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

"It's here!"

"Let's go!"

The twin female warriors (Amazons) grabbed their weapons and charged out without looking back.

"Is he with Finn?"

The swift werewolf abandoned everything and ran at full speed.

As for Bale...

"──────"

The wide, deep red eyes reflected that presence.

To destroy, break, or pulverize.

The pitch-black attack instantly broke through the path of the adventurers who had unfortunately stopped in their way.

To the astonishment of the male god, he stole the time from the intervention of the omnipotent one, and shocked the goddess and others. Covered in mud, he stepped onto the stage built by the gods and shattered it.

In that split second, the inhabitants didn't even have time to scream. Ignoring the arrows fired at the hero's command, he charged forward, his javelin only grazing his shoulder, and continued onward—to this side.

They came solely for Bell, only for Bell.

“──!?”

"Buggy ooh ...

A majestic presence covered in blood, with a jet-black body.

Faced with the trembling embodiment reflected in his eyes, Bell listened to his instincts.

He pushed Eina aside with all his might, and in order to escape the rapidly approaching one-armed man's double-edged axe that was about to strike—a deadly blow—he crossed his arms and jumped back.

The axe blade shattered the stone floor, creating a shockwave and an incredible blast wave.

Bell's body transformed into a whirlwind arrow, crashing through the building behind him with the force of a dam bursting. After repeating the same process over and over again, he was driven out of the main square.

"Bell!?"

Hestia and Eina's cries spread out simultaneously, and Bell was sent flying far away by the fierce bull monster with bright red horns.

*

"What's going on... What happened!?"

In a dusty corner of the square, fragments of stone fell like rain.

Faced with the devastation caused by the monster, the stunned adventurer couldn't help but shout out, breaking the silence.

Roars and screams filled the large square.

In a short time, numerous adventurers were seriously injured, and the "newcomer" was even sent flying far away. The sudden and intense attack left everyone without even a clear view of the enemy, causing an uproar at the scene.

"Hey, are you alright!?"

"Are you injured?"

"Bell... Bell!?"

Eina escaped the disaster by being forcefully pushed away. Sakura and Chigusa supported her back and showed concern, but she didn't hear them at all, only frantically calling out the boy's name repeatedly. She shook her dusty guild uniform, and in front of her, several walls with large holes were lined up in a row.

"Hey, what was that just now...?"

"...Black, a Minotaur..."

Chasing after the disappearing black monster, Bell trembled and whispered.

Lily and Haruhime seemed to recall terrifying memories, their faces turning ashen and unable to move. The goddess was also speechless.

"Asterios...!?"

The unexpected developments left the "heretics" unable to take action.

The rising dust obscured the figure of Guros, who was looking in the same direction as Eina—the cave where the boy and his last comrade had disappeared.

"Scouts, go track the target! Don't make a move before I arrive! Once the encirclement is complete, Navi and the others should continue focusing on rear support. Call Ais and the others over!"

"Yes, yes!?"

Then, on the rooftop platform of the building.

After hearing Finn's sharp instruction that things couldn't be rushed or hurried, the other members set off together.

No matter what happens, that monster must be dealt with here. The leader of the dwarfs has made up his mind.

That was one of those incalculable beings, Finn's intuition said. Even with Finn's intellect, it was impossible to predict its actions; it could be considered a true "Irregular being."

Finn prepares to rush there in order to vanquish the monster that will inevitably become a threat in the future.

However, a "click!" sounded.

A person appeared before him, making a sound as if they were stepping firmly on the ground.

"Who are you……"

Finn stopped and looked up at the figure.

*

"Ugh, ooh...!?"

Bell crawled out of the rubble, groaning in pain as his body burned.

There were several walls with holes in them, indicating that I was quite far from the plaza. If it weren't for the rabbit armor made of super-hard metal, my spine might already be broken.

In the moonlight streaming into the ruins, Bell forced his swaying body to stand up.

Just then, a loud "thump!" was heard.

"!"

The sound of footsteps crushing rubble startled Bell, and he looked up sharply.

The pitch-black monster that had sent Bell flying reappeared through the broken wall. Its towering size, requiring one to look up, and its muscular physique, coupled with the way it wore its full-plate armor as if it were light clothing, made Bell gasp.

No doubt about it, he was the last "heretic" Bell had ever heard of, the black bull (Minotaur).

Is the being in front of me friend or foe? Can we talk to it?

Bell broke out in a cold sweat, reflexively preparing for battle, his thoughts racing through his mind.

"...?"

However, Bell noticed this at that moment.

The black bull was completely calm, unlike when it had roared so fiercely. Deep footsteps sounded, and the dark monster stopped abruptly, leaving a small gap.

The monster's earlier brutality seemed like an illusion; it stared intently at Bell.

Bell forgot to speak and stood there blankly.

"..."

"..."

The moonlight illuminated a human and a monster.

Amidst the rubble and ruins, the monster, carrying the moonless night devoid of clouds, still gazed down at Bell from a height exceeding two meters. Bell remained motionless, continuing to look up at him.

Time passed quietly.

This encounter felt nothing like being on a battlefield.

Just as Bell was drawn to those eyes—

"--Name".

The pitch-black monster slowly spoke.

"Please tell me your name."

The human-like speech he uttered, along with the tone of voice that didn't match his appearance, was enough to fill Bell with surprise.

His voice was very deep.

His calm tone carried a certain "martial arts" quality.

The boy was stunned and speechless. The monster continued:

"……Dream."

"what?"

"I've been dreaming all along."

Bell replied in a low voice, and the other person began to speak in a monologue-like manner.

"I dreamt of fighting the only human."

"!"

"Amidst the carnage, I truly forged a bond with my strongest adversary."

Bell opened his eyes wide.

When I hear the word "dream," the first thing that comes to mind is my conversation with Reed and the others.

The monster's "past life".

The monster's description of its "past life" and the appearance of the Minotaur awakens a memory.

Bell still hasn't forgotten that scene.

That was Bell's first "adventure," a life-or-death battle, a fierce fight against the monster where both sides gave it their all.

"I am determined to fight again—there is someone who can drive me to pursue him so relentlessly."

--Could it be...?

Just as Bell found an answer, the black bull (Minotaur) continued speaking:

"I am standing here now in order to see the person of my dreams."

The monster explained its reason for existence.

He revealed the feelings hidden in his heart, which gave him a strong "desire" to be reborn.

He came here not out of envy for humanity, nor out of longing for the surface world, but solely to seek out his one and only nemesis.

"My name is Asterios."

The name means "lightning".

He saw red lightning at the end of his dream, and from this he derived his name.

The boy was terrified and disbelieving, yet deep down he already understood everything; the dark monster—Asterios—asked him again:

"Please tell me your name."

"...Bell. Bell, Crane."

Upon hearing the boy's whispered name, the monster etched it into its very being, as if it were engraved on its own body.

Then, he raised the double-edged axe, which he was carrying with his one arm, to the height of his thick chest.

"Bell, I beg you."

The resurrected nemesis—the formidable rival—made a wish.

"Let's fight again."

A resolute voice echoed through the moonlit ruins.

"Wait a minute—not now—Mr. Guross and the others—" Bell knew these were the words his lips should be saying. Yet Bell's heart rejected them.

Bell looked down at his feet and up at his massive body.

He was bleeding profusely, dripping onto the ground, and had lost an arm, his body covered in wounds. It was certain that this fighter had come here on the verge of death.

Bell felt he had to respond; no, he felt he couldn't run away.

That's right, just like back then.

Just as he faced his first "adventure," he could not escape the "adventure" before him.

"..."