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“I can’t say for sure, but the gnomes are telling me to go this way.”

When I glanced down at my feet, I saw tiny sprites, each about the size of a thumb, pointing in the same direction and saying, “This way, this way,” and “Other way leads nowhere.”

Given that we were surrounded by rocks, I’d been asking the gnomes to guide us toward an exit. However, since spirits generally don’t have a clear consciousness, I wasn’t entirely confident in their guidance… but they had successfully warned us of hidden traps and led us to resting spots, so I figured they were probably reliable.

With that, we continued through the passageway at a steady pace. But later, I would deeply regret not summoning other elemental spirits—especially water spirits—instead of letting my surroundings dictate my choices. Who knows, they might have revealed a different path.

♦♢♦

After walking for about two hours, taking breaks along the way, we finally reached a massive chamber that was completely different from the bland corridors we had been traversing. This colossal hall, which seemed to be around fifty mertes high and five hundred mertes across, was adorned with thick columns, arches, and intricate carvings.

The entrance to this chamber, although dwarfed by the room’s immense size, was still an imposing set of double doors made of stone, each about one merte wide, standing wide open.

“…It definitely looks like one of those situations where the doors slam shut after we enter, and then the boss shows up.”
“…It does.”

From where we stood at the entrance, we could just barely make out a summoning circle in the center of the room and, beyond it, a staircase leading downwards on the opposite side. The lavish carvings marking this obvious boss room, combined with the fact that the stairs led downward instead of up, filled me with unease.

I glanced at the others to gauge their reactions. Vier showed no sign of hesitation, sitting calmly and waiting for my instructions. Bartholomew, on the other hand, seemed oddly relaxed.

“Hmm, this room is quite to my liking. It reminds me of home,” he remarked, as if the place gave him a sense of comfort.

“…What should we do?” Eren asked, clearly bewildered. But by this point, there was no turning back (literally). I made my decision.

“We’re going in. I’m sorry, but Bartholomew, I’ll need you to take the lead. I’ll provide magical support as needed… although I doubt you’ll need it. Eren, keep your distance so you can retreat if necessary. Vier, protect Eren.”

“Understood, count on me!”
“Yes!”
“Woof! (Got it!)”

After confirming that everyone nodded firmly, I raised my staff and cast two spells: the support spell Water Cloak, which increases defense, and Life Clock, an original healing spell that temporarily boosts vitality. A blue membrane of light formed around our bodies, and I felt our steps lighten. Without a word, we exchanged nods and stepped into the grand chamber.

As our footsteps echoed through the silent chamber, we took a few steps towards the center of the room. As expected, the entrance doors slammed shut with a thunderous noise. Immediately, red flames burst to life in the candelabras mounted on the stone pillars, illuminating the room brightly.

“—It’s coming!” Bartholomew, wielding his massive black halberd, gave a brief warning, seemingly eager. At that moment, the summoning circle in the center began to glow, and lightning-like flashes shot out from it like snakes raising their heads. The bolts collided in mid-air, expanding and brightening until they began to take the shape of a massive creature.

In the few seconds that I instinctively turned my face away from the intense light, a grotesque, gigantic beast over ten mertes in length appeared in the center of the hall, which was fifty mertes high. This monstrosity, a blend of a bear, a baboon, and a tiger, with wings sprouting from its back, let out a roar that shook us to our cores.

“—!”

Although we had braced ourselves, the pressure emanating from the beast was overwhelming. This might even surpass Maya and Bartholomew…

I quickly glanced at my companions. Vier had spread her limbs and wings, ready for battle, while Eren, who was sheltered behind her, held her spear with a pale face, yet remained determined to stay. As for Bartholomew…

“Thunder Beast Nue—a being from the Crimson Empire…!!” he exclaimed in shock at the sight of the creature.

“…someone from your homeland?”
“Yes… quite young, still unrecognized by the princess…”

Bartholomew’s groaning response caused me to look up at the Nue hovering in the air. Unlike Bartholomew, who possessed a rational mind, this creature, constantly emitting a thunderous growl and drooling from its mouth, seemed to be of a different nature altogether.

“………”
“………”

It appeared that some sort of conversation had taken place. Bartholomew and the Nue stood silently facing each other for a moment, but then something seemed to change. I sensed an unmistakably aggressive roar escaping from Nue’s mouth.

“…Bartholo…mew?”
“You care not for my duty to guard… you possess no intention of returning to the homeland… and you claim that loyalty to the princess means nothing…”

Bartholomew’s voice was oddly calm, but I could hear the sound of the space around him cracking under the immense pressure of his barely contained rage.

“—Killing the occasional human who comes here feels good. I want to stay here forever… eating the flesh of terrified humans is delicious, YOU SAY?!!!”

Bartholomew’s ghostly eyes blazed with fury, and the trembling hand gripping his halberd drove its butt into the floor, causing radial cracks to spread across it.

“—Kyaaaaah!!”

The surge of magical power and the overwhelming aura that erupted from Bartholomew shook the air as if it had exploded. The force was so intense that it sent me flying several mertes from where I stood, my limbs nearly shattered by the impact.

“Forgetting the pride of being a citizen of the glorious Crimson Empire, discarding your loyalty to the princess, and degrading yourself into a filthy monster— unforgivable! Even if no one else judges you, I will do so here and now!”
“Bartholomew—N-No! If you unleash such reckless power here, the dungeon will collapse!”

But Bartholomew’s rage was unstoppable, and my words didn’t reach him. He closed the distance between himself and the Nue, raising his halberd high before charging forward.

“Perish, you fool! I am a palace knight of the glorious Crimson Empire, blessed by the princess with the divine name of ██! Engrave this name upon your soul, and consider it a final mercy to be sent to the afterlife by me!”

In response, the Nue let out a roar, and a magic circle formed in the air, unleashing a barrage of lightning strikes. Bartholomew’s dark halberd met the attack head-on, and as they collided in midair, a brief struggle ensued before a massive explosion filled the hall.

“…A-Are you okay, Eren, Vier…?”

Keeping low to the ground to avoid the shockwave, I crawled towards them, relying on their presence and the flow of magical energy. I found Vier trembling, her ears flattened, seemingly terrified by the overwhelming force and demonic aura Bartholomew had unleashed. Behind her, Eren had fainted and was lying on the floor, eyes rolled back.

…there seemed to be a warm puddle under her, but I decided to pretend I hadn’t noticed.

“It looks like we could easily die here if we stay, so we should probably evacuate to the next floor while we can… Vier, could you carry Eren on your back to the stairs on the opposite side?”

In the sky above, the intense flashes of light, magic circles, and bolts of lightning continued to fly about. The sheer force of the residual magic was enough to make someone like me disappear in an instant. I instinctively understood that this was no place for us and decided on an immediate retreat.

Vier, understanding the situation, gently grabbed the unconscious Eren—who was likely better off not waking up at this point—and placed her on her back. She then turned to me, urging me to climb on as well.

“I—I’m fine, I’ll manage somehow.”

I tried to tough it out, using my staff for support as I stood up. But noticing how awkward it was to walk, I hesitantly checked my own condition—and then buried my face in my hands.

“…Sorry, Vier. I’ll need your help too.”

Vier nodded, effortlessly lifting me onto her back as well.

As I supported the unconscious Eren, I thought to myself that once we made it to the next floor, I’d need to get some fresh underwear for both of us…