No one's POV

Raul: Ummm...is this okay, Captain...?

Aboveground, the wind was blowing in the home base of Loki Familia, which resembled an old castle. Besides Finn, Raul had timidly opened his mouth, asking the captain who was still looking out over the Labyrinth District.

Finn: Is what okay?

Raul: Is it really all right to have Miss Riveria and the others break into Knossos...? The demi-spirit is one thing, but that creature and that Grim Reaper there...

Raul was having difficulty stringing together words, but he felt an apprehension that he couldn't brush aside. Before Raul's eyes, Revis had brought Finn down in a single blow when they'd entered Knossos last time. Not only that, the Grim Reaper, PoH didn't die even when he had a huge gaping hole in his body after Asuna pierced them. It was a nightmare.

It had been a shock to see the greatest hero and his idol being mercilessly overrun. It had left a big impact on him when Finn lost. Even Aiz couldn't stop it by herself. It was an overwhelming mass of unreasonableness.

Finn:...

Finn fell silent for a moment as Raul remained apprehensive about the creature with red hair and the man in the black hood.

(Elsewhere)

Riveria: Shoot!!

Riveria commanded. All the elves obeyed, discharging a fusillade of magic. Rays of light—crimson, azure, gold—rushed at PoH and Revis.

Revis: Violas.

PoH: Rip em to shreds.

Viloas: OOOOOOOoooOOOOOO!

The creature gave a terse command to the monsters, while PoH disinterestedly holding out his left hand. They advanced in front of them, becoming a wall of flesh to block the magic, a tremendous number of vibrantly colored monsters. They wouldn't falter from a broadside of that level. However, that won't stop the Fairy Forces's attack from stopping.

Riveria: Rear guard, shoot! Continue with the Magic Swords! Vanguard start chanting! Magic sword shoot!! Rear guard, chant! Vanguard, shoot!!

PoH sprinted out, making an opening in the shield of monsters.

PoH: Huh...?

He had an uncomfortable feeling.

(Elsewhere)

Finn: That's it.

Raul: Huh?

Finn: Now that we have a key in our possession, those two creature is the only cause of concern in Knossos.

Finn said with an unwavering expression, focusing straight ahead. He turned to face Raul, who was visibly surprised, and continued without any hesitation in his voice.

Finn: Raul, I wanted to be called Braver so much that I negotiated with Loki for it.

Raul:...?

Finn: In order to be a light, to exemplify bravery for my race...I was prepared long ago.

There wasn't a logical flow to his statement, leaving Raul flustered. But as Finn continued, Raul finally understood what he was trying to convey.

Finn: If I was to freeze up because of two person, because of a threat—I wouldn't be standing here.

Raul shivered, getting goose bumps—at Finn's quiet face, at his cold eyes, at the magnificence of his resolve.

Yes, Finn had called himself the name "Braver."

He was a hero who'd put up a front, a man-made hero calculated from the very start.Finn had borne the weight of that second name from the very beginning. He had always carried that pressure, enough to crush a normal person, on his small back with his immeasurable determination to turn a lie into reality.

What was brave about fearing a creature?

How could he call himself a hero?

He would never have taken the name Braver if he cowered before them.

Finn: Besides, Raul, you're not taking Riveria seriously enough.

He'd put trust in his friend, layered and heavy.

Finn: If it's Riveria—she can drive back something of that level.

(Elsewhere)

Revis: What—?

PoH: They're not stopping—

Their discomfort grew at the constant hail of shots that the elves unleashed to keep them from approaching.

Their effect was a little—no, a bit more than a little too much.

It was enough for the shots to break through the wall of violas and graze PoH and Revis's cheek, enough for the two creatures to slow their sprint, to prevent them from carelessly approaching them. The force behind the magic was intense, more intense than it should have been given that it was a short cast.

Revis: They've been firing off their magic.

PoH: Why haven't they hit their limits? Is not like it's that Flash or Berserker.

The elves had advanced through Knossos, reaching the depths of the Dungeon. It didn't matter if they worked in recovery with items. With their output and number of spells, they should have reached the limits of their mental strength. And yet, they continued to bombard the enemy without stopping.

Revis: Their mind should've depleted by now?

By coordinating the front and back lines, the magic blades expelled their rapid-fire attacks to fill the gap between the blasts from the first row and those preparing their next round in the second row.

Riveria: Vanguard chant! Rear guard, shoot!

The stone slabs of the passage burst apart. The wall and the floor crumbled, and the chunks were blasted away. They weaved together their chants in rapid succession, tens of spells overlapping, before destroying the wall of violas down to just a single monster. The moment the wall between PoH and Revis and the elves disappeared, the Grim Reaper and Creature saw it.

PoH: I see what's going on.

PoH scoffed. They saw the jade magic circle that all the elves were inside, illuminating the area beautifully, absorbing all the remnants of magic drifting around the hallway and returning them to the elves. It was increasing their magical strength, bestowing royal protection.

Revis: A rare skill.

Revis went bug-eyed. That was all they could determine.

Riveria: Just as Finn underestimated you—

Using the time bought by the elves' fusillade, the high elf had finished her chant, her voice ringing out sweetly through the passage.

Riveria:—You looked down on us too much.

Riveria mercilessly spoke to the two creature—one that hadn't put in any effort or devised any sort of plan, trying to approach its prey head-on.

Riveria: Blow with the power of the third harsh winter, advent of the end–––my name is Alf!

As she lined up with Lefiya, who'd chanted Summon Burst, Riveria readied her long staff. The jade magic circle gleamed as the voices of the two elves, master and disciple, overlapped with each other.

Riveria and Lefiya: Wynn Fimbulvetr!

PoH and Revis recoiled at the simultaneous frozen cannons—six blizzards in total.

Revis: Tch?!

PoH: Assholes!

Kicking off the floor of the main passage, they flew into a side path by a hairbreadth. Revis's left arm and the cursed sword couldn't escape the firing line in time, PoH on the other hand was his left leg, swallowed up in the jaws of the blizzard. Their eyes distorted as they made the instantaneous decision to abandon it, snapping off the frozen arm and leg and narrowly avoiding getting dragged away by the explosion.

Less than a second later, the loud boom of an avalanche resounded behind her. The twin cannons of ice froze everything, leaving a track of blue covering the entire main passage. The interior of the labyrinth was consumed unbelievably by an enormous cold wave.

The scene of a frozen passage unfolded before her eyes. The area was covered in frost, filled by a giant block of ice and icicles. There was no path through the ice cavern, defying all who tried to get past.

Revis: Insects...you've got some nerve!

PoH: Kukuku! This what makes it interesting!

When Revis pummeled the frosty pillar before her eyes in a rage. PoH on the other hand was filled with laughters, the surface cracked under the impact, but the enormous chunk of ice would not break.

They were unable to proceed down the large passage. It was impossible to follow Riveria's squad from there.

The labyrinth was made with stones of the obsidian soldiers that diminished the effect of magic, and it was absolutely terrifying to see it entirely frozen over, albeit it was one section of the maze. It should have been impossible. It was a tremendous firepower, accounting for the Summon Burst and simultaneously firing identical magic.

PoH: So what do you plan to do? I'm leaving.

Revis: As if I've got time to sit around recovering!

PoH'd lost a leg. Revis'd lost an arm. With their left arm and leg below the elbow severed and the wound frozen over, their prided healing skill was having trouble getting going. Done in by the elf master and disciple, Revis trembled in humiliation.

PoH: Now you now what its like not to overestimate your own power. Have you forgotten how the Flash humiliated us 5 days ago?

Revis: Tch!

Of course she hadn't forgotten.

Evilus 1: L-Lord PoH?! L-Lady Revis?! Wh-what happened...?!

PoH: You guys do something about this ice. We're chasing those elves by a different route.

After demanding that the Evilus who'd gathered at the crash deal with the frozen passage, PoH and Revis went in the opposite direction.

Revis: That high elf is a nuisance. If I'm not careful, this will happen again.

PoH: First we should prioritize regenerating our severe arm and leg. Then we'll slaughter those chickens.

Revis:...But that'll take too much time, dammit.

The recovery hadn't started when those two argued. The door slammed open with a loud bang! as if in response to Revis's anger and PoH's laughter.

(Timeskip)

Riveria: They left.

Riveria's ears twitched when the violent door-slamming sound reached them. They hadn't changed locations. They hadn't thoughtlessly moved away, either. Instead, they'd hid themselves behind a bend in the passage and waited for PoH and Revis to leave. Lefiya and the others breathed a sigh of relief when their bold move paid off, gazing out at the hall covered in ice.

Riveria: Don't leave my magic circle. I'm retrieving the magic energy.

Alicia: Yes, Lady Riveria!

With Riveria at its center, the jade-green magic circle swept together the remnants of magic filling the passage, allowing them to absorb back into her and the other elves. That was the true nature of the skill that had astonished PoH and Revis. Alf Regina—a rare skill that none save Riveria had ever developed.

The effect was an enhancement of her own abilities and the amplification of the effectiveness of magic wielded by fellow elves inside her magic circle by recovering the magic energy in the surroundings and converting it back to Mind.

In other words, along with Riveria, all elves inside the magic circle would increase in magical strength and recover their deleted Mind.

In particular, the latter effect was peerless. Even if it paled in comparison to the nonsensical recharge of the demi-spirit on the fifty-ninth floor, its recovery effect was significantly more pronounced than the Mind auto- recovery effect from Spirit Healing.

Finn had ordered the surprise attack on Knossos because he knew of that skill. Alf Regina would allow them to enhance their magical abilities and recover their Mind as they ran around in a giant labyrinth of an unknown size.

When she'd developed the skill, Loki had danced wildly, excited to create an elf-only squad centered around Riveria. Seizing the opportunity, Loki had even tried to give it a gaudy name like "Fairy Force," but Riveria hated decorations and embellishments, and she'd rejected it.

That said, the name had been surprisingly popular among the elves in the squad, who called themselves that behind closed doors. It was an incredibly valuable party skill befitting the image of Riveria, the city's strongest mage.

Alicia: Lady Riveria, what should we do from here?

Riveria: First, resupply. My skill isn't all-powerful. It can't heal you in full. Treat the wounded.

Lefiya: Yes!

The squad had certainly been taxed, particularly Lefiya, who'd been firing off heavy blasts and even using Summon Burst. Alicia started the work of resupplying. As Riveria let them continue their work, she turned to a single girl.

Riveria: Rakuta, the mapping?

Rakuta: Y-yes, it's coming along.

Squeaked a single person, a girl of a different species amid a squad composed of elves. It was the hume bunny Rakuta. There was a reason why Finn had sent her along with Lefiya for their romp in the deep levels: her genius at mapping.

Rakuta: B-but it's full of holes...! It's not even a map...!

Riveria: That's fine. It will serve us well when we challenge Knossos in the future.

Riveria took the map-in-progress as Rakuta's rabbit ears twitched.

True to her word, it was a fragmentary map, covering only the areas they'd passed through. That said, the number of doors and other openings were all noted in detail. Considering it'd been created in her spare time as Riveria and the elves were fighting around her, it was worthy of praise. In the Dungeon, they couldn't use compasses due to a special ore running through the structure, but in Knossos, there was no such limitation. It was extremely valuable to deduce that their present location was to the south of Daedalus Street.

It was more than enough to avoid needlessly wandering in circles.

Riveria: Rakuta, I think we've gone down around ten floors' worth of stairs. What is your judgment?

Rakuta: I—I had the same feeling! Compared to the Dungeon, I think we're around ten floors deep...

Responded the mapper with her superior depth perception. Riveria started to think.

Riveria(mind): Those two creature won't fall for the same maneuver again...Next time we run into them, they'll destroy the entire squad. If we're to find an escape route, this is the time...

Riveria had no intention of underestimating PoH and Revis. There was no way she could.

They'd handled them well because those two had looked down on them. If the creature attacked them as seriously as they'd done to Finn and Asuna, Riveria's squad of mages would be wiped out as soon as they could get close enough to attack. And it wasn't as if they could keep fighting the remnants of the Evilus forever. In the end, the enemy could overwhelm them with their strength.

Riveria(mind): It's possible to...devise a means of escape...If the god in Aiz's legend was a patron god of the Evilus, one of the evil gods, then...

Riveria thought for the briefest of moments before deciding on a course of action.

Riveria: We're going to find a path connecting to the Dungeon and move from the south to the southwest.

Rakuta: Yes!

With Rakuta, the elves stood up and immediately began to mobilize. To avoid running into Levis, they distanced themselves from their battleground as much as possible. Following Riveria's instructions, they quickly located a staircase leading down from the tenth floor and proceeded to it. And from the eleventh floor, they went down one more to the twelfth floor. They moved carefully—and quickly. When the monster attacks started, they had a lucky break with the help of Rakuta's surveying techniques.

Lefiya: The Dungeon...!

Cynthia: Yes!

Sonia: We did it!

A crash resounded, and the labyrinth wall gave off smoke, and there emerged Lefiya and the others. The group cheered as they saw the mist—it was unmistakably the twelfth floor of the Dungeon.

Riveria: It seems the god used Knossos to set that wyvern after Aiz nine years ago...

Upon opening the connecting door and breaking through the wall of the labyrinth, Riveria looked back at the stone path leading perfectly into the Dungeon before turning away.

She wasn't sure whether all the floors were connected to Knossos. But Riveria had a clue. She knew the story of how Aiz had encountered a deity with the appearance of an evil god on the twelfth floor not long after she'd joined the familia. The god had disappeared from the Dungeon, even though he shouldn't have had a path to escape. In other words, he'd used Knossos to leave, meaning there was a connecting path on the twelfth floor.

Riveria finally caught her breath, but her thoughts were focused on how to fight.

Riveria(mind): We retrieved a second key. It's full of holes, but we have the makings of a map of the labyrinth. We found an escape route, too... But it's not enough. Entrusted with the invasion, she felt she hadn't produced adequate results. Find the location of the demi-spirit or strike the enemy facilities...That's what I want.

Now that the enemy fortress was thrown into chaos, it was a once-in-a- lifetime opportunity. Riveria could tell that the efforts of Loki Familia to cut off the enemy's flow of supplies and monsters hadn't been wasted, now that they'd raided this far into Knossos. Finn's surprise attack plan was part of their success, but the enemies hadn't been prepared for the battle at all. They would never get this chance again, and she wanted to obtain information about Knossos to render the hellscape as powerless as possible.

Riveria(mind): I'm guessing the plant producing the inexhaustible supply of water spider monsters...is somewhere in Knossos. We've seen too many of them for it to make sense otherwise. If we can find and destroy it...

If she was to point out an issue with that plan, it would be PoH and Revis.

Riveria(mind): They are wounded... My magic and Lefiya's took one of its arms and legs.

When they'd hit PoH and Revis with Wynn Fimbulvetr, Riveria was sure she'd seen Revis's arm and PoH's leg alongside their cursed weapon plucked from their body and buried in ice. PoH and Revis would avoid an imprudent second assault and focus on recovery—or rather, if they actually wanted to come at them with half strength, Riveria would gladly perform her last rites.

Riveria(mind): If they happens to approach, I can keep the second-tier attack spell Rea Laevateinn deployed and sense them before they comes near us. That would buy us enough time to retreat...Now that we've secured a path out, it's not a bad gamble.

Upon weighing the risks and returns, Riveria made a decision, raising her head to look at the elves. They were exhausted, but the light of battle in their eyes was still there. They remained in high spirits to avenge their comrades and crush the den of the demons. Riveria nodded at their morale.

Riveria: We've obtained our escape route. Use this as a starting point. Let's lay waste to Knossos once more. If time permits, of course.

She gathered the elves on the Dungeon side, announcing her intention to commence the assault again. As expected, no one voiced any opposition. From Alicia down, the elves renewed their desire to rampage.

Riveria: Fortunately, we took possession of a second key. I want someone to take this, go through the Dungeon and Babel to Daedalus Street, and bring reinforcements.

Dropping to one knee, Riveria looked around at the girls sitting in a circle, scanning the group for someone to get back to the surface as quickly as possible. Considering the condition of their Mind consumption, her eyes stopped at a brilliant burst of beautiful yellow hair.

Riveria: Lefiya, you go.

Lefiya: !

Riveria chose their irreplaceable lance, the girl who'd put in so much effort in the labyrinth. Because she was the newest member of the Fairy Force, she'd shouldered the biggest burden. It was unfortunate to lose Lefiya's firepower and Summon Burst, but Riveria judged she was the best choice.

Riveria: This is a critical role. It will be imperative that we have support when we withdraw...Bring them as soon as possible, okay?

Lefiya: Yes! I shall be back in three—no, one hour!

Riveria: I'm counting on you.

Riveria said, smiling slightly as Lefiya put her right hand on her chest and stood up. While the elves prepped for the second attack, Lefiya turned her back on them, dashing to the entrance of the room. After glancing at her once, Riveria looked back at the path leading into Knossos.

Riveria: Let's go!

Elves: Yes!

The battle wasn't over yet. Meanwhile...

Lemia: They really went back in there...

The moment that the cost was clear, the air surrounding the entrance to the Knossos Labyrinth started to shimmer. Then 11 people emerged from there. It was none other than the Astrea Familia member whom had returned from the deep level at a terrifying pace alongside the Wind Grand Spirit.

Slyphid: Just like Sora had predicted it. That High Elf would never let a chance like that to slip past. And this is the closest escape route for the Xenos to come if they entered from Daedalus Street. And knowing that God Thanatos's divine will... In other words...

Lemia: There's no escaping confrontation.

Everything had gone exactly according to Sora's plan from the start. He predicted this sort of scenario would occur. Now all that's left is for Lemia and the other Astrea Familia to enter the dungeon as well and aided the Xenos right in front of the Fairy Force. When they saw that a Familia of Justice would come and aid monster, Sora would be sure that Riveria and Finn would come to a negotiations. And in that exact timing was also when Sora would enter Knossos and aided them as well.

Slyphid: Well how about it? Are you able to smell your brethren scent from here?

Slyphid said turning to the being behind her.

???: Not yet. There's no trace of my brethren at all.

Slyphid: That means they haven't entered Knossos yet.

Slyphid said to the two meter figure tall, whom had a jet black hide, red horns, boulder like muscles, and wears full plate armor that's somewhat small for his size, making it seem like light armor. More than anything, he is an imposing and fearsome being whose image, reminiscent of a Floor Boss, is capable of terrifying even high-class adventurers. The figure nodded its head and Lemia chimed in.

Lemia: Slyphid... You've already done enough. You should go back to Sora's side and replenish your exhausted mind. We'll be fine from here on out.

Slyphid: But—

Lemia: I'm more worried about Sora rather than us. Since that messenger God couldn't be trusted right now. So I'm not expecting you to decline.

Slyphid:...

(Elsewhere)

Aiz sunk into despair. The clouds rolled through the sky, and she stood there alone, bathed in moonlight. As expected, the difference between her and the one she'd tried to believe in was like that between the foot of a mountain and the summit. As she'd feared, her big bro had made her misgivings manifest. She shouldered an unbearable sadness.

Aiz:...So the vouivre is alive.

Aiz whispered in the northwest of Daedalus Street, in a back alley that should have been empty. Agitation filled the air when she spoke the word vouivre before it settled into complete silence. Aiz stood in the center of the street, staring dejectedly at the empty space before her.

Aiz: Come out, Big Bro...

And all of a sudden, the empty space quivered, casting off its veil to reveal a single swordsman's figure beneath the moonlight in the next second. His black hair shimmered like an infinite stars beneath the light. The black and white shirt gave off a faint luster, piercing Aiz's eyes.

Aiz: Big Bro...?

Black hair, blue eyes. He stood in the middle of the street. Aiz painfully murmured his name in her heart, as if whispering the name of the one person she cherished most.

Sora: Since when did you figure it out...?

The swordsman asked with voice filled with the same sadness the girl is currently feeling.

Aiz: During the Rakia invasion. During our dance at Edas mountain. You said the word that Uncle use to say...

Sora: 'In the world full of Heroes. Those who break the rules are regarded as scums... But those who abandon their friends are worst that scum...'

Aiz: After that, I started thinking why you know those words. Then when I saw you were watching Bell and Goddess Hestia from the back, you say 'Father, please continue to watch over me'. After that, I'm certain, that your father is none other than Uncle Kakashi.

Aiz saw her big bro sigh as if regretting himself for giving her too many hints. Aiz's heart was a messed. Hearing that her one and probably remaining family was avoiding her aches her heart.

Aiz: Big Brother Hatake...

Sora: So now that you figure it out. What are you going to do.

Aiz: Why didn't you come home to me...?

Aiz truly felt betrayed. She believed that the two of them would always be together. But after the incidents that separated the two, Sora had been avoiding her. She'd met him during the Great Feud that occurred 7 years ago. And she was pretty sure that Sora had kept an eye on her ever since. So for 7 years he'd been avoiding her while also protecting her from the shadow.

Aiz(mind): Why...?

Seeing that he had no intention on revealing to her now, Aiz shifted her gaze. And when she saw the monster—the vouivre—clinging close to him, her gold eyes looked down.

Aiz: I've been thinking about...why Bell asked me that.

Aiz had quickly started chasing Sora again after getting stalled by the masked adventurer.

And when she caught up to the presence of the invisible swordsman, she saw what she'd pretended not to notice while chasing him. It was an unbelievable scene. Together with a Renard girl, he'd been hugging the vouivre, a human and a monster sharing a moment of joy with teary eyes. Upon witnessing that scene, seeing the monster's tear-filled smile, Aiz felt as though time had frozen in place, and she hadn't been able to stand before the swordsman until now.

She was faced with the reality that she'd been desperately trying to avoid for five days.

Bell: If the monsters had a reason for living...had feelings just like you or me, what would you do? If you met monsters who could smile just like people, worry about things, shed tears just like people—could you still draw your sword against them?

She'd been uncertain about the true meaning of his questions, which now stood before her eyes.

Aiz: So this is what he meant......

The vouivre he'd protected to the point of standing against them wasn't dead. The impetus behind this whole incident, the cause of her and Sora walking down separate paths, was still here— Aiz slowly lifted her head. Her body quivered as her eyes met those of the vouivre standing stock-still and holding on to the boy's hand.

Sora: You've changed... You're no longer the Aiz I knew anymore...

Aiz:...

Its amber eyes reflected Aiz's face and housed an undeniable intelligence. They mirrored the Sword Princess's cold, dark, emotionless gaze.

Sora: Please don't draw your sword... Listen to what I have to—

Sora was trying to protect the vouivre from Aiz's gaze, pleading with her.

Aiz: My answer has not changed.

She cut him off, speaking with a razor-sharp tone and she put her hand on the hilt of Desperate.

Aiz: If anyone is crying because of a monster—then I will kill that monster.

The swordsman face distorted at the Sword Princess's answer—at her drawn sword.

Sora: Listen to what I have to say for once!! You stupid little sister!!

As she held back the grief in her heart, Aiz took a step forward.

Young Aiz: Is this really okay? Even though you saw it. Even though you saw those tears, it's surely going to break us.

Sora: Listen! This girl hasn't done anything harmed! She would never hurt anyone!

She had no more desire to lend an ear to his nonsense.

Aiz: When that vouivre goes on another rampage, will you be able to say the same thing?

Sora: Yes I can! Because she's not a monster!

Aiz was taken aback. Now she truly felt betrayed by the one person she thought would never betray her.

Aiz: How can you still say such things? I can't do that.

The vouivre trembled, and the crimson stone in its forehead glimmered like a garnet. With the knowledge that her expression had become coldhearted, Aiz thrust peremptorily with her response. The older sibling could understand why Aiz was being this unsympathetic, since what happened to her had happened to him, probably way more worst.

Sora: What happen to you after we got separated?

But one thing was clear—there was no room to negotiate. She hammered home the grave reality that they were already in opposition.

Aiz(mind): Get out of the way.

Approaching the deathly pale swordsman step by step, Aiz desperately wanted him to move. But at the same time, she already knew that her wish wouldn't be granted.

For no other reason than that he'd already given his answer. On that day, the fool who had stood against Aiz and Loki Familia would not go back on his words and resolve. He'd arrived at the opposite answer from theirs, as if a reflection in a mirror. Aiz's eyes narrowed with sorrow when he took the hilt in his hand and drew his pitch-black sword.

Wiene: Papa...

The vouivre faintly whispered something.

Aiz:...

Aiz wore a coolheaded mask.

Sora: Aiz...

Sora's lips quivered.

Sora:...please listen to me!

In the face of the swordsman who was consumed by emotions, Aiz resolutely kicked the ground.

Aiz: I don't have anything to talk about with you, Big Bro.

Sora: Well, I do!!

A sorrowful clash of blades rang out.