No one's POV

Adventurer 1: It's awful...

The adventurers grimace in unison the moment they see the scene. Reddish-black stains are splattered everywhere. In the center, sprawled like a doll, is a corpse. It's the body of a fellow adventurer, pitifully shredded—or rather punctured—by countless stab wounds. Bell have no words as he stood rooted to the ground before this scene.

Welf: No way...

Welf and the rest of Bell's party have belatedly joined the group of adventurers who gathered after hearing about the incident. He draws his brows together as he lets out a groan. The one who was most affected by this was Muller.

Muller: Lion...

Their current location is the eighteenth floor of the Dungeon. They've returned to this safety point to seek treatment for the wounded members of theur joint party—born from a faction alliance between Hestia Familia and several others—after they finally managed to overcome the Irregular moss huge they encountered in the lower levels, where they'd headed for their expedition. Right now, they should be planning a celebration to commemorate their safe return alongside Modi Familia and Magni Familia, who they met along the way.

That plan, however, has gone out the window with the appearance of this dead body.

Boris: Oh yeah...it's definitely a murder. This is the work of a human not a monster...

Boris, the head of Rivira, clicks his tongue as he stares down at the corpse. He and the noisy group of adventurers are gathered at the foot of an enormous island that rises from the marshlands on the outskirts of the town.

He's right. The wounds on the body are far too clean to have been inflicted by a monster's fangs or claws. This could have been done only by an adventurer's blade. Most likely, the lethal blow was what left a bloodstained hole in the adventurer's neck.

The entire corpse is covered in cuts that speak to the ferocity of the attack. There are wounds from a blunt weapon, too, including crushed bones and broken limbs. The bloodshot eyes are wide open...as if the adventurer had come face-to-face with something terrifying but was unable to do anything to fend it off.

Haruhime: Ugh...

Haruhime groans, pressing a hand to her mouth.

Mikoto: Please don't look, Lady Haruhime.

Mikoto says, wrapping her arms around her friend's shoulders and blocking the horrible sight from her view. Caught up in the wall of spectators, Muller and Aisha exchange grim glances. Nearby, Ouka is standing tight-lipped while Daphne frowns. But the healer Cassandra is paler than anyone.

Rin: Muller, are you okay?

Rin asks, sounding worried Bell and the others all looked at the golden elf immediately.

Muller:...

Muller can't find the words to answer Rin. She was just staring in a daze at the adventurer's corpse. It wouldn't be surprising since she was having a hard time believing that someone from her Familia had just committed murderer.

Bell:...

Bell was no different. His heart was beating uncontrollably. Of course he was shaken. Being at the site of another adventurer's death—at the scene of a murder is a huge shock to body and soul. But just as powerful is the feeling of dread that dampens his cheeks with clammy sweat.

Turk: It was Gale Wind! She was here! She did this...!

Bell and Muller:...!

Bell and Muller's breath catches at those words. Yes, indeed, the name causing all this uproar among the adventurers was none other than Gale Wind.

Turk: I saw it! I saw a hooded elf stab Jan like a crazy person and then run off!

Screams the male werewolf, a resident of Rivira and the first to discover the corpse. As he speaks the name of his deceased acquaintance, he hugs the body, drawing the gazes of Boris and the gathered adventurers.

Turk: I've seen Gale Wind once before, with a bunch of former Astrea Familia members. Those guys were as strong as monsters. Her face was hidden the whole time...but the sky-blue eyes I saw deep inside the mask were the same eyes I saw today!

Rin: Wait, doesn't that mean, he doesn't know who Muller is...?

Muller:...

Perhaps because he is reliving the experience, the werewolf adventurer is shaking from head to toe as he speaks. There's no doubt about it—the description matches hers.

Muller: But I still can't believe it. I don't want to believe it.

How could Gale Wind—how could Ryuu—do something like this?

Turk: I'm sure of it! Gale Wind killed Jan!

Just as Muller was about to shoot back, "Wait a minute now!" another adventurer speaks up.

Adventurer 1: Now that you mention it...I saw someone in a mantle running across the fields.

Adventurer 2: Oh, me too! They went straight to the Central Tree...and down onto the floors below!

Muller lost her chance to interject as the witnesses speak up one after the next. It seems that multiple adventurers saw someone who looked like Gale Wind from various vantage points in Rivira, which is carved into a cliff and has excellent views of the surrounding terrain. Bell, Rin, Lili, Welf, Mikoto, and Haruhime—all who know about Ryuu's background—are stone-faced. For some reason, Aisha is silent, too.

Mikoto:...But didn't Lady Lion of the Gale Wind die five years ago? And even if she's still alive, why would she be causing trouble now?

Mikoto asks. She's among those who were won over by Ryuu's struggle, and she's made up her mind to express her doubts.

Boris:...I've heard rumors that the Guild, Fang of Flash and Loki Familia are planning a large-scale operation in the near future. Word on the street is that they discovered the secret hideout of the Evilus' Remnants.

Bors says in an uncharacteristically serious tone. The words secret hideout gave Bell an idea. Knossos, the man-made dungeon. The violent hunters who captured Wiene and the other Xenos were using that awful place as a base camp. It's a real incubator of Evilus.

There is definitely some connection between the Evius that grew rank in Orario five years ago and Ryuu, who was a member of Astrea Familia. Bell heard it from the Hero himself on this very same eighteenth floor.

Boris: If Gale Wind is alive and taking advantage of this new campaign by the Guild to become active again...this could all make sense.

Bell:...!

Boris: Gale Wind is a crazy adventurer, driven by hatred for those who killed her former familia members to crush anyone suspicious without giving them a chance to argue back. She'll kill anyone she deems to fall in the gray area... including merchants and Guild members.

Boris continues, crossing his arms and gazing around at the crowd.

Boris: Plenty of residents of this town know all about Evilus. Actually, everyone here is a shady character. We're here in this Rogue Town because we couldn't make it on the surface with the Guild's crackdowns, and we had no other choice.

Bell have heard about the underground markets that exist here in Rivira, beyond the Guild's oversight, engaging in rampant illegal trading with adventurers. There are rumors that it's possible to buy illegal goods and even rare items like Status Thief, which is made from the ichor of deities. It goes without saying that it's all a gray so dark it's almost black.

Setting aside adventurers like Bell and the others who stop here on their way to take on various floors, the people who live in this town are all involved in risky business. Boris's words must have hit home, because almost everyone standing around Bell shudders.

Boris: Gale Wind may have decided that all of us, including Jan lying over there on the ground, fall on the black side.

Turk: Th-this isn't a joke, Boris! Sure, we've done more shady things in our day than we can count, but are you gonna stand for murder on the basis of suspicion alone?

The animal-person proprietor of an inn shouts.

Amazon: Yeah, we may be bad, but we're not connected to the Evilus' Remnants!

An Amazonian merchant yells in a voice so shrill it's practically a scream. That brings all the other residents of Rivira to start shouting as well. In an instant, the level of excitement and the anger toward Gale Wind have ballooned.

Adventurer 1: Bors, let's get her!

Bell couldn't believe what he just heard.

Turk: Jan, our fellow townsman, has been killed for something that makes no sense at all! Even if we live in Rogue Town, can't we at least fulfill our duty to the community and avenge his death?!

Perhaps out of anger over the death of his acquaintance, the werewolf who first discovered the body is arguing furiously, his face bright red. As the heat of his argument spreads to the people around him, Bors crosses his burly arms and responds in a troubled voice.

Boris: What you say is true...but I put my own life first. What happens to other adventurers is no concern of mine. You think I'm going to go after a Level Four monster like Gale Wind, who's blacklisted and on the run?

Adventurer 1: Speaking of her being on the run, isn't there a bounty on her head? The money some of the merchant associations put up should still be up for grabs, right?

Adventurer 2: Now that you mention it, I think the bounty was...eighty million valis?

Boris: Listen up, everyone. I'm putting together a group to take her down!

On hearing this, Boris waves his hands energetically.

Boris: We will avenge our fellow townsman! We won't let anyone else take her head! The bounty money is ours!!

Adventurers: Y​e​a​a​a​a​a​a​a​a​a​a​a​a​a​a​a​a​a​a​h!

Boris has clearly become engrossed by his selfish desire. All he can see in his eyes is money. Bell could only frown. His words worry him. Rin, Welf and Mikoto seem to feel the same way. Each of the adventurers gathered makes his or her own selfish calculations, many shouting passionately.

Rin: Muller...!

Muler: Calm down... Calm down.

Everyone:...

All the evidence points to Gale Wind. It's a shame, but that's the truth. Another reason Bell feel so confused is because what Bors said reminded him of something. It was something Sora said to him once.

Sora: She let her emotions take over, and she wrought her vengeance. To her it wasn't even justice. I try to stop her, but she just left me there alone.

If Ryuu felt she'd discovered the Evius she couldn't forgive, and her cruel desire for revenge had returned...that may well have been motive enough.

Bell(mind): MissRyuu, could you really have done this?

The image of a single elf standing before a mountain of corpses covered in fresh blood rises in Bell's memory. Her eyes carry a sense of brutality, as if she has been consumed by a cruel storm of dark emotions. Bell quickly brush away the disturbing vision.

Bell: Wait a minute!

This time, Bell speak the words out loud, making everyone turn toward him. There's no way Ryuu would do something like this. At the very least, Bell, who have heard her story, have to voice his doubts! He still remember her expression, so full of pain and emptiness.

Bell: Isn't it too soon to assume this is the work of Gale Wind? We can't be certain that Gale Wind is guilty of murder just yet, right?

Turk: What, are you accusing me of lying?!

The werewolf adventurer snaps back. Something else was bothering Bell. He confront the animal person head-on.

Bell: How did you know it was Gale Wind?

Turk: I already told you! I've seen Gale Wind before! She and the criminal who killed Jan are one and the same!

Bell: How long have you been living here in Rivira?

The werewolf, who has been spouting off angrily, looks at Bell dubiously in response to his odd question.

Turk: Huh? I've been here for years! You may not have noticed, but we've crossed paths in town quite a few times, Mr. Super Rookie!

Bell: So you were here four months ago when that incident occurred?

Turk: What of it?

Muller(mind): Bell thank you. Seeing his reaction made me confirm something.

Yes, something was bothering Muller. And with the werewolf's response to Bell's last question, the vague doubt turns to certainty. Something here was off. Properly speaking, it was three and a half months ago that the Black Goliath showed up. Ryuu fought with Bell against it, right alongside the townsfolk of Rivira. This werewolf has just said quite clearly that he was here when that incident occurred. It doesn't make sense that he didn't notice Ryuu at that time.

Of course it would be impossible to remember all the adventurers who were involved, since fierce battles were taking place all throughout the floor. But Ryuu was right there alongside Rin and Asfi, holding back the floor boss the whole time. What's more, she used her powerful magic to fight it. There's no way he wouldn't remember that.

Given the situation, it's possible that no one wanted to turn her over to the authorities at that time. But Ryuu's past didn't come to light after the incident, either. Judging by how Boris and the others are acting now, none of them realizes that Gale Wind was the adventurer who fought alongside them on the eighteenth floor.

But if her disguise was actually that perfect...could it be possible that the werewolf didn't know it was her when she was fighting so prominently during that incident, yet he recognized her here despite working with such limited information?

Bell(mind): If possible, I don't want to doubt him. I don't want to, but... This guy is lying...!

Bell stare back at the werewolf, who's threatening him with his fierce gaze. He doesn't know Gale Wind. Something akin to an adventurer's intuition whispers the thought to him.

Boris: Rabbit Foot, are you saying the criminal isn't Gale Wind?

Boris asks. Many of the adventurers encircling me have suspicion in their eyes. Perhaps it's because the residents of Rivira trust the werewolf that they
feel skeptical of my claim. That goes for Boris as well. They're weighing the fugitive Gale Wind against the words of their fellow townsman. It's clear who they trust more. No one is going to back him up when Bell defend the blacklisted elf.

If you want to say something, go ahead and say it. That's what the eyes surrounding Bell on all sides seem to be saying. He almost back down, but he hold his ground. Ryuu wouldn't do this. That's what he believe.

Bell: Gale Wind—

Bell was about to say that she's not the criminal when Aisha reaches a hand out and pulls him back.

Aisha: Stop.

Boris: What?!

Aisha: Sorry to put a damper on things. Now, what were you all saying?

Aisha has stepped forward as if to take my place, and with her arms crossed beneath her breasts, she prods the crowd to continue. Boris and the other guys are ogling her ample bosom and deep cleavage as she stands there with a bewitching smile on her plush lips. Boris starts in surprise after noticing the disgusted looks and clicking tongues of the women in the crowd, and then, after a deliberate cough, he continues the conversation as if nothing has happened. It's like he's forgotten Bell exist.

Aisha, who's totally used to confronting rough characters, silently jerks her chin as if to say, Let's get out of here, but Bell couldn't resist pressing her to tell him why she stopped him. Just when he about to, though, someone pulls his right shoulder back.

Muller: Calm down, Bell.

Bell: Miss Muller...

Now Muller was arguing with Bell, too. Even though they were on the same Familia, Muller is not even standing up for Ryuu. Bell close his mouth and nod softly as she looks down from a head's length above him with that big-sister look. Their whole party steps away from where Boris and the others are talking about the hunt for Gale Wind.

Aisha: What do you think you're doing, leader?

Aisha asks as soon as they were far enough away.

Muller: Look at the current situation. It's not a wise idea to stand up for Lion right now.

Lili: Lili agrees. Given what's happened, we need to avoid making enemies here.

Bell: But Miss Aisha, Miss Muller, Lili—

Lili: Who knows, people could even start suspecting that we're connected to the crime.

Bell: !!

Lili's words jolt him. He was so caught up in thinking about Ryuu that he hadn't even considered that possibility.

Bell(mind):...Aisha and Muller are right. I've failed them as a leader.

Even if he wanted to stand up for Ryuu, sje should have reacted more coolly. Bell was on the verge of dragging Welf and the others into something risky. He feel deeply ashamed of his immature conduct.

Aisha: Damn, right when I thought you'd grown up a little, you go and act like a kid again.

Bell: Sorry...

Bell say, looking at the ground and hanging my head. Aisha laughs.

Muller: No it's fine. In fact I'm happy that you stand up for Lion.

Bell: Huh?

Muller: You get all worked up for someone who's not even a part of your familia... Isn't that what other people like about you?

Bell was surprised to hear Muller say that. When he look around, he saw Haruhime and Mikoto breaking into smiles while Ouka closes his eyes and grins, Daphne hunches her shoulders, and Cassandra looks down shyly. Rin, Lili and Welf were smiling broadly, too.

Muller: Plus, if Lion was here, she'd say, Mr. Cranell, that's a virtue of yours.

(Timeskip)

The light has gone out in the mum-shaped clusters of crystal on the ceiling of the eighteenth floor, and the sunset-less evening of the Dungeon has fallen. They've returned to central Rivira and are gathered in the room where they were staying. The place they picked was Willy's Inn, a cheap hotel built into a cave. For the price, it's one of Rivira's nicer spots, and the room we're in now can easily accommodate ten or more guests. They've met up with Chigusa, who's been resting to recover from the parasitic vines that were planted in her by the enhanced moss huge.

Welf: So, that elf murdered somebody?

Mikoto: Based on my personal experienced with Lady Ryuu, I'm finding this very hard to believe.

Ouka: Be that as it may, we've all heard the stories of what happened after her former Familia was wiped out. She apparently went around killing the people who were responsible for it. And it ultimately got her blacklisted.

Chigusa: Ouka...!

They all looked at Muller right away who was quite.

Ouka: Don't get the wrong idea! I'm also hoping this is all just some kind of misunderstanding.

Lili: Based on the evidence, Gale Wind is the prime suspect...Unfortunately, that fact can't be changed.

Lili says, turning to the rest of then as they stand surrounded by bare rock walls and magic-stone lamps.

Lili: But just like Master Bell said, a few points are troubling. Putting aside Miss Ryuu's motives for the moment...While Master Bell was arguing with the others, Lady Rin, Miss Muller, Miss Daphne and I snuck a closer look at the corpse.

Welf: Now that you mention it, I noticed you two were up to something...

Welf says, a bit surprised.

Daphne: To be honest, I didn't really want to.

Daphne sighs reluctantly. Bell had noticed that Lili mysteriously disappeared when Aisha interrupted his argument. It seems they'd quickly decided on a plan among themselves. Lili says it was a big help that Bell was diverting the crowd's attention...but as he stand next to this cunning trio, Bell can't help feeling that he'll never live up to the true brains of the party.

Muller: There were stab marks all over the body...But among those random blade wounds, there were also sharp wounds running down the arms and legs. I hate to call them clean...but they seem to have been inflicted with incredible speed.

Rin: In other words...

Muller: Yes, those specific wounds were inflicted by Gale Wind. I just got a quick glimpse from a distance, but they looked almost identical to the ones from her shortswords that I saw, the last time I was here.

A tense expression spreads over Rin's face as Muller speaks. Aisha continues the explanation.

Aisha: She made sure he couldn't run away by severing the tendons in his all of his limbs.

Haruhime: Wh-why would she do something like that...?

Haruhime asks, her fox's tail quivering at the shocking image.

Aisha: What I'm about to say is pure speculation...but I'll bet she questioned the adventurer.

Welf and Ouka, who have been listening to the conversation, gasp in surprise.

Welf: No way! You mean the elf just extracted some information from the guy?

Aisha: And once she got it, she left...before going down to the lower levels, as the witnesses said?

Daphne: Well, there's plenty of reason to think she killed him after she made him talk.

Daphne answers, as if that would be a totally normal thing to do.

Daphne: But...isn't there something fishy about the act of stabbing him all over so blatantly, as if to put Gale Wind's anger and hatred on display?

In other words, it could be a setup. Someone else might have come across the adventurer Ryuu left behind after her interrogation, killed him, and then stabbed him all over to cast suspicion on Ryuu. That's Daphne's unspoken implication.

Muller: No. I'm a hundred percent sure that Lion didn't kill that man.

Rin: Why do you think that, Muller.

Muller: You've all seen the victims right? Did you all noticed those needles that were stab to the mans torso?

Everyone nodded their head as Muller continue the explanation. Amongst all of the people in the room, Muller should be the one who knows Ryuu's best. Both of them were elves. The same Familia. And Muller must've heard lots of stories about Ryuu from Astrea and Sora.

Muller: As you all know, Lion's fighting style consists of making use of her high speed to evade her opponents' attacks as well as offensively to unleash a series of quick and powerful blows with her wooden sword. On the other hand, she also showed some proficiency at dual wielding swords. Although she relies mostly on physical attacks to confront her enemies, Lion also makes an extensive use of her magic, which has surprised many because of the incredible amount of magical power behind it.

Rin: Then those needles.

Muller: From what I can tell, those are poison needles. A very powerful one in fact. Lion doesn't do well with poison needles. It goes out of her usual fighting style. And not only that, I saw the same kind of needle from one of the adventurer that back up that black werewolf.

Muller said as she brought out the very same poison needles from her left pocket. It turns out when Bell was arguing and diverting all the attentions to him, Muller managed to grab some of the needles.

Rin: Than that means...

Muller: Yes. It was all a set up. By that Turk guy. Or probably someone he was working under.

Rin: Oh man... Now I really wish Sora is here right now.

Aisha: The townsfolk in Rivira are after Gale Wind's head. They're going to send out a hunting party for sure.

Chigusa: That's terrible...

Chigusa murmurs, speaking for them all. For a moment, silence takes hold of the room.

Lili: If we want to clear Miss Ryuu of suspicion...the most important thing right now is to get to her before they do.

Lili says, wrapping up the discussion. They have to reach Ryuu faster than anyone else and find out what really happened. That's the first step. Lili looks straight at Bell with her chestnut-brown eyes as she explains what they need to do.

Bell:...

Everyone else's gazes gravitate naturally toward Bell as well. For a moment, he concentrate all his energy into his tightening fist. What information did Ryuu extract from the dead adventurer, and why did she head to the Dungeon? What in the world did she learn? If someone else is the real criminal, why did they want to pin the blame on Gale Wind? There's so much they don't understand. But if she's involved in this incident...then his answer has already been decided.

Bell: Let's go find Miss Ryuu.

If she's been swept up in some sort of scheme, Bell wanted to help her. Rin, Muller, Lili, Welf, Mikoto, Haruhime, Ouka, and Chigusa all nod in agreement. It's time for them to repay their debt to the masked elf who has helped them countless times. From the mortal fight with the Goliath floor boss to the War Game and even during the battle in Daedalus Street against the Xenos, she has proven herself an invaluable ally time and time again. Seeing that the boat has already left shore, Daphne and Cassandra get on board with the plan as well.

Welf: Okay then, let's start getting ready!

Welf says, pounding his fist into his palm in an attempt to change the mood in the room. That's the signal for everyone to plunge into preparations.

Ouka: This probably means we should join the hunting party from Rivira, right?

Lili: Yeah. Even if we leave before them, the Dungeon is too big. Our chances of finding Lyu by searching randomly are miniscule.

Chigusa: We have no idea what floor she's on...

Chigusa agrees. Haruhime finishes the thought.

Haruhime: So we use the power of the crowd and start by finding some leads as to where she is...?

Mikoto: Exactly, Lady Haruhime. But in order to reach Lady Ryuu first, we'll have to get ahead of the hunting party at some point...

Welf and Cassandra start inspecting their equipment, while some of the others begin packing for the search. Bell was standing slightly to the side, watching over these encouraging preparations, when Muller sidles up to him.

Muller: Bell.

Bell: Yes?

Muller: I think you know this, but the entire conversation that just happened was pure speculation. It's the interpretation that suits us best...It's entirely possible that Lion killed the adventurer herself.

Bell:...

Muller: I don't want to believe it as well. So just make sure you remember that.

Bell felt like she knows something. Something about Ryuu...Something about the current situation. He gaze at the Golden Elf back as she flips her long black hair. His heart was beating erratically.

(Timeskip)

A great calamity draws near. The one who must not be approached is catastrophe incarnate. The one who must not be touched is the oracle of certain death. A mother's lament shall call forth disaster, and despair shall let out its newborn cry. The road of viscera shall be paved with the countless wails of the sacrificed. The azure current shall run red with blood, and the grotesque horde shall rejoice.

The depths of hell shall overflow with corpses, returning all to the mother. The squirrel shall bloom into flowers of flesh. The fox shall be swiftly torn asunder.

The hammer shall be shattered. The lives of the foreign warriors shall be as playthings. The bloodied temptress shall abscond with a keepsake of the fox, but shall be mourned upon her defilement by countless fangs and claws.

A friend shall impart sorrow. The fairy fated to guide all to ruin, compelling the roaring white flames, shall spin a cruel fate. And so the cage of despair shall become a coffin, tormenting thyself. Do not forget. Seek naught but the light of the reviving sun. Gather the fragments, consecrate the flame, beseech the sun's light. Take heed. Such is the banquet of calamity...

The dream was nothing special. The mere product of the sleeping girl's fancy. In short, it was simply a horrible nightmare, worse than any she had ever had before, so awful it made her physically ill. For the first time, the girl faced a divine message that was both undeniable and inescapable.

Cassandra: ?!

Cassandra jerked up in bed with a silent scream. Straining so hard it seemed her vocal chords would burst, she felt enormous tears gathering at the corners of her panicked eyes.

Cassandra: Huff...puff...huff...

Her own ragged breaths reached her ears. Her clothes were sopping with sweat, and she felt incredibly ill. She stared ahead in a daze as if her eyes were glued in place, still heaving shallow breaths.

Cassandra: What...just...happened?

For a moment, confusion reigned. In front of her, she saw bare stone walls. She was in Rivira, the traveler's town on the eighteenth floor. Outside, she could hear the bustle of adventurers like rippling waves. The wrinkled sheet spread around her belonged to a bed in a rented room. As her consciousness returned, memories began to rise one after another.

Cassandra(mind): Right...I laid down to rest before joining the hunting party...

Cassandra always took a nap before any big event. Like a fortune-teller, the reason she did this was to dream. Cassandra was endowed with the ability to have precognitive dreams. In these dreams, vague images were accompanied by prophetic verses.

Invariably, they hinted at impending disasters, and to Cassandra, they were as good as the future that awaited her. Although it was not a very pleasant experience, she made a point of always dreaming before any major event, because the import of her prophecies was so enormous. She'd done the same before Apollo Familia went on expeditions and before the War Game.

After Bell and the others decided to make contact with Gale Wind, Cassandra had obeyed the instinct throbbing in a corner of her brain and received permission to take a rest. She'd come alone to this room and lain down on the bed. Judging by the hourglass in the room, less than an hour had passed since she'd lain down. Next to the pillow lay several leaves of Argelica, an herb Cassandra always kept with her to ensure sound sleep.

Cassandra:...What is going on...?

Her head hurt, and she felt dizzy. Her lips would not stop trembling. She had seen a nightmare. It had been absolutely terrible, incomparably worse than any dreams she had ever had on the surface. It had been composed of seventeen prophecies accompanied by vivid, horrible scenes. A blackness embodying despair had crushed everything. Crimson had gushed, intestines had spilled, and corpses had rolled. Among them had been the bodies of Rin, Muller, Lili, Haruhime, Welf, Mikoto, Chigusa, Ouka, Aisha, and also her friend Daphne.

The moment after she recalled the scene, a powerful nausea crawled up from her stomach.

Cassandra: Blehhh!!

She struggled to keep down the vomit rising in her throat. Failing in her attempt, she rolled off the bed and sprinted out of the room into the depths of the cave that had been turned into an inn. She forgot all about external appearances as she retched again and again into a pit carved in one of the walls. The taste of acid filled her throat.

When the nausea finally subsided, she reached her trembling hand out to the bucket beside her. Scooping up the pure water of the Under Resort that the innkeeper had hauled in, she rinsed her mouth repeatedly, then took several deep draughts.

Cassandra(mind): I'm so cold...and so afraid...!

She thought back to when she had been very young, before she had joined Apollo Familia. Every time she had a scary dream back home, she would jump into her mother's bed, sobbing. She was filled with the desire to once again drown herself in the warm feeling of her mother's hands stroking her head and back. But her mother was not here. And even if she had been, the prophecies of the dream would not have disappeared. That was because for Cassandra, they represented the waiting future.

Cassandra: This is no good. Calm down...You have to think...If you don't think, the dream will come true...!

Dream and reality raced through her mind, still entwined. She mulled over the visions.

Cassandra(mind): The fairy fated to guide all to ruin...an elf? Gale Wind? The adventurers...Us...Will we be led by Gale Wind?...No, by chasing her, will we make the dream come true?

Gale Wind was an elf. Cassandra knew that to be true based on information that had been shared five years ago when a bounty was placed on her head. But she also seemed to be an acquaintance of Bell's and the others. More to the point, she was the masked adventurer who had taken part in the War Game against Apollo Familia.

Cassandra(mind): And we're about to chase after Gale Wind to find out what really happened to the murdered adventurer... That was their goal; that was the big picture. But... Is that the whole story...? I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. Is this really a straightforward murder investigation? Just a story of helping out Bell's acquaintance?

Cassandra turned white as the memory of her prophetic dream assaulted her once again. Just then, she heard a voice nearby.

Willy: Shit, that damn Boris, dazzled by money. Honestly, a hunting party to go after Gale Wind?...Huh? Hey, you, what are you doing over there?!

Willy, the animal-person owner of the inn, had stumbled on Cassandra as he was carrying some packages into the back of the inn. And now that he had discovered her, he couldn't take his eyes off her.

Thanks to the sweat, her clothes were clinging to her body, outlining her womanly curves. The sight of a beautiful girl standing there exhausted and miserable stirred up the innkeeper's lust for conquest. He gulped at this sexy view, but the next moment, he noticed the awful color of her face.

Willy: Hey now, are you okay...? You look really pale...!

Cassandra: ...I'm...fine.

Evading the man's concern, which bordered on panic, Cassandra stood up. Tottering like a baby, she walked forward and then broke into a run. In an attempt to somehow distance herself from the scenes of her dream, she hurried toward Daphne and the others.

Cassandra(mind): What I dreamed is not a future set in stone...!

Depending on Cassandra's actions, the future she foresaw could sometimes be avoided.

Cassandra(mind): The party can still be saved!

She burst out of the cave, obsessed with that single, fervent desire.

Lili: Master Welf, is the equipment all ready?

Welf: Yes, and I've prepared the weapons for Bell and the rest as well. Some of the magic swords are still left, too. We can push into the lower levels once or twice more yet!

Aisha: Since we need to get ahead of the other adventurers...our enemies won't necessarily just be monsters. We may have to fight other people as well. Don't forget that.

The party was already assembled in front of the inn. It was still night in the Dungeon, which explained why the light of white crystals illuminating their surroundings seemed to emit moonlight. Lili and Aisha were leading the group's final briefing.

Daphne: Hey, Cassandra! Where have you been? We're about to leave!!

Daphne shouted. Not only she but the rest of the party as well had noticed the girl had reappeared.

Cassandra: Everyone!About the hunting party...Is there any chance we can give up on it?

Everyone:...Huh?

Cassandra: Something terrifying is going to happen...so...let's just not go...!

Her voice was shaking. Welf and Lili stared in disbelief at her crazy request. It was Daphne, of course, who rushed over to her first.

Daphne: Cassandra! Are you going to babble on again about some dream you had? Haven't I told you to get ahold of yourself?

Cassandra:...!

Cassandra's old friend, whom she had known since their time together in Apollo Familia, was turning a deaf ear to her pleas. Daphne never believed in her prophetic dreams. But it wasn't just Daphne. She couldn't get anyone to believe in them. It was like she was cursed. The exact same thing had happened during the War Game.

Lili looked puzzled, and no one else seemed to believe her warning about "something terrifying" happening, either. Mikoto, Haruhime, and Chigusa looked confused, while Ouka had a dubious expression on his face, and Aisha seemed about to tell her that danger was just part of the package in the Dungeon. Muller and Rin didn't know what to believe.

Cassandra(mind): In the past, no one believed me...but this time...!

Cassandra turned her desperate eyes from Daphne toward the white-haired boy.

Cassandra: B-B-Bell...! Will you call it off?

There was one person who might believe her when no one else did. The boy standing right in front of her, Bell Cranell. Yes, she was sure of it; he was blessed with some kind of divine protection, something she might even call fate. Something strong enough to push aside Cassandra's curse. He was also the party's leader, and now she turned her pleading eyes toward him. A troubled look on his face, he slowly opened his mouth.

Bell: I'm sorry, Ms Cassandra. But I want to save Ms Ryuu!

Despair darkened her face. As he spoke, Cassandra caught the glint of his rubellite eyes, and she knew he meant what he said.

Cassandra(mind): Aaah...It's no good. He's not going to give it up...!

Even if he did believe her warning, he was so overly kind that he would head toward the appointed place she had seen in her prophetic dream for the sake of the person he cared about. For the first time, Cassandra understood that a firm will was synonymous with a strong destiny. No matter what, she would not be able to stop the group. The moment she realized this, the strength drained from her knees and she collapsed to the ground.

Daphne: Uh...Cassandra?

As Lili and the others gathered around in a panic, Daphne quickly supported her friend's limp form. She was about to ask if Cassandra was all right when she noticed just how pale her face was. From Daphne's perspective, Cassandra was always saying or doing something odd, and her appearance couldn't be called hearty even at its best, but she had never before seen her companion looking quite so haggard.

Daphne:...I'm sorry. I was planning to help search for Gale Wind...

Daphne said, still supporting Cassandra and looking around uncomfortably at the group.

Daphne: But this girl seems to be feeling ill...Would you mind letting her rest a bit? I hate to ask this, but I'd like to stay here with her in Rivira—

Just then, the slumping Cassandra opened her eyes wide.

Cassandra: No!

Daphne: ?!

Cassandra: Absolutely not! Anything but that! Please no!

Lifting her face, Cassandra repeated her denial over and over as if she'd lost her mind. Not only Bell and the others but Daphne, too, was shocked. Gradually their surprise turned to deep confusion, and then they began to watch her as if she was a madwoman.

With both hands pressed to her head and her long hair disheveled, she felt her thin body shiver. Faced with her friends' failure to understand her message, she was the very picture of a prophetess of tragedy.

Cassandra(mind): No matter what, I can't let myself be separated from them...!

Even if the general outline of her prophecy was inescapable, they could still avoid total destruction by stepping off the foretold path. And it was only Cassandra, who knew the content of the dream, who could help them to swerve from that path and onto another. In other words, if Cassandra didn't go along with the party, the terrible calamity foretold in her dream was certain to befall them.

Cassandra(mind): I can't; I can't...! There's no way I can abandon them now!

If Cassandra and Daphne stayed in town, they would definitely be safe. And not long ago, Cassandra would have chosen her own safety and that of her close friend over the group. But it was too late. She'd been on an adventure with them, and she knew what kind of people they were.

Lili was stingy when it came to money, but she was a prum who cared about her friends. Rin was a cool and smart magician that wouldn't hesitate if a friend is in need of saving. Muller was a cool headed swordswoman that would save her Familia member. Welf was a coolheaded metalsmith who not only took charge of their weapons but also took the lead in protecting the party. Ouka, Chigusa, and Mikoto were people she could respect for their strong sense of duty, characteristic of people from the Far East. Haruhime was kind and, in a way, similar to Cassandra herself; they had become close friends. Aisha she felt more awkward around, but she could still trust her as a steadfast older- sister figure. And then there was Bell...who was special to her in so many ways.

Bell: Miss Cassandra...Are you all right?

Cassandra was aware that as he grew stronger and changed, she was gradually starting to see him differently. She was on the verge of tears knowing that even at this very moment, he was worrying about her. There was no way she could abandon them now.

Cassandra(mind): It's too late...

She looked around at Daphne and the others with a tired gaze. Last of all, her eyes rested on the white-haired boy.

Cassandra:...I'm sorry I acted so selfishly...I'm going with you.

With that, the party—its enthusiasm temporarily dampened—regained its fighting spirit, albeit tinged with lingering suspicion. After a final check to make sure everything was ready, they headed out of town to meet up with the other adventurers in the hunting party. As Cassandra joined the file, she privately reaffirmed her grim determination. She would save the party from the worst of fates as it marched toward ruin. The rebellion of the unheeded prophetess had begun. She alone would oppose the impeding ruin.

(Elsewhere)

Hestia: Ahhh...

Hestia let out a relaxed sigh and lay her chest against the table, squashing her ample breasts. She was in the Hestia Familia home, HearthFire Mansion, lazing around the living room.

Astrea: What's wrong, Hestia? Didn't you finally get a day off from work?

Hestia: Yeah. By some miracle, I'm off from Hephaestus's place and Jyaga Maru-Kun, too. But I hate to waste a day off when Bell and the others aren't around!

Astrea: Lemia, Bella, Sumella, Balda, Mejila, Milo, Melo, Susora, and Raquelta. All of them had joined Sora in their assault in Knossos. So I'm on the same boat as you, Hestia.

A/N: Can you guess who the members of the Astrea Familia are?

Miach: The loneliness must be getting to you both.

Hestia: You can say that again.

With the multi-familia-faction alliance off on the expedition and the entirety of Hestia Familia taking part, their home was left defenseless. To compensate, several deities Hestia was close with were taking turns dispatching familia members to HearthFire Manor. Today was Miach Familia's turn. Miach himself had come along, and as he chatted with Hestia, and Astrea, the chienthrope Naza opened the door and walked in.

Naza: Lady Hestia, I cleaned up a bit...

Hestia: Oh wow, you did, really? Thanks so much!

Naza: It's no trouble...After all, you're making dinner for me and letting me take a bath here, too.

Hestia: Well, that's sweet of you to put it that way.

Naza smiled, her eyelids drooping so that at first glance she looked sleepy. The tail swooping down from her waist was swinging back and forth, too, as if she was looking forward to the evening.

Miach: By the way, Astrea, Hestia, what's that racket out in the backyard?

Hestia: Oh, that...Hephaestus sent over one of her young smiths as a guard, but he's an odd one. He asked to have a look at Welf's workshop, given they used to be in the same familia...and when I said it was okay, he ransacked the place, and now he seems to have started making a weapon of some sort...

Naza: Well in that case, I'd like to have a look around Liliruka's room...I bet she has some unusual items and medicines hidden in there...Is that all right with you?

Hestia: Give me a break! She would be furious with me!

Miach smiled wryly at Hestia's evident low position, despite the fact that she was a goddess.

Astrea: Are you feeling nervous with Bell and the others gone?

Hestia: Yeah, of course I am. But I still have to be ready to give them a proper welcome when they come back, like I'm happy about it all.

Hestia replied before asking Astrea a question in return.

Hestia: What about you? Your Familia and even Sora is not with you.

Astrea: It goes without saying that I can't stop worrying and I'm lonely...But I believe that Sora and the others will return to me.

Astrea said while putting her hand on her cheeks blushing slightly.

Hestia: Astrea... You really have change. You were supposed to be a virgin goddess. Who hate romance. But now, you have a male on your familia, and even fell in love with Sora. It truly is a shocking.

Astrea: I'm sorry, Hestia. If I made you feel like I'm stealing him away from you. But after meeting him, going on a journey with him after I lost my first Familia, hearing his words about Justice. Made me see a whole new light.

Hestia: His words about Justice?

Astrea: Yeah. Even though he's not apart of my Familia. There are things about Justice that even I would never come to understand if I never met him.

Hestia: Oohh...! What did he say anyway...?

Astrea: Well...

Astrea then started to remember what Sora's words about Justice.

Sora: Justice comes in many forms. From my point of views, those with power must use it for the sake of the powerless. Another word for it, is pride. And that pride is more important than any law or regulation. After all, there are things that aren't illegal but should never be done. But on the other hand, there are things that must be done, even if they are forbidden by the law.

Astrea Familia:...

Sora: In other words, our own personal justice. Rather than simply obeying, you need to consider why we should obey. Compare it with justice, and reflect. It's more important to critically think about it, rather than simply obey. After all, a human being's greatest power is to think. It's more powerful then any magic or techniques.

Astrea: After I heard him said those words, my heart just started racing. Despite all of my years of living. I had never heard such phrase before. Before I knew it myself. I was all over him.

Naza: Uwaaaaa... Sora and his charming mouth.

Hestia: 😅 Ahahaha... Anyway, Miach...I wanted to ask you about Cassandra. I've been thinking this since she was with Apollo, but...

Miach: Yes...She can see things. Things even we deities can't see.

Naza turned toward the two deities, who were nodding at each other, and tilted her head quizzically.

Miach: I don't know what Apollo was up to by keeping her in his familia...but she seems to carry the mysteries of the mortal realm within her.

Hestia: Mysteries that are beyond even us...I do understand why the deities have been so fascinated by the mortal plane ever since their first descent from the heavens.

Hestia said, leaning her weight against the back of the chair. For a moment, she stared up toward the ceiling, as if she was reflecting on the very nature of the mortal plane.

Hestia: I haven't talked with her much myself. What kind of a girl is she anyway?

Hestia asked, as if the question had just occurred to her.

Naza: Cassandra is a strange one...

Naza replied, taking a teakettle from the shelf. As she talked, she went about preparing some black tea for the group.

Naza: At first she was like Bell—No, even more timid and nervous than he is... Lately I think she's become attached to us...But she's always waxing philosophical about things...

Astrea: Philosophical?

Naza: I can't really explain it...But I think it has to do with destiny or something like that...

Hestia: Ah, destiny...

Naza: She says things that are obviously lies, and sometimes I really don't get her...Like when my favorite cup broke, for some reason she was more upset than anyone...

As Naza, Astrea, and Hestia talked, Miach stood to the side, listening quietly.

Naza: That's what I mean about her being an odd one. It's like she's living in a different world from the rest of us...

Astrea and Hestia:...

Naza: And Daphne being Daphne, she says exactly what she's thinking, and that makes Cassandra even less confident and more timid than ever...

Naza sniffed at the steam rising from the kettle before continuing with a smile.

Naza: Still, I like them. They're what the gods might call an 'odd couple.' She's always worrying about something, always looking gloomy...

Miach: I did notice that she seemed a bit on the dismal side...But what's your takeaway, Naza?

Naza: She does cheer up when she sees Bell...

Hestia: Wh-wh-what?! No way! Don't tell me even that girl is scheming after him?!

Hestia said, leaping up with a clatter in response to Naza's expression of what she had sensed with her female instincts.

Naza: I don't think that's the case. I'm surprised that she's continued as an adventurer this far.

Miach: Despite her appearance, she seems to have strength at her core. Sometimes when she smiles, she looks so full of light even I can't take my eyes off her.

Hestia and Astrea:...

Miach: Ouch, Naza! What are you pinching me for? That hurts...!

Naza: I don't think you should be talking about 'not being able to take your eyes off' anyone!

As this comic dialogue between members of Miach Familia unfolded, Astrea and Hestia munched absently on the pieces of Jyaga Maru Kun Hestia had brought out to go with the tea, looking completely uninterested.

Hestia: ...Oh, is someone at the door?

The sound of the doorbell echoed through the room.

Naza: I'll get it.

Naza said, standing up. She returned a moment later with a 2 letter in her hand.

Naza: The first letter seems to be from Liliruka... She says they've been asked to do something on the eighteenth floor... And the second letter is for you, Lady Astrea.

Hestia: A letter from my supporter? It's hard to believe that little miser would spend the money to send me something...

Astrea: For me? But from who...?

Naza: I don't know. There's no name. Just said. For Astrea.

Usually, if someone was asked by fellow adventurers to take on a quest while already in the Dungeon, they requested compensation above the market rate. In other words, they took advantage of the situation. That was all the truer of upper-class adventurers with the ability to make it as far as a safety point. Hestia had spoken jokingly, but the fact that Lili—who was a notoriously strict financial manager—had gone as far as using the familia emblem and writing up a signed and sealed deed, and moreover that she had sent a messenger from the eighteenth floor when Bell could have made the trip himself, gave her a bad feeling.

Hestia: A hunting party has formed to chase down that tavern elf?! And in order to do something about it, they're joining the hunting party?!

Miach: Hestia, what's going on?

Hestia: I—I—I have no clue...

Hestia was in shock over the unexpected news in the letter. It was written cryptically so that nothing would be given away if it was intercepted by someone outside the familia, but it mentioned their encounter with the enhanced species and their decision to end the expedition. Hestia reread the letter two or three times, then handed it to Miach, dumbfounded.

Hestia: What in the world is going on down in the Dungeon...?

All Hestia could do was sigh at the last line, in which Lili requested that she send support troops into the Dungeon in case something happened—in case Ryuu was caught—in order to free her.

Hestia: Wait Astrea!

Hestia, Miach, and Naza immediately looked at Astrea who was reading the second letter. She immediately had pale face and some tears fell off her eyes when she read it.

Astrea: Ryuu...

Hestia: Astrea...?

"The Lion has left its den, to pursue her vengeance once more."

That was what the letter was written. Hestia, Miach, and Naza whom read the second letter couldn't understand what it meant. Well this letter was written for Astrea only. Only the Goddess of Justice understand what the letter truly meant. And she also knew that it was the Light of Hope that sent this letter.

Astrea: Please... Don't lose sight of what is truly right.

(Elsewhere)

Despite the attack by the mammoth fools while they rested, the hunting party for Gale Wind moved on without incident. As Boris instructed, they searched each floor, then posted guards at the inter-floor passageways. Soon they had arrived at the twenty-fourth floor. A day had passed, and even the adventurers who had been most enthusiastic about chasing down the famed fugitive were now beginning to lag.

Turk: Hey, stop crawling along! Let's hurry it up! Gale Wind could commit another crime!

Boris: Calm down, Turk. It's way stupider to rush forward and miss clues on the way. I can't deny I'm feeling slow, though...

In the distance, Cassandra could hear adventurers squabbling over how to proceed. She turned to Lili.

Cassandra: Um, Miss Lili...Can you lend me the floor map?

Lili: What, again?

Cassandra: Yes, I'd like to see the one for a different floor this time...Sorry.

Lili narrowed her round chestnut-brown eyes suspiciously but nevertheless withdrew the floor map from her backpack. Cassandra, who was already holding the other one, took it from her.

Haruhime: Whatever could Lady Cassandra be up to...?

Chigusa: Y-y-yes, what could it be? She keeps on looking at the Dungeon maps...

Haruhime and Chigusa whispered to each other as Cassandra tucked her healer's wand under one arm and peered at the unfurled parchment. Cassandra didn't notice them; she was completely absorbed in the map. A drop of sweat fell from her tense face.

Daphne: Watch out, Cassandra; you're going to trip.

Daphne said, scanning the path ahead of them. Cassandra had tried to stop Bors and his companions from moving ahead with the hunting expedition, but she had failed, as she had expected. Resigned to the fact that she would have to do something herself, she was now completely fixated on preventing the prophecy from unfolding. In order to do so, she was attempting to memorize as much information about each floor as she could.

Staring down at the map in her hands so hard she practically burned a hole through it, she racked her brain for some new idea.

Rin: I knew this would be a long process, but the search is really taking time, isn't it...?

Muller: We're almost done with the middle levels, though. If Lion is in the Colossal Tree Labyrinth, you'd think we'd find at least one or two signs fairly soon...

Cassandra listened as Mikoto and Lilly chatted, and in her heart, she shook her head.

Cassandra(mind): No...That's not right.

Gale Wind wasn't in this part of the Dungeon. This was not where "fairy" was fated to guide her pursuers to ruin. The prophetess of tragedy knew in her heart that the Colossal Tree Labyrinth was not the appointed place of catastrophe. The nightmarish prophetic dream had murmured as much to her.

Cassandra(mind): The azure current shall run red with blood, and the grotesque horde shall rejoice. The depths of hell shall overflow with corpses, returning all to the mother.Three out of the prophecy's seventeen verses mention places, and the fifth and sixth verses of the first half mention specific locations...! The azure current. The depths of hell.

In the context of what was going on, there was only one place these lines could be referring to. Yes! In other wordsIt could only be the Water Capital.

Rin: Huh? An explosion?!

Muller: The shock waves are coming from below...From the lower levels?!

The trembling ground and sound of something cracking threw the adventurers into disarray. The map of the lower levels that Cassandra still gripped trembled as she held her breath. She knew that "the time" had come. The starting whistle had blown, and now the prophecy would begin to unfold. Her lips trembled silently.

Boris: Get going!

At Boris's command, everyone began to run. The adventurers licking their chops in anticipation and Bell's tension-riddled party alike were drawn forward by the intermittent sounds of explosions. Cassandra, running at the back of the group, was tormented by an anxiety unlike any she had ever experienced.

Desperately, she tried to calm her thumping heart. As they rushed through the passageway connecting the twenty-fourth and twenty-fifth floors, countless footsteps echoed down the crystal-encrusted cave. Reaching the end of the long slope, they leaped toward the mouth of the cave, which was flooded with blue light.

Before them flowed the gorgeous emerald-blue water of the Great Falls and the yawning crystalline cavern. For the second time, Bell and the rest of his party found themselves gazing out at the magnificent scene of the New World.

Adventurer 1: Whoa...Another explosion!

Adventurer 2: Is Gale Wind on a rampage?

Adventurer 3: The shock waves are coming from farther below...Could the source be the twenty-seventh floor?

The Water Capital began on the twenty-fifth floor and continued to the twenty-seventh, with the Great Falls connecting all three floors. On each of these floors, a massive cavern contained the falls and a plunge pool as huge as a lake. Far, far below the cliff's edge where they stood now was the end point on the twenty-seventh floor. Surrounded by adventurers, Bors squinted down at it with his right eye, the one without the patch.

Gray smoke distinct from the waterfall's mist drifted upward as a crystal column sank into the plunge pool like a calved iceberg, broken off by the shock waves. He could just make it out through the masses of spray that billowed up in a white mist from the falls.

Boris: Those explosions don't sound like they were made by monsters! Ten to one, this is the work of an adventurer—or to put more of a point on it, Gale Wind! I'm going to choose the best of you to go down to the twenty-seventh floor! The rest of you, stay here and guard the passageway!

Adventurers: Yaaaaaah!

In response to Bors's words, the adventurers enthusiastically thrust their swords, spears, and axes into the air. Their lethargy now vanished, the mercenary bunch of rogues shouted spirited battle cries as the hunt for Gale Wind finally began. Meanwhile, Bell's party swiftly formed a circle a few steps away and began discussing their strategy.

Lili: This is where things get serious. We'll need to hurry and find Lady Ryuu before any of the others.

Bell: Yeah. We'll need to get information from them about what's happening, too.

Welf: Clearly...But what were those explosions? They felt strong. Do you really think the elf is using her magic or something?

Cassandra had been ignoring their conversation and instead glancing nervously back toward the passage to the twenty-fourth floor, but now she shook her head. It was time to sever ties with the part of her that still wanted to turn back. Even within her eighteen short years, she had had enough painful experiences to know that a weak impulse like that would do nothing to avert her prophetic dream.

Now was when it all began. From here on, she could make no mistakes if she was going to avert the prophecy. That was what she told herself, trying to gain courage even as her pounding heart made her feel like vomiting again.

Lili: So, moving on...Lili has a funny feeling about the twenty-seventh floor. We somehow need to join the special party and make contact with Ry —

Cassandra: Uh, wait!

Cassandra interrupted the party's pallum leader mid-sentence.

Cassandra: Is there really a need for us to tag along?

Lili: Huh?

Cassandra: W-Well, if there are too many people in the party... It would be hard to get through the narrow tunnels and stuff.

There was much she didn't understand about her prophetic dream, but at least she had a good idea of the location.

Cassandra(mind): The depths of hell shall overflow with corpses, returning all to the mother.

Cassandra had deduced that "the depths of hell" referred to the end point of the Great Falls on the twenty-seventh floor, which was the lowest level of the Water Capital. In other words, that was where the catastrophe was going to happen.

If only they could stay off the twenty-seventh floor, Lili and the others should be able to avoid the foretold death. For Cassandra, who had wrestled with the meaning of many nonsensical dreams in the past, that one point seemed certain. As she inwardly reproached herself for speaking so incoherently, Daphne spoke up next to her.

Daphne: I agree with Cassandra. Even if we've fought on this floor before, we've only explored it once. Don't you think we're most likely to slip up in a place we're totally unfamiliar with?

Cassandra: D-D-Daphne...

Daphne: Even if we rely on Rabbit Foot and Antianeira for protection, I doubt we'll be able to find her faster than the other adventurers.

Daphne's reasoning was totally unconnected to what Cassandra was concerned about—avoiding the prophecy. But Daphne had been pushed into the role of commander in Apollo Familia, and she wasn't about to give up her cautious attitude toward a risky area like the lower levels.

Daphne: Anyway, I personally don't want to risk my life for someone I barely know.

Lili: I see. You're right that speed is inversely related to the size of the party, and this time we need to move fast. Therefore, let's not send everyone to the twenty-seventh floor.

Lili said, taking her mentor's words into consideration. Cassandra felt incredibly relieved. She was sure they had avoided the worst scenario. She let the tension drain from her shoulders and sighed.

Lili: So in addition to Master Bell, Miss Muller and Miss Aisha, who should go?

Instantly, Cassandra's body seized up again.

Cassandra: Aaaaaah, ummmm?!

She interrupted Lili again, raising her right hand. Aisha, whose death had been clearly foretold in the prophecy, must not be allowed to go to the twenty seventh floor. She had to stop her! Lili looked fed up at yet another interruption, while Muller and Aisha glanced at her suspiciously. Cassandra, who had not thought in advance about what she was going to say, moved her mouth silently, then finally squeezed out a few words.

Cassandra: M-M-Miss Muller and Aisha should stay on the twenty-fifth floor with everyone else...

Aisha: Why?

Muller: Really...?

Cassandra: Uh...The other day when Haruhime suffered a Mind Down and I had to carry her to the eighteenth floor...she was actually really heavy...!

Haruhime: Huh?!

It was a lie. She was extremely light. The Goliath Robe felt heavier than Haruhime. In fact, although her chest was large, her hips were so slight it made Cassandra feel hopeless about her own form. She flinched and blushed as the renard yelped defensively at the false claims.

Cassandra: And if Miss Muller go, We would be short-handed.

Muller: On what...?

Cassandra: In case we have to escape or fight another creature. And she has to be carried again, I just, um, have a feeling that Lili and I might not be able to do it by ourselves...O-o-of course everyone else will protect us, too, but without Aisha here, what will we do about Miss Haruhime, since she's so heavy...?

As Cassandra frantically repeated the word heavy, Daphne gave her a look that said, Do you have a grudge against her or something? Meanwhile, tears were welling in Haruhime's eyes as the others talked about her like a piece of luggage. She kept glancing at Bell, who seemed not to know what expression to arrange his face into and looked on the verge of fainting from embarrassment.

Ouka: Well, it's true that she's grown a lot since we were in the Far East. Especially her cheat.

Welf: Really?

Welf answered with a bit too much curiosity.

Chigusa: Honestly, Ouka!! And Welf, too!

Chigusa snapped, spreading the chaos still further through the group. Mikoto, who had been standing by, nervous and unsure what to do, rubbed Haruhime's shoulder comfortingly. The renard's sniffles disappeared into the thundering of the Great Falls.

Aisha: Who cares if this silly fox is light or heavy? All she has to do is stand here by the passageway. There are plenty of other adventurers around, and if things get really dangerous, she can always use her magic.

Muller: And you guys have Rin on your side. She's as strong as me and Antianeira.

Cassandra: Uh...

Muller: Look. If you don't learn to fend for yourselves when we powerhouse are not around, I don't know what I'm going to do. That goes for Hestia Familia as well.

Cassandra didn't know how to respond to Muller's extremely straightforward words. At the same time, seeing Aisha's genuine concern for her "little sister," Cassandra felt ashamed at her thoughtless attempt to use Haruhime for her own ends. Still, she had to find some way of preventing Muller and Aisha from going to the twenty-seventh floor. She was growing more and more distressed.

Bell..Um, Miss Muller, Miss Aisha.

Bell had been staring at Muller and Aisha's face, and finally he spoke up.

Bell: Would you both mind doing as Cassandra asked and staying on the twenty- fifth floor?

Cassandra: Huh...?

Cassandra gasped. She watched in surprise as Bell continued.

Aisha: What are you talking about, kid? Don't tell me you're going to ask me to watch over that dumb fox, too?

Bell: I'd be lying if I said that wasn't part of it...But there's someone else I want you to keep an eye on.

Aisha: Someone you want me to keep an eye on?

Aisha echoed doubtfully. Bell leaned in closer to the group and pointed at one of the other adventurers.

Bell: That werewolf who's been insisting it was Ryuu...Gale Wind...who committed the murder. He kept repeating it over and over, like he was trying to fire everyone up.

Lili:...Now that you mention it, he was urging everyone to hurry the whole way here. When I think about it, it does seem a bit unnatural.

Bell: Exactly. I think that guy is...lying.

Lili and the others glanced furtively toward the group of adventurers, where they could glimpse the werewolf talking and linking arms with the others. Bell watched him for a moment, then looked back at Muller and Aisha.

Muller: So what your saying is, if Lion is innocent, then that guy is up to no good.

Aisha:...

Bell: If he does anything fishy, I want you two to stop him...Or am I off the mark?

Although Bell had been sharing his thoughts without hesitation up to this point, he ended on a less-than-confident note. Instead of directly answering his question as to whether his assessment was off, Aisha let out a long sigh.

Aisha: There may be some truth to what you say. Just to be safe, you and I should split up.

Muller: And judging from his equipment, I'm guessing he's a tamer. So if he is up to no good, we powerhouse should stay behind.

Bell: All right then, Miss Muller, Miss Aisha, I'm counting on you.

Aisha: But. If my sense of things is right...that elf will be too much for you to handle on your own.

Muller: Bell, Lion is far stronger than me or Aisha. And her speed is far greater than yours. Can you do it?

Aisha and Muller looked at Bell sharply. They seemed to know something the others didn't. Bell recoiled for an instant, but then his face took on a resolute expression.

Bell: I'm putting my faith in Miss Ryuu.

Aisha: Do as you like, then.

Muller: Your call.

Muller and Aisha sighed, narrowing their eyes and tacitly accepting that they would stay behind on the twenty-fifth floor. Cassandra watched in shock as Bell thanked the elf and the Amazon. His rubellite eyes met hers for a moment, and his mouth curved into a faintly wry smile.

Cassandra(mind): Aha...

She realized that Bell had seen her desperately trying to keep Aisha on this floor and had extended a helping hand. Of course, he had his own reasons as well...But still, he had respected her will when she had been struggling alone and no one else would believe in her. Once again, she felt a hot, throbbing glow deep in her chest.

Ouka: But is it really okay to let Bell Cranell go on his own?

Ouka asked, clearly concerned.

Lili: You're right that it will be difficult, but the fact that Master Bell will be able to maneuver much more easily on his own far outweighs the risk. I think this is the best way for him to get ahead of the other adventurers and make contact with Miss Ryuu.

Plus, she pointed out, the rest of the party members would have a hard time making their way even through this floor alone, whereas Bell could get around as a solo player even in the lower levels.

Rin: Oh and Welf has just finished making him some extra-tough protective gear.

Welf: Here, Bell. I've got something for you.

Bell: What's this?

Welf: I cut off part of Lil Lili's robe earlier to make it. It's a Goliath Scarf.

Bell stared at the jet-black cloth that Welf was holding out. It was a section of the Goliath Robe, which offered a protective power equal to an iron wall. Although it wouldn't cover as much area as the robe, the giant's defensive gear was as strong and durable as anything available.

Welf: I made it on the sly while you guys were fighting on the twenty-first floor. It wasn't easy; believe me! I didn't have a proper setup, so I had to use a magic blade to cut it off.

Bell: Thank you. But are you sure about this, Welf?

Bell asked, looking up at his friend. As Bell well knew, the smith was reluctant to let his contracted partner use an unimproved drop item from a monster. But despite his craftsman's pride, Welf nodded.

Welf: Yeah. To be honest, I'd prefer you to get by with only the armor I've made for you...But if something was to happen to you, I'd never forgive myself. After all, I said I'd stop weighing my pride against our friendship, didn't I?

He smiled as he handed Bell the Goliath Scarf.

Welf: Sorry, man—it's not very stylish.

Bell: No worries. But I bet this thing will give me a sore neck!

Bell joked, wrapping the scarf around his neck. The price of the drop item's incredible defensive power was its equally incredible weight. As the two laughed and joked like brothers, Welf seemed to suddenly remember something, and he leaned over to whisper in Bell's ear.

Welf: When I was making this, our prophetic Mirabilis helped me out. Actually, she was the one who suggested I make it.

Bell: Really?

Bell stopped moving at the mention of Cassandra's nickname and looked in her direction. Her cheeks grew hot and she dropped her eyes.

Bell: Um...Thank you, Miss Cassandra. I really appreciate this!

Lili:...

As Lili and the others watched, Cassandra looked up at Bell, who had walked over to her. She was happy that he had thanked her and happy to see the boyish smile on his face. Suddenly, a thought occurred to her.

Even though her prophecy had made no direct reference to Bell's death, was it okay for him to go all alone? If she let him go, something bad was sure to happen to him. She just knew it. She'd gotten this far. Couldn't she ask for a little more?

Cassandra(mind):...No, it's impossible. There's no way I can stop him.

As she looked into Bell's eyes, she gave up on the fleeting hope that had crossed her mind. No matter how much she pleaded, she knew she could not stop him. After all, hadn't she just the other day realized that a firm will was synonymous with a strong destiny?

Cassandra(mind): Even if he believes in my dream, would he...?

She had wondered many times if she should tell Bell the whole truth about her prophecy, since he was the only one who believed her. But every time, she had held back.

Assuming he believed everything she told him, what would he do when he realized that such a cruel fate awaited Ryuu? She knew the answer without even thinking about it. He would fly to her, knowing he was rushing toward the jaws of death. If that was the case, she concluded it would be better not to tell him. She herself did not understand everything. She didn't want to cloud his judgment by sharing her nonsensical dream with him.

Cassandra:...Mr. Bell.

Cassandra felt that her prophetic dreams were a curse. No one believed her. No one took her seriously. She didn't know if even the deities realized what was coming. But one person... this boy... believed in her. His trust had saved her. She didn't want to let him go. She didn't want to leave him. She didn't want to lose him.

If it meant being able to keep him by her side, she would even become his lover. His partner for life. But this calculating emotion, more desire to be saved than true yearning for him, was warped. Even if she felt suddenly attracted to him, it wasn't the boy himself she was drawn to but simply the illusion that he was the only one who believed in her dreams. That was all she thought it was, at least.

Therefore, she was definitely not the right woman for him. But she wanted him to live...at the very least. It was okay to want that, wasn't it?

Cassandra: Please come back alive.

Cassadra said, her voice full of emotion. If the others had heard her, she knew they would think she was being overly dramatic.

Cassandra: When we're back on the surface together...there are many things I'd like to...tell you.

All she could do was entrust everything to this boy. To the white light whose end she had not been able to foresee even in her dream. As the prophetess looked up at him with wavering eyes, Bell smiled brightly, as if to sweep away tragedy.

Bell: Well then. I'm off!

(Elsewhere)

Sora had just escaped through the Labyrinth Knossos on the 18th floor exits. The very same place he used to get to Wiene and the others, when the were captured by Dix Perdix.

Sora: Slyphid.

Slyphid: Yes. I'm here.

Sora: Track her down.

Slyphid: As you command.

Slyphid didn't need to ask for who Sora was implying. With Slyphid's wind power, Sora could gather information from the smallest disturbance in the air. It's so powerful it makes a first tier adventurers highly honed presence detection seem like a joke in comparison. Since air is everywhere, Sora could just detect which floor that Ryuu was on from her movements.

Slyphid: Found her. 27th floor.

Sora: Then I'm going full speed.

Immediately, Sora activated his Godspeed and left the 18th floor and head towards the 27th floor which was 5 floors below him at an incredible amount of speed. Sora didn't even bother at the monsters from every floor that spawned there as he just sped through without a care in the world. But the moment he reach the 24th floor, he stop as he felt a disturbance in the air.

Slyphid: Sora...?

Sora: Slyphid. Do you sense or heard that...?

Slyphid: Hmm...

Slyphid close her eyes and strengthen her hearings. She and Sora close their eyes one more time trying to feel what they've just felt, until they heard it again.

???:...here...

Slyphid: Your right.

Sora: These voice. Don't tell me...

Slyphid: Yes. It's a Spirit.

???:...Over here....

Now they could hear the voice even more clear. Sora and Slyphid nodded with each other and decided to listen towards the voice as they forgot about the mission of finding Ryuu. After all, he still believed that Ryuu would make the right choice. As they continue to follow the voice, they landed over the farthest room at the 24th floor maze.

Sora: Beyond here.

Slyphid: But we've already reached the end of the room.

With that, Sora destroyed to crystal quartz that was blocking its path and saw an a-clove beyond that point.

Slyphid: What is this place?

Sora: And unexplored zone I presume. I bet this is a place that even the Xenos doesn't know about. Must be another safety point.

???: I'm over here....

Sora and Slyphid continue to head towards the voice and there they saw it. A sword. It was a weapons carefully forged by a blacksmith. No one knew how it ended up in such place, stuck in the ground, without a wielder to claim it. Nobody knows whether the smith that forged it hid it here or if it belonged to an adventurer who was defeated. The sword was just there, stuck in the ground for ages.

Slyphid: Now way... Is that a sword?

Sora: Is that...

The sword looked very old. But it's still as beautiful as a classic katana or more like a divine treasure. Sora and Slyphid could feel their heart pumping loudly.

Slyphid: No way... That's an ancient sword was the one that called us!

Sora: The Great Spirit... Ignis Vulcanus!