Since arriving in this isekai, Nanami had crushed the fragile hope Kouki once sparked, and by now, few still clung to the illusions they held at the start. Yet, despite the lingering anxieties, they had all grown stronger.
Some came to this great labyrinth because Nanami was here, others came to simply flaunt their strength, dismissing him with casual disregard. Yet despite their differing motives, they all shared one thing: an overconfidence in their newfound power that had begun to cloud their judgment. And it was precisely that arrogance that set the stage for disaster.
Among those swept up in their own bravado was Hiyama. Despite Meld's clear warnings, he reached for the Glanz Crystal that Kaori had shown interest in, and attempting to collect it and present it to her. In doing so, he triggered a trap.
His actions weren't solely driven by lingering feelings for Kaori, but were also fueled by irritation. Nanami's calm, rational cautions had repeatedly undermined him, and in his frustration, he chose to dismiss the adults' advice entirely.
Hajime stammered, "M–Meld-san... I read about that in a book, but could it really be...?"
Meld replied solemnly, "It's exactly that. The legendary monster, Behemoth."
And there it stood, looming before them in the place the trap had teleported them to; a colossal shadow, nearly ten meters tall. Massive horns, reminiscent of a Triceratops, jutted from its head, and its entire body was sheathed in skin that looked as impenetrable as armor.
"Wh-what is that? What's a Behemoth?" Ryutarou asked, his voice trembling.
Hajime answered quietly, "It was confirmed to exist a hundred years ago… a creature so powerful, that even the strongest adventurer of that era couldn't scratch it."
Hajime had always wondered if the day would come when he'd have to face something like that. Of course, he had assumed that by then, everyone else would be strong... everyone but him, that is.
Never in his wildest thoughts had he imagined that the beast would appear now, while they were still so unprepared.
The greatest terror stood before them, and things only got worse. As if the Behemoth weren't enough, a magic circle flared to life behind them, summoning a horde of skeletal warriors wielding swords: the Traum Soldiers. Clearly, this was a trap laid in advance.
Meld reacted instantly, commanding his subordinates to raise a barrier and ordering the students to retreat, "Kouki, take everyone and head for the stairs! Now!"
"Wait, please, Meld-san! We'll fight too! That dinosaur-looking thing is the real threat, right?!" Kouki's unwavering sense of justice had him refuse to back down.
"You fool! If that really is a Behemoth, you kids don't stand a chance as you are! Hajime said it himself, remember?! It's the monster that even the strongest adventurer of that time couldn't touch! I won't let you die here. Go!" Meld shouted, desperation etched across his face.
Kouki hesitated under Meld's fierce glare, but then squared his shoulders in defiance, "No! I can't just abandon you and run!"
Before Meld could respond again, the Behemoth let out a deafening roar and charged.
~~~
At this time, Nanami was sprinting downward, his body reinforced with cursed energy.
He traced the lingering trails of magical residue to guide his path, though he lacked a complete map of the labyrinth. Progress was anything but smooth. He had hit dead ends, blocked passages, and was forced to reroute more than once.
Monsters lurked throughout, but most couldn't match his speed and were left behind. Those that dared pursue him to the stairwell were swiftly annihilated before he descended further.
'I have to reach them, fast.'
He glanced at his watch now and then, though it offered little comfort. The deeper he went, the stronger the monsters became. The unknown loomed ahead.
"You're in the way," he muttered, eyes narrowing at the next batch of monsters.
Nanami would've liked to analyze the monsters' abilities in detail, but time wasn't on his side. The moment they appeared, he struck, ending each encounter with a single, ruthless blow.
'Body enhancement using cursed energy... It's been a while, but it seems I haven't lost my edge.' He thought.
Even the old Nanami could have advanced with ease, but it would have taken a bit more time. But the current him had undergone a transformation ever since coming to this world. His already formidable potential had been amplified, along with an increase in cursed energy capacity and output, and because of that, his technique had improved.
Though not comparable to Special Grade, but among Grade 1 sorcerers, his strength had become exceptional. For example, there were many jujutsu sorcerers who were faster than Nanami. But the current Nanami had been enhanced enough to handle that to some extent.
And so, as he continued onward, he carved through monsters with cold precision. He was efficient, unflinching, and unstoppable.
'The precision of my technique has also improved... I should hurry...'
If he delayed any longer, the worst-case scenario, a complete annihilation, could become reality. Driven by that thought, Nanami pushed forward at full speed.
As he ran, he reached the center of a wide room. There were a massive number of monsters there.
"A large chamber… numerous monsters. Dealing with them one by one will be a hassle. Anyway, it's better not to pass through a place like this."
And so, Nanami decided to resort to a certain method.
Veering away from the room's exit, he sprinted toward the nearest wall. As expected, the monsters gave chase. With cursed energy surging through his legs, he launched himself into the air.
'Ratio Technique...'
His eyes locked onto the segmented weak points. Lines of vulnerability etched across the wall.
'Collapse!!'
Cursed energy surged from the fist he slammed into the wall. It spread across the wall as if contagious, destroying the entire structure.
Though they were beasts, the monsters understood the threat to their lives. They immediately tried to flee, but the slower ones got caught and crushed.
Then, before the path was completely blocked, Nanami reinforced his legs with cursed energy again, dashed forward leaving behind and shockwave, and barely slipped through just as the path was sealed. Now the monsters couldn't follow.
'This level of power... All without even using Overtime and technique disclosure.'
Nanami was slightly surprised at how truly strong he had become and continued advancing.
He hoped for the slim possibility that annihilation hadn't yet occurred and that the students were still alive.
~~~
"I'll ask one more time, can you pull this off, kid?!" Asked Meld.
Though nervous, Hajime nodded resolutely, "Uh-huh!"
To save Meld and the others, Kouki refused to leave, insisting on fighting too. But Hajime, with a desperate expression unlike his usual self, persuaded him and managed to get him to head towards the group of Traum Soldiers.
The greatest threat, however, still loomed right before their eyes.
It was at that moment that Hajime had resolved to take a certain action, "I just need a few seconds, Meld-san. Distract it for a bit!"
"Will do! To think I'd end up entrusting my life to you... I'm counting on you!"
"Yes!"
'Improvising from the start, huh... I have no choice but to do what Nanami-sensei taught me.'
It was words from the guidance Nanami had given him before.
One was, 'You need to deepen your understanding of your own technique more.'
The other was what was said at that time...