Ais didn't know how to judge those who had defiled their own names, but from their perspective, everything they did was to preserve Orario's final hope and spark. From that angle, their actions were unmistakably heroic.
Yet from another angle, what they did had thrown Orario into chaos, disrupting its peace and costing countless lives.
Even so, Ais understood that although those people carried the stain of "betraying Orario," they had successfully left behind the spark of hope.
She was certain they were not "deserving of death," but heroes who served the darkness.
Ais also knew about the "Great Conflict" that had shaken Orario seven years ago, though back then she had been too young to participate. She had spent the entire event under strict protection.
She remembered that the "King" had secured his place in the Lv.7 realm afterward, and Finn, Gareth, and Riveria had risen to become Lv.6 adventurers during that period.
"So the sparks are actually Finn and the others?"
Bell didn't answer her question directly. Instead, he threw the question back at her.
"What do you think?"
"Maybe you should go ask Captain Finn and the others what kind of monster they faced back then. Once you hear the answer, you'll understand whether they deliberately left the spark behind."
"Ais, there are things I can't tell you. You need to investigate them yourself."
Ais understood his meaning: 'Don't blindly believe anyone's words—not even mine.' And precisely because she understood that principle, she believed even more that her teacher's words held the real answer. She tucked this thought away and returned to their earlier topic.
"So, the Dungeon is the same kind of thing?"
Bell gave a slight nod.
"The dungeon is like a black glove doing someone else's work."
"But don't imagine the dungeon as something noble. It has no consciousness of its own. Everything it does is simply following a script written long ago."
"What you need to understand is that the world's malice is what drives people forward."
"Think back to how you started. Weren't you driven by a desire for revenge against the dungeon and the Black Dragon? Wasn't it that motivation that set you on the path of strength?"
Ais recalled why she had inevitably walked down the road of power. She gave a small nod. That desire for revenge—that malice—had fueled her pursuit.
"So you need to learn this: the world is made of both good and evil."
"But sometimes what looks like kindness isn't truly kind, and what looks like malice isn't truly malicious. The difference between good and evil depends on viewpoint and position."
"Ais, next time don't rush to judge whether something is good or bad. You need to see things clearly yourself—understand your position and the circumstances—before you can decide."
Ais still didn't fully understand, but she nodded and engraved his words in her heart.
As a teacher, coloring a pure-white student with one's own shades was only natural. Bell found the idea of letting Ais take on his colors amusing. He genuinely wanted to see what astonishing things she might achieve afterward.
But today's lesson had come to an end.
Bell refocused his attention, turning his gaze ahead.
'The unstable soul fluctuations are finally settling.'
'Her soul is stabilizing, and her aura is rising… much faster than I expected.'
He could clearly feel the power of the Corrupted Spirit's Fetus rapidly increasing.
No—rapidly recovering.
The Corrupted Spirit's Fetus naturally possessed this level of strength, but earlier its soul had been torn apart, causing its power to plummet. Now that the soul had returned and fused, its original power was coming back.
"Ignite."
Once Bell confirmed the current state of the Corrupted Spirit's Fetus, he didn't hesitate. He triggered his hidden switch.
"Aaaaaah!"
"You bastard!!!!"
The moment the switch flared, a horrifying scream tore through the Lava Forest, followed by a thunderous sonic boom.
Even the air vibrated.
Ais could feel the erupting force from afar pressing against her skin like a volcanic blast, making every pore on her body spring open and sending tremors through her limbs.
"—!"
Right when she was about to be overwhelmed by fear, a hand rested on her head and pulled her back. A familiar voice whispered softly beside her ear.
"Ais, watch closely.
Feel the power of Level 8. Don't be afraid. You'll stand at that height one day. There's no reason to fear a Corrupted Spirit's Fetus."
His voice steadied her, and her trembling slowly stopped.
The fear in her heart faded quickly.
"Well then, I should go greet our guest."
Ais felt his hand lift from her head. She saw him take two steps forward.
...
In the blink of an eye.
With just a moment's lapse in concentration, Ais could no longer track her teacher's figure.
So fast!
Ais drew in a sharp breath, closed her eyes, and summoned the surrounding wind to gather information.
Deep within the Magma Forest, the Corrupted Spirit's Fetus clutched its head in agony.
"Bastard… that bastard!"
A fury so overwhelming it could tear that man apart surged within it, completely swallowing what remained of its rationality.
If not for the tiny shred of reason still clinging to its mind, it would have already become a Demon King bent on destruction.
"Yo."
The Corrupted Spirit's Fetus froze mid-rage. Standing before it was the very man who had pushed its fury to the brink.
"Long time no see, Corrupted Spirit's Fetus."
"Ah, I suppose this is actually our first real meeting. Before this, we only encountered each other through your avatars and guardians."
This was Bell's first time seeing the Corrupted Spirit's Fetus face-to-face. Despite being called "corrupted," there was no visible trace of pollution on her.
A beautifully proportioned figure, long emerald hair, a lovely face—she looked like the textbook image of an older sister.
Of course, that was only if one ignored the contorted fury twisting her features.
If you counted the rage twisting her expression into something monstrous, "lovely" wasn't the word—it was downright terrifying.