Hello everyone and welcome back!

Well, Ais is victorious and Revis has fallen, however Bell is nowhere to be seen and worse yet, the Lesser Black Dragon has appeared! How could this happen? Where is Achilles?! Has he…

It's time to find out what has happened to the Father On High, so let's dive in.

I do not own Danmachi

With the image of his best friend in his mind and his heart filled with the power of a storm, Achilles closed the distance between him and his nightmarish opponent.

"ROOOOOOOOOAR!" the dragon unleashed, as it threw its gigantic claws at the incoming adventurer.

BOOM!

Dragon's Bane met the dragon's claws, creating a tremendous wave of power and noise that shook the Dungeon floor like an earthquake.

"Grrr!" Achilles growled as his monstrous enemy did likewise, both attempting to overcome the other, but neither finding they could do so against the might of their great opponent.

With this realization, Achilles quickly did a backflip kick, forcing the dragon's claws up and out of the way, allowing the ex-captain to charge forward to its now exposed belly.

"Raaaaaaaaa!" Achilles bellowed as he shot underneath the night-like terror, dragging his blade across its torso and stomach.

"ROOOOAR!" the monster cried out as Dragon's Bane cut through its scales and flesh, sending its boiling blood spilling upon the ground.

The father of Bell Cranel popped out behind the dragon with a sneer.

I could barely get through its scales, he noted, turning to quickly look at the underside of the great beast, finding that its meager wounds were already healing. And of course it has regeneration.

He was pulled from his contemptuous thoughts as the sight of the dragon's giant tail entered his vision.

Achilles quickly jumped out of the way, watching as the limb obliterated an entire section of the Dungeon. He was unperturbed by this and quickly used one of the hills as a springboard to send him shooting at the dragon like a ballista bolt.

He aimed his sword at its scaled skull, and for a brief moment he hoped his ludicrous speed would be enough to strike down the monster and allow him to quickly return to the floor above. However, his hope was quickly dashed when the beast opened its jaw and an ominous glow appeared from deep within its throat.

"Shit!"

The black dragon sent out a tsunami of dark blue fire towards the former captain of the Zeus familia.

Acting quickly, Achilles swung his sword, using his strength to turn the blade into an air paddle and send him shooting towards the side.

He did not escape unscathed though, as the ominous flames managed to burn the skin of his right arm and ignite his cloak.

"Ah!" He hissed before he landed and quickly discarded his cloak, though not without a sad look as he watched it and the symbol of the Hestia familia turn to ash.

"I liked that cloak, you ill-tempered flying lizard," he stated as his eyes began to spark with his electric blue power.

"ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAR!" the beast resounded as it charged, using its gigantic wings to propel it forward.

"RAAAAAAA!" Achilles bellowed back as he rushed to meet the great serpent.

The lesser black dragon raised its jet black limb and prepared to squish Achilles, but just before it brought down its powerful claw, Achilles shot towards the side, placing him out of range of the attack that proceeded to obliterate the stone ground of the Dungeon.

Despite the flurry of debris now shooting through the air, Achilles jumped straight towards the dragon's head and kicked its jaw with all his might.

The dragon roared in pain as Achilles grunted.

His scales are so tough, he thought as he noted the select few cracks in the monster's living armor.

Suddenly, the dragon shifted and, before he could prevent it, Achilles was wrapped up in the end of its tail, its glaring red eyes sending out a storm of wrath.

Shit!

Not a moment later, the beast threw him with such insane strength that for a split second, he worried his flesh would be torn from his bones from the wind alone. However, his mind was quickly diverted as his body slammed through mountain after mountain of stone and rock until the Father on High finally landed – his armor smashed, his bones cracked and broken, and his body bleeding from a hundred cuts – a mile away.

"Ugh," Achilles groaned as he slowly got up, "fucker is as tough as expected, even at level 8. However," his eyes turned to the dragon which, even now, was closing the distance between them. "You're still a cheap knock-off to the original. I can beat you, and when I do, I will be one step closer to killing that bastard."

His determination alight, Achilles quickly drank one of his health potions, which he luckily kept safely packed away, before chanting, "Lightning Steps."

The lesser black dragon, which had finally closed the distance between them, was about to let out another torrent of hellish fire, when its target suddenly disappeared.

Achilles rushed around the dragon, running circles around it and kicking up a tornado of dust.

Confused and frustrated, the dragon inhaled, its chest expanding to near bursting point, before it unleashed an ocean of midnight blue fire all around it.

The dragon watched and waited for the dust to clear, eager to see the roasted corpse of its foe. However, as things became more clear, it realized no such corpse was present.

"May they know their end has come."

The dragon's head shot up and, to its shock, it found the human high above him, glowing sword raised above his head.

"Sword of the Divine!" Achilles finished before sending a crest of electric blue magic down upon the creature like a shooting star.

The lesser black dragon had no time to defend itself and so faced the full might of the blow, which crashed into the area where its long neck met its body.

"RAAAAAAAAAA!" the beast cried out as it fell, crashing upon the ground with enough force to create a quake.

Achilles was far from down however, and upon landing, he immediately continued his assault.

The dragon raised its head first, intent on finding the enemy that had so dared to wound it, only for that enemy to appear right next to its head and rip open its jaw with his sword.

"REEEAAAAAAH!" the creature wailed as its boiling blood and several of its terror-inspiring fangs flew into the air.

The dragon tried to take a swing at the former Zeus captain, but missed entirely and, as a reward for its efforts, the limb was viciously cut up, scales and blood filling the air as the mortal man continued his assault.

Each time the dragon tried to respond to the attack upon its body, it was rewarded with more pain and injury until the entire air burned with the dragon's flames and hissed with the sound of its boiling blood.

Finally, Achilles once more shot up into the air, and using his sword as a wind paddle for a second time, he shot down upon the dragon with a lance-like kick straight to its skull, breaking the dragon's feeble stance and sending it crashing right back down onto the ground.

"Hah…hah," Achilles huffed as he slowly took out a mana potion and drank it, nearly choking as he regained his breath. "You're tough, I'll give you that," he admitted out loud, "but you're nothing compared to the original Black Dragon."

"You know my original?"

Achilles's eyes widened and he refocused his gaze on the monster slowly picking itself up.

"You're…" his hand tightened around his sword, "you're a Xenos."

"I am so much more than those insignificant pawns," the lesser black dragon replied as it finally managed to stand again, "I was created by those beings above us, by feeding lesser dragons, the ones you call Valgang, the ground of scales of my original, the greatest of all monsters, king of the skies and all the creatures that live below it. Chaos."

The father's eyes narrowed.

"So he does have a name. The Faithful Children were sure that he did but did not know what it was," Achilles replied. "But what should I call you, half-pint?"

The dragon growled as its claws dug into the Dungeon.

"I am Tenebris, human. And I only share that with you so that you may know the name of the one who shall consume you and turn you into a pile of excrement."

"I would be more intimidated by that if I hadn't just smacked you around like child's toy and you weren't the Evilus's ugly puppy dog."

"Do not patronize me, you wretched fool! I am no pet and I do not serve those fiends on the floor above!" Tenebris roared with unrestrained rage. "I have only ever had one master. The ones who truly gave birth to me and the true rulers of this world!"

Achilles's eyes widened before they narrowed again and his hands tightened around his sword.

"The Titans."

The dragon paused, genuinely surprised.

"You know of my creators as well?"

"When I fought your original, he said something that piqued my interest. It took a while, but I eventually found out the truth via a group of insane cultists who worshiped your father and had passed down the true history of the world for millennia."

"And yet you, despite knowing the truth, oppose me and my goal?"

"I oppose anyone who seeks to destroy the world I and those I love live in."

"My creators would bring peace and prosperity to this world unlike anything those betrayers and usurpers in Heaven have."

"You'll have to forgive me if I don't believe that, given the horrors that bastard father of yours has wrought."

Once more, Tenebris growled, but now he looked ready to renew their battle.

"You will not insult the great Chaos again. He has sacrificed much in the name of his great goal. I know, for I have all his memories in me. Indeed," the dragon paused, "I see you now. The annoying little insect that kept buzzing around my original, trying in vain to slay my lord Chaos with your pathetic strength."

"I was weaker back then, I'll admit that, but I'm more than strong enough to clip your wings, smoke breath." Tenebris growled again. "But if you're so knowledgeable, why don't you tell me what this 'great goal' is so that I can appreciate it? Who knows, maybe I'll reconsider my position," Achilles shot back, his own eyes burning with wrath.

"No you won't, you will only try to impede his work like the pest you are," the dragon growled. "No, we have talked enough. It is time for our battle to continue and for you to face the death you so richly deserve for your resistance."

"Come then, you presumptuous and ugly fucking snake."

"ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAR!"

The dragon charged, and it was then that Achilles realized that their conversation had given the monster enough time to heal its wounds.

You fucking idiot. Rule four that Chiron taught you, 'you can gloat when they're dead'!

The father paid for his mistake with severe interest as the dragon continued its relentless charge forward and its skull crashed into the ex-captain's body, taking him with it on a wild and excruciating ride.

Once more, Achilles was slammed through great pillars of rock as the dragon charged forward, destroying everything in its path with abandon.

At last, Tenebris smashed him against one final mountain and let him drop.

"Plah!" Achilles spat as a wad of blood flew from his mouth. His torment was far from over though as the dragon's chest expanded once again.

"Fuck! FUCK!" Achilles raised his hand. "Walls of Lightning!"

The wall of light appeared just in time to meet Tenebris's wall of fire, but was nowhere near strong enough to fully stop the dragon's flames and soon, Achilles's skin began to cook once again.

"I am so sick of being burned alive!" he screamed.

Twirling Dragon's Bane in his hand he threw it through his own spell and the wall of fire towards the serpent's head.

He had aimed for Tenebris's eye, but the dual attacks and the pain he felt made accuracy impossible and instead, it flew into the beast's nostril.

Luckily, this caused enough pain to force the monster to cease breathing fire and retreat in pain.

Achilles, knowing he had no time to groan about his injuries, immediately kicked off from the rock behind him and shot straight at Tenebris. The dragon, in pain and irritated at the placement of the sword, did not see Achilles coming until the man ripped Dragon's Bane from his nose and tore open his snout.

As the dragon cried in pain, the former captain continued forward, aiming to slice open the beast's eye. However, at the last moment, it saw him and tilted its head just enough to spare itself from its original's great injury.

Dragon's Bane cut along the flying lizard's scales, but failed to do any real damage. Before the Father on High could try again, Tenebris raised a great limb and battered Achilles away, sending him crashing through even more stone.

"A…gh," Achilles groaned as he slowly got up.

Even the fight with Galadriel didn't hurt this much, he internally groaned as he sat him and eyed his enemy in the distance.

"I…I won't win at this rate," he realized as blood poured from a thousand wounds. That realization made his heart sink and a stone as heavy as a mountain appear in his stomach. "I…I won't be able to save Bell if something doesn't change. I have to…"

Have to what?

"Have to push yourself a little harder, big guy."

He turned and found Briseis smiling at him.

"Your timing is impeccable as always," he commented as pain wracked every inch of his body.

"I told you when we became partners, didn't I? Whenever you need me, I'll be there," the red-head replied with a bright smile.

"You did say that. But I don't know what to do. I can't win like this," his countered, his voice low with despair.

"Of course you can! You just need to use that new technique of yours."

He blinked.

"It…it failed every time I tried," he pointed out.

"That's when you were a level 7. Which, I'll remind you, you're not anymore," she counter pointed out.

He blinked again.

"You…might be right."

"Of course I'm right! When was I ever wrong?"

"I don't think I have time to go through that very extensive list."

"Is that the thanks I get for coming to help you! You jerk!" she stuck her tongue out at him.

He chuckled, though it hurt, and got up.

"Thank you, Briseis. For everything."

Her smile returned in full-force and, for a moment, Achilles noted that she looked just like Bell when he gave his ten-million valis smile.

"Anytime, Achilles. Now, go kick Scaly's butt!"

"With pleasure."

Achilles turned back to the dragon, finding it seemed that time had stopped while he was talking to his best friend.

Which is convenient, because I'm going to need all the time I can get.

He pulled out all his remaining potions and promptly downed them all.

Good thing most of them were mana potions, even at level 8, I doubt I'll be able to hold this spell for long.

The dragon, now on the move once again, took to the air, rising high above the ex-captain as it prepared to finish its prey.

Achilles watched the beast take flight and took a deep breath. Then he began.

"I call upon all the heroes of old," Achilles began calmly.

Tenebris looked down on his foe with contempt.

Time to finish this, insect.

"Darken the skies and bring down a rain of torment and flame!" the dragon began to chant.

Down below, Achilles heard the chant, but continued his own regardless.

"Friends, comrades, brothers and sisters-in-arms, the world has darkened."

"Let the sky burn and the earth be forever choked with smoke and ash!"

"The people cry out for aid. Rise, oh noble saviors. Oh gentle souls and strong hearts."

"Bring ruin to the world and annihilation to all who oppose my wrath!"

"Gather your swords and shields, your bows and your spears. Answer the call of the weak and the fearful."

"FALL OF HEAVEN!" Tenebris finished.

The sky of the Dungeon darkened and turned blood red while Tenebris smiled with pure malevolence.

Soon, blood red clouds formed around the great serpent and began to spit out crimson lightning which obliterated the Dungeon below. But this was only the beginning for soon, the clouds began to gather together and form giant molten stones all around the dragon.

"NOW! FACE YOUR EXTINCTION!"

The meteors began to fall, all aiming for the father down below who watched without fear.

"The world cries out of help. For saviors. Answer the call oh yee noble souls of old. Rise and strike down the wicked. Rise and heal the sick. Rise and take your place in the annals of history. Rise and save the world and all that you love!"

He took a deep breath just before the meteors reached him.

"CALL OF HEROES!" Achilles finished.

A blinding light, unlike anything Tenebris or any monster of the Dungeon had ever seen filled the Dungeon, obliterating all the meteors in an instant and burning away the crimson storm around him.

"What? What is going on?!" he roared.

He turned his crimson eyes back down towards what had so recently seemed like a corpse, only to find something that shocked him to his core.

Looks like it works, though it's consuming just as much mana as I thought it would, Achilles noted as he looked at himself.

All around Achilles Caesar was light. Brilliant light in the shape of the most exquisite armor, grander than his now destroyed armor and even more beautiful than that worn by the Lancelot Chevalier.

It shone with power and hope and darkness itself seemed to have burned away from the power of its presence. However, neither the light, nor its power were the thing that kept one's gaze. No, that honor went to the pair of wings made of beautiful blue-white light that now sat on his back.

"WHAT IS THAT?!" Tenebris demanded.

"This," Achilles called back, "is the technique I've been working on for 15 years to kill Chaos. And now," Achilles raised his sword, "I'm going to use it to destroy you."

Before the great serpent could even blink, Achilles had closed the distance – turning the Dungeon below him into dust as he shot towards the sky – and ripped off the left side of the creature's face.

"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!" the beast cried.

Using his new wings, Achilles turned in the air and shot straight back at the monster, cutting off his right, front leg, sending it crashing to the dusty ground below.

Again and again Achilles attacked, ripping dragon's limb asunder and sending waterfalls of steaming blood pouring down to the Dungeon.

He's tearing me apart! I can't even heal quickly enough! The creature noted as he watched his body try to heal the damage, but failed to reconstruct itself before his foe tore open a new wound. I must escape! I was born to help Chaos and my masters in their great goal. I cannot die here!

Tenebris turned and shot towards the Dungeon ceiling, hoping to break through the floor above and put as much distance as he could between him and Achilles. This was not to be as Achilles suddenly appeared before him.

"You're not getting away," he stated before falling upon the dragon again and slicing off his wing.

Agony wracked the beast as it began to fall from the sky.

Achilles watched, but soon found his body shaking with exhaustion and his mind beginning to waver.

Damn this thing consumes mana like a gluttonous pig. But, he centered his eyes on Tenebris, I have enough to finish this.

Gathering up all his strength, Achilles crouched down, stretched out his wings, and launched himself into the sky at speeds no mortal was likely ever to surpass. His target? The black dragon's heart.

A cold sense of doom fell upon Tenebris and his crimson eye turned to the mass of light just in time to watch it slam into his chest.

"GAAAAH!" he cried as he and Achilles flew back up towards the Dungeon ceiling.

"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Achilles roared as he flapped his wings as hard as he could, sending them both soaring higher and higher as bits of scales and rivers of blood fell all around the father.

Finally, they reached the Dungeon floor above and crashed through it with such great noise and destruction, even those on the upper levels would record hearing it later.

"ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAR!" Tenebris cried out as he and Achilles appeared before the battling Evilus and adventurers.

"TELL YOUR MASTERS I SAID HELLO!" Achilles screamed before pouring the last of his magic into his blade and shooting it straight into the dragon's heart.

Magic coursed through every vein of the dragon and his eyes widened.

"I've…failed…"

And with those last few words, Tenebris, The Lesser Black Dragon, turned to dust.

His foe defeated and his strength utterly spent, Achilles closed his eyes and began to fall to the earth.

I'm actually not sure I'm going to survive this, given my state, he thought as the wind rushed around him. But as long as Bell's safe, I can accept that.

Suddenly though, he felt himself being caught and gently carried through the air.

"You don't get to die yet, shitty old man," Bete stated, "not until I kick your ass."

Achilles, who could barely keep his eyes open at this point, managed a smile.

"Bring it on…puppy dog."

Uriel appeared from behind them and quickly caught the two of them before taking them over to where Riveria and those not currently engaged in battle were located.

"Achilles!" Riveria cried as Bete set him down.

"I'm going back to the fight," Bete stated, "if I find out you died while I was gone, I'm going to kick you back to life," he told Achilles, who chuckled again, though by now his eyes were closed.

The werewolf then left, leaving Riveria to heal her lover.

"And I'll use every spell against you to shock, burn, and freeze you back to life if you dare die on me," she added, her threatening tone overshadowed by the tears in his eyes.

A soft hand on her cheek stilled her tears and she found that Achilles had managed to crack open one of his eyes.

"I guess I'll have to stay alive for a little longer then, won't I?" he replied with a smile.

She smiled back.

"A lot longer," she commanded.

He chuckled one final time.

"Whatever my princess wants."

Okay, finally done! Whew. I know I always say this, but I'm sorry for the wait guys. Multiple projects, mixed with work, mixed with motivation ruts really destroy any hope of getting things done quickly. That said, this chapter is finally done!

Well that's another fight complete, which leaves only two remaining! Are you guys excited! I certainly am, especially for the last fight, though the next one will be pretty awesome too. However, fair warning, given how many people will be involved, that one will be a BIG chapter, possibly even the largest I've ever written, so it will take time. I will try to keep on it though, but again, fair warning.

Warnings aside though, what did you guys think? Not only did you get a big fight with a strong opponent, but some of the big secrets have been revealed. We now know who is at the bottom of the Dungeon and the name of the One-Eyed Black Dragon. We still don't know precisely what Chaos is trying to accomplish though and how he means to do so, but we are getting closer and closer to the truth, but for our dearest characters, that may not be a good thing.

Now, it's time to wrap up this chapter and head on out. So I will bid you all a very fine day and hope to see you all in the next chapter. Until then, bye for now. :)