Part 2
Haruto tried to speak, but the weight of that woman's words left him silent.
"We'll meet again… and when we do, make sure you're more alive than ever," she said with a smile, her silhouette fading into the darkness.
A warm light began to surround him.
"Wake up, Haruto Kibou."
A sharp pain in his shoulder jolted him awake. He gasped, eyes snapping open. The stench of blood, sweat, and damp stone filled his senses. He wasn't dead. He was still inside the dungeon.
And he wasn't alone.
"Well, it's about time you woke up, kid. I almost left you there as bait," said a rough voice beside him.
A tall man with a thick beard and heavy armor was watching him while sharpening a bloodstained spear.
"Who… are you?"
"Just an old man who hates watching rookies die. My name is Darion."
"Thank you for saving me, sir."
"Hahaha, don't be so formal, kid. I just did what felt right… but you really should be more careful. I patched you up, but you're still exhausted. You should leave the dungeon."
He took a swig from his canteen and continued, "But let me tell you something… you ought to value your life a bit more."
"If I hadn't heard your screams, you'd probably be wolf's food by now. Dungeons don't forgive mistakes."
Then, he pulled a small locket from his pocket. He opened it, revealing a simple, pencil-drawn picture.
"This was my son… Darien. This drawing is all I have left of him…"
Haruto felt a tightness in his chest. That childish sketch—clumsy but full of love—spoke louder than a thousand words.
"He was strong. Really strong. But he was also reckless. He wanted to prove he was more than he already was… and he was killed by this dungeon's final boss."
"What a fool," Darion muttered, closing the locket carefully. "He was already enough. He didn't need to prove anything to me."
Those words struck deep.
Haruto remembered something his grandmother once told him as a child:
'Don't exaggerate… it's just a sword.'
But it wasn't just a sword. It was a gift filled with meaning—and now, he finally understood.
"You never wanted me to wield it… only to understand what it represented," he murmured to himself. "Sakuragiri was a symbol of the ephemeral… of death and rebirth."
He clenched his fist, determination reigniting within him.
"Sir Darion… would you like to honor your son's memory?"
"What do you mean, kid?"
"How about we defeat the final boss together?"
Darion let out a hearty laugh, though doubt lingered in his eyes.
"That would be madness…"
"We'll decide that later," Haruto replied with a half-smile. "For now, I just wanted to thank you. For saving me… and for opening my eyes."
He grabbed a handful of mana gems—spoils from three straight days of fighting. One by one, he crushed them, letting their energy surge around him.
"Time for the show…"
He extended his hand forward.
"Manga Read!"
A manga materialized before him, its pages flipping rapidly, each panel flashing with bursts of light.
Haruto searched within his inner library and accessed the manga of the most legendary demon hunter in history—a man capable of facing hell itself armed with nothing but his twin pistols.
The light surrounding him faded, and calm returned to the chamber.
He closed his eyes, searching for peace within his mind.
"Olivia… Kizuna… if you can hear me, I want to apologize. I let hatred take over… and I hurt you in the process."
"I know that doesn't make up for it, but… I want to say I'm sorry," he thought, a knot forming in his chest.
A soft glow filled the room. Kizuna manifested in her physical form, floating with a radiant warmth.
"Haruto-kyun… we're part of you. We could never hate you. Thanks to you, we were able to come into this world… to exist."
"Confirmation! We're a family. We'll never abandon you. But…" Olivia's voice was gentler than ever, "you need to apologize to those you truly hurt."
Haruto nodded, eyes narrowing with emotion.
"I know… thank you for always being with me."
"Don't get all sentimental, or you'll make me cry, Kizu," the little fairy said, wiping her nose on Haruto's shirt without a hint of shame.
Haruto let out a small laugh.
"Thank you… don't ever change. And thank you for helping me… even when I don't deserve it."
With renewed energy, Haruto materialized his demonic pistols: Aka and Ao Oni.
"I won't let them control me anymore… it's my turn to control them."
"Let's go, Darion… let's honor your son's memory," he said, extending his hand to the veteran in heavy armor.
The man stood, moved by the determination in Haruto's eyes, and together they advanced—floor by floor. This time, Haruto fired with surgical precision, taking down every enemy that crossed their path.
They descended through every level until they reached the tenth floor, where the final boss awaited them: a Level 30 Earth Wyvern.
"So we finally meet… bastard," Darion growled, raising his spear.
Beside him, Haruto crushed mana gems one after another.
"Get ready, Darion. It's time for revenge."
"Activate Mode: Demon Hunter!"
Behind Haruto, two ethereal silhouettes appeared—one a demon of fire, the other of ice—his former wielders.
"Aoi… Akane… lend me your firepower."
Darion lunged forward, driving his spear deep into the ground.
"Stone Strike!"
"That's it! Keep it busy!" Haruto shouted, moving swiftly along the terrain, searching for the perfect position. While running, he fired elemental bursts with impeccable accuracy.
The fiery and icy bullets struck in such rhythm that the wyvern's rocky armor began to crack—plate by plate.
"Easy for you to say!" Darion retorted, wrestling against the beast.
"Your luck's run out…"
Haruto crossed his arms. The twin pistols began spinning, merging into a single core of energy.
"Jackpot."
The combined energy spiraled, crimson and blue trails fusing into a double shot that sliced through the air like a vortex. The final blast pierced the wyvern mercilessly, disintegrating it in an explosion of light and magic.
Haruto fell to his knees, breathing heavily. The battle was over. Before him, only ashes floated in the air… and the echo of the final explosion lingered against the stone walls.
Darion remained standing, his spear planted in the ground as his gaze drifted to a forgotten corner of the chamber.
There, half-buried beneath fallen rocks, rested an ancient spear, covered in dust and scars.
"Darien…" he whispered hoarsely.
He walked forward slowly, each step carrying the weight of years and loss. Kneeling down, he gently brushed away the debris covering the weapon. His hands trembled. It wasn't just a weapon—it was a promise, a story left unfinished… and now, at last, a circle completed.
"We did it, son. Not the way you wanted… but we did it."
He turned toward Haruto, who was still breathing hard—but looking back at him with deep respect.
"Thank you, kid. I'd been wanting to do this for a long time, and thanks to you, today I was able to look my past in the eye… and say goodbye to it."
The boy shook his head.
"It was all thanks to you, Darion… You helped me climb out of the hole I was in, and I know your son loved you a lot. You're a great father."
Darion only smiled, his face streaked with tears.
Haruto let him take all the drop items, and together they left the dungeon through the teleportation circle that led to the surface.
Both emerged from the dungeon—walking different paths, yet carrying the same lightened weight in their hearts.
The night greeted them with a sky full of stars.
And for the first time in days, Haruto smiled, holding what was left of Sakuragiri with the same reverence he'd felt as a child.
He knew there was still a long road ahead. But this time, he wouldn't walk it dragging his shadow…
He would follow the light of those who still believed in him.
Darion handed him his canteen, his smile tinged with nostalgia.
"I want you to have this… I know it's not much, but it was my son's keepsake," he said, pulling Haruto into a firm embrace.
Haruto took the canteen and placed it in his magic pouch, as if he'd just received an invaluable treasure.
"Thank you, Darion. I'll treasure it."
"You're welcome, kid… It's time to head back to Estelaris. Maybe I'll become an instructor."
"I wish you the best."
"And remember, if you ever need anything… look for me in Verdalis. Darion Greyman!" he called out with a grin before walking away, his silhouette slowly fading into the dungeon's mist.
Haruto stood in silence, watching until he disappeared completely.
Maybe the time they shared had been brief… but for a moment, Darion had been the father he'd always wished for.
"What a good man, Haruto-kyun! We should visit him when we go to Estelaris, Kizu!" Kizuna said, floating beside him.
"You're right, but…" Haruto replied, his expression growing more serious.
"There's something important I have to do first."
"And what would that be, Kizu?"
"I need to meet… the Witch of Taboo."
And for a moment, both fell silent as if the world itself held its breath for what was about to begin.