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

The adventurer's shouting announcement only exacerbated Bell's anxiety.

Hestia held the eye crystal she had taken out tightly in her hand.

"—What's the current situation?"

On the other side, they set off at almost the same time as Hestia and the others.

Finn led a unit of the Loki Familia to the rooftop platform of the building, which offered a panoramic view of the plaza.

"Not all residents have evacuated! Adventurers from other factions, including the [Rookie], are still battling the monsters..."

After listening to the group members' report, Finn narrowed his eyes slightly, fixing his gaze on the boy and the gargoyle.

"...Everyone, take your positions. Use the ground troops to hold off the enemy while sniping the monsters from a higher position (here) to prevent them from escaping into the air."

"yes!"

Following instructions from Finn, the faction leader, many members nocked arrows and drew their bows.

then……

A commotion was about to erupt among the residents around the square, who had nowhere else to go.

"[Rising Star]..."

"...[Rookie]? You mean Bell Craney?"

An adventurer bravely steps forward to protect a half-elf from attack.

A brave and handsome young man makes a dashing appearance and rescues the trapped girl.

In times of crisis, malice and disappointment begin to disappear from people's eyes, leaving only unvarnished truth.

"Big, big brother..."

The little boy who once called him a traitor also called his name softly.

What was initially just panic among the residents is about to undergo a transformation.

"The timing is perfect, little Bell. Ah, everything is going too smoothly."

A tall tower near the square is blowing in the night breeze.

Hermes was satisfied, looking down at the white-haired boy fighting the gargoyle.

Azfi stood behind him.

The family member hid his eye fatigue with silver-rimmed glasses, and sighed for what seemed like the umpteenth time.

"Although it's my supreme deity, it almost made me vomit..."

"Hahaha! You're so ruthless, Asphie."

Hermes didn't turn his head, he just smiled, and Asphie glared at him fiercely.

"Using 'heretics' for Bell Craney's sake... Even if we forgive and forget about that, shouldn't it at least affect the general public?"

"His current situation can be said to be caused by what you call the general public. Shouldn't we at least give him some opportunities to prove himself?"

The theater and the audience, the roles that liven up the performance, and then the hero as the protagonist. Just as the goddess (Hestia) had predicted, Hermes had created a grand stage, and now he shrugged and glanced behind him.

"Besides, Asphie, don't you also agree with abandoning the 'heretics'?"

That pair of teenagers or the labyrinthine city will only become "poison".

The Supreme God sought approval with his gaze, and Asphie, meeting his gaze, remained silent.

"...I'll go and get the location."

"Well, just in case, I'll need you to be my backup."

Hermione put on the black helmet (Hades' helmet) and became "transparent," and Hermes waved to her.

After Asphie left the top of the tower without a sound, Hermes looked at the scene below and curled his lips.

"Well... I'm sorry, Uranus, things have turned out this way (、、、、、、、、)."

He looked down at the boy fighting the gargoyle and spoke to the absent old god.

"Coexist with monsters? Don't talk nonsense. What do you mean by living in harmony with 'monsters'? It's all just empty talk."

The male god, who had previously just been serious and calmly carrying out his clients' orders, revealed his true feelings on this tower.

"What good would it do to overturn centuries of hatred and karmic entanglements? Even the great god (Zeus) would say: Don't be unrealistic."

He gazed at the boy and muttered to himself softly.

"Nobody expects to see any 'heroic' figures."

Hermes opened his arms.

He smiled slightly at the opera about humans and monsters being performed on stage.

Then it was announced:

"Let's go back to where we started as heroes, little brother Bell."

God declared it.

"Defeat the monsters! Defeat them, save the people, and reclaim your heroic reputation!"

As if a beam of redemption had shone down from the horizon, as if pointing out the path to salvation, it forced the boy to accept the tyrannical will of God.

Let's abandon the "heretics".

Hermes agreed to quell the unrest for Uranus, restore peace to the chaotic city, and act as an emissary to send the lost "heretics" back to the underground city.

However, he had absolutely no interest in that kind of thing.

He skillfully manipulated the commotion simply because he could exploit it; that's all.

"It's nothing, you'll get over it after killing one."

"You may suffer because of this, but you will get back on your feet someday."

Neither I nor Miss Freya will neglect you.

Hermes' true intention was to sever the bond between Bell and the "heretic" who had directly ruined his reputation.

The gods were confident they could command heroes to the battlefield.

He held onto his pride, convinced that he could guide the heroes to the finale the gods desired.

Controlling the destiny of the Son of Man is God's forte.

Hermes wanted to sever Bell's connection with the "monster" and guide him onto the path of a human hero beloved by the gods.

Hermes' divine will culminates in this point.

"Otherwise, your beloved sister Eina will die, won't she?"

Hermes squinted his orange-yellow eyes and smiled.

The escalating battlefield forces the boy to make a choice. The only choice prepared by the gods.

Under God's watchful eye, the magnificent yet comical stage is about to come to an end.

*

(Why, why—why do this!)

The fangs that threatened him and the claws that attacked Eina left wounds on Bell's body once again.

Bell's dagger deflected and neutralized the attack, injuring Gros as well. Faced with an attack aimed at killing him and Eina, it was impossible to control one's strength.

Several other adventurers tried to help Bell, but were all swept away by Guros's sweeping attack. Guros's stone wings were impervious to arrows and could even wipe out reckless individuals who approached. They were the gargoyle's third and fourth arms, serving as both blunt weapons and shields, making them a versatile weapon combining offense and defense.

"Bell...!"

Eina's painful, hoarse voice caused Bell's face to contort in bitterness.

Adventurers, guild members, and residents alike were all watching Bell's every move. Everyone prayed that he would raise his dagger and strike, eliminating the threat posed by the monster.

—Mr. Guross.

As they repelled the claws, Bell and Stone's eyes met.

Seeing that the gargoyle's eyes remained silent, Bell felt an urge to scream.

The sound couldn't reach the other person's ears; a feeling of emptiness swirled within, and the goddess's blade trembled.

Bell was forced to make a choice, a choice that felt like a curse; if she didn't make a decision, she would lose her beloved. There wasn't even a second option.

He wanted to clarify the situation, but faced with the fierce attack, his thinking quickly reached a dead end.

Why? Bell kept muttering to himself, his mind replaying the words of the girl (Winnie):

"Reed and the others said that maybe it's not possible right now... but with people like Bell around, our dreams might one day come true!"

--Dream.

The dream of the "heretics"—Gross and his ilk.

"...Thank you. I'm very grateful."

Guross said this to Bell.

Now, the monster's face, radiating true killing intent, overlaps with that of Guros back then. Am I just imagining things?

The claws and fangs that attacked every moment seemed to contain a will; could I be misunderstanding?

Just as Bell was saying he didn't want to fight, Gross seemed to be shouting, "Don't be confused!"

"The Loki Familia has arrived!!"

At that moment, the adventurer's announcement of the arrival of reinforcements resounded throughout the surrounding area.

A group of high-ranking adventurers, equipped with clown badges, rushed into the plaza, ready to pounce on the winged monsters.

"!!"

Seeing this situation, the gargoyle felt anxious.

Only Bell Crane can vanquish this murderous monster. Grous must use this to settle his debt to the boy. He cannot allow himself to turn to dust before fulfilling his pact with the gods, leaving behind only his will.

Guros realized that there was no time left, so he spread his wings wide and began to flap them.

He flew parallel to the ground, launching a bold attack. Startled, Eina and Bell had no way to dodge or defend—this self-sacrificing attack would force the boy to retaliate.

"Bell!?"

"Zul!"

Hestia and the others, along with the guild staff, shouted in unison.

"Draw the bow."

Finn ordered his men to nock arrows and aim them at the winged monsters, and to prepare to pierce the gargoyles with their spears.

"Come on, Bell."

People held their breath, and directly above them, Hermes pulled the thread called divine will.

Facing the deadly attack that was rapidly closing in on Guros.

Bell's hand, which was gripping the dagger, began to move.

*

"Is this right, Fels!"

Reed shouted loudly.

Inside the "artificial labyrinth," the Heretic and Fels are in the labyrinth of the Master Craftsman's (Daedalus') dream.

Hermes did indeed keep his promise. After Gross and the others flew out of the labyrinth, in order to avoid being discovered by the Loki Familia, he used his men to carry out a feint and a secret operation, safely sending the "heretic" into the "Gate".

"Considering Little Bell and the others' situation, kid, maybe we should do this! But leaving Guros and the others to die is really inexcusable, isn't it!? Only we going back... it just doesn't feel right, does it!?"

As the group dejectedly made their way towards the motherly underground city, Reed stopped.

He shouted out his true feelings in front of Lei and the others who had remained silent.

"No, Reed, I believe him."

The magician in black did not turn around to look at Reed.

A voice, laced with suppressed anger, betrayed itself beneath the hoodie. Fels spoke.