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

"Ah, wait a minute, Bell!"

"what?"

"Just in case, let me update your [ability stats] first... who knows what might happen."

Hestia rummaged around and found the needle she used to collect ichor, then called to Bell.

Belle was dragged to a secluded spot where no one could see her.

"Wait, but... didn't we already update this with everyone before coming to Maze Street (here)...?"

"You've fought [Fiora], so there's bound to be... Alright! Stop asking so many questions, go stand at attention over there!"

Hestia couldn't reveal the matter of [Single-minded Aspiration (Skill)], so she insisted that Bell obey; "Okay, okay!?" Bell began to take off his equipment.

"Haruhime, go and call Miss Supporter and Welf over here."

"I'll go right away!"

In order to enhance her [ability stats], Hestia prioritized meeting up with Bell, then gave instructions to Haruhime as well, and at the same time rushed to complete the update process.

"Huh...!? Just how badly did Miss Warren beat you up!?"

"Huh! Is there a problem?"

Hestia stared wide-eyed at Bell's back, making him break out in a cold sweat.

Although he was concerned, he didn't have time to linger. Bell put his equipment back on, used Hestia's dual potion to heal himself, and planned to head to the underground passage before Welf and the others.

It's too late to say.

"Roar! Ro ...

The monster's hideous roar shook the night.

“…Huh?”

At first, Bell couldn't understand what the sound was.

Hestia and Haruhime were also at a loss, looking up in the direction from which the roar came.

Against the backdrop of the moonlight obscured by clouds, floating in the air—is a strange, winged figure.

*

"Where is it? Where did it come from?!"

Modo Latro's expression changed drastically, and he shouted wildly at everyone around him, spittle flying everywhere.

Leading his companions, he was stopped by a guild employee while reluctantly dealing with a quest. Hearing the loudest monster roar of the day, the roguish high-ranking adventurer looked around with a menacing expression.

Beside him, two companions (humans) pointed upwards with ashen faces.

"Moto..." "They're coming this way..."

"what?"

In the direction the two were pointing, more than one shadow floated, and all of them had wings.

The shadow of the soaring bird grew larger and larger.

They flew in a straight line towards Modo and the others.

When the blurry silhouette revealed the distinct form of the gargoyle, Modo, who had been in a daze, gaped wide open.

"Woohoo!?"

"Gaa ...

As the monster charged down with a loud roar, Modo and the others took off running as fast as they could.

Dust billowed, followed by a violent collision. Stone claws shattered the stone pavement with a deafening roar.

Upon seeing this, the surroundings fell completely silent.

Modo and his group were located in the Northwest District—the outer area where a large number of refugees had gathered.

"Wa ...

"No! Aa ...

As time returned to normal, the outer areas were shrouded in roars.

Several monsters—fierce winged creatures—attacked from the sky, causing screams to scatter everywhere. The residents, powerless and vulnerable, finally unleashed their long-suppressed fear. Numerous demi-humans transformed into a human tide, desperately fleeing for their lives.

"Adventurers!? Quickly, defeat those monsters!"

"Tsk!?"

The guild staff gave the instructions with screams, and the adventurers, upon receiving the mobilization order, grabbed their weapons and ran out.

Gargoyles, crimson eagles, iguazú, and deadly hornets clad in armor—four monsters in total—landed in an oval formation in the center of the grand plaza. The adventurers split into two groups: a rearguard that remained to protect the residents, and a forward-department, greedy but courageous, intent on hunting down the bounty targets.

The first line of orcs displayed their unique agility.

But it was swept clean by the gargoyle's irrational stone eyes.

“Guoooooooooooooooooooo!”

"Ughhhhh!?"

With a swift swipe of its claws, the adventurers were knocked to the ground. Humans and dwarves followed suit. The rearguard unleashed a volley of arrows, but the monster used its hard, broad stone wings as a barrier, deflecting them all. The mage, forgetting they were in the very center of the town, began preparing to cast "magic," but was attacked by other monsters, his incantation quickly turning into a wail.

Seeing the adventurers dispersed only exacerbated the panic among the populace. Elderly adults were too frightened to stand, guild staff stood frozen, pale-faced, and women and children clung to each other. Large numbers of people rushed towards East Street without regard for the consequences, causing traffic jams and delaying the evacuation efforts.

"Commander Shakti!?"

"...!"

Shakti, the leader of the Ganesha Familia responsible for protecting the residents, was in a state of panic on a different level than those around him.

(How could this be? Of all times, at this time and in this place...!?)

Shakti, who knew something about the "heretics," began to doubt her own eyes. The strange behavior of monsters that should have been rational made her uneasy. Their random fighting and misbehavior made them no different from ordinary monsters.

The group members waited for the leader's instructions. She gritted her teeth and shouted loudly:

"The safety of the citizens is the top priority! Guide and escort the people to safety, obey the will of Ganesha!!"

"yes!"

That's about all the instructions she can give.

"Chigusa! You and Asuka, take the children and run away!!"

"……good!"

The adventurers were forced to retreat in defeat, including members of the Takemikazuchi Familia.

Sakura used the face of her giant axe to block the flying monster's attack; hearing his flustered shouts, Chigusa protected the children who had returned to the square with them and led them to safety.

"Ugh, ahh..."

"Ray, run!?"

"...!"

Even when they heard Chigusa or their foster mother calling, Lai, Fina, Xiaolu, and the other young orphans were unable to move for a moment, stunned by the monster's ferocious appearance.

The screams drew more screams, and the large square became a crucible of fear and chaos.

"How could this be! Why!?"

Bell rushed up to the rooftop platform of the building and couldn't help but shout when he saw the scene.

"All of you 'heretics' are causing a ruckus in the square..."

"...!?"

Chunji covered her mouth, and Hestia stared in disbelief; both of them were greatly shocked.

Those behaving no differently from ordinary monsters, running amok and causing chaos everywhere, were indeed the "heretics" like Gross. Looking at the nightmarish scene unfolding before their eyes, no one could think straight.

Of them, only the boy acted without hesitation.

"Wait, wait, Bell!?"

Bell threw away the invisibility cloak he was holding and ran out despite Hestia's attempts to stop him.

Drawn by the wailing of the residents reaching his ears, he headed straight for the main square.

"The goddess Hestia!"

After Bell ran out, Welf, Ming, and Lily arrived shortly after.

They came at the sound of the commotion and were astonished by what Bell had seen.

"Hey, are you kidding me... what's going on here!?"

"I don't know! How could Lily possibly know!?"

"Please calm down, both of you!!"

Welf and Lily were yelling at each other, but seeing them like this calmed him down a bit and stepped between them.

The retinue members shouted amongst themselves, while Hestia stood beside them, watching from the outside as the "heretic" wreaked havoc in the square. Alone, a thought inadvertently crossed her mind:

(It looks like a stage play...)

The plaza was like a theater, the residents like the audience, and the monsters and adventurers like the assigned roles. The brutal arena, with its flying gore and carnage, elicited screams from the audience, fueling their fear and fueling their eager hope that the plot would take a turn for the better.

And right now, the protagonist...the hero, is heading onto the stage—

“──!!”

Hestia suddenly looked up at the sky.

She stared into the air, at the "Eye of God," which was presumably watching this scene from somewhere, and offered the greatest condemnation she could.

"Commander!?"

"I know."

Finn didn't even glance at Raul, who tumbled in, but stared intently at the outskirts of the northwest district where the monster had descended.

"This is practically the same as a dungeon..."

As the abnormal situations continued to occur, Finn sighed and grumbled.

Based on the enemy's objectives, Finn had initially assumed they wouldn't attack the shelter... but now the monsters' actions were beyond his comprehension, revealing the intervention of a third party. Finn was quite displeased by this, but he understood that things had come to this point, and the Loki Familia had no choice but to send in its forces.

Finn then turned his gaze to his right hand.

My thumb twitched slightly, causing a slight throbbing pain.

(What happened... or what's about to happen?)

Finn licked the pad of his thumb, recalling the words of the Supreme God.

"You want me to see it clearly myself, huh... That's a headache."

"Huh? What did you say, Commander?"

Raul heard the commander muttering to himself and asked, but Finn didn't respond and made a decision in his mind.

"Raul, I'm going to lead the troops there."

"Huh!? The commander himself has come out!? Where is the command at headquarters (here)?"

"It's up to you, Rivera and Raul. Go ahead and clear your name."

"Ugh! U ...

The target of their vigilance had not disappeared. The leader of the dwarf race ordered the first-level adventurers, including Ais, to await orders, while he personally led a group of members to the northwest.

*

"Do not go into the main street! Please follow the instructions of the Ganesha's Familia!"

Eina shouted loudly. Even as her voice was swallowed by the overwhelming sound of footsteps and screams, she desperately tried to stop the panicked residents.

Although largely driven by personal reasons, she still worked as a guild employee, diligently ensuring the safety of residents in this northwestern outskirts area, even as she headed to Daedalus Road. At least, that was the case until just now.

Now all she can do is try to evacuate people in the large square where the situation is spiraling out of control, and she doesn't even know if she's been of any help.

(The monster came here because it had nowhere else to go? But Daedalus Road is so big, why would it come to the shelter...?)

She glanced at the monsters the adventurers were fighting in the center of the square.