Dungeon ni Deai o Motomeru no wa Machigatte Iru Darou ka

Fuhh-fuhh. Its heavy breaths filling my ears, the Minotaur takes its eyes off the massive sword and whips its neck around to face me.

“—Dah?!”

It had one option from that position I didn’t think of—a head butt.

And on top of its head and coming right at me, a horn!

The tip of its thick, curved horn is aimed right at my chest!

“Yeeh?!”

Even though I knew it was about as useful as tissue paper, I brace my protector in front of the oncoming spearhead. The horn penetrates the protector like a knife through butter.

Thanks to the angle of the attack, I escape another killing blow. By some miracle, even my arm is in one piece, with just a shallow gash across the front of my left arm.

However…

The horn is stuck inside the protector.

The protector is still strapped to my arm. My feet leave the ground as the Minotaur stands up, with me hanging on.

“Gehe?!”

“OOOooWOOOO!!”

It flicks its neck, swinging me around like a rag doll.

It flips the other direction, and my body goes with it.

Every joint pops; I’m in shock. I have no idea where the ground is—all I know is that I’m two meders above it.

I can’t see anything! Going too fast!

The sudden whips are getting more intense, knocking the wind out of me.

My left shoulder is at its limit, popping and pulling painfully.

Two, three more crazy swings from the beast and the protector breaks, just a second before my shoulder joint would have given out.

The protector was already broken, but now it cracks down the middle from the penetration point.

At that exact second, the Minotaur flings its head upward. My arm is free; there’s nothing to stop me from flying straight up.

“U​U​H​H—​W​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​!​!”

I come within touching distance of the ten-meder-high ceiling of the lower-ninth floor before feeling gravity take hold of my body.

Tracing a mountain in the Dungeon, I start my descent.

Unable to brace my body for impact, the ceiling falls away from me—fast.

“GeHAAHH!”

I land flat on my back.

A scream of pain shoots through my spine and out to every nerve in my body. Stars are flashing in my eyes.

I can feel my arms and legs convulsing, again and again.

If it weren’t for my Defense, I’d already be dead… ?!

“Aa…ah?!”

My eyes won’t stop blinking.

The wave of pain forces sounds out of my mouth. I scrunch up my forehead and force my eyes closed.

But I can feel the Minotaur, the impact of its footsteps coming through the ground.

This is bad, but there’s nothing I can do anymore. I can’t move; I can only make the strange sounds coming out of my throat.

Not being able to move brings back the terror I’d been holding down by sheer force of will. The fear is back with a vengeance.

Click, click—my teeth start chattering. Tears begin to flow out of my eyes.

Scared.

I’ve never been so scared.

I’m in pain. Everything hurts. I’m overwhelmed.

But above all that…

I’m absolutely terrified.

Too scared to stand.

“Uuuh…!”

The vibrations of the oncoming footsteps make my hair stand on end. It’s coming closer, slowly.

I’ll be slaughtered. Panic is taking the feeling out of my arms and legs.

The fear is taking me, breaking me. But if I give in, will that make what’s about to happen painless?

I open my eyes to see the bright lights overhead. Each of their light beams silently reflect off my tears.

—It’s over.

The terror within me pushes every shred of hope I had left out of my body in one long sigh.

“… ?”

The vibrations stop.

The execution block that I can’t escape from has become eerily quiet.

In the place of the vibrations, a breeze.

How strange. What happened? I’m caught between terror and curiosity. What’s going on?

I relax my face and try to move.

My body is still quivering, but I manage to raise my head off the ground.

That’s when…

“—”

…I see her.

“…”

Long, flowing blond hair. Blue armor. Thin, sliver saber.

Just like she had a day before, the female knight has her back to me.

Time stands still.

“Uhh…uwooo… ?!”

The Minotaur is afraid.

Its eyes locked on the silent warrior, it takes several shaky steps backward.

I feel wind.

And she’s at the center, her presence filling the room and forcing complete stillness.

Her aura has taken over.

—The Kenki. Aiz Wallenstein.

“Found her! Hey, Aiz!!”

“Heh, ya drag me all the way down here for somethin’ this boring? Pathetic!”

More vibrations of footprints through the ground, even new voices in my ears, but I can’t take my eyes off her back.

Her eye and the tip of her nose.

Aiz is shielding me from the Minotaur, facing it down.

My head is all mixed up. What’s going on?

What’s going to happen?

My torso comes off the ground as if pulled up by invisible ropes. I don’t even notice, my attention completely on the girl in front of me.

“…Are you okay?”

—Am I okay?

Just like the first time.

Her standing in front of me, looking back over her shoulder, her thin face saying those words.

Everything in my body shudders as if struck by lightning.

“…You did well.”

I did…well?

Unlike the last time.

Words of sympathy, encouragement.

Ba-bash! My heart thrashes.

“I’ll save you now.”

Save…me?

My heart pounds away in my chest.

Everything else in my line of sight suddenly snaps back into color.

Everything is white hot.

Save?

Being saved?

Again?

By her?

Just like before?

Like a pattern?

Who?

—Me.

“… ?!”

A fire lights within me.

That spark grows into an inferno that purges all other emotions from my mind.

The fear disappears as the blaze roars through.

A new strength, one I’ve never known, uses the flame to fill my body with power.

Stand.

Stand up!

STAND UP NOW!!

How long are you going to just lay there?!

How many times are you just going to let her save you?!

I’ve seen this once before!

I can’t stand being saved by her yet again! I won’t allow it!!

Body, move forward!

If you’ve got enough time to be afraid, make up your mind!

She’s your idol! Do you want her to see you like this again?

She’s the one you want to impress—don’t show her anything more embarrassing than you already have. What good will that do?

I can’t stand it, I won’t stand it, I refuse to put up with it!

If I can’t impress her now, when can I?!

If now isn’t a good time to look her in the eyes, when is a good time?!

If I can’t stand up on my feet now, when will I?

If I can’t reach a new height now, when the hell will I?!

My legs kick off the ground.

I’m up and moving again.

“?!”

“…can’t…”

I grab hold of her hand.

It feels so thin and delicate that I might break it if I squeeze too hard. I gently pull her around behind me.

I’m going forward; it’s my choice.

“I can’t be saved by Aiz Wallenstein yet again!”

I yell from the pit of my gut as I grab my knife.

The Minotaur sees me step forward. Its eyes pop open for a moment before it greats me with vicious laughter.

As if granting my wish, the beast points the tip of the cleaver in my direction.

“I challenge you…!”

It’s time for an adventure.

For the part of me that has to know.

Today, for the first time, I find out what’s on the other side of the wall.

The boy charged.

Aiz, stunned, watched as the little rabbit rushed headlong toward the monstrous bull.

“Well, it’s goin’ against the rules ta steal someone else’s kill. Looks like ya got rejected, Aiz.”

“……”

Bete’s carefree, almost joking voice came up from behind the now alone Aiz.

He continued by saying that the kid was in the right, being an adventurer.

Bete and Tiona were the first to enter the room behind Aiz, follow closely by Tione and finally Reveria and Fynn.

They all arrived just in time to see Bell engage the Minotaur in combat.

Bete’s eyes followed the boy’s movements as Bell cleanly dodged the monster’s first strike. “Ohh!” he said in surprise, his mouth an open circle. “Ahh?” He noticed something peculiar.

“White head there…isn’t that tomato boy? Keh! Ha-ha-ha-ha! Poor kid! Looks like Minotaurs have a thing for ’im!”

“You mean the one Aiz saved at the last moment?”

“That’s him, all right! Can you see the hearts in the ’Taur’s eyes? It’s love for White Head that made the beastie run all the way up here just to be with him!”

“Stop messing around, Bete.”

Bete just shrugged at Tione’s warning.

A smirk appeared on his wolfish muzzle as the wolf man looked back at the battle.

“Fine, fine. But I ain’t gonna go rescue the kid. White Head got his ass saved just like this not too long ago, and ran off like the weakling he is then, too.”

“Are you sure about this? He’s Level One, right? The Minotaur will gut him for sure!”

“Tomato boy made his decision. It’s not our place. Ain’t that right, Tione?”

“Would you leave me out of this?”

Bete saw a tick of annoyance on Tione’s face, but he couldn’t care less. So he turned his focus back to the battle, a smile still on his face.

The three adventurers stood in a small circle, but Tiona couldn’t sit still. She wanted to help the boy, not see him die.

“Either way, we can’t just ignore that monster! We clean it up before or after the boy dies, that’s it! I for one am going to help!”

“Leave ’im. The kid’s bein’ a man. Any idea how painful it’d be to be saved again now after bein’ humiliated before? If it were me, death would be better than goin’ through that again.”

“I don’t care about your aesthetics, Bete!”

The three of them forgot where they were for a moment, laughing at themselves. But under their chuckles, there was a voice that struggled to be heard.

A small shadow at their side, barely able to stand.

“…Please, honorable adventurers. Mr. Bell…please save Mr. Bell…”

“L-little prum…”

“Hey, hands off! I said, OFF!”

The completely unchanged, natural Lilly fell forward, grabbing onto Bete’s clothes to keep herself from falling.

“Lilly will repay. Lilly will do anything, absolutely anything…Please save Mr. Bell…please…!”

“W-what did I just say…”

As the young prum got more and more desperate, Bete looked down at her with his wolf ears pinned back. But after seeing the girl’s face, only then did his expression soften.

Reveria glided up behind Lilly and crouched down behind her, putting her right hand in front of the prum’s eyes. She then wrapped her left arm around the girl’s stomach and drew her into an embrace.

“Do not strain yourself. Wounds may close, but spilt blood has yet to replenish.”

As soon as Reveria finished her spell, a jade light erupted from her right hand, illuminating Lilly’s eyes. Just as the high elf had just said, Lilly’s wounds came together; the stream of blood running down her face went dry.

It was no coincidence that Loki Familia’s adventurers appeared in this room—it was all thanks to Lilly.

Even though she should have escaped after leaving Bell behind, she kept running circles around the lower-ninth floor, injuries and all, desperately looking for help. That’s when she found Aiz.

Endless pleading from the supporter to help her friend led Loki Familia to this room.

“Please save…please…save……”

“…Tsk.”

Bete had reached his limit. He snapped his tongue as he looked down at the incoherent girl.

He scratched the back of his head, ash-colored fur rippling. Clearing his throat, Bete took a step toward Aiz and the battle farther beyond.

“Are you going?”

“Don’t go gettin’ the wrong idea, I hate savin’ trash. But I just can’t stand bein’ begged to save somebody weaker than me from torment. That’s worse.”

Bete didn’t even look at Reveria as he gave her a blunt answer.

“Outta the way, Aiz. It’s mine!”

“……”

“Hey, what’cha starin’…at…”

Bete had advanced as far as Aiz’s position when he came to a sudden halt.

Just as usual, Aiz’s face was devoid of emotion—with the exception of her golden eyes. They were wide open in surprise.

She was watching the scene unfold with the utmost intensity.

“…Huh?”

Bete looked that way.

And his jaw dropped.

The Minotaur, swinging a massive cleaver, and a boy wielding a knife.

Neither was giving ground as their blades clashed again and again.

“……Wha… ?”

Their battle filled the room with layer upon layer of metallic echoes.

But not all were the same; some of the vibrations carried a force that felt strong enough to destroy anything. Others felt so fast that they could slice through any material.

Bete’s ears braced for impact over and over as the psychotic melody spread throughout the Dungeon.

His eyes followed the sliver flashes of the cleaver and the violet streaks of the knife. Just when it looked as though a burst of silver was going to connect, a violet arc intercepted its path, adding yet another clashing echo.

Bell and the Minotaur locked eyes as they continued to trade attack and defense. Neither was backing down.

“Eh…huh, wha… ?”

“…Who is Level One?”

The battle had caught Tiona’s and the others’ attention.

It was obvious to everyone present that the Minotaur had an advantage, just from its size alone. However, all of them could see that it wasn’t a one-sided battle, not by a long shot.

It was a duel, both sides evenly matched in a fight to the death.

A sudden high note in the echo melody pierced their ears.

Tiona’s group took their eyes off the battle as Bell blocked the cleaver with his knife yet again and looked in Bete’s direction. All of them were looking for answers.

Bete didn’t know how to respond.

“If my memory is correct…”

A calm voice cut through the chaos.

Bete’s shoulders dropped, a look of shock that even he didn’t comprehend on his face, as he turned around to face the speaker.

Their leader, Fynn Dimuna, took small, calculated steps as he quietly approached. He stopped just behind Bete before continuing.

“Isn’t this the boy who, one month ago, you considered to be ‘the newest of the newbies,’ Bete?”

“……”

A burst of sparks lit up their faces.

The instant the bright red light faded, a shock wave from the combatants’ blades passed between them, ruffling hair, fur, and clothes on its way by.

Fynn didn’t budge, his blue gaze looking up at Bete, who was squinting to protect his own eyes.

The boy was a newbie, there was no doubt.

He knew nothing of combat and was getting run around in circles by a Minotaur. One look had told Bete all he needed to know.

He was a pathetic, laughable excuse for an adventurer.

This boy.

What the hell happened?!

He had become so much more.

The person who was engaging this Minotaur in a fight to the death was not the weak trash that he despised.

The boy had visible potential, a genuine rookie.

Just one month. That’s all it took.

Even adventurers who started off with talent and combat experience couldn’t improve so much that their very aura changed in a span of thirty days. By and large, adventurers improved at a snail’s pace.

He’d made an unbelievable jump from rock bottom to where he is now.

Bete stood there in awe.

This ain’t freakin’ possible! Lost in thought, confusion took over as Bete once again counted the days it took for Bell’s transformation.

No matter how hard he tried, Bete couldn’t find any possible explanation. That realization sent shivers down his spine.

“…”

Standing right next to him, Aiz was also fixed on Bell.

While there was a glint of surprise in her golden eyes, her expression had shifted to one of interest.

“UWAAAAAOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!”

“HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!”

The combatants’ voices joined the chorus of metal clashes.

The human and the Minotaur collided again and again in a battle of strength against speed.

The Amazon sisters had joined Bete and Aiz to get a front-row seat for the battle. Reveria wasn’t far behind, with Lilly resting in her arms.

They stood in a line, their jaws slack as they watched the ebb and flow of every attack with unblinking eyes.

“…”

The elite adventurers of Loki Familia watched the duel to the death from the sidelines.

By their standards, this was a very crude battle.

A low-level skirmish that wasn’t even worth their time.

However, there was something about it that captivated them. At the very least, they had to know the outcome.

Some of them watched in amazement, some of them followed movements with sharp, focused eyes, still others looked on in calm silence.

Constant explosions of sparks surrounded the battle.

Whistles of air-splitting strikes rang out.

All the light in the already dim room seemed to focus on them alone, their duel in a spotlight.

It was like a page out of folklore.

A man facing down a fearsome beast in a desperate battle to the death.

Tiona squinted her eyes.

“Argonaut…”

That was one of the legends.

It was the story of a boy who dreamed of becoming a hero. He journeyed deep into a labyrinth to save his queen after she had been kidnapped by a bull-monster.

At times, he was fooled by others.

The king even manipulated him on multiple occasions.

His desire to help others sent him in many different directions along the way. But it was meant to be a humorous tale.

The boy made many friends, borrowing their knowledge.

He received weapons from fairies.

Every one of his endeavors somehow led to his rescuing of the queen, making his name known throughout the land. The kind, funny, and yet heroic Argonaut.

“I’ve always liked…that story…”

Tiona clasped her hands in front of her chest, her eyes glistening as if she had discovered a vast treasure as the battle unfolded in front of her.

Nostalgia swept over her as she smiled, memories of the story flooding her mind.

Like ripples through water, each of her comrades made the connection to that legendary tale, the sounds of battle still filling their ears.

The battle still raged on before them, flashes of white and red continuously plowing into each other.

The elite adventurers looked on as a fairy tale came to life right before their eyes.

My body is light.

My mind is clear.

My soul is on fire.

A massive sword passes my face, and I charge forward.

I challenge the monster’s howls with roars of my own, and press forward.

My entire body is focused, looking for a chance to seize victory, pressing forward.

The only thing that matters is the enemy in front of me.

Well, this is a first.

This isn’t some pathetic fantasy.

I’m not caught up in my own ego.

I’m not daydreaming; this isn’t some unattainable wish.

I want to be a hero.

A hero who can take this thing down.

This is the first time I’ve wished from my heart that I wasn’t some weak kid, but someone who is a heroic man.

I—

I want to be…a hero.