The Flash (Danmachi x OC)

Season 4 Chapter 68 The True Intentions of Gale Wind

No one's POV

Flames of rage. That was the only way to describe the impulse that seared her heart. The feeling that overtook her when she saw him from behind. The instant she glimpsed his profile. The moment her eyes met his. The emotion in the depths of her heart surged upward.

Ryuu(mind): He's alive! He's alive! He's alive!

It's him—that man! Who could snuff out the flames of rage that flared within her the moment she realized? The hand that gripped her wooden sword shook, and the weapon itself let out an indistinct cry of rage.

That was the spark. She shrugged off the cloak of justice and became no more than a beast chasing after the group of men as they screamed in terror. She did not know how many times silver flashed.

She could not remember how much blood spurted into the air. She was spurred by righteous indignation from the instant she realized. No, righteous indignation was just a front. In truth, she may simply have wanted to hurl her wildly raging emotions against them. Already, she had lost sight of which was her true self.

All she knew was that she was being driven forward. Driven by the flames of rage. By the black emotions. She told herself, conveniently, that it was "a sense of mission."

Ryuu(mind): This time. This time I will be sure.

Her blade was ravenous, and her heart was raging. Her memories of the past screamed for her to settle things, once and for all. As she sped through the Dungeon as quick as the wind, a thought occurred to her. Her first friend seemed to have said something to her hotheaded self. Her second friend seemed to have forgiven her despite her mistakes.

Her third friend, the Hero... What would he think if he saw her now? That was her one lingering concern as fiery resentment burned fiercely in the back of her mind and the pit of her stomach. And there was something else. She pretended not to notice that her hand, the hand that had gripped theirs, was throbbing as if weeping.

(Timeskip)

Only the most skilled adventurers in the hunting party and those with a certain amount of experience in the Water Capital have been selected to continue on to the twenty-seventh floor.

Bell was joining this elite group led by Boris as a representative of Hestia Familia. At first, he looked upset that Bell was the only member of his group to volunteer, but when he explained about needing to move quickly—and after Muller and Aisha gave him a few threatening words—he agreed.

Bell head out of the twenty-fifth floor, the Goliath Scarf from Welf and Cassandra wrapped around his neck and the parting words of Lili and the others at his back.

Monster: UOOOOOOOOOO!

Atrocious roars echo through misty air. Monsters rush toward us, their yellow eyes flashing.

Boris: We've got Mermen!

The half-fish, half-human monsters are covered in blue scales. Like humans, they walk on two feet, and their hands with fins running down the backs skillfully handle landforms, the nature weapons of the Dungeon. With scales covering their whole body, the monsters remind me of an underwater version of lizardmen. They're among the stronger opponents we're likely to encounter on the twenty-sixth floor.

The half-fish warriors scramble out of the stream that runs through the passageway and climb onto land one after the next, gripping crystal maces, a type of lower-level nature weapon.

Merman: Errrgh!

Bell leap aside to avoid a mace that smashes into the crystal floor and bring down Hakugen above the merman's head. The blindingly quick blow he released as he twist his hips away easily slices through its neck. The featherlight, glittering knife continues in a perfect curve, like it's swimming through the air, and knocks down the other crystal maces on their way toward Bell's body.