No one's POV
Haruhime: Kokonoe.
Surprisingly, the new sorcery she had learned began not with a chant but with the announcement of the spell's name.
Haruhime: Beloved snow. Beloved crimson. Beloved white light.
As Haruhime sang the chant, her body began to change. The magic she released turned to innumerable sparks of light that gathered around her buttocks. A sound like a bell being rolled rang out, and at the same time five tails made of light the same color as her fur sprouted from her behind.
Haruhime: Please let me be beside you—this love I have found at the end of two thousand nights.
Haruhime now had six tails, including the original one, all of them glittering with golden light. Her black robe absorbed the aftereffects of the magic and floated airily around her. Like the girl herself, the dwarves protected within the circle of adventurers were spellbound. Even the noble elves forgot their surroundings and stared bedazzled at this girl who resembled nothing more than a shrine maiden chanting ritual prayers.
Aisha: Shit, we're screwed.
Aisha murmured as the magic took effect. She had strictly forbidden Haruhime from using the spell except when she commanded it. The reason she had done this was that once its power became known, she knew an ugly struggle for the girl would occur yet again. The other reason was that it was their ultimate trump card, the only one that had the power to single-handedly break through a deadlocked battle.
Haruhime(mind): This is so hard.
Beads of sweat formed on Haruhime's forehead. She could feel her mental strength draining away. It was as if fragments of her life were being sucked into those tails of light. It occurred to her somewhat randomly that this must be what the sacrificial shrine maidens in the Far East felt like.
Haruhime: My name is Magic Fox, former destroyer. My name is Ancient Song, former dreamer. For you who beat your wings like a bird, I shall allow the nine spirits to dwell within me.
Her throat was on fire. Her body was burning. The golden light became ferocious fangs tearing into her tender flesh as it almost set off an Ignis Fatuus.
Monster: GYAAAAAAAAAAAA!
Rin: Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!
She could hear Rin fighting a monster. The roars of her companions protecting her powerless self set her heart on fire. All Haruhime could do was sing. And so she would sing, until her voice dried up, until her life drained away, breathing a prayer for her beloved companions. She would fulfill their spirited hopes. And she would help the boy whom she yearned for.
As her friends held back the ever-more-ferocious attacks of the monsters, Haruhime began to chant more quickly. Rin gathered what strength she had left and wave her wand again and again and again at the onslaught of violent assaults. Welf unleashed fire from his magic sword at close range. Ouka bellowed war cries as blood ran from his wounds. Mikoto slashed all the oncoming onslaught. Aisha's podao mowed down any monster that approached her.
Haruhime: Echo song of gold, sacred poem of Tamamo. White face, golden fur, king of nine tails.
The battlefield song shook Haruhime's self-possession, yet still she was able to continue the chant without breaking off. Squeezing her eyes shut, she sang the next line of the song of golden light.
Haruhime: Oh tails of the auspicious beast, consume all, grant all wishes—
And then:
Haruhime: Grow.
She was performing Concatenated Casting, linking two different chants to cast their spells one after the next.
Haruhime: That power and that vessel. Breadth of wealth and breadth of wishes. Until the bell tolls, bring forth glory and illusion. Grow.
As soon as she uttered the familiar words, the tails of golden light began to move as if they were looking upward toward the heavens. Each one undulated seemingly with a will of its own, sending masses of golden dust like the powder on fairy wings billowing outward. The crystals pulsated with diffuse light, then the dust swallowed them up. It was a truly mystical scene.
Haruhime: Confine divine offerings within this body. This golden light bestowed from above. Into the hammer and into the ground, may it bestow good fortune upon you.
As Haruhime sang these words, a thin mist of magic power materialized. Quickly, it changed into a cloud of light that summoned a spiral pattern and a hammer of light above her head. Even the monsters turned their eyes to the gorgeous sparkling light and stood still for a moment.
Haruhime: Grow.
Haruhime's long eyelashes fluttered. She opened her eyes, raised her delicate eyebrows, and announced the completion of the spell.
Haruhime: Uchide no Kozuchi!
The hammer of light split open with a high sound, shattering into brilliant fragments that were absorbed by the tails. Now they shone with the same light that had emanated from the hammer.
Haruhime: Dance!
As Haruhime thrust one arm toward the ceiling, the tails tore from their base and danced into the air. These fat tails of light gathered in midair and then transformed into a glittering ball of light that danced down onto the party, still in the midst of battle. Masses of light were absorbed into the bodies of Mikoto, Rin, Muller, Welf, and Aisha. The next instant—
Mikoto, Rin, Muller, Welf, Aisha:...!!
It was a chain reaction of level boosts. Five of them. All five adventurers instantaneously leveled up.
Mikoto, Rin, Muller, Welf, Aisha: YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!
Their war cries sent the monsters stumbling backward, and their raging weapons easily broke through the enemy siege. They began a counterattack.
Luvis: Wh-wh-what is going on?!
Dormul: Th-they're moving differently!
Luvis and Dormul sputtered idiotically at the sight of multiple level boosts taking effect in front of their eyes. Haruhime's new magic was called Kokonoe. The unique enchantment endowed its user with fox tails made of light, then concentrated the effects of a separate magical spell chanted directly afterward into the tails. Once this happened, Haruhime was able to activate the magic in as many iterations as there were tails, all with a single effort of will.
Like magic swords, the multiple tails acted as mediators of magic. And like the killing stones that sealed off sorcery, this spell allowed her to give level boosts to multiple people at the same time. The elves and dwarves were in a state of confusion.
Dormul: H-hey, what's happening here?
Luvis: They're all so strong I barely recognize them!
Lili: Simply put, everyone leveled up.
Luvis and Dormul: Huh?!
On hearing Lili's overly straightforward explanation, the elves and dwarves rolled their eyes back in their heads, and bubbles foamed from their mouths. They were in shock over this skill that defied common sense and was illegal to boot. The magical combination of Kokonoe and Uchide no Kozuchi created a group level boost. It was Hestia Familia's new trump card.
According to Haruhime's status, the maximum number of tails the spell could generate was nine. Currently, however, she was able to create only five. She had expended a huge amount of energy, and now that she was done, her legs folded beneath her. She was at her limit, one step from total Mind Down. Still, the adventurers had reaped more than enough reward from her magic.
Mikoto: Zhaaaa!
Monster: GAAAAAAAAA!!
That magic was now a thick swirl of light particles encircling Mikoto's body as she used her new power to the fullest. All five adventurers were filled with a feeling of omnipotence and excitement over the strength that poured from them. They thwarted the attacking monsters with newfound speed, force, and might, sending their enemies flying with their weapons.
Aisha: They've rallied.
Aisha looked coolly at the battle under way around her. The morale of her fellow party members had skyrocketed in tandem with their abilities. They were putting up a hell of a fight against the numerous monsters that still surrounded them in a dense ring, slashing and mowing down their enemies. Through their combined efforts, they were holding back that most despair- inducing of all phenomena, the monster party. They had withstood the Dungeon's ultimate weapon, its barrier of resources.
Muller: For a minute there I was worried...but if we can reduce their numbers a little more, we should be able to get out of here.
The absolute number of monsters on any given floor had an upper limit. On the lower levels, new monsters could be spawned at shorter intervals, but given that so many had just appeared in one area, there would probably be a lull once they got past this spot. The number of monsters they encountered would definitely drop off. Time still remained on the party's level boost. Very soon, the scales would tip in favor of the adventurers.
Aisha: Of course, that assumes that they can keep up this energy level.
Conversely, if they stumbled here, they would be in trouble. That was why Muller and Aisha was so wary of the insanely abnormal enhanced species.
Aisha: So what else have you got, huh? Overwhelming us with sheer numbers won't work, as you can see, and neither will wearing us down by setting the small fry on us. Try any more of your little tricks and we'll crush them.
Now that their status was up to Level 5, Muller and Aisha's fighting prowess was truly incredible. From a monster's perspective, the way they took down multiple large- category enemies with a single blow of their weapons must have been a nightmare. They quickly cleared a wide circle around the point that they were defending. Aisha was sure she could easily slaughter the enhanced species if it were to appear right now. As she looked around fearlessly with narrowed eyes, she finally spotted it.
Aisha: There it is!
It was far in the distance, past the low-level monsters that were still throwing their weight around. The garish dark-green moss huge was paying no attention to the battle cries of the monsters or the bellows of the adventurers. It was simply roaming about the wide passage, crouching, standing, crouching, and then repeating the whole routine over again.
Muller:...? What the hell is it doing...?
Muller and Aisha stared dubiously at the enhanced species's enigmatic actions, all the while sending monsters flying with their weapons. Just then, it swept its eyes toward the party, as if to answer Muller's unspoken question, from its position beyond the thinning wall of monsters. It was gripping something in both hands...countless sparkling purplish- blue magic stones.
Aisha and Muller: !!
These Elf and Amazon who boasted the bravery of a battle-hardened soldier felt as if time had stopped. Their beautiful, long hair trembled. They had just realized something. Their enemy was not trying to overwhelm them with numbers, nor to tire them out.
Aisha: That ass—
Muller: It was after the masses of magic stones of the monsters that we defeated all along!
The enhanced species met Muller and Aisha's gaze and, for the first time, revealed an emotion. It grinned. There was no doubt about it. With mouth stretched wide and saliva hanging from its lips, it was definitely smiling. A moment later, it stuffed the magic stones into its open mouth.
Muller and Aisha:...!!
The instant it crunched the crystals between its teeth, the giant's body literally expanded. The pieces of moss covering it stood on end like pointed dragon scales. The armor-like wooden frame creaked as it grew larger, and thin, rootlike pieces of wood crawled down to the tips of the monster's fingers and toes. It opened its mouth into a yawning cavern, completing this transformation into a veritable evil spirit.
If its presence had been overwhelming before, it was far more so now. This monstrous figure slowly lifted its face and looked at Aisha. Flashing its eyes—which were now a muddy red—it kicked the ground.
Aisha:...?!
Then it charged forward, crushing the other monsters under its feet and kicking their bodies aside. Aisha raised her podao as the menace bore down on her. As the monster's enormous fist cut downward through the air, it collided with her sword.
Aisha: Oof!
Moss: OOOOOOO! OOOO! OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!
The thundering bovine bellow made her want to cover her ears. She stumbled backward. Even with the level boost, she knew this intense power would be a heavy challenge for her. Intoxicated by its own sense of omnipotence, the enhanced species let out a roar of joy that resembled the groan of a broken music box. As it pumped its fist into the air, rootlike spikes burst out from the wooden frame.
Muller: Help is on the way!
Muller understood now what had happened as she rushed towards the Amazons. The enhanced species had greedily devoured the magic stones of every single monster they had slaughtered on the way here. It had taken in the cores of dozens, or even hundreds, of monsters.
Muller(mind): Just how far...?
Just how far would it go to undermine their predictions? At this point, all she could do was acknowledge the trickery and monster's cunning she had underestimated before. Drops of sweat flew from Muller's face.
For an instant she was overtaken by hesitation and anxiety, and that instant left her vulnerable to attack. She had been thinking that in terms of status, the odds were still in her favor. That she could still make a comeback. At precisely that moment, the moss huge stretched its neck out like a dragon.
Aisha:...?!
It grabbed Aisha's brown shoulder and sank its fangs into the base of her neck. Her flesh tore, her bones shattered, and blood spurted into the air. Rin and Muller sensed something strange was happening and turned toward her at the same moment. What they saw left them speechless.
Aisha: !!
Aisha glared angrily at the monster as blood spilled from her mouth. With all her strength, she slammed her fist into her enemy's chin, pushing it away with her flesh still in its mouth. She added to its backward momentum by landing a spinning kick on it, sending it staggering away.
Haruhime: M-Miss...Aisha?!
Haruhime, who was sitting on the ground with a delirious look in her eyes, let out a piercing scream. The enhanced species retracted its neck and fixed a piece of moss to its crushed jaw. Meanwhile Aisha panted as she pressed her left hand against the gaping hole in her shoulder. She laughed with irritation as blood gushed from the wound.
Aisha: I flunked...
She pulled her hand back from the wound. A parasitic vine had sprouted there and was slithering across her brown skin. It was already twined around her left shoulder and arm, her midriff and hips, and her full breasts. The sight of it sent a jolt of shock through the other adventurers. The monster had planted a seed in her when its teeth made contact with her body.
Moss: HA-HA-HA...
Aisha: That ugly ass—!!
Drool hanging from its fangs, the moss huge laughed mockingly at the sight of its offspring parasitizing the Amazon's body. Then it mercilessly bore down for another attack. Aisha fought back, a sickly sweat covering her body.
Rin: Get off!
Rin shouted. She had left her post to run to Aisha's side. Raising her staff, she set her sights on both the enhanced species and the other monsters surrounding Aisha.
Rin: Flame Lance!
Moss: !!
For the fourth time that day, a massive explosion of flames swirled through the passage. Aisha leaped back, watching as monsters danced in torment within the crimson flames. But as they roared a chorus of death cries...she made out the figure of a giant standing calmly among them, arms crossed over its chest.
Rin: Huh?!
Rin said, watching in astonishment.
Lili: It's resisting Lady Rin's fire magic!
The enhanced species slowly raised its head as burning moss peeled off its body. As the moss fell to the ground, a shiny blue material came into view underneath.
Lili: Could that be...Undine cloth?!
Welf: Don't tell me it took it off a dead adventurer!
Mikoto, Ouka, Daphne, and Cassandra could not believe their eyes, either. The cloth was stretched to the point of tearing in order to wrap around the huge body, but there was no doubt about it—it was spirit protective cloth. As Welf had guessed, the monster had fixated on the need to address its single weak point—fire—and had stolen the cloth from the corpses of adventurers.
Muller: Rin! You and me!
Rin: Right!
The Moss ignore the Welf and the lower adventurers and rushed towards the other two dangerous threat. Rin and Muller. The two of them were still engulfed by the light of Haruhime's Level Boost. It had recognized their strength and determined that if those two fell as well, the other adventurers would, too.
Muller raised her long sword as the menace bore down on her. As the monster's enormous fist cut downward through the air, it collided with her sword. She stumbled backward. Even with the level boost, she knew this intense power would be a heavy challenge for her.
Muller(mind): Ghg... How many times is this thing gonna catch us off guard?!
As Muller continue to clash with the Moss, it went without saying that its speed far surpasses Muller as she was immediately overtaken. But that was all part of her plan. She use her long hair to caught the Moss of guard and blind him.
Moss: !!
This was the first time that the Moss was caught of guard, it was too focused on the elf that it had forgot about the other girl. From behind Muller's hair was a girl with brown hair readying an attack. Her right hand was covered with a sword made out of yellow lightning. While her left was covered with a sword made out of metal. A combination of earth and fire.
Moss(mind): A spellsword?!
If the spellsword that was made out of earth and fire reached it, the Undine clothes that the Moss was wearing would be destroyed and it made it vulnerable to fire as it predicted. So before Rin's attack could connect, it jumped out of the way. But it didn't get the chance to counter attack as the golden elf was already in its line of sight.
Rin: Muller!
Moss(mind): When did that elf enter my escape route?!
Muller: Lunar Flame Burst!
Once again Muller had recite her Fire enchantment magic as her arms, and legs as well as her sword was covered in fire. She did a round kick straight in the Moss's chest dealing a huge blow of damage. As Welf and the others cheered.
Welf: Alright!
Lili: They're doing it!
The Moss was once again caught off guard when it saw Rin was already preparing her magic without incantation whatsoever. Rin was beyond what the enhanced species could comprehend. It knew that when adventurers cast magic, they need to sing a song. In which it meant, chant. But Rin was not doing any single chant at all. She bombardment the enhanced species with as many spell and magic she could conjured.
Rin: Sword of the Lightning God!
Rin's attack had connected with her target. But just like Welf had said, the Moss weaknesses is fire. So why would Rin use lightning who wouldn't deal as much damage? But that was no Rin's plan from the beginning. She used lightning so she could destroyed the Undine Clothes that is weak to lightning. And the Moss caught on.
Moss(mind): So her aim was to destroyed the Undine Clothes from the start!
Muller: Rin!
Rin: Yeah, let's settle this.
Rin raised her staff and once again without any incantation, she fired her magic.
Rin: Dust Cascade!
A huge tornado appeared surrounding her and Muller as the huge tornado enveloped the huge Moss and destroying the surrounding monster. Though the huge wind won't be a problem for the Moss, he couldn't attack either. His bullet seed and plant tendrils was immediately cut down. So all he could do was withstand the attack until its stop. Until it saw small particles around the wind, dispersed in an area.
Rin: Fire Arrow!
Rin fired her Flame of Arrow towards the small typhoon she'd just made. That causes an explosion that burned down the Moss. When small particles is dispersed around the area, bring something flammable close to it, and it causes a dust explosion.
Rin(mind): That magic training with Sora and Lemia really paid off!
Rin: Muller!
As the Moss was covered in fire, it once again tried to ran away and jumped into the river to cool off. But the golden elf didn't let it. She was already covering her long sword and short sword with flame.
Muller: Spellsword, Scorching Heat Slash!
This is one of Muller's strongest fire enchantment attack. Her attacked strike the mighty enhanced monster that it's feat and hand were all sliced.
Daphne: Alright! They did it!
Aisha: Good! With this!
The Moss was clearly at a disadvantage against the Blue Mage and the Golden Swordswoman. They were indeed a good combo. It was thinking about trying to run and come up with a better strategy, but it appears as this monsters had the devils luck. As Muller and Rin rushed towards the Moss trying to finish it off for good, the glowing light surrounding their bodies had disappeared, indicating that their Level Boost had wear off.
Rin and Muller: !!
With their Level Boost out, Muller and Rin's attacked had slowed down, giving enough time for the monster to counter attack. Plant tendrils appeared from the ground. Tree roots are winding around Muller's boots and tightening around her knees. The roots grow from the moss huge's calves—which are in her blind spot— and into the ground. They're an indirect weapon generated by the expanding and contracting wooden frame covering the monster's entire body.
Rin: Muller!
Muller: It got me!
With pain and angered, it throw the caught elf towards the Blue Mage and colliding them into each other. Before it could get a A parasitic vine had sprouted there and was slithering across Muller's skin. It was already twined around her left shoulder and arm, her midriff and hips. The sight of it sent a jolt of shock through the other adventurers. The monster had planted a seed in her when its vines made contact with her body.
Muller: Dammit!
Rin: Not good!
Lili: Lady Rin, Miss Muller!
As if to inundate them with still more bad news, the final parade of monsters arrived in the passage. Spurred on by the appearance of this lone evil warrior, the other monsters rallied their strength and raged madly. Together with the newly arrived ranks, they set their sights on Mikoto and the rest of the party.
Daphne: This is not good!!
Ouka: I can't hold out...!
Gripping their shields, Daphne and Ouka shrieked as the monsters narrowed the circle around them with a powerful surge. The counterattacks from Mikoto's katana and Welf's greatsword were a drop in the bucket. Cassandra threw aside her weapon and tried to hold the line by using her healing magic, but as soon as she managed to close one wound, another was opened on top of it. The mass of light particles that had given them their level boosts swayed as if they, too, were groaning.
Lili: Oh no...!
Luvis: We're in trouble!
Cassandra: This might be the end...
The color drained from Lili's face as she watched the circle of adventurers who were protecting her being steadily pressed inward. Even when she wielded the lightning magic sword in her trembling hands, the monsters did not disappear. Soon they would fill the entire passageway. Rin, Muller and Aisha had disappeared beyond the fence of monsters, so they could no longer count on their help. To the contrary—with the parasitic vines covering Muller and Aisha's body, Rin was on the verge of being trampled by the enhanced species.
Lili(mind): Think... there has to be something we can do! As the strategist, I need to find a way to turn this around!
Lili had misread it. She had gone and misread everything. The irregularity of the enhanced species. The threats of the lower levels. The unfathomable depths of the Dungeon. She had made a poor decision as a leader. She still lacked experience, and at the very last moment, she had made a mistake. Lili had not been able to transform herself into the Light of Hope or Braver.
Dormul: Lend me yer ax...!
Lili: Uh...M-Mr. Dormul?
Luvis: Even without my arm, I can at least serve as a shield!
Lili: A-and Mr. Luvis, too...It's impossible! You can't!
Dormul: Let us help. We'd have already died a long time ago if you guys hadn't come along.
Dormul had stood up beside the dazed Lilly, and Luvis had followed his lead. They wanted to borrow equipment and stand alongside Welf and the others in the protective circle. Both ignored Lili's protest. They had no chance of winning, but still they wanted to fight stubbornly like adventurers until the end.
Lili: Uh, um...!!
It was no good. Everyone had lost their cool. Everyone was fighting like they were going to die here. Lili could not blow away the heavy scent of death that lingered all around her. The mask of the leader fell from her face, and a film of tears formed in the eyes that had been putting on such a resolute act from the start of the expedition.
Dormul: Use us as decoys and escape if ye can!
Dormul shouted with grim determination.
Luvis: Someone has to tell everyone on the surface about this monster...! As many of us as possible must survive...!
Haruhime, who was still sitting on the ground, gulped. Lili's wide eyes wavered.
Luvis: Leave us here...Hestia Familia!
In response to Dormul's words, Lili's true nature—the nature of the filthy girl who had groveled in the dirt and slurped muddy water—slowly raised its head.
From the perspective of the leader, there was no more logical argument. She hoisted it like a shield, a dark smile on her lips, eager to spring at this option. After all, what choice did she have? She had come this far, and she did not want to die. She did not want to give up even one extra moment of life. Yes indeed, they should leave the wounded behind! Her heart beat erratically. She could not breathe. Thoughts and emotions swirled dizzyingly within her.
Lili(mind): Now! Now! Now! Don't hesitate! Say it! Make your decision!
The realist in Lili was screaming at her, insisting she was in the right. The girl of the filth was shouting that this was how she had stayed alive so far. Why hesitate now? Her small lips trembled. Her tangled tongue tried to speak.
Lili(mind): And I knew that Master Bell won't fault us for it...
But then, the other Lili, the one who was pressing on her heart, tearfully pleaded with the pure-white expanse that her mind had become.
Lili(mind): Save them.
Lili:...!!
Lili's left hand flashed. A lightning bolt from her magic sword shot between the elf and the dwarf, slaughtering the monster that had just flown at them. Dormul and Luvis stared at her, dumbfounded. Finally, she spoke.
Lili: If they were here, they wouldn't leave you behind!
Another image from the Dungeon rose before her mind's eye. A beautiful, warm Firebolt and Lightning bolt that had saved her when she was surrounded by a terrifying swarm of giant ants, and the extended hand of two boys.
Lili: They didn't leave me behind! And that's why...
She howled, tears flying from the corners of her eyes. Lili hadn't become Braver. At the very last moment, she had kicked away the best option. Human emotion and sympathy had swayed her. In a corner of her mind, the image of Finn sighed disappointedly. But no. Lili didn't want to become Braver. What she really wanted to become—what she wanted to pursue—was the person who had saved her. The kind hand that had not abandoned her when she was smeared with mud.
Lili: I can do it, too...! I can change, too!! I have to follow their examples!
Bell had had many experiences, and he had set his eyes on a distant goal, a pure simple goal of becoming someone greater than the Light of Hope, and he had changed. If that was true, then it would be a lie to say Lili couldn't change. It would be a lie to say she couldn't take off running, too. If she didn't, then she had no right to stand by his side.
Lili: That's why I won't! I won't leave you behind! Do not give up!
Her hands and feet were shaking. Emotions were flooding her whole being. Although her small body was easily blown back by the cruel howls of the monsters, still she transformed her tearful voice into resolution. As Luvis and Dormul watched her, the shadow of death faded from their faces. A single tear slid from the moist chestnut-brown eyes.
Lili: I did it because I'm his supporter!!
Welf: Way to state the obvious, Lil Lili!
Welf's ears caught her words and his sweat-drenched face formed a smile. Just then, the exhausted Haruhime perked up her ears.
Haruhime: !!
She widened her green eyes, bit her lip, and with her last drop of strength, reached out one arm.
Haruhime: Lady Lili...!
Lili turned in surprise as Haruhime grasped her Undine cloth sleeve.
Haruhime: He's coming...!
Lili: Huh?
Haruhime: He will arrive...!
The animal girl had picked up a voice in the midst of the chaotic battle. She smiled, her face full of envy and encouragement.
Haruhime: That person is coming...!
The next moment...
Bell: Liliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!!!!!!!!
Bell's voice reached Lili's ears as he shouted her name.
Lili:...
He was approaching from far, far away. At the very limit of her field of vision, way down at the other end of the wide passage, she could see him waving his arms. It was exactly like the day he had saved her from the horrible swarm of ants. The other Lili, the one who had groveled in the dirt covered in filth, slapped her hand on the ground. She gritted her teeth, peeled her body from the dirt, and stood up. Her chest grew hot, her tear glands burst open, and soon countless drops were dripping from her cheeks.
Lili:...! Miss Haruhime, please get out of the way!!
At that moment, Lili guessed the intentions of the boy who was calling her name. She moved in response to what she knew this boy, who believed in himself and made light fly from his right hand, wanted her to do. Using her quick wits, she thrust the magic sword into the ground by her feet, causing an explosion. The powerful lightning bolt carved a crater in the crystal floor.
Lili: Quick, everyone, get into the hole! Hurry!!
The adventurers encircling her responded to her urgent cry unquestioningly. Dormul and Luvis followed. They immediately abandoned their combat, grabbed Haruhime and the wounded, and flew into the hole. Without skipping a beat, the horde of monsters closed in.
Lili: Lady Rin, Miss Muller, Miss Aisha! Find some cover!
Lilishouted as she shrugged off the Goliath Robe and spread it over the top of the hole.
Muller, Rin and Aisha:...!
Rin, protecting Muller and Aisha and was still locked in battle with the enhanced species, stared in surprise. The monster could not understand Lili's words. For it, they were simply the screams of a human. And this was what decided their respective fates. The Mage forcefully beat back the giant's attack and dove into a tunnel with the elf and amazon.
Rin: Protection!
She cast her barrier so the monster couldn't touch them. No sooner had she done so than Bell appeared on the battleground, bell ringing, launched himself off the ground with a powerful stomp, and thrust out his right arm. He had been charging for four minutes, a full charge. He aimed for everything he could see and shouted at the top of his lungs.
Bell: FIREBOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOLT!!
A giant bolt of flame.
Moss: !!
As soon as the Mage, Elf, and Amazon disappeared from its field of vision, the enhanced species saw the burning red jaws. The other monsters had pounced on the hole and sunk their claws into the black robe, only to be incinerated in the next moment by the Firebolt. The deadly stream of fire that washed down the passageway swallowed the entire horde.
Moss: O—OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!
As the burning monsters howled, the enhanced species—which had also been swallowed up in the surge of flames—was thrown far down the passage with a force like a river overflowing its banks. It had avoided immolation thanks to the spirit protective cloth, but together with the rush of crimson fire, it was hurled against the wall at the end of the passage.
The crystal wall exploded into fragments, and the horizontal column of flame raged on through the Dungeon. The enhanced species was burned all over its body. It fell through the broken wall into the large room on the other side, and it collapsed onto its back.
Lili: Master....Bell...
Mikoto: Sire Bell!
Haruhime: Master Bell.
Lili pushed back the Goliath Robe covering the hole, stuck her face into the passage, and she and her comrades called his name. Lili could see him there, farther down the passage that was cleared now of monsters and steaming with the heat from countless melted magic stones. A lone boy, walking through the shimmering haze left by the flames.
To her, that figure walking quietly through the swirls of sparks looked incredibly heroic. Lili trembled as she watched him. Even Welf and the others who poked their faces up gasped. Lili wanted to fly from the hole and throw herself at him. She wanted to hug him, sobbing, and inundate him with a chaotic mess of apology and gratitude.
But the flame of the warrior was still burning in his eyes. He was looking straight ahead, his whole body aflame with outrage and determination to slaughter his powerful enemy. In that case, there was one thing Lili could do. She rolled out of the hole, withdrew a glass vial from the pouch at her hip, and handed it to him roughly.
Lili: Master Bell!
Bell: Thank you.
That was all he said after taking the High Dual Potion, one of Naza's new concoctions, from her hand. But it was enough. Rin, Muller, and Aisha emerged from Rin's barrier , walked past the hole where Mikoto and the others lay piled on top of one another, and smiled at Bell's back.
Muller: It's up to you, Bell!
Aisha: Finish that thing off before we all drop dead!
Rin: Sorry about this, Bell, but we're counting on you!
Bell did not turn toward them, replying only by raising one hand. He drank down the last drops of the High Dual Potion, wiped the corner of his mouth with his arm, and walked toward the hole in the Dungeon wall. The Moss was insane with anger.
Moss(mind): What was this? What had just happened?
It should have been the perfect hunt. After he finished off the three female, he was going to kill the other humans, and then eat their magic stones. But—
Moss(mind): Why is that human alive?! I thought you fell over the waterfall! Why didn't you die? Why? Why? Why?
This was the first time anything like this had happened. There was no way it could allow something like this. It was unacceptable for a human to exist who did not follow its expectations as a hunter. They were just prey, just food. Nothing more. Fury and loathing rose like smoke from the Moss's body. The blue cloth rubbing against his skin strained and screeched at its overuse. He gnashed his fangs and stood up.
Moss: UOOOO...!
Moss(mind): If you're coming, then come. I've eaten enough magic stones.
It was different from what it had been a short while before. His power had swelled to incredible heights. It would be easy to twist and crush that human's skinny arm. Fire could no longer affect him. Perhaps he should drag the human underwater again. The Dungeon was his mother. Within his mother's womb, he could gain endless strength. But the humans had no tricks for gaining strength. This time, he would stop his prey's breath at the source. His eyes gleaming with the desire to kill, he glared at the boy who appeared from beyond the hole.
Bell:...
Bell stood on the rim of the hole he had blasted open with the Firebolt, looking down on the scene before him. It was a peaceful, watery room. Water covered more than half the large space, and in the center there was a mass of crystal fifty meders in diameter. It looked like an island floating in a large lake. He did not see any monsters. None, that is, except the enhanced species that stood in the center of the island, taking him in with a gaze full of murderous intent.
Bell leaped down from the rim and jumped across the lake, using the crystals that protruded from the water's surface as stepping-stones, until he reached the island where the monster waited. Nothing stood between them now. On the flat, sparkling blue ground, beneath the light from the white crystals studding the ceiling, Bell and the enhanced species faced each other.
Moss: GRRRRRR...!!
Bell's eyes met those of his opponent as it let out a deep growl. It was quite a bit larger now. Standing before the grotesque giant, the emotion that the adventurer felt in his heart was almost certainly rage. This monster had hurt his friends and killed many of his fellow adventurers. It had cruelly tormented the elves. Bell was not the kind of fool who could stand by silently as this creature sadistically and calculatingly rampaged through the Dungeon to satisfy its own greed.
But he also knew that from the monster's perspective, his rage was absurd. Wounds and even life itself were the price of adventure. Everything was done at the adventurer's own risk. It was a mistake to see this fight as revenge for Luvis's arm. Bell and his party were intruders trampling destructively through the Dungeon. They were the invaders.
Bell understood this, and he gazed at the enemy before him through adventurer's eyes. He would obey the laws of the Dungeon—and kill the monster he now faced.
Bell:...
Moss: HAA...
Bell silently drew both of his knives. The red-eyed monster exhaled a murderous breath. An instant later, their bodies quivered and they kicked the ground. Bell and the enhanced species charged at each other, shattering the silence of the room and transforming the little island into a fighting ring.
Bell: Oof!
Moss: OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!
The monster had the upper hand in their first collision. Its power had grown beyond what Bell expected, and its arm sent the thrust of his blade flying backward. To avoid the monster's pursuit, he rolled over the ground and kicked its flank. The moss huge flew at him again, its teeth bared precisely as if it were smiling. Bell fought back.
Lili: Here they go...!
Hearing the battle cries, Lili and the others raced to the hole in the wall. Welf panted, Ouka held Chigusa in his arms, Mikoto supported Haruhime with her shoulder, Rin landing Muller her shoulder who had parasitic vines, and Aisha stood with the parasitic vines twined around her body. Even Luvis, Dormul, and the other dwarves and elves pushed through their pain and gathered by the hole to watch as the fight began.
Daphne: Hey, you guys! Are you just going to stand there and not help?
Daphne panted as she ran to catch up with the others watching the fierce battle. Her opinion, delivered with extreme frankness, was that in the current situation, they would together be able to give the monster a good beating.
Aisha: Don't bother. If you get hit by those seeds and implanted with vines, you'll just be a burden on Bell Cranell.
Daphne flinched for a moment at the sight of the Amazon hugging the vine-covered half of her body, but then renewed her argument.
Daphne: B-but...we can use arrows, and maybe we could get another level boost! Leaving the Little Rookie to take on that monster all alone is too crule...
Cassandra interrupted her, pointing toward the room.
Cassandra: D-Daphne...look...
Daphne glanced suspiciously back at the fight.
Moss: OOOOOOAAA!!
Daphne:...!
Bell had managed to get his knife past the monster's arm and was now slashing its body relentlessly. Taking advantage of his small size in relation to his opponent, he hopped from its left side to its right, then bent forward almost to the ground and slipped around to its back side. He was unleashing a series of close-range attacks—not so much hit-and-run as rush, dodge, and repeat.
The flashing purple-blue and white blades pounded against the monster, chipping away at its wooden armor frame and mossy flesh.
Daphne: D-didn't that monster get stronger by eating magic stones?!"
Muller: It definitely did, but at the same time...
Muller narrowed her eyes.
Ouka: Bell Cranel's moves have improved to a point even beyond that!
Ouka said from beside her, lowering his voice in terror. In his arms, Chigusa opened her eyes a tiny bit in surprise. Only Mikoto, standing next to the group, broke into a cold sweat.
Mikoto(mind): No way...
There was something familiar about the feeling that came over her as she registered the difference between Bell now and Bell when he was last with the party. It wasn't that he was moving faster. It was that his movements had much more vitality to them now.
Mikoto: Kind of like when Haruhime gives us the level boosts... I've noticed my sense can't fully process all the strength that my ranked up body has.
Mikoto cleared her throat, conscious of the weight of the renard on her shoulder. When Mikoto received level boosts, she often felt like her body was out of control. Her mind was not able to keep up with the suddenly increased power emanating from her physical body.
What if Bell had been in the same situation before he separated from the group? What if his mind and body had been out of sync? That happened when the drastic physical changes that occurred when one leveled up outpaced the sensations produced by the mind. A shiver ran down Mikoto's spine.
Rin: So all this time, Bell has been—
Probably, first-tier adventurers were able to bring their mind and body into sync after one major battle. But Bell was still immature—and more importantly, his rate of growth was insanely fast. Even more so than an ordinary person, his mind couldn't keep up with his body. But what if his experience in the lower levels had finally taken care of the problem?
Mikoto's violet eyes widened as she watched the boy toss his opponent about between his knives. She thought back to something Takemikazuchi had said when he was training her before the expedition.
Mikoto: Were you fighting with your body and your mind out of sync?
Mikoto was right.
Belll(mind): My body is working better than before.
Bell realized it in the midst of fighting the monster. His body was following the exact track his mind laid down. The lags in his attacks, defense, and retreat—so small before that he wouldn't even notice them without a conscious effort—were gone now. The sensations inside his body were clearer than ever before.
Bell(mind): That uneasy feeling is gone.
Strangely enough, the grand battle with the iguaçu—those creatures who put their very lives at risk to dive-bomb him—had brought his mind and body into alignment. Now that his body was fully under his control, it seemed obvious. He could see just how much the vessel of his physical being had been throwing him around, even when he first arrived in the lower levels and even during his first fight with the enhanced species. Now his body was working how he wanted it to, as if all the gears had finally clicked into place. He was able to meet his opponent's movements.
Moss: OO, OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!
Bell could see the uneasiness rising in the enhanced species' eyes as it took in this new Bell, who fought in a completely different way than he had in their last encounter. The superhuman strength that crushed the crystal ground underfoot didn't even make a scratch on the boy. The tree roots, which extended from the monster's legs into the ground and then up again for a sneak attack, were severed before they could do their work. The attacks that had tormented so many adventurers in the past had no effect. The monster roared, as if to chase away its uneasiness. Then bumps rose all over its body. Facing Bell at close range, it fired a hail of seed bullets at him.
Bell(mind): They're not as fast as the Iguazu!!
Bell did not lose his composure. Compared to the terrifying crimson streaks he had encountered earlier, the seed bullets looked practically stationary. He tracked their trajectories, and moving his arms so fast they appeared to blur, he slashed down every last one with his knives.
Moss:...!!
Everyone: Uooooo!!!!!!
The astonished monster had no time to regain its footing before Bell launched into a powerful slashing attack.
Moss: GUO?!
In response, the moss huge unleashed a counterattack fueled by its fighting spirit and superhuman strength. Blows nourished by the lives of countless of his own brethren rocked the scratched dir-adamantite armor covering Bell's body. This time they inflicted real harm. The monster was the stronger of the two, and it had greater defensive abilities. In all likelihood, Bell could not match its overall potential.
But Bell was faster. Now that his mind and body were fully linked, his true ability gave him an advantage on the battlefield. Even more importantly—
Bell(mind): He's slow!
The enemy standing before him was incredibly sluggish. Bell had a standard to hold this monster to. A monster that was truly beyond the realm of the ordinary. A monster that was far faster, far stronger, and far crazier than the one before him. Bell had fought that monster. And he had vowed to fight that worthy opponent again.
Bell(mind): In term of power... That guy was way stronger than this! I want to beat him!
He wanted to beat the warrior who had appeared before him even after being reborn.
Bell(mind): I want to beat him.
He wanted to beat the warrior who had battered him with his ferocious strength and his double-edged ax, Labrys.
Bell(mind): The next time we fight, I want to win!
He wanted to beat the brave minotaur who had carved defeat into his body on that moonlit night. His status burned high. The fierce struggle with the moss huge had ignited the passion deep within Bell, and now, as he thought about the black minotaur, it exploded to the surface.
Bell: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!
Moss:...!!
The extreme-speed slashing attack far outstripped his enemy's ability to respond. It was a Rabbit Rush. Like he had with the Iguazu, Bell carved a whirlwind of black and sparkling white arcs in the air. Both his mind and body sped up. A typhoon of moss flew from the enhanced species' body. Finally, a horizontal slash inflicted from directly next to him sent the massive body flying backward. Now a good distance separated Bell and the moss huge.
Moss: AAAAAAAAAAA...!!
Bell:...!
But even as pieces of the monster's body continued to peel away, new moss grew to fill the wounds. Soon it appeared the Rabbit Rush had never even happened. Bell gaped.
Its recovery speed was extremely fast. Even when it was shredded to pieces, the living moss immediately began to regrow. A simple superiority in the number of wounds inflicted would not be enough to take down this monster that had consumed so many magic stones. With the Undine cloth wrapped around its body, Firebolts clearly wouldn't do much, either.
Plus, even though Bell had drunk the High Dual Potion, his whole body was still feeling the aftermath of the recent full charge. If the battle lasted very long, the balance would probably tip in the monster's favor.
So neither knife attacks nor magic would work, and a drawn-out battle would put Bell at a serious disadvantage. In that case—a single blow was the only option. Bell would take out his enemy with the strongest single blow he could manage, one that left no room for recovery. He slipped Hakugen into its sheath and held the Hestia Knife and Sword in both fist with a backhand grip. He raised it to chest level, then thrust out his left hand.
Bell: Firebolt!
The column of electrical fire that required no chant to activate was instantly released. But Bell was not aiming it at the enemy in front of him. Instead, he channeled it into the jet-black blade of the knife in his right hand. But Bell wasn't done yet, next he raised the jet-black sword and shout.
Bell: Roar Lightning!
It was then a blue lightning emerge from the jet-black sword. The pure surge of lightning wrap the sword as it was surging through his left hand. The fire red and blue lightning mixed and turned into something even more versatile. Bell should not have any Lightning attributes stats, so why was he able to generate lightning? The answer was simple, before the start of the expedition, Sora had already imbued the sword with his lightning magic and gave it to Bell. Bell realized it the moment he accepted the blade. Now all he needs to do was imbed his mana into the sword and the lightning will purge out.
Everyone:...?!
Neither the monster nor the adventurers watching from outside the room could believe their eyes. Bell's actions did not end with his infusion of magic into the blade. As soon as the magic was released, he started charging.
Ring, ring.
The chime vibrated in the giant's ears. Its eyes fixed on something. The Firebolt, which should have sent masses of sparks flying when it exploded into the knife and whose mass of lightning which covered the blade should have dispersed, were instead being pressed onto the blade of the knife and sword by the particles of white light that the boy was releasing. No, not pressed—focused.
Cassandra: The flames are gathering in the knife...
Rin: And lightning? Is that...
Muller: Yeah, it's Sora's lightning... Don't tell me...
Daphne: An enchantment...? No, I don't think so...What is that?!
Even from their position at a distance, Rin, Muller, Cassandra and Daphne could see what was happening. The crimson lightning was converging and condensing. The knife and sword wore a blazing armor of flames and a oceanic spark of light, which in turn were wrapped in a thick gauze of light particles. The hieroglyphs etched into the knife pulsated with white light as if they were resonating with the flames.
It was a dual charge. Bell's investigations had led him to home in on the focusing property of Argonaut, and he'd used that to develop a new application of the skill. In other words, he'd figured out how to charge his magic and his knife and sword attacks at the same time.
By exploding a Firebolt and Lightning bolt into the knife and blade and then encasing the whole thing in light particles, he was able to infuse it with two mechanisms of attack, and at the same time to strengthen it.
As the heat of the flames focused on the knife, and the converging blue spark of light focused on the sword, the Hestia Knife and Sword began to expand. The blade swelled to the width of a sword and the length of a dagger. It became hotter and brighter in proportion to the length of the charge, until crimson light filled the entire cavernous room. In the midst of this huge power output, a few flames and lightning escaped from Bell's focus and danced off the knife and sword in the form of sparks.
The blow he was preparing pushed his power to its limits and seemed certain to thunder with the sound of fire and decimate everything around it once it was released.
Bell had devised a completely absurd force-based combat technique. This deadly blow was expressly designed to defeat his greatest rival whenever they next met.
Bell: Goddess... Sora...
Hestia: Vesta...
Sora: Raikiri...
Bell: I'm going to borrow those name of yours...
Bell raised the flame-and-light-clad knife and sword in his right and left hand and looked at the monster standing before him.
Ring, ring.
As if to announce that the monster's time was up, Bell's chime rang out. Seeing this the Moss was shaking.
Moss(mind): What was that? What was that?! What could that be?!
He didn't know. He had never seen anything like it. Many times in the past, he had heard songs followed by bombardment. He had been burned by fire and frozen stiff by ice, struck by lightning and stripped of parts of his body.
But he had never seen anything like this. Never this merciless light. Never this flash of light and flame that seemed destined to destroy all and return all to ash. He was utterly petrified. So petrified that his will to kill and his hatred evaporated. Water! He had to get into the water! If he was in the water, the human wouldn't be able to pursue him! He turned away from the boy. He left his anger and his pride and his humiliation behind him and was about to dive into the stream that his mother the Dungeon had provided for him.
Welf: Hiyo!
But before he could reach it, a blizzard of pure-white snow beat down from above and froze the stream as far as he could see.
Moss: ?!
Standing astonished on the edge of the frozen river that he could no longer dive into, he looked up.
Welf: Thought we'd let you escape, eh?
A youth with red hair and a blue sword in his right hand was standing on top of a large crystal column, looking down on him. His other hand was on his hip.
Welf: Sorry, but that guy is gonna kill you right here, right now. Got it?
The human's fearless smile made him crazy with anger. He roared, wanting to rampage as his desire to kill dictated. But the footsteps approaching from behind would not allow that. He held his breath and looked over his shoulder. The boy with white hair was walking slowly toward him. His rage vanished, and in its place the terror came again. The boy paced quietly toward him, repeatedly focusing that terrible light as he drew near.
Moss(mind): It's getting closer!! Closer!! Closer!!
The destruction that would tear him apart. The human who would kill him. The white rabbit with the deep-red light in his eyes.
Bell: Let's end this!
The boy announced, raising his blade of light and flame. The boy's walk turned to a run, then a sprint. He was rushing at him as fast as lightning.
Moss: UUOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!
The deadly blade was bearing down on him. The white hair left a trace as it flew forward, sparks spilling from the knife and dancing in the air. He howled with terror and swung his powerful, all-destroying arms. But. The boy flashed toward him with a speed that surpassed his strength.
Bell:...
Raikiri + Argonaut: Raikou
Vesta
The bell had chimed for sixty seconds. The sacred letters carved into the blade threw off a brilliant light and released the roaring sound of fire.
Bell: Raikou Vesta!
There was a thundering of flame and a flash of light, and then a tremendous shock. That was all there was to the blow.Just before it happened, as crimson and pure-white light filled the world, something occurred to him.
Moss(mind): If I'm reborn... I'll never, ever go near a white rabbit again.
That was his final thought before his consciousness exploded into a million pieces. The exploding ball of flames swallowed up the death cries sputtering from the monster, and the crimson flash edged in white light flickered.
The flaming knife blow had caused the powerful explosion. As Lili and the others watched from above, their field of vision was filled first with white, then with red light. They threw their arms in front of their faces as the wave of heat and shock rolled toward them. Born in the space of an instant, the knife attack infused with electrical fire had generated a flare that incinerated all that it passed.
As color returned to the flickering landscape, the adventurers slowly raised their faces. Two massive legs stood in the silent room, the upper body that once belonged to them now gone. A moment later, the legs, too, turned to ash and scattered into the air with a puff.
Bell stood with his right arm outstretched at the end of its swing, quietly looking down at his knife as he released the tension from his body. The divine blade had matured along with him, and it was as smooth and un- chipped as before the attack. The flame and light still lingering in it turned to smoke and drifted upward toward the ceiling.
Lili and Haruhime: Master Bell!
Everyone: UOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!
Lilli's and Haruhime's emotional cries were drowned out by the deep bellows of joy coming from the elves and dwarves. Daphne and Cassandra desperately slapped their hands over their ears as Rin, Muller, Welf, Mikoto, and Aisha joined in the battle cry.
Rin: Muller!
Muller: Rin... You don't have—
Rin: Thank goodness! Thank goodness!
All at once, the parasitic vines entangling the adventurers' bodies disappeared. The vines had met the same fate as their creator, transforming like the monster into a haze of ash. As a smile of recovery spread over Muller's enfeebled face, Rin smile with tears on her eyes and threw her arms around her. The elves and dwarves, too, cried tears of joy as the monster's wretched torment disappeared from their bodies.
Lili: Master Bell!
Welf: Bell!
The boy winced happily as Lili, Welf, and the others jumped down from the hole in the wall and stumbled toward him. As he raised his hands to show that he had suffered no harm, he heard a splash. The sound was coming from behind Bell, on the opposite side from the frozen stream.
Bell: Uh...
Surprised, Bell turned in the direction of the splash and smiled faintly. A beautiful mermaid had popped her head and shoulders out of the water. It was Marie, who had parted ways with Bell just before he saved the party.
Marie: Thank you, Bell...I love you!
The Xenos had delivered the boy to his companions, and now she blushed and smiled broadly. Then she touched her fingers to her petite lips like a precocious child and blew Bell a farewell kiss. As she waved, her lips silently formed the words "See you later". Only Bell could see her; she was hidden from view of the rest of the party. The boy smiled wryly and returned her wave with a tiny one of his own.
A moment later, the sound of Bell's companions throwing their arms around him rang out, and a fishtail splashed the surface of the water. As the voices of the adventurers chatting excitedly on land drifted toward her in a soft, gentle murmur, the mermaid smiled faintly and returned to the world of water.