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

"I believe that foolish boy is capable of transcending divine will and such nonsense—"

*

"──────!!"

The gargoyle charged forward at top speed.

Its powerful roar can make people shrink back; its wings, spread out like a fan, propel it forward while gliding in a straight line.

Facing him head-on, Bell saw deformed claws that resembled giant rock spears, and gargoyles rapidly approaching.

Everything in sight repeats the cycle of stillness and acceleration.

The screams of the crowd outside sounded so distant.

Eina was unable to react to the monster's attack, and Bell heard her terrified breathing behind her.

The gargoyle's murderous intent was genuine.

If this continues, that stone claw will truly sink Bell and Eina into a sea of ​​blood.

Instinct urged Bell to thrust his dagger. The gargoyle's chest was just exposed in its attack stance; Bell's instinct told him to plunge the blade into the "magic stone," annihilating the monster's attack and killing intent.

The shouts of adventurers and the screams of the crowd all expressed their expectation that he would slay the monster.

The divine will that manipulates the threads affirms the voice of instinct.

Faced with the deadly attack that was rapidly closing in on Guross.

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

(────)

however.

The boy's consciousness left the vision that reflected the monster and saw another scene deep within his heart.

As if guided by a flash of light passing through at high speed, as if personally grasping the thunder that exists in the deepest part of the earth.

He opened the door to all those old childhood memories.

"Don't let others decide your will."

The grandfather's (past) voice spoke.

"Whether it's immortals or gods, it's all the same, let alone me, I won't say anything."

The voice of my grandfather (in the past) is telling me.

"Don't take orders from anyone; make your own decisions."

My grandfather's (past) eyes are telling a story.

"This is your story (path)."

My grandfather's smile (in the past) taught me this way long ago.

"!!"

Bell voiced his resistance against the absurd reality.

Unconsciously, the boy severed the divine threads that had been wrapped around him without him even realizing it.

The girl (Vinnie)'s dream, and the memory of the gargoyle's (Gross's) words of gratitude, pushed away the option she was forced to accept.

"Roar!!"

The boy escaped the time stretching to its limit, and the world regained its color.

The monster's claws are about to pierce Eina and Bell together.

Faced with imminent disaster, Bell's actions were—

Choose to believe.

"────"

Bell sheathed his sword and opened his arms to wait.

The god (Hermes) opened his eyes wide, and then the monster's (Gross's) stone eyes also showed astonishment.

Faced with Bell's disarmed and unprepared appearance, the Gargoyle instantly aborted its attack and flew off course.

"Wait a minute!"

From the high point of the square, Finn reacted faster than anyone else, loudly ordering the attack to cease, much to the surprise of his crew.

His blue eyes stared wide-eyed at the gargoyle that had stopped attacking. As if his astonishment had infected everyone in the square, they all shared the same feeling.

Hestia, Lily, Welf, Mikoto, Haruhime, Sakura and Chigusa, Shakti, and Eina.

Bell neither kills the monster nor lets Eina die, taking the most foolish third action.

The boy, drenched in sweat, locked eyes with the bewildered gargoyle.

For a moment, time stood still in the world.

"..."

Then, Hermes, looking down at this scene...

He placed his fingers on the brim of his travel hat and pulled it down, as if to cover his wide, orange-yellow eyes.

"Oh, so this is how it turned out... Really, you're so stupid."

A strange and incomprehensible silence fell over the square.

Looking into the boy's many eyes, their astonishment turned to suspicion, and they began to speculate that the boy indeed had a deep connection with the "monster." This could ignite a spark, directly leading to the stigma of being labeled an "enemy of humanity."

Once time resumes its flow, the moment people wake up from their dreams, there will likely be chaos and uproar.

"In that case (…), let's get started, Asphie."

Hermes will not allow that to happen.

As soon as his whisper landed, in a secluded corner of the square, Asifi, who was in a "transparent state," retrieved a spiral-engraved throwing needle. The needle was bright red, as if mixed with blood.

This is the "Red Needle," which can induce a monster into a state of frenzy, making it more ferocious. The "Omnipotent One" meticulously crafted this magical item, while potentially strengthening monsters for dungeon exploration, could incite them to fight each other; its use here will undoubtedly have unimaginable consequences.

Hermes had already anticipated this possibility. He knew the boy might commit the same foolish act as he had five days earlier.

Following the will of the supreme god, Asphie's blue eyes were set on the gargoyle.

"...I won't ask for your forgiveness."

In just a moment, her gaze fell on the boy confronting the gargoyle.

Bell seemed to sense that gaze, snapped back to reality, and turned to look at Asphie, who was in "transparent" form.

The bright red flying needle is about to be thrown.

The boy's feet, propelled by instinct, were about to burst forth.

At this moment, the only ones who made any movement during the stopped time were Asif and Bell—and Finn.

"──────"

The little man's thumb throbbed with the most intense pain.

That's the highest level of warning that something is approaching.

Only Finn suddenly looked up, and in the next instant...

"Roar!!"

The "monster" let out a scream, disrupting the stopped time.

*

That being appeared before him without warning.

"────"

In the dimly lit back alley, he stopped. He had to stop.

He was a burly man carrying a greatsword, a martial artist whose body had been tempered through countless trials.

He immediately understood.

I'd lose if I only had one arm. No, even if both arms were perfectly fine, I probably still wouldn't win.

The being before him was so powerful, stronger than those warriors who stirred his blood, and perhaps even stronger than the blond, golden-eyed swordsman who had severed his arm—

At the same time, he felt a sense of nostalgia for the person before him. The reddish-brown hair and matching eyes, the gaze of which evoked the word "fierce boar." The throbbing pain wasn't in his memories, but in his "heart," yet he simply couldn't recall anything. Only one thing he was certain of: this martial artist would definitely kill him.

He smiled at that extraordinary being.

Even knowing he was doomed to defeat, he was still grateful for this encounter. His body was throbbing with excitement; fighting was the only way to overcome hunger, and having an absolutely powerful opponent would be even better. Even if it cost him his life, it would fulfill a long-held wish. He had no reason to fear, nor any need to back down.

He gripped an axe tightly and took a step forward with his strong feet.

"..."

As for martial artists...

He simply raised one arm slowly and pointed in a direction.

Then he said:

"Ahead lies what you seek."

He stopped.

His eyes widened.

He turned to look behind him. In the direction the warrior pointed, there stretched a vast expanse of sky and earth, with sounds echoing from afar. It was the scent of war. Then, he seemed to hear the voice of "something" driving him.

Turning my gaze back, the martial artist had vanished into thin air. But now, this was nothing more than a trivial matter.

As if guided, he took off running and charged forward.

His presence was overwhelming, but he had long forgotten to hide. He crashed into the screaming hunters, letting his urgent heartbeat and hunger drive him.

He broke the stone slabs and leaped onto the rooftop platform of the building.

then.

"──────────"

He saw an oval-shaped plaza, various different races, and among them fighting—a pure white boy.

The scene that came into view was like a ray of light piercing through his heart. It was a white flash that brought back all the memories.

Awaken, revive, and tremble.

Ahhh—Ahhh!!

That's it! That's my dream, my wish, my aspiration!!

That's the answer I've been searching for!

He finally found "that," and stared intently at everything surrounding "that."

There were many hunters around, and one of their kind confronted the man.

No, he won't allow it; that's the only point he can't agree with.

He wouldn't give that to anyone, wouldn't relinquish it to anyone. Only that one was his one and only formidable rival.

He wants to fight again, fight again, fight again.

This body—was created solely for this purpose.

A deep, passionate roar, a surge of physical energy. An unprecedented hunger awakens an immense power.

Overwhelmed with joy and filled with an even greater fighting spirit, he shouted:

"Roar!!"

A deafening roar, shattering all confusion, sorrow, and cunning, soared into the sky.

Volume 11, Chapter 7: The Hero Returns

When that shout rang out, all the Level 1 adventurers reacted.

"!"

The blond-haired, golden-eyed swordsman looked up at the northwest sky and immediately rushed towards that spot.