Chapter 75: The Suppressive Power of Hrunting! A Victory That Shook Everyone!
The clashing of swords echoed across the coliseum.
As Bell fought against Hyacinthos, captain of the Apollo Familia, with the magic sword Hrunting in hand, he recalled the battle from a few days ago in the dungeon.
After being taken to the 20th floor by Shirou, Bell had been forced to fight Level 2 monsters despite still being a Level 1 adventurer. His stats and combat skills were no match for the higher-level enemies.
In the beginning, he had no choice but to run for his life—just as he had always done. Relying on his naturally high agility, he would dodge attacks, tire out his enemies, and then look for a chance to strike them down. It wasn't a wrong strategy. In fact, it was his unique weapon—his way of survival.
Bell had always believed in that approach and clung to it.
However, after defeating several Level 2 monsters this way and still feeling no sign of growth—no worthy deed powerful enough to level up—he started to sense a problem with his approach.
Evading, dodging, and using clever tricks to win was certainly valid for an adventurer.
Life always came first.
As long as you could survive and defeat the enemy, it didn't matter how.
But with such a mindset, he could only ever be an adventurer, never a hero.
A true hero cannot run away when monsters threaten those behind them—those who must be protected.
If Bell wanted to become stronger—if he wanted to become a real hero—then he needed to face enemies that outmatched him, even if he couldn't win.
That resolve became crystal clear to him after watching Shirou, alone, defeat the mutated Labyrinth Monster Rex on the 18th floor.
In that moment, he remembered the time Shirou had saved him from the Minotaur. If Bell were in Shirou's place, with his old fighting style, there was no way he could have saved those in danger.
So, after returning to the 20th floor, Bell began to abandon his old ways—fleeing, draining the enemy's stamina, and then seeking victory—and instead began searching for a new path: defeating enemies through direct confrontation.
At first, this change made things incredibly difficult for Bell.
His stats still couldn't match Level 2 monsters. Even when he used his old evasion tactics, victory was never guaranteed.
Now, facing them head-on, it was nearly impossible.
Almost every time, he was beaten to a pulp and barely escaped alive. He couldn't truly stand toe-to-toe with his enemies.
When Bell started doubting himself, wondering if he really could defeat stronger monsters directly, a scream rang out.
It was a low-level adventurer who had accidentally wandered into the 20th floor and, with terrible luck, encountered a Minotaur—a monster known for being among the most aggressive of all Level 2 monsters. Bell had always avoided them out of fear and trauma from the past.
But this time, seeing another adventurer in danger, Bell's body moved before he could think.
When he came to his senses, he was already standing between the Minotaur and the adventurer.
In that moment, he could vividly see the drool dripping from the monster's mouth and hear its heavy, bestial breaths.
The shadow of his past fears engulfed him.
"I can't win." That thought repeated endlessly in his mind.
As fear consumed him, the Minotaur charged.
Bell, filled with terror and doubt, was no match and was instantly knocked to the ground, his body battered and broken.
Meanwhile, the Minotaur continued toward the defenseless adventurer, now only a step away from tearing them apart.
"Are you going to keep running?"
At that moment, Bell heard Shirou's voice in his mind.
A storm of thoughts surged through him.
It was like a surge of icy electricity jolted his foggy brain awake, sweeping away the exhaustion and fear clouding his heart.
He got up from the ground, trembling, his body barely holding together. But with his heart pounding like a war drum, he wiped away the fear inside.
He threw himself at the Minotaur, desperate to fight. But the difference in power was still too great.
Just as he was soaked in blood and on the verge of collapse, Shirou appeared.
But he didn't interfere.
Instead, he tossed a newly forged magic sword at Bell.
"Take it. Now win."
Shirou's voice was calm, yet it rang in Bell's mind like thunder in the night.
The moment Bell snapped back to reality, he had already drawn the jet-black magic sword and—with a strength even he didn't know he had—overpowered the Minotaur, the very monster that had haunted him, and tore it to shreds.
Only afterward did he learn the sword was called Hrunting—a weapon powered by blood, growing stronger the more desperate its wielder becomes.
But not just anyone could use it.
To wield Hrunting, the user had to have the strength to resist its temptation. If they gave in to its overwhelming power, they would be consumed—becoming nothing more than a killing-crazed madman.
That's why Shirou waited.
Even though he had already forged the sword, he gave it to Bell only after he crossed the final barrier within himself.
And Bell didn't disappoint. He resisted the sword's temptation and used it with his own will to conquer the Minotaur—the shadow in his heart.
As for the adventurer in danger? That was just part of a play Shirou had orchestrated, having Lili use transformation magic to create the illusion.
It was all to awaken Bell's fighting spirit.
Not that Bell was ever told that.
In the end, that battle let Bell truly step across the threshold of Level 2. More than that, his heart had transformed.
He changed from an adventurer who prioritized safety to a warrior willing to gamble his life for victory.
Life and death were separated by a heartbeat.
But that's precisely why only those who dance on the edge of death and show their full strength before it can become true heroes!
.
.
.
Back in the coliseum.
"Haaaahhh!!!"
Bell, wielding Hrunting, clashed violently with Hyacinthos, who held his longsword.
Neither gave an inch in their fierce struggle.
Clang! Boom!
The violent sounds of swordplay rang across the arena.
Even though they were of different levels, Bell's stats had skyrocketed thanks to Hrunting's skills—[Berserker] and [Touch of Blood].
The more injuries he sustained, the stronger and more resilient he became.
He began to overwhelm his opponent.
The audience erupted in thunderous cheers.
"OOOOHHHHH!!!"
"That white-haired kid's amazing—go for it!!"
"He's fighting Hyacinthos on even ground? I'm seriously starting to respect him!"
The crowd in the coliseum was ablaze with excitement.
At this point, no one believed the battle would be one-sided. Everyone watched with bated breath, hoping for a glorious clash worthy of catching the eyes of the gods.
Even the elite members of the Loki Familia in the VIP seats were stunned by Bell's transformation.
The more they saw his strength, the more they remembered that boy who had run away in shame from the bar a few months ago, humiliated by Bete.
It was clearly the same person, yet he had changed in a way that defied all understanding.
No one was more shocked than Bete himself.
The Bell before him was like a completely different being. His mind couldn't comprehend it, and a chill ran down his spine.
Beside him, Ais kept her eyes fixed on Bell.
The more she watched him fight, the more she saw echoes of the Sword Demon, and she became certain there was a deep connection between Bell and that terrifying figure.
.
.
.
At the top of the Babel Tower.
Even the gods watching the battle were speechless.
BANG!
Apollo kicked over his chair and stood up, wide-eyed.
He couldn't believe what he was seeing—the boy going blow for blow with Hyacinthos.
"What the hell?! What is this?! How is this happening?!"
Apollo's question was on every god's mind.
Even Loki and Freya were stunned, unable to believe the incredible spectacle unfolding before their eyes.
"Bell... you have to win."
Only Hestia clenched her fists tightly, silently praying from the bottom of her heart—for her Familia to win this War Game.
!!!
The unleashed slashes danced like a storm in the coliseum.
In front of Hyacinthos, fast and sharp attacks kept coming at him.
"Pa!" "Pa!" "Pa!"
After blocking once, several more slashes immediately came again, flashing forward with terrifying speed. In the instant they faced off directly, white hair darted past—striking at his chest, his flank, his blind spots—circling even outside his field of vision, unleashing a storm-like barrage of chaotic, relentless strikes.
Hyacinthos was forced into pure defense, with no room to counterattack.
As the battle progressed, it became increasingly difficult for him to keep up—it felt as if his opponent was growing stronger in this very situation!
Abilities, skills, combat response—the young man before him was evolving rapidly, feeding off the battle itself as nourishment, surpassing the version of himself from a moment ago.
"Impossible! How could something like this be happening?!"
Hyacinthos' blue eyes trembled.
He couldn't comprehend how the situation turned out like this. More importantly, he couldn't accept the reality that he, a stronger adventurer, was being driven into such a corner by someone clearly weaker.
He was a Level 3—this gap in level should not be producing such results!
Amid the chaos, Hyacinthos was left with no choice but to play his trump card—a magic power he had as a Level 3 adventurer.
"My name is Love, the beloved of Light. This body I offer to my Sun!"
"My name is Sin, the Jealousy of Wind. I summon a storm upon myself!"
"Unleash—Flame Wheel Throw!!"
"—Come, Western Wind!"
Hyacinthos roared as he swung his short sword to the ground.
"Boom!!"
Shockwaves and wind pressure erupted, kicking up clouds of dust.
In the storm, a radiant, sun-like disc of light appeared in Hyacinthos' hand. He raised his arm and threw it with a special motion.
The disc rotated rapidly and flew at high speed.
"Boom!!"
Bell swung his magic sword to block, but the moment it clashed with the disc, the overwhelming force blasted him away. A shocking wound opened on his chest.
"So this is the magic of a Level 3?"
Bell took a deep breath, got up from the ground, and narrowly dodged the disc's next strike.
He realized the disc was not only powerful, but also fast. He couldn't block it head-on and dodging was extremely difficult.
"Useless, useless!"
Hyacinthos laughed maniacally. He had great confidence in this trump card magic—not only was it immensely powerful, but it also possessed auto-tracking capabilities.
Until it hit its locked-on target, it would not dissipate even if struck by the enemy's magic.
Such a spell was considered rare and powerful even among Level 3 adventurers.
Bell was quickly suppressed by the disc of light and could do nothing but take more and more damage. He had no strength left to retaliate.
However, even in such a desperate situation, Bell's expression showed no sign of giving up. His resolve remained firm. In fact, the more wounded he became, the stronger his spirit burned.
"Almost there..."
Bell took a deep breath and gripped the Hrunting with both hands.
At that moment, anyone watching would notice that his stance was mimicking Shirou's finishing move when he slew the mutated Monster Rex of the Dungeon's 18th floor.
Of course, it was only an imitation—there was still a great gap between them in essence.
However, though Bell's swordsmanship could not match Shirou's, he could make up for it in other ways.
"Argonaut!"
Suddenly, the sword in Bell's hands emitted a dazzling light.
Having already absorbed a great deal of blood, the Hrunting seemed to grow even stronger, the blade glowing with a brilliant red light. Under Bell's will, the magic sword seemed to come alive.
"What is that...?"
Neither the spectators nor the gods could understand this bizarre phenomenon.
But Hyacinthos didn't care—his only thought was to use his disc magic to tear the enemy apart!
"Crimson Radiance!"
Hyacinthos spun the disc several times in mid-air, gathering enough momentum, then hurled it fiercely toward Bell!
In an instant, the disc emitted a blinding brilliance and tremendous destructive power.
He was certain this strike would finish Bell off and end his life once and for all.
However, something Hyacinthos could never have imagined occurred.
Facing the high-speed disc, Bell seemed to have reached the limit of his charge. He suddenly raised his pitch-black sword and charged straight ahead.
"Haaaa!!!"
It was an attack so plain and unremarkable that no one could see anything special in it.
Yet it was precisely this utterly simple slash that, upon striking the disc, acted like scissors slicing through cloth—cutting the disc cleanly in two!
[Argonaut]—
A skill Bell acquired after reaching Level 2. It had only one simple effect: allowing Bell to charge up a single attack.
The longer the charge, the greater the power when unleashed—capable of even doubling the destructive force.
Using Argonaut, Bell fully activated the Hrunting, nearly doubling its power from all the blood it had absorbed!
Under such force, even the powerful magic of a Level 3 adventurer couldn't withstand the blow!
"Boom!!"
Breaking through the disc, Bell surged forward with unstoppable momentum, charging straight at Hyacinthos!
"What?!"
Hyacinthos was stunned by the failure of his magic. He had no time to think—he instinctively raised his sword to block.
But then, Bell did something completely unexpected—he discarded his magic sword.
He raised the Hrunting high and threw it.
The flying arc of the magic sword in mid-air drew everyone's attention—including Hyacinthos'.
In that moment, when the enemy's gaze shifted away from him, Bell closed the distance at lightning speed and unleashed a full-powered punch!
"AAAAAAAHHH!!!"
A straight punch!
"W-Wait—Aaahhh!!"
Hyacinthos couldn't react in time. Bell's fist smashed into his cheek, sinking in deep.
At this point, words were unnecessary.
Bell unleashed all his remaining strength in that moment, driving himself to his absolute limit, raining down dozens—hundreds—of punches onto Hyacinthos' face!
"Bam!" "Bam!" "Bam!"
Finally, with the last punch, Hyacinthos' body was launched several dozen meters into the air. He bounced hard against the ground, was flung into the air again, then rolled and tumbled away like a broken dam, cloak billowing behind him.
In the end, the once-handsome captain of the Apollo Familia had his face beaten into a swollen pig's head. He lay sprawled in a large "X" shape, completely incapacitated.
The wind stopped blowing. The battlefield fell into a stunned, dead silence.
Having witnessed the outcome with their own eyes, no one present could react immediately. They were all struck dumb with pure shock and disbelief.