the Minotaur, nor was it Tiona or the others.

The person made a "thump!" sound.

From directly behind Ais.

With a powerful push of its feet on the grassland, it made a sound.

"!"

As Ais turned around, her hand was grabbed.

Its golden eyes were wide open.

He was standing.

The boy rallied and stood up.

Despite being covered in wounds, his deep red eyes glared fiercely at the bull (Notaurus), looking past Ais.

With his burning hot right hand, he tightly grasped Ais's left hand.

"……cannot."

He grabbed her hand and pulled her behind him, causing the astonished Ais to fall behind him.

The boy, relying on his own will, stepped forward.

"I can't let Ais Wallenstein save me again!"

Then, he let out a powerful roar.

It's like trying to save face, like upholding one's ambitions, like insisting on a mindset that cannot be compromised.

Facing the boy who raised the black dagger, the Minotaur also widened its eyes—and then grinned menacingly.

As if responding to his will, the Minotaur turned the blade of his greatsword toward him.

(Why, how could this be—)

unbelievable.

Ais knew.

I know he's just an ordinary teenager.

He was just an ordinary child with a kind heart and pure innocence.

There is absolutely no "capacity" of an adventurer.

(How did he do that?)

even so.

But he stood up.

An ordinary teenager.

The child, who had no "capacity" of an adventurer, stood up by sheer determination.

"!!"

The boy, trembling with his armorless limbs and blood-stained back, rallied his spirits.

He stared intently at his enemy, about to face a brutal and deadly battle.

(no--)

She really wanted to say: Wait a minute.

Ais opened her mouth to call him back, and was about to go over—just then.

The boy's silhouette overlapped with scenes from the past.

"—Ais, wait there."

The scene before me overlapped with my father's last silhouette.

"————"

Holding a sword that cleaves through the wind, he left behind these words and faced his father in the final battle, his back view mirroring that of the boy.

The figure of a "hero" overlaps with that of the boy.

Her eyes were wide open, but she couldn't move.

Mind and body separated, the young self (Ais) stood frozen in place.

(--ah……)

Ais understood.

Faced with this scene, she recalled her past memories and understood.

He broke through the shell of his own inadequacy and, at that moment, became an "adventurer".

He took a step toward becoming a "hero".

"Let's settle this once and for all...!"

Then the boy.

Embrace the "adventure".

◆

Just like when my father rushed into the dark vortex.

The boy also bravely faced the red-clad bull.

The past scenes etched in his eyes are revived through the battle between Bell and the Minotaur.

Ais couldn't stop him; she just stood there, frozen in place.

She couldn't make a sound or move.

All sounds drifted into the distance, and all that could be seen was the battle.

The raging bull's greatsword clashed with the boy's flying dagger, roars and shouts merging into one as they exchanged blows.

Sparks flew, blood dripped, and the sharp clang of metal clashing rang out incessantly.

They are not distinguished by their relative importance.

Each of them was driving their own life, engaging in one-on-one battles.

Even Ais, who had personally taught him all the tactics, found it hard to believe when she witnessed this deadly battle between man and monster.