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

'Roar! Ro ...

She didn't even have time to feel sentimental before the monsters' cries approached from behind.

She's already let Bell escape. No matter how many monsters you kill in the "Arena," they'll always revive. There's no need for Ryu to continue fighting.

However, Ryu decided to fight to the very end.

As an adventurer, she was unwilling to give up her life in vain.

"Besides... if I don't suffer until the very end, I won't have the face to see Alicia and the others."

At the southernmost point of the "Arena," where the bridge disappeared at the junction of six rock layers, she turned to face the approaching monsters, bent her knees, and leaped into the air.

She had to protect her injured right foot, so her jump wasn't perfect, but it was high enough. Some of the monsters that jumped with her fell off the cliff, and countless eyes looked up at Ryu who had leaped above them.

Ryu attempted to land on the fifth layer of rock, but failed. She fell to the ground, and a dark shadow immediately enveloped her.

The "earth-born man" raised his stick and swung it down.

She rolled away to avoid it, then stood up with a wave of her hand.

Ryu fell inside the "Arena," where hordes of monsters continued to pursue her like a giant serpent. It could also be described as a vortex imprisoning a pitiful, sacrificial monster.

When the "cunning wolves" attacked, Ryu used the Japanese sword he borrowed from the remains to fight them off.

Although the blade sliced ​​through the monster's belly, it eventually broke. Ryu thanked it for its help and released her grip.

New enemies have arrived, their killing intent insane. Unable to withstand the onslaught, Ryu flees to the fourth level for refuge. There, too, she finds herself surrounded. She has no mental energy left to cast "magic," and is struck by the physical attacks of the "elite lizardmen."

Then, as she fell to the third floor, a "barbarian warrior" who was waiting in ambush caught her.

"Ugh—!?"

Kicked by a thick, log-like leg, Ryu's body flew into the air.

She plummeted to the center of the "arena," the lowest circular space.

Ryu slammed her back against the ground, forcing all the air out of her lungs, and curled up in pain like a baby.

The monsters surrounded her with cold-blooded ruthlessness.

It was a scene of utter despair. Layer upon layer of thick encirclement, like tens of thousands of troops cornering a wounded enemy general. All the sharp teeth and claws growled in their quest for the head of the most powerful enemy. If any fellow traveler had witnessed this from the outside, they would have undoubtedly abandoned everything and fled for their lives without hesitation.

The monsters made no attempt to hide their excitement at the sight of the fairy with broken wings.

They scrambled to bite their prey, knocking down other members of their kind, resulting in bloodshed and screams of cannibalism.

But these were all trivial matters. The circle surrounding Ryu was gradually narrowing, and it could begin to ravage her delicate body at any moment.

"...Ah...this is it..."

This is where I will be buried.

Ryu finally understood.

Of course, there was also regret; the elf's pride cried out that it did not want to die in such a monster's lair, that it did not want to be defiled by these monsters, leaving not even a trace of dignity or remains.

However, she ensured that this precious existence survived.

As a senior adventurer, he ultimately fulfilled his mission.

Isn't that enough? Is that alright?

After all, she had already successfully rescued him through a shallow yet noble self-sacrifice.

I (Ryu) no longer need to lose irreplaceable things.

After responding with such a murmur, he fell silent deep inside. Even the difficult-to-please elf's pride seemed to have given in.

Liu couldn't help but give a surreal smile.

(Seele... and everyone else.)

The image of "the bountiful mistress" came back to mind.

Ryu apologized to them for finally finding a home, only to be ungrateful and leave without permission.

—I'm sorry, you kindly saved me, but I failed to cherish my life.

(Goddess Astraea...)

The goddess, who was still a god on earth, filled her heart with sorrow.

Ryu bowed her head in apology to her now forgotten gaze and sorrowful voice.

—I am very sorry, until the very end, I was a relative who tarnished your reputation.

(Alicie...)

Then, she eagerly hoped to be able to reunite with him.

The moment of judgment and redemption that I have longed for in the deepest part of my heart is finally about to arrive.

—Please, please punish me.

Ignoring the approaching monster encirclement, Ryu smiled, his cheek pressed against the ground.

Just like that back alley where people had already resigned themselves to death.

She decided to face the final moment and prepared to slowly close her eyelids.

However—Ryu made a mistake in his judgment.

She forgot one thing.

They forgot what kind of "existence" their alienated lives were.

Forget that white-haired boy who was running at breakneck speed; he was a "good-natured person" who would save not only humans but also monsters, no matter how much he was deceived or hurt.

Forget his deep red eyes that held an indomitable will; he was a "fool" who could neither relinquish nor give up anything, a man who had broken the scales of choice.

Just like when the girl with light gray hair saved Ryu after she finished her revenge.

She forgot that the person who could shake her hand would never allow her to end her life like this.

"Aa ...

The next instant, a burst of fire and lightning erupted from the "arena".

"────"

A deafening roar erupted, and flying sparks drifted all the way to Ryu, who lay collapsed in the center of the circular space.

Ignoring the monsters' astonished reactions, Ryu's wide eyes were drawn to that side.

She saw white flames.

White flames tumbling in [Cruel Fate].

With his white hair disheveled and sparks flying around him, a boy appeared before the monsters.

"Miss Ryu──────────────────────────────!!"

The sixth layer of rock is located on the outer edge of the "Arena".

Bell shooed away the monsters that had been caught off guard and descended into chaos, and charged straight at them.

He ran straight towards a corner of the monster encirclement and collapsed next to Ryu, who was below his line of sight.

"……Why?"

At first, Ryu didn't understand what had happened.

However, behind the monstrous wall of chaos and roars, the moment her eyes met the boy's, she screamed at the top of her lungs:

"How could this be!? How did you do that!?"

The scene was like a nightmare for Liu, causing her to tremble as she propped herself up with her hands on the ground.

Ryu was overwhelmed by all her emotions and questions.

Bell should have already left the "Arena" through the southern passage. So how did he get here? How did he even get here? The bridge is broken; even a high-level adventurer couldn't jump that distance. How could he have returned here in less than five minutes—

Ryu, who was being questioned, was taken aback by what he was thinking.

"Could it be—coming from the bridge on the west side?"

Correct answer.

Bell, who had run out of the southern entrance of the cave, did not give up on rescuing Ryu.

To save her, Bell went around to the western entrance leading to the "Arena".

Based on the location of the four entrances and exits, the terrain around the "Arena" consists entirely of upward-climbing stairs. Even without knowing the exact route, simply choose to go upwards. This unique terrain will guide Bell to the "Arena." The "Arena," the south exit, and the west exit are connected via a maze-like area. This is all knowledge Bell learned beforehand.

The advice Ryu gave Bell to help him escape the "deep layer" was used by Bell to save himself.

"This is utterly ridiculous... utterly ridiculous!!"

The boy ran past the fifth and fourth levels, and was about to reach the third level of rock, heading straight down to the "arena," ignoring Yu Liu's wish as he made his way to her side.

Why?! Why did you do that?!

This time, Liu became emotional.

Why ruin your own wishes? Why won't you listen to Ryu?

If things continue like this, the two of them will die together, a meaningless death.

I only had one wish: for you to live...

"Roar! Ro ...

"Ugh—"

Bell tried to run straight toward Ryu, but was punched from the side by either a "terrestrial" or a "barbarian warrior." Blood spurted from his white hair, and he staggered two steps.

His reckless attack left Bell barely recognizable as human in the blink of an eye.

Covered in blood, without even a dagger, he was about to die at the hands of the monster. He looked like a doll on the verge of destruction.

Enough! Run away now, it's not too late.

His lips tried to utter a cry of grief, but it was too late.

Whether it was the gushing blood or the ferocious monster walls, the boy remained silent and indifferent, finally landing in the circular space that Ryū was waiting for.

"──────────────────────────────!!"

With a blood-soaked roar that had long since lost its meaning, the boy's body charged forward.

He burrowed close to the ground like a wild beast, crawling past the monsters' feet, and leaped high above them whenever he was about to be attacked; if there was an impenetrable wall of copper and iron in his way, he used fire and lightning to pierce through it.

The boy didn't take the battle seriously. He ignored the monster's angry roars and the sharp teeth and claws that were tearing at his flesh, and just strode forward towards Ryu, who was at the center of the encirclement.

Break through the monster's high wall, turn yourself into a wedge, and transform into a white flame.

—It's hopeless, useless, and meaningless.

Even if Bell could reach Ryu, there would be no way to escape this endless prison. Even if, like in a scene from a heroic tale, the man reaches the woman, all that awaits them is the humiliation of being preyed upon. Bell and Ryu wouldn't even have time for a final farewell before becoming pitiful, mangled pieces of flesh. Ryu's hope has already turned to ashes.

This is a grave betrayal, a profound self-satisfaction. How cruelly tender!

Ryu couldn't contain the surging emotions churning in her chest and wanted to scream out loud.

I wanted to use all my strength to vehemently denounce his utterly foolish and heroic figure.

"────"

But just then, she discovered it.

A faint light was detected emanating from Bell's right hand.

It was discovered that, accompanied by the sound of bells, white light particles gathered in that hand.

They discovered that in that hand, a bright red pearl formed from gathered light particles was tightly clutched.

I noticed his deep red eyes, and he showed no sign of giving up.

(Could it be that...)

His right hand, which wasn't even equipped with a dagger, was gripping a "bomb".

That was the last "Flame Stone" that Ryu entrusted to the boy.

Bell boldly charged up his power on that "Flame Stone".

This is "wisdom." It is Bell who, by accepting Liu's advice, used his own knowledge to derive the "wisdom" of "going all in."