"The Colosseum...?"
"The moment a monster is destroyed, a new one is born and immediately charges."
"In other words, their numbers never dwindle..."
As Bell questioned the new concept, Ryu and Akumo provided a detailed explanation of the Colosseum.
"It is the Dungeon itself, condensed into a small space."
"It's a danger zone that even I avoid during expeditions whenever possible."
"Even the Loki Familia... with you and Miss Aiz!?"
'Unbelievable...'
Bell was stunned by the lethality of the Colosseum and hesitated to enter.
"Even so, we have no choice."
"We must press forward."
Contrary to Bell, Akumo and Ryu were certain they had to pass through this area. They spoke with absolute conviction.
"Brother...! Ryu, you too...!"
"If we pass through here, we can reach the regular route. If we do that, our chances of reaching the 36th floor increase significantly."
"But still...!"
"Conversely, if we do not pass through here, there is no chance at all."
"...!!"
Bell tried to stop them, but Ryu calmly persuaded him, explaining that if they did not move forward, their fate would mirror the tragedy of the fallen adventurers they had found.
"From here on, it is a true trial... no, an adventure!"
Shing—!
"Ryu, what about the mapping to the regular route?"
"I have mapped everything I can recall."
In response to Akumo's question, Ryu showed them the sketch she had been working on—a rough map of the massive Colosseum.
"There are four entrances and exits in this room."
Thud—!
"The one leading to the regular route is the passage directly on the opposite side."
Bell expressed concern upon realizing that the target passage was at the furthest possible point.
"Countless monsters will swarm us while we cross the Colosseum."
"We will avoid combat, naturally."
Flick—!
"By using this."
"That's...!"
'The hide of a Skull Sheep...'
Ryu cut the hides and fashioned them into cloaks for each person. Then, she pulled something else from her bag.
""Ugh!?""
"We must also mask our scent."
"A Barbarian's heart..."
"It's similar to the scent bags Lily used to make..."
They crushed the hearts against the hides, coating them in foul-smelling blood. By erasing their presence and masking their scent, they completed their preparations.
"Now then... from this moment on, do not even let your breath be heard."
"".....""
Nod, nod!
With cloaks pulled over their heads, they entered the Colosseum. Akumo took the lead, with Bell and Ryu following closely behind.
Step, step—!
"Haa..."
—...
"""!!"""
In a state of extreme tension, they flinched whenever they accidentally met a monster's gaze, but they suppressed their breathing and continued to walk.
'Stay calm... It's fine, it's fine...!'
Step, step—!
"...Wait."
Stop—!
—.....
"Let's go."
Step, step—!
They paused at Akumo's signal, waiting for the monsters' attention to drift before moving forward again.
—Woooohhh!!!!!!!!!!!
—!!!!!!!!!!!!
Clatter—!!!!!!
They finally stepped into the true interior of the Colosseum.
Boom—!!!!
Clang—!!!!!!
Thwack—!!!!!
Squelch—!!!!
It was a bloody arena where monsters collided, swung weapons, fired venomous stingers, and slaughtered one another. That was the Colosseum.
"The monsters here only fight each other unless an intruder enters—more precisely, unless they are detected."
Rumble—!!
"They regenerate endlessly no matter how many you kill, but the total number is fixed. Their individual count is irrelevant."
Bell and Ryu listened intently to Akumo's explanation, etching it into their minds.
"Brother, can't we reach the regular route through that bridge over there?"
Point—!
Bell pointed toward a closer bridge and asked Akumo.
"Impossible. There is a path there, but it's an inefficient route that requires a massive detour."
"I see..."
"Keep your wits about you. Let's all get out of here alive."
Bell hardened his resolve at Akumo's answer, and they began to walk across the circular bridge.
—!!!!!!!
Step, step—
'The monsters are so close...'
Rumble—!!!!!!
'Can we really get through without being caught...?'
Grip—!
'Brother...!'
Seeing Bell trembling as he imagined the worst-case scenario of discovery, Akumo placed a hand on his shoulder. His gaze told Bell not to look down, but to look only ahead.
Nod—!
'I understand... Brother!'
Bell ignored the roars and vibrations of the monsters, focusing solely on moving forward.
Step—
'The Colosseum... I've seen it occasionally in the past, but even for me, this is uncharted territory...'
Step—
'Why does a space like this even exist...?'
Akumo questioned the nature of the Dungeon. Even though fifteen years had passed since he first stepped into the Deep Floors, he felt he still knew nothing about this place.
".....A whim?"
'To call it a whim of the mother known as the Dungeon...'
Boom—!!!
Crack—!!!!
'Enhanced Species aren't born from such reckless chaos.'
Step—
'It should be a meaningless exercise...'
At that moment, a thought flashed through Akumo's mind.
—'It felt as if it were testing something, you know?'
He recalled a story told years ago by a member of the Zeus Familia who had returned from an expedition.
'A test...?'
"Testing whom..."
As the thought circled his mind—
Thump—!!
"""!!"""
'A spawn right behind us...!?'
Pure misfortune descended upon them.
Clatter—!
A Spartoi materialized directly behind them, swinging its bone sword. Perhaps because it had spawned so close, it had clearly recognized their presence.
'Dammit...!'
Crunch—!!!!
Akumo immediately pulverized the Spartoi's skull with a fist, erasing it. However, the sudden instinctive evasion caused Bell and Ryu's cloaks to fly off.
ROOOOAAAAARRRR—!!!!!!!!!!
Immediately, the monsters of the Colosseum recognized the two. Every gaze in the arena focused on them.
"Run!!"
Dash—!!!!!!
"Bell, we break through together!!"
"Right!!"
At Akumo's command, Bell instantly cut down three monsters in front of him, but—
"Do not engage them fully! Just clear a path!"
Slash—!!!
Simply reducing their numbers wasn't enough to move forward. Ryu supported him, carving through the horde.
"Ryu, you clear the path with Bell!"
Thwack—!!!!
'Now isn't the time to conserve stamina...!'
Crunch—!!!!
Drip—!!
'There are too many...!'
Even as his wounds reopened and blood flowed, Akumo kept moving, slaughtering monsters.
"Ryu! Just throw a Fire Stone and blast a hole!"
Unfortunately, the monsters spawning around them formed a wall. Realizing they couldn't afford to save items, Akumo yelled for Ryu to use a Fire Stone.
Whish—!!!!
"Cranel!"
"[Fire Bolt]!!!!"
Whoosh—!!!
Ryu's Fire Stone combined with Bell's [Fire Bolt], creating a massive explosion that vaporized dozens of monsters instantly.
BOOM—!!!!!!
"Run!!!"
Dash—!!!!!!!
Using the explosion as a signal, they all sprinted toward the exit of the Colosseum, but—
—Kaaaaakh!!!!!!!!
"Dammit...!"
'At this rate, they'll catch us...'
Thud—!!!
"Guh...!?"
For a single second, the possibility of failure crossed Akumo's mind, distracting him. In that second, he allowed an attack to land, and the wound he had barely managed to stanch throbbed with agony.
However, the pain acted as a stimulant, awakening Akumo's focus.
Clench—!!!!
'Right, what the hell was I thinking...!'
CRACK—!!!!!!!!
Akumo immediately sent the monsters flying, having reached a decision.
Slash—!!!!
Boom—!!!!!
Splat—!!!!!
Bell and Ryu carved a path while Akumo handled the monsters ambushing from behind. They successfully drew closer to the bridge.
"We're almost there...!!"
Slash—!!!
"Good, hurry to the bridge—"
—!!!!!!!!!!!!
"""!!"""
Whether drawn by the sound of battle or something else, a swarm of monsters was pouring in from across the bridge as well.
"....."
Even if they ran, with those numbers, they would be caught from behind before they could break through.
Using a large-scale technique in the confined space of the bridge would inevitably cause friendly fire.
'A checkmate situation...'
Grip—!!!
'Checkmate my ass!!'
Akumo had already made his choice.
"Ryu, Bell. Both of you, run for the bridge."
""!!""
"Akum—"
Dash—!!!
'This is the only way...!'
Before Ryu could even finish her sentence, Akumo charged toward the monsters behind them to give them every possible second.
Slash—!!!!!!!!!!
'I'm not holding back anymore!!'
Ignoring the durability of his weapons, Akumo drew a sword from his back and began reaping the monsters in an instant.
"Brother...!!"
"Akumo...!!"
Bell and Ryu hesitated, unable to leave him behind.
"GO!!!!!!!!!!"
Slash—!!!!
Splat—!!!!!
At Akumo's roar, they were forced to run toward the bridge.
Slash—!!!
"Haah!"
Crunch—!!!!!!!!
'I'll buy as much time as I can...!!'
Snap—!
"!!"
But after barely five swings, the worn sword couldn't keep up with Akumo's prowess and shattered.
Whish—!!!!
Without missing a beat, Akumo struck the broken blade, sending it flying, and threw the remaining hilt to dispatch two more monsters.
Grip—!!
'One weapon left!'
Crunch—!!!!!!!!!
Boom—!!!!!!!!!!!
Grabbing a worn axe, he evaded every incoming attack, carving and pulverizing monsters with a precision that was nothing short of miraculous.
Whoosh—!!
"!?"
Suddenly, a massive bone, sharpened like a club, swung toward him.
CRACK—!!!!
'Swinging a Spartoi like a club...!?'
"No problem!"
Snap—!!
'The axe...!!'
Even if his body held out, the weapons could not. The axe shattered completely.
"Brother!!!!"
"Hurry and cross over here!!!!!"
Bell and Ryu screamed for him to join them at the bridge.
".....O' Spirit"
"Brother...?"
"....!! Akumo!!!"
Akumo was merely dodging attacks while chanting something. Bell was confused, but Ryu realized what he was about to do and screamed.
"You can't!!!! Please!!!!!"
'I would rather...!'
"[Body · Soul · Mind]"
VROOOOOOM—!!!!!!!!
"AKUMO!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Prepared for death, Akumo activated his skill. He clenched his fist, resolved to leave behind no strength or Mind for survival.
"RUN!!!!!!!!!!"
""!!""
"[Draw]"
The absolute best strike he could muster at his current state flew toward Bell and Ryu—or more accurately, toward the monsters behind them.
SHHHH—!!!!
The sword pressure swept past Bell and Ryu as they ducked, annihilating dozens of monsters in a single stroke. Bell and Ryu tried to run back to him, but—
Crack, crack—!!!
Akumo, pushed to his absolute limit, couldn't control the magic precisely. The aftermath of the strike caused the bridge to begin collapsing.
"Brother!!!!!!"
'If I jump now...!'
Bell called out to Akumo, thinking he could still make it.
Rumble—!!!!!
However, Akumo saw the Delphyne monsters beginning to charge their attacks, their gazes fixed on the pair.
"I have to stop them—"
Crunch—!!!!
Boom—!!!!!!!!
Akumo took a stance and immediately tore through their hides, interrupting their attacks.
Dash—!!!!
Endlessly regenerating Delphyne, Spartoi archers... special types were everywhere.
"Don't worry about me."
Splat—!!
'The moment I used that magic...'
""....!!""
There was no reason for him not to throw himself into the Colosseum.