by Fujino Omori
I didn’t have this power then. The Firebolt is my one ray of hope—and I’m not letting up!
I just keep pulling that trigger in my mind.
“Haa-haa…!”
Once I come back to myself, all I can see is a cloud of black smoke.
All of the grass around me is burned; I can smell it. As for the Minotaur, I don’t know. I can’t see or hear it.
—I won?
With only the sound of the still-burning plants around me, I lower my arm.
“Mrooo…”
“—”
A sudden, unexpected sound pierces the silence and slams into my eardrums.
The smoke cloud parts without warning; a massive arm emerges.
The arm drops down before swinging up like a wrecking ball, and straight into my gut.
The living boulder hits my armor dead-on.
Shock waves tear through my body as my armor cracks.
“DAHH?!”
My line of sight spins. All the air is forced out of my lungs—what just happened? My mind is going in circles as I fly backward.
But there is one thing I do know: Aiz saved me.
Since my body flew back immediately, I don’t absorb the full force of the blow.
Of course, that doesn’t mean I felt nothing. If I’d taken that hit flat-footed, there’s no doubt in my mind my stomach would have exploded. That grim thought in my mind, I fly helplessly backward and into the dungeon wall.
“—?! …ah, gah?!”
The wall cracks on impact. A new wave of pain floods in from my back as I realize something very disheartening: I’m wedged into the wall.
I can’t speak. There’s a loud crack near my head and I fall bottom-first onto the floor, along with a small avalanche of rubble.
My armor is, in a word, broken. Totaled.
The back plate must have shattered; it’s lying in pieces beside me. With the support piece gone, any part that was still intact fell off my body the moment my butt touched the ground.
How many times is this thing going to send me flying?!
Reduced to only my damaged and torn inner shirt, I climb to my feet on trembling legs.
“Hnnnnfff…!”
“……!”
Its face is scrunched. It looks angry.
But not hurt.
I hit it with more Firebolts than I can remember, but there it is, the picture of health. I can’t even see a wound on its body.
Sure, burn marks are scattered all over it, but there’s nothing even close to life-threatening.
I’m too weak.
With a quick glare at my stunned face, the Minotaur throws back its head and howls toward the ceiling.
“MROOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAHH!!”
So this is an adventure.
The first one for the adventurer, Bell Cranell.
—It’s hopeless. I can’t win.
I can only see despair as I look at the ferocious beast in front of me.
Chapter 5
A HERO’S DESIRE
It’s common knowledge that the Dungeon gets wider with each floor.
The fifth floor is about the same size as Central Park. However, the fortieth floor is rumored to rival Orario itself in size and scale.
While there are some floors that don’t follow this pattern exactly, most people have accepted the idea that the deeper you go into the Dungeon, the broader the floors become. The hallways and rooms within each floor also increase dramatically in size with each floor going down.
This creates an interesting problem for battle parties going on expeditions. These parties are typically large groups of adventurers that have come together to go as deep into the Dungeon as they can. It’s no problem to move together on the lower floors, but things get complicated on the narrower upper floors of the Dungeon.
A full expedition party on the first few floors is the very definition of a traffic jam. All the cargo crates, along with lines of people, make going forward nearly impossible.
Not only do monsters have to be dealt with in a smaller space, but it also blocks the movements of other adventurers in the area.
Therefore, several rules have been implemented to keep the peace. One such rule is that expeditions will go into the Dungeon in two or three groups and meet up at a predetermined point farther down.
Loki Familia was no different. They broke into two groups and made their way into the Dungeon.
“Hey, hey, Tione. Why are there people from another Familia coming with us? We don’t need that many supporters, and they don’t look the part at all…”
“Stupid Tiona. Have you already forgotten why we had to turn back last time?”
“?”
“They are smiths, Tiona.”
“Ah!”
Fynn Dimuna, the prum field general of Loki Familia, led a group of top-class adventurers through the winding halls of the lower-seventh floor.
Their party consisted of fifteen people, Tiona, Tione, and the elf Reveria among them.
“Our weapons failed us before we ran out of strength during our previous Expedition. The general was kind enough to find an answer.”
“As long as we have smiths that know the Forge skill with us, we’ll always have sharp blades! Nice one, Fynn!”
“It was unreasonable to bring another cargo box just for spares. Turns out Loki and the Goddess Hephaistos are good friends, and we couldn’t have set this up without her.”
“Come to think of it, isn’t it strange that we don’t have smiths with a Forge in our own Familia. It would be nice to have one, don’t you think?”
This was how Loki Familia’s top adventurers were before reaching the lower levels…The supporters took care of the monsters en route, and the strongest adventurers could only kill time until the group made it farther down.
They might have seemed carefree on the surface as they waited for their turn at the front of the caravan, but a large amount of vigor dwelled within each of them.
“Aiz! Hey, Aiz! You hear that? Some of Hephaistos Familia’s High Smiths are coming with us!”
“Yes…I heard. That’s great.”
“You bet it is! Now we can go crazy on the lower levels! This is going to be so much fun!”
“Just to let you know, even Hephaistos Familia’s High Smiths can’t fix a shattered blade. Don’t forget.”
Tiona had run up to Aiz and wrapped her arms around the shoulder of the quietly walking Aiz as she spoke. Aiz lightly smiled when she turned to face the young Amazon.
A big grin bloomed on Tiona’s face upon seeing Aiz’s reaction.
The vast majority of Amazons were not like her. Tiona would have been much more at home if she were born into another race. But her warmth and energy had succeeded in melting the wall of ice that was Aiz Wallenstein.
Tiona’s younger sister Tione was quick to warn her sister, but still sounded playful. Despite the three girls being absolute powerhouses in combat, they could still enjoy teasing each other as friends.
“All right. As long as these guys are from Hephaistos Familia, they ain’t gonna get in our way, even if they screw up. That’s a relief.”
“It was just a matter of time. Bete’s macho complex is at it again.”
Still clinging to Aiz’s shoulder, Tiona turned to look at her ally, a twitch in her eye.
“Got a problem?” Bete responded, glaring back at the girl and baring his fangs.
“Bete, why do you always say things like that? Does it feel that good to look down on others? Honestly, I can’t stand that about you.”
“Don’t get the wrong idea. It’d be embarrassin’ to get all high ’n’ mighty by comparin’ myself to small fry like that! Just bein’ realistic, here!”
Bete jerked his head back toward the High Smiths and said, “Was payin’ ’em a compliment.”
“You must learn the power of your words. The way you said that makes me believe you want us to get the wrong idea.”
“Oh-ho-ho! Shut it! I’ve had it with you elve
s and yer teachings! Don’t go butting inta other’s conversations either, Reveria!”
The sharp, ash-gray fur covering Bete’s head and shoulders ruffled as he snarled back at the elf.
The lips around his jagged teeth softened as his cheeks relaxed.
“Who are ya ta talk, anyway? All ya high ’n’ mighty elves are thinkin’ the same thing. Can ya tell me straight that ya don’t get pissed when ya see some weaklin’ tryin’ ta run with the big boys?”
“Tione just stole everything from meeeee!!”
“Stop the strange accusations, will you…”
“While it would be a lie to say that I have never once felt pity for them, do not compare my compassion with your contempt.”
“Ya know what? Just by takin’ pity on wimps makes the high ’n’ mighty elves seem snooty—ya get me?”
Fynn let out a long, heavy sigh as Bete and Reveria continued their argument.
He knew that Bete was making a point about how elves in general interacted with other races, and not making a personal attack on Reveria. Then again, werewolf animal people were not known for their acceptance of others, either, particularly Bete.
Arguments like this were nothing new between these two; in fact, it was almost normal. Reveria often started them when Bete said something she couldn’t agree with.
Fynn and the rest of the group knew this as well, so no one tried to stop them. Even Aiz watched quietly a few paces behind them.
“I just despise weak trash. Actin’ all tough when they can’t do jack shit! Makes me sick just thinkin’ ’bout it!”
“All I hear is overconfidence from someone who once walked in their shoes.”
“She’s right, Bete, wasn’t that long ago you were weak.”
“Know your place, that’s all I’m sayin’.”
Tiona still hanging off her shoulders, Aiz quietly repeated “your place” under her breath.
She had some thoughts on that.
For her, it wasn’t pity, contempt, or disgust, but a clear question.
How did a boy who hated his place so much manage to rise so high since that time? What drove him?
Aiz couldn’t remember much about the first time she met him, just his ruby-red eyes about to burst into tears.
That’s when it happened.
Without warning, Aiz snapped to attention.
“…Maybe four?”
“What’s that, those rumored somethin’ or others?”
One by one, other members of the group found the source of a sound coming their way. Tiona shifted her weight to Aiz’s other shoulder for a closer look, as Bete’s wolf ears zeroed in on the oncoming intersection.
Echoes of hurried footsteps barreled around the right corner of the four-way crossing. Judging from the sound, they were panicked steps.
Supporters quickly jumped in front of their leader as shields against an ambush, but Fynn raised an arm and waved them off. He told them they didn’t have to move from their posts.
At last, the party of adventurers came around the corner.
“They seem to be in a rush. Should we ask why?”
“That’s out of the question. We can’t interfere with another party within the Dungeon.”
“Hey, you guys! Where’s the fire?”
Ignoring her sister’s warning, Tiona called out to the approaching battle party.
All four of the adventurers were running while looking over their shoulders, as if they were being chased. Tiona’s voice made them all stop on a dime and jump backward in surprise.
“W-what the heck are… ? Huh? An Amazon?!”
“Tiona Hyrute?!”
“Wait—Loki Familia?! An expedition?!”
All of them stopped, shaking in surprise and completely starstruck at the sight of the top-class adventurers before them.
Tiona flinched as one of them started screaming bloody murder, but Bete didn’t think anything of it and approached them.
“Right, quiet now. We’re askin’ the questions, you’re answerin’. What the hell were you doin’? Run into a horde of killer ants or somethin’? Abandon a supporter or two t’get away?”
“How dare you accuse… ?!”
“Oi, out with it.”
“…Compared to that, I’d take one hundred killer ants any day!”
The man spoke like the words were falling out of his mouth. Bete raised his shoulders in suspicion.
Looking at all of them in succession, Bete lowered his eyebrows as if asking for more information. The adventurers exchanged glances at one another before a human, most likely their leader, stepped forward.
“…There was a Minotaur.”
“…Yeah?”
“A Minotaur, I tell you! It’s walking around the upper levels!”
Seeing the lack of color in the man’s face, Bete looked back over his shoulder at the rest of his own party.
Fynn and the others hadn’t joined in the conversation, but heard everything. Each wore a sour expression.
Even though no one was looking at her, Aiz’s right hand started to shake.
“You don’t think…Could it be one of the ones that got away from us?”
“Not possible. We got every single one, didn’t we?”
“It would be very strange if it was one of ours, even if we did overlook it. A month has passed since that expedition. If a Minotaur were lurking up here, there would have been an appalling amount of casualties among the lower ranks of adventurers. That kind of information has yet to reach my ears.”
“…My apologies. But would you mind explaining what you saw in detail?”
“Ah…sure.”
Fynn approached the other party’s leader and asked him face-to-face. The leader began talking about what happened.
He said that they were on a usual route when they saw two figures at the end of a long hallway: a Minotaur and a white-haired boy.
The boy’s screams and the Minotaur’s howls echoed through the hall and scared them half to death. They had been running full-out ever since.
The leader then added that the Minotaur was equipped with a cleaver.
“A cleaver—?”
“Not a landform?”
“Y-yes…There’s no doubt.”
“…Had you heard anything about a Minotaur before seeing it today?”
“Hell, no! You think we’d come down here if we did?”
“General… ?”
“Yeah…this sounds really fishy.”
While the members of Loki Familia were able to confirm it was not one that they were responsible for, it only raised more questions about this new Minotaur.
Fynn, whose intuition was usually spot-on, suggested that this was a prank by some god with a grudge.
At the very least, a god had to be involved in this incident. There was no other logical explanation.
The rest of the expedition party had caught up to the conversation and came to a halt.
“Where did you see the Minotaur?”
Amid the mass of humanity, one blond head moved forward.
Her voice was soft as she walked just within earshot of the party of four.
“Huh?”
“On which floor did you see an adventurer fighting a Minotaur?”
“The n-ninth…if they haven’t moved…”
The instant she heard the number, Aiz shot off into the Dungeon.
“AIZ?!”
“What the heck are you doing?!”
“Hey you guys, we’re on an expedition here?!”
“……Fynn?”
“Yes, I know…The party will advance! Take the shortest possible route to the lower eighteenth! Raul, you’re in charge!”
“S-Sir?”
“‘In charge’…Which means you plan to investigate personally?”
“Just until I get back. I want to see this through. Reveria, don’t tell me you’re planning to stay with the expedition?”
“…If your feelings are telling you to go, Fynn, I shall accompany you whether
you like it or not.”
“Ha-ha-ha!”
Members of Loki Familia and Hephaistos Familia stood in stunned silence as a small group of top-tier adventurers took off into the Dungeon.
The small group was on a new quest—to find answers on the lower ninth.
Gramps’s face.
I don’t want to see my grandfather’s face.
With my parents gone, he was the one who raised me.
He’d always get this funny look in his eye and say things like, “Sure would like to save some cute girls and score!” or “Serving the ladies is the definition of romance!” or “Nothing wrong with playing the game!” and even “Just don’t go cheating, you hear?” He said some other things that I didn’t understand, too, but he was always upbeat and cheerful.
He often told me stories about heroes that were so vivid, it was like I was actually in the party with them.
It was a long time after he died that I found out that he drew all of the pictures in the book he gave me for my birthday all those years ago.
—They’re really something else!
—Any one of them can stand up to an enemy even stronger than themselves.
—Not possible for a geezer like me.
While claiming he was nothing compared to them, he always did so with a big smile on his face.
But it was a lie to say he didn’t do anything heroic.
Gramps was legendary.
When I was a kid and a goblin was about to kill me, he charged that monster like a bolt of lightning, armed with nothing but a garden hoe.
He always wore loose clothing, but at that moment I realized how big his muscles were, how powerful he was. He shone like a warrior that day.
Even when another two goblins showed up, Gramps stood his ground and shielded me. I still remember his arms, thick as tree trucks as he wielded his “weapon.”
And then he embraced me. I’d never felt safer than when I could feel his big hands on my back.
Now that I think about it…
The first hero I idolized was my grandfather.
If you’re in danger, run.
If you’re scared, get away.
If you’re about to die, call for help.
If a woman is angry, apologize immediately.
It’s not embarrassing to get made fun of or picked on.
The most embarrassing thing is not being able to make up your mind and take action.