Fifteenth Floor of the Dungeon.
"Right front, three Almiraj! Everyone watch out for their thrown stone axes!" Daphne stood in the rear guard position, calmly observing the battle. The Almiraj let out shrill cries, hurling their weapons with force.
Facing the wildly divergent throws, Bell charged forward, deflecting two with his dagger. Then, a sharp whistling sound filled the air. A flash of blue-purple light erupted, instantly eliminating all three Almiraj.
Welf, positioned at the formation's center, intercepted the hurtling stone axes with his greatsword. Limited by his level, the flying axes left a wound on his arm—neither deep nor shallow.
"Cassandra, heal! Lili, cover! Bell, watch your left! Five Almiraj are charging!" Daphne issued commands swiftly. As the incantation echoed, healing light enveloped Welf.
Meanwhile, five monsters charged Bell simultaneously. The phosphorescent glow reflected the icy malice of the stone axes as blows rained down. With extraordinary speed, Bell spun and executed a sweeping semicircular slash, shattering the monsters' assault.
Even days later, Daphne found it hard to believe. Bell's [Strength] and [Agility] were already on par with a Level 3. And he was still growing.
The monsters' appearance interrupted Daphne's thoughts.
"Nine o'clock, four Hellhounds! Directly ahead, several Almiraj!"
Any ordinary party would have fled at the sight of so many monsters. But Bell drew his sword and charged straight into the swarm.
"Lili, shoot!" Welf roared.
"Got it!"
Lili raised her crossbow and fired arrows at the charging hellhounds. The monsters, which had been rushing toward the boy, instantly changed direction. Possessing some intelligence, they sensed the adventurer's ally wielded ranged attacks and halted in place, beginning to gather magic power. Flames accumulated, the Hellhound's upper body glowing increasingly crimson.
"—Will-o-Wisp!" Welf finished chanting the spell, unleashing an invisible solar flame. The air shimmered and trembled. The next instant, a violent explosion erupted from the hellhound's body. After four successive blasts, all the monsters spat black smoke and collapsed lifeless.
Elsewhere, Bell, the vanguard, danced his daggers through the swarm. The monsters' encircling net couldn't keep pace with his current speed. Crimson and violet intertwined, relentlessly shattering the attacking foes.
At that very moment, before the rear guard could even celebrate, an abrupt change occurred.
"They're coming..." Amid Cassandra's trembling words, cracking sounds erupted, accumulating until they coalesced into a terrifying, low growl. The source of the sound came from above. As if an invisible spider spun its web, the ceiling's cracks steadily widened. Finally, a thunderous explosion echoed as countless monsters poured through the shattered ceiling. Shadows obscured the phosphorescent glow, piercing screeches reverberating through the passageway.
"Bad Bat—nearly a hundred?!" Daphne's eyes widened in shock.
Amidst this torrent of monsters, a bell tolled. As if anticipating this, Bell raised his arm toward the creatures. The accumulated power time was brief, yet sufficient against these Bad Bat whose very numbers were their weapon.
"Firebolt!" The fiery thunder erupted amidst a cluster of white light. Blinding radiance filled the passageway. In an instant, the flames consumed everything.
…
"Last time I was here, I was shaking with fear."
On the return journey, Welf sighed. With Daphne and Cassandra joining them, the group felt well-rounded. By entrusting command to Daphne, Bell could focus entirely on fending off monster attacks. In just a few days, they had conquered the fifteenth dungeon floor.
"Thanks to Bell-sama, that was a close call just now..."
Lili still felt her heart racing as she recalled the surging wave of monsters.
"Cassandra-san also deserves credit for my quick response."
Bell answered honestly.
"Eh? I... I was just talking in my sleep..."
Cassandra responded, her face flushing crimson. Before setting out, she had shared her dream with the young man. The dungeon ceiling would crack open, unleashing a horde of terrifying bat monsters. Cassandra called it Prophetic Dreams.
In the past, no matter whom she told about her dreams, no one would believe her. But this time, the young man actually trusted her. Cassandra clutched her wand, her cheeks flushed an unusual crimson.
"Mutterings in your sleep, huh..."
Bell murmured to himself. Truthfully, no one had ever believed Cassandra's words. Just like in the War Game, when she predicted the Firebolt, only to be scorned by Hyakinthos. Even though the Prophetic Dreams had played out exactly as foretold, no one believed her. Upon reflection, it was rather suspicious.
According to Hestia, Cassandra possessed a miraculous skill—an unknown power beyond even the gods' comprehension. Bell found this deeply intriguing. As he listened to Cassandra recount her dream, an intangible force seemed to emanate from her, a curse urging him never to trust dreams. Yet Bell felt a burning sensation on his back. The "Luck" slot in his Falna Development Ability panel ignited with a burning sensation. The next instant, that stubborn conviction of "absolutely not believing" vanished like smoke.
Bell resolved to observe further, incorporating [Prophetic Dreams] into his future considerations. The group's casual chatter pulled his thoughts back to reality.
"Lilisqueak, what were you jotting down just now?"
Welf inquired.
"Hmm... Lili asked Daphne to teach me command techniques. They might come in handy."
As a support member, Lili possessed the clearest view of the battlefield. She sought to learn more, striving to maximize her contribution.
"I see... Looks like I need to step up my game too..."
Recalling the blue-haired girl who fought for the youth, Welf resolved to hone his forging skills further upon returning. Before departing, Cecil had been brought here by Bell for a tour. As a fellow blacksmith, she merely praised the workshop's tidiness, noting it was well-maintained.
"When I move in, if it still looks like this, you can hand over your position to me."
Cecil delivered the harsh truth.
Welf could tell from Bell's light armor that his own skills fell short. He also knew the youth's rapid growth would only widen the gap between them. But he refused to concede defeat. Since Bell had trusted him enough to make him his personal blacksmith, Welf had to show his resolve. The technique to forge a Magic Sword... this abandoned skill would need to be honed anew.
Resolved, Welf silently set off on his return journey.
…
Deep within an alley in the northwest of Orario, Riveria descended the underground staircase and pushed open the worn door.
"Excuse me."
A strange odor immediately hit her as she entered the dimly lit basement. The Magic Stone lamps illuminated a spacious room, with cluttered shelves filled with eerie bottles. Lizards, vipers, scorpions... these creatures were preserved in liquid, giving off a chilling aura. At the far end of the room, a large cauldron simmered, its contents bubbling with red and black foam.
"This place hasn't changed a bit."
Ignoring the peculiar smell, Riveria turned and greeted the proprietor. The old woman in the black robe smiled softly, her expression somewhat unsettling, like a witch from a fairy tale.
"You're as punctual as ever, Riveria."
She turned away and opened the deepest drawer in the counter.
"Honestly, there should be limits to how much you boss people around. I won't shortchange you a single penny."
Riveria responded to the shopkeeper's grumbling with a gentle smile.
"Of course. Only you could get something like this."
The shopkeeper carefully took a thick book from the drawer and asked,
"What do you need this for? Neither you nor that young lady (Lefiya) would have any use for it, right?"
The book placed on the counter was embossed with intricate inscriptions on its cover. A High-Rank Mage's Grimoire. It not only detected magic, but it also had a chance to expand a mage's magic capacity. Its price was astronomical for ordinary people. Riveria, known as one of the [Nine Hell], had already maxed out her magic slots (three). The shopkeeper couldn't understand why Riveria would need such a grimoire. Even if she planned to give it to someone else, the chances of success were incredibly low.
"I have a task I need to complete. Consider this payment."
Riveria replied plainly.
"Quite the generous offer. Could it be you've taken an interest in someone?"
The shopkeeper squinted and chuckled.
"I'll come back when my wand breaks. See you next time."
Ignoring the shopkeeper's teasing, Riveria smiled gracefully. She picked up the grimoire from the table and turned to leave. The door closed softly behind her. In the silence, her emerald-green hair vanished from view.