The ground shuddered.
This Black Goliath in front of Bell was nothing like the [Mammoth Fool] he'd fought before. It moved with a flexibility and speed a monster that huge had no right to possess.
The giant charged, clenching its fist and drawing its arm back, gathering power.
Goliath's potential was probably on the level of Lv.5.
For a boy who had only just reached Lv.3, it was a calamity from an entirely different tier.
Bell knew that, and still rushed in without a second thought.
Everyone's lives were tied to him. Like a fully drawn bowstring, that pressure drove him forward.
And from a tactical standpoint, the fact that Goliath had stuck to a battle of attrition meant it was wary of something.
If Bell turned and ran, Goliath would lose that fear. Its brutality would take over, and with the gap in their speed, the result would be unspeakable.
"Firebolt!"
"Firebolt!"
Bell fired off Firebolt after Firebolt, using magic's quick-cast advantage to seize the initiative.
"Ooooooh!!"
Goliath's face twisted as it unleashed another roar.
The first Firebolt slammed into the shockwave. Before the crash even reached Bell's ears, the follow-up fireballs were already smashing into Goliath's face.
The crimson flames barely had time to leave a mark before a pale red glow washed the burns away.
Bell had been aiming for its eyes, sending multiple Firebolts into the exact same spot.
But Goliath's abnormal regeneration erased the damage completely.
No matter how many times he tried, the outcome didn't change.
Worse still, unlike the fury it had shown under the combined attack from Rivira Town, Goliath now seemed disturbingly rational.
It treated Bell as its only enemy and never slowed its advance.
"Awaken."
Bell began chanting at once.
He didn't boost his speed. He strengthened his [Strength] for a head-on clash.
"Hear now, the love song played upon the tower of purity."
Goliath's enormous fist was like a sledgehammer. With that coiled power behind it, it looked ready to smash a crater into the earth.
Normally, Bell would dodge.
But his instincts warned him the gap in raw physical ability was too large. Even if he avoided the first punch, he wouldn't be able to deal with what came next.
So he gambled everything, deciding to settle it in one exchange.
"Divine Light • Voyage (Argo's Ship)."
The instant the chant ended, a holy shield of light formed in front of him.
If he could endure one blow, catch the split second Goliath exposed an opening, and drive his dagger into its chest…
Bell didn't know where the Magic Stone was. All he could do was leave it to [Luck].
The difference in power was crushing. With no one to cover him, Bell had no chance to build up [Argonaut], so this was the only option he had.
The massive iron fist crashed down on the barrier.
With a heavy, muffled impact, the shield shattered into fragments of light.
The violent shockwave kicked up a gale and sent Bell flying backward.
"Cranel-san!"
Ryuu hurried forward, checking on him.
Maybe it really was [Luck]. Bell skidded across the ground and slid all the way back to where the girls were.
"I'm fine…"
Bell got to his feet and answered quietly.
The shield hadn't stopped the punch, but it had shaved off most of its force.
One punch.
Just one punch, and despair spread across everyone's faces.
"…"
Ryuu couldn't say a word.
Hang in there?
Be careful?
Don't push yourself?
None of it meant anything anymore.
Sending a Lv.3 Adventurer to face an enhanced Floor Boss… no one could bring themselves to feel hopeful.
The cruel reality was right in front of them. The only thing Ryuu should have said was for the boy to run, to escape and save himself.
But she understood better than anyone that such words would only defile his noble soul.
"…"
Filvis stood there as well, her face pale, equally silent.
[Argo's Ship] had managed to withstand Olivas' brute strength, yet it had failed against Goliath's heavy punch.
Aside from the fact that the former had been injured at the time, there was a far more important reason.
A secret even Bell himself didn't know.
The strength of Argo's Ship's judgment of affection shifted in real time.
Filvis had begun to waver in her [Love].
Back on the 24th Floor, she could still lie to herself and endure the anxiety she felt for him.
But the moment the pitch-black giant appeared, Filvis realized the truth.
It was she who had brought this calamity upon him.
This wasn't the curse of the Banshee.
It was something far more painful, far more tainted.
Her heart was a mess of contradictions.
She had already resolved to distance herself from him from now on.
And because of that, the light barrier he summoned had lost part of its strength.
Bell knew nothing of this, nor did he have the time to think it through.
The black giant filled his mind.
Not fast enough to outrun it.
Not strong enough to overpower it.
What could he still do?
The shield had appeared instantly, which was why he'd escaped with only minor injuries. Next time, it wouldn't be that simple.
In less than a second, countless thoughts raced through Bell's mind.
Just as he found himself at a loss, Cassandra hurried forward.
"Captain, I had a dream about this calamity!"
Ignoring the doubtful looks around her, Cassandra spoke her prophecy without hesitation.
"The [Greatsword] and the [Bell], the [Sacred Flame] and the [Storm]—those are the key parts."
She knew there was no time to stammer like usual.
"…"
Bell didn't question her for a moment.
The Bell and the Sacred Flame made sense. But what about the others?
A dagger was hardly effective against a giant monster. But where was he supposed to find a Greatsword?
And this so-called Storm…
A spark flashed through his mind.
"Cassandra, I'll leave the Greatsword to you."
Without waiting for her response, he turned to Ais.
"I need [Wind]."
No extra words.
No honorifics. No request.
Bell simply met the golden-haired girl's eyes with unwavering resolve.
On their way back before, Ais had seen him summon a shield of light.
It was a rare kind of magic that borrowed another's power.
Bete of the Loki Familia had similar equipment, so Ais hadn't found it too surprising.
With just those few words, she understood his intent.
"Awaken, Tempest."
A faint whirlwind stirred the air and wrapped itself around Ais's body.
After only an instant, the wind faded away.
"Sorry…"
Ais forced her heavy eyelids open and apologized softly.
"That's enough. Thank you."
Bell didn't waste another second. He turned and began to chant.
"—Divine Light • Voyage (Argo's Ship)."
As the spell's name was spoken, wind rose around his body.
Unexpectedly, it was weak. Far from what could truly be called a [Storm].
Even so, there was no time to dwell on it.
Goliath had already closed the distance.
To keep the girls from being caught in the crossfire, Bell charged back toward the battlefield.
And in the instant his back disappeared from their sight, the storm descended.