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

"Celti, Iska, Maru!"

The three orbs of light that acquired names seemed to extend a helping hand, causing Ryu's body to escape diagonally, or to stand as a shield and shatter the approaching bone spears.

Amidst the intense wind pressure, what Liu saw in his soaring eyes were the profiles of his comrades.

It was the ten members of the Justice Clan standing beside him, shouting loudly.

This is delusion, sentimentality, and fantasy.

It's just a self-delusional illusion created by Ryu.

I see.

Therefore, I will transform this "heartfelt sentiment" into strength—to move forward!

"—Aa ...

The fairy's roar echoed all around.

Neither of them had wings, yet they engaged in an aerial dogfight.

Witnessing the scene that resembled stars streaking across the dark night, the boy stood up as if drawn by a magic spell.

With eyes wide open, it's like a wild beast on the ground gazing up at a night sky filled with stars.

Bell saw it.

I saw the fairy guided by ten rays of light, soaring through the sky.

The way her long cloak billowed in the wind, spreading out like wings, was simply like...

"—'Wings of Justice'."

And the "sword" is herself, pressing down on the monster.

Ryu, who had the name of the goddess of justice (Asteria) engraved on his back, finally captured the monster of calamity.

"嗄嗄嗄嗄嗄嗄嗄嗄!?"

Coincidentally, the location is high up in the center of the cave.

Faced with "Zagnat" who was being caught in the air with nowhere to escape and still raised his skeletal right arm to try to fight back, Ryu fired one of the last three light orbs.

"Kaguya!"

As if responding to the voice of a comrade-in-arms, the ball of light, moving swiftly like a swordsman, released a sharp and powerful wind.

It shattered the monster's last remaining right arm—its final weapon.

"──────"

Just as the explosive impact caused the monster's body to drift through the air, Liu swiftly dodged past it.

She leaped onto the monster's head from above, and the instant her momentum vanished... it was as if time itself was isolated from the world in that very space. She slowly turned over.

Feet facing upwards, head facing downwards.

Ryu positioned the "Zagnat," whose enormous body was twisting and looking up at her, directly below her field of vision.

"Layla".

The calmly calling orb of light approached Liu's feet as he began to descend.

It was like a smiling older sister giving her a push from behind.

Tears welled in her eyes, and the force of the impact struck her feet, causing her to fall like a shooting star.

Then, finally—

"—Alicie"

The remaining large ball of light nestled in Ryu's palm.

She hopes to be convicted.

She hoped to atone for her sins.

She longed to die beside her companions.

She was afraid of going beyond the "past".

Forgetting the "past" terrifies her.

If it were possible, she would love to go back to the "past" and start over.

but now……

She wants a "future".

Therefore—

The monstrous body drew near. It had lost both arms, and its crimson eyes stared blankly up at Liu.

Facing the "symbol of the past" who was just as scarred as herself, Ryu raised her right arm, which held the ball of light, above her head.

Bathed in the radiant glow of the beautiful orb, Ryu clearly saw her confidante's hand folded over her own right.

Tears streamed down her sky-blue eyes, and her lips trembled as she declared:

"Farewell."

To the lingering shadow of an old friend.

Looking back on the past.

Towards the "past" that must be overcome.

Saying goodbye to everything, Ryu roared:

"Luvia!!"

burst.

"────────────────────────────────"

The large ball of light was smashed into the monster's chest.

Just as the moves were passed down from the girl (Arisel) who protected and saved Ryu, Ryu unleashed a halo of light on the monster.

Helpless after taking this blow, "Zagnat" didn't even leave behind a dying scream, anger, or lament; it simply shattered and scattered silently.

The melody of light and wind resounded loudly, turning the monster's entire body into countless fragments.

After witnessing the falling fragments turn to dust like the other monsters of the same kind, Ryu used all his strength to close his eyes.

At the same time, she scattered the tears that welled up in her eyes into the air.

"Miss Ryu!?"

The remains of Liu and the destroyers were scattered like a meteor shower in the center of the cave.

Covered in wounds, Bell could only watch as the monster's ash turned into a cloud of smoke and dust, unable even to rush towards the point of impact.

Just as he dragged his body toward the central area, standing there dumbfounded, watching the purple-tinged smoke and dust fill the sky...

"ah……!"

A figure appears in the distance.

The silhouette of the figure gradually became clearer, emerging from the smoke and dust.

It was Ryu who left herself covered in wounds.

Seeing her gaze meet his and her lips curving slightly, Belle smiled with relief.

Apart from them, there were no other moving figures.

They overcame the calamity.

Bell and Ryu smiled and slowly walked towards each other, seeking each other's presence.

But just then, something went wrong...

Bell's body leaned forward.

The same goes for Ryū.

With only a tiny distance between them, both of them knelt down and collapsed to the ground.

“…………”

“…………”

His body, covered in wounds, was still bleeding at this moment.

Both of them were breathing very faintly.

My hands and feet feel increasingly cold.

My vision gradually blurred.

Bell's right hand can overlap with Ryu's right hand.

The two lay on the ground of the cold maze, separated by such a distance.

"...We won."

"……Yes."

"...Now we can go back."

"……Yes."

The sound was barely audible.

The two could no longer clearly see each other's faces, and a smile that could hardly be called a smile appeared on their faces.

They only share the future of returning to the surface of the earth in a dream where reality and illusion are indistinguishable.

There are no adventurers there anymore.

Only ashes remained after the fire had burned out.

Like a bird with broken wings soaring endlessly.

White embers and the gradually disappearing remains of fairies.

That's all that's left.

The monster's distant howls echoed all around. The silence that had previously guarded the labyrinth by the calamity monster seemed like an illusion; the darkness began to howl fervently. Several fierce roars and overlapping footsteps were approaching the cavern.

Bell and Ryur were unable to stand up or even move their bodies; only darkness loomed over them.

"...Bell."

"……yes."

"...I...want to be with you..."

“…………”

She didn't continue.

Both looked at the pupils beside them, which were gradually losing their light.

Without prior arrangement, as if falling asleep, the two closed their eyelids.

Even when the monsters' roars finally reached the cave, their bodies could no longer move.

Their "adventure" has come to an end.

Despite defeating the Calamity, they were defeated by the dungeon.

The attempt to escape the maze failed.

Like many of their peers, they too were swallowed up by the "deep" darkness.

"────,────Er,──Bell!!"

Just when things seemed to be going that way...

"—Little Bell!!"

The monsters' loud, intermittent cries—almost like roars shouted to communicate with their distant brethren—began to take on the form of human language.

In the dimming vision, Bell felt a shadow loom over him.

He trembled and slightly opened his eyelids, at which point someone picked him up.