Dungeon ni Deai o Motomeru no wa Machigatte Iru Darou ka Gaiden – Sword Oratoria - Volume 12 - Chapter 4

CHAPTER 4 NAMELESS HEROES 

A small bird was whistling, chirping in song. The morning sun streamed through the window again, marking the coming of yet another day. 
But even as the bright rays lit up the room, Lefiya did not respond in any way. She was lost in darkness. She could not tell what was ahead or behind, which way led left or right, up or down. She did not know where she should go. There was no beam of light to show her the way. She was taut like the skin under a fresh scab, blood ready to pump out of the wound again at a moment’s notice. The knife of despair gouged Lefiya’s heart over and over and over again. 
Are you really okay like this? 
Are you really okay letting it end without doing anything? 
The dawn poured down on her as she sat there, crumpled on the ground, her eyes empty and fixed on the floor, her heart withered. 
“Lefiya, I’m coming in,” someone called out from behind the door. The one entering the room was Loki. The patron goddess walked straight to Lefiya and stopped there. 
“Lefiya…I’ve got something to tell you.” 
Taking a knee so that she could talk eye to eye with Lefiya, Loki began to speak. 
“I understand what you are feeling right now. And I’m going to say something that is going to be hard for you to hear. But we…we need you to get back up,” she explained to the elf, who had become incapacitated, unable to look up with her eyes that reflected nothing. Loki concealed her guilt as a parental figure, acting the part of a goddess. There was no water of mercy to douse a withered soul. Instead, Loki offered a blaze to set Lefiya’s parched soul afire. 
“It’s about that masked creature…the one who killed Dionysus’s follower.” 
There was a twitch. Though listless as a rag doll, the young girl’s hand trembled—forming a fist. 
 
“Will Loki be okay…?” Tiona managed to whisper. 
Aiz, Tiona, Tione, and Elfie were outside Lefiya’s room. It had already been half an hour since Loki had gone inside. 
“Lefiya is essential to take on that hellhole,” Loki had told them. 
Some had protested that it was heartless. But they all recognized their patron goddess was right. Everyone wished for the recovery of Lefiya, of the Thousand Elf. 
There was nothing they could do save wait in front of the door. They were irritated by the sense of helplessness, but there was nothing left for them to do but pray to their goddess. 
“!” 
At that time, a voice rang out inside the room—a true scream. As if someone was desperately working a throat that had forgotten how to move. As if a battered pipe had a raging stream of water rushing through it. 
As they stood frozen, the screams repeated over and over. They could not make out the words, but Aiz could detect the rage. It was undoubtedly a response to what the goddess must have said. Finally, the voice petered out. Those assembled outside forgot to breathe as they stared at the door. 
“? !!” 
“Lefiya!” 
As the door creaked open, they saw first Loki and then Lefiya appear. Tiona and the others gathered in front of the girl who walked out with eyes glued to the floor, her long hair down instead of tied up as usual. 
“Lefiya! Lefiyaaaa!” cried a teary Elfie. 
“Calm down, Elfie,” Tione said, gently stopping her. 
“Lefiya…are you okay?” Tiona asked, looking concerned. 
Lefiya responded without glancing up. “…Yes…I’m sorry…for worrying you.” 
She responded clearly—though she was extremely hoarse, nothing at all like her usual voice. It must have been because she had been grieving for so long. Peeking out from behind her hair, her eyes were red. Her face was pale and haggard. 
But there was determination in her eyes—a resolve strong enough to bring her back to her feet when she had been beyond recovery, a tragically heroic conviction. 
Everyone closed their mouths and opened a path for her. 
“Lefiya…” 
Aiz’s eyes were filled with heartache. She could guess how Loki had gotten Lefiya to stand back up. Their encouragement and appeals had not reached her, which meant the only thing left was revenge: to talk about the being that had stolen away Filvis and set Lefiya’s withered soul ablaze. 
A dark unease crossed Aiz’s mind as she glanced over at her patron goddess, who remained silent. 
Will she become trapped by the idea of revenge? 
Will she become like me? 
Will she get burned by that black inferno? 
There was no sign of the sweet girl in the elf standing before Aiz’s eyes. Aiz started to reach out to Lefiya, who passed right in front of her. 
“? ” 
But just then, Lefiya looked up, and Aiz saw her eyes. She was captivated by the azure eyes looking back at her. Every last word in Aiz’s thoughts immediately evaporated. The elven girl walked past her. 
“…Is it really okay to let her go?” Tiona asked, unable to hide the concern in her voice. 
Aiz did not respond. She just watched the elf from behind as she grew distant—observing her as she kept moving forward. 
 
“To think it would be the great spirits’ ultimate spell…” muttered the mage, bitter, in the chamber lit by magic-stone torches. The location was in the center of the city. The thirtieth floor of the white tower, Babel. 
Ouranos had arranged for the space with the giant round table where the Denatus was normally held to be opened for use. In the room were Finn, Fels, Shakti, Tsubaki, and others, the representatives of each organization. The so-called factions of justice had gathered to plan their strategy. The goal was nothing less than protecting Orario from the plot threatening to destroy the city. 
“The encircling spell…They intend to create a resonance among the six demi-spirits, circulate the magic energy, and destroy everything when it is unleashed…?” Shakti trailed off after hearing Finn’s explanation. 
“Sheesh, that’s damn serious,” Tsubaki murmured to herself. 
Just as the Xenos excavating Knossos had guessed, a giant-scale spell activated by a superlong chant had started to take shape underground. If the spell was to be completed, Orario would be destroyed. 
While all their patron gods and goddesses were busy running around taking care of other things in preparation, their followers were sharing information and discussing their next course of action. 
“You’re trying to say the activation of the altar…and the reason for the transformation of Knossos into a spirit realm…wasn’t just to wipe us out but to procure enough magic to sustain the demi-spirits?” Fels asked. 
They were hinting at the tragedy that had occurred, the total annihilation of Dionysus Familia . There was a shudder and a hint of admiration in Fels’s weighty voice. 
“Just how long has this plan been going under our noses…?” Shakti wondered. 
“Enyo, huh? It’s true this is beyond the limits of mortal comprehension. But…it may be that all gods and goddesses inherently have this side to them,” Tsubaki said. 
They were candid about their reaction to Enyo, but it was tinged with a more general awe at the works of the deusdea, who existed on a higher plane. As everyone stood there around the table, a moment of silence settled over the room. 
“But right now, we have to defeat one of those deities.” Finn’s voice dispelled the quiet. “If we don’t, our people and places will all be stolen from us, and the world will face unprecedented despair. Whoever the enemy may be, there is no way out for us—save victory. Who’s with me?” he asked, the lone hero undaunted and calm, encouraging them. There was no longer any path of retreat. There was no future left for those who would not fight. 
Hardening their resolve, the adventurers nodded. 
“As mentioned before, the enemy has six cores—the starting points from which they are carrying out the city’s destruction. We have to crush all six of them.” 
“Finn, you’re making it sound like you’re planning to attack all six of the chambers on the tenth floor at once,” Tsubaki said. 
“Yes, that’s right.” 
“That’s bold. But aren’t those demi-spirits stronger than even floor bosses?” 
“The time for half measures has passed. If we don’t do everything in our power to win this, we won’t.” 
Tsubaki’s lips twisted into a grin as Finn confirmed her suspicion. 
“Wait a minute. Wouldn’t the spell become inactive if we manage to cut off one of the six spirits performing the chant?” Shakti asked. 
“No, even if we get one, another can continue the chant where it was left off. It would buy us some time, but the spell will still go off unless we defeat every last one. Ouranos and others confirmed that much,” Fels responded. 
Shakti and the others grimaced at the explanation. 
“Shakti, what about the route through Knossos?” 
“Right now, Ilta’s crew is operating at full speed to dig the hole. Ironically, the closer that spell gets to completion, the weaker the attacks by the green flesh become and the better our progress. I imagine it’s siphoning more of its power to power the ritual.” 
“Then?” Finn prompted. 
“Yeah, we’ll have the path to the tenth floor open in time for the second assault,” Shakti responded. 
“The Xenos are making progress in the Dungeon. And several other strong familias have been given missions, too,” Fels chipped in. 
The Guild was not holding back in the lead-up to the final clash. This imbued a sense of impending crisis and desperate exaltation to the buildup. Orario was uniting to face a powerful enemy—an adventure the likes of which few had seen before. 
Finn nodded in satisfaction and then proceeded with the full-scale discussion of the plan. 
“First of all, the operation will begin with Ganesha , Hephaistos , and Loki Familias invading Knossos from aboveground and inside the Dungeon. We’ll be splitting into five different squads.” 
A map was spread out across the table. Chess pieces were placed atop the map. 
“I’ll command the main force and the first squad. From there, Riveria and Aiz will take the second squad, Gareth the third, Tiona and Tione the fourth, and Bete the fifth…” 
As he rattled off the names of first-tier adventurers, he split up the pieces. He placed them at each chamber on the tenth floor of Knossos, where a demi-spirit lay waiting, starting in the north and moving clockwise—the first in the north, second in the northeast, and so on until all five pieces had been placed. 
“The second-tier adventurers and below will be spread among the squads. And we’ll have the other factions split up among these squads, too.” 
“I see. Splitting Loki Familia ’s forces into five even parts to make a set of elite corps and then have us fill in the gaps?” Tsubaki asked, a look of understanding in her eyes. 
“Yes. Tsubaki, you’ll be with Gareth in the third squad. Shakti, you’ll be with me in the first. Ganesha Familia ’s other first-tier adventurers and all other notable forces will be split around among the other squads.” 
Finn continued. “Paluza—Ilta Faana will be in the second; Amid from Dian Cecht Familia will be in the fourth. Aki and Lefiya from our familia will be in the fifth…” 
Finn listed off the names of adventurers and healers to maintain a balance among the various squads. 
“Wait, Finn.” Shakti stopped him there. “There are six demi-spirits to defeat. There aren’t enough squads in your strategy…What are you planning?” 
She was right. Finn was pulling together only five squads. The sixth squad was elusive. 
Are you saying we don’t have enough fighters? No way. Are you planning to leave one of the demi-spirits? But you wanted it to be a simultaneous attack. Are you scheming to concentrate forces into one squad that will bear the load of taking out two different spirits? 
Shakti probed him with a sharp gaze. 
Do you intend to form a suicide squad with no hope of returning alive? 
“—The Xenos will do it.” 
The one who answered was not Finn but Fels. 
“I’ve asked them to gather the most skilled of their comrades in the Dungeon to take on this battle. There are no individuals as adept as Braver and the other elites of Loki Familia , but they all hold a potential beyond Level Three, meaning they should not fall behind the other squads.” 
Everyone in the room already knew of the existence of the Xenos, and Fels’s argument was persuasive and reasonable. The mage detailed the utility of the monsters well. 
“…If you can bear this poison, then I’d ask you to trust them.” 
I’d like you to allow the Xenos to bear the responsibility for one of the fronts in this crucial battle to determine the fate of the city. 
The mage was asking them to join hands with the lizardman and other monsters who dreamed of living alongside humans in the world aboveground—not just from a cold calculation of military gain but with compassion and understanding. 
The silence lasted only a moment. 
“This is exactly the time we’d want to borrow the strength of the monsters. I’ve no objection.” 
It was Tsubaki. “I’ve heard about them from Welfy…a former colleague. And from my patron goddess, too. That there were oddities of monsters who trusted humans. Like they were house cats. If those two believe in them, what do I got to lose?” 
“Cyclops…” 
“Besides, beggars can’t be choosers. If someone’s willing to lend a hand, I’ll take it. Isn’t that right?” Tsubaki’s lips curled as her uncovered eye narrowed. 
“…Yes. That’s Ganesha’s will as well,” Shakti responded. 
“I wasn’t against it to begin with.” Finn chimed in, too. 
Tsubaki was the one who’d had the least interaction with the Xenos among all of them. Shakti and Finn smiled at the craftswoman who moved not based on reason but on faith—or her own belief system. Fels’s hood trembled. As the mage looked downward, a quiet “Thank you” slipped out. 
“Let’s continue. Fels, there’s been a change of plans. You won’t be joining any particular squad. I’ll have you moving on your own.” 
“More dirty tricks, huh? Fine with me.” 
“In addition, there will be several other noncombat squads led by Raul and a few others. They will maintain supply lines and serve as a reserve force. In an emergency, I’ll have them join the main squads as support if necessary, but don’t expect too much of them. At the end of the day, these six main squads will have to do what needs to be done. To that end, each squad will have an oculus for maintaining open lines of communication.” 
“Finn, what’s your plan for dealing with that strange creature with red hair? My understanding is that the one who killed Hashana is the only one among the remnants of the enemy’s forces who needs special attention.” 
“The enemy’s plan is in its final stages. There’s no more reason for her to take the role of the spirits’ guardian. That creature will almost certainly focus on Aiz.” 
The battle planning proceeded apace with Finn leading the discussion. Despite all being from different factions, there was no wasted time and they were quickly able to reach an understanding on strategy and tactics. 
All of a sudden, Tsubaki spoke up. 
“Finn, what of Hermes Familia ?” 
“…They’re working on something else. They need to take care of something…to confirm it.” 
After Finn answered, no one else brought it up again. They all knew that the true identity of the mastermind still needed to be uncovered. Finally, Fels touched on the time limit. 
“We’ve researched the enemy’s ritual. There will be some inherent differences from the original ceremony—for starters, they’ve become monsters, but…” 
Fels had calculated their time limit based on the chanting that was even now resounding underground, quiet enough that most people had not noticed it yet. 
“The time limit is—tonight.” 
Distress crossed the faces of the people in the room. 
“…We won’t be able to evacuate the city in time. In fact, trying to move everyone out of the city will just invite needless chaos,” Shakti said. 
“Yeah, we just had two gods sent back; the whole city’s already in an uproar,” Tsubaki responded. 
“We don’t have the leeway to split our forces further in order to maintain the peace and oversee an evacuation. If it’s just going to cause a panic, then we should act as if nothing’s happening,” Shakti concluded. 
Finn and Fels watched as Shakti and Tsubaki spoke. The half-dwarf’s eye narrowed. 
“So we’re to put an end to this without anyone ever knowing about it?” 
“Yes.” 
“If we mess up, innocent people will lose their lives. Is that okay with you, follower of Ganesha?” 
“Finn already has the right of it. If we fail, the Dungeon will be revived. That would be a crisis for the mortal realm. All those saved lives would just be lost later if we don’t win,” Shakti responded to Tsubaki’s point. 
There was determination in every word, prioritizing the second assault above all, even if it meant she had to abandon her primary duty. It was the resolve of one who had made her decision and already overcome any lingering inner conflicts. 
It all depended on victory. If they did not win, they would lose everything. In that case, they had to devote themselves to whatever it took to stack the odds in their favor. 
“If Shakti has made that judgment, then I’ll respect her opinion,” Finn said after watching their exchange silently. “She is exactly right. Right now, we have to remove as many elements of uncertainty as possible, even if they seem trivial. We need to gather all our forces and then eradicate the enemy hiding away in that underground den of evil. If we yield here, it’s not just Orario. The entire world will meet the worst possible fate…The fate that Enyo must be hoping to achieve,” Finn said. 
Shakti, Tsubaki, and Fels took Finn’s words and locked them in their hearts. As he met their gazes, Finn grinned playfully. 
“Let’s save the city without anyone knowing. That’s just the job for adventurers like us.” 
A hint of a smile crossed all their lips. No one disagreed with him. 
“…Shakti, I’ll leave the rest of this to you. I need to attend to something.” 
“Finn? Where are you going?” 
Finn turned his back on them and started to head for the door. When her voice reached him, the prum hero looked up—at the room’s high ceiling, supported by countless pillars. And beyond that, to the heavens that the tower’s heights reached for. 
“I have an important job to do that will determine how this plan will go.” 
 
“It seems Braver has settled on a plan with the others.” 
Hermes was moving through the backstreets of Orario with Asfi at his side. 
“Tonight, they’re going to attack with everything they’ve got, right?” he asked. 
“That’s right.” 
“Yeah, there’s not much else to do. If they can’t strike down the spirits before time runs out, then it’s all over.” 
There was no one else around in the dim alleyway. As he listened to Asfi’s answer, Hermes smiled. Glancing at the face of her patron god, who was grinning even though they were hours from the decisive battle, Asfi added to the report. 
“Also…we’ve found Demeter Familia ’s hideout.” 
This caused Hermes’s eyes to narrow. 
“It’s in the Beor Mountain Range due north of Orario. A building tucked away in the mountainside. I’ve heard Demeter had a storehouse for keeping food in preparation for a famine. That must be it.” 
Demeter Familia had disappeared—with all their familia members and Demeter herself. With a giant warehouse, she would be able to hide her familia members and hole up. 
“Asfi.” 
“What?” 
“That Goddess of Abundance can get quite scary when you make her mad. Do you think she is waiting deep in the labyrinth close to the entrance to hell? Or do you think she’s aboveground, counting down the seconds until the end?” 
“…I don’t know. But either way, we’ve no choice but to break in and investigate.” 
Was there a hidden meaning to his question? Or was he just asking for her opinion? Either way, Asfi responded in a grave voice. 
“That’s true, I guess.” The god chuckled softly from beneath the hat pulled low over his eyes. “I’ll be going along with you to their hideout. Tell Laurier and the others not to move out until I give the word.” 
“…Understood.” 

Asfi noticed that Hermes’s voice had dropped an octave lower. But as one of his followers, she pointedly did not comment on it. 
“Is that all for reports? In that case, I’ve got a task for you to do. Can you take care of an errand for me?” 
“…Okay, but I’m sure that I’ll die from overwork if you give me any more to do.” 
“If we lose this battle, you’ll die sooner or later anyway. Please just endure it for now.” 
Asfi let out a long sigh, hiding the bags under her eyes behind her silver glasses. Hermes lightly dismissed the familia leader’s complaints about all the jobs that had fallen on her shoulders. Instead, he stopped moving and rested his hand on her head. A rare smile crossed his face. After a few seconds of silence, Asfi knocked away his hand, still in a bad mood. 
“Please deliver this letter to the specified place.” 
“What is this for…?” 
“Preparation. To increase the odds of victory even just a little.” 
Asfi looked dubious when he handed her the scrolls of parchment—not just one but several. However, she kept her doubts to herself and did not even check the contents of the letter as she resigned herself to accepting her patron god’s order. 
“Also, make sure that the city gates are opened.” 
“The city gates…? For what? Ganesha Familia has judged that an evacuation would not get the citizens out in time. And the very act of evacuating the city would—” 
“It will be necessary later. If you can get those letters delivered.” 
Asfi heaved another sigh as Hermes aloofly insisted on not explaining himself. She pulled out a pitch-black helmet from her gear and tugged it on. Thanks to the Hades Head magic item, she became invisible. 
“Good luck.” 
Those were his parting words. However, that was sufficient. Hermes smiled as he headed down countless back alleys. Taking a shortcut, he arrived at the building he was looking for. 
“All right, then, time for me to do my part for the sake of hope, too.” 
Before his eyes was a palatial mansion adorned with an emblem bearing a ball of light and medicinal herbs. 
 
“Hey, Amid.” 
The god had appeared before Amid right as her entire familia was rushing around. 
“How might I help you, Lord Hermes? As you can see, we have our hands full at the moment.” 
“Are you joining in the attack on Knossos, too?” 
“But of course. In continuance with the last assault, I’ve no intention of shirking my duty. This time, our entire familia will support Loki Familia and everyone else with our healing.” 
The location was not Dian Cecht Familia ’s clinic but the large mansion that was their home. 
Many of the familia members were running past Amid. All of them were focused on preparing items, staffs, and other supplies for support from the back lines. 
This time, Dian Cecht Familia intended to dispatch all their healers. They would take care of each squad’s healing and resupplies, allowing them to focus their attentions on defeating the spirits. Behind her, their patron god, Dian Cecht, was shouting, “Just leave the difficult stuff to Loki and the others! Focus on getting ready to run away!” But they were all ignoring him. 
They understood it was just because he was worried about them, but they also knew that if they did not finish things with the second assault, there would be no future for Orario or the rest of the world. 
“I shall spare no efforts if there is anything I might be able to contribute.” 
The total annihilation of Dionysus Familia had left a deep scar on Amid, too. But she intended to face this battle, upholding her duty as a healer to prevent any further sacrifices. Because of that, she had no reason not to cooperate with Finn and the rest of them. 
“So how might I help you? If at all possible, keep it brief,” she responded curtly, seeing how they were busy preparing. 
Hermes shrugged and broached the subject directly, as she requested. 
“It’s about the matter I asked about before. Were you able to take care of it?” 
“…? Thanks to your ingredients, I was able to prepare a sufficient magic item, but…” 
Suspicion was the first thing to cross Amid’s face. He was asking about his request that she had just finished up the other day. 
“Since you asked whether I was able to take care of it, all I can answer is that I did the best I could do.” 
“If Dea Saint is willing to say that much, then I can rest at ease.” Hermes nodded magnanimously. Then the mood suddenly changed. “And—the progress ?” 
Amid froze for a moment. “…It has been excellent. But what of it?” 
“Is that so? Good.” 
“Lord Hermes, what are you talking about?” 
“What do you mean? I just inquired about the progress of my request.” 
“Are you trying to get him involved ?” While her face was delicate and dollish, there was fierce reproach in her eyes. “I must be clear that as a healer, I’m absolutely against this. In fact, I should stop—” 
“Amid,” Hermes interrupted her, a smile on his face. “I can’t be choosy with my methods anymore.” 
“…” 
“You said it yourself. ‘I shall spare no efforts if there is anything I might be able to contribute.’” 
“…” 
“The truth is, I’d have liked to be able to keep this in reserve, but—” 
As if thinking back to the past to bring success to now, Hermes’s eyes flared with determination. 
“I’m going to play the ace up my sleeve.” 
 
A single drop of blood dripped down, rippling out. 
Thousands of years ago, it had apparently been a ceremonial rite. When a human received a spilled drop of blood from a deity, they climbed the stairs of sublimation, becoming something greater. It was said to be the key to seize the future, the power to crush evil to overcome hardships. 
Remembering that story, Lefiya’s thoughts moved to the divine blood dancing across her back. 
If this power is the key to possessing the future, to squashing evil, then what am I going to do with it? What do I intend to achieve with it? 
I— 
To Lefiya, it was a ritual—and it always would be one. A mechanism for confirming her final decision. An act of resolve to cut off all routes of escape and face the battle head-on. It was questionable whether this ritual could be called “holy.” But she suspected calling it “tragically heroic” was not right, either. 
I’m going…to put an end to everything. 
If she did not go through with this, she would not be able to move forward or backward. She knew that much. 
“…It’s done, Lefiya.” The god finished redrawing the map on her back. 
After a new page was added to her story, Lefiya’s eyes opened. Reflected in her eyes was a messy room, bottles of alcohol and antiques strewn across the floor. It was a disorganized room of a goddess that was rarely cleaned, but to Lefiya, it was like a reflection of her own heart and left her somehow at ease. Or it would be more accurate to say she was filled with a strange feeling. 
“Your Status has been updated. You’ve leveled up, too,” Loki said as she removed her finger that had been tracing on Lefiya’s back. 
Lefiya stood, her upper body naked as the day she was born, and she took the update sheet from Loki’s hands. 
Lefiya Viridis 
LEVEL 4 
Strength: I0 Defense: I0 Dexterity: I0 Agility: I0 Magic: I0 Conjure: H Abnormal Resistance: I Magic Resistance: I 
M AGIC 
Arcs Ray 
• Single-target magic. 
• Homes in on its designated target. 
Fusillade Fallarica 
• Wide-range attack magic. 
• Contains fire element. 
Elf Ring 
• Summon Burst. 
• Only able to be cast by an elf. 
• Must know chant and effects beforehand as a prerequisite. 
• Expends Mind for this spell and the summoned magic. 
S KILLS 
Fairy Cannon 
• Increases magic power. 
• Doubles power for attack magic only. 
Double Cannon 
• Active trigger. 
• Preserves magic circle of preceding spell. 
• The activation key is “Cannon.” 
“You’ve gone up the level that we held back on last time. What you’ve stored up in your abilities are now reflected in your extra points.” 
During the expedition to the unreached territory of the fifty-ninth floor, Lefiya had already met the requirements to reach a new level. However, at Loki’s instruction, she had waited to let her abilities grow to their full potential for that level. That restriction had been removed. She was now Level 4, and a new Skill had manifested itself. 
This was a ritual to escape from the past version of herself, who was weak. 
“What was the final reading in magic?” 
“S960.” 
She was asking about the final number on her Level-3 Status. Magic was the only thing on her mind, since Lefiya Viridis had only ever been a mage—one who used magic to save her friends and break out of predicaments. Or to put it another way, without magic, she was nothing more than a helpless fairy, someone who could do nothing but watch on as her precious friend was brutally murdered before her eyes. As she had done in the past. 
“…” 
Lefiya held the update sheet above the burning torch. She watched as the paper turned black and burned, quietly clenching her fist. 
Loki studied her, not saying anything as the girl put on her clothes and pinned up her bright blond hair with her silver barrette. 
Taking the magic staff Forest Teardrop, she looked out the window. Past the townscape visible from the window, the evening sun was threatening to fall below the city walls. 
As the light disappeared, it welcomed a long night. 
 
The night sky was a dark blue—a deep indigo like the sea, like a blue flame burning quietly. The sky was lit by stars that sparkled like gems and the shine of the bright moon. There was not a single cloud in the sky. 
Aiz stared up at the sky—beautiful, filled with the brilliant pinpricks of stars, and tranquil. It was hard to believe that the city was on the verge of destruction. 
“Now is the time! This is it, sister! We’ll protect the peace of the city and get revenge for Hashana!” 
“Calm down, Ilta.” 
Looking back down on earth, there were an uncountable number of adventurers milling around. Ganesha Familia ’s second-in-command, Ilta the Amazon, was shouting passionately as their captain, Shakti, chided her. But Ilta was not the only one from their familia in high spirits. 
And it was not just Ganesha Familia . Hephaistos Familia . Dian Cecht Familia . And Loki Familia . The notable adventurers, smiths, and healers had gathered in that plaza—in the center of Daedalus Street. 
“…” 
Aiz could hear all sorts of different voices around her: impatient sighs, nervous breaths, commotion from those who could not hide their unease. 
Amid all that, Aiz turned around. The girl was not there—the elf girl who would get flustered with tears in her eyes, who would often ask for help. She was nowhere to be seen. 
The first, second, and third squads were using the aboveground route to invade Knossos, while the fourth, fifth, and sixth would enter from the Dungeon’s ninth floor to avoid the confusion of trying to advance with a single large group. Everyone was to take the shortest possible route to their target area where a demi-spirit was lying in wait. 
Aiz was with Riveria in the second squad. Lefiya was in the fifth squad. While Aiz was standing by aboveground, she had already headed into the Dungeon, waiting with the others down there. This had never happened before, not even on the expedition to uncharted depths, which was why Aiz had ended up subconsciously looking around for Lefiya. 
Lefiya has changed, too… 
When they had left the home where she had last seen Lefiya, the elf was quiet. There was no trace of eagerness, bloodlust, or hatred. Just a quiet militancy as she had taken her staff and focused on what she needed to do. 
That’s right. The girl who’s ashamed of her weakness is nowhere to be found. She’s moved far away. Like the boy with white hair, she’s gone past the point of no return. Aiz felt a sense of déjà vu. 
Me too—I have something that I have to do, too. 
Closing her eyes, she gently touched the hilt of her beloved sword in its scabbard. The image that appeared in her mind was one of crimson hair like blood belonging to that person—no, to that creature. The one who she swore to settle up with today. 
Aiz renewed the quiet combativeness burning away in her heart. 
“—Listen up.” 
Ten minutes before the operation began. 
Of course, it was Finn who caused the wave of commotion to ebb and drew all the adventurers’ attention. 
“We’re about to begin the operation. As you’ve been told, each squad will charge into Knossos as we planned. Each one is setting out for the tenth floor. Our goal is to destroy the six demi-spirits.” 
The high elf mage and great warrior dwarf stood to either side of him. His voice was quiet, but it did not waver in the slightest. 
There was a flickering oculus in his hand that transmitted his voice deep belowground. In the Labyrinth District and in the Dungeon, all those listening hung on his every word. 
“I should be clear: There will be no wealth to be won from this battle. No fame. We will be facing almost certain death, and no one will know it. We will be thrusting ourselves into a mortal combat with no reward. Those who die here will have their names engraved into tombstones without anyone ever learning of their bravery—just like Dionysus Familia .” 
The name of that familia was transmitted through the oculus. Aboveground and in the Dungeon, more than a few people looked down at the ground, masking their troubled thoughts. Among those were Amid and the healers of Dian Cecht Familia , the members of Loki Familia ’s reserve like Cruz and Narfi and even Anakity, who would normally be seen keeping the others in line. Raul, who happened to be beside her and notice her reaction, started to say something, but he bit his lip instead, unable to put his thoughts into words. 
The wounds were still fresh, patched with only limitless regret—and the fear and worry of facing the same end. The seeds of those inescapable feelings left those adventurers unable to put up a front, stealing away their ability to roar. 
“—However, we must not let these deaths be without meaning. And the same goes for the lives that will inevitably be lost in this battle, too. I will not let their sacrifices be in vain!” he added, resolute in his decision, causing Raul, Anakity, and the members of Loki Familia to snap their heads up to look at him. 
“If we must fall to save others, it is a fight worth continuing! In exchange for their sacrifice, we must become even more relentless warriors! Our lives must be used to prove their deaths were not wasted!” 
Along with everyone else in their familia, Anakity recognized in an instant that his words were aimed at them specifically, as well as at the army as a whole. He was speaking for the dead, explaining the duty expected of those who had survived by turning their backs on Dionysus Familia . 
“There is no way to atone! Or to condemn! There are no adventurers who wish for these things! They would want one thing and one thing only—‘Make that god of shit howl!’” 
“!!!” 
“Take the names and voices of those who have joined the funeral procession in the heavens and engrave them into your hearts. Then go win this fight!” 
Anakity clenched her fist. Raul’s chest thumped. The members of Loki Familia were filled with a raging resolve, the healers of Dian Cecht Familia were overcome with pure prayers, the smiths of Hephaistos Familia were moved by a burning blaze, and the warriors of Ganesha Familia were determined in their will to fight. 
Tiona and Tione thought about their comrades who had returned to heaven and clenched their fists. The tears and blood spilled by Leene became wounds in Bete’s heart, fueling his strength as he bared his fangs. Aiz swore a vow, her golden eyes flickering. Their fiery resolve spread beyond the first-tier adventurers. 
“Right now, history is repeating itself—with us at center stage! Like the heroes of the past who protected humanity and struggled against destruction that threatened the world!” 
Dungeon Oratoria. That was the title of the story. The history that occurred around Orario. The true story of those heroes who continued to fight in order to protect their land, their races, their pride, and their loved ones, even at the cost of their own lives. The path lined by their great works and accomplishments. 
“Yes, this is a story that will never be told! This battle will not bring riches! Nor will it bring glory! But we will become the nameless heroes and save this world!!” 
“!!” 
The hero declared the beginning of another legend. The second coming of those ancient heroes’ determination, of the heroic epic from long ago. 
“A thousand years later, we will become the cornerstone of the mortal realm’s peace, just like they were before!” 
And he finished the proclamation with the name of that story. 
“We’ll write the opening chapter to a new Oratoria !” 
“RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!” 
The sky trembled. The ground quaked. Bete howled, Tiona and Tione roared, and the battle cries of adventurers thundered toward the skies. The gods standing away from the crowd burned the images of their followers into their eyes. Their war cries passed through the ground and the message even reached those lying in wait below. 
“ ? Try me.” 
The labyrinth that had been transformed into a devil’s castle cackled, carried by the melody of the spirits. 
“ ? I’ll crush you.” 
The adventurers roared with heroic spirits. 
“Gh!” 
A flash of silver, a sword’s voice as it was unleashed from its scabbard. Aiz led the way, raising her sword above her head, and more and more weapons pierced the sky in her wake. 
The fairy girl closed her eyes, starting a prayer, clutching her chest as the torrent of shouts roared. 
“Begin the operation! All members attack! Our target is—Knossos!” 
The curtain raised on the battle to decide the fate of the world, a story that would never be told. 
The adventurers’ cries coalesced into a great bellow as they charged into the darkness of the repulsive labyrinth.