One day, I realized that I had nothing.
I thought my pockets were full of happiness, but they were actually empty.
This was a surprise, as I thought I was making an effort to fill them.
But I wasn't even aware of it.
Grandpa used to say that I was destined for greatness and that I would be a great hero, even though I was very weak.
Yes, a hero.
My greatest dream has always been to be a hero, like those in the stories my grandpa always told me when I was a child.
Thanks to those stories, I was motivated to become a great hero, like the heroes in the book my grandpa always read to me when I was little.
However, it took a long time for me to realize that I was living a meaningless life and that my goal of becoming a hero was superficial.
Then one day, I suddenly felt like I had wasted a lot of time.
Hestia, my goddess, she was the only person I talked to daily for a long time.
Besides her and grandpa, I didn't have anyone I could call a "friend."
Yes, Hestia, she... was my... friend.
My life couldn't have been more superficial.
...
"I'll do everything again. And I'll do it better this time."
Bell Cranel was in a different place.
"What...?"
"Chihaya, it's dangerous here, so... can you go to the forest alone?"
"Why...? I want to stay here with you, mom..."
A dream.
How long has it been since he dreamed of something like this?
"You can't. Please, do as I say."
"I don't want to... I'm scared..."
"Chihaya... please."
"...Alright."
"Good girl."
The little girl's mother hugged her.
"Go."
The little girl nodded and began to run through the forest. Through the trees, she saw smoke rising in the distance.
"..."
She stopped.
"I... have to run..."
She reached out her hand and summoned.
...A single man appeared in front of her.
"...A summoner."
"...!"
"Don't move."
"Wh-who are you...?" The little girl recoiled in fear.
"..."
The man pointed a firearm.
"Hii... Kyaaaaaaaaaaa!"
Bell Cranel moved to protect her... No, he was just watching the memories of the dream. As much as he wanted to interfere, he couldn't. This only made him more frustrated and simultaneously scared.
He had dreamed a few times before, and in some of these "dreams," he had glimpsed what that firearm was capable of in a world where people fought each other. Although such a "firearm" didn't exist in his world, something that gave him relief, it was still insane. This man was pointing something deadly at a little girl.
In fact, this little girl seemed familiar to him. Yes, the hair was the same color, and she wore the same hair accessories. He had seen her in other "dreams," where she was older, but here, she was just a child.
The Familiar moved forward as if trying to protect the girl. A bullet ricocheted off it.
The man held something else in his hand... a sphere of light. Probably some kind of energy.
He is a Superhuman.
This is a term Bell had learned. People with powers are called that in that place.
Chihaya fled. Her Familiar was destroyed by the sphere of light a few seconds later.
The little girl ran towards a large tree. She knelt down, exhausted, and begged for help. To no one in particular.
...Even so, the tree. Something he couldn't protect... Something he had already forgotten...
However...
Whatever he was thinking about that tree... he knew he had to protect that girl. After all, he never stopped thinking about it.
The "man" felt he had regained consciousness. He wanted to protect this girl.
Suddenly, power surged through his body. His mind took shape. Was this a form of redemption? Did the man take form to redeem himself for his failure?
Bell didn't know what failure this was or why the "man" wanted to redeem himself. Besides, what man? He was only seeing a tree.
In any case, the dying tree quickly came back to life.
And so...
"It's a pleasure to meet you, my master."
In front of the cherry leaves of the tree, a man dressed in Far Eastern clothes appeared, knelt down in front of the girl and said these words. For some reason, Bell felt that he knew this man. He had also seen him before, a "butler".
"From now on, I will protect you."
The man who lost his memories transformed his body into a "Familiar," or Monster, depending on people's preferences. His body returned to the world to protect someone.
The man moved forward to eliminate the threat to her. The man was incredibly powerful. The Superhuman from before was covered in blood within seconds.
Chihaya saw this happen and then lost consciousness. When she woke up again, he had already deeply sealed that vision within her memory. So she would never see him take a life. The Familiar began to follow the girl.
And so...
He heard a voice, the voice of that same man who seemed to be shouting to him.
"Wake up... Tennouji Kotarouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!"
Red eyes opened and his body rose. Bell Cranel was breathing heavily, as if he had just gone through some intense battle or training, even though he had just woken up.
It took some time for him to adjust his breathing and start to calm down again with a sigh of relief.
"Those dreams again..."
How long had it been? He had been having these strange "dreams" since he was a child. Well, although he called them "dreams," they were more like memories because they seemed more vivid than mere dreams. It was quite strange. He had always tried to understand these "memories" since he was a child when he asked for his grandfather's help, but it wasn't that simple.
They never happened in chronological order so he could easily understand them; instead, they were a big randomness of events that didn't seem to make any sense. It was all so confusing that he almost lost his mind several times trying to make it make sense.
"Mmmh."
A sleepy voice pulled Bell out of his thoughts as he looked to the side. Immediately, his face turned as red as a tomato.
It was his goddess, Hestia. She was sleeping right next to him. Her face had a touch of happiness, she was probably dreaming about something happy.
Hestia has blue eyes and black hair tied in twin tails that reach down to her mid-thighs. Her hair is tied with hair accessories that feature blue and white petals, along with bell-shaped ornaments. She was wearing a white minidress with a blue ribbon tied around her neck and one tied under her breasts and around her arms, and a pair of white gloves.
"Kami-sama, I told you not to do this," Bell sighed, his face still red.
She seemed to react to his words, snuggling even closer to him. This action made him immediately move away. He did his best to get up without waking her and then covered her with a blanket.
He quickly began to prepare for his daily routine. It had been about two weeks since he registered as an adventurer with the Guild and joined the Hestia Familia. Initially, he tried to join other Familias, but they all rejected him, only Hestia accepted him.
"Ah, it's no use wasting time thinking about it," he shook his head several times and started getting ready.
After putting on the beginner's armor rented from the Guild, as well as the small knife also rented, Bell began to leave the Abandoned Church. He stopped for a moment before turning and looking in Hestia's direction, who was still sleeping. He gave a small smile.
"I'm off, Kami-sama..."
After saying that, he carefully left so as not to wake Hestia. He began to walk towards Orario's Dungeon, a place where he spent every day killing some monsters. The main goal was to get the magic stones that the monsters dropped to exchange for Valis. Given where he and his goddess lived, it was quite easy to assume they were very poor.
He was trying to change that.
Although he had never fought monsters before arriving in Orario, he heard about them from his grandfather, as well as the monsters from those strange dreams. They were monsters he had never seen, and when he asked his grandfather, he said there were no monsters with the description he gave. That was a relief because most of the monsters he saw were very scary.
There were some that seemed similar, such as those black wolves that were similar to Kobolds, a dog-headed monster present from the 1st floor of the Dungeon, but almost all the monsters he saw in the dreams had no equivalent.
The Dungeon is vast, with floors getting larger as one goes deeper. Today he wanted to try to reach the 7th floor. It would be a bit difficult and challenging because on this floor, two monsters are known as "Newbie Killers."
They are:
War Shadow: A shadowy humanoid monster with long arms and three claws sharp as knives. It is the strongest monster on the 6th floor. Along with Killer Ant: A red ant monster with four legs and two arms. It has a hard carapace and high attack and uses pheromones to attract companions in an emergency.
"Eina-san only allowed me to go up to the 5th floor... she'll probably kill me if she finds out," Bell let out a small sigh.
He wanted to test himself a bit, and honestly, the 5th floor was getting a little easier, although it still showed some difficulty at times, but nothing too dangerous. That's why he wanted to try to reach the 7th floor today. Anyway, if something goes wrong, he can just run away.
Although he was a level 1 novice adventurer, he was much stronger than most level 1 adventurers with the same or even slightly higher stats than his. It wasn't as if he was being arrogant or overconfident in stating this; it was just an undeniable fact.
He finally arrived at the Dungeon.
The entrance to the Dungeon is on the first basement floor of Babel. In the center of the room, there is a ten-meter-long hole that leads directly to the Dungeon. Inside the circular room, there are multiple columns at equal intervals, and above is a beautiful blue painting of the sky that resembles the real sky. Along the circle, there are smooth stairs that spiral down into the Dungeon.
It didn't take long to reach the first floor.
From the 1st to the 4th floor, the Dungeon's walls are light blue. There is also a wide corridor on the 1st floor known as the Starting Road. Level 1 novice adventurers with I to H status in their basic abilities usually spend some time on these floors.
As soon as he saw the Goblins and Kobolds looking at him, Bell prepared for battle.
From the 1st to the 4th floor, Bell didn't encounter many problems. He knew these floors well and moved with growing skill, killing Goblins and Kobolds with precision. The small fight reminded him of the first day he entered the Dungeon.
He remembered being quite excited. He thought he would be scared when fighting on the 1st floor, but in fact, he didn't feel any fear. The Goblins and Kobolds didn't instill any fear in Bell, even though it was Bell's first time facing them back then.
'Could it be because of the dreams?' he thought.
The monsters he saw in those dreams were much scarier than these Goblins and Kobolds, and since he had had those dreams since childhood, he might have become too accustomed to them for the monsters on the first floors of the Dungeon to scare him.
In fact, it had been some time since he had dreamed of those "memories" or whatever they were. He always dreamed from a specific person's perspective. However, today's dream was a bit different. If he saw these things chronologically, they would probably make some sense, but it was all random.
Bell descended to the 5th floor. From the 5th to the 7th floor, the walls change to a light green color, and the Dungeon's structure begins to change. Stronger monsters, such as War Shadows and Killer Ants, start appearing on the 6th and 7th floors, the monster birth time is faster, which is why these floors are where many novice adventurers start to die. It is recommended that level 1 adventurers have at least G status in their basic abilities to explore these floors.
The monsters also appeared in greater numbers. At first, Bell had quite a hard time and went through many difficulties, almost dying the first time he descended to this floor. However, even then, he wasn't as scared as he thought he would be, which was, again, quite strange.
He almost died, but took it casually as if he were used to it. It was so strange that he didn't even tell Eina about what happened that day, after all, he had gone to the 5th floor when she had only allowed him to go up to the 4th. And he was disobeying her orders again by wanting to descend two more entire floors.
A group of Kobolds charged at him. Their sharp teeth and claws ready to attack.
"Eh, this seems to get easier every time, but it also seems like you're getting smarter," Bell muttered as he dodged and counterattacked with precision.
After a few minutes of intense fighting, he finally dispatched the last Kobold. However, he didn't have much time to rest. A new group of monsters appeared. Bell showed some surprise.
"War Shadows...?"
A group of War Shadows appeared, their shadowy forms advancing silently.
"They shouldn't only appear on the 6th floor...?" He muttered, confused but quickly prepared.
Bell steadied his stance, holding the knife with determination. The War Shadows advanced menacingly, their sharp claws ready to tear through anything in their path.
The first War Shadow leaped at him with surprising speed. Bell dodged to the right at the last moment, feeling the air cut as the claws passed dangerously close to his face. He quickly ducked and countered, his knife gleaming as it cut through the shadow. The monster dissipated into a cloud of darkness, but two more were already upon him.
"I need to be faster," Bell muttered.
The second War Shadow attacked head-on while the third attempted to flank. Bell spun in place, blocking the frontal assault with his knife and kicking the third shadow, gaining a precious second. He spun again, driving the knife into the "body" of the second War Shadow with all his strength, which exploded into black mist.
"One more!" Bell exclaimed, feeling the adrenaline surge.
The third shadow returned, now furious. It lunged forward with its claws extended. Bell jumped back, narrowly avoiding the deadly claws. He then threw his knife with force. The blade embedded deeply into the War Shadow, which let out a sharp cry before dissolving.
Bell retrieved his knife, breathing heavily. "That was a bit tougher than I thought it would be..."
He continued down to the 6th floor, his sweaty hands gripping the knife's handle. The walls changed to a deeper green, and the atmosphere felt more oppressive. It didn't take long for him to encounter more War Shadows.
The battle was intense. The War Shadows were swift and strong, but Bell managed to use his agility to evade their lethal attacks. After an exhausting struggle, Bell finally managed to defeat them.
"Ah..." He was panting heavily. He had spent quite some time battling the War Shadows.
He reconsidered whether he should head to the 7th floor. He was tired, but he thought he could still fight a bit. His stamina was better than that of ordinary adventurers at his level. However, it didn't make sense to risk it unnecessarily.
"Don't get used to risking your life with unnecessary battles, because you might really die in the process."
The voice of that man echoed inside Bell's head. He remembered that man saying that in one of the dreams where he was arguing with a certain someone, that someone being the person Bell "watched" the dreams through.
He took that warning seriously.
"I think it's better to go back..."
However, as soon as he turned to prepare to leave the Dungeon, he began to hear panicked screams echoing through the Dungeon corridors.
And shortly after...
That was when he heard a distant roar.
That roar made him freeze momentarily. He saw some adventurers who seemed to have come from the 7th floor, running as if their lives depended on it. And they really did, because shortly after he saw an adventurer thrown like a ragdoll against the Dungeon wall where a loud crack was heard as the man collided with the wall.
The man was dead, he knew it. There was no way he could have survived. The adventurers rushed past him as he looked to the side, where it didn't take long for him to see bloodthirsty eyes. A humanoid monster with a cow's head.
Minotaur.
"...This can't be real..." Panic consumed him so much that he forgot to run.
What the hell was a monster that should only be encountered from the 15th floor doing on the 6th floor?
It didn't take long for the Minotaur to notice Bell standing there. Bell's fear began to slowly fade as he remained where he was, watching the Minotaur approach slowly, its red eyes meeting the wild eyes of the cow-headed monster.
Bell's eyes sharpened like a knife, and he prepared himself. After recovering from the state of "freezing" and "fear", he began to think more clearly. If this monster chased him while he ran, it would be the same as bringing death to the adventurers on the other floors. He wanted to be a hero, that's what he always told his grandfather, his dream.
What kind of hero would bring death to others?
He knew that what he was about to do was madness, as he was about to face a level 2 monster while he was a novice level 1 adventurer.
It was then that he remembered the words his grandfather had said to him once.
"Bell, promise me you won't use those powers of yours unless it's absolutely necessary."
"When will I know it's necessary, Grandpa?"
"You'll know."
"Should I...?" He pondered, sweat dripping from his face. "No, I don't think it'll be necessary. I've used it before when I was little for trivial things, so maybe that'll be enough to handle this, but I'll have to be extremely careful," he concluded.
Even though there didn't seem to be any kind of penalty, Bell knew. He could feel it. His power was dangerous. Although he didn't have the full extent of how dangerous it was, he knew it was perilous.
The Minotaur roared furiously and charged towards Bell with surprising speed for its enormous stature. Its muscular body and thick skin made it a formidable opponent.
Bell just hoped he had made the right decision.
The girl with golden hair and eyes ran in silence. She focused all her attention ahead as she ran.
Because of her mistake, a Minotaur had escaped to the upper floors. She and her familia were dealing with a horde of Minotaurs, but the thought that one had managed to run...
She kept running, never slowing down. The other members of her familia stayed behind to handle the remaining Minotaurs while she pursued the one that had escaped. If any adventurer from those floors encountered this Minotaur and couldn't escape, death was certain.
The Minotaur was a Level 2 monster capable of killing some Level 2 novice adventurers, so it was a very dangerous monster. As she approached the 6th floor, she heard a loud roar. It was the Minotaur. There was no time to lose. She only hoped she wasn't too late.
As soon as she reached the 6th floor, she immediately saw the Minotaur. Apparently, it was battling a young adventurer with white hair and red eyes. Glancing to the side, she saw the body of a fallen adventurer against the wall. He was motionless. Dead.
Aiz clenched her fists. An adventurer had been killed because of them, and she felt the weight of guilt. However, there was no time to waste lamenting someone who had died when there was another living adventurer fighting the Minotaur.
Aiz thought to intervene quickly but hesitated.
"...!"
Aiz narrowed her eyes, focusing on the young adventurer battling the Minotaur. He moved with surprising speed and agility, but it was clear he was at a disadvantage. The Minotaur, a Level 2 monster, was a formidable opponent for any novice adventurer.
The white-haired boy dodged the Minotaur's massive hands with incredible precision, but he couldn't avoid the full impact. A crash echoed through the dungeon corridor, raising a curtain of dust. The Minotaur roared and lunged again, its red eyes fixed on its prey.
Aiz watched attentively, ready to intervene if necessary. She knew the strict rule of not interfering in another adventurer's battle, but the situation was exceptionally dangerous.
The adventurer managed to dodge another of the Minotaur's attacks but was grazed by the creature's massive arm. He was thrown against the wall with a deafening thud. Aiz felt the urge to run to help, but she stopped when she saw the red-eyed boy rise with difficulty, his unwavering determination shining in his eyes.
"He's stubborn," murmured Aiz, impressed by his resilience.
She was really impressed with him. He was wearing rented Guild beginner's clothes, it was impossible for whatever he was using to be enough to protect him, so that blow certainly was powerful. However, he was still managing to get up.
The white-haired boy staggered but managed to stand up completely again. He tightened the grip on his knife, breathing heavily, and moved forward to face the Minotaur once more. Aiz realized he was injured, but his determination was unwavering. The Minotaur roared again, advancing with renewed ferocity.
The battle continued brutally. The adventurer dodged and attacked with precision, but the Minotaur was relentless. Every blow the adventurer managed to strike seemed to only enrage the monster further. His knife couldn't penetrate the Minotaur's tough skin, something he had already noticed. She quickly noticed that he was trying to hit the Minotaur's eye, a place where there was no tough skin to protect the monster, but he failed and was hit in the shoulder by the massive hand of the monster, being thrown again.
Aiz almost moved to intervene, but saw the white-haired adventurer rise again. He was bleeding and breathing heavily, but his determination did not waver.
This was ridiculous. Aiz didn't understand anymore. How on earth was that novice adventurer able to get up after being hit twice by the Minotaur? The first time she thought it was luck, as the blow only grazed him, but this time it hit him square. So how on earth was he still getting up?
He advanced again, dodging the Minotaur's blows with impressive agility for a Level 1 adventurer, though it was evident he was growing exhausted.
At that moment, the Loki Familia arrived at the scene. They saw the scene from afar and quickly approached. Tiona Hiryute, a brown-haired Amazoness warrior, was the first to speak.
"This kid is crazy!" said Tiona, watching the battle with wide eyes of surprise and admiration. "He's facing a Minotaur alone!"
She noticed his novice adventurer attire.
"Tiona, stay alert, and the same goes for all of you," warned Finn Deimne, the leader of the Loki Familia, a blonde-haired prum. His blue eyes were fixed on the battle, assessing the situation with precision. "We may need to intervene."
He also noticed the body of the deceased adventurer a little further away, as did all the other members, but there was a greater concern at the moment.
"Well, damn," Bete was somewhat impressed by the young adventurer's courage. He was clearly a novice because of the rented Guild gear, yet he chose to face the Minotaur instead of fleeing. "This seems interesting."
Not that the young fool would be capable of defeating the Minotaur, but at least he had courage. That was enough to earn the boy some respect from him.
"It's a hopeless fight," murmured Riveria Ljos Alf, a tall and elegant green-haired elf. "He's unable to harm the Minotaur, while the Minotaur itself is causing him significant damage. We should intervene."
"Well, the Minotaur is his monster, and he still looks like he can fight, so we can't just intervene, it's against the rules," Bete countered with a mischievous smile.
A Minotaur versus a brave novice adventurer who chose to face a beast capable of killing level 2 novice adventurers, and yet he was lasting this long? This novice brat is better than many of those level 2 idiots.
"But we can't let this continue," murmured Tione Hiryute, Tiona's twin sister.
"The kid seems to disagree with that," Bete spoke again as he observed the adventurer's red eyes. "His eyes aren't the eyes of someone desperate, but rather someone who believes he has a chance to win, although we know that's impossible. But he still believes, so let him fight until he no longer believes."
"He might end up dead before that happens," Riveria spoke coldly.
"Well, so be it," Bete simply shrugged casually. "He's much better than the shit cowards who probably ran from the Minotaur."
"By our fault, don't forget that. The fact that the Minotaur managed to escape to the upper floors is entirely our fault."
"I don't care, my statement doesn't change."
Finn paid no mind to Bete and Riveria's argument and simply focused his eyes on the ongoing battle.
The fight continued, and the novice adventurer took another brutal blow, being thrown against the wall again. Aiz felt a tightening in her heart, seeing the blood trickle down from the young adventurer. She knew he was at his limit.
"Riveria, prepare to use healing magic on the boy if necessary," said Finn, without taking his eyes off the battle.
"...Although healing magic isn't my specialty..." she murmured with a sigh. "Very well."
Bell got up again, his breathing heavy and irregular. He was visibly exhausted, but his eyes gleamed with fierce determination. He raised the knife, ready to continue fighting.
"This kid..." Aiz murmured to herself, feeling a mixture of admiration and concern. She knew he couldn't keep this up much longer.
He was taking a beating, but he kept getting up.
"Hey, what the hell is this? Wasn't he supposed to be a rookie?" Bete was the first to point that out.
Even though he had been impressed with the kid, this was just ridiculous. No adventurer would be able to withstand even a single direct hit from a Minotaur, let alone several.
"Novice adventurers wouldn't be able to take a single direct hit from a Minotaur, but he's already taken several of them and still keeps getting up," Riveria murmured incredulously.
The boy was still trying to hit the Minotaur's eye, but without success.
The battle continued intense and brutal. The white-haired boy with red eyes advanced again, agilely dodging the Minotaur's attacks, although it was evident that his endurance was at its limit. Each of his movements was slowing down, each breath heavier. Aiz and the other members of the Loki Familia watched closely, ready to intervene at any moment, despite the strict rules.
The Minotaur roared, its red eyes blazing with fury, and charged at the young adventurer. He, in turn, spun in a desperate attempt to avoid the blow and narrowly managed to dodge it, rolling on the dusty dungeon floor. As he rose, he moved with surprising speed, focusing all his energy on one last attack.
Aiz watched with wide eyes. The boy aimed at the Minotaur's weak spot — its eye. In a quick and precise motion, he hurled the rented knife directly into the creature's right eye. The blade sank deep, causing the Minotaur to roar in pain and fury. Blood streamed down the monster's face as it shook its head violently, trying to rid itself of the excruciating pain.
"He hit it!" exclaimed Tiona, a mix of admiration and surprise in her voice.
But the victory was short-lived. Enraged by the blow, the Minotaur attacked with even greater force. In a brutal motion, its massive hand struck the white-haired boy, hurling him against the wall with a deafening impact. The rented knife, now deeply lodged in the Minotaur's eye, couldn't withstand the force of the attack and shattered, leaving the young adventurer unarmed.
"The boy is weaponless now," murmured Finn, his gaze fixed on the battle. "He can't go on like this."
Aiz felt a pang in her heart seeing the novice adventurer rise again, even without a weapon in hand. Blood flowed from several wounds on his body, but his red eyes still gleamed with fierce determination.
"This kid is amazing," commented Bete, though his voice carried a tone of disbelief. "But he's in trouble now. He has no way to attack the Minotaur anymore."
"It's impressive what he did with a rented Guild knife, but now he won't be able to fight. We should intervene now," said Riveria, ready to act.
Aiz was about to move, but Finn held her back.
"Wait a moment, Aiz," said Finn, his voice calm and measured. "Apparently, there's still something he can do."
"What the hell can he do? If we don't act, he's going to die, do you really want him to die, Captain?" Tione spoke up, a rare instance of her going against his word.
"My thumb is tingling like never before," said Finn. "Something big is about to happen."
His intuition had always been spot on. And now, that same intuition was telling him that if they intervened, he would miss witnessing something impressive.
Aiz didn't seem to agree with this and was about to voice her disagreement when they heard a weak voice.
"Well, it looks like there's no choice..."
For the first time, they heard the voice of the white-haired adventurer. His voice was very weak, coming out as a whisper. It would have been impossible for a normal person to hear what he had said, but they were first-class adventurers, their ears capable of hearing clearly.
The Minotaur was still recovering, so it didn't immediately attack the white-haired adventurer.
"Under normal circumstances, I would never use two, but my knife broke..." The boy muttered.
These strange words intrigued all members of the Loki Familia. What on earth was that boy talking about?
The white-haired adventurer's eyes lifted to look at the Minotaur, which was beginning to recover as it glared at him with eyes full of fury.
"Time to step on the Accelerator."
Those simple words made Finn's body tingle like never before. Not just him, but all members of the Loki Familia grew uneasy upon hearing the boy utter those words.
Aiz was staring fixedly at him. Despite his battered body, he never complained about the immense pain he surely felt. It was as if he was accustomed to it. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes for a brief moment.
And it was at that moment that the Minotaur roared and charged towards him.
"Eh, did he give up!?" exclaimed Tiona, concerned.
Everyone else was similarly taken aback. Normally, at this point, Aiz would have immediately rushed to save the boy, but she didn't move.
'He's changed,' she thought.
She didn't know what had changed, but something had shifted in him. And then, faster than before, he dodged the Minotaur's attack.
"...Hey, shouldn't he be exhausted as hell?" Bete exclaimed incredulously.
However, he was right. The boy had clearly been very tired before. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say he had some ribs broken thanks to those Minotaur blows. Yet, he moved faster than when he was fighting the Minotaur.
Finn observed intrigued. 'Was it what he said about stepping on the accelerator?' Though he didn't know the meaning of those words, there was clearly some connection. 'It could be some kind of skill that temporarily boosts his speed.'
But if that's really the case, why didn't he use it before?
"Hey, hey, look at that!" Tiona exclaimed, pointing to his arm.
Everyone looked and saw something rather strange.
Some bright strips were coming out of his wrist instead of blood. The strips were swaying like seaweed, expanding in all directions.
"How beautiful!" Tiona exclaimed again, marveling at the colors. "It's like an Aurora!"
It was shining like the aurora borealis.
The Minotaur roared upon noticing the strangeness of those strips. It roared and lunged at the white-haired adventurer again, its arms raised to crush.
The red-eyed adventurer clenched his fist. The strips began to harden into curved shapes. They continued to glow.
"What... what the hell is this?" Bete muttered as he looked at what appeared to be three blades emerging from the adventurer's hands.
The blades were about 50 centimeters long. These blades also seemed to be quite sharp.
"So beautiful..." Tiona murmured as she watched those bright blades with colors like the aurora borealis.
Though they didn't say anything, Tione and Riveria were also surprised by the beauty of those blades. Aiz herself was surprised. However, for some strange reason, she felt that those blades were not just beautiful.
What followed only made this clearer.
The bright blades, dancing like the aurora borealis, caught everyone's attention. The young white-haired adventurer advanced with an agility and strength that seemed impossible for someone who had suffered so many brutal blows from the Minotaur. The monster roared again, furious and confused, and swung its massive fist towards the boy.
The white-haired adventurer, with impressive speed, dodged the attack, moving like a blur. He attacked with the aurora blades, which sliced through the Minotaur's tough skin like paper. The monster roared in pain and rage, blood spurting from several new wounds. The red-eyed boy didn't retreat; instead, he kept attacking with precision and strength, his movements fluid and relentless.
The Loki Familia watched in silence, completely mesmerized by the battle. The determination and skill of the novice adventurer were remarkable. Finn narrowed his eyes, analyzing every move of the young adventurer.
'The boy is much stronger and faster than before,' Finn reflected. 'These blades seem extremely effective, but it's not just them. His endurance has increased considerably, and his movements are more precise. But why didn't he use these blades from the beginning? He clearly would have had a better chance of winning if he had used them earlier. This is very strange.'
The Minotaur tried once more to crush the white-haired adventurer with its fist, but the boy agilely dodged with a leap, spinning in the air and driving the blades deep into the creature's back. The monster roared again, its pain and fury only intensifying. The novice adventurer stood firm, his blades shining brightly as he attacked again, cutting tendons and muscles, gradually incapacitating the Minotaur.
"He's winning," murmured Tiona, her eyes fixed on the battle. "He might actually win."
Tiona was bouncing with excitement. This incredible fight reminded her of the stories of the Argonauts she used to read long ago. It was amazing.
"These blades are incredible," commented Riveria, watching closely. "They cut through the Minotaur's skin like it's nothing. But Finn, don't you find it strange? Why didn't he use them from the beginning?"
"I agree, it's really strange," replied Finn, his gaze locked on the white-haired adventurer. "He was clearly in a desperate situation earlier. If he had this ability, he should have used it from the start to avoid suffering so much. There's something more going on here."
The battle continued, and the red-eyed boy, with his unwavering determination, was slowly overpowering the Minotaur. Every strike of his shining blades caused significant damage, and the monster was losing blood rapidly. The Minotaur attempted one last desperate charge, but the novice adventurer gracefully dodged, spinning in the air and driving the blades in a final attack.
With a final roar, the Minotaur fell, its heavy body crashing to the dungeon floor. The white-haired adventurer stood still for a moment, breathing heavily, but his eyes still gleamed with fierce determination. He withdrew the blades from the monster's body, which then disappeared, leaving only a faint glow in the air.
The Minotaur's body followed suit, leaving behind only its magic stone.
"He did it," murmured Tione, her voice full of admiration, a rare thing for her.
Finn observed the young adventurer with calculating eyes. 'These aurora blades... they're not ordinary. There's something deeper here. And that boy... he has potential. But what really happened here? He didn't need to take so much beating if he could use those blades from the start. Why did he choose to suffer before revealing his true power?'
As these questions raced through Finn's mind, the white-haired adventurer dropped to his knees, exhausted but victorious. Aiz stepped forward, her golden eyes fixed on him, both impressed and curious. She wasn't alone; the entire Loki Familia was in awe of the young adventurer's tenacity and skill.
"Let's help him," said Finn, finally moving. "He deserves our respect and our support. Riveria, tend to his wounds."
Riveria nodded, stepping forward to use her healing magic on the young warrior. Finn approached, his blue eyes assessing the white-haired adventurer with a mix of curiosity and respect.
He really did end up using his powers. However, if he hadn't, he would most likely have died. Stepping on the gas is a term I've heard in those strange dreams. However, there is no brake. There is no way to reverse the changes applied.
Normally, people would be very happy with a power like that. Who wouldn't want to have a power that could make them stronger that easily? However, things aren't so simple. It wasn't as if he was just fortifying himself. He was Rewrite his own body to make it stronger.
Besides, that person in the dream who has the same power as him always took care when using that power, strengthening only in small quantities. At first, he used that power for trivial things, like winning a racing tournament. It was naive, and Bell was naive at first too.
His grandfather warned him not to use that power casually and after dreaming about that person who had the same power as him so suspiciously, he started to be very careful when using it. He wanted to become stronger, but he couldn't abuse that power for that. He wanted to strengthen himself by his own efforts.
Because of that, he stopped using that power in a naive way as he used to before. In fact, it had been several years since he had used it. This was the first time in a few years and it was used to save his life.
He also used Aurora. As it looked like Aurora, he simply called that power that way, exactly the same way the other called. He got that power after dreaming of being in a strange forest at night with those girls. He ended up separating and finding a monster dog that tried to kill him and managed to bite his arm. The dog was killed by those same blades.
He was able to test that power only once when he was 10 when he hurt himself in the forest while playing. Goblins appeared and he remembered that dream when he was injured in the arm and invoked that power. However, Aurora used his own blood to take shape, so he couldn't use it as much as he wanted.
If he uses it too much, he can really die.
The person he dreamed of for so many years... what was his name again...? Ah, yes. That man said that before.
Tennouji Kotarou.
"You're really impressive," said a voice that made Bell alert.
He saw a group of people approaching him. A green-haired elf, two Amazonesses, a white-haired man of the werewolf race, a girl with golden eyes and hair, and that blondie who spoke to him. It took a few seconds, but he was able to recognize these people. Who in this city wouldn't know who they are?
Moreover, that Werewolf race man was the one who rejected his request to join that Familia.
"Familia Loki...?"
"Yes, that was an impressive fight you showed," Finn commented with a smile.
The green-haired elf approached him and knelt down. "I'll heal you a bit. Don't move."
Although he was a little confused, he still obeyed and didn't move as she placed her hands on him. A green energy enveloped his body and he felt a little relieved. Healing magic.
"Hey, hey, that was an amazing fight, Argonauta-kun!" One of the Amazonesses approached him with a big smile. "No one gave much for the fight, as it was expected that a level 1 adventurer would take a beating from a Minotaur, but you really beat him with those beautiful blades!"
She seemed quite excited.
"By the way, I'm Tiona Hiryute. Nice to meet you, Argonauta-kun!"
"Eh, Agornauta-kun?..." Bell didn't know what to say. His face was a bit red because of the Amazoness's proximity. Her attire certainly didn't help. "Uh, nice to meet you too. I'm B-Bell Cranel."
He managed to introduce himself stuttering a bit. 'Too close!' He panicked as the two mounds approached him.
"Riveria is healing him, sister. Don't get too close, you might hurt him," the other Amazoness said. "I'm Tione, sister of this idiot. Pleasure to meet you, Bell Cranel. Your fight was impressive."
One by one, they introduced themselves to him, and although he knew who they were, it would be rude to interrupt their introductions. That Werewolf, Bete Loga, seemed to be shooting murderous glances at him, although he mentioned that he was impressed with his courage.
The girl with golden hair, Aiz Wallenstein, also known as the Sword Princess. She was incredibly beautiful, even more so than the rumors. Riveria and the Amazons were also quite beautiful, so he found it a bit challenging to interact with them.
"S-so, how long have you been watching the fight?"
"I've been watching since the beginning," Aiz spoke with a monotone voice, causing him to turn to her, surprised. "I thought about intervening, but you were already fighting the Minotaur. We can't steal someone else's monster..."
Ah, that rule...
"We arrived shortly after her. We didn't miss much," Finn commented.
'...So they saw everything,' Bell sighed. 'I was so focused on the Minotaur that I didn't notice their presence. If I had noticed, I could have asked for help and wouldn't have had to go through all this. I also wouldn't have needed to use my powers.'
"However, I can't help but ask," Finn continued. "If you had those beautiful blades, why didn't you use them earlier? You also seemed to suddenly become stronger and faster, was it some Skill?"
That seemed to be a question everyone wanted an answer to.
"Yes, yes. What were those beautiful blades anyway? They looked like Aurora!" Tiona exclaimed excitedly.
Damn, what should he say? 'Oh, I have two powers I gained through dreams from another world!' Yeah right! He couldn't say that.
Finn seemed to notice his hesitation and added, "You don't have to tell us if you don't want to, after all, every Familia has its secrets. It's just a great curiosity of ours."
"...Well, let's just say I can't use them so easily. There are some conditions," Bell replied briefly.
He couldn't tell them, but speaking vaguely shouldn't be a problem.
"Hm, conditions you say? I see..." Finn seemed to be pondering his words seriously.
"...Beginner," Aiz's voice made everyone look at her. Her eyes were fixed on Bell's red eyes. "You're wearing beginner rental clothes from the Guild. Are you really a beginner?"
She seemed very curious about this.
Bell saw no problem in telling the truth.
"Oh, yes. In fact, I started exploring the Dungeon just two weeks ago, Miss Wallenstein."
Her eyes seemed to widen with that information. Not only her eyes, but everyone else's around.
"...How...?" She murmured incredulously.
'He started just two weeks ago and he was able to kill a Minotaur...?' Aiz thought uncertainly. 'It took me a year to reach Level 2, I was the fastest. And even then, it took me a few more weeks before I killed my first Minotaur... and he killed one with just 2 weeks of venturing into the Dungeon?'
"Hey, kid," Bete approached him with an unfriendly face. "Are you messing with us?"
"Eh!?" Bell was surprised and startled by his tone. "No, Mr. Loga, I really did start just two weeks ago! I've only been in the Hestia Familia for two weeks!"
"Hestia Familia?" Tione murmured. "I don't recall any goddess by that name."
"It's a new Familia, I'm its first member," Bell replied.
"So, you really started just two weeks ago?" Tiona asked, admiration in her eyes.
"Yes, it's true," Bell replied, still a bit shy.
"You must be a natural genius or something," Tione commented, shaking her head in disbelief.
As they talked, Riveria continued to heal Bell. He felt her magic flowing through his body, easing the pain and closing the wounds. The green energy was soothing and restorative.
"So, Bell Cranel," Finn said, with a friendly smile. "What is your goal as an adventurer? What do you hope to achieve?"
It was a simple question, but Finn aimed to understand a bit more about this adventurer with it.
Bell thought for a moment before responding. "I just want to become strong enough to achieve my dream, I suppose. Also, to protect my goddess."
He was too embarrassed to say that his dream was to become a hero. This was the second most powerful familia in Orario; he didn't want them to laugh at him.
Finn nodded, seeming satisfied with the answer. "It's a simple yet noble goal. I hope you achieve it. Although I don't think it will take long, considering you were able to defeat a Minotaur at Level 1."
"...If they ask, can you tell them you killed the Minotaur?" Bell suddenly spoke, sounding a bit desperate.
"Oh? Why is that?" Finn was curious.
"Yeah, why lie? You could become a celebrity in the city if we tell them what we saw here!" Tiona exclaimed, incredulous that he wanted to hide this feat.
A Level 1 adventurer killed a Minotaur alone. That never happened before. There are no people who think that's possible. They also thought so, but this boy proved them wrong.
"W-well, I have reasons. But one of the main ones is that my advisor would probably kill me if she found out that I went down more than I was allowed to. Also, if I take that Minotaur stone, that could be a problem, so you can keep it."
"Don't talk nonsense," Bete growled. "You killed the Minotaur, its magic stone is rightfully yours. It's not like its value means anything to us, anyway."
"B-but-"
"No buts, kid. It's yours."
Bell looked lost. He really seemed to want to keep it a secret that he had killed the Minotaur. After thinking for a while as she healed him, Riveria finally spoke up.
"How about we sell it and give you the value? We'll do it anonymously. As for the fact that you killed the Minotaur, do you really want no one to know it was you?"
"Y-yes, that would really be for the best."
"In fact, this might be good," Finn said after a while, causing everyone to look at him.
"What do you mean by that, Captain?" Tione asked curiously.
"If we were to reveal the fact that a novice adventurer killed a Minotaur, a Level 2 monster, someone might use that as justification to try the same. And I highly doubt anyone else besides him could even come close to taking down a Minotaur at Level 1."
Finn didn't doubt it; he was certain that no one else could achieve such a feat. 'The only reason he was able to kill the Minotaur was because of those Aurora blades, along with the sudden boost in strength and speed,' he concluded.
"If that were to happen, it would be on those clowns who think they can actually defeat a Minotaur. This world doesn't need such fools, so I say let them kill each other," Bete protested.
"Not everyone thinks like you, Bete," Finn sighed. "Besides, it's his choice."
Bete grumbled but said nothing more.
At that moment, Riveria finished healing Bell and stood up, handing him a high-quality potion. "Take this, it will help fully restore your strength."
Bell was surprised and was about to refuse when Riveria spoke again.
"I won't take no for an answer, take it." Her voice was cold.
Bell's body trembled before hesitating and taking the potion. She clearly wasn't going to let him refuse. Still, it was a high-quality potion. This was far beyond what he could afford with the money he earned on the upper floors.
"Thank you very much, Miss Riveria."
Bete, who had been watching with skepticism, crossed his arms and asked, "Why are you giving him such a good potion? He's just a novice; an intermediate potion would suffice, even a low-quality one would be good."
Riveria gave Bete a stern look. "Because it was our fault that the Minotaur escaped and nearly killed this young adventurer. It's the least we can do."
Additionally, there was a dead adventurer not far from them. Because of the Minotaur, the 6th floor didn't generate any more monsters, which was good, as otherwise, the monsters would have eaten the dead adventurer's body. That would have made it difficult to identify the adventurer. They would have to find out which Familia he was from and apologize to his Familia's goddess.
Bete snorted but didn't contest further. Bell put away the potion, and when he glanced strangely at her, he quickly started talking.
"I'm not so weak as to take this potion. I'll save it for an occasion when I really need it."
"Are we ready to go?" Finn asked the group as he went to the dead adventurer's body.
Riveria looked at Bell and offered, "Would anyone of us accompany you to the dungeon exit, Bell Cranel?"
Bell smiled, grateful, but shook his head. "No, thank you. I can go alone. But I appreciate the offer."
With that, Bell bid farewell to the group, bowing slightly. "Thank you, everyone. I hope to meet you again soon."
...
As Bell began to run toward the dungeon exit, Riveria watched him closely. "There was no blood," she said suddenly, catching Finn's attention.
"What do you mean?" Finn asked, curious.
"When I started healing him, I noticed he had already stopped bleeding. That's unusual, considering the severity of his injuries," Riveria explained.
Finn pondered for a moment, watching Bell walk away. "Bell Cranel... It will be interesting to keep an eye on him."
Aiz, who had been mostly silent, continued to look in the direction Bell had left. 'He's different,' she thought. 'There's something about him... Something I want to understand.'
With these thoughts, Aiz kept watching where Bell Cranel disappeared.
On that day, she couldn't stop thinking about him.
Well, that's it, a new story.
As you may have already noticed, this will essentially be a crossover between Danmachi and Rewrite (a Visual Novel that got an anime adaptation). To be honest, the anime is pretty disappointing compared to the novel, except for the ending which I thought was cool. Rewrite was the first Visual Novel I played and it's my favorite. It was really disappointing how it was adapted into an anime, considering Rewrite is the best Visual Novel by Key, but it seems it received the worst treatment for anime adaptation compared to others.
I believe you've gotten a sense of the essence of how I plan to approach things, so I'll avoid saying too much to avoid spoilers, but as you can see, Bell has Kotarou's powers. However, he masters them. It's something that will give him some trouble. Aurora is very OP when used correctly, but Bell won't learn to use it immediately.
The reason I got excited to write this story is that I'm playing Rewrite again. I finished Lucia's and Chihaya's routes, and now I'm on Kotori's route. Even though it's been several years, I still remember that my favorite route was Akane's, as the work shifts from being more of a "shounen" to a bit more "seinen."
Well, let me know what you think of this first chapter. Your initial feedback will really help me.