Clang—!
Clang—!
Clang—!
The tolling bell resonated through the cavern, a sound that manifested as the literal resonance of hope for every adventurer present.
Thud—!
"Everyone, this way!"
Crackle—!!!!!!!!!!!!
"Get inside! Quickly!"
"""""!!"""""
Lilliluka immediately drove a magic sword into the earth, carving a massive trench that swept away the encroaching monsters. It was not a mere strike; it was a tactical deployment of terrain control.
"Get in and take cover!!"
"Aisha-sama, move!"
At Lilly's command, Aisha, who had been locked in a stalemate with the Enhanced Species, instantly disengaged and sought refuge in the newly created gap.
"[Fire Bolt]!!!!!!"
BOOM—!!!!!!!!!!
A colossal pillar of flame, surging with the intensity of a lightning strike, erupted from Bell's hand. It didn't just target the Enhanced Species; it incinerated every stray monster remaining in the tunnel.
—!!!!!!!!
Rumble—!!!
CRASH—!!!!!!
The destructive force transcended simple combustion. It shattered the cavern walls and sent the Enhanced Species hurtling into the distance through sheer kinetic transfer.
Step, step—
"I'll handle this."
Emerging through the billowing smoke and the aftermath of the explosion, Bell walked forward. His gaze was devoid of tremors, filled only with the absolute certainty of victory. His silhouette, calm and imposing, was the very definition of a hero.
"Bell...-sama...."
"Bell-dono!"
"Master Bell..."
"Bell-sama, take this!"
Whish—!
Relief and trust spread through the group like a contagion. Lilly expertly tossed a Mind Potion toward him.
Snatch—!
"Thanks, Lilly."
Step, step—!
"Take care of the others!"
Bell drained the potion in a single, fluid motion. He left the wounded in Akumo's care and stepped through the massive breach he had carved, advancing toward the final confrontation.
"It galls me, but I'll leave it to you, Bell Cranel."
"In the end, we find ourselves relying on him again."
Step, step—
"And you are...?"
"Just consider me a passing adventurer."
Cloaked in his robe, Akumo remained unrecognizable to them. However, his focus was entirely on Bell's impending duel. He moved toward the breach alongside the party.
"..."
—...
Thud—!
Shring—!
The vast cavern resembled a natural colosseum. Within that space, the Enhanced Species and Bell squared off, their postures coiled like springs ready to snap.
Drip—!
The battle commenced the moment a single drop of water struck the floor.
"Haaah!!!!"
—!!!!!
Clang—!!
Clash—!!
Ching—!!
'It's strong...! Its raw power exceeds mine!'
As the Enhanced Species lunged, Bell met the blow with Hakugen, parrying the monster's fist with surgical precision before immediately creating distance to recalibrate.
Whoosh—!!!
Whish—!!
Boom—!!!
Bell was methodical. He no longer viewed the Enhanced Species as a mere beast, but as a veteran combatant wielding lethal biological weaponry. He evaded with absolute spatial awareness, accounting for the creature's speed, cunning, and hidden trump cards.
"It's begun."
"Wait, aren't you going to help him?"
"It's not that I won't, it's that I can't."
"What...!?"
"As I said, I'm just a passing adventurer."
Akumo spoke with heavy, pragmatic authority to Daphne, who was visibly trembling with anxiety for Bell.
"Setting aside your individual capabilities, if we swarm that thing, it will simply unleash another hail of projectiles."
He gestured toward the combatants.
"If your wounds worsen during a chaotic melee, there's no one here who can take responsibility for your lives."
"T-that's true, but... whether it's archery or that Level Boost from earlier..."
"That thing reacts to Magic Stones—specifically, to concentrated mana."
"!!"
"Drawing its aggro toward this group is a death sentence."
Akumo pointed toward Bell's fluid movements.
"And look closely."
Clang—!!
Clash—!!
Thud—!!
Ching—!!
Crack—!!
"""!!"""
Following Akumo's lead, the group watched the exchange, their eyes widening in realization.
"Didn't that monster get stronger after absorbing those Magic Stones...?"
"It did. But more importantly..."
"Bell Cranel's movements have become even more refined!"
Bell's actions were visibly more precise and economical than they had been at the start of the expedition. His technical mastery was evolving in real-time.
"When I receive a [Level Boost], there are moments where my senses can't keep up with my ranked-up body."
Mikoto observed intently.
"Until now, Bell-dono has been fighting with that sensory dissonance—a state where the vessel and the mind are not in perfect alignment. Isn't that right?"
"Could it be..."
"It's highly likely. He's been ranking up at such an absurd pace that it's only natural for his instincts to lag behind his physical stats."
"So you're saying that by facing this crisis in the Lower Floors, he's finally clicking into gear?"
Aisha smirked.
"It's enough to make me laugh!"
Just as Mikoto surmised, through the battle with the Enhanced Species, the Iguazu ambush, and his encounter with Akumo, Bell had finally bridged the gap between his Level 4 flesh and his combat spirit.
"Chiyah!!!!"
Slash—!!
—!!!
Sever—!!!!!!!
'Something changed... right then!'
Splurt—!!!!
'The dissonance is gone!'
Having adapted his dynamic visual acuity and reflexes while enduring the Iguazu swarm, Bell was now fully capable of reading the Enhanced Species' erratic patterns. Its tricks were no longer beyond his reaction threshold.
—!!!!
Thump—!!
Rip—!!!!
Sensing the shift, the Enhanced Species changed tactics. It plunged its vines into the floor, intending to impale Bell from below.
"!!"
'A new strategy... but!'
Slash—!!
Slice—!!
It was futile. Bell had spent the journey observing Akumo's absolute composure in the face of monster ambushes while protecting Marie. He mirrored that lethal efficiency, maintaining his calm as he dismantled the surprise attack.
—Gwoooooh!!!!!!!!
Rat-tat-tat-tat—!!!!!!!!
In a desperate bid to halt Bell's advance, the Enhanced Species fired a barrage of seeds like organic bullets.
Shred—!!!!!!!!
'Slower than the Iguazu!'
Boom—!!!!
'And as for power...'
Clang—!!!
'That man was far more devastating!!'
Recalling his battle with Asterius, Bell knew that if he struggled here, he would never stand a chance in a rematch. He pushed himself to be stronger, faster, and more veteran. He was evolving against the Enhanced Species to reach the pinnacle.
'I want to win against him!'
Crack—!!!
'This time, I will reach him!'
That indomitable will caused a crest of flame to manifest upon his back.
"That is...."
'Vesta, is it?'
As if that mark were a signal, Bell transitioned into a relentless, high-speed offensive.
Slash—!!
Sever—!!
—!!!!!
Whish—!!!
"Chiyah!!!"
Shred—!!!
Bell's movements were a blur, carving into the monster's hide. He evaded every heavy strike and even anticipated the creature's parasitic mouth as it lunged, twisting in mid-air to slice through it effortlessly.
—Gwoooooh!!!!!!!!!
Thud—!! Thud—!!!
Crash—!!!
Faced with certain defeat, the Enhanced Species focused everything on a single hit, extending its wooden limbs into massive spears and launching them at Bell.
Step, step—!!
'Slow...!'
Having sprinted through the Dungeon for the sake of his comrades and Marie, Bell's natural speed had reached a new tier. He ran along the walls, evading the limbs with effortless grace.
"Haah!!!"
Slash—!!
Splurt—!!
The Enhanced Species couldn't even register his position before Bell's blades descended, severing both of its arms along with the vines.
"So fast!"
"Incredible!"
"Magnificent!"
"No, it's not over yet."
"""!!"""
Akumo's warning was immediate. The battle had not reached its conclusion.
Squelch—!!
—Krwoooh!!!!
"It's regenerating...!"
"What a persistent monster..."
Seeing wounds that should have been fatal knit back together instantly, the party realized that only a single, overwhelming strike—specifically one of fire—could end this.
Shring—!
"[Fire Bolt]. "
A single phrase escaped the hero's lips as he gripped the dagger bestowed by his Goddess.
It was a declaration of the final blow.
Flare—!!
A massive flame erupted, only to be violently compressed, spiraling down into the blade of the dagger.
Clang—!
Clang—!
Clang—!
It was a feat of technical mastery impossible for a standard Fire Bolt, achieved through the concurrent use of another skill.
Whoosh—!!!!!
"The flames are being condensed into the knife...!"
"An enchantment...? No, that's..."
"Bell, are you really...."
By using [Argonaut] to charge the absolute output of [Fire Bolt] and then compressing it into a knife forged of high-purity mithril, Bell was forcing a theoretical concept into reality through sheer volume of power.
'Vesta....'
Vesta—the symbol of Hestia's domain, her title, and her other name.
"That name... I shall take it."
As the crest on his back glowed with divine light, Bell finalized his own unique technique for the sake of his Goddess.
Rumble—!!!!!
—....!!
Thump—!! Thump—!! Thump—!!
Faced with the hero's growth and the sheer pressure of the charged magic, the Enhanced Species felt the cold touch of its own demise. It turned its back, attempting to flee the arena.
"[Hiyo]!"
Crack—!!!!
Welf's magic sword froze the surrounding water instantly, sealing the monster's escape route.
Shudder—!
—!!!!
".....You bastard."
'The stage is set, and you think you can just leave?'
A single warrior released a quiet, concentrated burst of killing intent directed solely at the Enhanced Species, a silent threat that he would tear it apart himself if it dared to run.
"This is it."
Flare—!!!
The hero spoke once more, his dagger shining with a light that was both blindingly bright and strangely warm.
"[Argo Vesta (Holy Flame's Slash)]"
—Gwoooooh!!!!!!!
"Chiyah!!!!!!!!!!!!"
With the name of the technique dedicated to his Goddess, Bell and the Enhanced Species collided in a final, violent exchange.
BOOM—!!!!!!!!!
—!!!
"Hyaaaap!!!!!"
CRACK—!!!!!!!!
The hyper-compressed flames did more than just incinerate the moss covering the monster's body; they pierced through to the core, vaporizing the hidden Magic Stone instantly. The creature's form began to fracture and crumble into ash.
""""Ooh!!!!!!""""
"Bell-sama!"
"Incredible!"
Amidst the cheers of his comrades celebrating the hero's triumph, the battle reached its end.
"Everyone!"
Splash—!
"!?"
"Thank you, Bell. I love you!"
Thud—!
Marie, who had watched the entire struggle from beneath the surface, emerged to offer her gratitude. She pointed toward a specific spot.
"That was quite a show~"
There stood Akumo, wearing a faint smile and waving his hand slightly.
"Ah!"
'Akumo-san...!'
Grin—!
The hero smiled back at the man who had aided them, a silent exchange of mutual respect. However...
Smirk—!
'Ah... yes, this is good~'
The meaning behind Akumo's smile was entirely different.
'I want to fight him one day... alongside that other one...!'
Clench—!!
'Will such an opportunity come? A moment where they both gather, swept up in an unpredictable incident....'
"That would be entertaining."