"Brother!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
"Akumo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Defeat.
The realization of that single word left Ryu and Bell in a state of absolute shock.
Step—!
"Who's next?"
Step—!
"Is it you lot? Or just you?"
Thoom—!!!
As Bell and Ryu stood paralyzed, the figure of Akuo approaching the dazed Jura and the Juggernaut was an enigma—an unknown terror.
Grit—!
'Get a grip!! I have to break through this situation right n—'
Grin—!
Akuo walked forward with a smirk.
The Divine Weapon in his hand had vanished, as if its time had expired with the previous strike. Bell and Ryu clung to the hope that a chance still remained.
Whish—!!!
""!!""
'Brother...!'
'Akumo-san...!?'
Akumo felt the same way.
Clang—!!!
Ching—!!!!
"I'm still alive, damn it!!!!?"
"As expected of you..."
'You're the best!!!'
"!!"
'This bastard, even now...!'
Akumo, holding [Balmung] in his left hand, lunged to drive a dagger into Akuo's throat just as Akuo had attempted on him. However, his blade was instantly met by an immovable object.
"Divine Weapon: [Staff of Dionysus]."
Resembling Ryu's wooden sword, the weapon took the form of a gnarled branch entwined with thick grapevine tendrils.
Sssssh—!!!!!!
"Bound—"
Tight—!!!
The vines snared Akumo's legs and violently slammed him into the floor.
Boom—!!!!
Thwack—!!!!
Crash—!!!!
Shatter—!!!!!!!!!!!
The vines didn't stop at the floor; they extended like endless whips from the walls and ceiling, constricting him and flailing his body against the stone.
""Stop it!!!!!!""
Whish—!!!!!!!!!
At that sight, Ryu and Bell's bodies moved before their minds could even process the danger.
"The next opponents are y—"
Crack—!!!!!!!
"I told you, I'm not dead yet."
"....!! Haha!!"
"Chiyaaaah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
"Haaah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
With the Hestia Knife in Bell's right hand and Alves Lumina in Ryu's, they charged with lethal intent. Akuo laughed at their desperation.
He laughed even harder at Akumo, who had severed the vines and was launching a counterattack of his own.
"What... is that....!!"
'They're all monsters...'
Watching the spectacle, Jura's body, soul, and mind finally understood the truth.
Step—!
'I-I have to run—'
Crunch—!!
"...!!"
—Skreeeeeee!!!!!!
He realized he had died a long time ago. His ugly struggle for survival was merely a veil over his eyes, making him forget what he was even living for.
—Saaaaaa!!!!!!!!!!
""!!""
'The [Lambton]...!? It was still alive...!!'
The Tamer's death acted as a trigger. With only the final command left in its primitive brain, the [Lambton], despite being nearly split in half, lunged at them.
Thud—!!!!
"Guh...!?"
'S-So fast...!!'
Clash—!!!!!
"Kh...!!"
The momentary distraction caused by the [Juggernaut] and the [Lambton] created a fatal opening.
Whish—!!!
'Ah, I can't block th—'
Bell saw Akuo's attack coming with enough momentum to surely pierce his skull.
Grab—!
"...Eh?"
Whish—!!!
'Brother...?'
"I'm sorry."
Akumo grabbed Bell's shoulder and shoved him back, thrusting [Balmung] into the path of the strike meant for the boy.
Shatter—!!!!
Even if [Balmung] broke, he would do it to save Bell, to protect the hope of the future, and above all...
Pierce—!!!!!
"I really, really wanted to win this one."
The staff impaled Akumo's abdomen.
"No!!!!!!!!!!!!"
'Akumo-san....!!'
Splurt—!!!!!
"Aaaah...!!!!!"
Vines began to sprout from the wound.
It was similar to the vines of the [Moss Huge] Enhanced Species Bell had seen before, but this was on an entirely different level of existence.
Saaaaaa—!!!!!!!!!!
As Akumo's consciousness began to fade, the last thing he heard was the screeching of the [Lambton] drawing closer.
"Please tell us! Cassandra-sama!"
"No! Absolutely not!"
Tremble—!
"If we go to the 27th floor....!"
Cassandra was adamantly opposing the descent to the 27th floor, terrified by the explosive sounds echoing from below.
'No matter what happens, I must not let these people go.'
Grip—!!
'If we stay on the 25th floor, we might escape the disaster....!'
To avoid the future where they died, to prevent the horrific tragedy, she had to leave it to Bell, Ryu, and Akumo. Even so, she wanted to do everything in her power.
Rumble—!!!
"""""!!!"""""
As if responding to her plea, the Dungeon manifested another anomaly.
"What is that?"
"Is it coming from below....?"
Rumble—!!!!!!!!!
"Wait.... No way!"
'If it's coming from the direction of the waterfall....'
A dark premonition flashed through Aisha's mind as she stared toward the Great Fall. Ouka, seeing her expression, realized what she was thinking.
"Don't tell me this vibration.... this sound!"
"You're joking, right? Hey, Lily-boy!"
"It's impossible! I checked the records..."
'It was supposed to have been subjugated half a month ago....'
"An irregular spawning of a Monster Rex....!"
'Common sense no longer applies...'
For the Dungeon, this was not the worst-case scenario.
The children it had specially crafted to eliminate those who broke its body were being overwhelmed. This was simply the next step.
"That massive explosion earlier, and that bizarre, scream-like sound."
Rumble—!!!
"This is completely different from the Dungeon we know....!"
The sight of a being so similar to its own children, yet wielding the stolen power of the hateful Gods, gave the Dungeon great satisfaction. It decided to exert a little more effort.
"The birth of a Floor Boss that shouldn't appear at this time...."
Rumble—!!!!!!!!!!!
"Is actually possible...?"
Crash—!!!!!!
"Danger! Run!"
"Hurry! Everyone, run!"
Their predictions were unfortunately accurate. Something massive was ascending the Great Fall from the enormous lake below.
The sheer presence of it made the entire floor tremble, altering the flow of the waterfall and shattering the surrounding rocks.
"It's coming up!"
"Everyone, get away from here!!!!"
"Cassandra, hurry!"
Dash—!!!!!
Ouka and Welf, horrified by the sight, immediately grabbed their comrades to flee the floor. Cassandra followed Daphne, running for her life.
Boom—!!!!
"This is insane!"
Splash—!!!!!!!!!!!!!
But they weren't fast enough. A massive tidal wave created by the giant monster swept everyone away.
"Gah..!! What the—"
Rumble—!!!
""""!!!""""
Fortunately, there were no serious injuries, but as if that didn't matter, a piercing, ear-splitting screech reached their ears.
—KRAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
"That's....."
"The Monster Rex of the 27th floor...."
The twin-headed dragon that ruled the Great Fall from the 25th to the 27th floor.
"[Amphisbaena]...!!"
They were now forced to face a banquet of calamities that showed no sign of ending.
—Wake up.
"..."
—You lost. Why are you sleeping so comfortably?
"..."
The fierce battle with Akuo, the magic used excessively while overloading Gram to defeat the Juggernaut, and the countless wounds sustained in the process.
—.....Nothing is over yet.
It had drained Akumo's stamina, and the process was accelerated by the vines that grew when the staff pierced his abdomen.
—So what if you lost?
Slowly—!
—If this 'Pioneer' spirit could be stopped by something like this.... what have you been running for all this time?
Twitch—!
—You simply suffered a defeat. As long as your head is still attached and your will is unbroken.
Even so, he didn't want to remain still.
There was no way he could stay down.
—There are still things left to protect.
That was enough.
Bolt—!
"Haaah...!"
When Akumo woke up, Bell was limping toward a corner of the Dungeon, carrying both him and Ryu on his back.
"Bell...."
"B-Brother...!?"
"It's shameless of me after losing like that.... but please, explain the situation."
"No, Brother! You...."
Grip—!!!
"Just focus on recovering...."
At Akumo's words, Bell recalled what happened immediately after the fight.
The [Lambton], which they thought was dead with its head split in two, had followed Jura's command. It swallowed Bell, Akumo, and Ryu whole, while simultaneously smashing through the floor into the Deep Floors.
'I barely managed to blast our way out from the inside with [Fire Bolt]....'
Tremble—!
'This arm... it hurts just to breathe... The Goliath Scarf blocked the worst of it, but it's a mess...!'
—SKREEEEEEE!!!!!!!!
""!!""
In that situation, the horrific screech of the [Juggernaut] echoed again.
Slowly—!
"Bell—"
Throb—!
"Guh...!!"
Akumo tried to move immediately to protect them, but his severed right arm and the vines hindering his body wouldn't allow it.
"Brother....."
'He's already been stabbed twice and had an arm cut off....'
Slowly—!
'Ryu-san's injuries are severe too. The situation is different from before...!'
"Haah... Haah...!"
'If we get ambushed now, we'll definitely die....'
Bell realized he couldn't rely on Akumo's support, and he gritted his teeth.
Tight—!!
'Get it together...!! How can I expect Brother's help after everything he's done...'
"I'll... I'll handle this somehow..."
'Don't get complacent... I can't keep relying on him forever....'
"So Bell... take Ryu and..."
Surge—!
"Phwah...!?"
As if to prove Bell's fears, Akumo finally vomited dead blood from his internal injuries, highlighting the desperation of their plight.
—SKREEEEE!!!!!!!!!
".....We have to go."
Drip—
'But I don't know what monsters are ahead.... Still, if we just wait here....'
—SKREEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
His ears cruelly and accurately picked up the monster's screeching, and his vision coldly sent the image of their hopeless situation to his brain. Everything was a first for Bell.
'It's no use! My head won't stop spinning...!'
"Haah...! Haah....!"
'The darkness is so heavy...!!'
"I-Is this...."
'Is this [The Deep Floors]....?'