Battle fervor surged.
In the eyes of Bell and the Minotaur, only each other seemed to exist. Ais's wind seemed to cheer on their fighting spirit, while Ryuu's magic blazed like celebratory fireworks. Man and beast refused to yield, constantly shifting positions.
The giant axe swung relentlessly in horizontal cleaves and heavy chops, while the dagger struck with pinpoint accuracy at the most vulnerable spots. Blade and axe clashed, their thunderous roar reverberating in Bell's ears.
He could see clearly. He could block. Though each blow from his opponent was devastatingly heavy, his arms already numb, Bell could withstand the brute force of these strikes.
Amidst this blood-pumping battle, Bell maintained a cool, objective view of the fight. Even as killing intent consumed him, his vision remained crystal clear.
The Minotaur's breath grew heavier, its movements increasingly erratic and clumsy. Perhaps its attacks failing to land had made it impatient. Perhaps, consumed by battle frenzy, it had surrendered its body to instinct. Regardless, Bell was steadily mapping the Minotaur's patterns.
The motion of its axe swing. Its reflexes when dodging daggers. The once-outmatched youth could now anticipate the Minotaur's moves.
Before the axe even fell, Bell had his counter ready. But he lacked the opening.
The Minotaur and Bell possessed fundamentally different physical capabilities. It was a despairing, immutable iron rule. Even without masterful technique, the axe's overwhelming advantage enabled it to suppress the youth completely.
Bell was forced into defense. Turning defense into offense proved exceedingly difficult.
Just as Bell had predicted, the very first surprise attack had been his best chance. Since then, the Minotaur had remained constantly wary of the Hestia Knife. It had likely realized that, compared to flame magic, this jet-black dagger was the true threat.
The situation continued to escalate.
The Minotaur's intent was unmistakable: to drag Bell into a contest of endurance. To see who would falter first under pressure or fatigue.
Ryuu, still battling the giant, sensed it too. Both the youth and the Minotaur likely understood that the moment Bell shifted from defense to offense, the battle would undergo an earth-shattering shift.
The youth couldn't act recklessly. He needed the right moment.
But Ryuu, Ais, and the others were already at their limits trying to suppress the Floor Boss. If they allowed the giant to act freely, the situation would become far worse.
This opportunity could only be created by the youth himself.
"Cranel-san..."
Ryuu murmured softly, praying to justice that the youth might break through this murky current.
Bell was sinking deeper. At the bottom of that abyss called exhaustion lay a vortex of death and agony. Even if he could predict movements and react in advance, the gap in endurance was undeniable.
Along the way, the potions he carried were nearly depleted. Bell had only useless counter-curse potions and a single bottle of Elixir left. Compared to the Minotaur's bottomless stamina, these were but a drop in the bucket.
The giant axe fell again and again. The Minotaur could sense the youth's fatigue steadily mounting. Ever wary of that dagger, it retreated after each swing of its axe, closing the distance between them only to step back once more. By repeating this pattern, victory would inevitably be his.
Just as the Minotaur solidified this thought, Bell made his move.
The instant the axe and dagger clashed, the youth raised his left hand.
"Firebolt!"
"Firebolt!"
Two bolts of fiery lightning exploded at close range. Amid the detonation, the Minotaur staggered back several steps. Even as the magic struck its face, it merely closed its eyes, showing no fear.
The fire lightning left only a minor burn—for the Minotaur, it merely served as a stimulant to heighten its fighting spirit. This spell was nothing more than a means to obscure its vision, creating an opening for a fatal dagger strike.
The Minotaur, guided by its combat instincts, saw through this. As the flame lightning flared, it proactively created distance.
But the next second, it witnessed the scene.
Amidst the billowing smoke, the youth drew a vial of potion from his waist. The Minotaur gripped its massive axe, a glint of intelligence flashing in its eyes.
Tricked.
His opponent's true intent was to use this moment to replenish supplies. The Minotaur knew well that a single vial of that potion would restore the youth to full strength. He would not let that happen.
In a flash, the Minotaur roared and charged forward. His massive axe, fueled by fury, came crashing down.
The youth braced Hestia Knife with his right hand to block, while his left hand popped the cork off the potion, preparing to bring it to his lips.
At the critical moment, Minotaur swung a heavy punch, aiming straight for the damned potion.
Crack!
Glass shattered, and the healing potion poured down like a column of rain. Amidst the shards, a faint smile reflected in the youth's eyes.
He's fallen for it!!
The Minotaur's eyes widened in shock, but it was too late to react.
The opportunity had undeniably been created. Not by relying on others, but by the youth's own ingenuity.
The destroyed potion was actually the counter-curse elixir Airmid had crafted. Bell's entire sequence of actions wasn't for replenishment, but to lure his opponent into this very situation.
The distance between them had narrowed to within striking range. The Hestia Knife had been waiting for this moment.
Ignoring the glass shards, Bell crouched low, his left hand instinctively catching the dagger. Under intense pressure, the glass bit into his palm, seeping crimson blood.
Then, the Hestia Knife erupted with a blue-purple glow, striking directly toward the Minotaur's heart.
This was a decisive blow. Before that razor-sharp divine blade, all obstacles would vanish into nothingness.
The Minotaur bellowed. At this range, it could neither evade nor halt the youth's assault. Whether retreating or counterattacking, it would be a step too slow.
Thus, the Minotaur chose sacrifice.
It released its massive axe, raising its right arm—thick and solid—to shield its chest. The jet-black dagger struck without hesitation. It bit into flesh, tore through muscle and bone, severing the entire right arm clean off.
Bell couldn't tell if the Minotaur was wailing or roaring. But the attack ended there.
Using its severed arm as a buffer, the Minotaur grabbed its great axe with its left hand and swiftly retreated.
...
Well done...
Ais observed the scene out of the corner of her eye. During their last sparring session, Ais had already noticed Bell's formidable strength. Despite being a Level 5 herself, the gap in their Status was like night and day. Faced with such overwhelming disparity, anyone would think: "Victory is impossible. I just need to learn something, make some progress."
But the boy was different.
Ais could distinctly sense that stubborn refusal to accept defeat, that relentless courage to keep rising, and the cunning to strike unexpectedly. The boy's desire burned intensely. He didn't lament the cruelty of his circumstances or marvel at his opponent's strength. From start to finish, he maintained a straightforward and stubborn heart.
Perhaps only such a spirit could forge a hero who would lead an era...
Ais tucked these words, imbued with Finn's spirit, deep within her heart, silently offering her blessing.
Hang in there...
...
The battle was far from over.
Blood flowed freely, yet the Minotaur's crimson eyes still burned fiercely.
"Roarrrr!!"
Hooves splattered blood as the Minotaur charged with a roar. The giant axe crashed down, its battle fervor reaching a fever pitch. The Minotaur's terrifying vitality, enough to make any foe tremble, was now on full display. As if the blood ignited its latent power, each strike grew fiercer than the last.
It would not cease, would not relent, until one side fell utterly.
The Minotaur sought a true, deadly duel.
Bell's parries grew increasingly strained. If this continued, he would be the one to fall. Though the opponent had lost an arm and Bell seemed to hold the upper hand, he too was utterly exhausted. In this relentless onslaught, the slightest lapse in focus would mean certain death for the youth.
Repeating the same tactics would prove futile. To break through this frenzied barrage, he must find a different path.
A terrifying thought flashed through Bell's mind. It was a true surprise attack, but the slightest misstep would mean his own demise.
The giant axe crashed down, Bell's arm wailing in agony amidst the clanging metal.
It was a desperate gamble.
Bell felt the full weight of exhaustion, his body growing heavier, as if filled with lead. Even with the potion, this endurance contest was too close to call. He might as well use the last bottle of Elixir to decide the outcome.
Bell made his decision.
"AAAAAAHHHH!!"
As if summoning his last ounce of strength, Bell let out a piercing scream. Gripping Hestia Knife tightly, he charged straight toward the point where the giant axe was descending.
What no one had anticipated was this.
This time, he didn't block!
"Bell!"
Ryuu couldn't help but cry out the boy's name.
"..."
Ais stared in disbelief at the distant scene, so transfixed that the Floor Boss's arm knocked her to the ground.
"Could it be... he's too exhausted from fighting too long..."
Asfi felt a pang of regret, but she couldn't spare a hand to help the boy.
".....!"
Even the Minotaur froze in shock for a moment.
The sharp axe blade tore through fabric, slicing from shoulder to thigh, leaving a deep and long gash across the right side of the youth's body. Without a doubt, this strike was lethal.
Blood and flesh mingled.
The deadly duel had ended.
No one could have imagined this was Bell's deliberate plan.
His objective was to truly place himself in a life-or-death situation to achieve rebirth. In the split second before charging, that bottle of Elixir had already been hurled into the air by the youth.
The arc and force were executed with flawless precision.
Next, all he had to do was—
Bell froze.
What was he supposed to do next...?
Pain swallowed everything, his thoughts flaring so intensely it felt like a final flash before death.
What else did Bell Cranel still need to do?
Something important—he was sure he'd forgotten something important.
What was it?
Forget it. He'd pushed this far already. Maybe none of it mattered anymore.
This was a battle he couldn't win...
Who would blame him?
They said reincarnation existed. Closing his eyes now… wouldn't that be nice?
The pain would fade. His tightened heart would loosen.
And in the next moment, maybe he'd see warm sunlight...
"Bell!"
"Bell!"
A voice—stern, beautiful—kept calling out to him.
Bell?
Was that someone's name?
Why were they screaming it, almost tearing their soul apart...
It had nothing to do with him anymore.
If reincarnation were real, he hoped he'd be reborn somewhere in the mountains.
Birdsong, flowers, trees everywhere—a peaceful life.
Just like that wooden cabin.
When that time came, he would surely once again...
Once again become a hero...
A hero...
A spark shot through his nerves.
Right.
I want to become a hero.
Brighter than anything, stronger than all sorrow.
To rescue the crying girl, to drive away the monsters of doom.
What I want to be is the hero who exists in happy fairy tales.
Ridiculous, isn't it?
Thinking back... how many people had mocked that dream?
But so what?
Whether it was one or two or many, weren't those who once sneered at him slowly changing?
There were people supporting him...
No matter how pathetic he looked. No matter how beaten he was. Someone was waiting for him to return.
How could he forget something so important?
How could he fall here?
I want to be a hero.
I want to protect the girl's smile.
Call me hopeless, call me narrow-minded—so what? I just want to be a hero!
What's wrong with a man seeking a fateful encounter?
What's wrong with a boy yearning to be a hero?
I'm just that childish!
I want to act cool in front of girls. I want to see them smile.
How could I accept such an ending?
The stage is already set. If I don't look cool now, when will I?
If I don't move forward now, when will I ever reach the end?
The doorway to being a hero is right in front of me—so even if I have to crawl, I'll crawl through it!
A man who claims to aim for heroism, yet makes girls cry and still shamelessly says "I'll do better next time"?
Never!
These bonds—these encounters—must not end in tragedy!
Move! Move already, hero!
"AAAAAAAHHHHH!!"
In a spray of blood and searing agony, Bell roared from the depths of his being.
Not only the Minotaur—even the Floor Boss faltered under the force of his cry.
Every gaze locked onto him.
It was a scream born from the soul.
A human hymn called courage.
The next instant, the Elixir fell perfectly into place.
The Minotaur noticed.
But by the time it realized, the glass vial was already clamped between the youth's teeth.
Crafted by Airmid, the strongest potion she had poured her heart into—its healing light burst forth in an instant.
Like a hymn sung by a Saint, flesh reformed, blood and muscle restored, every wound vanishing without a trace.
And in the midst of that life-or-death struggle, Bell surged past the descending giant axe.
Hestia Knife hung poised, its blue-violet glow flickering.
At this distance, anyone could feel it: the life-or-death struggle had reached its end.
Bell wrung out every drop of strength, pushed past every shred of pain, all to seize this single, fleeting opening.
He poured in every bit of technique.
Every scrap of insight.
Every weapon and every ounce of Magic he had.
He staked everything on this one last strike.
The Minotaur trembled.
The raging battle lust tearing through its flesh spread to every corner of its body.
At such close range, the left hand holding the greataxe couldn't pull back to guard.
Even its proud hooves couldn't move in time.
This was the true final blow.
The only weapons it had left were the twin horns on its head.
That trump card could smash through anything, though without a full charge behind it, the force was much weaker.
But as a weapon for a decisive clash, it was more than enough.
Sharp and deadly, just like the Minotaur's battle-driven heart.
No retreat. No follow-up.
Everything would be decided by those two horns.
For an instant, Bell and the Minotaur locked eyes.
What passed between them was pure, undiluted killing intent.
The air tightened; time itself seemed to slow, recording every detail of the duel.
Then, in the next heartbeat, the final clash began.
"Ooooooooh!!"
Even as its neck creaked under the strain, the Minotaur roared and dropped its head, driving those razor horns toward its enemy.
Bell's aim was exact. His dagger shot straight toward the beast's chest without a hint of hesitation.
The Minotaur twisted violently, catching the blow.
Horn met dagger with a shrill, explosive clang.
"Aaaaaah!!"
Bell roared back, pouring every last ounce of strength into his strike.
Blue-violet light burst forth, cleaving the colliding horn clean from the base before driving straight for the chest.
Hestia Knife punched through the bull's natural armor and carved open a gaping hole.
"Firebolt!"
Flame and lightning erupted from the dagger.
"—Firebolt!"
Bell unleashed every drop of his magic, firing the spell at lightning speed.
Point-blank blasts detonated again and again as the Minotaur's chest swelled grotesquely.
Flames and lightning thundered.
Finally, with a roaring pillar of fire, the Minotaur's upper body exploded into pieces.
Crimson flames rose amid a rain of blood and black smoke.
In front of Bell, the monster's limp lower half collapsed.
The massive Magic Stone hit the floor a moment later.
As the flames faded…
The horn severed by the dagger at last fell to the ground.