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

This way, there's no contradiction, and both explanations make sense.

This person had previously shown signs of wavering and refused treatment, which might actually be because he was afraid that undergoing a medical diagnosis would expose his condition. He was simply afraid of being discovered that his injuries were old.

In other words, the injury this person has now suffered is one he caused himself.

Miss Ryu hasn't attacked this person yet.

I've felt something was off for a while now.

I found that many things were not natural.

If it was Miss Ryu who cast a "magic spell" that caused the "explosion," everyone attacked should have suffered burns, without exception. But there was only one person who did not meet this condition.

These are the dwarves I witnessed.

Only he had marks on his body from being slashed or cut by a small dagger.

It seems that only that dwarf knows the location, Miss Ryu.

She must have drawn her weapon to suppress the resisting man.

"I've been thinking... there's something wrong with what you said."

"W-What are you talking about! I clearly...!"

"Then why are you still alive?"

"...!?"

"His arm was cut off, his ear was sliced ​​off, and he was attacked with 'magic'... Why hasn't he been killed yet?"

The opponent is [Swift Wind].

He single-handedly destroyed a massive faction and was a legendary bounty target at level 4.

Once you fall into her hands, there will be no chance of escape.

"At first I thought you had lost your mind... because at the place where I met with Mr. Perth and the others, after Miss Ryu attacked you, it was impossible for her to temporarily distance herself."

If what this person says is true, then he was attacked.

Why did Miss Ryu cause an "explosion" and then deliberately let him go?

—Because she never attacked this person in the first place.

Unlike before, why can't I sense not only the chanting, but also the scattered fragments of "magic"?

—Because she never "bombed" the entire floor in the first place.

What is the full picture of this incident?

—Even I, the detective who failed to cast the right actor, could tell.

The answer is simple and straightforward.

It was all orchestrated by these people themselves.

"This fell in the passage over there."

The object I flicked with my finger was a crimson fragment I had just picked up.

I have seen this object that is still heating up.

"This is a 'Flame Stone,' right?"

It was four months ago, when I had just met Welf.

My personal blacksmith showed me around his "workshop," where he showed me the processed embers (this thing) used in the forge.

I saw a powerful "gunpowder" that increases firepower and is used to forge dungeon minerals.

The man's face stiffened as if in a spasm.

"Miss Ryu said she didn't kill anyone... I believe her."

The only thing I don't understand is the murder that happened on the 18th floor.

If it really was Miss Ryu who acted impulsively and committed the murder—

I absolutely need to know the "answer" to that matter.

Because if she were to revert to being a blood-soaked avenger, my mere reasoning would be utterly ineffective in the face of her irresistible killing intent.

That can no longer even be called "justice".

Just like the words Miss Ryu uttered with regret.

"Mr. Crannie..."

But Ms. Ryu said it wasn't her.

She denied it with eyes that rejected lies, eyes that held deep affection and a proud, defiant spirit, eyes devoid of any gloom. Those familiar sky-blue eyes of mine.

That's enough. No doubt about it.

I had my back to the cat-man, only turning my face to face him.

"If the 'explosion' wasn't caused by Miss Ryu... then it could only have been done by you."

All the "explosions" to date are the result of these people's "destructive methods".

Although I don't know why they "bombed" this floor.

But now, all those points have finally been connected into a line.

"Please let me see the injury on your arm."

Let me see, and the truth will come out.

Tell the other party: Show me the wounds that Ms. Ryu inflicted on you, to prove her "guilt".

I know that my pupils are radiating a cold, blood-red light.

I glared at him and pressed him with an unyielding tone.

Miss Liu's eyes widened when she realized I believed her.

The man in front of him gasped.

"—Spit!"

Then, he clicked his tongue clearly.

His expression changed from that of a weak and severely injured patient to that of a vicious thug, glaring back at me.

The next instant, his hand reached for his waist, then flashed past.

"They gave themselves away!"

"!"

A crimson streak shot towards me diagonally, and I quickly jumped back.

The man held a bright red whip in his left hand.

"Those people in town, and you too, are all useless! I thought even if we couldn't kill Li Ang, we could at least slow her down!"

"Jaruo...!"

I was standing side by side with Ms. Ryu, facing off against our opponent.

First, the man slung the whip over his shoulder, then he took out elixir from his pocket, deftly opened the cap with one hand, and poured it over his head. The highest-grade item healed his bloodstained wounds, causing smoke to rise from them.

"Tucker did a decent job, it's just a pity he messed it up in the end. Leon, he's too afraid of you, he rushed the 'explosion' too much."

As if revealing the answer to a mystery, the man scattered several "fire stones" hidden on his person around him.

There are probably more than twenty pebbles scattered everywhere. With so many, it's no wonder the dungeon was destroyed like that.

"I'm sorry, Ms. Ryu. I even had my doubts about you for a moment...!"

"...No, I was just angry and didn't think things through. I wanted to drive you away because I was worried about you...but I was wrong."

We stood next to each other and talked without looking at each other.

Miss Liu kept her eyes fixed on the man in front of her, and murmured softly.

"Thank you... for believing in my foolishness, Mr. Craney. I want to thank you."

A warm feeling, indistinguishable between joy and happiness, spread through my heart.

"I want to stop that guy... I need your help."

"OK!"

I faced forward, smiled, and nodded.

I dared not be careless, I fixed my gaze on the enemy, and raised the Goddess Blade.

"Jarlo, give up on that idea. I guessed you were trying to incite the townspeople to attack me, but your scheme has completely fallen apart, and I doubt anyone will help you anymore."

Miss Liu suppressed her passion with the power of reason and delivered the final announcement to her opponent.

She kept a close eye on the enemy while slowly closing the distance between them.

In contrast, the man curled the corners of his mouth.

He raised his blood-red whip and burst into laughter at us, who were preparing to fight.

"Hehe, hehehehe...! Stop laughing so hard!"

"..."

"Have you forgotten, Rio?"

Miss Ryu's enemy—no, her "arch-nemesis," laughed loudly.

Immediately afterwards, he lashed the ground with the red-glowing whip.

"I am—a 'tamer'!"

The next moment.

A giant "shadow" broke through the zenith and fell down.

""!?"

Ms. Ryu and I kicked the ground together.

We jumped to the left and right, and right in the middle, that huge body slammed into the ground.

I shielded my face with my arms to withstand the impact that shook the entire cave and the flying crystal shards.

"This is my current servant (pet)."

My eyes widened in astonishment as I looked up at the writhing body.

Its enormous mouth seemed capable of swallowing everything.

It has no hands or feet, and its body is long and slender, wriggling.

In the place where faces should be, there are three pairs of eyes.

It was a giant "snake demon" with compound eyes.

"What are you doing?"

Despite saying this, Aisha wore a bold and fearless smile.

She glared at Tucker and his men as they attacked while she drew her sword.

"I see, so it wasn't just one person who was suspicious..."

"Everyone is a thief, that's for sure."

Seeing that the four members of the enemy group had raised their weapons and were radiating murderous intent, Welf and Sakura also raised their weapons and pouted.

Two humans and two orcs.

Accompanied by his companion carrying a large backpack, the werewolf Tucker revealed his true form.

"Time is limited, yet you oppose me at every turn... I will kill you all here! To achieve Jāluó's plan!"

Immediately afterwards, Tucker used the "red whip" he quickly produced to "summon" that being.

「!?」

Upon seeing the long, thin body burst through the wall and appear, Aisha and the others immediately kicked the ground.