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

"Stop, stop... What kind of ridiculous joke is this?!"

"Don't move! Hey, hold her down."

Ranie's tone became rude with panic, and the men reached out their arms to her.

Severely injured and facing the combined attack of three, Lanie was utterly helpless. The moment her lower body was pinned down, goosebumps rose on her skin. Her armor was stripped away, exposing her ample breasts beneath her adventurer's combat suit.

When the men reached out to touch the clothes, Raniere's face showed fear for the first time.

That expression greatly aroused the men's sadistic desires; they licked their lips, wanting to press their bodies against hers.

“——”

At that moment.

Ranie, who was initially just afraid of being defiled, suddenly became violent.

She bared her fangs, her pupils splitting open, transforming into the face of a ferocious demon (monster).

Then, she opened her mouth and spat the fluid that had risen in her throat onto the men.

"Gah—Wa ...

A pitiful howl suddenly erupted.

"It's so hot...!!"

"It's melted!?"

"Hahahaha! You guys are clowning around!"

Deceived by Raniere's acting, the three men who were directly hit by the bodily fluids struggled in pain. Some covered their eyes, while others collapsed to the ground, causing their companions around them to burst into laughter.

Many spider-like monsters possess this "toxin" attack.

Most of them are "paralyzing poisons" that prevent prey from escaping once they fall into the nest, but the venom that Ranie spews out is so destructive that it can dissolve flesh.

The men's burned skin emitted smoke and a pungent, acrid odor.

"You, you monster—!?"

Enraged by the unexpected counterattack from the poisonous spider, the men drew their swords in unison.

Faced with the cold glint of the approaching, menacing blade, Raniere stubbornly smiled at them.

"—Ugh!"

Three swords pierced her body.

The sword pierced through his back.

Blood gushed from the gaping hole in his body and lips.

The bloodstains scattered on the ground were red, just like the blood on a person.

"Ah, clack, ha... hahaha! Aha ...

Depression turned into laughter, and then into roars.

Blood painted her face crimson, and Raniere, tearing at the corner of her mouth, mustered her last strength to swing her broken arms. Seeing that she could still attack despite her fatal wounds, the men who had tried to stab her screamed and were easily knocked away.

Dix whistled, and amidst the escalating commotion, the other hunters raised their weapons.

"Ha, ha...! I will never let scum like you humiliate my body!!"

Raniere stood up on his many legs, which should have been broken, and spoke loudly.

The vigilant hunters were indeed intimidated by that resolute posture.

"This body, and death—I will not entrust them to you!!"

The next instant, Raniere plunged his hand into his own chest.

Ignoring the astonished expressions of Dix and the others, Lanie gave a bitter smile and gripped the "core" buried deep within his flesh.

"Guro, S—if it comes again…"

That hoarse murmur that fell from her lips became her last words.

With a forceful pull, she produced a cracking sound in her chest—the sound of shattering a "magic stone."

A few seconds later, the beautiful, blood-covered spider-like monster seemed to melt away, turning into a cloud of dust and disappearing.

"...She...she actually committed suicide."

Seeing the monster end its own life, the hunters cowered.

The corpses were piled high. Not even belongings were left; the dust shone brightly and danced in the air.

Forced to witness such a tragic death, their expressions were shaken and flustered.

"Oh...that's pretty cool. Yeah, I like this kind of thing."

Of these, only Dix said the same thing.

Seeing that their leader remained unmoved, the hunters forced smiles and regained their composure.

The man in goggles smiled at the pile of dusty corpses.

"That's right~. Only when you can do whatever you want to yourself can you be free from being bossed around by anyone else. We get along really well."

Seeing Dix slaughtering monsters and then saying to himself, "How dare you say such a thing?", the men with him laughed.

Dix, fiddling with his goggles, responded to them with a flippant smile.

"We can continue to use these two as bait to lure other monsters that may exist, but greed never comes easily."

Dix said "Let's go," and this time she really turned and left.

The men, their skin melted by the venom, staggered to their feet, followed by the goggles-wearing men.

"The most important dragon maiden (Vivel) has been captured. Let's take these two back to our lodgings first."

With their backs to the remains of the spider-man, Dix and the others strode away from the cave.

Clutched under the arms of the thugs walking down the passage, the half-human, half-bird girl and the dragon girl (Vivel) swayed back and forth.

As she moved further away from the remains of her compatriots, tears welled up in her tightly closed amber eyes.

Then, a few hours passed.

"…………oh……"

A gargoyle landed in the cave where a lot of ash was scattered.

The monster had unicorns and silverbacks, among others, following it as it looked around at the scenery.

A familiar breastplate with a gaping hole. A large hammer and spear. Torn robes and heavy equipment cut in two. Seeing the pieces of armor covered in dust, his stone body began to sway, making a low, creaking sound.

The gargoyle then passed through the cave, walked to the wall, and reached its hand into the plants that had been torn apart and scattered on the ground.

With trembling fingers, she picked up a piece of crimson crystal that had been thrown to the ground when the ravagers weren't looking.

The gargoyle, holding the same crystal in its other hand, suddenly raised its head and looked up at the sky.

"Roar!!"

The howls of the "monster," fueled by rage and fury, echoed throughout the dungeon.

*

"—?"

I turned my head to look behind me.

The ceiling and walls were a pale blue. A natural labyrinth, illuminated by phosphorescent lights at irregular intervals, stretched out in endless straight lines and crossroads. Voices, alternating between joy and worry, echoed from around the corner, proving the adventurer's party was nearby.

I stopped in the middle of the passage and looked down at the ground that had been trampled by many of my colleagues.

It felt like I heard something... a sound that shook the dungeon.

"Puga!"

"!"

As I was still looking back, I was pulled back to my senses by a sudden, approaching sound.

A goblin—a low-level monster—pounced on me, but I dodged it by turning around and raising the Goddess Blade in my right hand.

Dungeon level 3.

This is the "Upper Level" of the labyrinth, which I haven't lingered in for a long time. When I first joined the [Family] of the gods, I was only LV.1, and I explored this starting level several times.

From early morning, I've been holed up alone in this novice adventurer's territory.

"Chirp!"

The monster waved its arms wildly, but I only slightly turned my body to dodge.

Now, the goblin's attacks seem clumsy. If I wanted to, I could easily plunge my dagger into the "magic stone" in its chest in an instant, ending its life.

However, I was never able to retaliate.

"Ugh!!"

"...!"

Seeing that its attacks were completely missing, the goblin became impatient and roared angrily at me.

Seeing that excited and ugly face—and feeling the murderous intent emanating from it—my hand twitched.

My aversion to monsters and my fighting instinct gave me a push, and I swung the Goddess Blade with a firm grip.

"—Chirp!?"

A bluish-purple blade flashed across the monster's chest.

With perfect aim, the slash struck the "magic stone" in the center of his chest.

After the "core" crystal was shattered, the "goblin" was briefly stunned before collapsing into dust.

I defeated the monster using a move I had become accustomed to.

"..."

I looked down at the mountain of dust piled up at my feet.

One of the sharp teeth was left behind.

Seeing the same "dropped item" that appeared before... "Goblin's Tooth," I hesitated to pick it up.

I came to the dungeon because I wanted to confirm something.

It's about whether I can defeat the monster.

To continue being an adventurer in Orario, can I kill the monsters?

(...I can defeat them.)

Since entering the dungeon, I've already defeated several monsters.

I chopped down the monsters' "magic stones," turning them into dust as always.

However—I must admit that an undeniable turmoil has indeed arisen in my heart.

Ever since I met Winnie.

Since meeting the "Heretic," a rational monster.

I hesitated about killing the monster.

(I can defeat them, but... I can never do it like before...)

Perhaps I can no longer be an adventurer like before?

This question about myself wouldn't go away.

In battles against monsters, even a moment's hesitation can be fatal. If this continues, I will die one day. I will die under the sharp teeth and claws of monsters.

“Gurgle!”

"Hooohoo!"

I wandered through the dungeon when several "Earth Spirits" and "Dungeon Lizards" clinging to the walls appeared before me. Faced with this horde of monsters, I gritted my teeth and prepared to fight.

My body reacted to the onslaught of the group. I dodged their deadly attacks, destroyed their blue-purple crystals, and in return, witnessed the monsters' dying screams.

"I hope you won't hesitate. Don't let unnecessary concerns about us prevent you from taking action."