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

The dagger and the "Broken Claw" traced blue-purple flashes of light, forming countless arcs. Countless sparks played a fierce melody, and the mournful dance of light intertwined repeatedly.

In Ryu's eyes, it was like a naked struggle for life.

"—! Miss Ryu!?"

Bell, caught up in the heat of battle, noticed Ryu's presence.

At the same time, "Zagnat" quickly turned his head, his gaze piercing through her.

Her heart was trembling, impossible to hide. Ryu's psychological trauma was grinding under the weight of fear.

However, for Ryu now, there is something more terrifying than having old wounds reopened.

That is: to lose something irreplaceable again.

During the time that is being refined, the mind only regains peace for a fleeting moment.

The calm surface of the mind was suddenly swept by a raging storm.

That was the wind that propelled Ryu's will.

“──!!”

Liu leaned forward and sped away.

With lightning speed, he steadied himself, leaped into the air, and unleashed a blow on the astonished "Zagnat".

The withered bone blade slashed into the right arm that was raised in defense.

"Bell! I... cannot become the Lake Fairy."

As Ryu was swung away by the enemy's forearm and landed spinning, he shouted loudly at the speechless Bell.

She mentioned a story that any boy who likes heroic tales would know.

That was a heroic tale revered by the elves, a fairy tale that every elven girl had longed for at least once. But Ryu rejected that story.

The boy's eyes widened.

"I will never become a fairy who can only be protected by my beloved! I will not let you go to your death alone!"

Hearing Liu's resolute words, a smile appeared on the boy's lips.

After nodding in response with his face covered in blood and wounds, the Goddess Blade in his hand seemed to reignite his fighting spirit, causing the [Divine Script] to glow.

Humans and elves have begun to fight back side by side.

"嗄嗄嗄嗄嗄!!"

But Zagnat was furious.

He was greatly angered by the disappointment that his duel with Bale had been dampened.

Having absorbed many of his own kind and donned the "Armor of Obsession," a feat that was otherwise impossible, his end was fast approaching. Therefore, he had already decided to devote all his remaining lifespan to the battle against this male beast (this man), vowing to kill the white-haired youth.

Zagnat disliked anything that tried to undermine its existence and, driven by rage, wanted to swat the small flying insect to death.

"!!"

"!"

However, Ryu dodged Zagnat's attack. Not only that, he even retaliated.

It's obvious without comparison that his skills are worlds apart from what he just fought. It's truly remarkable.

Clearly, his right hand, right leg... no, his entire body was oozing bloody droplets, a scene of utter devastation.

However, having gained the courage to confront the "symbol of the past"—the psychological trauma—[the gale] has regained its original brilliance. No, it is even attempting to surpass its current limits.

Her beautiful fighting figure was somewhat different from everything that "Zagnat" had slaughtered.

"I will...defeat you!!"

They shared the same shouts, the same gazes, and the same will as the white-clad youth.

Faced with all this, "Zagnat" admitted it.

They acknowledged that this fairy, like the boy, was a creature worthy of being hunted.

They deserve to be annihilated by him with all his might.

Therefore, he wanted to kill both of them.

"Zagnat" roared loudly, using all his strength to kill the two.

“Hmm…!?”

The enemy accelerated their attack, and Bell was tormented by a series of leaps and a storm of spikes.

With Ryu's arrival, the battle finally reached a stalemate. However, Bell and his companions, riddled with wounds, could be defeated at any moment due to the balance of power. Their bodies had already exceeded their limits; once their life fuel was exhausted, the battle would end in the blink of an eye. Although the enemy suffered from the repulsion effect at the cost of transforming into a chimera, the monsters' extraordinary stamina still surpassed that of the advanced adventurers. A prolonged battle would ultimately only lead to their demise.

Previously fighting alone, Bell had been looking for an opportunity to unleash a fatal attack (counterattack).

However, Zagnat had already sensed his intentions. The fact that it used "Broken Claws" as a supplement but still relied primarily on "Spikes" in the fight is the best evidence of this.

The current battle situation lacks a decisive attack.

"—The forest and sky that have now faded into the distance. The endless night sky inlaid with countless stars."

Under these circumstances...

Liu has begun to weave a melody.

"!"

"!"

Bell and Zagnat reacted when they saw the elf start singing while running and slashing at the enemy.

It is "parallel chanting".

Ryu simultaneously engages in four actions: attack, move, dodge, and chant, preparing to summon the inevitable moment of certain death.

"[Respond to the voice of my ignorance, and grant me the protection of the star once more]."

This is also a song of regret.

Ryu was singing this song when she couldn't help Alisha and the others and could only rely on them for protection.

At that time, she succumbed to despair and fear, unable to move an inch, and could only sing with trembling lips.

"[Those who abandon you are the benevolent and merciful.]"

The poem she used to avoid was now being sung while simultaneously responding to the challenge.

So that this time I will never be disappointed again.

This time, I will not only seek protection from others, but will protect others myself.

"...!"

Her true feelings were conveyed to Bell, "as another aspect of the operational plan."

That is, "to strip away the shell of the destroyer".

Needless to say, the remaining armor shell on the left side of the body possesses "magic reflection," and the enemy, having absorbed the bodies of numerous monsters, also contains "Obsidian Soldier's Body Stone." Faced with the enemy's armor, which weakens the power of "magic," even Ryu's Great Sphere of Light (Wind of Light) cannot achieve a fatal blow. Considering the remaining mental energy, a second attack is absolutely impossible.

Bell and Ryu exchanged a glance across the monster, and instantly understood each other.

"...!"

At the same time, Ryu's harsh and precise chanting speed still posed a threat even to "Zagnat".

Relying on this incomplete "armor" could lead to unforeseen circumstances. The possibility of utter defeat cannot be completely ruled out.

Faced with the surging and expanding "magic power," "Zagnat" intends to defeat Ryu first.

"—【Flame and Lightning】!"

At that moment, Bell roared out the sound of cannon fire.

It wasn't aimed at a monster, but at the black blade of a dagger.

"!"

After the flames and thunder erupted, they gathered on it and then played the sound of bells.

It was preparation for activating "Sacred Flame Heroic Slash". The boy summoned his last remaining strength and decisively performed one last charge.

Seeing the signs of the attack that had burned away its right arm, Zagnat couldn't help but react. It simply couldn't ignore the ultimate attack that had nearly killed it.

This is a psychological tactic employed by Bear Grylls.

Two sides, one a human boldly unleashing their power while simultaneously gathering strength, the other a spirit running and continuously chanting.

The former is clearly bait, but it cannot be ignored.

The distraction caused "Zagnat" to momentarily stop moving.

"Come, wandering wind, drifting traveler (peer)!"

Behind the monster, Ryu's chant rang out in a high-pitched and resonant voice.

Meanwhile, Bell charged forward wielding a Flamelight Dagger.

Their plan was to peel off the monster's shell and then immediately bombard the enemy with "magic".

Faced with the combined attack of the two adventurers, the monster of calamity slammed its right arm into the ground.

"──────!!"

The "inverted pile" pierces out from the ground.

Moreover, it's not a single direction, but an all-around attack with a radius of up to ten meters.

“Huh!?”

"Waaah──"

It allows the bone spear to travel underground, attacking Bell and Ryu simultaneously from the front and rear.

The massive mountain of blades summoned from the monster pierced the two of them. They tore through Ryu's shoulder, ripped through Bell's thigh, and nibbled away at their remaining life force in one fell swoop.

"Zagnat" pressed his advantage, attempting to pierce the two men to death with more "stakes".

"—[Soaring through the sky... racing across the wilderness...]!"

Unexpectedly...

Ryu's chanting did not stop.

With her indomitable spirit, she never let go of the reins of her magic. This brought her a golden opportunity to win.

So, so is Bell.

He coughed up blood, glared at the ground, and slammed his right hand into the earth.

"Sacred Flame Heroic Slash!!"

Seven seconds of charging up.

The killing move was not aimed at "Zagnat"—but at the white bone spear that shattered and pierced the ground.

「!?」

The earth exploded with a deafening roar, the impact shaking Zagnat's vision.

The flash of light that shattered the ground blasted all the white bone spears that had been fired into the earth into dust. The source of the "falling stake" was cut off.

That's not all; the power and impact of the sacred fire traveled along the bone spear, reaching Zagnat's right arm.

His right arm, forged from the flesh of his own kind, was brutally shattered.

"────────────────────────!?"

The right forearm shattered and scattered from the inside, causing "Zagnat" to let out a shrill scream.

The Holy Flame Heroic Slash cracked the ground, causing the entire cave to tremble and shake, making the monster lose its footing. This gave them an opening.

Bell seized the opportunity and launched an attack.

With his remaining grip strength, Hestia's Blade was sent flying into the air. Bell clenched his fist as a weapon, ready to charge into the monster's arms.

"Ugh—!?"

However, his approach speed was far too slow.

【Hero's Wish (Argonauts)】 brought side effects. The boy's last available parallel charge mercilessly robbed him of his meager physical and mental strength.