After leaving the A rank party, I aim for the deep part of the labyrinth with my former students
"Benwood!"
"Oh, you're back."
Near Finis.
The "Finis Evacuation Camp" had been set up on a plain near the forest by Lake Ordan.
It was much larger in scale than I had expected.
It looked like it could develop into a proper town at this rate.
"I'm glad you're safe. Is the Adventurers' Guild set up temporarily too?"
"Yeah. The staff really pulled through. Looks like a proper town, right?"
Benwood, who had come to greet us, looked a little tired, but his eyes still held strength.
"I’d like to give a full report on what happened in the Edright Republic and discuss the next steps. I also need accurate information on the current situation."
"You're as impatient as ever. Maybe you should rest a little first?"
"There might not be much time to spare. I'd like to talk about that too."
At my words, Benwood gave a small nod.
"Alright, alright. Either way, I’ve got something I need to report to you too."
We followed Benwood to the Adventurers' Guild, which had the atmosphere of a large log house.
I was a little surprised by how well organized everything looked.
Even if the nearby Lake Ordan forest provided plenty of timber, could they really have set all this up in just a few days?
"Surprised?"
"A bit. I expected things to be in worse shape."
"This place was prepped as an emergency evacuation site. My work, really."
"You planned ahead?"
Benwood led us into a private room in the Guild and sat down on a simple chair.
"When something smells fishy, you prepare. Honestly, calling in the A-rank parties was cutting it close."
"You foresaw this situation, Guildmaster?"
Silk asked in surprise, but Benwood just smirked and shook his head.
"Not exactly. But that day, Amberwood said something felt 'off'… so I figured we’d better be ready. Though I’d rather not always be right about these bad hunches."
With a small chuckle, Benwood gestured for us to sit down too.
"So? What happened in Edright?"
"We ran into the ‘Seventh Order.’ They're a much worse organization than we expected. They're planning to trigger the ‘Culling’ here."
"You mentioned that in the letter. Is it true they’re behind all this?"
"Yeah, no doubt about it. And at the center of it is Marina."
"That girl? What do you mean?"
I briefly explained what had happened in the old royal capital, Jo-Koco.
It was a mix of facts and speculation, but Benwood listened quietly, nodding now and then.
"The 'God Ankelias,' huh? Never heard of it."
"We can only guess it's one of those other-dimensional ‘Aberrant Immortals.’ What they're planning is still unclear."
"Probably nothing good. So, what now?"
"We're going into Finis. We're going to the ‘Tower’ and take them down."
At my words, my companions nodded firmly.
We had already steeled our resolve and laid out our plan.
"The Central District—around the Tower—is swarming with monsters. Almost like it's being guarded."
"It’s the epicenter of the dungeon disaster, after all. But we’re going. We’re going to save Marina and stop them."
"Sigh… once you’ve made up your mind, there’s no stopping you. That stubbornness must run in the Saga family."
"Maybe, but I’m not as bad as my uncle. Still, just like him, there are times when I have to act."
The heart of the ‘Achromatic Darkness.’
To defeat the “Culling” that has long eroded this world, Uncle Saga had sacrificed himself.
He entrusted the mission to me. So I can't stand still and do nothing.
And saving Marina is the same as crushing the Seventh Order’s ambitions.
Either way, it’s something that must be done—simple as that.
"Then it’s a direct assault. But you won’t pull it off alone."
"We’ll try."
"Hey, Yuke. Don’t rush in. Follow dungeon protocol."
Benwood spread a highly detailed map of Finis on the table.
He also pulled out a tablet.
"Made this risk map with help from the city scouts. You guys lived around here, and the Central District is here."
"...The Central District is marked red?"
"The colors show danger levels. The Central District is too dangerous to enter. Several city scouts got injured trying to scout the area around the Tower."
"This is the footage we managed to capture at a fixed point before it got destroyed."
The tablet screen showed the central plaza, Adventurers' Street, and the square in front of the Guild—now overrun with monsters.
There were even multiple sightings of the one-eyed bull demon, Taurops, which had appeared before.
"Multiple A-rank and B-rank monsters. And even weirder, more dangerous ones. At this point, Finis has officially been declared a dungeon."
"A dungeon designation?! Does that mean the kingdom intends to abandon Finis?"
"Calm down, Jamie. It’s probably just a temporary measure to avoid invoking the Urban Safety Clause."
Using weapons or magic within the city can be considered a criminal act.
Even in Finis, a city full of adventurers, such actions are, of course, forbidden.
Precisely because many people carry weapons in this adventure city, such acts would get in the way of rescue operations.
Especially in a situation like this, laws intended to protect the city could end up restricting the actions of adventurers.
That’s likely why Finis was temporarily designated as a dungeon.
"Nene, Silk. Think of a way we can avoid all that and get close to the Tower. I’ll try coming up with something from an alchemist’s perspective too."
"Understood. I’ll try speaking with the local spirits and come up with a plan."
"Finis is basically my backyard. I’ll see if there’s a way to sneak around."
I nodded back to the two of them, then turned to face Benwood.
"We have to hurry. We need to save Marina as soon as possible."
"What’s your connection to that girl?"
"I’m not sure. But the man claiming to be the ‘Papa’—the cult leader—was clearly obsessed with her. It’s certain that Marina is necessary for this ‘festival’ they’re planning."
I didn’t say it aloud, but there’s a real possibility Marina will be used up in that process.
I can’t take that man at his word, but he did say he created Marina… one of the “Children of Ankelias.”
And that she was “the last surviving one.”
From that, we can infer that this is the cult’s final opportunity.
They’ve probably failed multiple times before—again and again.
Grinding down the lives of others like Marina—of the Children of Ankelias.
And now, they’ve succeeded.
With Marina.
Most likely because of me.
Because I gave Marina the “Stigma of Existence.”
The special power to traverse dimensions, adapt to foreign realms, and retain a stable identity—
That must have been the final piece the Seventh Order needed.
"Is there no way to stop you?"
"If possible, I’d rather you didn’t try. I’ll figure something out… I’ll save Marina and take back Finis.
If I can’t even do that, I’ve got no business calling myself a ‘Hero.’"
I spoke with a self-deprecating chuckle and a small, bitter smile.
I’m not sure what that title even means anymore—
But at the very least, it serves to remind me of the weight of the expectations placed on me.
That title is also my declaration:
That I will fight against the Culling.
"Stubborn as ever. Alright. I’ll get food and a bed ready—just rest for today."
"Before that—what about Rune?"
"Sorry. I don’t know. After helping guide Orsen’s younger brothers to safety, she went back into Finis.
She said she still had something she needed to do."
Benwood looked down, apologetic.
I gave him a cheerful smile, forcing some energy into it.
"Rune’s such a handful. When she gets back, I’ll have to give her a good scolding."
"Yes, we must be firm with her."
"Me too. I’ll scold her."
Silk and Rain both nodded sharply in agreement with me.
"Then it’s up to me and Jamie to be the ones who comfort her, huh?"
"Oh no, I’m on the scolding side too. She’ll be sitting in seiza next to Marina."
"Sounds good to me. After all the worrying she put us through, she better reflect properly."
We all shared a small laugh together.
The determination to reclaim our lives in Finis burned like a flame within us.
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