After that, we proceeded through the dungeon, solving the puzzles quickly and easily, and finally entered the bottom floor.
The trail has continued uninterruptedly up to this point. In other words, we can be sure that the person we are looking for is just ahead of us.
"It's worrisome that we seem to be lured in... but at any rate, we won't let them escape now. We'll get him."
Whether it's Leon or Bolfeduda, they've made me go through all this trouble. So I'm not going to let them get away with it for free.
Or rather, I had to beat them to death.
"Leon-oniichan's up there!"
"We don't know he's alive, desu~no. Don't get your hopes up, desu~no."
"Ahh..."
Monica's shoulders drop dejectedly at Urza's words.
Aeris pats Monica's head in distress and calms the weeping girl down.
"Urza-san, don't bully her too much."
"I'm not bullying her, desu~no. I'm just telling the truth, desu~no."
"But still. Urza-san is the older sister. You shouldn't bully children."
"Mou..."
Urza's lips pouted sulkily at Aeris who was gently reminding her.
Because of her appearance, it is easy to forget that Urza is the oldest of the group. It was a funny sight to see Aeris lecturing her.
Anyway, we had a few battles along the way, but we still managed to conquer them without any danger and proceeded onward.
Now, we arrived at the deepest part of the dungeon, where the core of the dungeon, and the boss monster that protects it are located.
"This is...!"
But when we entered the boss room, we saw an unexpected sight. A collapsed boss monster and the figure of a man standing by its side.
"Ggh... a human, huh? Have you been following me?"
"...Is that you? Bolfeduda!"
Standing covered in blood next to the boss monster is the martial fighter of the Demon King Army's Four Heavenly Kings―Bolfeduda.
He is a demon with bright red skin and flaming hair and stares at me with blue phosphorescent eyes.
"Onii-chan!?"
And then...Bolfeduda is carrying the body of a man on his shoulders. It was Leon Brave, the man we had been looking for.
From a distance, I can see that Leon is still breathing, breathing softly.
"He's alive... we're lucky. Well, I guess I can't say that, can I?"
"Onii-chan! Please wait, Leon-oniichan!"
"Monica-san! Don't get too close!"
Aeris holds Monica as she tries to run to him. She should not have jumped into the other's arms under such circumstances.
Even though Monica is getting stronger, the opponent is one of the Four Heavenly Kings of the Demon Army. He is one of the best fighters among the best fighters in the world, and he is especially skilled in combat.
"Still... you look so weak. Are you injured from Leon's attack?"
Bolfeduda is covered in blood.
Partly because he was covered in the blood of the boss monster he had killed, but also because he was covered in his own blood.
Was he beaten by Leon or by the boss monster? Either way, he must have been wounded to the bone.
"You followed me here... is this man your friend's hero?"
"He's not one of us. But... let's have him back! He's a man who's 'necessary' to this world!"
"I won't let you! Ngghh!"
I draw my sword and try to slash at the man in front of me.
But... just a fraction of a second later, Bolfeduda smashes the ground as hard as he can.
Instantly, a pillar of fire rises from the broken ground, cutting the room in two.
"Flames...!"
A blazing fire blocked our way.
Behind the flames, Bolfeduda turns his back and runs to the room behind the boss's room.
There must be an item in that room, a reward for defeating the boss. A valuable item, no doubt... but I could not figure out why Bolfeduda was heading there.
"Get back, my Lord! Namikiri Fudo!"
Nagisa stepped forward and drew her sword.
A blue aura gushed from the blade. A watery slash slices through the flames.
"Onii-chan...!"
"Monica-san!?"
As soon as the flames split open and a path was formed, Monica leaped forward.
Without hesitation, she runs through the path, which is flanked by flames on both sides, and chases after the enemy, who has left with Leon in his arms.
"That's a great move...! As I thought, she's Leon's sister!"
But for now, I run after Monica.
She's just as reckless as Leon, taking off when it's not even a little safe to do so.
"Don't go alone! I'll take care of it!"
"No! I have to save Onii-chan...!"
"Ahh, d*mn it! I told you to wait!"
Somehow I managed to catch up with Monica and jumped into the small room at the back, where the Bolfeduda had gone in.
When Monica and I enter the small room at the same time... there stands Bolfeduda, and Leon is lying on the floor.
The room is the heart of the dungeon. It was the room where something called the 'dungeon core' was kept.
The dungeon core is literally the 'core' of the dungeon. It was supposed to collapse the dungeon if it was destroyed... but in the game, it is an indestructible decorative object, not a concrete thing that can do anything.
In this room, too, the treasure chest in front of the dungeon core was more important to the player than the dungeon core.
"We've got you cornered! Give Leon back!"
"Give me back Onii-chan! You monster!"
"Kukuku... it's too late. The preparations are already made. Now there will be no more heroes in this world...!"
Bolfeduda shakes his shoulders and laughs.
Already covered in blood, the man is half-dead. He could have collapsed at any moment, but he has a smile on his face.
"We, the demon tribe, are victorious! Long live the Demon King!"
"Shadow Javelin!"
The spear of shadow from my hand pierces into Bolfeduda's chest.
But... Bolfeduda's right hand has already touched the dungeon core, and the core glows red, emitting a high-temperature heat.
"Gggghhhhhhhhhhhh!"
The next moment, Leon's body, which had been lying on the floor, jumps.
He twitched and jerked repeatedly, as if he were being subjected to a high-voltage electric current.
"Leon-oniichan!?"
"Wait! Get away from him!"
Monica tries to run to him... but I sense an evil aura from Leon, and I grab her shoulder to stop her.
Immediately after that, the aura I felt became stronger, and Leon's body burst from the inside.
"Aaaah, AAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!"
A creature emerges with four thick, white-scaled arms and legs, all covered in scales, extending from within his body.
Then, a reptilian head emerges from a head that is split in two. The mouth, averted to the ear, is full of ferocious fangs, and a split serpent's tongue lolls out.
"ROARRRRRRRRRRRRRR!"
"O-Oniichan...?"
Leon howls at the ceiling. Monica was stunned and fell to her knees, calling her brother's name in a trembling voice.
Leon does not respond to his sister's call, but instead clicks his upper and lower fangs together.
His bright red eyes are filled with a deep desire to kill. Without a trace of violence, an unmixed aura of violence was emitted toward us.
"With this, mankind is finished... I've done my job..."
Bolfeduda collapses beside the dungeon core... but I have no time to worry about that.
"ROARRRRRRRRRRRRRR!"
Because the thing that had been Leon jumped at us.
I quickly ready my sword and charged at the man I once called my enemy.
