The Hephaestus Familia stands as the premier faction specializing in blacksmithing, boasting numerous master smiths who carry prestigious titles. Under the leadership of the Goddess of Smithing, Hephaestus, this Familia—alongside the Goibniu Familia—reigns over the most elite workshops in Orario. Indeed, the vast majority of equipment used by first-tier adventurers originates from one of these two houses.
Tsubaki Collbrande, the captain of the Familia and a formidable Level 5 warrior, was on the verge of completing a masterpiece she had begun nearly six months ago.
Utilizing a Spirit Furnace capable of melting even the most refined and resilient metals, Tsubaki immersed herself in a frantic, almost maddened state of work. Even as the searing heat scorched her skin, she did not falter. Goddess Hephaestus had tried to dissuade her many times, yet Tsubaki's desire to reach heights rivaling the skill of the gods pushed her forward. She used the base material entrusted to her, reinforcing it with rare metals and precious drops from deep-floor monsters to forge a sword beyond compare.
The core material forming the heart of this blade was a scale from the rebellious One-Eyed Black Dragon.
That dragon remains one of the Three Great Calamities that emerged from the Great Chasm in ancient times. It is part of the Three Great Quests that have inflicted agony upon the world for millennia—the very catastrophe that dealt a crushing defeat to the Zeus and Hera Familias, the strongest factions of the old era.
Refining a sword from scales that store such Raging Power would pique the curiosity of any natural-born smith.
The ultimate question remained: what heights would this sword reach when wielded by its owner—the client who brought those scales lost in ancient battles? That client was Al Cranel, the strongest swordsman of the current age. Now, the time for an answer had come.
"It is finally complete."
The sword finally stood finished. Its blade was pitch black, as if swallowing the light itself, while the hilt featured engravings of pure Mithril—a metal superior to all others in conducting magical energy. It was a grand sword that combined the properties of a weapon with those of a magic staff, a piece without equal in the Lower World.
If the dagger Goddess Hephaestus was currently forging with her own divine blood represented the "pinnacle of unconventional methods," then this sword was the "pinnacle of the orthodox style." It was a unique artifact polished by pure human skill without the intervention of divine power or miracles, pushed to the absolute limits of mastery.
As Tsubaki contemplated her greatest masterpiece, into which she had poured her very soul, a spontaneous smile crossed her face. She could not suppress the excitement tightening her heart as she imagined that young man swinging this sword against monsters.
The dark majesty radiating from this black-bladed sword made one imagine that any ordinary user might drop dead just by holding it. Its maker was certain that no weapon in Orario surpassed its power.
"The name... yes, let it be Balmung."
She drew inspiration from the sword carried by a legendary hero said to be the greatest dragon slayer of the pre-divine era, hoping the owner of this blade could slay the One-Eyed Black Dragon.
"Well, I shall show it to the Goddess first."
Confident that her sword surpassed the dagger the Goddess was currently making for her friend, Tsubaki Collbrande began to drag her exhausted, burn-covered body across the floor.
── Naturally, before she could receive any appraisal of her sword, she was rushed to the Dian Cecht Familia headquarters for medical treatment.
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Monsterphilia is the largest annual festival in Orario, organized by the Ganesha Familia. During the event, monsters tamed by the Familia members are put on display, making it the only opportunity for common citizens to see creatures they otherwise never encounter.
Consequently, the city streets were choked with people today. As sweet music echoed through the air, stalls appeared everywhere selling rare foods available only on this day, alongside various games for children.
The crimes typical of such massive gatherings were almost non-existent, thanks to the heavy security provided by the Ganesha Familia's elite, consisting of second-tier adventurers and above. Amidst this boisterous celebratory atmosphere, a lone girl with a somber expression walked down the main street.
Despite her breathtaking beauty, which drew the eyes of passersby who knew her as the "Sword Princess," she did not notice. She kept walking with her head bowed.
"I lost track of Loki..."
Ais Wallenstein was absentmindedly eating red bean cream-flavored fried potato puffs—Jagamaru-kun—instead of trying the rare delicacies available.
Normally, Ais didn't care for such events, but she had been chosen as Loki's guard for her meeting with Goddess Freya. While they were walking together, the crowd separated them, and she had lost her.
Wandering alone didn't bother her, but finding Loki in this chaos was nearly impossible.
(What do I do now?)
She found no trace of anyone resembling Loki nearby. Even if she succeeded in catching up, she felt there was little point in wandering with her now. Since she was on a guard mission, she couldn't return home of her own volition.
More importantly, she didn't know how to search for a specific person in this sea of humanity. Thus, Ais decided to keep walking through the city without a specific destination.
(Where could Al be right now?)
This morning, Ais had gathered her courage and entered Al's room to invite him to walk the festival together, but he wasn't there. Feeling a sense of emptiness, she had agreed to accompany Loki instead.
Al was rarely at the Familia headquarters; he was usually in the Dungeon or visiting Familias he knew. She sighed as she bought an extra bag of potato puffs, wondering if he was with Tiona or one of the girls from the other Familias. A slight tightness gripped her chest.
"I wanted to walk with Al..."
Only 15 minutes remained until the monsters escaped and the Man-eating Flowers began their rampage.
●○●○●
In the lower floors of the Dungeon, in an undiscovered region, sat a protected artificial cave that looked like a natural part of the environment—a location impossible to find for anyone following the usual paths. There, monsters from various floors—upper, middle, and lower—gathered, a phenomenon that never occurs naturally.
These monsters differed from ordinary ones in two ways: some wore armor like adventurers, and more importantly, their eyes overflowed with an intelligence and wisdom unfitting for wild beasts.
They are the Xenos—monsters who gained consciousness because they were born in the dark depths of the Dungeon, yet carried a yearning for the Surface in their hearts. They behave like humans, in organized groups, and their gathering place now was a vast chamber they called "The Hidden Village."
They circled a large fire, sharing meaty fruits, aged drinks, and crystal candies in a loud, boisterous manner. If an adventurer saw them, they would describe the scene as a banquet of beasts. Amidst those strange creatures sat a single human.
"I apologize, Lido. I brought nothing but ale, yet you've welcomed me with such warmth."
"Hahaha! Our friend Al has come! No need to say a word. Everyone started preparing to welcome you as soon as they knew you were coming. Even Gross was very excited!"
The one speaking to Al was Lido, a Lizardman with red scales. He was the strongest among the Xenos, possessing power rivaling a first-tier adventurer, and served as their de facto leader. Al shrugged with a faint smile at Lido's words.
"But are you sure about being here, Al? Fels said the Surface is holding the 'Monsterphilia' festival right now?"
"That person... he keeps nothing to himself. ── Don't worry about it. Those kinds of events don't interest me. Besides, it's a festival to watch monsters tamed by the Ganesha Familia, and that doesn't concern me."
Al's relationship with the Xenos began about a year ago when he saved a group speaking the human tongue who were being hunted by Udaeus monsters in the White Palace on the 37th floor.
Since then, Al had made it a habit to visit them regularly. Despite his cold nature, he treated them with fairness and respect. As they were persecuted by both humans and their own kind of ordinary monsters, everyone quickly grew to love him.
Al gave them a somewhat embarrassed smile, then presented the bottles of liquor he had brought.
Immediately, cheers of joy erupted from Lido and the rest of the monsters as they crowded around the drinks with great delight.
"Master Al, come over here!" "Play with us!" "Look at this chess set you brought before!" "Kih kih!" "Yum, delicious!" "Sweet taste!" "Watch my sword skills, I've improved a bit!" "Eat more!" "It's unfair that Lido gets to use the Black Udaeus Sword!"
These beings do not just possess a yearning for the Surface; they are loyal to their instincts in a positive way and are far purer than humans. They express their gratitude to their first human friend, who saved them, with absolute sincerity.
"Let's leave those things for later. I came today regarding the mission Uranus entrusted to me."
── These companions are so pure, and that helps me. They are kinder and more innocent than many humans. Drowning them in sorrow will be easier than drowning the most sensitive Elf. I will help you with all my power to integrate with humans and reach the Surface as long as I live. So, when I die, remember to drown in great grief for me.
But where will my final place be, I wonder? I nearly died before the Black Goliath to cloud Ais's mind with fear, and I protected Tiona from Udaeus to achieve the same. I can trigger feelings of sorrow in them without dying. But that no longer satisfies me. I want to create the perfect scene in the perfect environment and die a magnificent death that leaves an eternal scar on everyone's hearts. Losing a battle on purpose would ruin my enjoyment; I want to fight with all my strength, protect everyone with all my strength, and then die afterward ── and for this desired goal, I reached Level 7, which makes even Floor Bosses trivial opponents.
No, that's just an excuse. I became this strong only so I could die in this world. My desire has been one and the same from the beginning. It hasn't changed since the moment I entered the Labyrinth. I don't wish to be a hero, nor do I seek it.
── I just want to drown everyone in a sea of sorrow when I leave.
While I was lost in my thoughts, I found myself back on the surface.
"Whoa, Al-kun, are you lost in thought?"
Shut up, Hermes. Do you want me to pluck out your hair, strip you naked, and leave you tied up in Daedalus Street?
"── What do you want?"
"Haha, nothing much... it's about your brother, Bell-kun."
"Between you and him, which of you is the 'Last Hero' that Zeus, Erebus, and Alfia spoke of?"
Ah, this nonsense again. As expected, it's annoying. Honestly, I don't care about "saving the world" at all.
The One-Eyed Black Dragon? The destruction of the Lower World? The final floor of the Dungeon? Don't tire me with talk of what happens after I die. It's enough for me to drown everyone in sorrow and die in peace. Besides, I think the "Last Hero" doesn't carry the meaning you imagine.
"Who knows. I have no interest in such trivia... if that's all you have, excuse me."
I really don't care. I don't care about my brother, nor what the world becomes. I'll leave those things to Bell, the original hero of the story.
All that occupies my mind is clouding the hearts of Ais and the others with sorrow. And I have no time to waste with you, for I loathe gods who smile constantly like you do—your capacity to drown in sorrow is far too low.
"How cold of you. I was the one who delivered the 'Scale' sent by Zeus to you, wasn't I? ── By the way, it seems Goddess Freya has her eye on him. Are you satisfied with that? If you wish, I can intervene to restrain her."
That doesn't interest me either. That flirtatious goddess was doing things that benefited Bell in the beginning anyway. Besides, you don't have the power to do anything about Freya.
She too is unfit to taste the flavor of sorrow, so she is boring. I would rather she use her charm magic to erase my memories from the minds of Ais and the others, as she did to Bell in the original story, just so I can restore them the moment before my death and drown them in indescribable grief.
In any case, that goddess is of no concern to me.
"No need for that. He is my brother. He won't be charmed by someone like Freya."
"── !!"
"If you understand, then stay out of my business."
"── So, you are determined not to become a 'Hero Made by the Gods' no matter what."
"Don't misunderstand. I've had no desire to be a hero from the start."
But, if it will make you all drown in sorrow, then I don't mind facing the Black Dragon.
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(Note: The Xenos are more innocent and loyal than humans, so their suffering will be much more intense if their hero who protected them dies. Al puts a great deal of effort into winning everyone's affection, solely to increase the scale of the tragedy and sorrow he will leave behind upon his death).