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

"After all, he's already a 'hero candidate'..."

"In that case, we must first understand the current lower realm. What awaits him, and what preparations should be made for it... Since we need to be fully prepared, the sooner the better, and that's what I think now too."

The rigorous tests imposed by Leon are part of this process.

However, Hestia didn't say it aloud.

"Of course I hope that the happy times can last forever, but... if we don't finish what we need to do now, both I and Bell will regret it in the future."

Only Hill accurately understood what the goddess was thinking.

The divine will of the sacred fire, woven from love and concern.

"...That's true. If I were in that situation, I would definitely make the same choice."

The goddess and the street maid, who govern different things, are now gazing at the same child with the same premonition.

The boy who was facing the peak of the trial, battered and bruised but still struggling.

"Please stop, Professor Leon!"

Nina propped herself up and hugged me from behind as if to protect me, while almost sobbing as she cried out.

Despite the student's earnest pleas, Professor Leon did not grant them their request.

That face no longer held the gentleness of a teacher, but maintained the coldness of a 'knight.' He stared intently at me as my fingertips trembled incessantly.

"This isn't a lesson! It's not even a fight! This is practically...!"

"You're right, Nina. This is neither a lesson nor a competition. This is 'baptism'."

"!!"

"This is the baptism that our idols inflicted on us fifteen years ago. It's something he will inevitably have to face in the future. I'm just putting all of this on him ahead of time. Besides, if he can't even get through this... then he doesn't deserve to be a hero in the world's praise. All he'll get is empty fantasy."

Every word she uttered bypassed Nina, who stood frozen in place, and was mercilessly stabbed at me.

My chest hurts so much. It feels like countless shards of glass have pierced it.

Perhaps it was because I took Nina and the others on a school trip, or perhaps it was because I showed off my skills on the 29th floor that I developed a false sense of self-importance. Ever since becoming a Level 1 adventurer, I've gradually become arrogant and complacent.

Perhaps I've forgotten that, in the eyes of those with the same perspective, or even those who stand at a higher level, Bell Craney is still just a child.

"Aren't you going to stand up, Bell? I haven't finished you off yet. You haven't seen the you that splits hills, cuts down cities, and slays dragons."

What an unreasonable demand!

I never expected that kind of thing to happen.

He wanted me to take up a sword and go to cut down hills, cleave cities, and even slay dragons. What an absurd request!

Perhaps the "heroes" of the gods and goddesses I've never met are just a bunch of such absurd guys.

Professor Leon is doing something extremely cruel to me.

"I have yet to meet the hero (you) who can transform this 'fading light' into 'the light of hope'."

But I understand.

The meaning behind this cruelty.

The true purpose hidden in 'baptism'.

After all, I have heard it all, heard about that person's past, and heard the desires buried deep in his heart.

"Whether in the past or present, I always yearn for more 'heroes' to step forward." —

The knight said this before the roaring campfire.

(He is waiting—)

That person is still waiting.

I waited for a full fifteen years from the day my idols disappeared.

Waiting for me.

Waiting for the unhatched hero's egg.

We await the arrival of more heroes who will step forward and follow in his footsteps.

So—I propped myself up with my trembling hands and stood up.

"...! Bel-senpai!"

"Nina...! Please restore my magic...!"

As blood dripped down, I forced those words out from deep within my throat.

"The next blow will be the final one...!"

I poured all my willpower and the little strength I had left into this body.

To live up to the knight's expectations, I met those lion-like eyes, and even the blood flowing down my face seemed to boil.

"I want to become a 'hero'...!"

He proclaimed this vow, which had been echoing repeatedly on his lips, on the dark and desolate earth.

"To become one of the 'heroes' that person has always been waiting for!"

I will save this world from its end.

I will surely become someone who stands at the forefront of everyone.

This inviolable vow, I have made here and now.

The knight, standing in the distance, smiled quietly in the shadow of his swaying bangs.

"…! [The sacred ring sways, white breath is exhaled. A myriad of flowers sing in unison, a pure hill]—[The Light of Holy Healing]!"

When Nina heard that I had made the decision not under duress, but out of my own will, she finally understood.

She suppressed her sobs and sang loudly, bringing me pure white healing.

My physical and mental strength are far from fully recovered, but my battered body and mind have been nourished.

This is enough.

I whispered an apology to the greatsword, which was already covered in cracks, and begged it to lend me a hand once more. And so—I summoned Flame Thunder.

"[Flame Lightning]!"

"!"

Under Nina and the others' astonished gazes, I infused the 'magic' into the greatsword I was holding in both hands.

Immediately afterwards, the clock tower struck loudly.

Dual charge.

The ultra-hard metal mixed into the refined metal repels flames and hinders the conduction of magic. However, even so, I still forced it in with brute force, endowing this greatsword with the 'Armor of Flames'.

(I can't unleash a "Afterglow" like Master Leon! With my current "skill," I'm not capable of sending the slash flying! But, if I borrow the properties of magic to make it a flying weapon and push it to its limit—!!)

If you just want to erase the distance, magic is enough.

However, relying solely on quick-attack magic, it is absolutely impossible to reproduce the power of the Light Slash.

This is something I've thought about for a long time.

Since that's the case, let's make use of both its advantages and disadvantages, strengthen it through 'Double Convergence', and then directly pour it into the greatsword to complete it, finally creating a move similar to 'Afterglow'—'Flying Flame Slash'!

This was a sudden inspiration. A last-minute, desperate gamble.

However, this is the most promising method. The intuition of an adventurer who has traversed countless unknowns roars in affirmation of this conjecture. Therefore, I decide to trust this intuition.

Compared to Professor Leon and his colleagues, I am far inferior in terms of technique, inspiration, and even awareness.

That is why I will give my all.

Whether it's "skills," "magic," or everything that has happened so far, even ideas for fooling children don't matter.

"Abandon honing your skills and instead rely on magic to extend your flight distance, Bell?"

It was recognized at a glance.

Did they lose points, or were they disappointed?

However, this usually serious knight now wore a wild and untamed smile.

"Rather than blindly gambling, strive for even the slightest chance of winning, use wisdom to compensate for weaknesses... Put all your cards on the line until the very last moment... Is that you?"

That's right.

exactly.

This is me right now!

Under the guidance of admirers and many others, the first-class adventurer (Bell Crane) traversed countless "unknowns" and finally arrived here!

The increasingly loud chimes of the clock tower replaced the shouts and resonated with the roar of anger in my heart.

Within the pure white particles of light, the crimson lotus flames burned fiercely, churning and roaring, while I solemnly raised my greatsword. Watching all this, Professor Leon couldn't help but narrow his eyes.

Like an adult with childlike innocence, overjoyed at encountering a hero from a fairy tale.

"I really want to fight you with all my might right now."

He whispered this, his tone full of regret.

"But—we made it in time."

At that moment, the knight turned around.

He raised his gaze and looked up at the sky above.

Immediately, a deafening roar echoed across the churning dark clouds.

"Awoooo ...

““!!””

Something other than us let out a deafening roar.

Nina and I were both stunned and turned to look in the direction of the 'valley'.

A spray of light came into view.

Amidst the flickering light and shadows resembling crackling lightning, in the dark cloud fissures far from the 'tornado,' an enormous, suffocatingly large 'excessively long being' revealed its true form.

"What is that...?"

"A giant centipede!?"

Nina stood frozen behind me, while I, with the eyes of a first-level adventurer, truthfully recounted the first impression that came into view.

The surface of that being was dark purple.

Its fifty-meter-long body, unlike the streamlined form of snakes, was composed of interconnected segments. Incongruous with its massive size were dozens of small, sharp, claw-like legs extending from its sides. The squeaking, wriggling appearance made it look exactly like a large insect, instantly sending chills down one's spine. Its head possessed ugly mandibles and long, sharp protrusions like a mosquito's mouthparts. Instead of legs, its sides were fitted with wing-like organs.

As for what covers its entire body, it is covered with hard scales like dragon scales.

"Could it be...!"

"It's a dragon."

"!"

Before the words had even finished, the dragon, slowly writhing at the edge of the sky, raised its eyes and its gaze fell upon us.

As if disgusted by the noisy insects in its territory, a beam of light shot out from that mouthpart-like protrusion—a thin laser slicing through the sky.

*Whoosh!* With a piercing screech, a violent explosion occurred instantly where Professor Leon was standing.

"Professor Leon—!?"

"That thing... is the 'Poisonous Centipede Dragon'."

Before the girl could even cry out, the knight's figure broke through the smoke and dust of the explosion and landed safely beside us. Nina was startled by his appearance, while I gasped at the massive circular crater that had been created in an instant.

The distance between the enemy and ourselves is about five kilometers.

To be able to launch such a powerful sniper shot from such an extremely long distance...!?

While we were still stunned, Professor Leon, without taking his eyes off the monster, continued speaking.

"If I remember correctly, that was the monster that the male and female gods discovered on the 67th floor back then."