I stepped out of the room where the ten Bugbears had appeared.
From here on, I knew the dungeon’s layout well enough to proceed without losing my way.
I pressed on toward my destination at a detached, steady pace.
Before long, the sounds of battle echoed from a distance.
It seemed someone was fighting monsters.
Wondering who it was, I hurried toward the source.
"Well, if it isn’t Kiska."
"Oh. Hello."
The one fighting the monsters was Hero Eligion.
"I didn't expect to be separated from the entire party. Regardless, I’m glad to have reunited with you," Hero Eligion said.
As I suspected, he had also been separated from the others by the teleportation circle.
"So, what do you plan to do now?"
"Well, I’m worried about the others, but finding the Demon King is our first priority. It would be a great help if you could guide me."
"I don't mind, but..."
I didn't mind acting as his guide, but the dungeon was vast and complex. Since we didn't have the slightest clue where the Demon King was hiding, I wasn't sure where to start looking.
"There are three teleportation circles on this floor, and each leads to a different area. If we knew which one would get us to the Demon King the fastest, it would be fine... but if we have to search aimlessly, it could take days."
"I see."
Hero Eligion rested his chin in his hand, lost in thought.
"Well, I suppose we’ll just have to explore the dungeon at our own pace," he said with a carefree expression.
"Wait, is it really okay to be so leisurely? What if the Demon King escapes the dungeon while we’re searching?"
"That is a pointless worry," Eligion stated firmly.
I had no idea how he could be so certain.
"Do you know what a Hero truly is?"
"...No, I don't."
I had never even stopped to consider the meaning of the word.
"Listen closely. A Hero is a being destined to defeat the Demon King."
"Right."
"Pay attention. Suppose the Demon King was so powerful that no matter how hard you fought, there was no hope of victory. Even then, the Hero will eventually win. There is no logic to it—it is simply destiny. Therefore, as the Hero, I will inevitably face the Demon King in this dungeon."
It didn't seem like mere arrogance.
His words felt more like blind faith. How could he believe so absolutely that a Hero would always triumph over a Demon King?
"Even so... what happens if the Hero loses?"
"An impossible hypothesis. But in the one-in-a-million chance the Demon King prevails, the world will end."
My heart raced at the mention of the world ending.
I had come from a world a hundred years in the future specifically to prevent that destruction.
"Is that because the Demon King’s goal is to destroy the world?"
"Yes, that’s right."
I felt like I finally understood my purpose in this era.
If the Demon King was defeated, the world would be saved.
"Oh, and there is one more reason why we needn't rush."
"What is it?"
"There was an Oracle."
An Oracle—a message from God. I had heard that there were specific facilities where priests received divine revelations.
"‘Kataroff Dungeon shall be the site of the final battle.’ That was the divine message."
"So that was it."
It solved the mystery. I had wondered how the Hero’s party knew the Demon King had fled here, but an Oracle explained everything.
"At any rate, that’s the situation. I’m counting on you to lead the way."
"Understood."
We continued deeper into the dungeon.
I had been unsure which of the three teleportation circles to use, but I decided to start with the first one—the one that, in my original timeline, led to the floor where Sealed Ageha had been kept.
I chose it simply because I hoped I might find her there.
"I guess she isn't here after all."
In my original timeline, Sealed Ageha had been in this very spot, but now the area was a hollow shell.
Where on earth could she be?
"Who isn't here?"
"Oh, uh..."
I was struggling to come up with an answer for the Hero when it happened.
It appeared out of nowhere.
"You’re quite early."
The voice was low and raspy.
In a space that should have been empty, a figure was suddenly standing.
"I’ve come to settle things," Hero Eligion said, a smile crossing his face.
"I dislike those who are overly spirited, Hero."
The figure gave a grim chuckle.
He was as massive as a giant, with a monstrous face and muscular, red-black skin. Clad in heavy armor, he gripped a Greatsword that was even larger than his own body.
"Now, let's finish this. Demon King Zoga."
The presence standing before us was, without a doubt, the Demon King.