Author: Yume Neiji

A tower had suddenly appeared in the lake.

From above, it looked like an arrow driven straight into the water.

Originally, the lake had the trading city of Flocia on its northern shore, with Dungeon Island, which housed a dungeon, in its centre. The tower now rose in perfect alignment with both the city and the island. A bridge, equally as white as the tower, connected the commercial city of Flocia to the dungeon island in a single straight line.

From the skies above this transformed lake, an old man gazed downward.

This was the realm of the gods—known as the “Celestial Realm.”

The old man peered at the world below, squinting one eye as he stroked his beard.

From the top of the tower, a rainbow arched upward. The bridge of the rainbow stretched toward the heavens, though it vanished halfway through.

Odin recalled how, long ago, the rainbow bridge—Bifrost—had connected the mortal realm and the heavens, and slowly shook his head.

It was still too early to linger in memories.

He raised a hand toward the tower, narrowing one eye.

“…So this is where the main source of magic was concealed.”

A smile formed beneath his beard.

“Quite well done. Yes… awaken it properly.”

Nodding with satisfaction, Odin furrowed his brow.

“…Strange. Why does that presence accompany Rion and Solana?”

Everything was proceeding without a hitch. Yet Odin felt unease at the unexpected aura.

A ripple disturbed the carefully calculated flow, as precise as the passage of the seasons.

He raised his right hand. Two ravens swooped down, landing on his shoulders.

“…Go.”

At his command, the two black birds took flight.

The descending birds quickly became mere black specks in the distance.

Below, Rion and the others were just emerging onto the surface.

◆◆◆

A pure-white tower had suddenly appeared in the lake.

An equally white bridge had emerged, connecting Flocia to the dungeon island, forming the very base of the tower.

While rescuing those trapped in the dungeon, we also had to investigate the tower. But… the results were completely unknown.

We followed the bridge and approached the tower—but there was no entrance anywhere. According to Loki, it seemed to be sealed with magic, similar to the mechanisms within the dungeon itself.

——The metal pieces we carry won’t unlock it.

——Most likely, there exists a master key somewhere. Probably  some kind of a central key for the entire dungeon that can be used to access to this tower.

That was our analysis—but we couldn’t focus on investigation alone.

The tower, now visible from the city, was causing panic among the people. The raised bridge had lifted several ships, throwing the harbor into chaos.

Even more troubling was that the dungeon and the city were now connected by the bridge. Previously, the lake had served as a natural moat—but now the monsters of the dungeon could potentially cross into the city.

Safi and I, along with the raven warriors, had our hands full.

We returned to Flocia to recruit adventurers to protect the city. Then we went back into the dungeon to ferry the rescued people onto ships. We scanned every hidden area to ensure no one had been left behind. It wasn’t until dusk that things finally settled.

Having entered the dungeon at dawn, it meant we had been running all day. Exhausted, I returned to the Odis Temple and made my way first to the basement, where Safi was waiting.

“…I see now.”

The dwarf blacksmith held my short sword up to the magical stone lamp on the workbench. The blade gleamed sharply. Safi nodded with satisfaction and gently tapped the hilt with her hammer.

The short sword had been put through heavy use, so it seemed she was re-engraving the magical runes.

Without turning her back, Safi spoke.

“We achieved victories and results… but new problems arose.”

I nodded as I waited in the chair.

Watching the short sword take shape, Safi asked,

“The city’s gotten pretty chaotic. What’s your plan from here?”

“Well…”

After the tower investigation had settled for the moment, Safi had returned to the forge in the temple’s basement. So it made sense that she’d be curious about what was happening outside.

I answered,

“We’re suspending the dungeon investigation for today. Once the sun rises tomorrow, we’ll resume looking into the tower.”

I pressed a finger to my chin, thinking.

The suddenly appeared tower clearly held secrets. Even after returning from the dungeon, the gods had been unusually quiet.

I wanted to ask them for answers but there was this sense that I shouldn’t approach lightly.

“Rion, thank you for today.”

Before I realized it, Safi had finished her work. The little blacksmith held out the dagger in her small hands and said it.

Sitting down while she stood, our eyes met at roughly the same height.

I think I blinked in surprise.

“…Just now?”

“Ah! For helping me!”

Safi pouted.

“When my pack was broken and the monsters attacked!”

“Ah… yeah.”

“I really am a liability in the dungeon, huh…”

“It’s fine. Honestly, I’m glad you were there, Safi.”

There were probably things that would’ve gone wrong without her—like the lift mechanism, or the dungeon’s layout.

The dwarf blacksmith’s cheeks flushed, and she crossed her arms, leaning away slightly.

“W-well… maybe.”

The gold coin trembled.

…What was that?

Normally, the gods’ voices would speak right after such movement—but this time, nothing followed.

Safi pointed her thumb toward the workbench.

“Alright. I’m going to examine the magical keys here.”

On the tray before her lay several metal pieces. Each was about the size of a thumb, yet they were the proper “keys” that had unlocked the dungeon’s hidden doors.

There might even be hints here for entering the tower.

“I’m one of Alvis’ Ten Blacksmiths! From mousetraps to locks, if it’s metal, I can handle it!”

I couldn’t help but chuckle—after all, in the royal temple, she had created all sorts of things. The dwarves made not only weapons and armor, but also mechanisms to protect the temple—even mousetraps.

…Though, admittedly, the mousetraps were so elaborate that they moved in impressively dramatic ways.

Ahem. Safi cleared her throat.

“…Let’s go back a bit. That magical key… it’s quite worn, but I think it was originally a single divine artifact.”

“A god’s tool, you mean?”

“Yeah. Probably some kind of ornament. A bracelet, a chain, or something that had been broken apart and repurposed as keys.”

I tried to imagine what kind of divine artifact it had been.

A bracelet perhaps? A belt?

I stood from my chair and sheathed my short sword at my side.

“Thanks for the sword. After this, it seems we have business in the ‘Frost Orb’ chamber.”

I parted ways with Safi and left the underground forge.

In the temple, the warrior corps bustled back and forth.

I searched for that person—Nils-san.

He, too, had been summoned to the ‘Frost Orb’ chamber. There, I would see Pauline and Lu as well.

But first, I wanted to speak with him. I wondered what he was feeling. After all, the person we had rescued in the dungeon wasn’t his sister.

I recalled his weaknesses and scratched the back of my head.

“…I hope he isn’t lost somewhere again.”

However, Nils-san was not easy to find.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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Sealed within the ice was a goddess of breathtaking beauty. If one were to compare her to a human, she would likely be a few years older than me—perhaps seventeen, or eighteen at most.

Hair like threads of woven gold rippled softly within the transparent ice. Her lowered face seemed tinged with quiet sorrow, and her unwavering blue eyes resembled those of an exquisitely crafted doll.

She was clad in a pale green dress. A golden ribbon gathered her hair of the same shimmering hue. Her left hand rested lightly against her throat, while her right arm extended gently forward, as if to grasp something, or perhaps to hold it out.

I had never before known what it meant to be struck silent by beauty. A single, magnificent flower, imprisoned in ancient ice—that was the image that came to mind.

“So this is… Freyja-sama”

At last, that was all I managed to say.

From the gold coin, the voices of the gods Thor and Uru rang out.

『Freyja…』

『She hasn’t changed at all. Not one bit—just as she was long ago.』

It sounded as though they were reminiscing about the past.

『It certainly is Freyja. As beautiful as ever, more beautiful than the early winter dawns or the budding spring trees. But…』

Though I couldn’t see him, I felt Loki’s gaze sharpen.

『Something’s missing. The absence of monsters nearby is strange too…』

As I listened to the gods’ voices, my hand brushed against the awakening horn, Gjallarhorn, at my side. Its engraved patterns shimmered like an aurora, as if it were urging me, “Blow me”.

I turned to look back at my companions.

Felix-san, Mia-san, Safi, and even the raven warriors behind us—all of them were utterly captivated by the goddess before them.

“…A goddess?”

The one who murmured it softly was Nils-san. His dull blond hair fluttered in the cold wind.

Remembering the god Freyr we had seen on the fourth floor, I answered him.

“They seem to be sibling gods. An older brother—and a younger sister.”

Nils-san still looked stunned. He only gave a faint nod, drawing his chin back slightly.

This time, Solana’s voice rang out.

『Rion. You’re going to do it, right?』

“—Yeah.”

If the Goddess of Fertility were to awaken, the rescue operation in this dungeon would become far easier. More than that, it would give me yet more power to protect Lu.

I knew we had to save the people who had been captured. I understood that. But for me—the power to save my sister was the strongest implication.

Felix-san planted his staff firmly on the ground.

“At this point, delaying the release of the seal would only be more dangerous. Please, Rion.”

I turned to face the ice.

Looking up at the goddess sealed within the icicle, I brought the awakening horn—Gjallarhorn—to my lips and blow into it.

Skill, please awaken the goddess!

——Wake up!

The sound of the horn rang out.

Light spilled forth from the awakening horn, Gjallarhorn, and in an instant, it raced through the entire space. The air, the ice, the walls—all of it began to tremble. The tremor grew into vibration, then into a deep, resonant roar.

The ice shattered one piece after another, dissolving into glittering motes of light that melted into the air. Cracks spread across the ice that bound Freyja-sama.

From the gold coin, Solana murmured—

『It’s breaking.』

Shards of radiant ice danced through the air.

Bathed in a rain of golden mana, the goddess slowly rose, then drifted down toward us.

She truly is beautiful. Her petal-soft lips slowly parted.

—Odin…

A voice echoed inside my head, and I reached up to touch my ear.

She was surely speaking right in front of me, yet the sound felt wrong. It wasn’t traveling through the air at all—it was resonating directly inside my mind.

—Odin…

What followed was badly distorted, so muddled that I couldn’t make out a single word.

Freyja-sama’s body was wrapped in a faint glow. Worse still, it was slowly beginning to fade, and without thinking I rushed toward her.

“G-Goddess!”

One after another, the gods leapt forth from the gold coins. With the horn having been blown, they had all regained their strength.

Solana, her white garments fluttering, caught Freyja and held her steady.

“…F-Freyja!”

The Sun Goddess was wreathed in gentle light. White flame enveloped Freyja-sama’s body.

Solana drew her brows together.

“This is…!”

The giant Thor, Sigris in blue armor, Uru clad in hunting garb—and Loki in a black robe. All of them hovered in the air, gazing down at Freyja.

It felt as though they were holding their breath.

“This vessel…. it’s a replica.”

At Loki’s words, I lifted my face.

“W-what do you mean? A replica?”

“A mass of magic shaped in the likeness of a god. Think of it as a message left behind—one that possesses power.”

I barely understood enough to grasp one thing.

It wasn’t the real her.

In other words—was it an illusion?

Indeed, the fading Freyja-sama didn’t look to be in pain. She had no expression of suffering, no will behind her eyes—like a beautifully made doll.

Loki bit down on his lip.

“Even so… I can’t read the message itself. This replica was woven with extraordinarily strong magic. It must have carried something of great importance, yet…”

A deep crease formed between Loki’s brows. I had never seen a god wear such a sorrowful expression.

“…Was the seal here made so powerful simply to weaken this vessel? If that’s the case, then the one who set such a contrivance must be—!”

Loki looked up, staring up above us.

Questions began to well up inside me one after another. Perhaps it was because my emotions had been thrown into chaos. The vague unease that had sunk deep in my chest surged up all at once.

Did something happen after all the gods were sealed away?

Did Freyja-sama really awaken before? Somewhere in the untold gaps of the kingdom’s history?

Did she knew that Lu possessed the Power of Creation?

…And who was it that hid such events?

“…Ah.”

In my mind, the image of the one-eyed old ancient artifacts dealer surfaced—overlapping with the figure of the Chief God, Odin.

I couldn’t say anything more.

The vibration that had just begun to subside suddenly intensified again. It was strong enough to be called a rumble from the depths of the earth. The remaining masses of ice shattered one after another, and water began to pour in from the places that had been sealed shut by ice.

Felix-san shouted.

“Flood!?”

“You’ve got to be kidding…”

Mia-san groaned. This was the thirteenth floor—deep beneath the lake. I had nothing but a bad feeling about this.

The great hall where we had just fought the boss was now being inundated from all sides, torrents of water rushing in with terrifying force. And on top of that—we could hear the cries of monsters.

“Kikii!”

“Gii!”

From the area where the boss had been, monsters surged in with the current—water wyrmlings, sahagins, and even the kelpies.

Mia-san swung her right hand, chains clanking as she did.

“This is bad. If we turn back now, we might still be able to—”

Everyone turned behind us at once.

At that very moment, the entrance to the unexplored area collapsed. Chunks of ice and rock crashed down, completely sealing the exit.

Mia-san slapped a hand to her forehead.

“We’re trapped…?”

The water level rose at an unbelievable speed. It had only reached our feet moments ago, yet now it was already up to our waists.

Safi screamed and clambered onto one of the soldiers.

“P-please, do something already! I’m about to drown here!”

W-well, you’re the only one whose head is about to go under…

The Thunder God, Thor, ran a hand through his blazing red hair.

“…Dwarf. What lies above this ceiling is still part of the dungeon, right?”

“Y-yes, but—!”

The Thunder God flashed a confident grin.

“Then up is our only option! Grab on!”

Thor whipped his red hair about as he let out a thunderous roar, hurling his hammer, Mjölnir, straight upward.

The falling masses of ice were shattered to pieces. Catching Mjölnir as it returned to his hand, Thor laughed.

“Here we go.”

The five gods wrapped us in light.

In contrast, the goddess we had awakened—Freyja-sama, that vessel of hers—grew dim, then began to fade away.

—Odin…

The repeated words broke off once again, unfinished.

My chest tightened. The weakened goddess somehow reminded me of Lu.

“…I’m sorry. I couldn’t find you. But if you’re nearby, I promise I’ll search for you—and wake you up. Because I… I’m the one who awakens the gods.”

I didn’t know whether words like these meant anything at all.

But for just an instant, the vessel seemed to smile.

Then it faded, and vanished.

“Nils-san!”

Nils-san looked utterly stunned—caught between the collapsing cavern and the disappearance of the goddess.

“…Rion, this… again, I—I—”

“Hold on!”

I gripped Nils-san’s hand tightly.

Solana shouted.

“Hold fast! We’re flying!”

Bathed in her gentle, protective light, we soared higher and higher.

With the gods’ power, we smashed through the cracked ceiling. A surge of water came rushing at us. I cried out, and the water spirit Undine gleamed within my right arm gauntlet. The spirit wrapped us in bubbles, shielding us from the torrent.

Someone was shouting, but the roar of the flood drowned them out.

We shot out into the open. The ceiling we had just burst through seemed to lie directly beneath a waterfall.

“…Amazing.”

The words slipped out of me.

The space ahead was vast—the same one we had descended to on the lift—but the view was like another world. It looked as though a flood had swept everything into a new dimension.

The chamber was shaped like an overturned cup, but waterfalls cascaded along its walls, as if the incoming water had built new boundaries of its own.

Following the flow, my gaze dropped downward.

The water level had risen dramatically. The thirteenth floor—maybe even the twelfth—was now completely submerged. Amid this overwhelming sight of water, a deep, rolling rumble continued.

“I feel an extraordinarily strong magic… similar to Freyja, but far stronger than Surtr—terrifyingly strong.”

The goddess closed her eyes tightly and shook her head.

She pointed toward the edge where the wall met the ceiling.

“That’s outside the dungeon.”

Does that mean the magic lies there?

Felix-san touched his coronet.

“This is way beyond expectations… my head hurts. For now, get us to a safe place!”

Looking down, the flooded lowest level came into view. The thirteenth floor was surely under water, at least.

“…I wonder… what about the other adventurers?”

Felix-san crossed his arms, his expression troubled.

“…The warrior corps should only be down around the tenth floor. Only we, accompanied by the gods, can scout the lowest levels.”

We slowly ascended through the vast chamber.

Me, Mia-san, Felix-san, Nils-san, Safi, and the raven warriors—five gods protecting us—but no one could say what might happen next.

Gradually, the influx of water began to ease.

Beneath us, multiple whirlpools were forming. The water that had rushed in… was it being drained?

“I-I see…”

Safi murmured.

“This space—it temporarily stores water to power something. I knew it was a vertical chamber, but it’s basically a water-pressure mechanism…”

Solana added her insight.

“A strong magic is moving… upward… toward the sky?”

What was actually happening?

My thoughts were a tangled mess, impossible to fully sort out.

A vertical shaft appeared above us—the same lift path we had descended earlier.

Clanking in her blue armor, Sigris pointed upward.

“Alright, everyone! We’re going in!”

Guided by the gods, we plunged into the narrow vertical shaft.

The walls rushed past us at incredible speed. We shot out into the hidden area on the fourth floor where the lift had departed, landing on solid ground.

As the gods returned to the gold coin, adventurers began to gather around.

“Felix-sama… what is this—!”

“The rescue on the fifth floor has been completed. We are now engaged in retrieving those trapped on the sixth floor—”

Felix-san stopped the rapid reports with a tap of his staff.

“Hurry! Gather the survivors and get them outside!”

After waiting for the sixth-floor rescue to finish, we led the survivors out.

And then—we saw something extraordinary.

The calm lake of Flocia. On its tranquil surface rose a tower, pure white, standing tall. So high that its upper reaches vanished into a haze. From its pinnacle, a seven-colored rainbow stretched into the sky.

The gold coin trembled, and Solana’s voice came through.

『Strong magical power comes from the peak.』

Our breaths caught, our hearts racing at the hint of a revealed secret.

Hidden away in Flocia —was the Tower of the Gods.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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I brought the Valkyrie’s hammer down on the crystal dragon’s head. Lightning coursed through its gigantic body, reducing it to ash.

The blinding flash seared my vision, and the deafening roar tore at my ears. Just the aftershock alone was enough to make me feel like I was about to pass out. Through the haze before my eyes, I caught sight of a strange figure—a blonde woman standing against the farthest wall. Her smile was gentle, yet tinged with a hint of sorrow.

“F-Freyja-sama…?”

I didn’t know why the name came to me so instinctively.

Vaguely, I remembered my dream—the same woman, encased in ice, exactly as she appeared now.

…Was she trying to tell me something?

“Uhm…”

The moment I let out a sound, my vision suddenly cleared. The light and smoke had vanished. With all my concentration poured into that single strike, those few seconds had surely stretched into what felt like much longer.

Before I realized it, the woman’s figure was gone as well.

I noticed then that I was falling.

“Wa-wa-waa!”

The world spun around me. I had jumped as high as I could to strike the dragon’s head, falling was the inevitable consequence.

T-this is bad!

Just as I closed my eyes, I felt someone catch me.

“Whoa! You alright?”

It was Mia-san. Nils-san was beside her, supporting me just the same.

Though their wounds must have hurt, they carefully lowered me to the ground. 

The massive battlefield that had once been alive with chaos was now utterly silent. Pale light filtered through the large hole in the ceiling, and the distant roar of a waterfall echoed mournfully. The terrifying dragon, the summoned monster, none of them remained. Because I had been able to communicate with them, a small pang of loneliness crept in.

The scattered warrior corps, Safi, and Felix-san began to gather. 

Surveying the injured around him, Felix-san rested heavily on his staff.

“We did it.”

I lowered my chin.

As I used White Flame to heal everyone’s wounds, a voice echoed in my mind.

――――

You have reached Level 27.

――――

I shivered because it had been a while since I’d last experienced such an increase.

“My level…”

“Leveled up?”

I bounced excitedly and answered Mia-san.

“Yes!”

Nils-san smiled.

“Well done. I never imagined you’d defeat a dragon of that magnitude…”

He raised both hands in a mock surrender. Shaking his head, his blonde hair swayed.

“I’m at a loss for words. Rion, you all make an incredible party.”

“Hey now, aren’t you part of the party too?”

Mia-san laughed and gave Nils-san a sharp pat on the back.

….That for sure stings a little.

Nils-san stumbled but then broke into a broad grin. His smile was so genuine and unguarded it, a look I have not seen on him before.

“Right.”

Felix-san cleared his throat.

“Now, everyone. This is undoubtedly a great victory, but we must remember our purpose. The people imprisoned as slaves have been rescued, and the obstacles in our way were removed.”

The ashes that stirred the monsters, the dragon that had disturbed the currents—both were defeated. Rescuing the masses is important but the secrets slumbering within the Flocia Dungeon remain.

Having reached the 13th floor, there is no ignoring them.

『The time has finally come.』

The voice of Sigris, the God of Medicine, trembled from the gold coin.

All eyes turned toward me.

“This way.”

I nodded and started walking straight ahead.

The unexplored area of the Flocia Dungeon was definitely there—at the wall where I had glimpsed the goddess’s apparition.

We crossed the vast chamber.

Then I came to a stop before a stone slab embedded in the wall. A single monolith, the size of a castle gate, seemed to float amid the jagged natural rock. Through the gaps between the supporter’s legs, the dwarf blacksmith Safi poked her head out.

“It’s an artificial wall. I can sense magical runes etched into it. There’s no sign that it’s ever been opened.”

It was, without a doubt, a true unexplored area.

The gods were surely watching over us through the gold coins. 

I pressed both hands flat against the wall. It was cool to the touch. A shiver ran up my neck.

“Wake up!”

Golden light scattered, and the rock face shimmered. The stone shifted slightly, as if stirring of its own will. A gap opened somewhere, and a frigid wind swept through.

“Wha…!”

Cold. Bitter, piercing cold. It was the kind of freezing air that seemed to speak of the strength of the seal ahead—enough to make my lungs feel as if they would freeze.

『Let me help you. It’s dangerous with your wet bodies.』

A warmth, like sunlight, enveloped us.

“Thank you, Solana.”

I pressed both hands to the wall once more.

“Wake up!”

This time, the wall shattered. The fragments crumbled and vanished inward, as if inviting us to enter. A blizzard-like wind swept through, freezing the surrounding water. Yet thanks to Solana’s protection, it no longer felt bitterly cold.

We stepped inside.

“So beautiful…”

Safi whispered.

The place resembled the night sky. Though darkness enveloped everything, each shard of ice around us glimmered like a star. Thanks to their light, we could move without fear of getting lost.

We walked toward the deepest part, where a magnificent ice pillar stood.

Within it, a beautiful woman was sealed, frozen in place, her right hand outstretched as if offering something.

『…It’s Freyja.』

Solana murmured.

『No doubt about it. She’s been waiting to be awakened.』

As if in response, the alarm horn, Gjallarhorn, vibrated.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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The giant dragon roared.

Its powerful jaws, its baleful fangs, its eerily calm eyes—every single feature demanded attention, making it impossible to look away from it. Light streamed down through the shattered ceiling. Its pale blue scales and veil-like, translucent wings shimmered with an otherworldly glow.

I couldn’t help but recall a story I’d heard long ago, back when I was small—before Father was gone.

A tale of an adventurer who entered a cave and fought a dragon.

Our situation now is uncannily similar.

This is the thirteenth floor of the dungeon. A vast chamber without pillars stretched out before us, so large that its far edges blurred into the distance. The ceiling alone had to be at least ten meters high.

The crystal dragon slowly raised its head.

—Grrroooaaar!

The dragon roared again.

The air trembled, a violent vibration rippling through the space. If we were lucky, we might escape—if not, we’d lose consciousness on the spot. Faced with such overwhelming force, my feet retreated on their own.

Mia-san, Felix-san, Nils-san—and even the warrior corps and Safi—everyone was being crushed by the pressure.

A scream rang out from the warriors.

“G-gods…?! Can’t we have them fight in our stead?!”

With trembling hands, I pulled the alarm horn—Gjallarhorn—from my pouch. There was no response. It didn’t glow, nor did it vibrate.

Using the awakening power to rouse a god and have them slay this dragon would place an enormous burden on them. In areas where the seals were strong, even the gods couldn’t unleash their full strength without the horn.

“Not yet! But—!”

Raising my voice, I wrapped myself in the Golden Flame.

I clenched the horn tightly in my hand.

“Even without help… I know we can defeat it! B-because…!”

I am scared.

Terrified.

But there was a heat in my chest that burned even hotter than that fear.

“In the royal capital… in Alvis… whenever it truly mattered, the horn lent us its power. I think the god within the horn chooses the right moment.”

Remember the Royal Capital.

Remember Alvis.

When things were truly dangerous—when it was absolutely necessary—the horn had always answered. Within the awakening horn, Gjallarhorn, dwells the god Heimdall.

“So if the horn isn’t responding right now… then I believe it’s because the god inside trusts us—believes that we can fight this battle ourselves.”

Everyone snapped back to their senses and looked up once more at the pale-blue giant dragon.

Breathing steadied.

Postures straightened one after another.

“We will borrow the gods’ power. But the ones who fight… are us. I think that’s the kind of battle this is.”

I lifted my gaze and met the dragon’s stare.

Stay calm.

Observe it carefully.

Understand what kind of enemy it is.

Its head loomed five meters above the ground. Its neck was as thick as a log. The four legs planted firmly into the floor, and the veil-like wings that obscured the ceiling made it feel less like facing a living creature—and more like waging war against a fortress.

Even so, I was certain of one thing.

The god within the horn believed we could win.

—Are you the guardians of the goddess Freyja?

—If that is the case… something about you suggests that time flows a little differently around here…

The dragon rumbled deep in its throat and yawned.

—Well, in the face of the end, it all amounts to the same.

—Your companions. The countless rabble crawling about above. Friends and family alike—every last one of them… I will devour them all.

Across the dragon’s back, countless crystals reflected the light, as though it were clad in armor made of crystal itself. Each stone glimmered and flashed.

Then—countless points of light burst forth into the air.

『Undine…?』

At Solana’s murmur, the words slipped from my own lips.

“The stones on its back—don’t tell me they’re all spirit stones?”

So that’s why it’s called the “Water Crystal Dragon.”

Countless spheres of water rose into the air around the dragon. In the next instant, torrents of water slammed down like a rain of blows. We scattered as if struck by whips.

“Y-you say we can win, but—damn it!”

Mia-san clicked her tongue and spun on her heel. Innumerable spirits continued to unleash watery strikes at us—an unending rain that would be fatal if any of it connected.

At this rate… we couldn’t get close.

Moving just as swiftly, Nils-san raised his voice.

“It’s enormous! Or are all of your enemies this absurdly out of scale?!”

S-sorry about that!

Blond hair streaming behind him, Nils-san flashed a grin.

“…But that just makes it more interesting.”

With a swing of his sword, a water strike was cleaved in two.

“The power depends on the spirits themselves! There are a lot of them, but each one’s no stronger than a lesser dragon from the fourth floor!”

Mia-san deflected the attacks with her axe, Felix-san countered them with magic, and Nils-san cut them down with his sword. Each of them steadily neutralizing the water strikes in their own way.

Because we had scattered, the enemy’s aim was divided. And once we remembered, we’ve seen this attack before, all we had to do was repeat what we’d done back then.

“Let’s move forward!”

I shouted.

The crystal dragon snorted.

—Hmph!

A vast arena.

The crystal dragon beat its wings and rose into the air, pulling far out of our reach. It meant to wear us down, slowly, with the rain of water strikes.

“Fire Line!”

Felix-san’s spell slipped in through the opening. Steam burst from the water wall that intercepted it.

The dragon lifted its head high.

—Come forth, my kin.

From the hole torn open in the ceiling, multiple shadows swooped down. The ones it summoned were the lesser water dragons we had encountered on the fourth floor. Those water-wielding monsters were its subordinates.

“Everyone—fall back! Get close to me!”

Skill,『Divine Protection of the God of Medicine』was used. 【Valkyria’s Spoon】…… Recovery. Consumes magical power to expand the range.

Skill『Sun’s Divine Protection』was used. 【Golden Flame】⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅Improves physical ability. Further effect for a limited time.

A sharp pain stabbed through my head. I’m now level 26. If I hadn’t grown this much, my mana would have been completely drained in an instant.

“Ugh…!”

Gritting my teeth against the drain on my mana, I spread the Golden Flame through the power of the God of Medicine.

Mia-san, Felix-san, Nils-san —and Safi and the warrior corps as well—everyone was wrapped in Solana’s blessing. Now no one would be outmatched in physical ability.

The time limit was three minutes. Casting it on this many people wasn’t something I could do more than once or twice.

In that brief window, we had to close in and defeat this enemy.

This fortress of a dragon.

“Kaaaah!”

Four lesser dragons lunged at us. Nils-san and Mia-san stepped forward, swinging their weapons. In the next instant, the dragons were cleaved apart, blasted away, reduced to ash.

Our frontline—already utterly dependable—had been further empowered by the Golden Flame.

“T-this is—”

Nils-san glanced back, lowering his jaw in awe.

“It’s the power of the gods! Now, while we can!”

The crystal dragon seemed momentarily unsettled. Even I had grown through repeated level-ups, able to wield the power of the gods—Solana and the others—more fully than before.

—You!

—My kin, come forth!

More lesser dragons surged forward. Even the sirens and sahagins joined the fray.

Their goal was surely to buy time. Against them, we wielded magic, axes, and swordsmanship. Pushing through the horde of monsters, we pursued the dragon that had retreated deeper into the chamber.

The water strikes no longer frightened us. I could read and anticipate each one now.

“Everyone!”

We surged forward in a single line.

The dragon must have seen the wave of our frontline pushing up like a tide.

I moved in the center of the formation. Exchanging glances with those on my left and right, the party returned smiles and nods. Our plan had surely been understood.

“Alright, I’ll do it!”

Mia-san stepped forward. The water strikes converged toward her.

She met them all head-on with the Crimson Axe.

—Don’t come any closer!

A long tail swung through the air.

“Ha!”

Mia-san’s raised axe clashed violently against the dragon’s tail.

The Crimson Axe gleamed, converting the absorbed magic into a spiraling vortex that struck back. The force made the massive dragon stagger in place.

In that moment, Nils-san and Felix-sab leapt into the dragon’s vulnerable flanks.

『Haha! Using the frontline to pry open the gates of the fortress!』

Thor’s voice gave me a push.

『Slaying a dragon—that’s a hero’s job, isn’t it?!』

Before Felix-san, icy-blue runes flared to life.

“Ice Blade—Ibarak!”

A chill that sent shivers down the spine surged forward. Ice formed, freezing the surrounding water as it hurtled toward the crystal dragon.

—Tch!

Spreading its wings, the dragon tried to escape, wary of the icy restraints closing in.

“Dragon Severing Strike!”

Nils-san moved first. One after another, ice pillars sprang up, and he unleashed his swordmaster techniques upon them. The shattered shards of ice, still razor-sharp, shot straight toward the crystal dragon.

The blades pierced its scales and wings.

The crystal dragon halted its flight and slammed down onto the ground, shaking it with the impact.

With its wings spread wide, it became an even easier target.

“Got it.”

Felix-san planted his staff firmly. Ice magic wrapped around the massive, tree-trunk-like forelegs, holding them fast.

—How cunning…

The crystal dragon opened its massive maw with a roar.

Inside, its mouth glowed a deep crimson, while the crystals on its back shimmered a pale blue.

My magic detection warned that a tremendous amount of mana was gathering within its throat.

The god Uru called out,

『Dragon Breath incoming!』

Dragons can unleash devastating attacks from their mouths—fire, lightning, or other elemental forces. Because it’s like a breath weapon, adventurers call it Dragon Breath.

But—

“Wake up!”

I activated the crystal mounted on my left gauntlet.

From it, the fire elemental, Salamander, was roused and ready to act.

—Guuuoooh!

A torrent of water blasted from the dragon’s maw, sweeping toward Mia-san and Nils-san’ positions.

“Not on my watch!”

The breath collided with the fire elemental, generating a furious cloud of steam. Just as Loki had taught me, perhaps water truly possesses the power to bewilder.

Felix-san acted, quickly adding his fire magic to produce even more steam.

—A distraction?

I ran towards the dragon.

Faster, faster, faster!

Before everyone’s Golden Flame and this steam dissipate!

—The swordsman and the axe-wielder won’t be able to move for a while.

—And the child with the least magic… what can they even do?

The enemy’s vision is obscured by the steam, but surely it senses that I’m moving freely toward it.

I need to finish this in a single strike. If I pause to prepare a second attack, a counterstrike will come. And I must also account for the possibility that it puts distance between us—then I’ll need a follow-up strike.

—Huh?

—What is this… overwhelming power?

While the enemy underestimates me, even slightly—

Skill,『Divine Protection of the God of Medicine』was activated. 【Sigris’ Spear】⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅a ranged support. The magical effect is channeled into the spear, delivering it to the target.

Skill,『God of Thunder’s Divine Protection』was activated. 【Mjolnir】 ⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅Borrows the legendary war hammer from the God of Thunder.

In my left hand, I summoned the spear of the God of Medicine.

In my right, the hammer of the God of Thunder.

I combined the spear in my left hand with the hammer in my right. Thor’s war hammer, Mjolnir, now resided within the spear of the Valkyrie.

—The gods’… hammer?

The spear and hammer merged at the tip, forming a giant halberd full of divine power. Its destructive force, its ability to pursue a fleeing target, this combination could accomplish it all.

—Who… are you!?

With a running start and a leap, I faced the crystal dragon head-on.

The ancient dragon’s eyes widened at the sight of the thunderous halberd raised above him.

I shouted out the words that came to my mind,

“Valkyrie’s… hammer!”

Mjolnir, embedded at the tip, struck the dragon’s crown.

Thunder roared, lightning tore through its gigantic body, and the dragon was pierced by the raw power of the gods.

Blinded by the thunder roaring so close, my ears ringing from its shriek, I watched as the crystal dragon turned to ash and vanished.

Amid its disappearance, I thought I saw a beautiful goddess on a distant wall—Freyja, the same goddess I had glimpsed in my dreams.

The unexplored area of the Flocia Dungeon… it had to be there, waiting beyond.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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