"Haaa!"
On the fifteenth floor of the dungeon, cries of excitement faintly echoed.
With her new sword in hand, Lefiya charged into the hordes of monsters, shouting with joy.
Becoming a warrior and leaping into battle—this was a completely new experience for Lefiya, who had always aspired to be a great mage.
A week had passed since Lefiya's transformation into a warrior.
During that week, the young elf had gone from passively taking enemy attacks to actively pressing forward.
From swinging her sword at random to moving with purpose and precision.
In just one week, she had gone from a complete novice in close combat to a capable swordswoman.
"Lefiya, always pay attention to your surroundings. Don't let any blind spots slip by."
"Yes!"
Hearing her firm reply, Shirou, as her instructor, felt a deep sense of satisfaction.
As expected, teaching someone talented was a joy.
With magical energy flowing through his circuits, Shirou projected a fresh pair of Kanshou and Bakuya.
Spotting three Minotaurs surrounding him, Shirou dashed forward, instantly closing the gap with the nearest one.
He swung both blades with full force.
With a sharp, ringing sound, the swords—infused with his power—sliced cleanly through the Minotaur's body.
Avoiding the spray of blood with a disgusted sidestep, Shirou turned to face the other two.
ROAR!
One Minotaur bellowed and charged, intending to impale him with its horns.
But Emiya Shirou was no longer the same man who had first arrived in Orario.
If he could handle a Minotaur with ease before, now—after reaching Level 2—no Minotaur could truly threaten him.
As it lunged, Shirou stepped forward and slid under its massive frame.
Projecting Kanshou and Bakuya once more, he slashed its torso open, spilling its entrails.
But the fight wasn't over; the last Minotaur still awaited its fate.
Using the momentum from his slide, Shirou discarded his twin swords and projected a longbow.
By the time he came to a stop, he already had the bowstring drawn, an arrow ready to fly.
With a whistling fwip, three arrows shot out, piercing the beast's body and killing it instantly.
Shirou's movements were so fluid they seemed like art in motion.
Although he had yet to regain the full strength he'd possessed during the Holy Grail War, his potential now was undeniably greater.
Sooner or later, he would surpass a Saber in strength, a Berserker in endurance, a Rider in speed, and a Caster in magical power.
"Shirou-san is so strong! He just took down three Minotaurs with ease! That's something other Level 2 adventurers wouldn't even dream of attempting."
Having finished off her own opponents, Lefiya, panting, wiped the sweat from her forehead and gazed at Shirou with eyes full of admiration.
After a week of working together, Shirou had grown thoroughly familiar with Lefiya, and she in turn had come to understand the depths of his abilities.
He had supreme mastery of virtually any bladed weapon he touched.
He possessed a frightening growth rate, his basic abilities improving rapidly.
His mind was steady—never panicking no matter the situation.
He was even a skilled strategist… and a talented cook.
When Tiona and Tione had first stumbled across the snacks and treats in Ais's room, they had nearly cried from sheer greed.
Later, in the Loki Familia's dining hall, Shirou—pouring his full passion into it—showed everyone what the true culinary world was like.
Had he not refused so strongly, the role of the Familia's head chef would have fallen to him immediately.
Privately, many of Lefiya's closest friends praised Shirou as the perfect man—each secretly harboring their own feelings for him, though none dared voice them.
Now, thinking about it, Lefiya realized how lucky she was to be able to work alongside Shirou.
"There's nothing to brag about—it was just basic work."
The danger of the dungeon lies in the relentless assault of monsters and the threat of unexpected situations.
A single monster is no match for an adventurer of equal level—except for floor bosses, of course.
Naturally, if one adventurer's abilities are at the peak of their level while the other is a rookie, the outcome is obvious.
After all, attribute suppression is very real in this world.
However, this only applies in the lower levels. From Level 5 onward, even a newcomer to that level can defeat higher-ranked monsters of the same tier.
After all, reaching Level 5 is no small feat.
But the dungeon is not meant for solitary duels—it's a constant massacre of monsters.
Hearing Shirou's words, Lefiya's lips twitched and her face stiffened.
Those in the Loki Familia who had spent time with Emiya Shirou had noticed that when he was praised, he often responded with infuriatingly unapologetic remarks.
"That's all?"
"I'm too weak; my progress is far too slow."
Such hypocritical statements… to the point where an exasperated Loki had stopped complimenting him altogether.
"Mr. Shirou, you're far too modest—"
Plop!
Before Lefiya could finish, the sound of heavy impacts reached their ears.
Then, within the curved cavern, dozens of Minotaur figures suddenly emerged from the surrounding walls.
"What a strange situation…"
Reacting instinctively, Shirou pulled Lefiya into his arms, his vigilance spiking as he took in the horde before them.
They were surrounded by Minotaurs.
With so many, even he could be in danger if he wasn't careful.
"What should we do, Shirou-san? It's a monster feast!"
Staring at the dense mass of Minotaurs, a shiver ran down Lefiya's spine.
Only Shirou's embrace gave her the slightest warmth.
"Calm down, Lefiya. Your magic is the only thing that can help us now. Even though you haven't chanted a single spell all week, I believe you're far stronger than your old self."
(Of course, there are other ways… but this is a good chance to test her progress, Shirou thought.)
"Hmm!"
Seeing her gradually calm down, Shirou patted her head, pulled a staff from his pack, and handed it to her.
"I'll draw the monsters' attention while you cast your spell."
"Let this be a test of your training. I don't think there's a better one than this!"
"So please—trust me. I'll protect you."
Hearing his words, Lefiya gripped her staff and drove it into the ground.
Her eyes burned with determination—she looked nothing like the timid, fearful girl from before.
The only thing unchanged was what she had to do next.
"I will always believe in you, Shirou-san."
---
(End of Chapter)
"Hmph. If you really want to be useful, then entertain me, try to throw those pathetic power stones at me. Let's see if even your insolence can amuse a king."