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

Although Eina was knowledgeable, she usually just waited at the headquarters counter for adventurers to return, just like other staff or residents, and was terrified. She suppressed her trembling hands and feet and analyzed the battle situation.

(That gargoyle is far stronger than any other monster!)

Needless to say, even the rank-up adventurers of level three and a few level two were all knocked away and unable to fight anymore. Even ranged attacks couldn't damage the stone's body in the slightest, making it seem as if "magic" would be needed to defeat this monster.

Now, the Ganesha Familia are focused on protecting their inhabitants, and incredibly, the outnumbered monsters are now in the lead.

(If only the Loki Familia could have arrived...!)

Eina caught a glimpse of another adventurer collapsing, coughing up blood, being dragged away by his companions. Just as she was praying for reinforcements to arrive, her eyes met those of the ferocious gargoyle.

"--Huh?"

It was indeed "watching" Eina, and a sense of déjà vu paused her time.

Looking into those emotionless stone eyes, she couldn't help but gasp, feeling as if her heart had been grabbed.

She remained oblivious to the fact that the bracelet on her wrist, inlaid with purple gemstones, was glowing.

She didn't realize that the gargoyle was hiding the same kind of gem in its hand.

Eina stood frozen in place as the gray stone shadow flew toward her.

"Hoo ...

The adventurers were all shocked to see the monster suddenly change direction, and screams erupted from the residents.

The defender's shield, which was protecting others, couldn't catch up in time. Sakura, who was fighting fiercely, was also dumbfounded. People scattered and fled, and the gargoyle lost all separation from Eina, her emerald eyes reflecting the stone claws that were about to pierce her.

"Aaaaaah!!"

However, a figure appeared and prevented the tragedy.

「!?」

"!"

A streak of blue-purple light severed the aura of death that Eina had come into contact with.

The white-haired boy, Bell, rushed over and stood in front of the gargoyle, raising the goddess's dagger.

"Be, Bell..."

"Miss Eina, please step back!!"

Not only was Eina stunned, but the residents and their companions also stared intently at the boy, who shouted anxiously. In fact, Bell was anything but composed. Only questions and doubts filled his mind.

Bell faced the monster head-on, desperately asking with his eyes, "What on earth is going on?" The hideous gargoyle first narrowed its eyes, then lunged at Eina again.

"Goo-oo-oo!"

"What?!?"

Bell stopped it again.

The force of the impact caused the hand holding the dagger to shake, and small stone fragments were scattered from the claws.

The gargoyle spread its wings and relentlessly attacked Eina.

(Mr. Guros!?)

Eina was stunned into silence as the slashes and claws collided repeatedly in front of her.

Perhaps it was the gargoyle's superior potential that forced Bell into a disadvantageous position; only at this moment did the other adventurers set aside their old grudges and intend to cover for the obnoxious adventurer (the rookie). However, other winged monsters hindered their actions.

The gargoyles launched a fierce attack, forcing Bell to fight back. Hearing their threatening shouts, Bell was startled.

—Has he lost his mind?!

This reminded Bell of the scene on the 18th floor. Back then, his fellow "heretics" were murdered and kidnapped, and they looked remarkably like the gargoyles now before him. Could something have happened to his comrades?

"Why...why did you do this!?"

"..."

The calls went unanswered, only met with sharp teeth and claws.

Bell could only cry out in confusion as the gargoyle, Guros, suppressed his emotions and waved his claws.

He remained rational.

He outwardly presents the face of a monster, but in reality, he has a "contract" with someone hidden behind his back.

The "heretic" attacked the boy, and the gem sandwiched between the stone skin made a "crunching" sound, as if it were resonating with the bracelet and shining brightly.

—Die, you heretical monsters.

The ominous male god who appeared before Guros and the others said this.

"What—"

"Hermes, what did you say?!"

Reed couldn't understand what he was hearing, and Fels finally recovered from his stiffness; Hermes casually said to the two of them:

"Oh, not everyone needs to die. Let me think, you can choose three or four."

Seeing the same person smiling at them as before, Guros and the others felt fear.

When they encountered beings that were neither human nor monsters, they all felt a nauseating sense of disgust.

"I am Hermes, and I will uphold the covenant we made, and the agreement I made with Uranus—but only half of it."

His long, narrow, orange-yellow eyes narrowed, and his eloquent mouth traced an arc.

"I want to accept my other half as a form of repayment."

The eyes of the gods swept over the "heretics".

"To save you, a boy has been forced into a difficult situation, and this is something I simply cannot tolerate."

"...!"

"He's saved you so many times, and you're just going to pack up and leave? Sorry, thank you, you saved our lives, and after saying all that, you want to go back underground? Hey, even a capricious god wouldn't be so hypocritical."

The god's words were a negotiation tactic, even bordering on a gentle, coaxing conversation with lovers; more like a "poison" used to widen a wound and squeeze out pus.

The "heretics" paled; at that moment, they were indeed tormented by guilt.

"Hermes, the God of the Sky!!"

Fels clenched his fists, furious.

It wasn't Hermes' betrayal that angered me, but his disregard for the feelings of the "heretics," and even the boy's own will and actions, and his one-sided belief in divine will.

"Are you suggesting that Bell made the decision himself, Fool (Fels)? No, he was merely dragged into your problems, and by the will of Uranus. He was simply forced into it."

But Hermes turned a deaf ear. He used truth and reality separately, dismissing the frivolous words of a child who had lived for no more than eight hundred years.

"The world wants a 'hero.' And I'm betting everything on that white light. Colluding with monsters... that kind of thing, yes, absolutely cannot happen."

Upon hearing the divine message uttered by the male god, Fels froze in astonishment.

"I, Hermes, beg you, heretical monsters—this time, it's your turn to save him."

Hermes murmured to the "heretics" in a manner that was both pleading and deceiving.

"...So you're saying we'll get beaten by that kid this time, right?"

"Thank you for drawing inferences from this example."

The "heretics" were taken aback when they heard Guros say this.

"I'll go."

"Guros!?"

"Reed, Rey, or anyone else probably couldn't put up a good fight with that kid. I, who hate humans, am the perfect candidate for this role."

"But Guros, what will happen to you...!"

"Anyway, there's no other choice."

Reed and Rey pleaded with him to stay, but faced with these two friends (members) who had been with the group since its inception, Gross shook his head and glanced at Hermes. He said nothing, only smiled and affirmed what the gargoyle had said.

The other "heretics" gritted their teeth and hung their heads in dejection.

"Brave gargoyle, I want to hear you say your own name."

"...Guross."

"Thank you, Gross. Even if you are a monster, I still admire your courage."

Hermes removed his hat, keeping his word and showing respect to the gargoyle.

Then, he handed a purple gem directly to Guross.

"This is……?"

"Just to be on the safe side. Little Bell is a nice guy; even if he's attacked, he might not necessarily fight back. This orb (item) will react to someone he cherishes. Target 'her' first."

Behind the scenes, the Item Maker, a member of the God's retinue, sighed with utter contempt.

Guross gazed silently at the gemstone, and finally said, "I understand..." before embedding it into the stone skin of his palm.

"She should be in the northwest of the Labyrinth Street (here). I hope you'll go there and cause a ruckus. There are a lot of humans there that you hate the most, but... if possible, I hope you won't kill them."

"So many demands..."

Guross said dismissively, then looked at Reed and the others, and said:

"It's a promise; you must save my people."

"Hey, I'm Hermes! I'll keep my word as long as the contract is fulfilled."

"How dare you say that." Guros turned his back to him and spread his wings.

The winged monsters who volunteered to join him as a suicide squad also set off together, and the group traveled through the underground passage and flew into the sky above the labyrinth street.

(This is my way of "repaying a debt of gratitude.")

As Guros attacked Bell and Eina, he chuckled to himself.

Even though he was at odds with humanity, the boy remained undeterred and saved his fellow humans. Then, for the sake of humanity, Guros was to pay the price with his own life—how ironic. Yet, for someone who loathed humanity as if it were a venomous snake, perhaps it was just the right thing to do.

That's right, it wouldn't be so bad to die at the hands of a human I admire.

(Don't be confused, kid.)

Guross had told Reed and the others not to hold a grudge against Bell.

Facing the boy who was enduring pain and whose face was distorted like that of a child, Guross, with a monstrous expression, flapped his wings.

He feigned a furious madness, playing the role of a monster out of control, roaring for the boy to plunge the dagger in his hand into his "magic stone (chest)".

(Otherwise, I'll kill that woman—!!)

Guros roared, forcing Bell to use all four limbs to attack and defend, raising his claws and slashing down.

*

"Bell...!"

Hestia and the others arrived at the large square, which had been transformed into a battlefield.

The number of adventurers still fighting has dwindled considerably, and many residents have been left behind on the battlefield, unable to escape the plaza. In one corner of the plaza, Bell can be seen having Eina hide behind him, continuously defending against Guros's attacks.

Watching the boy's increasingly injured figure, Eina's eyes welled up with tears. She desperately wanted to leave the scene to avoid getting in the way, but the stone wings wouldn't allow her to escape. The gargoyles attacking from high above made the battle unpredictable.

"Bell...!"

"Lord Bell!"

Welf, Lily, and Haruhime were all at a loss as to what to do.

They didn't know if they could support Bell, or whether they should attack the "heretics."

The family members hesitated, and Hestia, standing to the side, was also unable to bring herself to resolve the situation.

(Should I tell Bell about Hermes's intentions? But even if I did, what difference would it make...!)

Hermes forced the "heretics" to do certain things. Even if we told Bell about it, what difference would it make?

If this continues, Guros might really kill Eina.

Hestia didn't know what conditions Hermes (the god) had offered to the "heretic." If it was simply a matter of taking her fellow countrymen hostage, her one-sided message would only disrupt the boy's thinking.

"Reinforcements are coming soon! Hold on!"