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

The "Zagnat," whose tail was attached to the scarf, was pulled back.

The monster that landed in front of the boy shook its massive body and unfortunately came to understand the "feeling" that had just begun to stir within him.

Knowing that this is the "fear" that the prey will feel.

"────────────────!?"

To escape this feeling, Zagnat, pulled towards Bell, raised its blue-purple radiance high.

That is the "Broken Claw," capable of destroying everything. It is an absolute weapon that can shatter all things.

It raised its weapon toward the fiery blade concealed in the enemy's right hand.

—The monster just thought about it.

Was that "magic" or a slash?

wrong.

That was neither "magic" nor a slash, but a devastating "ultimate attack" that was useless not only for reflection but also for defense.

It is the "Holy Fire Strike" that can reduce everything to ashes.

Nine seconds of charging.

Facing the approaching "Zagnat" accompanied by "Broken Claw", Bell unleashed that attack.

"Argo Vesta: The Sacred Flame Slash!!"

Everything shattered.

"────────────"

The giant, fang-like claws were swallowed up by the roar of the flames.

The blue-violet radiance was masked by the color of flare.

The "Broken Claw" shattered. Black and purple fragments scattered everywhere.

The boy's right arm was once blown off.

This time, Zagnat's right arm disappeared without a trace.

"Aa ...

The monster wept in grief.

The Holy Flame blasted its right arm, along with the "Broken Claw," away without a trace. The power and impact traveled through its shoulder to its right side.

Due to its heightened attack and agility, its "durability" was exceptionally low. Damage and cracks ripped across its sides and back, and its "shell" peeled away with a crackling sound. Even its fossil-like body was damaged, and the force of the explosion sent it crashing into the crystal floor.

The tail, along with its right arm, was blown apart and broke free of the chain called the scarf. Its massive body rubbed and rolled on the ground before finally coming to a stop in the center of the cave.

The vandal cried out for the first time.

(Not enough power...!)

Bell narrowed his eyes as he watched the monster scream and struggle in pain.

Although the offense and defense cannot take into account everything in a split second, it just didn't achieve the effect of killing.

However, I did get a feel for it.

I got the feel of firing silver bullets into the most ferocious monsters.

"Goo ...

But at the same time, a terrible pain shot through my left hand.

The large-scale deployment of quick-attack magic and the excessive use of mental energy through "double charging" gradually deplete the body's strength.

My legs are trembling. My arms feel like they're about to break off from my shoulders. I can't feel anything in my left hand.

But the fight must continue. We must muster our strength to deliver the final blow to that monstrous monster.

The horrifying pain swirled around him like a vortex, causing tears to stream from one of his eyes, but he still gripped the Blade of Hestia tightly, intending to rush to Zagnat, who was still unable to stand.

"!--Mr. Craney!?"

At this moment, Liu, who had been stunned, suddenly swayed his shoulders and shouted loudly.

Bell snapped back to reality, but it was too late.

A one-armed figure leaped out from behind the crystal pillar and covered "Zagnat".

"Hahahahahahahahaha! It worked! Aa ...

It is Jala.

The animal trainer, who had been hiding for so long, jumped out as soon as he saw the opportunity he had been waiting for.

The gaunt neck of "Zagnat," resembling a dinosaur fossil, has been fitted with a bright red collar that shines with an eerie glow.

"I wasn't expecting anything, but you actually made this monster kneel down!"

"Jaruo...!"

"But now, this guy is mine!"

The cat-man trembled with ecstasy and smiled at the speechless Bell and Ryu.

This is the moment that the man has been longing for until now.

With a mocking smile, Jaluo took out his red whip and lashed it hard against the ground.

"Alright, stand up, you monster who belongs only to me! Kill that brat and Leon────────!!"

The collar and whip resonated, emitting a strong light.

The magical artifact, emitting light wildly as if in a frenzy, first caused the "Zagnat," which had lost half its body, to sway repeatedly... then it slowly stood up.

Deep within those eye sockets, crimson eyes were fixed on the boy and the elf.

Seeing the monster disregard its physical injuries and radiate an aura of annihilation, Bell couldn't hide his anxiety, and his expression became distorted.

"Hahahaha! Go, kill them, wipe them out! With your 'claw'—"

Suddenly.

The monster seemed annoyed and swept its remaining tail across the ground.

Slices of meat flew everywhere. The man's body was separated into two parts.

The upper body of the demon was blown away, and before it could understand what had happened, it fell into the water flowing through the cave.

His lower body seemed to finally remember and collapsed to the ground, while blood-red bubbles rose from the water that had submerged his upper body.

Bell and Ryu were both speechless.

This is the simple, speechless way a "villain" dies.

"──, ──, ──────! ...!!

However, the necklace's glory did not end.

It seemed to inherit the man's will... no, it shone repeatedly, propelling the body of "Zagnat" as if it bore that resentment.

The claws, already damaged multiple times, took a step forward, approaching Bell and the others.

“Ugh…!”

Facing the destructive force that disregarded his own injuries, Bell raised the Blade of Hestia.

He decided to stand up and fight again, urging his entire body, which was screaming in agony, to do so.

Just at this time.

"──────?"

Bell heard the sound of something collapsing.

To be precise, it was the sound of sweeping away a pile of rubble.

Bell sensed something was wrong—driven by an adventurer's instinct to listen for unusual signs, he couldn't help but turn around and look behind him, even though "Zagnat" was right in front of him.

Behind him was Ryu, who had not yet been able to stand up.

And further away, a giant serpent monster crawls out of the collapsed crystal.

"──"

It is "Lambton", which should have been resolved by now.

The colossal monster, its body adorned with a glowing collar, was clearly influenced by taming. It had heard every word of the man's final command (voice) before his death, causing its blood-stained compound eyes to gleam with ferocity.

The tamer's final instruction was to "kill the boy (the brat) and the elf (Leon)."

The dying serpent roared, throwing up a huge pile of crystal shards as it attacked.

That is, it comes from behind Ryukyu.

"Miss Ryu!?"

Ryu noticed something was wrong and opened her eyes wide, but it was too late.

"Lemton" emerged from behind her with its enormous mouth and charged forward.

Bell ran off in that direction.

The boy used his last bit of strength to accelerate, grabbed Ryu's outstretched hand, and pulled her into his arms.

The next instant, the two adventurers were swallowed into the giant snake's mouth.

"Roar!!"

"Lambton" roared and slammed its sharp head into the ground. Its spinning, long, massive body shattered the rock face, dug into the earth, and carved a hole into the ground.

"────────!!"

The same was true for the trembling "Zagnat".

It shook off the fragments of its "shell" from its cracked body, roared, and jumped into the large hole dug by "Lymton".

The fierce battle that unfolded in the cave came to an end.

"Bell... Bell────!?"

Only one person remained.

The mermaid, cast off, let out a mournful cry that echoed through the deathly silent cave.

*

"Please let me go, Lady Cassandra! Haven't you caused enough trouble...!"

Lily's angry curses were drowned out by the thunderous roar of the "Giant Waterfall".

The large void on the 25th floor.

On the cliff near the waterfall, where one can see the next great void, adventurers are arguing.

"No, you can't...! You can't go to the 27th floor...!"

Cassandra clung tightly to the little girl's arm.

Tears welled in her eyes as she shook off the people trying to hold her down, refusing to let go of that small hand. She seemed like a completely different person, startling Haruhime and the others, leaving the Hestia Familia frozen in place.

(The "precognitive dream" has come true...! They all received hints of death, and I absolutely cannot let them go...!)

Her actions stemmed from only one thought.

What overwhelmed the girl was a deep sense of guilt and despair.

The suffering caused by those who failed to save her became a source of immense pain, weighing heavily on her shoulders.

To say it was like being torn apart would be too mild; Cassandra experienced a feeling as if she were being bitten to pieces.

Tears welled up in her eyes.

(However, however, this is...!)

These people will be saved. Cassandra's beloved people, if you continue like this, you will be saved.

Cassandra held tightly to this thought, which wasn't even a pardon, feeling both pained and relieved.

She believed that this would prevent absolute destruction.

however……