The monster's rustling cries shattered the quiet of dawn.
Ryuu shot forward with the wind at her heels. The moment she saw the boy and the serpentine creature, the Elf girl charged in without a trace of hesitation. Her wooden sword slammed against the monster's thick body, erupting in a sharp, metallic roar.
!
The instant the blade struck its skin, Ryuu's brows knit. Too hard. A crushing pressure surged through her entire body. Ryuu pulled the boy behind her, braced her wooden sword, and kicked hard against the creature's tough yellow-green hide.
"Cranel-san, leave this place immediately."
Bell knew this battle was far beyond what he could handle.
"Thank you."
He didn't waste time wondering why she was here—he simply gave a brief reply and ran, intent on finding reinforcements.
Perhaps not expecting anyone to fight back, the serpentine monster recoiled. Its twisted body compressed tightly before launching forward again with explosive force.
Ryuu was ready. Gripping her sword with both hands, she angled her body and deflected the blow with practiced agility.
What was this monster? Why was it appearing here? Ryuu was certain: even if the Dungeon had mutated, no high-level monster should be able to emerge within the city. The Ganesha Familia should have captured only Upper Floor creatures for Monsterphilia. Yet this bizarre "serpent monster" possessed the power of something from the Lower Floors.
Ryuu had originally hoped to study the monster's true body, but after a few exchanges, she understood she couldn't hold it down. She had to fight with everything she had.
While counterattacking, the Elf girl began chanting Magic.
"—In the sky of a now distant forest. Infinite stars scattered in the endless night sky."
Magic gathered as her clear, airy voice echoed through the air. Even before the oppressive giant serpent, her movements didn't falter for an instant.
"Respond to my foolish voice, give me now divine protection of starfire.."
This was parallel chanting on par with a true Mage. Her wooden sword danced, her resolute voice flowing like a beautiful song.
Bell found himself entranced by the Elf maiden's striking figure. Even so, beneath that fairy-tale silhouette, he didn't forget his task. Find reinforcements.
Just as the boy sprinted away, the strange tremor hit again. Because he wasn't in the heat of battle, he could sense something off. If the Elf girl at the center of the fight didn't notice…
"Watch your step!" Bell shouted.
Almost at the same moment, the ground split open. A long yellow-green whip shot up violently.
!
Thanks to the boy's warning, Ryuu flipped her wooden sword and leapt aside, narrowly avoiding the deadly strike.
In the faint morning light, both finally saw the attacker clearly. A yellow-green tentacle, as thick as an arm.
When it failed to land a hit, the tentacle writhed and twisted across the ground. The serpent monster shifted as well. It lifted itself high, and the headless tip began splitting open, as if its seams were tearing apart.
Blooming. A woman. The same word surfaced in both their minds.
"ROOOOAR!!"
The roar slammed against her ears.
A burst of vivid petals erupted from the monster's head. Far from beautiful, at the center yawned a grotesque mouth, two rows of fangs like jagged earth spikes, drenched in foul mucus.
Confronted with that hideous face, Ryuu struck without hesitation. Snake or flower—it didn't matter. Defeat the monster, save the boy. That was all.
Her wooden sword clashed against the tentacle, the hardness jolting painfully up her arm. Sweat beaded at Ryuu's temples. Without chanting Magic, she had no way to break through this creature. She hadn't brought any other weapon for morning practice. If only she had Kaguya's tachi with her...
The Elf girl shoved aside the useless thought and focused on the fight.
Just as she began chanting again, a barrage of tentacles came crashing in.
!
Ryuu hadn't expected such overwhelming numbers; she couldn't dodge. She raised her wooden sword before her, forced to take the attack head-on. The tentacles compressed into a massive fist and slammed into her with brutal force.
BOOM.
The impact hurled Ryuu backward. It all happened so fast that Bell hadn't even managed to flee yet. The moment he understood what had happened, he abandoned the idea of running. He turned back and rushed forward, catching the Elf girl as she flew.
No—this place was too remote. Getting help would take too long. Leaving Ryuu alone to fight this monster was far too dangerous.
Wind roared from the violent collision. When Ryuu regained her senses, she found herself lying in the boy's arms. Bell, however, had crashed into a tree trunk. Blood spilled from his mouth, and he'd lost consciousness.
"Cranel-san!"
Ignoring her own injuries, Ryuu cried out anxiously. Someone as perceptive as him had clearly realized the monster was far beyond his level. He was only a rookie adventurer, yet he'd thrown himself forward to shield her with his own body.
Ryuu's chest tightened with frustration. She was the one meant to save others—how could she have ended up being saved by this boy?
"The song of a now distant forest…"
Just as she began chanting her treatment spell, thick tentacles surged toward them.
!
Ryuu lifted the boy and leapt aside. Tree trunks groaned behind her. A mass of tentacles lashed the ground, writhing as they pursued.
Each time she began chanting Magic, the monster's speed increased. Noticing this strange behavior, Ryuu could only flee while holding the boy tightly.
Should she escape from here?
For an instant, the Elf girl hesitated. The flower-shaped monster had emerged from a huge hole in the ground; if she ran far enough with Bell, it probably wouldn't be able to follow. But that would mean leaving it free to rampage.
No high-level familia lived in this district. If the monster changed targets, the result would be catastrophic.
Should she… abandon justice?
Ryuu looked at the boy's face, as if hoping he could give her the answer.
Just as she struggled with the choice, a sudden change occurred.
"My name is gold. The arm of the Goddess who took an oath of immortality—"
A clear chant rang out nearby. The thick tentacles instantly swung toward the new voice.
"Wait—wait! Why are you suddenly chasing me now?!"
Heith stopped her spell, screaming as she dodged the monster's attacks. She'd only come hoping to see the boy, never expecting to walk into a monster attack.
Spotting the youth in the Elf girl's arms, she immediately began chanting Magic. But unexpectedly, the monster switched targets.
"Hey! You over there, Elf! Why is there a monster on the surface?! What's your relationship with Bell—wait! I'm not tasty, so don't come over here to bite me!"
Heith lifted her staff, blocking the monster's fangs. More than fear of the huge carnivorous flower, her attention was on the boy's condition and the Elf carrying him. Even she had never done something like that—where had this green-haired Elf even come from?!
"Thank you for holding it off. I'll heal Cranel-san immediately. Please continue chanting Magic if you can."
Ryuu dodged the question entirely, focused only on the battle.
"I—was—planning to do that anyway!"
Heith shouted back while sprinting.
"My name is Gold… Wait! Wait! Why is it getting even more aggressive?!"
Amid the Golden Witch's frantic complaints, Ryuu held the boy close and chanted a healing spell.
When Bell regained consciousness, the Elf girl pressed her lips together as their eyes met.
"Cranel-san, thank you for your rescue. Please heed my request."
"Hurry and escape."