Behind the massive cascade of Floor 25's Great Falls—
Splash… splash…
Passing through the heavy curtain of water, a winding natural stone passage revealed itself, sloping upward like a hidden stairway carved by time.
This wasn't on any Guild map.
A "hidden area"—a secret route known only to the Xenos, a shortcut belonging to those the Dungeon had cast aside.
"Um… Marie?"
Lili trailed cautiously behind the mermaid, her hand crossbow kept half-cocked the entire time. Her eyes were sharp and wary—like a rabbit that had accidentally stumbled into a den of wolves.
"Up ahead… there really is a safe place, right? I mean the kind of 'safe' place where there aren't monsters who want to boil us and eat us?"
"Mhm! Safe!"
Marie bounced forward on land with startling cheer, moving with her tail like she was hopping across stepping-stones. She looked back and flashed a full-power healing smile.
"Everyone… good kids! Except Asterios a little scary… but he doesn't eat people!"
"…Doesn't eat people…"
Lili's mouth twitched.
That guarantee sounded exactly like someone saying, "This tiger doesn't bite."
Trustworthiness: approximately zero.
"Relax."
Shirou walked at the rear. He was still weak (post–"nuclear explosion" exhaustion), but his focus had recovered noticeably. The mixed presences his Mind's Eye picked up were messy, yes—yet none of them carried that sharp, murderous hostility.
"If Fels is here, then at minimum this is a 'lawful-side' hideout."
…
Half an hour later—
After squeezing through the final narrow裂 in the rock, the world suddenly opened up.
"T-This is…"
Lili's crossbow slipped from her hands with a clack.
Her mouth formed a perfect O, and she stood frozen as if someone had cast a binding spell on her.
A massive subterranean cavern stretched out before them.
Glowing crystals dotted the ceiling like a starfield, spilling soft light onto the scene below—
A village.
Yes, a village.
Wooden houses.
Cleared fields.
Even a stone-ringed plaza.
But what truly shattered her mind were the residents living here.
A Gargoyle crouched by a ridge, carefully watering a glowing mushroom with its claws.
Several Goblins and Orcs sat in a circle, arguing red-faced over a game played with crude handmade pieces.
In the distance, a girl whose upper body was clearly a Harpy swept the street with a simple broom, humming quietly to herself.
This wasn't a monster nest.
This was an "otherworld monster-girl farm" or "Dungeon Animal Crossing" brought to life.
"Welcome to Hidden Village."
Fels drifted in like a ghost.
The skeletal face (expressionless by default) somehow still carried the aura of pride.
"This is the forgotten corner of the Dungeon… and the only home we have."
"N-No way…"
Lili felt her worldview collapsing and rebuilding at the same time.
"Monsters… farming? Playing board games? Cleaning streets? Am I under an illusion?"
"This is reality, Lili."
Shirou patted her shoulder, his gaze gentle.
"Any life that possesses a heart will yearn for order and a place to live. That has nothing to do with race."
"Emiya-sama…"
Lili stared at him, watching how naturally he accepted all of this, and screamed internally—
Why are you adapting so fast?! Is your brain made of vibranium?!
"Yo! So you're the human who saved Wiene?"
A rough, hearty voice boomed from ahead.
A lizardman over two meters tall strode over, his body covered in crimson scales. He wore battered but clean adventurer gear, and a greatsword was strapped across his back.
One of the Xenos leaders—
Lyd.
"I'm Lyd! I look scary, but I'm a gentle lizard!"
He thrust out a massive clawed hand and smiled in what he clearly believed was a friendly way (it showed a full set of sharp teeth).
"Thanks, brother! You saved Wiene—so you're the benefactor of the whole village!"
"Uh… hello."
Shirou didn't flinch. He reached out and clasped the offered claw.
"Shirou Emiya. Nice to meet you."
"HAHAHA! Straightforward! I like it!"
Lyd laughed and slapped Shirou on the back with enough force that Lili almost heard the freshly repaired bones protest.
Shirou: "…!"
"…That human smells really good…"
A winged Siren girl—Ray—fluttered down from above, circling Shirou curiously.
"On you… there's a tasty smell."
"That's probably fried shrimp residue."
Shirou answered calmly.
"Fried shrimp… want…"
Ray's eyes sparkled.
And then—without hesitation—
Shirou pulled snacks from his pocket.
Not fear.
Not panic.
He began feeding them like this was completely normal.
"These are biscuits. This is candy…"
In less than five minutes, the "Infinite Snack Works" diplomatic technique had succeeded.
Shirou was surrounded by curious monsters like he was a rare zoo animal, and a couple of goblin kids had already started calling him "Big Bro."
Lili watched the scene with dead eyes.
"…I'm tired. Just end it. This world is insane…"
…
"Enough small talk."
Fels tapped his staff, cutting through the cross-species party.
"Shirou Emiya. I have something to tell you."
The atmosphere tightened instantly.
Lyd and Ray sobered and stepped behind Fels.
"About that Ikelos Familia…"
The ghostly flames in Fels' eye sockets flickered as he stared at Shirou.
"Do you know why they capture Xenos?"
"For money?"
Shirou guessed.
"Not only money."
Fels' voice turned cold.
"They want a 'key.' A key to open what lies deeper in the Dungeon—"
"The artificial labyrinth… Knossos."
"An artificial labyrinth?"
"It is a legacy left by the ancient Dark Faction—a subterranean fortress whose entrances even the Guild does not fully know."
"And the magic stones within Xenos… are the keys that open its gates."
Fels paused, heavy with dread.
"Recently, many of our kin have disappeared. We tried to strike back, but that man—Dix—is too strong."
"And they possess some kind of 'curse' that can forcibly drive Xenos berserk."
"So you want me to help."
Shirou stated it plainly.
"Yes."
Fels nodded.
"It is shameless, but I beg you—the human who severely wounded Dix."
"Please lend us your strength."
"We don't need you to fight directly (though you are strong)."
"We need an eye on the surface…"
"And, at critical moments, a 'bridge'—someone who can shelter us."
Shirou fell silent.
It was a heavy request.
Accepting meant standing against Orario's mainstream values.
It could even implicate the Loki Familia.
But then—
He looked around at the hopeful eyes of the monsters.
He saw Wiene peeking from behind Lyd, waving at him timidly.
"A bridge, huh…"
Shirou's lips curved upward.
"Sounds like a decent side job."
"I'll do it."
"…Thank you."
Fels exhaled, relief seeping into his voice.
But then—
A deep, thunder-like roar interrupted everything.
THUD. THUD. THUD.
The ground trembled.
A suffocating pressure rolled in from the far side of the plaza.
All Xenos instinctively parted, forming a path.
A figure over three meters tall strode forward—
A pitch-black mass of muscle like carved stone.
No weapon in his hands.
He didn't need one.
Those enormous fists were violence itself.
The Black Minotaur—
Asterios.
The strongest among the Xenos, the one destined to shake the world as the "Monster King."
He stopped in front of Shirou and looked down.
In the beast's eyes burned pure, roaring battle intent.
"You… strong."
Asterios' voice was low and rough, each word forced out like it had to be carved from his chest.
"That day… on Floor 18… I saw."
"You… not only power… also conviction."
He pointed at the sword on Shirou's waist.
"I want… fight you."
Not murder.
Not hatred.
Just the pure hunger of a warrior.
A monster reborn for strength, searching for an opponent who could make his blood boil.
"Now?"
Shirou raised a brow.
"No."
Asterios shook his head.
"Now you… too weak."
"Injured… mana empty… like broken doll."
Shirou: "..."
It was true, but being called "too weak" by a bull still made him want to grind his teeth.
"When you… recover."
"When you… become stronger."
Asterios turned his back and left a declaration that sounded like a challenge carved into stone:
"I wait… at end of battlefield."
"Red-haired… hero."
With that, he walked away, leaving behind a solitary, overwhelming silhouette.
"Haa…"
Only then did Lili dare to breathe again.
"That black bull… what is that?! Just standing near him makes me feel like I'm suffocating!"
"Asterios…"
Shirou stared at the departing back.
The spark of fighting spirit lit in his eyes.
That was the aura of a true powerhouse—far purer than Dix's cunning malice, a genuine rival.
"We have a deal."
Shirou murmured.
"Next time… I'll show you what 'Unlimited' really means."
…
Meanwhile—on the surface, at the Twilight Manor.
"Achoo!"
Loki sneezed at the breakfast table, rubbing her nose.
"…Weird. I've got a bad feeling that brat Emiya stirred up something huge again."
She glanced at Ais beside her.
"Ais-tan, do you think Emiya might blow up the Dungeon?"
Ais bit into her bread, eyes serious.
"As long as he can still cook… it's fine if it blows up."
"You spoil him way too much!"
…
And at the entrance to Floor 18—
A group of black-cloaked figures slipped in soundlessly.
The masked woman in the lead looked down at the compass in her hand and issued a cold order:
"Found it. Traces leading to the 'Great Hole' on Floor 20."
"Notify Dix. Have him bring the remaining 'curse'."
"This time…"
"…wipe that village clean."
....
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