Above the dim passageway, a white flower clung to the fleshy walls, drawing nourishment from them. It emitted a faint phosphorescent glow, silently gazing down below.
The pale light pushed back the darkness, revealing several suspicious figures.
"...Why are there so many people?"
Lefiya frowned in shock.
She had always believed that what awaited them ahead would be terrifying monsters. Were these people the red-haired woman's allies? Why would they stand on the monsters' side?
The sight before her was beyond Lefiya's understanding.
She had never lived through the Dark Age. She had no idea just how deep the malice ran in those who had fallen into darkness.
"Remnants of Evilus...?!"
Ryuu raised her willow-shaped brows, her cold gaze sweeping over the figures lurking in the shadows.
They wore loose robes, their faces completely covered, exposing only pairs of eerie, unsettling eyes. Hostility simmered. Killing intent swelled.
The unknown group stood silently in the darkness, locked in a wordless standoff with Bell at the front.
"You said Evilus...? Shouldn't they have disappeared from Orario long ago?"
Lefiya could feel the boundless malice pouring off them. They were like a religious cult worshipping some unseen existence, confronted by outsiders who had defiled their doctrine.
There was no trace of hesitation or doubt in their eyes. Only blind faith and seething fury.
Lefiya swallowed unconsciously.
The group before them didn't feel human. They felt more like beasts that lived alongside death.
"..."
Bell quietly observed the enemy's movements.
Their murderous intent was unmistakable. They were clearly guarding the massive hollow behind them. As Lefiya had said, Evilus should have been wiped out long ago.
Was a new force taking root in the shadows? Or was there a blind spot where justice could not reach?
Either way, these people had managed to move through the Dungeon without leaving a trace.
How they had done it was secondary. Now that they had seen this, retreat was no longer an option.
Allowing such a threat to grow would only make future Dungeon expeditions hesitant and fearful, halting progress altogether.
Bell's thoughts raced, and in a single instant, he made his decision.
"This fight can't be avoided."
"We have to find out what lies ahead."
Bell drew his dagger and warned them.
"Their killing intent is overwhelming. This is a fight where lives are on the line. Don't hesitate. Don't show mercy."
"...I understand."
Lefiya nodded firmly.
Filvis and Ryuu said nothing, but in their eyes, countless sparks of fury burned in silence.
Beyond their hateful gazes, a man clad in a strangely colored robe issued commands.
"Don't let them pass!"
"Exterminate the intruders!"
"Kill them!"
"Ooooooh!!!!"
At the man's order, furious roars echoed through the passageway.
"Tch."
Ryuu said nothing more. She tightened her grip on her twin short swords and charged forward.
The gale roared.
Like the sudden pounding of war drums, the battle began.
...
The disparity in numbers was overwhelming. The robed enemies were nothing short of a legion.
Vanguards, rear guards, mages, archers… Their formation was complete, every role in place, standing ready under the protection of their commander.
By comparison, Bell's side consisted of only four people. At a glance, it seemed inevitable that the moment battle began, they would be crushed beneath that massive force.
Yet that grim outcome never came to pass.
"Firebolt!"
Firebolt roared alongside Bell.
Unlike the Viola, these enemies did not change targets in response to magic. Even so, within the dim passageway, streaks of Firebolt shot forth like luminous bullets, relentlessly stealing away the commander's field of vision.
Even when some enemies barely dodged or threw themselves forward to block the flames, Bell seized the opening in an instant, spreading chaos across the battlefield.
"Their numbers are small! Don't panic!"
The commander shouted at the top of his lungs.
"Wha—?!"
"Ah!!!"
The vanguard paid no heed to the order. No matter which direction they tried to advance from, the thunderous roar of Firebolt battered their ears.
Flames tore through the corridor again and again, plunging the battlefield into total disorder.
"Damn it… Mages, use bombardment magic! Archers, loose your arrows!"
The commander retreated behind the rear guard's shields, barking orders at those waiting in reserve.
He added loudly, "Prioritize the white-haired brat!"
In this pitch-dark environment, fire magic that required no chant was an overwhelming threat.
Arrows ripped through the air, but before they could reach their mark, a massive wall of light unfolded in front of Bell.
Filvis raised her short staff, granting the boy a protective shield.
"Viridis, it's up to you," she whispered, calling Lefiya by name.
The next moment, the Thousand Elf's chant was complete.
"—Arcs Ray!"
Lefiya lifted Forest's Teardrop, a specialized wand made from white holy stone and designed to maximize magical performance, and unleashed a powerful bombardment.
A blinding flash flooded the passageway. The light arrows landed deep in the enemy ranks, completely swallowing the archers and mages.
Wails and explosions rang out at the same time.
Taking advantage of the confusion, a vanguard soldier charged toward Lefiya.
Filvis decisively drew her short sword and stepped in front of her.
She twisted her body, narrowly evading the downward cleave of a great blade.
As they passed each other, Filvis swung her dagger without a shred of mercy, ending the man's life in a single stroke.
"Viridis… are you all right?"
Filvis asked with concern.
"I'm fine…"
Lefiya paused, her eyes filling with resolve.
"You and Bell Cranel are fighting the enemy up close, while all I'm doing is chanting magic."
When fighting monsters, Lefiya often hesitated. She knew all too well how terrifying it was to face another person head-on.
This was a fight to the death between humans. And yet, it was also the battlefield of those she held dear.
"Please don't worry about me. I'm not naive enough to show mercy and put Bell Cranel in danger."
With her resolve laid bare, Lefiya raised her wand with a steady grip.
"Mm…"
Filvis gave a small nod, offering her blessing and support.
Firebolt continued without pause as Bell deliberately drew the enemy's attention.
Amid the chaos of flames and black smoke, no one noticed that [Gale] was already racing forward.
"…"
Under the boy's cover, Ryuu used her speed to slip silently into the very center of the enemy formation.
"Guh?! When did you—?!"
By the time the enemy commander realized Ryuu had breached their ranks, a katana was already pressed against his throat.
"Speak. Which Familia do you belong to?"
Ryuu kicked away an approaching rear guard and demanded coldly.
For a Lv5 like Ryuu, dealing with this group of robed men was no difficult task. But both she and Bell wanted to know which god stood behind them.
Without tools to force answers by other means, capturing the commander was the most reliable option.
And so, through their unspoken coordination, Ryuu and Bell achieved their current result.
The commander's face was hidden beneath a hood and mask, leaving only a pair of eyes filled with shock and fury exposed.
"Even if you don't tell me, I'll find out."
Ryuu pronounced her judgment with icy calm, as if reciting the words of a bygone justice.
The katana reflected a cold, merciless gleam.