Dungeon ni Deai o Motomeru no wa Machigatte Iru Darou ka Gaiden – Sword Oratoria - Volume 4 - Chapter 1.6

She woke up on her own. 
It was morning. The day of the expedition. 
Aiz slowly cracked her eyes open at the sun filtering in from the crack between the curtains. 
Pushing herself up from her bed in her room at the manor, she threw a glance first at Desperate leaning against the wall, then out the window, her eyes narrowing. 
There was nothing but clear blue sky as far as the eye could see. 
“Leeeeet’s do this!” 
“Do you have to be so loud? Just shut up and get ready…” 
Tiona and Tione emerged boisterously from their beds in their two-person room. 
It was time to get their things ready. The expedition they’d been waiting for had finally arrived. As the older of the two wrapped her battle clothes around her ample chest and slender legs, her younger sister—already changed—opened up their chest’s shelves and began tossing items out left and right, stuffing anything they might need into her pack. 
As Tione grumbled and complained, the floor quickly became buried in Tiona’s possessions. 
Her pareu swishing back and forth, Tiona turned finally to collect her large double-edged sword from its spot against the shelf. 
“This expedition is our chance to catch up with Aiz!” 
She gripped the oversize weapon by the handle, its blades glinting with a brilliant luster. 
“Lefiya, I’m heading out!” 
“Ah! All right! I will be there shortly!” 
Lefiya hurriedly returned to her preparations as her roommate stepped out the door. 
Turning to the mirror, she set to work on her long golden hair, holding the silver barrette accessory between her teeth to free her hands until she could tie it back in her usual ponytail. 
Once everything was secured, she took a last look in the mirror and nodded with a little “Okay!” 
“…” 
She rose from her chair with her staff, Forest’s Teardrop, already at her side and glanced down at the palms of her hands. 
As though checking the magic strength her brethren—no, her friends—had bestowed upon her, she squeezed her hands into tight little fists. 
Then, head popping back up, she slung the cylindrical supporter’s backpack over her shoulder and took off out the door. 
“Ah! Bete!” 
They were out in the garden of the manor, carting some of the large-scale cargo and other materials. 
The lower-ranking members of the familia were at work gathering everything from tents and spare armor to the thirty-plus weapons (magic sword included) they’d be taking on the expedition, inspecting and organizing everything accordingly. 
Everyone, willing or not, was nervous and excited about the big day, and in the midst of all the chatter, Raul, in charge of instructing his fellow familia members, spotted Bete emerge from the tower’s entryway. 
His gauntlets and silvery metal boots shone brightly in the sun. 
“G-good morning!” Raul took the initiative and greeted the werewolf, easily the most restless of all the other first-tiers. 
“Well, aren’t you all takin’ yer sweet time?!” Bete spit his response at both Raul and their surrounding colleagues. 
They visibly shrank back, since Bete himself was already greatly feared among the lower-ranked members, and Raul could feel the sweat forming on his temple as he forced a laugh. 
“Ah-ha-ha-ha…” 
In spite of everything, the fact that Bete was no different from normal even before the big expedition was almost strangely calming. 
“Aiz and the others aren’t here yet?” 
“Th-they aren’t, sir! I’ve received word that Miss Tiona and her sister are currently eating breakfast in the mess hall, but it seems Miss Aiz is still in her room,” Raul continued, pushing forward despite the surrounding atrophy. 
Bete came to a stop. “Really? She’s not gonna eat anything? That goddamn woman…” he muttered, cursing under his breath as he turned around and headed back the way he’d come. 
Raul didn’t know if the werewolf was on his way to eat or headed up to Aiz’s room, but either way, as he watched Bete walk away, he found himself thinking the strangest thought. 
What a nice guy… 
“…” 
Finn was down on one knee, hand to his chest in his room, located in the manor’s northernmost tower. 
He was silent, eyes closed, a grand tapestry covering the wall in front of him and a statue of a goddess occupying a spot atop the nearby shelf. 
Both the tapestry, woven in gold and silver, and the plaster statue, a spear in its hand, portrayed the same woman—the fictitious though greatly worshipped goddess of the prums, Phiana. 
“You up, Finn?…Oops, sorry. Didn’t mean to intrude.” 
“No, it’s fine. I’m finished.” 
Gareth and Riveria made to leave as soon as they saw Finn kneeling in front of Phiana, but Finn stopped them before they could retreat, opening his eyes and pushing himself to his feet. 
Concluding his prayer, he turned away from his beloved goddess to face his two closest friends. 
“Prep work’s finished. Everything’s packed ’n’ good to go.” 
“Understood. Thank you, Gareth.” 
“We were hoping to have a final meeting before heading out. We need to organize everyone into the two parties we’ll maintain until the eighteenth floor,” said Riveria. 
Finn walked over, and they formed a circle. The three heads of Loki Familia quickly busied themselves making their final check before the expedition. 
“How is everyone doing, Riveria?” Finn inquired, wrapping up their meeting. 
“I worry about their constitution, considering how much they’ve been training lately…but I don’t see it becoming a problem. They’re all in top physical condition.” 
“We got ourselves a bunch of young hot shots, that’s why. Morale is high.” 
As voices began drifting in from the direction of the garden, Gareth crossed his arms in front of his chest, eyes narrowing. 
“Aiz and the rest of the young’uns have finally grown up…Just us three fogies still around to remember what it was like back then,” he mused, thinking back to when their familia had first formed. 
“We’re not retired yet, Gareth,” Riveria replied, closing her eyes with a smile. 
As Finn looked up at the two of them, he felt his expression slowly change. 
“The day has finally come. Today, we’ll take on the unexplored depths left to us by Zeus and Hera…If we prove successful, our names will be known across the world once more.” 
There was a glimmer of steadfast resolve in the prum’s green eyes, the strong ambition to restore his race’s renown in the back of his mind. 
“You haven’t had enough yet? There isn’t a prum around that doesn’t know your name, Finn,” Riveria commented. 
Finn, however, just closed his eyes and shook his head. 
“As far as famous prums in Orario, I know only Bringar of Freya Familia…But as for my brothers who live outside the city, I have very little renown.” 
The number of prums with any sort of reputation in not only Orario but the whole world was few enough to be counted on one hand. As Finn relayed this, his eyes dropped to his fist. 
“Prums need a chance to shine, an opportunity to wave their banner of courage.” 
They had to have the kind of hope personified in Phiana, who had supported them since the Ancient Times. 
And we’ll spare nothing, no matter the sacrifice, as long as it’s for the sake of that hope—his heart added. 
“It doesn’t end here. No matter what awaits, I shall press forward.” Finn raised his head, resolve coursing through his petite figure. 
Gareth looked down at the tiny adventurer and stroked his beard with a laugh. 
“Good gracious…You really haven’t changed a bit, Finn. More ambition in those pint-size bones of yours than some men got in their whole bodies. And never givin’ a damn what others think about it, either!” 
“And here I’ve been trying to mellow out,” Finn responded with his shoulders slouched. 
“You, Finn? Don’t make me laugh!” Gareth’s lips turned upward together with his beard. 
As Riveria gazed down at the two of them, a nostalgic look came over her. “…To think that the three of us who used to do nothing but quarrel among ourselves would spearhead a Dungeon crawl together. A funny world it is sometimes.” 
The proud, versatile high elf; the crude, disparaging dwarf who hated her; and the prum stuck between them, a never-ending stream of sighs passing his lips. 
As the three of them thought back to the days that led them to this moment, they shared a sudden smile. 
“Let’s do this, yeah? It’ll be a breath of fresh air,” Gareth said, extending an arm. 
Finn and Riveria, despite their wry smiles, imitated the dwarf and dropped their hands atop his in the center of their circle as though they had planned to. 
The same ritual they’d performed so many moons ago on the day of their oath. 
It was Loki who’d forcibly encouraged the three of them to put their bickering on hold long enough to join hands like this and share their aspirations. 
“To heated battles.” 
“To an unknown world.” 
“To the revival of my race.” 
The dwarf, elf, and prum spoke in turn before bumping their fists together. 
Their intentions spoken, it was time to end their walk down memory lane and become the familia leaders they were. 
“Aiz and the others will be waiting. Shall we go?” said Finn. 
Riveria and Gareth nodded, and the three left the room. 
“Speakin’ of…Finn, how goes, uh, that other objective of yours?” 
“Yes, your successor…A bride who can produce an heir.” 
“Unfortunately, I’m not exactly blessed when it comes to romance. If you two happen to find anyone nice, do introduce me?” 
“Tione would murder me. I must politely decline,” replied Riveria. 
“Same here, friend,” added Gareth. 
The three demi-humans chatted idly with spear, ax, and staff in hand as they made their way over to their waiting comrades. 
 
Sunlight poured down on Central Park from the clear blue sky above. 
It was the intersection of Orario’s eight main streets, making it a hub for adventurers even in the early morning hours. 
Armored boys, girls, and heroes alike passed through the square on their way to the Dungeon, their supporters trailing behind them. In the midst of the swarm of races on their way to the great white tower, Aiz, too, found herself heading toward that great skyscraper. 
After gathering everything in front of the manor, Finn led the Loki Familia troupe to Central Park via North Main Street. Accompanied by load after giant load of equipment and materials, they stopped a short distance from Babel’s northern entrance and awaited further orders. 
Even crying children were silenced by the sight of their flag, emblazoned with the emblem of the Trickster. As the largest familia in the city, they drew attention and buzz from all sides as they stood there waiting for the command to depart. 
“Oh-ho-ho! If it isn’t the Sword Princess! Been a while since we crossed paths. How ya been?” 
“Miss Tsubaki…” 
Aiz was staring up at Babel and its backdrop of blue sky when Tsubaki’s voice sounded out next to her. 
She glanced over to find Tsubaki Collbrande, ever-present eye patch over her left eye, closing in on her with an amiable smile on her face. 
Just as Aiz was wearing armor and bearing her sword, Tsubaki was bedecked in her own Dungeon gear. Her armor was a mix of island and continent styles—bright-red pleated trousers from the East called hakama concealed her legs from the shins up, while battle clothes covered her upper torso and ample chest. On top of that, she wore gauntlets and shoulder protectors. 
Her upper and lower halves were every bit a fusion of East and West. 
At her side in its obsidian scabbard was her long tachi. Accompanying her were the many High Smiths who would be joining the expedition. 
The confederation of Hephaistos Familia and Loki Familia was complete. 
“It will be a pleasure working with you,” Aiz began, having been told by Riveria some time ago that the smiths would be joining them. 
“You bet! Just leave things to me! No need for the fancy words, though! We’re itchin’ to get down there, too, so we’re scratching each other’s backs for sure,” Tsubaki responded good-naturedly, not even trying to hide her own familia’s intentions. 
Aiz could only smile wryly at the other woman’s boisterous laughter. 
All of a sudden, Tsubaki looked away with an “Oh!” of surprise. 
“There you are, Bete Loga! You break that Frosvirt of yers again, and I’ll never forgive you, ya hear? I had a hell of a time fixin’ it!” 
“Whoa, whoa, whooooa there! I hear ya loud and clear, okay? I won’t break it! Damn! Get away from me!” 
Eyes locked on Bete, Tsubaki made a beeline toward him. He cried out, beads of sweat dotting his temples as the smirking woman closed the gap between them far too much for his comfort. 
Aiz looked on curiously as the fearless spectacle drew the awed gazes of everyone around them, only to be approached by a new shadow. 
“How fares the Sword Princess, hmm?” 
“…Miss Lulune?” Aiz turned around to find herself face-to-face with the young chienthrope girl. She stared at her in puzzlement, with no clue as to what a member of Hermes Familia would be doing there. “Why are you here…?” 
“Thought I’d wish you well and all on your expedition, I guess. You have saved me more than a couple of times in the past.” Apparently she’d determined just when the two familias would have some free time before departing for the Dungeon and timed her entrance accordingly. Though she quickly added that she had no intention of overstaying her visit lest she trouble the actual expedition participants. 
“Take these. A little something to eat I like to bring with me when I’m exploring ruins. One of these’ll keep you full for a whole day. And, uh, don’t worry—there’s nothing weird in ’em or anything.” 
“…Thank you.” Aiz smiled softly at the offered pouch of block-shaped rations. 
While members of both familias were currently absorbed in the exchange happening between Bete and Tsubaki, Lulune plopped the bag into Aiz’s hand—with an unexpected clink. 
Concealed beneath the bag was a single crystal. 
“From our friend in the black robes,” she whispered so softly only Aiz could hear. 
“!” Aiz’s eyes widened with a start. 
“Black robes” could mean only one person—the hooded character Aiz and Lulune had both been seeing more and more of recently. 
Aiz had trouble containing her surprise as she looked down at the blue crystal—a request from the mysterious shaman. 
“I checked it out already with Asfi, and it seems pretty normal…Seems our friend just wants you to have it on the fifty-ninth floor, is all,” the thief explained, recounting what she’d been told as she discreetly handed Aiz the crystal. “Toss it if you want. Your call.” After she finished speaking, Lulune took a step back. 
Aiz found herself at a loss, which only made Lulune laugh, her brow wrinkling. 
“I really did just wanna come see you off, though, you know…even if it may not seem like it with the request and all. Once you come back, we’ll go for that drink, got it?” Her tanned skin flushing slightly, she brought a finger up to sheepishly scratch at her cheek. “Catch ya later!” she finished before turning around and walking off with a swish of her tail. 
Aiz watched her disappear into the crowd, then she returned her gaze to the pouch—and crystal. 
The orb itself was tiny and blue, connected to a chain. After a moment’s glance, Aiz fastened it to the loin guard of her armor. 
Did she completely trust that hooded figure? No. But this was a good-luck charm given to her by a friend who came all the way down here to see her off. 
The little blue crystal glittered atop the silver gleam of her loin guard. 
“Was that Miss Lulune just now? What could she have wanted with Miss Aiz?” 
Lefiya ruminated on this as she caught a glimpse of the exchange between Lulune and Aiz. 
Surrounded by Tiona and Tione—who were endlessly chattering—and the other familia members, Lefiya cocked her head to the side in curiosity. 
“Miss Lefiya!” 
“Hmm? Miss Amid?” She turned around to find a beautiful silver-haired human with features so delicate they resembled a doll’s. 
The Dian Cecht Familia healer bowed her head, having joined the group via Northwest Main Street. 
“I couldn’t be here waiting for you on account of Miach—I mean, a certain familia taking up my time with their new merchandise contract, but it seems I’ve still made it on time. This is for you.” 
“Are these…potions?” 
“They are, indeed. Our very own high-magic potions.” 
Amid handed her a small pouch filled with a variety of test tubes. 
At the surprised expression on Lefiya’s face, she continued. “A farewell gift for your expedition, yes?” 
“Amid! You came to see us off! But what gives? How come only Lefiya gets a gift?” Tiona butted in, overhearing Lefiya and Amid’s conversation. 
“Surely someone like you doesn’t need potions, Miss Tiona,” Amid responded with a little snicker. 
“What’s that supposed to mean?!” 
“I was merely joking,” the healer replied before she pulled out an even larger pouch than the one she’d given Lefiya. “You’ll find a few high potions and elixirs inside. Share them with everyone, would you?” 
“Thank you, Amid. This is wonderful. And so many, too,” Tione replied appreciatively, to which Amid only shook her head. 
The kindhearted healer looked at each of them in turn before offering them a deep bow. 
“May the fortunes of war shine upon you,” she said before taking her leave. 
Lefiya, Tiona, and Tione glanced down at the healing items they’d received before raising their voices in thanks. 
All around them, too, similar exchanges were taking place. 
Personal acquaintances and friends alike showed up to send off their Loki Familia comrades with a smile and a few words of encouragement. 
Humans and demi-humans from all around were there to support and salute the adventurers on their journey to the unknown. 
“Brothers! Sisters! The expedition begins now!” Finn called out from in front of the assemblage. 
Everyone turned to face the familia leader, Babel to his back and Gareth and Riveria to either side. 
“We’ll be splitting into two parties as we enter the Dungeon! Riveria and I will lead the first, and Gareth will be leading the second! We’ll rendezvous on the eighteenth floor and continue together to the fiftieth floor! Our goal? To venture into the unexplored depths—the fifty-ninth floor!” 
Everyone’s ears—Bete’s, Tiona’s, Tione’s, Lefiya’s, Tsubaki’s—buzzed with Finn’s proclamation. 
As Aiz joined the others watching the three familia leaders, her mind was already racing at the thought of what awaited them in the den of monsters beneath that great white tower. 
Within the Dungeon’s dark depths below the earth. 
“You are adventurers! Warriors no less brave than the heroes of old! Conquer the vast unknown and return with fame and fortune!” 
From the main streets, the square, in every corner and window, citizens, adventurers, and everyone else in Orario watched over them, eager to see Loki Familia’s departure. 
“Sacrifices will lead to nothing but false honor! Everyone, pray with me now! Make an oath to the light of the surface—you will come back alive!” 
As the members of both familias raised their fists, Finn sucked in his breath. Then, as though communing their short departure with the blue sky stretched out above their heads, he gave the order. 
“Expedition team—move out!” 
Their battle cry shook the very heavens. 
Aiz stared at the sky overhead, surrounded by the shouting cries of her peers. 
Loki Familia’s expedition had begun. 
 
“This is gonna be interestin’!” 
The manor’s central tower… 
Having sent Finn and the others off from their home earlier, Loki now stood on the roof, looking toward the city’s center as the cries of war echoed around her. 
“Could it be calamity that awaits them? Or perhaps…” 

The underground shrine beneath Guild Headquarters… 
Ouranos turned his brine-colored eyes skyward as the torchlights flickered around him. 
“Yes…Show me.” 
And atop the highest floor of the great white tower. 
Unbeknownst to all, the beautiful goddess smiled down on them. 
Thus, the threads of a new Dungeon epic were spun beneath the gaze of the gods. 
 
The majority of the two factions’ heavy hitters were in the vanguard party—the first team to dive into the Dungeon. 
Given how unpredictable the Dungeon was, it would be their job to take care of any Irregulars that popped up along their route. They would act as advance troops, ensuring the safety of the heart of the expedition by clearing the way for the party following them with the materials and spare equipment. 
Those on the vanguard team led by Finn and Riveria included Aiz, Bete, Tiona, Tione, and seven more of the familia’s most distinguished first-tier adventurers. They were joined by a slew of second-tier adventurers, such as Raul, who’d be acting as supporters. 
Gareth, the remaining first-tier adventurer, as well as Lefiya and the other magic users, would follow behind in the second larger party. 
“Hey, hey, Tione! What are all those people from other familias doin’ here? They’re not, like, supporters we’ve hired or something, are they?” Tiona asked, glancing behind her. The two parties had split to avoid the chaos of the narrow upper-floor passageways as they made their way into the Dungeon. She’d only just now noticed Hephaistos Familia smiths traveling along behind them. 
“Don’t be an idiot, Tiona. Have you already forgotten what happened during our last expedition?” her sister replied in exasperation. 
“?” 
“They’re smiths, Tiona,” Riveria explained with a great deal more politeness. 
“Ah!” Tiona burst out, suddenly understanding. Considering she’d played no part in the expedition preparations—and consequently knew nothing of the trouble that had gone into them—she’d had no idea members of Hephaistos Familia would be joining them. 
Ten Hephaistos Familia smiths had joined the fifteen Loki Familia adventurers. The smiths had been split up between the two parties with their captain, Tsubaki, accompanying their current group as a member of the vanguard. 
“That’s pretty crazy, though, you know? Hephaistos Familia High Smiths? Together with us?” 
“Yes, and Lady Hephaistos is doing us a big favor, so let’s try and avoid any blunders, hmm, Tiona?” Finn responded with an amused laugh, watching the girl spin about excitedly at the news of their new companions. He’d been the one who’d gone to Hephaistos directly, after all. 
“I know, I know!” Tiona replied with a laugh of her own as she sprinted ahead to wrap her arms around Aiz’s shoulders from behind. “Did you hear that, Aiz? Huh? Huh? High Smiths from Hephaistos Familia are joining us!” 
“Yes, I heard…Pretty neat,” she responded playfully to the naive Amazon hanging off her back. Like the others, Aiz already knew that the smiths would be joining them, but she couldn’t keep a smile from gracing her lips at Tiona’s enthusiasm. 
They soon arrived at the Dungeon’s seventh floor. 
Surrounded by the greenish walls and ceilings of the Dungeon’s passageways, they continued along unhindered, their cheer almost strange considering the fact they were on an expedition. 
“Hell yeah! If they’re from Hephaistos Familia, we at least don’t hafta worry about them slowin’ us down! What a relief!” Bete bellowed next to them, his ears twitching, which garnered a laugh from the High Smiths behind them. 
“There it is! Bete’s famous ego!” 
Tiona narrowed her eyes at the werewolf’s pompous grin. 
“Is it even possible for you to be nice, Bete? Do you get some kinda thrill looking down on everyone else? I hate people like that!” 
“You got it all wrong! You actually think I like looking down on bottom-feeders? Don’t make me laugh! All I do is call it like I see it,” Bete responded with a snort, explaining himself the same way he’d done for Loki only the night before. 
Still attached to Aiz’s back, Tiona let out a squawk of anger that sounded very much like a monkey. 
The werewolf’s goading only elicited angered grumbles from those around them. 
This was a sight they were more than used to. 
“What can I say? I can’t stand weaklings! Lookin’ at ’em floundering away makes me laugh so hard I can’t stop!” 
“That sounds like nothing but the arrogance of a strong man looking down his nose at others,” Riveria responded. 
Tiona added, “True! You were one of those ‘weaklings’ once, too, you know!” 
“I’m just sayin’ they need to know their place, is all!” 
As Aiz listened to the three of them squabble, a thought came to her mind. 
Know your place—the thought morphed into words that she muttered beneath her breath. 
One’s place. It was neither pitying, nor insulting, nor shocking. It was simply something you knew. 
It was the same thing that had been hammered into that boy so many times he’d verbally renounced his place. What had been running through his head? How had he felt? What was it that had pushed him to that point? 
She thought of those rubellite eyes she’d seen back at the bar, liable to burst into tears at a moment’s notice. 
How had he overcome things after being looked down on, scorned, spit on by Bete? Or perhaps it was that very contempt that spurred him forward? 
Had he hated himself so much that his anger became a spring, propelling him steadfastly, obstinately higher and higher? 
Wait, could it be—?! 
What if that boy’s goal he “needed to accomplish at all costs” included Bete somehow? 
For some reason, the shock hit her with a slam! She found herself suddenly unable to support Tiona’s weight, staggering forward. Ignoring the other girl’s curious expression, Aiz attempted to keep her knees from collapsing. 
I’ll have to ask him sometime…she thought even as her hair stood on end at the possibility she had stumbled upon. She lowered her gaze, memories of her past week with the boy trickling through her mind. 
I wonder what he’s doing right now… 
Perhaps he was still running the same as he always was. 
Maybe fighting with the things she’d taught him in his thoughts. 
His face flashed through her mind, just a little bit tougher than it had been before, when suddenly, her head shot up with a snap. 
“…Seems like there’s four of them.” 
“Huh? Is this what they mean when they say ‘speak of the devil’?” 
Tiona, who was still glued to Aiz, and Bete both reacted. 
Everyone’s eyes turned toward the right-hand side of the oncoming intersection, where four adventurers quickly drew near, looking decidedly worse for wear. 
They were throwing furtive glances behind them, almost as if they were running away from something. 
“Hmmmm? They look in a hurry. Think we should see what’s wrong?” 
“No. Parties aren’t supposed to interfere with one another within the Dungeon.” 
“Hey, guuuuys! What’s up?!” Tiona called out to the quartet, ignoring her sister’s restraint. 
“…Idiot.” 
Finally noticing Aiz and the others, the surprised adventurers came to a halt in front of them. 
“Wh-who’re you? W-wait a minute! The Amazon?!” 
“Is that Tiona Hyrute?!” 
“Which can only mean…Loki Familia! I-it’s their expedition!” 
Upon realizing their identity, the quartet immediately began shrinking back. 
“Come ooon! Why is it always me…?” Tiona grumbled to herself at the use of her alias and the fear behind it. The speaker’s eyes were still fixated on her. 
Bete, on the other hand, turned to the four to ask what they were doing. 
They were briefly indignant at the werewolf’s scornful inquiry…but then they seemed to remember their situation, bodies giving a tremble. 
“…There was a minotaur!” 
“…Huh?” 
“A minotaur, you fool! That great bull of a monster was prowling around the upper levels!” 
Bete came to an immediate stop at the adventurer’s strangled, cracking voice. 
The others, too, were overcome with a kind of shocked pallor. For a mid-level boss to be appearing on the upper levels was an irregularity, indeed. 
Aiz felt her right arm begin to tremble at the mere mention of the word minotaur. 
For some reason, the image of Bell’s face welled up inside her once more. 
“…I apologize, but could you perhaps give us some more details? Please tell us exactly what you saw,” Finn said, speaking for the rest of the group. 
“S-sure…” replied what seemed to be the leader of the quartet before beginning his story. “We were exploring the Dungeon, same as always, when we saw him—a minotaur! In one of the passageways between the rooms,” he continued, face pale. “He was…attacking some kid with white hair! We’d have done something, but one howl from that beast and we got the hell outta there!” 
—BA-DUMP. 
Aiz’s heart gave a jump inside her chest. 
It felt like her entire body was suddenly soaked in sweat. 
Forgetting to breathe, she desperately tried to comprehend the words she’d just heard. 
A kid with white hair…a human? 
The more they spoke, the fiercer, more painfully her heart pounded. 
No longer able to keep herself out of the conversation, she pushed toward the adventurers. 
“The minotaur! Where is it?” 
At the sound of her voice, everyone stopped. 
Tiona, Tione, the adventurers, and the entire expedition. 
Time itself seemed to come to a halt before the swordswoman’s bloodcurdling gaze. 
“Where did you see that adventurer being attacked? Tell me!” 
“Th-the ninth floor…but you’ll have to hurry…” 
She ran. 
No sooner had the words reached her ears than she was off, racing at lightning speed down the passageway the adventurers had come from. 
“Aiz?!” 
“What the hell are you doing?!” 
But Tiona and Bete were already far behind her. 
Ignoring her comrades, forgetting the expedition entirely, she listened to only the accelerated pounding of her heart. 
She was spurred on by emotion, by confusion, by a sense of impending danger. 
That thing—it’s attacking him! 
She didn’t have time to check if the information was true or not. All she could do was run, her feet slamming against the earth. 
Bisecting any monsters unlucky enough to get in her way, she didn’t falter, didn’t lose steam. Straying from the standard route, she found herself on the aforementioned ninth floor in the blink of an eye. 
The moment the Dungeon’s walls changed, an unnatural silence struck her ears. 
Total quiet. 
As though every monster had hidden itself away and stilled its breath in fear of some maverick beast. 
No sooner had the thought crossed her mind than the roar of a crazed bull echoed through the far-off passageway, confirming her fears. 
No!! 
In the midst of the fading cry came the faint sound of a person’s scream. Aiz felt her blood begin to boil. 
There was no doubt about it. That was Bell being attacked. 
A Level 1 adventurer like him would be helpless against the minotaur. No matter how much he’d trained with Aiz, the levels of their abilities were worlds apart. 
She was fighting against the clock now. Every second counted. 
Still uncertain as to the boy’s exact location, she relied solely on sound as she sprinted through the maze—only to come face-to-face with a prum covered in blood. 
“?!” 
“P-please…H-help…!” 
Blood poured from the gaping wound on her forehead. As she let out her desperate plea, she slumped to the ground at Aiz’s feet. 
Tears clouding her unfocused chestnut eyes, she placed her hands on the ground and continued with a haggard bellow. 
“P-please save him! Save Master Bell!” 
“!!” 
Grief flooding through her, Aiz knelt down to take the girl into her arms. 
“Where is he?” 
“On the…standard route…Room E-16…” She lifted a trembling hand to point in the direction behind her, relaying the area number designated by the Guild’s map data. And, indeed, droplets of blood speckled the ground, highlighting the path the prum had taken in her search for help. 
Aiz took off with a grunt, carrying the girl in her arms. 
She raced past room after room, the passageway’s phosphorescent glow lighting her path. 
“Help…Please…” Continual, incoherent mumbles came from the prum in her arms. Aiz tightened her grip, fingers digging into the girl’s side and heart weeping as she followed the trail of blood. 
Just when she’d plunged into the final room before her destination— 
“—Stop.” 
There came a single command. 
“—” 
At that one word, Aiz screeched to a halt. 
She was in a large rectangular chamber devoid of monsters or her fellow adventurers. There was only him, standing in the middle of the room. 
His mighty, armored frame like a megalith. His height spanning well over two meders. 
His four brawny limbs rippling with muscles like steel. 
A pair of boar-like ears, evidence of his boaz heritage, underneath his cropped rust-colored hair. 
And his eyes, the same color as his hair, directed straight at Aiz. 
“…The Warlord.” 
Aiz’s eyes flashed as she took in the sight before her. 
As though in response to Aiz’s hoarse whisper, the man’s eyes narrowed. 
The captain of Freya Familia—Ottar. 
A first-tier adventurer and the mortal enemy of Loki Familia. 
Why is he here—? 
Aiz found herself at a loss, unable to comprehend the situation. 
It didn’t make any sense. What was he doing here, and why would he be trying to impede her way? 
As the weak breaths of the girl in her arms reached her ears, an uncharacteristic level of emotion permeated Aiz’s features. 
The boaz warrior was simply standing authoritatively in the center of the room. 
He was in front of the only road leading to her destination, his giant back blocking the entrance to the passageway. His armor was unbelievably thick, and an enormous knapsack was slung from his left shoulder. 
As their gazes intertwined, he took a hold of the bag with his boulder-like fingers and tore it from his back. 
Clang, clang, clang! From the torn cloth rained a multitude of weapons, falling to the ground with a ferocious series of clatters. 
“I challenge you…Sword Princess.” 
“?!” 
Aiz’s bewilderment became all the more apparent. 
Ottar, on the other hand, simply reached down to grab a giant sword from the pile and silently pulled it from its sheath. 
“Why are you doing this?!” 
“Does one need a reason to kill a longstanding enemy when coming face-to-face with her in the Dungeon?” 
There wasn’t a hint of trepidation in his steely voice. 
At a time like this?! Just as Aiz’s mind raced to figure out what the boaz could be thinking, a sudden thought flashed through her head—the attack from three days ago and its accompanying warning. 
“You’d do well not to do anything rash from now on.” 
“If you refuse to listen, we’ll be forced to take drastic measures.” 
“Dig too deep and we can’t guarantee your life.” 
“If you get in her way—we’ll kill you.” 
Vana Freya, Bringar, and now the Warlord. 
They all belonged to one familia and had given the same warning. 
It can’t be, it can’t be, it can’t be. 
Their objective was none other than— 
“Drop the girl.” Ottar’s eyes pierced through the prum in Aiz’s arms as he readied his greatsword. “Or she’ll die.” 
An intense intimidating aura swelled up around him. There would be no escaping a fight now. 
From his stance alone, it was clear he wasn’t letting anyone through. Aiz curled her lips in resentment but did as she was told. 
Placing the girl on the ground, she pulled Desperate from its scabbard. 
She could no longer let her attention be divided. Carrying baggage into a battle would do nothing but ensure her defeat. 
The soldier in front of her was stronger than Finn, Gareth, or Riveria—he was truly the strongest adventurer in all of Orario. 
The reigning crown. The sole Level 7. 
The Warlord—Ottar. 
“Come, Sword Princess,” he beckoned, his voice backed by the roar of the ferocious bull in the passageway behind him. 
Aiz’s golden eyes flashed as she sliced the air in front of her with her sword. 
“Stand aside!” 
The roars of the bull and the screams of the boy ringing in her ears, driving her forward, she charged. 
It was the Sword Princess versus the Warlord. 
The battle between the two strongest first-tier adventurers in Orario had begun.