Disclaimer: DanMachi and its original characters are created and owned by Fujino Omori.

Chapter 8: Adventurers Adventure

Around them, the last monster fell and the fighting died down as the adventurers gathered around, taking a small breather and quenching their thirst from the hot and dry environment of the Great Desert. Haruhime, Chigusa, Cassandra, Welf, and Ouka walked around the area, gathering the magic stones and drop items. Bringing them back to the small encampment, they counted and stuffed them into the supporters' bags. Lili took note of every item that came in, elated that they were making progress towards their quota at a good pace.

Once everything had been accounted for, she gave the order for the party to rest up. A temporary, makeshift encampment was set up by the adventurers and they shared a pre-cooked meal, refuelling themselves for the continuing expedition.

Four hours had passed since their last break. The expedition party continued along the sandy dunes, meandering through the large sheer cliffs and terracotta hills.

Working their way through a rocky outcrop, they slowed into a brisk walk and eventually stopped as they found themselves surrounded. Sphinxes dared to leave their burrows, approaching the party with slow and deliberate steps. Their slitted eyes watched the adventurers carefully; snarls came from their throats and their sandstone muscles shifted with each movement.

The adventurers prepared for battle, their weapons held at the ready, prepared for any sudden attack—

One which came just a fraction of a second later as the first monster pounced, leaping from the side and attacking the middle of the party.

Mikoto immediately rose to meet the challenge, her yari poised, poking out like a snake's tongue, catching the monster's forelegs, grazing and carving a shallow crevice into the rocky flesh. The monster whined as it landed, only to leap back just as fast, out of range of the Far Easterner's long reach.

Wanting to press her advantage, she lunged forward with several attacks of her own, thrusting the spear out in a flurry of consecutive attacks. Her movements were unpredictable yet calculated: a thrust to the left was followed by a downwards strike to the right and then two thrusts before a final horizontal slash. However, the feline monster, as agile as it is, simply ducked out of the way, leaping to the side to avoid the whirlwind of blades, dodging and deflecting the attacks from the dextrous samurai.

Mikoto pursed her lips as she stepped back into the defensive line, swivelling around just as another Sphinx approached from behind, trying to force a two-versus-one advantage over her. Her hands tightened around the shaft of her yari and her eyes darted around the two monsters pacing before her. The two felines snarled, their paws scraping against the sandy dunes, growing more impatient as the adventurer, too, felt her heart nearly leaping out of her chest.

The Eternal Shadow was appropriately equipped for the fight, boasting a weapon that could keep the monsters at bay from a distance. Trained in Far Eastern martial art, she also possessed the necessary reaction speed to keep up with the felines' quick attacks. Even still, she did not have the necessary dexterity and agility to land any deciding blows. It would become a battle of attrition the monsters would surely win with their numbers advantage.

Even before the fight began, she was almost certain of the result—

And yet, that mattered not; for she was an adventurer, and if there was one absolute among adventurers, it was that they must always find ways to overcome— to survive and win.

She is defined by her honour— the net total of her training in the Far East under the tutelage of God Takemikazuchi. Every stroke of her blade, every step she took, every breath she took, and every thought she had in the midst of battle: she owned them and she was proud of it. It was the entire culmination of the skills she's learned, the techniques she's honed, and the intuition she's polished.

Surely, if the Sword Princess was at the same level, she could do it.

Surely, if Lyu was at the same level, she could do it.

Surely, if Antianeira was at the same level, she could do it.

Surely, if the Amazon was at the same level, she could do it.

Surely, if Jormungand was at the same level, she could do it.

So why wouldn't she?

She huffed and lunged forward, without so much as an indication of her motives. The spear came up and around: a quick horizontal swipe followed by a series of rapid thrusts, each increasing in tempo.

However, the monster simply leapt out of the way, retreating out of range of the attacks, even as Mikoto improvised and followed with another string of moves, the Sphinx weaved through the thrusts and strikes, strafing and deflecting and keeping pace.

Gritting her teeth as she was forced to step back, the polearm spun around in her arms as it came up horizontal across her body, taking the full brunt of the monster's pounce.

Her footing shifted against the loose sand and gravel and she shuffled her grip on the yari, fully deflecting the blow and smoothly transitioning into a counter thrust, hoping to catch the monster with a crippling blow.

Even still, just as quickly as the monster attacked, it withdrew, retreating to a safe distance away from the counterattack, only with a small nick across its face.

Mikoto was forced on the defensive as the two felines attacked, surrounding her and always keeping her on guard, slowly whittling away at her stamina. The Sphinxes closed in from both sides, encircling her and Mikoto dove forward as they pounced. As she rolled and leapt up onto her feet, the yari came up just in time to deflect another attack, the force of the blows hammering into her arms and chest.

Winning back some breathing room using a string of well-placed counterattacks, the monsters retreated and she stumbled forward before resuming her defensive stance once more. Her brows furrowed, watching the monster encircling her. Her arms never stopped, always shifting the spear around, keeping it ready for anything the felines tried. Her jaw was clenched tight; sweat rolled down her cheek, and she wiped it away as it reached her chin.

Her grip tightening around the shaft of her spear, she raised it and bent it over her knee, snapping it in half.

The monsters stiffened by the jerky motion and the sudden sound, and Mikoto took the opportunity, rearing back and letting the shortened yari, now a fully functional javelin, rip through the air, moving far faster than she ever could.

The Sphinx only had a split second to avoid the blow and it leapt to the side, the tip of the spear just grazing its hind leg as it avoided the blow—

However, as it had made its way out of imminent danger, it was immediately thrust back into it, finding itself pelted by a salvo of shuriken.

The blades dug into the rocky flesh of the monster, chipping away at the sandstone and momentarily paralyzing it. Mikoto took the chance she had and advanced with tempo.

The Eternal Shadow dashed forward with all of the speed she could muster, throwing the full power of her legs into her sprint. With a raspy scrape as the blade was drawn from her waist, she stepped forward and turned her body around in a devastatingly quick iaijutsu. Slicing horizontally, the monster reared back as its face was nearly sliced apart, and Mikoto abruptly killed her momentum, digging the balls of her right foot into the ground, spinning around and bringing the blade over her head—

A glint filled her violent eyes—

In a flash, using the entire weight of her body, her blade came down, and with even more force than the previous strike, separating the head of the feline from its neck. It fell to the ground in two delayed thumps— the first, the severed head, and the second, the body, crumbling as it went along, turning to rubble.

However, her victory was short-lived as the second Sphinx pounced, catching her off guard while she was preoccupied with killing its ally.

She was immediately forced onto the defensive as she raised her blade, deflecting the flurry of attacks. Its claws came unending, grinding against her blade and sending showers of sparks flying. The katana held up against the barrage of blows, stopping each attack, yet the force behind each impact resonated deep within her bones. Her arms grew numb from the attack, as did her shoulders.

Gritting her teeth, she stepped back, finally falling out of sync with the monster. The feline advanced, its paw wound back for an attack on her exposed chest, and she barely had her sword there in time to prevent the fatal blow—

Swinging with as much strength as she could muster, the katana flew upwards out of reach.

But it worked, and the monster flailed back from the recoil, which gave her enough time to unsheath and kunai and Chizan from her belt, arming herself for another confrontation with the beast.

As if taking it as a sign of challenge, the Sphinx pounced and dragged its paws across, both sets of claws tearing a devastating arc through the air. Against such ferocity, Mikoto was only able to retreat, using her short swords to deflect the attacks to the best of her ability, avoiding only the lethal and crippling blows.

She used every weapon at her disposal: sidestepping a blow, she drove the kunai knife into the monster's gut and discarded it, unsheathing another and weaved through the feline's thrashing arms, dragging Chizan across back-and-forth, cutting through the monster's chest and neck.

The Sphinx grew increasingly agitated as the fight went on. It snarled as it felt a blade slide into its neck and it pounced, smothering her with its massive paws, trying to crush her under its impressive strength.

Nonetheless, Eternal Shadow simply kept her ground and continued her attack, scoring whatever little victories she could and bracing herself for anything thrown at her. Her raven hair was whipped around into a mess; blood rolled down her cheek from where the monster had cut her face; more cuts were littered throughout her arms and legs where the glass and sand had dug into her skin and where the monster had managed to catch her off guard.

The Sphinx thrashed around wildly, knowing that its opponent was going to fall at any moment— and it was right in that regard.

The samurai's movements became laboured and sluggish; it was all she could do to keep up. She stumbled and staggered, sucking in a deep breath. Her head spun but she kept her arms moving— barely enough to keep up.

Yet, the feline redoubled its efforts and pressed down with its whole body, and the adventurer was forced to her knees, struggling under the massive weight. With the kunai knife in her left hand and Chizan in her right, she thrust both upwards at the monster's large paws, stopping them and locking them in place.

Her arms shook and the feline's eyes turned into narrow slits, looking down at the adventurer. It snarled and snapped its maw, rearing its head back, ready to bite down at her face and end her there—

The monster tensed back, stumbling backwards, allowing Mikoto a window of opportunity— one she took without hesitation and with anticipated speed.

Her right hand came back with Chizan in tow and she thrust it forward— right up to the monster's neck, twisting the blade as she pushed herself up with her legs— with whatever remaining strength she had left. The monster wailed, its hind legs giving way and collapsing from under it, sending it toppling sideways, crumbling against the sand and gravel.

Mikoto fell to her knees as soon as the monster slumped to the ground. She propped herself up with her shaking arms, barely able to keep herself upright. Her breathing was ragged and tense as her violet gaze came up to the monster— to its neck where a gleaming silver blade— the one she had discarded earlier— stuck out at an angle. Looking up at that blade, her hands tightened around the hilt of Chizan, and her gaze rose, watching the others around her fight.

It can be said that when the gods bestow a new name upon those adventurers who've reached greater and greater heights, it is both a celebration of their achievements and also a chance for rebirth.

"We've seen what you can do. So what are you going to show us next?"

The names they give, though oftentimes purely in jest, are more often than not a representation of this rebirth— the emergence of a new challenge. Whether that adventurer will rise up to meet that challenge— to overcome and undergo yet another rebirth— is, of course, what they strive for.

And yet, those who cannot are those who are condemned: never to be reborn— merely lost, dead, and in limbo.

Eternal Shadow— always in the shadow, following the light— always reaching for the light but never becoming it— never being able to touch it; only merely watching it.

But she didn't mind that. She didn't need the glory nor the fame. She didn't need the spotlight; she didn't need to be like Antianeira, the Sword Princess, Nine Hells, Jormungand, or the Amazon. As long as she becomes strong enough to protect and save those she cares about; as long as she never loses sight of who she is and what she stood for; she'll live in the shadows— and she'll be content in it.

However… she's no fool; she knows. A shadow cannot exist without light. So then, what happens if, in time, that light disappears? What happens to she who is the shadow?

This was her challenge; the one the gods had given her upon her reception of the name Eternal Shadow: to live and to keep on fighting even in the absence of that light— to overcome it and not to be bound by it—

A rebirth; just as they who have come before her—

Yamato Mikoto, the adventurer, shall adventure.

Lyu flew across the sandy dunes as the flock of Gryphons descended, brandishing their talons as they dove downwards. Around her, Sphinxes and Yellow Bighorns approached, deliberately waiting for an opportune moment to strike.

"In the sky of a now distant forest. Infinite stars scattered in the endless night sky…"

As a Gryphon dove down, her blade was there, intercepting the crushing weight of the monster bearing down on her with its sharp talons, seeking to slash her apart. Freeing her longsword from the bind, she brought her blade forward in a counterattack: swinging her sword inwards and then across, forcing the hybrid monster to parry her strike before it took a massive leap upwards into the open sky out of range.

Ducking out of the way as a Bighorn followed up on the attack, she parried the ram's charging attack and ended the monster in one move, cutting through its fur and severing its head, sending both it and the body to the sand with a thump.

Even still, she got no time to recuperate as a nimble Sphinx attacked, leaping onto her and bringing its heavy paws down in a devastating blow. Her longsword buzzed as she kept pace with the feline's attack, parrying the sharp claws carving through the air. Strafing sideways as the monster brought its right paw down, her blade flashed a deadly silver and took off the feline's foreleg, sending it crashing into the ground. Thrusting her blade forward, the magic stone within the monster's sandstone chest shattered, turning it to dust.

She huffed and even as her heart nearly exploded out of her chest, her incantation never stopped and only got faster. Each breath became more shallow than the previous and each syllable she pronounced set the rhythm of the fight.

"Respond to my foolish voice, give me now the divine protection of starfire. Give the mercy of light to the one that abandoned you."

A Gryphon swooped down from above, driving its talons forward with incredible force. The talons scraped along the length of her longsword, letting out a terrible ringing noise, sending showers of sparks flying. Deflecting the blow, she carved a silver crescent through the air, cutting a deep gash into the monster's left wing, sending it plummeting to the sand.

Even still, the hybrid was a force to be reckoned with— formed from the union between two apex predators who reigned over their respective territory. The Gryphon lunged at her with the power in its hind legs, dragging its talons around in a wide arc, and the Elf met its attacks, speeding up her swordplay, trying to outpace the monster.

"Come, wandering wind; the wandering traveller. Cross the sky and run through the wilderness; run faster than anything else."

She dove to the side as yet another Gryphon descended to help its brethren, and she rolled along the sand and gravel, coming up to her knees just as a Sphinx from behind pounced. Shifting her attention behind her, she dove yet again, under the feline, ducking under the blow. As she stabilized herself, she quickly turned and thrust her blade out, slashing the hindleg of the large cat and sending it tumbling to the ground.

However, she had no time to finish the monster as another was upon her. Hopping onto her feet, she strafed sideways as a Bighorn charged. Her longsword flashed in a silver crescent, parrying the blow and counterattacking the instant after, crippling the monster.

"Imbue the light of stardust and destroy the enemy."

A golden-green glow emanated from the magic circle by her feet. Dancing around her, an array of particles, shaped like crescent moons, fluttered upwards, whipping her cloak into a frenzy.

"Luminous Wind."

An incessant vortex arose— a calamitous gale— a perpetual eddy of these petals lifted into the air, collecting like a chandelier around her— with her in its center, surrounded by the ethereal glow.

The Gryphons surrounding her were grounded as their wings were slashed. They plummeted to the ground, cawing as the feathers were torn apart. The Sphinxes retreated, leaping away from the encroaching storm, but were unable to outrun the gale and their sandstone bodies crumbled against the might of the tempest. The Bighorns tried to do the same but were unsuccessful in their endeavour, swept up by the winds and turning to golden ash, their limbs and bodies mangled by the biting vortex, carving into their flesh and fur.

Propelled forward by her magic, her blade became a blur, guiding the flow of the wind. The longsword came down and the stardust went forth. Like leaves and petals, they danced across the air; but like the wicked edge of her sword, they tore through everything in their path, spiralling into sickles, arcing across the sand and gravel.

The air around her turned a musky gray as the monsters exploded into dust. Snarls mixed with bleats and caws as the monsters huffed out their final breaths.

As the storm finally came to a stop, with the last few particles of stardust buzzing around her, the battlefield became silent as the last few monsters were defeated.

Her sky blue eyes scanned across the enclosed space of the rocky outcrop and she released a breath she didn't realize she was holding.

In terms of martial arts skills, she was undoubtedly sure her raw talent and potential would eventually and easily be surpassed by Eternal Shadow. This was not to say anything about those who have already surpassed her: the Sword Princess, Hildrsleif, and Dainsleif, just to name a few.

The only thing she had— what she prided herself upon— was the speed and precision of her song.

And so that was her job— her obligation as someone who called herself a magic swordswoman. Like the Sword Princess, like Hildrsleif, like Dainsleif, and, certainly very much like her Captain, too.

For someone who only had one thing, it was the only thing she could do. Because, otherwise, what else is there?

Her magic would become her wings— the ones that will carry her forward and allow her to surpass any wall. She'll learn to control it, to sustain it, to shape it, to hone it to near perfection— until it becomes enough of a force to be reckoned with: one she can use to defeat evil and to do good, and so she never has regrets—

To honour the legacy of her first friend and her familia, and the beloved Goddess she served without fail—

Lyu Leon, the adventurer, shall adventure.

Several hours had passed since their encounter with the Monster Party. They continued along with their expedition, traversing through the vast desert biome, ultimately finding yet another outcrop where a fissure in the wall of the nearby cliff face led deeper into a cavern.

The adventurers had set up camp around the area with Aisha and Lyu currently on guard.

Mikoto, Chigusa, and Haruhime were busy preparing the meal for dinner and the rations for tomorrow's breakfast and lunch.

Welf had set up his portable forge, working on any emergency repairs.

Lili, Daphne, and Cassandra were organizing and taking stock of their resources. The Pallum carefully fine-tuned her agenda according to her observations, ensuring their expedition would continue to be a success.

Bell and Ouka were setting up camp, assembling the tents and running errands for the others.

The campsite was a hive of activity as each member tended to their roles, working efficiently together so they could rest up for tomorrow.

A couple of hours passed, and dinner was served. Each member took their fill at their own convenience before retiring for the night one by one once fatigue caught up with them.

Eventually, only the ambient sounds of a crackling fire were heard through the silence of the vast desert biome. The subtle chill swept across the adventurers and they nestled deeper into their sleeping packs. Lookout guards were swapped out every hour and the adventurers dreamed of the coming day…

And the day after, and after, and after…

They dreamed of the adventures they would embark upon.

The campsite began moving as the light from the crystals marked the beginning of a new day within the Great Desert. The adventurers awoke one by one, preparing themselves for the day. Gathering together by the main hearth, they shared a communal breakfast before splitting off to tend to their morning routines. Gathering their belongings and suiting up for a new day of adventuring, the expedition party moved at a quick pace, assembling by the mouth of the cave in formation, well-equipped to tackle the Great Desert once more.

The morning started out not unlike the previous. The adventurers continued down the at-times open and other-times enclosed sandy dunes, treading through the pathways. Making their way past an outcrop and down a slope into a cave system, they kept their eyes open, looking around for the resources they needed to collect: namely, a special type of herb that grew on the Floors as proof of their successful expedition as requested by the Guild.

Eventually, the party made their way back to the surface after a few confrontations with burrowing monsters like Sandworms, Armoured Centipedes, and Sand Scorpions that resided deeper than the Desert's surface monsters. Moving through a series of uphill slopes and tunnels until they exited the mouth of the cavern, Lili flipped open her pocket watch and gathered the adventurers around to rest up.

Without needing to be told twice, the group did as they were asked and began setting up for lunch, establishing a perimeter around their encampment and assigning Aisha on guard duty.

Mikoto and Haruhime began distributing the meals, digging through the supporter's packs and retrieving the food they had packaged that morning in preparation for the day.

Everyone got their share of oats, vegetables, and dried meat, and they rested themselves against the rocks, settling down after their laborious journey through the ravines and caverns.

However, their lunch was interrupted as the Amazon's sharp voice cut through their picnic.

Each member sprung into action, grabbing their weapons and turning to face the threat.

"Blood Mosquitos— a swarming attack—" Lili's eyes darted across the cloud of monsters bearing down on them, the black mass shifting like a deadly cloud. "Everyone, get whatever you can and run!"

The adventurers did as they were told, grabbing the bags closest to them before breaking out in a wild sprint.

As they went along, Lili sent her gaze back and gave another order. "Mister Welf, Miss Lyu—!"

Both adventurers nodded. Ignis unsheathed the magic sword from his hip while the Gale Wind began her incantation.

"In the sky of a now distant forest. Infinite stars scattered in the endless night sky…"

"Master Bell, buy us some time—!"

Rabbit Foot turned around as he raised his right fist, throwing forward a shower of scarlet sparks.

"Firebolt!"

The lightning crackled as it raced forward, carving through the air, leaping from monster to monster, turning each one to cinders.

Nonetheless, the deadly onslaught of insects kept on coming, and Bell backpedalled, keeping pace with the group and attacking again.

"Firebolt!"

The scarlet flames danced through the air, burning away at the horde, yet barely making noticeable progress. They buzzed around angrily.

"Firebolt!"

The mosquitoes popped as the sparks reached them, exploding to ash, yet they advanced relentlessly, through the streaks of lightning and fire.

"Imbue the light of stardust and destroy the enemy."

Welf stepped forward beside Bell as he heard Lyu finish her chant.

"Luminous Wind!"

"Tatsumaki!"

"Firebolt!"

There was a great tower of flames as the adventurers came to a stop, their gazes united as they looked on. The fire, festered by the powerful wind, consumed all and the loud, thunderous buzzing of the mosquitoes was drowned out by the roar of the inferno.

All of the adventurers heaved, wiping the sweat from their chin and brow.

However, even this was not enough, and the black mass surged forward, breaking through the cyclone.

Welf brought the longsword strapped to his back around as the dagger in his hands crumbled to dust. With a single swing of his blade, the desert as far as the eye could see was set ablaze.

"Kadzuki!"

As the monsters were met with yet another wall of flames, the adventurers continued their retreat, expecting the worst-case scenario.

Lili's keen eyes scanned across the landscape, searching the horizon for shelter— anything that would allow them to take refuge to outlive the Irregular monster swarm.

The adventurers followed after her, trailing behind as they stole glances back, regularly turning around to fend off the swarm before the pesky insects could bite and spread their deadly malady. Bell kept a close watch around Welf, Lili, and Mikoto, the former who did not possess the Abnormal Resistance Development Ability and the latter two, whose resistances were not suitable for the Lower Floors. Lyu, on the other hand, hovered over Ouka and Chigusa, neither of whom were safe from the blight produced by the Blood Mosquitoes. Aisha danced around Haruhime, warding away any that got too close with her greatsword, disrupting the monsters' preferred swarming strategy. Daphne did the same, her skill greatly boosting her agility, making her capable of dispelling any attacks from reaching her and Cassandra.

"There!"

Lili's gaze came upon an outcrop in the distance and the party made an immediate bee-line for it, desperately sprinting towards it.

Ducking into the sandstone and limestone underpass, the adventurers followed after her, climbing past the Dungeon Cactus, ignoring the needles that dug into their skin as they crawled through the mouth of the cavern, eventually entering the other side.

Once everyone had crossed the narrow passageway into the cavern, Bell turned, thrusting out his right palm.

"Firebolt!"

The sheer force of the blow slammed into the mouth of the cave. The cavern walls shook and the rubble gave way as the loose gravel and sand collapsed, sealing the entrance and keeping out the swarming Mosquitoes.

The adventurers all heaved, their eyes fixed on the rocks and debris. Some of them collapsed onto their behinds, taking a seat on the sandstone floor to catch their breaths. Several minutes later, the adrenaline finally died down.

Lili and Haruhime began passing out potions as a precaution, allowing the adventurers to rest up and recover in case they were bitten. Once they finished, they sat down as well, drinking their own potions and recovering as they silently ate whatever remained of their lunch.

"We'll dig in for the day and do some preparations for tomorrow. Lili wants everyone to begin settling up the camp once you've finished eating. Miss Mikoto, Mister Ouka, Miss Chigusa, Miss Daphne, and Miss Cassandra, Lili wants you to rotate on guard duty."

The five aforementioned adventurers nodded their heads, too winded to give a proper reply.

She addressed Ignis. "Mister Welf, Lili wants you to repair any equipment; make sure they're in their best condition for tomorrow. Everyone, if you have anything you need to be repaired, give it to Mister Welf so he can get to work on it."

The smith, too, simply nodded, nibbling away at his jerky.

Then, she turned to Rabbit Foot, Antianeira, and Gale Wind. "Master Bell, Miss Lyu, Miss Aisha, please meet with Lili once you've finished. Lili wishes to speak to all of you."

Soon enough, the party continued their delayed lunch in silence, their breathing steadily returning to normal after their prolonged and hasty retreat.

xxx

Soon enough, an hour later, the camp had been set up. Currently, Daphne was on guard with Cassandra. Welf was off in an adjacent tunnel; his forge was lit and his hammering resounded throughout the small corridor.

Lili, Bell, Lyu, and Aisha had tucked themselves within one of the tents, seated around a small table.

"We still don't know yet if this is a regular cave or the Desert Ruins. Lili understands the risk of venturing too deep, especially given our limited knowledge and formation, but we'll simply have to make do with the situation." She set the book she referenced on the table. "Lili would recommend that we move deeper in and try to find an exit elsewhere; regular caves offer convenient passages to other parts of the map, as does the Ruins. Since we aren't well enough equipped to deal with the Blood Mosquito swarm outside, the best option is to avoid it altogether." The Little Ash shared her plan with the others.

"But the problem is that if we have actually found ourselves within the Desert Ruins, is it any better than trying to fight off the Irregular? The Ruins are essentially analogous to a Monster Pantry; if we have to spend every moment on guard, it'll make the others restless." Antianeira gave her rebuttal, which was soon backed by the Gale Wind.

"Especially more so that the Desert Ruins are scarcely mapped. It's one thing to navigate through the tunnels and cave systems; it's another to know where we are once we exit. I cannot agree with going in deeper; it's simply too risky, especially now that the others aren't at their best. It would be better if we simply waited here until the swarm outside subsided."

Now, as everyone gave their own thoughts about the situation, they turned to Bell, who had sat listening to them just off to the side. They eyed him carefully, waiting for him to speak.

Finally: "what are the chances we survive if we go back out to the Blood Mosquitoes?"

"If we take another day to prepare everyone and we plan it well, it's possible for us to outrun the swarm and return to the 29th. It's also possible they'll leave eventually, but most likely they'll be nearby and will catch on quick." Was the Elf's response. However, she took a deep breath and continued. "But if something goes wrong along the way, anyone under Level 2 may get seriously injured and ill before we can give them proper care. At best, it will be a mild malady that will go away with Mirabilis' and my magic; at the worst, it will be something that needs the attention of a professional like Dea Saint."

He clasped his hands together over the table.

"And if we decide to go deeper and find another way out, what are the chances we'll be able to return to the surface before our rations run out?"

"The 37th Floor is said to be as large as Orario. At most, it'll take us a day or two to traverse through the entirety of the 30th Floor to find the exit back to the 29th, accounting for the time we need to rest and fight. We have enough resources as long as we can find an exit within two days." Came the reply from the Pallum. "For a regular cave, this is easy. But, if it's like Miss Lyu and Miss Aisha say: the Ruins are unpredictable and difficult to navigate. If we're smart, then we'll be able to do it."

His knuckles turned white as fingers interlaced tightly against one another. Taking a deep breath, he furrowed his brows and pursed his lips.

"We—"

He was interrupted by a holler from outside the tent— a call for attention from Mikoto and Daphne— causing the adventurers to hop up from their seats with their weapons in tow. Aisha's greatsword trailed behind her as she ran out of the tent. Bell drew the Hestia Knife and Hakugen, which were both in good enough condition that he had decided to keep them on him. Lyu's longsword, however, needed mild repairs, and thus, she brandished her two shortswords as she jumped into battle alongside her allies.

Lili slipped on the Little Ballista and got to work, securing important documents and belongings into her satchel before running out—

Outside was complete mayhem.

Stuck in a relatively narrow section of the tunnel, the adventurers had grouped themselves up in the center as the multi-legged Armoured Centipede crawled out from a crevice in the wall. Its metal-reinforced legs scraped against the sandstone and bedrock, making an awful grinding noise.

The burgundy haired adventurer leapt forward as her Fencer Laureate flashed through the air, driving into the monster's tough skin, slicing through and leaving small gashes.

Nonetheless, the monster continued its attack, crawling through the narrow corridor, swivelling its forelegs around, trying to catch Daphne with its venom.

The adventurers were forced onto the defensive as even more monsters burrowed out from the ground.

Two Sandworms dug themselves up from the ground, rows of razor-sharp teeth brandished in the little light within the tunnel. The party leapt backwards, restricting themselves even more as they cleared the way from the underground attack.

From deeper in the cavern, Desert Scorpions clattered out from the darkness, snapping their pincers and striking with their stingers, blindly attacking the group.

Even still, surrounded, the adventurers stepped up to meet the challenge, hastily assembling themselves for the task.

Chigusa, who stood in the middle, fired her arrows at a steady pace. The Sandworms, who didn't possess the same exoskeleton as the Centipede or the Scorpion, were easily kept at bay by the projectiles, which prevented them from getting too close. Even if they tried burrowing to disrupt the group, they would only be putting themselves into dangerous territory.

On the other hand, Ouka and Mikoto worked together to fend off the Scorpions. The former's shield worked well to deflect stinger and pincer attacks while the latter's long-reaching polearm allowed her to fight and remain behind the safety of a shield at the same time.

Some distance away, Daphne kept the Centipede busy. As the only second-class adventurer available, it was her job to make sure her allies were safe until the other second-tiers arrived. She ducked, rolled, and sidestepped as the monster kept on using its forelegs to attack, where its dangerous venom could be discharged. Daphne was confident that if the Centipede got its venom off, she would be dangerously injured, but she fought on, leveraging the increased agility from her skill to dodge the attacks.

As Aisha, Lyu, Bell, and Lili joined the fray, the Little Ash immediately began giving out orders: "Miss Aisha, help Miss Daphne— Miss Lyu, help Miss Mikoto and the others!" She fired an arrow from her Little Ballista, which sank into the flesh of a Sandworm, momentarily stopping its approach and giving the others time to back away. "Master Bell, find Mister Welf!"

The second-tier adventurers ran forward to their assigned posts.

Antianeira's giant blade came crashing down on the Centipede and it weaved its way out of the devastating blow just in time, avoiding the lethal attack. Nonetheless, even though the monster avoided the blow, Aisha simply kicked forward and spun. In a fluid sequence of acrobatic strikes, her podao dragged against the ground before carving through the air horizontally. Then, as the blade returned once more for a diagonal strike downwards, she leapt into the air, using all of the tension built in her knees to spin. Using all of the torque from her leap, the blade came up and she drove it down at break-neck speeds.

The greatsword plunged into the ground with little resistance, catching the tail of the Centipede, breaking through the exoskeleton. The monster squirmed as it tried to get free; its multiple legs clacked, scraping against the sandstone and gravel, and it reared its head back towards the Amazon.

Before the monster could counterattack, though, Daphne advanced and she dashed forward, leaping up as her short sword trailed behind her in a silver arc. Swiping it perpendicular to the ground, she cut off one of its spasming forelegs, causing it to thrash around even wilder than before.

As the monster crashed into the ground in front of her, she drove her blade forward, plunging it into the crevice of its armour. Despite this, the attack glanced off of the Centipede's reinforced exoskeleton, but she simply tried again, using more force and with more precision. Even as the monster flailed about and shoved her into the wall, she drove it down, this time earning a small dent and crack in the monster's armour.

Gritting her teeth, she braced herself and ducked as the Centipede swung its body around, and clambered onto the monster, giving herself ample time to strike. The blade came over her head and in a lightning-fast blow, it came down— this time, finally breaking through, penetrating the thick plated exoskeleton and scratching the magic stone which lay beneath.

The monster reared back, trying to throw her off. However, with a good handle on the hilt of her blade, she held on and shimmied it around, twisting and jerking it until she found just the right angle. She heard a sickening snap and an articulate pop before the monster fell limp against the floor.

Daphne fell alongside the monster, and she plummeted to the ground now with her foothold gone. Beneath her, Cassandra stood waiting, catching the falling girl and just barely softening the impact, causing both to fall to the not-so-comfortable, jagged gravel floor. The former went down with a yelp and the latter a groan. The two laid there as the burgundy haired adventurer caught her breath, wheezing and coughing as the navy haired healer began doing her work, casting her magic on the dark bruises and red scrapes on her friend's arms and face.

The Amazon made her way over to them, her blade coming down and severing the head of the monster— merely as a safety precaution.

Sweeping her violet gaze across the dimly lit cavern, she watched as her party members finished off the remaining monsters. The Sandworms fell as a blur of black and white cut through them, splitting them open through their soft underbellies. Just a few paces away the Desert Scorpions turned to ash as a soft, lush green glow tore them apart from the inside, grinding their magic stones up in a swirling vortex of wind.

A cloud of ash and dust dispersed across the battlefield and a momentary silence fell over them.

Aisha stood over Daphne and Cassandra as the two women sat together, the latter supporting the former, who had her head in her hands and was catching her breath, quietly groaning.

The usually quiet and reserved Chigusa was a mess: sweat soaked into her clothes and her shoulders heaved up and down; she barely had a grip on her bow.

Bell stood alongside Welf. The smith held under his arm several of the party members' weapons and armour, tucked loosely into a messy cloth bundle. They were as they were just before he had gotten to work and even the ones that seemed to be repaired were only half-so.

Ouka sat on the ground, his shield laid on the ground beside him and he closed and opened his fists repeatedly as if checking he could still move them. Beside him, Mikoto sat with her legs sprawled out, propping herself up with her arms. Haruhime sat next to her, offering her a potion, though she refused. Lyu stood, keeping a tight watch over them.

Lili licked her lips as she saw all of it, her fists clenched by her side.

"We can't go deeper like this; if we try, they'll simply get more agitated. Not only that, but they're already all tired; we can't push on like this. But if we stay here, we'll be cornered if more come. Even with Miss Lyu, Miss Aisha, and Master Bell, as well as Miss Mikoto's skill…"

She took a deep breath as she swept her gaze over the group again.

"Everyone, listen up. Miss Aisha, Miss Lyu, Master Bell, please stay on guard as we prepare to rest. Mister Welf, relocate yourself and work here, closer to us, in case of emergencies. Everyone else, please eat and rest up as soon as possible; we'll need everyone to be ready to move once the weapons and armour are repaired—"

She stopped, snapping her gaze over as Mikoto broke out in hysterics. Lili was shocked for a moment; never would she imagine the always stoic samurai to—

The ground beneath them broke apart, and out sprung another Armoured Centipede, crawling out of the split sandstone and bedrock.

Bell immediately leapt forward, the Hestia Knife and Hakugen leaving a black and white trail behind him. He hopped as the Centipede struck forward with its razor-sharp forelegs, hoping to cut and poison the boy. Nonetheless, with Bell's agility, he was able to sidestep the blows, weaving in-between the monster's attacks, counterattacking whenever he got the chance.

However, his success was short-lived. As he took a step back, ducking out of range of the Centipede's reach, he suddenly reared back and turned, strafing out of the way as a Scorpion's stinger descended, striking where he once was. Sparks flew and Bell braced his knees for the impact, rolling against the ground before hopping onto his feet, raising both of his blades up, brandishing their edge at the monsters.

However, just as quickly as the monsters came, they left, both burrowing underground out of the sight of the adventurers. Only Mikoto was able to keep track of them, and she gripped onto the fabric of Haruhime's kimono; her breathing picked up and her eyes glazed over.

"They're still here… and there's more of them—"

A snarl echoed from behind them— from within the darkness, echoing through the cavern. A clear threat.

And thus a three-way predicament was born. Stay and fight: at the best, non-life-threatening injuries and the expedition would continue for a brief while after; at the worst, they'd die fighting. Escape by running away: at the best, they'd be able to run to somewhere safer and maybe even back to the 29th; at the worst, the Irregular Blood Mosquitoes catch up with them and they'd get bitten to death. Escape by going deeper: at the best, they'd be able to take cover within the caves and ravines until they were strong enough to fight or escape; at the worst, they'd die trying.

The trilemma was not of which option had the best worst-case; rather, it was of which option had the best probability of not devolving into the worst-case.

Unfortunately, Lili had no liberty to consider their options as the monsters came again, breaking out from the ground. There was no option but to run deeper. Even if they tried blasting open the entrance now, they'd only be forced to fight a battle from both sides.

Gritting her teeth and ready to accept the repercussions of her decision, Lili raised her voice, Command Call amplifying her shout.

"Everyone, we have to go down, now! We'll be trapped if we stay here—!"

Lyu and Aisha both looked on incredulously, but begrudgingly admitted the merit behind her orders and followed suit. Aisha grabbed Daphne and Cassandra from the ground, hoisting both over her shoulder. Lyu did the same as well, picking up Haruhime and running after the Amazon. Ouka carried Chigusa and Welf ran to Mikoto's side as Lili followed right after.

"Protect our rear, Master Bell!"

The boy responded with a chant and a fountain of scarlet sprung forth from his outstretched arm, bathing the entire cavern in the crimson light.

Unfazed by the threat, the monsters simply disappeared beneath the ground, only to reappear a moment later, unscathed by the flames.

Gritting his teeth, with practiced, acrobatic finesse, Bell ducked under, leapt over, and dove away from the blows that came his way. Black and white danced around him as trails of sparks flew, lighting up the dimly lit corridor. Large, heavy stingers descended, but the Hakugen was there, deflecting the attack before it could reach him. The twisting, grotesque body of the Centipede rampaged throughout the cavern, but the Hestia Knife was there, keeping the venomous forelegs at bay.

Humans and monsters have a unique relationship. Unlike in nature, there is no true classification of the relationship between humans and monsters. Unlike the birds of prey, or wolves, lions, tigers, and bears, or orcas and sharks, all of whom reign as apex predators over their respective domains, humans and monsters have no such distinction.

At the front of the party, Lyu overtook Aisha and led the charge. Her magic buzzed around her, thoroughly warding away any monsters looking to slow them down. She took whatever paths were available to her, passing through the winding corridors. The only goal on her mind was finding an advantageous position to fight back and overturn their current predicament.

Sometimes the prey; other times the predator. The roles these two species play largely follow the ebb and flow of circumstance. However, it is that circumstance that gives rise to the adventurers. They who trespass into the den of the monsters— to fight and live or die. In a world unfamiliar to them, they who would be hunted—

Lili, who was now being carried by Welf, kept track of all of the passages, keeping them stored at the back of her mind for their way back up.

Leaping down a two-meter drop, the Elf's sensitive ears picked up the sound of the thundering steps in front of her, and she took the meagre opportunity she was given, trying to create even at least a fighting chance for her party from scratch.

Lyu dashed into the chamber, skidding to a stop suddenly as her wind buzzed around her, whipping her cloak and hair into a frenzy.

Haruhime was let down right next to the Elf, and the Renart took a moment to catch her breath before she began her song.

Aisha followed, already halfway through her incantation. Her greatsword stood at the ready, trailing behind her.

Daphne hopped down alongside Cassandra; the burgundy haired adventurer raised her sword, brandishing its edge and the navy haired healer recited her prose.

Ouka and Welf came in not a moment later with Chigusa, Mikoto, and Lili in tow. Being held up by Chigusa, Mikoto reached out her hands, beginning her incantation. Lili raised her magic sword, its blue edge glinting, juxtaposed by the scarlet blade in Welf's hands as he stood next to her. The Far Easterner man readied both his battleaxe and shield, prepared to throw himself forward to protect his party.

And then, last came Bell, his right arm shrouded in a cloak of white and the sound of twinkling chimes following in his wake. He came to a grinding stop, rearing his fist backwards.

Everyone's weapons were ready, as was their magic. This would be their biggest chance at a last stand—

—shall become the hunters.

—the ground beneath them broke and like an active trigger, the scarlet spark emerged, racing alongside the white light and becoming a swelling tide, crashing forward onto the monsters approaching from behind. The raging inferno grew larger as it engulfed the narrow corridor, basking it in a hellish glow.

Aisha and Mikoto, whose eyes had been watching the corridor nearest to them keenly, activated their magic in unison as a pile of rubble burst from the ground. The crimson shockwave that originated from her podao blasted the ceiling of the underpass, causing the rocks to come tumbling down. At the same time, the violet blade descended from the sky, driving the rocks into the ground, crushing the monsters trying to get past.

With her undivided attention to the passageway ahead of her, guided by the blade, the howling tempest surged forward, fluttering in a ceaseless, fervent rhythm, tearing apart anything that was in the way.

The wind whipped through the room, stirring up the dust and sand. The passageways around them collapsed, the rubble shattering as it touched the floor— like glass— causing the debris to be sent flying, settling around the adventurers in a haze.

As the dirt and soot dispersed, all adventurers raised their weapons, ready to take on any monster.

Their united breathing came out ragged and laboured. They strained their ears and their eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. Their bodies were tense, waiting for the monsters to come— waiting for the subtlest shifts that would indicate motion or for the slightest peeps that would reveal the location of their prey— now that the tables had turned.

The Elf's ears twitched, and the Far Easterner's eyes opened wide, being the first two to realize.

The Pallum followed, the animal's ears she bore as part of her magic trembled, hearing the sounds from around them.

"There's no way…" Mikoto's words slipped from her mouth, but Lili interrupted the samurai.

"No. It's not that. There's a lot of them, no doubt; but that's not why we failed…" She bared her fangs as a deep growl came from her throat. "It's simple…"

Indeed… Humans and monsters certainly have quite a unique relationship. The adventurers who dive deep into the Dungeon— who hunt the monsters in their domain— do so with the powers granted to them by the deities' blessings— allowing them to match the monsters' superior, natural, raw strength— and by their own wit— to use whatever tricks necessary to gain the upper hand—

So, pray tell, what happens when those very monsters possess equal wit?

"We missed."

The ceiling above them shattered, as did the walls around them and the ground below.

Bell dove sideways as a section of the ceiling collapsed, destroyed by the burrow of several Sandworms and Centipedes. The rubble nearly crushed him, but he weaved in-between the falling rocks, avoiding any that came his way.

Lyu and Aisha, along with Daphne, whose magic gave her the agility she needed to react, as well as Ouka, who was accustomed to reacting fast, grabbed those who were closest to them and ran as well, ducking out of the way of the falling rocks.

Gale Wind rushed forward, grabbing Lili under her arm and tugging on Welf's tunic, throwing the smith over to safety before following, diving forward and tumbling down a slope as a large chunk of limestone nearly crushed her. Ouka followed after her, carrying Chigusa and holding the shield up as he went along, allowing small lumps of sandstone to glance harmlessly off.

Antianeira dashed over to Haruhime and Mikoto just as the ground below both Far Eastern ladies collapsed. The Amazon grabbed onto both women and dove forward, shielding them from the fall as they descended into the cave system below. Cassandra held onto Daphne's back as the two made the perilous trek through the toppling cavern, avoiding the rocks that piled up around them, threatening to separate them from their allies.

Bell jumped back as another boulder came down, rolling against the floor and coming up to his knees. He ran along the edge of the rubble, trying to find a way over, but even the smallest of gaps were far too narrow for him to crawl through. With no other option, he brought his fist up, ready to completely blast through it to get to the other side, however—

Bell whipped around as he raised the Hestia Knife and Hakugen, holding them in a defensive position. The air was forced from his lungs as he was slammed against the wall as a Bloodsaurus' powerful legs came down, nearly snapping his arms off.

As the monster's other leg swung around, the razor-sharp, talon-like heel ready to take his head off, Bell rolled over, using his blades as leverage to free him from the bind. He tumbled against the floor, eventually coming to a stop and propped himself onto his knees, raising his blades once more, ready for anything that would come his way.

The monster simply rushed forward with another attack, bringing its claws down for a devastating strike. Bell stepped forward to meet the attack, the Hestia Knife and Hakugen leaping forward, sending a shower of sparks flying.

Stepping to one side and deflecting the monster's weight to the other, Bell took a swipe at the monster's face, forcing the Bloodsaurus to back off. The monster parried the blow and backed off, leaping away to get some breathing room.

However, Bell, not wanting to lose the initiative, pressed forward with an improvised attack.

Lunging forward and advancing with tempo, Bell's knives danced around him in a stream of black and white as he attacked time and time again, forcing the Bloodsaurus monster onto the defensive. A downwards strike flowed into a horizontal slash and then forward into two thrusts. The monster backed away with every hit, though kept pace with the Rabbit Foot's continuous rush, never faltering against the speed and ferocity of the adventurer's attacks.

Bell couldn't keep up the rhythm for long, and the monster easily capitalized as it swung its leg upwards in a wide arc, forcing him to sidestep, breaking his momentum. A powerful kick slammed into his arms and he stumbled backwards against the force. Staggering, he raised his blades a moment later as the monster lunged forward with another kick.

Ducking under the blow, Bell stepped to the side and improvised a counterattack, but was stopped short as the monster spun around with another kick, forcing Bell to retreat. Now on the defensive, showers of sparks lit the dim cavern around them as the claws of the monster came down with a ferocity that matched his, and he swung his blades with practiced precision, parrying each blow.

Wanting to regain the initiative, Bell quickly stepped forward as he deflected an attack with the Hakugen, opening up the monster's guard and pivoting on the balls of his feet into a horizontal slash with the Hestia Knife.

Nonetheless, the monster simply met the attack head-on, catching the blade between the junctions in its claws and using its immense strength to break the boy's stance. With its crushing grip around the adventurer's fist, it brought its other arm around in a ravenous arc. The silver claws tore through the air right for the boy's face—

Bell clenched his teeth as he brought his other arm up as well, the claws dragging along his silver vambrace.

The monster heaved down with its entire strength, slowly overpowering the adventurer and wrestling him to the ground. Sweat collected on his brow and he felt the monster's breath against his face. His knees buckled from under him and he could see the Bloodsaurus' muscles ripple underneath the vermillion skin.

As his red eyes came up to meet the monster's slitted, sapphire irises, scarlet sparks gathered around his fist. The Bloodsaurus was forced to let go as the flames grew in intensity—

"Firebolt!"

Exploding outwards, the monster reeled back in shock, hissing as the fire scorched its exposed skin.

As it stumbled backwards from the pain, Bell took the time to counterattack, bringing the Hakugen over in a downwards strike and then thrusting the Hestia Knife forward, driving it into the monster's chest.

The first attack struck true, carving out a sizable gash from the monster's shoulder down to the abdomen. However, the second was deflected. The Bloodsaurus swung its left claw leftward, knocking aside the blow, then stepping forward with a counter, all in one swift motion.

Bell retreated as the monster advanced. Raising the Hakugen to deflect the attack, he stepped backwards out of the monster's reach.

Even still, the Bloodsaurus continued its attack and stepped forward once more with yet another attack, swinging its right claw downwards in a devastating diagonal.

Sidestepping the blow, Bell raised the Hestia Knife to deflect the attack, parrying it and sending it off to the side. As he stumbled sideways from the force, however, the monster led with another attack, spinning around in a powerful kick, brandishing the wickedly sharp talon aimed right at the boy's face.

The foot whizzed past his face as Bell ducked under the blow and took a step backwards. His right hand came out and the sparks converged around his fist, condensing into a singularity—

"Firebolt!"

The force of the blast kicked up a cloud of dust and smoke as the monster was smothered by the flames, naked to its heat. It snarled and Bell continued his retreat, leaping backwards—

What he didn't expect, though, was for the monster to leap right through like a raging beast, as if it had been unfazed by the flames. It swung its arms wildly and in a ferocious path, slamming into the ground where Bell had been a moment later, missing by a mere hairbreadth.

Staggering sideways, the monster tore through the rubble and stone, charging forward with its entire body and throwing its entire weight onto him.

Bell barely had time to dive to the side as another cloud of sand and dust enveloped him. He rolled onto his side and then eventually tumbled onto his knees. He huffed out, expelling the dust from his lungs and he leapt onto his feet as the monster snarled.

Raising the Hestia Knife and Hakugen, he brandished them, exposing the steadfast, black and white blades.

At last, there was a moment of peace. Dust billowed through the air, moving in a cloud before dispersing, settling on the ground around them. Bell, huffing, moved sideways, his footsteps slow and deliberate. The monster followed suit, moving opposite to him, always keeping the adventurer in front of it. Around them, more debris continued to precipitate, falling from the ceiling, having flaked off from the impact of their blows.

As the boy and the monster encircled each other, slowly, with their weapons poised to kill, Bell spoke for the first time since they began fighting.

"Hey… can you talk?" He asked, though his attention was still intimately focused on the Bloodsaurus in front of him.

He got a response back, although not one he liked. He braced his knees and dug his heels into the sandstone tiles as the monster lunged forward, leading with a kick and then a claw attack, forcing its opponent onto the defensive.

Rolling to the side, Bell came to his knees just as the monster lunged forward again, this time leading with its claws. Sidestepping the first blow, Bell retaliated just as the second strike came in, the Hakugen making a ringing echo and producing a shower of sparks as it met the claws, grinding against each other as both boy and monster pushed for dominance.

However, it was the Bloodsaurus that came out on top as it heaved forward, forcing Bell to take a step back to alleviate the pressure before retreating entirely, swiping the Hestia Knife around to ward away the monster and resuming his defensive position, trying to find a moment to win back the initiative

Once more, the two encircled each other, their gazes meeting for a brief moment, which only served to confirm Bell's suspicion.

"Are you a Xenos?"

Bell was almost certain this was no ordinary monster; its movements and techniques were far more practiced than what should be considered normal. And, if what Lili had said was any indication, then these monsters were at least a little bit smart. If not a Xenos then it was at least an Irregular.

"Do you know the others? Lyd, Gros, and Ray? Have you heard of them?"

Nonetheless, there was still no response, and the Bloodsaurus lunged forward with an attack.

Gritting his teeth, Bell simply advanced to meet the attack. Diving forward and rolling, he brought the Hakugen and Hestia Knife around in a combined strike, trying to take out the monster's hind leg, but was intercepted as the surprisingly nimble monster leapt to the side, dodging his blow.

As he stopped his momentum and picked himself onto his knees, Bell held his right arm forward, unleashing his magic through the Hestia Knife.

"Firebolt!"

A flash of scarlet lit up the cavern— the spark raced towards the monster, igniting upon impact and causing a great burst of light.

The Bloodsaurus recoiled in response and then snarled as smoke billowed from where it had been forced to tank the blow.

Even still, the monster simply shrugged off the attack and dashed forward, kicking and bringing its serrated talon around, forcing Bell to keep up with its pace and go on the defensive

Evenly matched, they traded blows, each of them capitalizing on their opponent's mistakes. Bell thrust the Hestia Knife forward as the monster parried the blow and countered, leaping into the air and bringing its heavy body down, attempting to crush Bell's legs.

The boy ducked out of the way, stepping to the side and opening with the Hakugen, carving a white crescent through the air, only to have his attack parried, his momentum sent sideways by the monster's counter. Staggering backwards as the Bloodsaurus spun around on its heels, Bell brought both arms over his chest as he felt the crushing weight of the raptor's foot slam into him and he tumbled backwards, falling to the floor.

Leaping onto his feet, he brandished his knives, and the monster scraped its talons across the ground. Settling once more into a moment of impasse, they watched each other keenly. Bell's ruby red eyes watched the form of the Bloodsaurus; the raptor's slitted sapphire gaze observed its opponent carefully.

This time, however, it was the monster who spoke first. A snarl was followed by a cohesive string of Koine—

"I despise you, human."

To that guy who existed: I'll be honest I didn't know. I think I'll just say it's part of my AU since it's so minor anyway.

The chapter was mainly fighting with some development. The next will be a little bit more development but will still have several fight scenes. I've also left you with a cliffhanger, and I hope you guys are excited about what I have for you next :^)

As always, reviews and criticism are helpful.