Forge and Steel

"Magic swords?" The question surprised Zald, but his curiosity pushed him to respond, despite the situation. "As far as I know, they are very powerful magical weapons that terrified the elves in the past, but only the Crozzo family has the ability to make them."

Pyrion, with a sly smile, kept getting closer and closer to the trap he had set. "Have you ever seen one, Zald?"

"HA HA! Kid, I don't know what nonsense you're planning, but I'm telling you it won't work at all." Zald let out a loud laugh, with the confidence of a veteran who knows how to recognize a distraction. After all, he had seen many tricks over the course of his career.

Pyrion, however, did not stop trying to buy time. "HA HA, but even if it's a trap, you're still going to follow me, right, Zald?" With a defiant smile, Pyrion didn't bother to hide that the giant had discovered the trick. He knew that, in the end, Zald wouldn't have any choice but to play along if he wanted to catch him.

"You're right about that, Pyrion." Zald, with a fierce and confident grin, nodded. "Even though I know you're planning something, it doesn't matter. If there's a trap, I'm going to break it! No matter how clever you are, kid, in the end, I'll catch you."

Zald had assumed that his power and endurance would be enough to overcome any obstacle. Pyrion's speed, while impressive, wasn't enough to avoid Zald's tremendous strength in a hand-to-hand fight.

Seeing that they were only a few meters away from the hallway surrounded by the great mountains, Pyrion smiled, then directed his gaze to his hand, where five elegant rings glowed faintly.

"Hey, Zald! Want to see a real magic sword?" With a smile, Pyrion lightly touched one of his rings.

"Your tricks are useless, kid, stop and fight me honestly!" Zald didn't answer Pyrion's question, just stared at him as he got closer and closer.

Pyrion, undeterred, continued speaking. "They say that only the Crozzo family can make magic swords... But Zald, it seems like I've broken that tradition." With a proud smile, Pyrion gently caressed the ring on his finger. A brilliant flash lit up the air as the ring began to transform.

The blinding light caught Zald's attention, and for a moment, he blinked in surprise. In front of him, Pyrion's ring transformed into a sword with a somewhat strange, yet impressive shape. The blade, a bright red, seemed to radiate an intense glow.

The surprise briefly distracted the giant, who didn't realize that they had entered the potentially dangerous hallway.

"What do you think, Zald?... Let me give you some good news, you'll be the first person to experience the power of my magic swords firsthand." Widening his smile, as he saw that Zald had walked into his trap, Pyrion took the sword by the hilt and carefully injected some magical energy into it.

A bad feeling struck Zald, who now realized the dangerous position he was in, but unfortunately for him, Pyrion wasn't going to give him much time to think.

"Watch out, Zald-san!" With a fierce smile, Pyrion quickly channeled a large amount of magical energy into the sword, and with a violent movement, he launched the weapon at Zald with devastating force.

The sword cut through the air with terrifying speed and power, its red light glowing like a comet heading straight for the giant. Zald barely had time to react before the blade approached with deadly speed.

"Damn it!" Zald growled, stepping back and raising his own sword in a desperate attempt to intercept the attack.

However, before his sword could block the blow, Pyrion's magic sword shone brightly, illuminating the entire dungeon in a blinding flash. The glow intensified further and, with a deafening roar, an explosion erupted with a strong impact.

BOOOOMM

Flames as hot as lava were violently expelled from the sword, completely engulfing Zald, who had no time to react. The fury of the explosion engulfed his figure, and the sound of the detonation was followed by another blinding flash. A second terrifying roar broke the air, unleashing a new explosion that sent a shockwave shaking the dungeon.

The force of the explosion was so immense that the stone walls trembled violently, and a deep rumble echoed through the 22nd floor. Nearby hallways shook as though they were on the verge of collapsing. The massive mountains that covered the passage to the exit of the 22nd floor began to give way, and with a deafening crash, a massive landslide covered the entire area, burying everything that was left of the scene.

The dust rose in a dense cloud, obscuring the view. Pyrion, still running quickly, didn't stop to look at what had happened. He had fulfilled his objective: buying enough time to put more distance between himself and Zald. The giant was probably still alive, but that attack had had the desired effect.

"DAMN BOY, NOW YOU'VE MADE ME ANGRY!"

Zald's roar, filled with fury, reverberated through the dungeon hallways. Pyrion didn't have time to react; the sound of the giant freeing himself from the rocks that had covered him was deafening, and the next instant, the air became thick with murderous pressure. He barely had time to turn around.

What he saw when he turned would likely haunt him for a long time. Zald, still covered in the magma that constantly burned his flesh, emerged from the rubble with brutal force. His eyes burned with fierce hatred, and his sword gleamed with the promise of brutal revenge.

With a savage scream, Zald swung his sword at Pyrion with unstoppable strength.

SLASHHH

Before Pyrion could even move a finger, the massive sword's blade cut through the air and found its mark in Pyrion's chest. An excruciating pain surged as the sharp metal pierced his body, leaving a deep and bloody wound.

SPLASHH

The impact was so strong that Pyrion was thrown backward, crashing to the ground with a loud thud. His breathing became erratic and labored, the sharp pain clouding his mind. With the little consciousness he had left, Pyrion managed to see his own blood staining the dungeon floor, the wound running from his shoulder to his waist, spilling blood like a torrent.

The dizziness hit Pyrion hard, and his consciousness grew increasingly heavy.

Feeling his vitality slipping away, Pyrion gritted his teeth, fighting to hold onto his awareness. With a beastly willpower, Pyrion, aware of the real threat, managed to rise from the ground.

With a quick glance, Pyrion managed to spot Zald, who was also dying on the ground, trying to shake off the magma from his body. Without thinking twice, Pyrion used all his strength to flee toward the 18th floor.

...

18th floor, near the entrance to the 19th floor.

"Finn, could you hurry up, please? We've been waiting here for half an hour," a beautiful elf with green hair addressed a small boy with a mature expression, her tone full of complaints.

"Riveria-san, have a little patience. We're waiting for the rest of the group to finish getting their gear," Finn, the Pallum captain of the Loki familia, responded with exasperation as he watched a small group still packing heavy bags.

"You're really impatient, Elf. You've lived for so many decades, and you still haven't cultivated any patience. It's truly pathetic," a dwarf with a big beard shot a contemptuous look at Riveria while mocking her cruelly.

"Seems like you're asking for a beating, you damn dwarf," Riveria's face changed, and a dangerous look appeared on her beautiful face when she heard the dwarf's taunt.

"Eh? Come at me if you want, smelly elf!" With a fierce expression, the dwarf didn't back down either and raised his axe in defiance.

"Alright, alright, stop causing trouble. Gareth, Riveria, behave yourselves, please," with an expression full of helplessness, Finn stood between the two, stopping their potential fight.

"Move out of the way, stinky Pallum! I'm going to punch this elf!"

"Talk too much, elf, I'll break your mouth!"

RUMBLE

The argument between the three executives of the Loki familia was interrupted suddenly by a loud tremor that shook the dungeon. The ground moved violently, and the walls trembled forcefully, as if a strong earthquake had hit the dungeon.

"What the hell?!"

Stumbling from the strong tremor, the group of three shouted in surprise as they felt the powerful rumble.

"What's going on?" They looked at the dungeon in horror as they prepared themselves, quickly grabbing their weapons.

The rest of the Loki familia adventurers behind them also quickly grabbed their weapons, looking around cautiously.

"It seems to be coming from the lower floors," Gareth, who had the sharpest senses in the familia, quickly pointed toward the stairs leading to the 19th floor.

"Riveria, what's happening?" Ais, who had been sitting and waiting for the rest of the team, approached Riveria in surprise.

"Stay behind me, Ais. We don't know what's going on yet!" Taking Ais by the hand, Riveria shielded her with her body while looking vigilantly at the stairs leading to the 19th floor.

"What do you think it was, Gareth?" Finn asked, frowning as he touched his thumb, which, to his relief, was no longer throbbing.

"I don't know, but whatever it is, it doesn't look good!" Gareth replied, grabbing his axe and positioning himself cautiously.

The rumbling continued for a few seconds, so intense that the vibrations seemed to come from the very heart of the dungeon. The lights flickered briefly, and the air grew heavy, as if everything around them was waiting for something. The dwarves nervously looked toward the entrance to the 19th floor.

"Something's wrong..." Riveria murmured, staring down toward the lower floors in confusion.

The continuous shaking only heightened the uncertainty within the Loki Familia. What had happened on the lower floors? Why did it feel as though the very ground itself was warning them of something? Without a doubt, the Loki Familia, who had never experienced anything like this, stared in bewilderment and fear toward the depths of the dungeon.

"We should head down. Whatever happened, we need to check if it could be a threat to Orario." With his usual heroic attitude, Finn began to move.

Riveria and Gareth exchanged a look, both sharing the same concern. However, what Finn said was true. If it was a threat to Orario, as the Familia on the front lines, they would have to investigate it.

"Riveria, Gareth, come with me to the stairs!" Finn commanded with his usual firmness, gripping his spear decisively. "The rest of the group stays here until further orders!"

Despite the uncertainty, Riveria and Gareth didn't hesitate and decided to follow Finn, their hearts filled with alertness. Something big must have been happening on the lower floors, something that could threaten Orario, and they weren't going to let it happen.

However, before the three executives of the Loki Familia could charge toward the stairs leading to the 19th floor, the sound of someone ascending the stairs made them stop in their tracks.

"Someone's coming," Gareth, who was the first to hear it, tightened his grip on his war axe, his face serious.

"Prepare yourselves!" Finn shouted immediately as a warning to the group, gripping his spear tightly, ready to face whoever was coming up the stairs.

With the loud rumbling of the ground, they had no idea what might be ascending: it could be other adventurers, but it could also be a monster.

"The steps seem pretty disordered..." Riveria, who had started hearing the footsteps, said, frowning.

The steps were slow and erratic, as if the person—or whatever was ascending—was having trouble walking.

The sound of the steps grew louder and more disordered, as if something or someone was struggling to stay on its feet. The members of the Loki Familia tensed even more, their eyes fixed on the stairs, waiting to see a figure appear. Every second felt eternal.

SPLASH...

The sound was becoming clearer, and the executives of the Loki Familia exchanged worried looks. What was going on? What kind of enemy was coming up those stairs?

Finally, a shadowy figure appeared at the top of the stairs, staggering and moving erratically. When the dwarves saw who it was, a collective sigh escaped their mouths, but the surprise quickly turned into horror.

They immediately recognized the figure, one of the two most powerful adventurers in Orario, Pyrion, captain of the Hephaistos Familia.

His body covered in blood, his clothes in tatters, and his face as pale as a corpse. The warrior, known for his resilience and strength, could barely stand, leaning on his sword, which was soaked in blood. His breathing was erratic, and the splashing sound came from the blood dripping from his wound, splattering onto the ground.

A long gash crossed his chest, exposing his flesh. Blood flowed in torrents, and his condition gave the impression that the person might die at any moment.

With each step he took, his body seemed to wobble, and his expression reflected extreme exhaustion and pain. The dwarves quickly approached, horrified.

"Pyrion!" The first person to shout was Ais, who ran quickly toward Pyrion.

The rest of the executives of the Loki Familia also rushed toward Pyrion in horror.

Pyrion, who had barely heard the shout, lifted his head with difficulty. The little vision he still had barely allowed him to see the figures approaching. When he managed to focus on the little that remained of his sight, an enormous relief washed over him as he faintly saw the Loki Familia shield.

With that last thought, Pyrion's consciousness faded completely, and an infinite darkness took over his mind.

*THUD*

Before Ais could reach Pyrion, his body collapsed, and with a heavy thud, the powerful captain fell to the ground unconscious.

"Riveria!" Finn, who barely managed to catch Pyrion's head before it hit the ground, quickly shouted at Riveria, who was the only one with healing abilities.

Riveria, her face tinted with worry, quickly approached Pyrion and gently turned his body to check the wound.

"My God... what the hell could have caused this kind of injury to this guy?" Gareth's voice, filled with surprise, echoed in the hearts of the three executives. Despite Pyrion's strength, which surpassed theirs, he had received such wounds that they couldn't understand what could have caused so much damage.

"Riveria, how is Pyrion?" As a strong ally of the Loki Familia and a good acquaintance, Finn was still deeply concerned about Pyrion's life.

"I... can't heal wounds like this, I can only use my healing magic to keep him alive." Looking at Pyrion with great concern, Riveria felt helpless. Unlike the others, she was the only one who had a friendship with Pyrion, so her worry was the greatest among the three.

"Who can heal these wounds, Riveria?" Even more anxious from Riveria's words, Finn asked with urgency.

Rubbing her forehead, Riveria quickly thought of someone who might be able to heal Pyrion, and after a moment of hesitation, she said uncertainly, "Probably... only that girl from the Dian Cecht Familia."

"Alright, then. Riveria, make sure Pyrion stays stable, we'll run to the Dian Cecht Familia," Finn said, making a quick decision as he grabbed Pyrion's weapon that had fallen to the ground.

"Understood." Without hesitation, Riveria picked up Pyrion's body and, with strength, placed it on her back while constantly chanting healing magic.

"Alright, let's go!" With Finn's command, the group quickly ran toward the surface.

---

Note: I know some might be confused, so let me explain: I'm aware this probably isn't the time when Airmid Teasanare arrived in Orario. However, since it isn't specified in the novel, I'll make an exception. I also know that Riveria could have healed Pyrion's injuries, but for the sake of the plot, I'm doing it this way.