Fate's Blades in Orario (DANMACHI x SENJI MURAMASA)

Chapter 8: Exploration

"Hmm... That wasn't too challenging. Even those fire attacks from the hellhound were surprisingly manageable!" Bell grinned, feeling the warmth of the salamander wool he wore alongside Lili and Muramasa" We should find an open area. This isn't a good place to be surrounded by monsters," Lili suggested, picking up a monster core, while small rabbit-like creatures stood before them, their eyes glowing red.

"They look like you" the group stared at the rabbits, and the rabbits stared back. "Who knew Bell had little brothers?" Muramasa teased, prompting Bell to retort, "They're called Almiraj!" As if on cue, the very bunnies pulled out miniature axes and leaped into the air, attempting to strike the group. Their attack, however, posed no real threat, evident from the group's lighthearted banter. "Tiny Bells are angry" Muramasa playfully needled Bell, as Lili chimed in "Can you calm down your little friends?" Annoyed, Bell readied himself to strike them down, asserting, "They have nothing to do with me!"

..........

Muramasa and the group continued to dispatch monsters and descend further into the middle floors. So far, they had encountered no truly formidable foes; all were rather weak. Nevertheless, the monsters' quick respawn rate and their sheer numbers proved bothersome to Lili and Bell. On the other hand, Muramasa effortlessly cleared entire groups of Almiraj with a simple swing of his blade. This consistently impressed Bell and Lili. Muramasa's dependable strength lightened their load, particularly in facing groups of monsters.

Upon reaching the 14th floor, the group found themselves in an open area besieged by hordes of Almiraj attempting to encircle them. Yet, Bell and Muramasa effortlessly cut down the creatures with their blades. Pausing to observe the Almiraj, they opted to conserve energy, heeding Muramasa's advice "Avoid unnecessary movements. Swiftly strike the weak points of the Almiraj" Muramasa instructed. Bell nodded. "Lili, conserve your arrows. Take shots only when you're confident in hitting, and try to anticipate their movements based on one of them" Muramasa impaled one creature through its eye. "Understood!" Lili replied. She managed to follow Muramasa's counsel, predicting an Almiraj's movement and precisely hitting its neck.

While battling the horde of Almiraj, another group suddenly passed right through them. It consisted of only around seven members, with one of them being carried on the back of a tall man who seemed injured. Strangely, they didn't make eye contact as they hurried past.

"Oh no! It's not over yet!" Lili exclaimed with a worried tone. Both Bell and Muramasa followed Lili's gaze to hear the roaring of Hellhounds. "They pulled a Pass-parade on us!" Lili realized, recognizing the disrespectful and perilous maneuver they had just experienced. Typically, such actions resulted in new monsters arriving and often led to casualties. "Not cool" Muramasa sighed. "Let's move! Get to that passage!" Lili urged as the group rushed into a narrow opening in the wall.

As they sprinted ahead, the pursuing creatures were gaining ground, a fact pointed out by Lili. "Lili, keep running" Bell halted abruptly, turning back. "Master Bell?!" Lili called out, but her words were cut short when Bell conjured his magic and cast a spell at the creatures. "Fire Bolt!"

The path behind them was now momentarily clear of monsters...

.......................................................................

"Look out!" Bell's warning filled the air as several Hellhounds leaped over him, jaws agape, aiming to bite down on Muramasa and Lili. However, all attempts from the monsters were thwarted as Muramasa swiftly sliced off both creatures' heads and even managed to collect their monster cores in a matter of moments. He handed them over to Lili, who expressed her gratitude for the timely save.

"Are both of you alright?" Bell inquired, his concern for his team's well-being evident. While Lili and Muramasa were both in good condition, Lili was growing increasingly fatigued as the relentless onslaught of monsters showed no signs of abating. Speaking of unending challenges, the resonating roars of more Hellhounds echoed through the air. "More of them...?" Lili sighed.