When Akumo stepped into the chamber, he was met with the sight of the white-haired boy, Bell Cranel, standing against a massive Minotaur. Beside him, Ais stood ready to intervene, her companions poised nearby.
"You've worked hard."
"....."
"I'll save you now."
Even at Ais's words, Bell could not lift his head. He was consumed by the shame of his own impotence.
'Saved again...? By this person... just like before... repeating the same cycle...!'
"Urgh....!!"
'If I don't stand up here... when will I ever reach her...?!'
Bell steeled his heart. To reach the goal he desired, he visualized the heroes he wished to chase—the heroes who raised him, and the hero who had saved him before.
Akumo read the boy's will clearly.
'It's frustrating, isn't it, Bell?'
"Ais, step back."
"....? What do you mean?"
"I'm telling you not to interfere with the battle."
"But, this boy is—"
Thump—!
"Bell...?"
Akumo blocked Ais's path, opening the way for Bell to move forward. Ais looked on in confusion, reflexively trying to prevent Bell from plunging back into danger.
She feared Bell might follow the same path she once had—the 'Sword Princess' who was obsessed with strength to the point of madness. But her thoughts were halted by Bell himself as he gripped her arm.
"I can't....!"
"I can't keep being protected by Ais Wallenstein forever!!!"
Tighten—!
'Today... for the first time, I am having an adventure!'
The unwavering resolve in Bell's eyes was transmitted clearly to both Ais and Akumo.
"Go then! Show them what you're made of, Bell!!"
"....Yeah!!"
Whoosh—!
—Mooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!
Gripping the Hestia Knife with white-knuckled intensity, Bell charged toward the Minotaur—no, he charged toward his own Pioneering and his own adventure.
Boom—!!!!
"Gugh..!"
Slice—!!!!
'Based on the dagger techniques I taught him and his recent experience, he should be more than capable of taking down a standard Minotaur...'
"However...."
'That creature is a special variant that has undergone training!'
As Akumo watched Bell's pioneer journey unfold, he remained vigilant, ensuring no one else intruded upon the fight.
A small hand tugged at his sleeve. A girl's voice, thick with tears and desperation, reached his ears.
"Why.... why won't you save Master Bell...?"
"....Lili."
"Please, I beg you!"
"He is being saved."
"Huh....?"
"From his own weakness, from his own fear—he is saving himself."
'Interfering now would be the death of an adventurer's soul.'
"So have faith. Bell will overcome this."
Seeing the absolute conviction in Akumo's eyes, Lilliluka Arde finally turned her attention back to the fight. The white-haired boy held only a single dagger against the massive greatsword of the beast.
Despite the disparity, the boy's eyes burned with the determination to seize victory and transcend the ordeal before him.
Akumo turned his back and addressed the others—Ais, Riveria, Finn, Bete, Tione, and Tiona.
He commanded them not to interfere with the boy.
"....Tch, fine."
"If that's how you feel, Akumo."
"He's just like the Argonaut...."
—Mooooooo!!!!!!
Everyone's focus was locked onto the boy. From the elites of the Loki Familia to Akumo, Lili, Ottar, and even a certain Goddess watching from afar.
"Beautiful....!"
'So, is this truly the child you raised... Akumo?'
"Show me more....!!"
Oblivious to the weight of those gazes, Bell focused entirely on his enemy. He poured every nerve and every instinct into tearing down the wall before him, overcoming the fear, and subjugating the trial.
Boom—!!!!
—Mooooooo!!!!
"Gugh!?"
Slice—!
"Hyaaaa!!!!!!"
Slash—!!!!
"Uooooo!!!!!"
Crash—!!!!
After a relentless exchange, Bell finally succeeded in severing the beast's arm. Utilizing the opening with tactical ingenuity, he seized the fallen greatsword and landed a barrage of strikes.
"Haa... Haa...!!!"
—Mooooooo...!!!
Sensing instinctively that both were near their limits, the two warriors kicked off the ground simultaneously.
A final charge to end it all.
Thud—!!
Tighten—!!
"Aaaaaaaah!!!!!!!!!!!"
—Mooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!
"Reckless!"
"Tch, that idiot!"
To the watching adventurers, the sight of a boy charging into an opponent with such a massive stat gap seemed like suicide. They braced for his defeat.
However, the silver-haired veteran and the golden-haired Sword Princess were the only two certain of the boy's victory.
Boom—!!!!!
"He blocked it!?"
"He's using the greatsword as a shield!"
'The hidden trump card was the dagger all along!'
Pierce—!!!!!!!
In that instant, the boy's move defied all expectations.
Using the greatsword to buffer the Minotaur's momentum, Bell drew the dagger he had kept in reserve and plunged it deep into the monster's throat.
"[Fire Bolt]!!!!!"
Boom—!!!!!!!!!!
'I'm winning!!'
"[Fire Bolt]!!!!!"
Crash—!!!!!!!!!!!
'I will win, no matter what!!!!'
"[Fire Bolt]!!!!!"
Fwooosh—!!!!!!!!!
'I'll win and keep moving forward!!!!!!'
The boy's silent cry manifested as a brilliant explosion of flame, declaring his will to everyone present.
"He actually won...."
"He passed out... while standing...!"
"Mind... Zero..."
The members of the Loki Familia were struck with admiration. They had witnessed a Level 1 boy strike down an opponent far beyond his reach—a pure, unfiltered moment of 'adventure' they hadn't felt in ages.
The boy's body, having exhausted every ounce of strength, began to tilt toward the cold floor.
"....."
Thud—!
".....Bell."
'.....Da....d....'
"Rest. You won."
Slide—
Seeing the warm smile of the man who was like a father to him, the boy managed a weak smile of his own in response to the declaration of victory.
This first adventure of his was one he would truly never forget.
Gently—
"Riveria, did you see his Status?"
"I couldn't possibly have."
"Every Ability is at S."
"....Incredible."
"Right?"
Riveria was stunned by Akumo's casual revelation. An adventurer who was a mere rookie only a short while ago had already achieved S-rank across all abilities.
Though she hadn't seen the Falna herself—since Akumo had immediately covered the boy with his own robe—the look in his eyes held not a shred of falsehood or doubt.
"Ah..."
"The Skill slots are off-limits, Ais."
"....I'm sorry."
'Bell.....'
Pat—
"Don't blame yourself for having curiosity. If anything, Bell would be sad to see you like this."
"....!"
"Enough of that. I'm entrusting Bell to you. Take him and Lili back to the surface."
"Yes...! I understand."
Ais felt a momentary pang of guilt for her reflexive urge to peek at his skills, but she immediately accepted the task. She took the boy from Akumo and, along with Lili, began the trek toward the surface.
—'If power is used to pioneer and pursue one's own truth, that is enough.'
During the walk, the creed Riveria once mentioned echoed in Ais's mind. She couldn't help but feel that the boy in her arms and Akumo shared a strange resemblance.
Riveria felt the same; in the adventure the boy had just displayed, she sensed the essence of Akumo's 'Pioneering.' Likely, everyone present felt the same thing.
From the champion watching from the shadows to the Goddess observing from Babel, the sentiment was universal.
"Alright! Now it's our turn to go deeper, isn't it?"
"Just like the adventure we just witnessed, let's go start one of our own!"
'Bell, never forget... this is the first page of your pioneer legend...!'
Akumo's words were heavy with sincerity, resonating with everyone.
"Indeed. We can't let a junior outshine us, can we?"
"You're unusually enthusiastic about this expedition, Akumo."
"Hmph! That tomato kid...."
"I want to fight like him tomorrow!"
The companions voiced their own impressions of the boy's trial, agreeing with Akumo. With that memory etched into their hearts, they began their descent into the lower levels.
They went to have their own adventure, and to pioneer the unknown.