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

Hestia, surrounded by cheers of support, locked eyes with Bell.

Be careful.

--yes!

The two engaged in a silent conversation.

Encouraged by the goddess's reluctant push away his unease, the boy nodded firmly.

"Set off!!"

Shakti's call to action fueled even greater public support.

Watched by Hestia and the others, Bell followed the expedition team toward the tower gate.

"Aisa, I haven't heard that Leon was coming!"

"One more person won't make a difference. Our strength is guaranteed, don't be so stubborn."

"What are you going to do if I don't bring a spare black helmet (Hades Helmet)...?"

"Andromeda, the Ganesha Familia is leaving. We need to hurry and catch up."

"~~~~!!"

Outside the human wall of support, in a corner planted with broad-leaved trees, humans, Amazons, and elven adventurers spoke to each other in different tones.

Asphie let out a low, strange cry unbecoming of a lady of high birth, and stuffed the helmet-shaped magical artifact into Aisha's hands, who was now equipped with a large broadsword, and Ryu, whose face was covered. The three of them donned the helmets and then vanished as if melting away, their presence imperceptibly infiltrating the inner side of the blockade.

(To all you "heretics"... Winnie...)

A divinely ordained expeditionary force, a black-clad magician, uninvited intruders, and a young boy, each with their own agenda, entered the tower's gates.

Watched by the heavens and the crowd, they rushed out in one breath and into the underground city.

Volume 10, Chapter 9: The Dream of Beasts

The cracked blue crystal pillar collapsed with a crash.

Tents and wooden shops were all destroyed, along with fires caused by burning magic stone artifacts. The town was now silent, devoid of the thugs' clamor, and billowing black smoke rose from the sand.

The 18th floor of the dungeon, "Under Resort".

On the western side of this floor, the town of Rivera, built on a giant island by the lake, is in a state of ruin.

Starting from the north gate, the crystal and stone walls surrounding the town bear massive, broken marks, testifying to the power of the massive attack. Blue and white crystal fragments growing from the ground are scattered everywhere, along with broken sword blades, shattered axe blades, and splattered blood, all demonstrating the fierce resistance of the town's residents and adventurers.

The underground city inn, which used to be filled with dust everywhere, is now a ruin.

"Where did you take your fellow humans? Tell me now, human!"

In the utterly destroyed town, human voices could be heard mixed with the monster's voice.

In a corner of the town's streets, now devoid of its original form, stands a gargoyle with enormous gray stone wings and a male adventurer lying on the ground with his legs broken.

"Huh, hah...? What are you talking about, monster...! I don't understand what you're saying...!"

The man was one of the few adventurers who couldn't escape the monster's onslaught. The excruciating pain coursing through his body, coupled with the still-bleeding blood from his crushed feet, made it almost impossible for him to breathe. Tears welled in his eyes as he cursed at the talking monster, saying things he couldn't understand.

The gargoyle, its stone claws dripping with red blood—Guros—revealed its crooked fangs.

"Don't play dumb with me! You smell of the 'venom' of the spider-man (Rani)!"

"...!?"

"The will left behind by our compatriots calls you filthy beasts!"

The human man's face twitched upon hearing Guros's roar.

He wasn't unable to escape. It was the "heretics" like Guros who prevented him from getting away.

The man's true identity is that of the Ikelos Familia, one of the hunters who attempted to assault Rane. After hunting Rane and the others, they left the group to treat a troublesome poison and came to this town (Rivera) full of thugs with ulterior motives.

The "heretics" who were brutally murdered were looking for the scent of "venom" left by the spider, which stretched out like a silken thread.

The pungent stench, detectable only by monsters with a keen sense of smell, led the "heretics" to their doom.

The destruction of the town (Rivera) is part of the process of finding Ikelos's retinue, and also a symbol of the "heretics'" rage.

"Answer my question! Where are my compatriots?"

Following the gargoyle's hoarse cries, the other "heretics" who had surrounded the man with Guros also began to threateningly shout. The enormous volume, as if roaring like a hundred beasts, filled the man's expression with fear and despair.

Two of his hunters, who were captured after being attacked in the town (Rivera), have been executed.

Enraged, the "heretics" tore the two men to pieces with their sharp teeth and claws. The bloody, mangled corpses of their comrades lay scattered at the monsters' feet.

The man was speechless and had nowhere to escape. His face turned ashen, and his cheeks twitched in a mocking expression.

"Ha, hahaha... Even if I told you, you still wouldn't be able to go...!"

This mocking remark, though a desperate bluff, was instantly transformed into a scream by Guros's ruthless, raised claw. Accompanied by blood spurting from his mangled shoulder, the scream, "Gahh ...

"Speak! Speak quickly!"

The gargoyle's fierce face loomed close to the man, as if it were about to bite him to death at any moment.

Unable to withstand repeated intimidation and interrogation, the man finally confessed.

Instead of his mouth groaning as he tried to breathe in oxygen, he pointed in a direction with his right hand, the only part of his limbs that he could move.

His trembling fingers pointed to the distant view from the town's cliffs—the vast forest to the east of the building.

"A forest...? Where in the forest? What's there?!"

"To the east... there's a 'door'...!"

Guross was surprised to hear what the man with tears and snot all over his face said.

Not only in the secret realm, but the "heretics" also possessed all the "unexplored areas" or tunnels and other underground passages that adventurers had not yet discovered, yet they were unaware that there was a "door" on the 18th floor.

Guros barked, trying to extract more information, but—

"I told you, there's no way you can go...!?"

"What do you mean by that!"

"You guys are no good...! Give up...!"

The man's answer seemed to be already decided, simply stating that their actions were utterly meaningless.

Seeing that the hunters of the Ikeros Familia were merely repeating meaningless questions and answers, Gross twisted his stone face and ended the torture.

He stopped looking at the man's limp hand and shouted to the "heretics" behind him:

"East! Fellow countrymen—the human race's dwelling (secret base) is located to the east of the forest! Go find it!"

The moment the command was given, the monsters' shouts thundered out.

Instead of taking a detour, they rushed straight down the cliff face of the town (Rivera), while the winged monster spread its wings, and everyone ran in a straight line towards the east of the building.

"—Guros!"

Just then, a "heretic" called out to Guros, who was about to spread his wings and fly away.

The gargoyle turned its head to look in the direction its fellow comrade pointed out—the south side of the floor.

“That’s…!”

A group of adventurers bursts out from the cave leading to the 17th floor.

*

"Rivera was...!"

The moment he stepped through the dark cavern, Bell saw black smoke rising from the western part of the floor.

The expedition team advanced at an astonishing speed, cutting through the path to the 18th floor. The elite of the Ganesha Familia fought off obstacles (monsters) along the way, with only Bell, disguised as a supporter, panting heavily.

A punitive expedition team of up to thirty people arrived at the scene and planned to launch an immediate operation.

"Commander, what's next...!"

"No, wait—big sister, look at that!"

Interrupting the youth comrade (Mundaka), the female warrior (Amazon) Ilta pointed above her head.

Near the zenith, which shone with dazzling crystal light, a group of winged black shadows were flying.

"It's a winged monster...and fully armed."

The commander's focused eyes clearly caught the true face of the dark figure in the distance.

Those were monsters equipped with armor. They were definitely the attackers from the town (Rivera) mentioned in the intelligence report.

The Ganesha Familia, their eyes sharpening, and Bell, filled with tension, rushed out of the cave. They entered the forest that stretched out before them, traversing it in a straight line until they reached the open plains.

"...! Other monsters also have to cross the Great Plains...!"

"That direction is due east...is it the great forest? Why are we going there?"

The monsters traveled from the western lakeside of the town (Rivera) to the central grasslands and giant trees, continuing eastward into the great forest.

【Ganesha Familia】A group (monster) that has been observed to be larger than the winged species that travel by air and is crossing the Great Plains.

Why are the monsters that attacked the town (Rivera) heading towards the great forest? The expedition team wondered.

"Big sister, what should we do?"

"...We'll split into two groups. Momoka, you take a few men to the town (Rivera)! Check if anyone is alive!"

"Yes! And there's a younger one named Mondaka!"

"The rest of you, come with me! We're going to chase after the monsters heading into the forest!"

The youth group member whose name was called incorrectly (Mendaka) quickly formed a five-person squad and left the main force led by Shakti. As the Ganesha Familia split up to head towards the lake and the great forest, Bell, trailing at the rear, hesitated for a moment, but—

"Let's go to the forest too."

"Fels!"

"The town (Rivera) is probably deserted. Reed and his group are on their way to the forest."

The invisible figure followed Fels and spoke of what it had seen.

Yes, Bale saw it with his own eyes too.

He also saw among the flying winged monsters the figures of singing birds and gargoyles. And among the groups that traversed the vast plains were half-human, half-snake creatures, large-scale (giant) creatures, unicorns... and shadowy figures that resembled lizardmen.

Bell felt his heart pounding louder and louder. Not finding the dragon girl made him feel both relieved and increasingly uneasy.

Bell took a breath, shaking off the confusion and distracting thoughts that surged into his mind. He nodded in response to Fels and ran after the main force of the expedition. His robes snapped loudly in the wind as he swung his arms and ran at full speed.

The vast forest on the 18th floor of the safe zone stretches from the south to the east, perfectly depicting the shape of a huge harbor bay. The forest occupies more than one-fifth of the expansive "Maze Park," demonstrating its immense size. In particular, the southeast and east sides are greener and the trees are significantly larger than the forest on the south side facing the floor entrance.

Tree roots covered in damp moss, towering green trees that required one to look up in awe, a clear blue stream that played a beautiful melody, and blue-white crystals resembling giant daggers. The group rushed past these dreamlike landscapes in the blink of an eye, continuing their journey. Bell struggled to keep up so as not to be left behind by the expedition team, having no energy to even check if the invisible Fels was keeping up.

Then, the leader (Shakti), who had been constantly looking up to check the winged monster's path through the gaps in the branches, raised a hand. This was a signal to the adventurers following behind. Their paths were intersecting, and they were about to face the monster head-on.

The impending moment made Bell hold his breath in tension, but before the monsters could even enter his field of vision, layers of overlapping cries came first.

"What……"

"This is……!"

As if drawn by the sharp, piercing roars, the Ganesha Familia rushed over to investigate—only to find the monsters killing each other.

"The monsters are actually fighting amongst themselves...!"

Captain Shakti, the female warrior (Amazon) Ilta, and the other members all frowned.

Of everyone present, only Bell and Fils could understand the scene before them.

Meanwhile, the "heretics," ostracized by both humans and their own kind, are fighting off the attacking forest monsters.

At first, Bell couldn't be sure if those fiercely fighting monsters were really the "heretics" he had shaken hands with. The atmosphere they exuded was so different. They displayed ferocious faces that resembled bloodthirsty monsters, driving away the troublesome monster horde led by the bear-beast (Berg Bear) and the giant beetle (Crazy Beetle).

As Bell's gaze unconsciously wavered beneath his hooded coat, a "heretic" noticed the presence of the expeditionary force.

Immediately afterwards—"Heretic Child" barked wildly for a while, then launched an attack without saying a word.

""!?"

The battle had already begun before Bell and Fells had even been hit.

The moment they saw humans, the "heretics" with bloodshot eyes charged at them like "monsters".

"Soldiers, engage!!"