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

We have to hear the "truth" that Ais has always refused to face.

(Absolutely not!)

Beneath the [Sword Maiden] mask, Ais shook her head like a child throwing a tantrum, trying to fend off the dagger.

I was stunned. Quickly deflect the attack; we can't lose.

Is this really okay? It hurts the boy (Bell), and it hurts myself (Ais). Do I really want to do this?

Thoughts raced in a state of utter confusion, the voices in his mind clashed with each other, and the flash of the sword began to falter.

Deep inside, someone whispered to Ais.

Another young girl (Ais) gazes at her with a heavy heart.

Ais pretended not to see it.

She tried to shake off the confusion and bewilderment.

Holding the sword meant to kill the "monster," she wanted to kill the boy.

A high-speed Kasaya Slash. It's impossible to stop.

The blade struck. The boy hit it from the side, causing it to veer off course.

A sweeping attack. No chance of escaping.

A sudden thrust. He'd been seen through.

Roundhouse kick. A direct hit.

They don't match. They match. They don't overlap. They overlap. The "skills" she taught the boy, the "tactics" he secretly learned, happened to be most effective at this moment.

Has Ais ever encountered such an invincible opponent?

Faced with an indomitable will that could not be broken or damaged no matter how many times she swung her sword, Ais's eyes wavered.

can not stop.

Can't be stopped.

The boy is "growing up".

He used his heart as motivation, shouting out a wish that drove people crazy, trying to overturn the despair between the two sides. In every minute and every second, on the boundary of repeated acceleration and stopping, he was "growing".

All he wanted was to protect a "monster," and that was his only thought.

Harboring utterly foolish "intentions"!

"—Aa ...

Bell roared.

The powerful roar shook Ais's arm, and her hopeless focus did indeed diminish the swordplay's momentum.

The two daggers, imbued with their last remaining strength, accelerated and posed a threat to Ais for the first time.

「!?」

Ais shook off her shock and swung her sword to repel Bell. Bell lost his crimson dagger, and Ais immediately unleashed a second slash at him. Bell, facing this attack, thrust his left arm guard out.

He made the Sword Maiden's slashes glide across the armor made of super-hard metal (Dirgence Steel).

A surprising spark and a series of friction sounds erupted between them. Bell used all his strength to forcefully take the place in Ais's arms.

Ais stood frozen in the narrow crevice of time.

It was only for a moment, but it was a distinct moment.

The boy's "skills" successfully surpassed those of the Sword Maiden (Ais).

Approaching to an extremely close position, almost face to face—the attack range of one's own weapon.

Bell wielded the blade of God.

"Aa ...

The blue-purple blade light traced an arc towards the sky.

Her long, golden hair flew in the wind.

Ais chose to retreat for the first time during her battle with the boy—she was startled and put her hand to her chest.

"...!"

The silver breastplate on the equipment had marks from something rubbing against it.

It is a mark left by some sharp object.

It proves that Bell's shouts have been heard.

At the same time, it is also evidence of "possessing the power of will".

For a moment, Ais was speechless.

We lost. It's time to confront the "truth" she's deliberately ignoring.

Ais gazed at the wounded Bell, her brows furrowed in bitterness, and swung her sword again.

“Wu!?”

The black dagger blocked the silver sword that was slashing diagonally down.

As Ais clashed blades with Bell's, causing their weapons to clang, she spoke:

Why did you go to such lengths?

Upon hearing Ais's first question, Bell, while utterly astonished, also bluntly exclaimed:

"I want to save that girl!"

"Are you serious? Seriously? It's not a person, it's a 'monster'?"

"She's different from ordinary monsters! She can talk, laugh with others, and shake hands—she has the same emotions as us!"

"No, it's different. Others can't do it this way."

At least humans (others) cannot work together with "monsters".

This is disrupting the laws of nature and is a serious contradiction.

A menacing body, sharp teeth and claws symbolizing bloodshed, flames that bring death, and a bestial voice.

All of this is a mark of ravaging the world, a negative imprint of slaughtering humankind, and an object of hatred.

How could I possibly hold the hand of such a monster? How could I possibly embrace its body?

Ais, holding her sword in one hand, deflected Bell's dagger along with his rebuttal.

“Wu!?”

"Monsters can kill people, they can kill many people... Many people will cry because of this."

Various scenes swirled in my mind.

She had seen crumbling cities, paradises devoid of peace, and winter landscapes where everything had been wiped out.

Some cried out, some bled, and some never woke up again.

Adventurers die from exhaustion, warriors perish protecting their companions, and beloved ones are left with only illusory smiles.

Ais poured all the sights she had seen so far, and all the emotions entangled within them, into the blade.

"But! Aren't we...we adventurers the same?"

"...!"

"Miss Ais's sword is one, and so is my dagger!"

Bell's words pointed out one aspect of the truth, causing Ais to hesitate with her sword.

Humans will also kill their own kind. Right now, the dark faction is attempting to destroy cities and claim countless lives.

Indeed, some people are more disgusting than monsters.

What is the line that separates humans from monsters? Ais couldn't answer that question.

"I……"

The boy repelled Ais's sword, created some distance, and opened his mouth to speak but hesitated.

However, he swallowed all his confusion and entanglement, keeping his determination hidden in his heart.

A warning bell rang deep in Ais's mind, but he resolutely said:

"...I want a place to stay, a place where I can live with her and the others."

Faced with Ais, who was frozen in place, the boy clearly told her:

"I want a world where Winnie and the others can laugh freely!"

He actually said he wanted a world where "monsters" could laugh and play with humans.

"What are you saying...?"

She couldn't understand.

I don't want to understand.

One thing is certain: his and Bell's positions have diverged to an irreversible point.

It felt like the white rabbit that brought Estée a beautiful dream had already run off to a place beyond Estée's reach, and could never be caught again.

The moonlight illuminating their own bodies, and the shadow covering the boy, distinguished their positions.

Ais shook her head weakly.

"That's enough... Get out of the way."

Ais could not tolerate, and absolutely could not accept, his foolish wish.

However, Bell did not move aside.

Despite his body being pushed beyond its physical limits and his knees sinking weakly, he still looked up at Ais with his eyes lowered.

Despite his barely concealed distress, he remained resolute and guarded the door behind him.

"I don't want to..."

"Don't be like that."

"don't want……"

Please.

"I can't do it!"

"Get out of the way!"

The two shouted at each other at the loudest voices they had ever used on each other.

Ais clearly didn't want to say or do those things.

What went wrong?

Where did I and the boy embark on such different paths?

I actually really want to spend more time with you—

Ignoring the myriad thoughts swirling in her mind, Ais pointed her sword straight at Bell's eyes.

"I'll... chop you up, okay?"

"...!"

"Really, it hurts a lot? So..."

Her speech was laughably clumsy and utterly unthreatening. But it was the final ultimatum Ais was trying to deliver.

Even so, Bell did not leave.

Ais's eyes were filled with sadness. Bell's expression was twisted with bitterness.

In the next instant, she focused her willpower, glaring fiercely, and channeled her power into the tip of her sword.

The dazzling silver light reflecting the moonlight made Ais's hands tremble.

"—No!"