The rumors exploded.
By the time Bell and the others returned from the Dungeon, the story had already spread beyond control.
A black-armored giant.
A man who froze an entire Monster Party without drawing a weapon.
A warrior who turned monsters into ice sculptures with a glance.
As always, Orario twisted truth into spectacle.
Some claimed Capitano wielded ancient magic lost to time.
Others insisted he was a hidden captain from Zeus Familia who had returned from exile.
One particularly drunk adventurer loudly declared he had witnessed Capitano slay a floor boss with his bare hands.
He had not.
But facts had never mattered much inside taverns.
—
Inside the Guild headquarters, unease spread.
Stacks of paperwork covered a desk while several Guild employees hurried back and forth.
At the center sat a tired elf pressing fingers against the bridge of her nose.
Eina Tulle stared at the report before her.
Then stared again.
Then sighed.
"...Impossible."
Across from her sat a trembling Guild employee.
"B-but multiple witnesses confirmed it..."
Eina looked up.
"'An unidentified adventurer instantly annihilated a Monster Party without visible chanting or Falna abilities.'"
Silence.
"...Do you realize how ridiculous that sounds?"
"...Y-yes."
"...Because it is ridiculous."
"...Y-yes."
She sighed again.
Her head hurt.
Bell Cranel had somehow become involved with something absurd once more.
—
Elsewhere, inside a lavish room decorated with silver and gold—
A goddess smiled.
Freya stood upon her balcony overlooking the city below.
Golden hair moved gently in the wind.
Her beautiful silver eyes gazed toward Orario's distant streets.
"Ottar."
The towering boaz behind her lowered his head.
"My lady."
"Tell me."
Her smile deepened slightly.
"What do you see?"
Ottar remained silent for several moments.
Then answered.
"...A disturbance."
Freya laughed softly.
No.
Not a disturbance.
Her eyes narrowed with fascination.
Through her divine sight she saw souls.
Countless lights moving through Orario.
Bright.
Weak.
Beautiful.
Ugly.
Every soul possessed color.
Every soul possessed shape.
But this one—
This one was different.
She could not see it clearly.
It was hidden beneath endless frost.
Like standing before a blizzard and attempting to glimpse what waited inside.
Unknown.
Distant.
Cold.
Her smile widened.
How long had it been since something in this city surprised her?
"...Interesting."
—
Back at the Hestia Familia home, Bell sat across from Capitano.
He looked troubled.
Very troubled.
"...Sir."
Silence.
"...Sir."
The black helmet turned.
Bell straightened.
"W-well..."
He hesitated.
"...How did you know they were coming?"
Silence lingered.
Capitano sat motionless.
"The monsters."
Bell swallowed.
"You sensed them before anyone else."
"..."
Capitano looked toward the night sky visible through the broken church windows.
For a moment, Bell thought he would not answer.
Then—
"The Dungeon breathes."
Bell blinked.
"...Breathes?"
"It lives."
His voice remained calm.
"It hates."
Cold air drifted through the room.
Bell stared blankly.
He had entered the Dungeon countless times.
Everyone knew it created monsters.
Everyone knew it was mysterious.
But—
Alive?
Hating?
The thought felt wrong.
Very wrong.
Lili, listening nearby, slowly turned pale.
"H-Hey..."
Hestia looked uneasy.
"...Capitano."
The armored giant looked toward her.
The goddess hesitated.
Gods could sense things mortals could not.
And lately—
Something felt strange.
A pressure.
A heaviness in the air.
"...What exactly are you?"
Silence filled the church.
Bell looked toward him.
Lili looked toward him.
Even the wind outside seemed to stop.
Capitano sat unmoving.
Then finally—
"...A soldier."
Bell blinked.
Lili blinked.
Hestia stared.
That was all.
No explanation.
No elaboration.
Just those two words.
Far below Orario—
Deep beneath stone and darkness—
The Dungeon pulsed again.
Once.
Twice.
Then cracks spread across a distant wall.
Monsters nearby suddenly began screaming.
Not in rage.
Not in hunger.
In fear.
Something was changing.
And the city above had yet to realize—
The Dungeon had started looking back.