"This is so boring!!!"
Tiona kept complaining endlessly as she walked through the long, narrow cave, her hands resting behind her head.
Her sister, who had been listening to her constant grumbling, was getting increasingly irritated.
"You're so annoying!!"
Tione gave her sister a helpless look, trying to reason with her.
"Our supplies are gone, what did you expect to happen?"
"And don't forget, your Urga was destroyed. The one you're using now was designed by Shirou!"
Hearing the Amazon sisters' exchange, Shirou couldn't help but chime in with a joke.
"That's right, it was worth 120 million Valis! Do you even have enough savings to commission another, Tiona?"
At Shirou's teasing, Tiona's mood dropped again.
"Can you please stop bringing up my Urga?"
"Hahaha!"
Her lament drew laughter from everyone.
Bete laughed the loudest, clutching his stomach and nearly unable to stand.
"Bete, you idiot!"
Seeing him mock her so openly, Tiona snapped and lunged at him in anger.
"Arrgh!! Let go, you idiot!"
"You're the idiot, you useless mutt!"
Watching the two bicker, Shirou couldn't help but smile.
It had already been several days since the attack by those caterpillar-like monsters. After taking a day to recover from their losses, the group had begun making their way back to the surface.
Fortunately, although they had lost several pieces of equipment, there were no casualties in this expedition.
It was worth noting, however, that when Shirou and the group had fought on the 51st floor, they once again encountered traces of that new species.
This time, Shirou didn't use Unlimited Blade Works, but instead killed them with his magic arrows.
In that battle, the others, not wanting to be outdone by Shirou, slaughtered every monster in their path.
Tiona, in particular, ignored the pain of the corrosive fluids, plunging her hand straight into the caterpillar's body and ripping out its magic stone in a display that left everyone astonished.
That stone became the first new type of magic stone ever collected by the Loki Familia.
"What a strange color!"
"Yeah. Really strange."
Looking at the stone in Tiona's hand, Shirou couldn't help but reflect.
This experience on the 50th floor was vastly different from the anime version of Sword Oratoria.
That meant even more unexpected events could unfold in the future. His knowledge of what was to come could only serve as a guide—not a trump card.
Otherwise, he might actually end up dead.
After all, who knew how different this world truly was from the anime?
As Shirou contemplated the future, the Loki Familia, having entered a cave, suddenly encountered something unusual.
"Look, something's off!"
"Oh! Minotaurs!"
"There are so many… are we surrounded?"
On the 17th floor of the Dungeon, the Loki Familia, on their way back to Orario, stumbled upon a horde of Minotaurs. Yet, their expressions remained calm.
After all, this was only the 17th floor.
Against monsters with merely Level 2 strength, the elite Loki Familia had no reason to be fazed.
These weren't caterpillar monsters.
"Since we've run into them, let's finish them quickly."
"We're ready, just waiting for the captain's orders."
At Finn's command, Tiona and the others, unable to restrain themselves any longer, charged into the Minotaur horde and began slaughtering them.
It didn't take long before more than half of the Minotaurs were wiped out.
At that moment, perhaps terrified by the overwhelming strength before them, one Minotaur suddenly turned and fled—straight toward Ais.
Its panic sparked the rest of the monsters, who also began fleeing.
"Eh?"
"Hey, you're monsters! Why are you running away?!"
Both Tiona and Bete were stunned at the sight.
The Minotaurs rushed out of the cave and vanished into the depths of the passage.
Everyone stood frozen in shock.
"After them! That passage leads to the 16th floor!"
Finn's order was instantly understood by all.
If a Minotaur were to reach the upper floors by accident, the devastation would be catastrophic.
If anyone died at the hands of a Minotaur, they would never forgive themselves.
Without hesitation, the group gave chase.
Shirou followed along, ascending rapidly.
Although the appearance of the Minotaurs was unexpected, Shirou quickly accepted it.
Even though he and his companions had stayed one more day on the 50th floor, the Loki Familia's return journey, supported by his weapon designs and assistance, was bound to be faster than in the original story.
Still, encountering a Minotaur that fled was extremely rare.
Knowing this was inevitable, Shirou made no attempt to stop it.
Because this battle was crucial for the growth of the original story's protagonist.
Bell Cranel, the true hero of this world, was born from this battle.
Shirou held a certain admiration for Bell.
Like him, Bell was someone willing to risk his life to save others.
Shirou had countless reasons to support Bell's growth.
In the short term, without Bell, Shirou's understanding of this world would crumble, and he would lose his advantage.
Moreover, he wanted Bell to carry the gaze of the goddess Freya.
Even now, Shirou often felt her eyes on him from atop the Tower of Babel.
Honestly, it was uncomfortable.
That was why he desperately needed someone else to share the burden.
But without Bell's past experiences, Freya would never be drawn to him. Even Zeus, the god who raised Bell, had once dismissed him as a talentless child.
So Shirou fully supported this turn of events.
Looking ahead, Bell would one day obtain something Shirou needed: the Hestia Knife, a short sword forged by the goddess Hephaestus.
That blade was of utmost importance to Shirou.
And then there was responsibility.
Shirou wasn't from this world; he had someone he wanted to save—Miyu.
To hone his strength, he needed to travel across different worlds, gaining experience. Staying in one world forever was impossible.
No one knew when he would return next, or what state the world would be in when he did.
That was why this world needed someone like Bell.
(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."