From morning until evening, Kai, Lili, and Bell had been fighting intensely in the dungeon. For lunch, they only nibbled on some jerky and hadn't even left the dungeon once.
Because he was in a team, Kai wasn't in a [Solo Player] state, so his full stats were only at the level of a Lv.2 adventurer. While that was more than enough to deal with upper-floor monsters, even he felt the strain of continuous combat throughout the day.
Clang!
A flash of black sword light split the final monster cleanly at the waist. Kai, feeling the deep soreness in his muscles, sheathed his sword and turned around, about to call Bell and Lili to retreat.
Dada-dada-dada—
"Hm?"
Just as he took a step, the sound of urgent footsteps echoed from the stairwell leading to the deeper floors, making him pause.
Bell and Lili also looked toward the source of the sound—coming from the vertical passage between floors.
Da-da, da-da-da, da-da…
Huff... huff... huff...
Among the messy, hurried footsteps, they began to make out a girl's gasping breaths.
Under their watchful eyes, a girl with black hair tied into a side ponytail and eyes as red as fire stumbled out from the passage, clearly in distress.
The girl's violet armor, once sturdy, was now torn and damaged in several places. Though a scabbard hung at her waist, it was empty—her weapon had either been lost or destroyed. It was obvious she had narrowly escaped with her life from some monster encounter.
Kai's eyes swept past her ragged expression and narrowed slightly.
He recognized this girl.
Yamato Mikoto, a Lv.2 adventurer from the Takemikazuchi Familia.
"Bell. Lili."
Seeing the girl stumbling toward them, Kai gently rested his hand on his sword and gave a quiet order, "Give her some water, then retreat to the stairwell."
With that, he tightened his grip on the scabbard and charged straight toward the girl.
Mikoto, fleeing in panic, barely registered the approaching figure before he had already passed by her in a blur.
"You're safe now. Just rest."
A soft voice seemed to linger by her ear.
Safe...?
Just as despair and exhaustion were about to consume her, those words lit a spark in Mikoto's eyes again.
But then, her face changed drastically. She turned back to look at the black figure sprinting down the stairwell and shouted, panicked:
"No! That's—"
"Adventurer, please drink this."
Behind her, Lili tugged at her clothing and offered her a water flask.
Feeling the tug, Mikoto looked down in confusion. "You are...?"
"Hestia Familia, Lili, supporter to Kai-sama," she replied plainly, shaking the water flask again. "Please drink. With Kai-sama here, whatever was chasing you—there's no need to worry."
"Ah! The Unicorn Rabbits!"
Lili's calm assurance jogged Mikoto's memory, and she suddenly panicked, blurting out, "Those things chased me from the middle floors! You guys can't handle them! That man already ran ahead, I can't save him anymore—you must escape with me!"
"Save him?"
Lili frowned but kept a courteous tone. "Adventurer, you seem confused. But... a bunch of mere Lv.2 monsters? Kai-sama will deal with them quickly. Let him explain later."
"What nonsense are you talking about?! Lv.2 monsters are on a whole different level from Lv.1! No, we have to—"
Just as Mikoto was about to drag Lili and the white-haired boy with her to flee, the sound of shrill shrieks rang through the air.
"Eeek!"
Not human cries—monster cries.
The screams of Unicorn Rabbits.
…
Charging past Mikoto without hesitation, Kai had already plunged into the stairwell.
The darkness was illuminated only by the faint green glow typical of the middle floors—coming from the moss-lined stone walls.
And by the eerie red glints of multiple eyes in the shadows.
Unicorn Rabbits—Lv.2 monsters that commonly appeared on the 13th and 14th floors, ideal opponents for freshly promoted Lv.2 adventurers.
Staring coldly at the small group of them in the stairwell, Kai reached the end of the steps and leapt down from the top of the shaft.
While still mid-air, he had already drawn his sword.
Clang—!
His black blade swept in an arc from above, slashing down toward the monsters.
But unlike upper-floor monsters, these ones didn't foolishly charge into the attack—they dodged instead.
Many new Lv.2 adventurers had fallen victim to this behavior.
Used to upper-floor monsters with simple patterns, they found themselves completely unprepared when their attacks were cleverly evaded, leaving them open to counterattacks.
But that only applied to normal adventurers.
As the Unicorn Rabbits dodged Kai's powerful vertical strike, smug glints appeared in their eyes—human-like cunning.
And then—
Whoosh—!
The blade that had seemingly missed twisted in mid-air, pivoting around Kai's wrist, and swept upward in a reverse slash.
A pitch-black arc cleaved the air.
Shriek!
With desperate cries, the Unicorn Rabbits found themselves overwhelmed. Kai's blade danced like lightning, and every swing painted the walls with scalding, gushing blood.
…
A moment later, after clearing out the Unicorn Rabbits, Kai returned to the upper stairwell. But before he could say anything, Mikoto—having recovered a bit after drinking water—dropped to her knees.
"I am Yamato Mikoto of the Takemikazuchi Familia. Judging by your black coat and sword... and your strength... Are you the one known as the Black Holy Sword Wielder?"
A black long coat, a black one-handed sword, rare black hair and eyes—an adventurer belonging to the Hestia Familia...
With the strength to wipe out a group of Unicorn Rabbits effortlessly, Mikoto instantly connected the dots.
A legend said to have reached Lv.2 within just half a month. A swordsman of terrifying prowess, even rumored to have hunted a Minotaur solo while still Lv.1—the famed [Hestia's Young Blade], the Black Holy Sword Wielder, Kai.
If anyone could help… it would be him!
"Ahem, Miss Mikoto, please stand up. Also, don't take it so seriously—just call me Kai."
Kai scratched his head awkwardly. Hearing that cringe-inducing title made him grimace. As he helped her up, he asked, "You look pretty beaten up... What happened on the middle floor?"
"The middle floors..."
At his words, Mikoto's eyes turned hazy for a moment, then suddenly she pulled away from his hands and fell to her knees again. Tears streamed down her cheeks.
"Please! Lord Kai, I beg you! Please save Ouka and the others!"
"...Ouka?"
Kai frowned, trying to recall the name. Looking at Mikoto bowed low before him, he asked, puzzled, "Who's Ouka? Calm down and explain clearly."
"Yes."
Realizing she'd lost control, Mikoto sat up straight, wiped her tears, and continued, "Not long ago, our squad from the familia was trapped on the 13th floor. I was the only one with high enough agility to escape… If it's you, Lord Kai, you can definitely defeat those monsters. Please save Ouka and the others!"
"No!"
Before Kai could even respond, Lili cut in, firmly rejecting her plea.
"Why should Kai-sama risk his life for your familia's people? Their survival has nothing to do with us!"
Faced with the angry glare of the little pallum girl, Mikoto opened her mouth but couldn't reply.
Lili was right.
Even for someone as strong as Kai, diving into the middle floors without preparation was dangerous.
Takemikazuchi and Hestia had no real relationship—there was no reason for them to stick their necks out for each other.
Realizing this, Mikoto's expression turned bitter and hollow. She didn't blame Lili; she just hated her own weakness—that she couldn't save her comrades herself.
"...I'm sorry. That was selfish of me."
Mikoto forced a pained smile and turned to leave.
"Miss Mikoto, please wait."
Just as she turned, Kai suddenly called out.
"Kai-sama, you—!"
Lili's eyes widened, having guessed his intention, and she tried to stop him.
"Don't worry, Lili."
He walked to her, ruffled her chestnut hair gently, then turned to Bell with a calm smile.
"White-haired brat, I have a task for you. Take Lili back to the familia and tell our goddess I'll be staying in the dungeon tonight to level up."
"Senpai… are you…?"
Bell may have been naive, but he wasn't dumb. He immediately understood and looked at Kai with worry.
"Tch. You really are just a kid… How are you going to be a hero acting like that?"
Kai grinned, pushing Lili toward Bell and suddenly releasing a sharp pressure that even monsters hadn't felt from him before.
"Listen up, brat. A true hero doesn't think about whether they can do something, but whether they should. When someone calls for help, the strong don't sit back. That's a real hero."
Feeling the sword aura prickling his skin, Bell took a deep breath. His blood boiled.
"Yes, Senpai! I understand!"
"Bell Cranel! What do you even understand?! Kai-sama, you mustn't—"
Unlike Bell, Lili remembered how Kai had saved her from the Soma Familia's control a month ago. Her eyes turned red.
Watching her trembling, about to cry, Kai suddenly laughed.
"Lili, that's not like you. The Lili I know might be greedy and a bit mischievous, but she's always smiling."
Hearing his laughter, something burst inside Lili's chest. Tears streamed down her face.
"Kai-sama…"
"Alright, Bell, take her out of here."
"Yes, Senpai!"
Before Lili could say more, Bell grabbed her by the collar and, with overwhelming strength, carried her up the stairs.
"Bell! Let go! Don't let Kai-sama enter the middle floors—let go!"
She had noticed something during the past two weeks.
Every floor Kai appeared on—monsters became more excited.
So she absolutely didn't want him to go deeper.
But no matter how she struggled, Bell didn't budge, his hands locked on her shoulders. In moments, they had ascended several floors.
As the dungeon exit came into view, Lili's face paled. She glared coldly at Bell.
"Bell Cranel. One last time. Are you letting go or not?"
"...Sorry."
Their eyes met. Bell hesitated… then shook his head.
"This is Senpai's hero's tale."
…
Watching Bell take Lili away, Kai finally let out a sigh of relief.
Though he used the hero excuse to persuade Bell, the truth was—he had a much more practical reason for going.
[13 D 5 Hrs 59 Min 38 Sec]
At the top of the light blue interface visible only to him, a string of blood-red numbers kept ticking down.
It had unknowingly been a month and a half since Kai first arrived in this labyrinth city. Though his skill tree had been lighting up smoothly and he'd advanced to Level 2, the so-called Trial quest hanging over his head from the system still left him unsettled.
Could he really take on the Trial with his current strength?
No... not yet. He could still become stronger. He had to become stronger!
Right now, the fastest way to do that was to increase his adventurer level—from Level 2 to Level 3.
But the monsters on the upper floors gave almost negligible experience now, while those in the middle levels were too strong. Even with his full solo-player buffs, Kai wasn't confident he could survive there.
In fact, he'd already been debating for several days whether to take the risk and enter the middle floors to grind. And as the countdown to the Trial drew closer, his resolve wavered more and more.
In the end, the appearance of Yamato Mikoto was the final straw—pushing him to make the decision to descend.
"Hah..."
Kai exhaled deeply, then turned to the girl behind him with a light smile. "But Mikoto, if you want me to make a move, the price won't be cheap."
"Yes!" Mikoto replied without hesitation, her expression full of gratitude. "As long as you can rescue Ouka and the others, Takemikazuchi-sama will surely fulfill your demands. He is a true god of war!"
"A god of war offering anything I want, huh? That's quite tempting..."
Kai looked away from her and toward the monster corridor outside the floor's vertical shaft. "Then lead the way, Mikoto."
…
Gray rocks lay scattered in the passage, with walls, floors, and ceilings made of natural bedrock. The damp air drifted like in a primal cave.
Compared to the narrow monster halls of the upper floors, these passages were much more spacious—large enough to be called courtyards or plazas.
This was the 13th floor of the dungeon—theMiddle Level, also known as The First Death Line.
The air no longer carried the faint iron scent of blood typical of the upper floors, but rather the musk of beast dens.
Stepping out from the vertical shaft into the wide space, Kai immediately rested his hand on his sword hilt, sharpening his senses and scanning the surroundings.
Back again… the middle floor.
He had once entered it alone just after reaching Level 2. The overwhelming monsters had nearly exhausted him despite all his stats approaching 60 points.
"Kai, please come this way."
Mikoto, who had followed him down, quickly turned left into a rock tunnel. Seeing familiar terrain pass by, she felt her heart tighten.
Ouka, Chigusa, everyone... please be safe!
…
"—Captain!"
A man's anguished roar rattled through Kashima Ouka's ears, raising goosebumps on his arms.
It came from a heavily built man holding a large tower shield. The shield now glowed a dark red—metal melting from heat.
The man's arm sizzled like meat on a hot pan, but he didn't let go—only roared.
"Kamigawa, let go! Your arm won't survive!"
Seeing his teammate's face twisted in pain as the shield cooked his flesh, Kashima—captain of the Takemikazuchi Familia's adventurer team—finally broke down.
"Fujino and Yoshizawa are dead. Chigusa's in this state..."
He cradled a small girl in his arms. One eye hidden by her bangs, the other brimming with darkness as she looked up at Ouka—filled with affection, reluctance, and apology.
A crude stone axe had bitten deep into her shoulder, drenching her silver armor in blood. Her only sign of life was the faint rise and fall of her chest.
"Chigusa..."
Ouka met her eyes, and pain stabbed into his heart like a blade. Tears poured down, blurring his vision.
"Kashima..."
Sobbing like a child waking from a nightmare, Ouka looked up at his shield-bearing comrade and choked out, "Give up. Really, it's enough already."
"Captain, sorry. But this... I can't obey."
Though his face contorted in agony, Kamigawa's voice remained steady.
He cast a long look at Ouka and Chigusa, then turned and shoved the massive shield forward.
A blast of searing heat erupted behind it—revealing over a dozen dog-sized black beasts with crimson eyes and fire sparking between their fangs.
Middle-floor monsters—Hell hound.
"Captain, run!!!"
Roaring with all his strength, Kamigawa charged into the pack, swinging his shield like a weapon—his final cry of defiance.
He offered his life in exchange for his teammates' chance at escape.
But...
"Kamigawa…"
Ouka stared blankly as the man's body was torn apart and incinerated by the hellhounds. He didn't move. He just watched—crying silently.
Maybe... it's fine if it ends here.
At least someone got away... Mikoto, live well…
Just as Ouka closed his eyes, ready to embrace death—
"…That was pretty pathetic. I don't really have the right to judge, but is this really the guy you asked me to save?"
A stranger's voice entered his ears.
"Ouka! Chigusa! Thank goodness you're alright… Kai, please take action!"
Then came a familiar voice—Mikoto's.
Wait… she came back?
Just to bring help?
Fujino, Yoshizawa died buying her escape, and now Kamigawa too. And she comes back now?
Fury surged, scattering his despair. Ouka opened his eyes—only to be met by a vision of shadow.
"Vmm—!"
A black sword flash filled his vision, crushing the scolding and anger he'd been about to voice.