"..."
Kabru opened his mouth, trying to say something, but the words caught in his throat and he swallowed them back down.
What could he say? Persuade Laios to obediently set down the Winged Lion's Book and meekly surrender… only to be imprisoned for life by those inflexible elves who knew nothing of compromise?
Maybe everything could have been solved through negotiation, but now things had already escalated past the point of resolution.
Saying "the demon's existence will destroy the world"—what deterrent did that even offer to people already cornered with nowhere to go?
"We…"
Laios spoke to Kabru with sincere emotion. "We ate monsters to get this far, defeated the Mad Sorcerer—all of it to save Falin…"
"Marcille is the same. She used to be just like you—she didn't want to eat monsters. But for Falin's sake, she endured everything. If she gives up now, she'll regret this day for the rest of her life."
"So…"
Just as Laios was speaking, the dungeon beneath their feet suddenly trembled violently, as if something enormous was shifting underground.
"!"
Kabru's pupils constricted. He instinctively tried to rush toward the source—but Laios grabbed his wrist.
After eating plenty of Felyne meals and training as a Hunter, Laios's physical strength had increased considerably. With just one grip, Kabru couldn't break free.
Kabru could only watch Laios's resolute expression.
"So! We have to choose… a path where both we and the world can remain safe!"
Kabru wanted to retort that the world should come first—but inexplicably, he got the sense that Laios genuinely cared about the world…
"Do you even know what just happened?!" Kabru grew agitated. "There's been a massive shift in the dungeon! Someone's become the new dungeon master!!!"
He clutched his forehead with one hand. "Who… Who was it that had that book? Was it that Guildmaster? No… if it were him, the disruption would've been even bigger. That means…"
"That other book… the one held by Marcille from your party?!"
"She became the dungeon master?!"
"…What? Marcille became the dungeon master?"
Even Laios looked stunned.
Why are you asking me?! Kabru screamed internally, but managed to keep his face calm. "You didn't know?"
"There are six of us… so why did the Winged Lion choose Marcille?" Laios muttered, still confused. "Even so… we have to go."
"What do you plan to do now?!" Kabru demanded angrily.
"Our original goal as Hunters!" Laios clenched his fist. "To hunt the Winged Lion!"
"The Guildmaster and the others… they came here to hunt the Winged Lion!!" Laios turned toward the quaking dungeon. "About the Winged Lion, the elves, and the dungeon… the Hunters knew from the very beginning."
"!?"
Kabru's eyes widened.
He was confident in his own judgment—and Laios wasn't lying. Now, several of the puzzle pieces finally came together.
Like why Laios hadn't seemed surprised at all when he first encountered the elves and Kabru…
But what were the Hunters planning to do, exactly?!
—Inside the Temporary Camp—
"Winged Lion! That's seriously unfair of you!"
Kairo Retsu grumbled as he opened the Winged Lion's Book, glaring at the now-miniature lion's head that had shrunk due to most of its consciousness transferring to Marcille. "You seriously didn't pick me as the dungeon master? Is it because you think our method wouldn't get you to the surface?"
"Hehehe…"
The Winged Lion chuckled contentedly. "It's no big deal. After all, even I… want to savor as much as I can."
"Besides, even with Marcille becoming the dungeon master, it doesn't really matter to you—or your group."
The Winged Lion stared into Kairo Retsu's eyes. "Because you'll still do everything in your power to replace her and become the dungeon master yourselves. After all, I was your goal from the start."
"You sure say that like it's obvious."
Kairo raised an eyebrow. "But our desire is the real deal. I genuinely want to create a New World."
"Exactly."
The Winged Lion licked its tongue. "That's precisely why I can't give you up. Your desire looks so… delicious. And the best part? You'll willingly offer it to me."
"You don't care what this world turns into. I can feel that your desire has no restraint…" the Winged Lion said as it studied Kairo. "But you still want to eliminate me. What a fascinating contradiction!"
"I'll be waiting for you," it said. "I'm looking forward to the one among you… Ah yes, Laios is one of you as well."
The Winged Lion repeated itself. "I'm looking forward to the one among you who becomes the new dungeon master."
"You all… are simply irresistible."
The Winged Lion's voice gradually faded, and the book closed on its own.
"Guildmaster, what do we do with this book now?" asked Tanjiro, worried.
"Shouldn't we seal it away?"
"I'm leaving it with you," Kairo said casually, tossing the Winged Lion's Book to Tanjiro, who scrambled to catch the now-dormant magical tome.
"I thought for sure it'd pick me first to be the dungeon master," Kairo said as he watched the dungeon rumble. "But it went with Marcille instead."
"What a gluttonous beast. Wants to eat everything, huh?"
"Fine then, eat. The bait's right here. The bigger your appetite… the better."
"That's what makes what Laios said so true…"
"The final dungeon master… is you."
Kairo grinned brightly.
"Drawn in by this alluring dungeon, the pitiful creature filled with desire—who will it be?"
"What do you think, Winged Lion?"
——————————————————
"Ha… ha…"
At that moment, Marcille stood face-to-face with a near-human-shaped Winged Lion.
The Winged Lion looked upon her like a warm, trustworthy father figure and gently lifted her in its arms.
"Ahh… I'm so happy that you could become the dungeon master, Marcille."
Its wings shielded her from the attacking elves outside, and it spoke kindly to her.
"So then… what shall we do first?"
"Change the dungeon? Save your friends? Or… kill these enemies?"
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