That day's battle became the driving force for many.
Rustle—!
"...."
Standing on the city walls where the warm sunlight and breeze swept through, a boy gazed at the scenery of Orario, filled with the usual bustling crowds.
'It really... isn't a dream anymore...'
The longing that began with the fairy tales he heard from his grandfather as a child.
The massive city he came to with the desire to become a hero.
And the countless adventures and trials he had encountered over the past six months.
"Coming to Orario, meeting Hestia-sama... it all feels like it happened just yesterday..."
Those experiences were more than enough to grow the young, naive boy into a brilliantly shining adventurer.
They were enough to bloom his talent and transform him into an existence worthy of being called a hero.
"....."
Thump, thump—!
Despite how strong he had become, the boy's heart was pounding just as it had on his first day as an adventurer.
"I can still get even stronger!"
The boy's innocence shone even brighter after that day.
—'Black Dragon.'
—'Excalibur.'
The clash of overwhelming powers that had filled the sky.
The collision of those who had reached the pinnacle made the longing in the heart of the adventurer Bell Cranel burn with even greater intensity.
'I won't just follow behind anymore.'
Swish—!
Alongside the purity that sought the well-being of everyone, the boy's eyes now held the resolve to forge ahead for his own adventure.
Smile—!
No, the eyes of a true adventurer were radiating a brilliance all their own.
He was not the only one who had changed during this time.
Step—
"Ais-san? Is something wrong?"
Lefiya expressed her confusion as Ais, who had been walking beside her, suddenly stopped and stared into the distance.
"....."
'Bell...'
Ais looked toward where the boy was, sensing his presence there, and smiled.
"....I won't stop either."
Like the white wind that had bloomed that day, her own wind would blow even more fiercely and beautifully.
It was certain that not just her, but her companions—her family—would grow even stronger together.
"Ais-san..."
Seeing that smile, Lefiya felt that Ais's expression was distinctly different from before.
Smile—!
Even when she had soloed Udaeus and ranked up to Level 6, she hadn't smiled this brightly.
Because of that, Lefiya could smile back at her.
'I'm so glad, truly...'
"Sorry for making you wait."
"Not at all, Ais-san!"
It no longer mattered to Lefiya whether she was the one making Ais smile or if she was someone special to her.
Just seeing her idol, her hero, smiling so brightly was enough to fill her with joy.
Whoosh—!
At that moment, a fast shape blurred past Lefiya.
".....A crow?"
It looked no different from an ordinary crow, but Lefiya felt something unmistakable.
".....!"
'Filvis-san...!'
The eyes of that crow resembled the elf who had shared a brilliant adventure with her.
No, they were her eyes. It was Filvis's gaze.
"Thank goodness...."
The elf let out a tearful smile.
The dear friend she had prayed would be saved—the girl who had endured such a sorrowful tragedy.
Knowing that she hadn't died and was still living somewhere in this city.
"I'm so relieved....!"
Smile—!
The smile Filvis had given her that day had been a smile of farewell.
Yet, because it was such a radiant smile, Lefiya had been able to hold onto the hope that she wasn't truly gone.
Step, step—
The two girls continued down the path with bright faces, each thinking of their precious person and smiling at the adventures yet to come.
Meanwhile, Akumo, having made his decision regarding Filvis, watched the Demeter Familia harvesting crops from below.
Whish, whish—!
"Hmm...."
'It definitely changed...'
Akumo could feel it as he rotated and moved his right arm.
"I guess I can't use that anymore, huh?"
Since his adventure in the Deep Floors, the Scythe of Chaos had served as his replacement hand.
Ever since that incident, he had grown accustomed to feeling the dark energy radiating from it against his skin, but now, that sensation was completely gone.
'It feels like a completely new arm has grown in.'
As if its role was complete, the Scythe of Chaos had returned to dormancy within his soul.
"Whatcha doin', Akumo?"
"It's nothing!"
'Well, it's not like it's a problem that it's back to normal.'
Akumo answered Loki cheerfully as her voice broke his train of thought.
'In the end, whether it's a Divine Artifact or this, it's all borrowed power.'
Just as one needed to borrow the power of a God to forge a Divine Artifact, the Power of the Pioneer within his soul followed the same principle.
It could only manifest in the world when confronted by a corresponding intensity of light and darkness.
Step—
Realizing this, Akumo quietly moved his feet.
"Only six months...."
'Or has it already been six months?'
It had been roughly six months since he had brought Bell into Orario.
An incredibly short period compared to the vast ages he had lived through.
"It can't be a coincidence, can it?"
However, the weight contained within that time did not pale in comparison to his entire history.
Much like the miracle of the boy growing to Level 5 in a mere half-year, he did not view these events as simple chance.
Grin—!
Where he walked, the view shifted from the fields to the panorama of Orario, capturing Babel and the city streets in a single glance.
At that sight, Akumo smiled refreshingly and thought to himself.
"This is just another beginning."
Swish—!
"I have to get stronger too."
'Not just awakening power, but cultivating my true strength.'
Whether it was a prank of fate or not, despite having achieved many 'Pioneering' feats of his own, he desired to grow even further.
He wasn't sure if that yearning was an influence from a certain rabbit or the result of them influencing each other, but the feeling was undeniable.
Step, step—
As he walked, Akumo approached Demeter, holding a stalk of grain in his hand.
"I'm returning this to you, Demeter-sama."
Extend—
"....."
"Demeter-sama?"
Akumo held out the grain to return her Arcanum, but Demeter remained lost in thought, unable to take it easily.
"Akumo."
Grasp—!
"Is something the matter...?"
Demeter took his hand and spoke the one question she had been dying to ask.
"Why.... why did you never think I was Enyo?"
It was a question that hadn't left her mind in the days since the incident was resolved, ever since she heard what Hermes had said.
"The moment you came out of the Dungeon and heard about the incident, you immediately denied that I was the culprit."
Clearly, Akumo had no alibi for Demeter, nor any evidence to suspect Dionysus at the time.
Even with Loki and Hermes's deductions, they hadn't been able to be certain of their own conclusions.
—Demeter was the Goddess of Harvest and Benevolence.
Even so, he had accurately seen through to Demeter's true heart.
"....Ah, that?"
Akumo paused at her question.
As she said, he had removed her from the list of suspects without any concrete evidence.
—'It's completely disappearing.'
There was, of course, the assistance of something recorded within his soul.
However.....
Smile—!
"There's no way you would do such a thing, Demeter-sama."
Before anything else, the adventurer named Akumo had simply believed in her.
He knew from his experience watching her and hearing her words that Demeter could never ruthlessly abandon her children.
"The false statement you gave to Hermes-sama, all of it..."
Akumo gave her a clear, bright smile as he answered.
"Those aren't words that could be spoken without Benevolence—without truly cherishing this world."
His smile reached the Goddess, who had likely been more wounded than anyone else.
"....I see."
'Right... this child is...'
The Goddess understood, and then she realized.
Drip—!
"Thank you.... truly...!"
'So this is the kind of person he is...'
She realized that he must have answered everyone he had saved with this same bright smile.
And she realized what it felt like to be on the receiving end of that smile.
Smile—!
"Thank you, I'm so very grateful..."
Tears rolled down the Goddess's cheeks as her emotions surged, and she expressed her gratitude to Akumo once more.
"Please, send your thanks to everyone, not just me."
"Is that so?"
Squeeze—
At Akumo's words, Demeter gave a heartfelt smile and squeezed his hand tightly.
"I will gladly do so."