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

In a moment of quick thinking, Lily stabbed the "magic sword" in her hand at her feet, shattering the ground. The intense lightning created a deep crater in the crystal floor.

"Everyone, come into the cave! Hurry!!"

Hearing her urgent cry, Welf and the others acted without hesitation. Dorumur and the others did the same.

The group ended their battle and, carrying the immobile Haruhime and the wounded, jumped into the cave.

A horde of monsters instantly closed in. Lily peeled off her black giant protective suit (Goliath's robe) and covered the cave entrance, shouting a moment earlier:

"Lady Aisha! Please get out of the way!"

"!"

Aisha, who was still fighting the "enhanced species," opened her eyes wide.

That was a language the monsters couldn't understand, a human cry that held no meaning for them.

This determined the outcome of her battle against the monster.

The Amazonian shrew forcefully repelled her opponent's attack and leaped into a narrow pit that could only accommodate one person.

Immediately afterward, Bell, the boy who arrived at the scene and rang the bell, slammed his right hand into the ground and thrust it straight out.

A full four minutes of maximum charge.

He aimed at everything in his field of vision and roared out the cannon fire:

"Flame Lightning──────────────────────────!!"

The fire raged.

"────────────"

The instant the Amazonian disappeared from sight, the "enhanced species" saw the scorching red jaws.

Just as the monsters charging into the cave were about to tear open the black robes with their claws, the lightning-fast flames incinerated them completely.

The fiery torrents that washed away the main passage swallowed large groups of monsters whole.

"Roar, roar ooh ...

Among the monsters burning to death with agonizing screams, the "Enhanced Species" was engulfed by a giant wave of fire and blown far away like a bursting dam. The "Fairy Protector" saved it from perishing in the flames, and it crashed into and shattered the labyrinth wall at the end of the maze along with the Crimson Blaze.

The crystal wall exploded and shattered, forming a passage, and a pillar of fire broke through the underground city.

The "enhanced species," its entire body burned, fell into the center of a large cavern behind the broken wall, landing face down on the ground.

*

"...Bell, sir."

Lily lifted the robe covering the cave entrance and peeked out, calling his name as she had done at some point in the past.

All the monsters in the great passage were swept away, and the crystals melted, filling the air with thick heat; deep within it…

A boy walked out amidst the instantaneous flashes of heat and shadow.

The figure walking quietly in the Martian-filled space could even be described as heroic and majestic.

Lily was truly shaken by the sight.

Welf and the others who peeked out also gasped.

Lily longed to rush out of the cave and embrace him. "I'm sorry, thank you." She wanted to release her tangled emotions of apology and gratitude towards the boy, and to cry her heart out.

However, the flame of fighting spirit had not yet disappeared from the boy's eyes.

He simply stared ahead, letting the flames of anger consume him, determined to kill that powerful enemy.

In that case, there's only one thing Lily needs to do.

She scrambled out of the cave, took out a test tube from her pouch, and handed it to him with a stopper.

"Lord Bell!"

"—Thank you."

Bell accepted Naza's new medicine—a high-grade dual-attribute elixir—and only replied with this one sentence.

However, this is enough.

"...Bell Craney! Let's take care of that guy before we kick the bucket!"

"Sorry, Bell! Please!"

Bell walked through the cave where the others were packed shoulder to shoulder. Aisha, who had emerged from the horizontal cave, smiled at his back. Welf, who had crawled out of the depression, gave him a smile with a tone of annoyance.

The boy didn't turn around, but instead raised one hand in response.

He drank the high-grade dual-attribute elixir, wiped his mouth with his arm, and walked toward the hole in the maze wall.

*

He was furious.

What happened!

What just happened?!

He was supposed to hunt his prey flawlessly. His plan was to kill the remaining humans after eliminating the brown mother, and then consume their "magic stones." Who knew—

How come that human is still alive?!

You must have already fallen down the waterfall!

Why didn't he die?!

Why! Why! Why!

This was the first time he had encountered something like this.

This cannot be allowed to happen.

As a "hunter," he can do whatever he wants and does not allow any human to disobey him.

Because those guys are just prey, just food.

The charred body emitted smoke of anger and hatred.

The azure robes groaned as they touched the monster's skin, and howled in pain as they could no longer bear the abuse.

He stood up, grinding his fangs together.

"Woohoo woohoo woohoo..."

Come on then. He's already eaten enough "magic stones".

He was no longer the same person he was just hours before; his strength had surged far beyond what he had been. Twisting that human's thin arm to pieces would be a piece of cake.

The flames are no longer effective. He can then drag his opponent into the water again.

This is a maze like a mother's womb. I and other monsters can grow as strong as we want while inside the womb, but you humans have no way to gain power. This time, I will make sure you die a horrible death.

His eyes were filled with murderous intent as he glared angrily at the boy who appeared at the cave entrance.

*

Bell stood at the edge of the cave shattered by the flames and lightning, gazing at the scenery unfolding below.

It was a tranquil, shimmering cavern. More than half of the vast space was filled with water, and in the center was a crystal rock block at least fifty meters in diameter, practically an "island" floating on a giant lake. Not a single monster could be seen, except for the "enhanced species" glaring at him with murderous intent in the center of the island.

Bell jumped down from the edge of the cave, kicking the crystal footholds that protruded from the water, leaping from one to another, moving to the island where the monster was waiting. There was no shelter between them, and under the light of countless white crystals protruding from the ceiling, Bell stood on the shimmering blue flat ground and confronted the "enhanced species".

"Ugh...!!"

Bell's gaze met that of the "enhanced species" that growled at him.

Faced with a monster that grows to an enormous size and transforms into an alien giant, Bell's emotion is likely anger.

His companions were harmed, and many of his peers died at his hands. The elves were bullied and tormented by him in a cruel and merciless manner. Seeing the monster, driven by its clear intelligence and sadistic nature, ravaging others to satisfy its desires, Bell couldn't be a good-natured person and let it do as it pleased.

But he also knew that this anger was unreasonable towards the monster.

Injury or death is the price "adventurers" pay, and it's all their own responsibility. Seeking revenge for the young man's (Luvis's) lost arm out of righteous indignation is targeting the wrong group. Because Bell and the others are all intruders who trespassed and trampled on the dungeon; they are invaders.

So Bell decided to focus his attention on the enemy before him as an adventurer.

Follow the labyrinth's guiding principles and, as an adventurer, defeat the monsters before you.

"..."

"Haa..."

Bell silently gripped the two daggers.

The monster's eyes turned red, and it exhaled a murderous aura.

A moment later, both figures blurred as they kicked the ground.

Bell and the "enhanced species" shattered the tranquility of the cave, turning the isolated island into a battlefield (arena) and sparking conflict.

"call!"

"Roar!!"

In the initial attacks, Bell was no match for his opponent's strength. The "Enhanced" form had increased its power beyond imagination, its strong arms deflecting the slashes. To dodge the pursuit, Bell rolled on the ground and leaped to the side.

The moss giant lunged forward, baring its fangs as if in a sneer, and Bell accepted the challenge.

"here we go……!"

Hearing the loud shouts, Lily and the others rushed to the opening in the wall.

Besides the panting Welf, Sakura holding Chigusa, Mikoto supporting Haruhime's shoulder, and Aisha being corrupted by the "Parasitic Tree," Ruvis, Dorumur, the elf and dwarf adventurers also gathered together, struggling to stay upright, to look down at the battle that had begun.

"Hey you guys! Don't just stand by and watch, aren't you going to help?!"

Seeing Lily and the others gazing at the fierce battle, Daphne, who had caught up with them, shouted gruffly.

She offered a very serious suggestion, believing that now is the time to unite and suppress the "enhanced species".

"Forget it. If we get infected by those 'seeds' and become 'parasitic trees,' we'll just become a burden to Bell Crane."

"Yes, that's right... but we can still shoot arrows, or use the 'level-up' or something, there are plenty of ways! Why let [White Rabbit's Foot] deal with that monster alone!"

Aisha, clinging to the half of the "vine" that was crawling, snapped back, causing Daphne to flinch for a moment, but then wanted to continue protesting, however...

"Daphne...look at that..."

Cassandra interrupted her, stammering as she held up a finger.

Daphne suspiciously turned her gaze back to the cave, and there she saw...

"what?"

The flashes of swords and spears were continuous.

"Roar, roar ooh ooh ooh ahh!?"

"!"

Bell's dagger pierced through the moss giant's strong arm, unilaterally wounding its body.

He cleverly used his smaller stature compared to his opponent, sometimes moving from left to right, sometimes leaning forward to almost touch the ground as he passed by, and circled behind his opponent.

Bell remained at extremely close range, employing a hit-and-run tactic... no, it was more like a combo of attacks and dodges.

After dodging, he struck his opponent with a heavy blow, his blue-purple and gleaming blade light gradually shredding the mossy flesh and the tree skeleton together.

"That...that monster, didn't it absorb the 'magic stone' and become stronger!?"

"Yes, it should be, but compared to the abilities it enhances..."

"...Bell Craney seems even faster than when he was with us?"

Daphne couldn't help but cry out. Aisha squinted beside her, while Sakura whispered nervously. In his arms, Chigusa opened her eyes slightly, her face full of surprise.

(Could it be...?)

While the people around him were talking, Ming stood alone, silently sweating profusely.

The Bell who acted alongside the squad was different from the Bell of today. He had an impression of the "feeling" that scene evoked.

It's not that Bell got faster.

It's just that their skills have become more agile.

(Just like when we received the "Level Up" from Lady Haruhime...?)