Anchor

Looking at the creature I had caught in my hand, it wasn't very big. With insect-like wings and a glowing body, it continued to smile even though I had already captured it.

"Ahahaha, I got caught. Oh no~"

This fairy was way too relaxed, and I was not the type to believe they were entirely kind. They were much more mischievous than people realized.

"Quiet. Why are you inside this dungeon?"

"Woah, woah, Miss Valkyrie. Calm down first, don't make such a scary face. Hahaha."

"You..."

"Do you think I am connected to my lord? Hahaha, of course you do."

"If you know that, then it means you are involved. Tell me, who is the creature targeting me?"

I tried to tighten my grip, but the fairy just kept smiling and laughing, which made me feel uneasy.

"Haha, do you think I would tell you? Hmm... but I suppose I could tell you a little bit, since you are the reason we and the dungeons returned."

"Huh?"

I did not understand what she was saying. Dungeons weren't something a creature or a person could just create.

However, the fairy furrowed her brow, looking confused and perhaps a bit annoyed. She must have seen the genuine confusion on my face.

"You... you really do not know?"

"What do you mean by that?"

"Huh? You don't know? Ahahaha, this is hilarious! Looking at your face, poor you! Well, do you want to know?"

My eye twitched. This creature in my hand was incredibly annoying.

"Hah~ this is so funny."

"I will just put you in a cage and take you with me."

"Do you think you can?"

"Wha-Guh?!"

Feeling a sudden, sharp pain from my side, a massive hand made of stone burst from the dungeon floor and struck me, sending me flying sideways.

"What! Tch!"

Then, I looked at my hand. The fairy I thought I was holding turned out to be just a leaf. The real fairy was fluttering near the giant stone hand.

“I let my guard down! I forgot they could use illusions!”

"Did you think it would be that easy? Eat this!"

Several more giant stone hands erupted from the dungeon floor. I kept dodging, channeling mana into my head to dispel any illusions and make sure what I was seeing was real.

“They are all real.”

Confirming that, I sliced the stone hands apart and ran up them, sprinting straight toward where the fairy was hovering.

"Ooh, scary. Fufufu."

Jumping and flying toward her, several fireballs shot in my direction. I immediately sliced them in half, while the fairy zipped around playfully.

"Haha, catch me if you can!"

“Tch, she thinks this is a game!”

"Monsters, help me hold her down!"

Other monsters that had been hiding earlier seemed to be caught in her illusions. They stepped forward, trying to shield her and fight me to buy time.

"Do not mess with me!"

My sword turned crimson red, and I swung it with all my might, cleaving the monsters in front of me in two. They exploded into globs of blood that floated beside me

"Wow, as expected from the Bloody Valkyrie. So that is how you got that name—from those balls of blood."

"Oh, maybe this will be dangerous, but take this!"

The stone walls and dirt around the dungeon began to shift and move. I stepped back slightly to figure out what was happening, until...

"Tch."

A stone hand emerged from the floor, grabbing my leg. As I tried to cut it off...

"Guh!"

Feeling a sharp pain in my back, I realized another hand had dropped from the stone ceiling, pinning me face-down on the floor.

I tried to move my body, but more stone hands secured every limb. The floating spheres of blood I had gathered lost their form, turning back into ordinary blood that spilled onto the ground.

"Oh, did I catch you? Wow, my lord will be so pleased if I can bring you to him."

"This lord, that lord... can you just shut up and tell me who this great lord of yours is? Hahaha."

The fairy landed right next to my face.

"Hmm, who? Oh, you know him, and he knows you very well."

"Hah. As expected from a fairy with a tiny brain. You all are idiots."

"Hmm, that won't work, you know. Even if you try to taunt me."

Smiling like the brat she was, the fairy made an incredibly annoying face. I tried to move my body slowly while she was still distracted, fluttering around in circles, too pleased with herself.

"Well, maybe I will tell you. Maybe I shouldn't. Which one should I do? Fufufufu."

Gathering magic inside my body, I noticed something coming from the direction of the stairs leading to the upper floor. It was whirring.

"Hmm, what is this? Is this your friend? Haha~"

"Yeah, they are my friends."

"What?"

"Flashbangs!!!"

I tightly shut my eyes as a ringing sound echoed in my head. I knew these tools; the first time Capsaicin used one, I felt like I had gone completely blind.

"Ugh, argh, what is this?!"

“Shit! It's still too loud for me.”

Realizing this was my chance, I forced my body upward. It reminded me of the push-up motion Capsaicin had taught me, and I shattered the stone hands holding me down.

Seeing the fairy still covering her eyes, I rushed over and grabbed her.

"Argh! Golems, attack that human!"

"Miss, focus on that tiny thing! We will handle this!"

"Okay!"

Five golems materialized. Capsaicin and his squad engaged them, while I gathered blood in my hand, shaping it into a small cage. I grabbed the fairy and shoved her inside.

"Gotcha."

"Ugh! Where are those damn golems?! Let me go!"

She started throwing a tantrum, trying to break the bars of hardened blood. I turned my attention back toward Capsaicin just as...

Boom!

"Argh, my leg!"

One of the golems had launched its arm into the ground, crushing one of the soldiers. I immediately flew over and attacked it from behind.

"Everyone, get down!"

"Duck!"

Using my sword, I sliced the golems into pieces, searched for their cores, and crushed them under my foot.

"Shoot their cores!"

With Capsaicin and the others shooting the remaining cores, the golems crumbled back into dirt.

I landed and checked on the injured soldier. The others had already surrounded him, trying to treat the wound.

"Hey, is he alright?"

"We need to head back immediately, Captain. His bone is broken, and he is starting to panic."

"Alright then. Miss Asteria..."

Before Capsaicin could finish, I scooped up the injured soldier and carried him.

"Capsaicin, I am leaving that cage to you. Make sure you interrogate that fairy. I will fly him to the surface as fast as I can."

"Alright then."

Carrying the soldier in both arms, I flew upward as fast as possible, bypassing all the floors. As soon as I reached the surface, I bolted straight toward the main camp.

“Please don't die because of me. Please!”

Looking at the soldier's pale face, I rushed forward until I found the main camp, and then...

Boom!

Dust flew everywhere as I landed. Everyone turned to look at me, but I just kept walking toward them.

"Is there anyone here who treats the injured?!"

"M-Miss Asteria? We thought a monster was attacking."

"Save it for later, damn it! Where should I put him?!"

"Ah, alright, right here."

Walking briskly, I laid the injured soldier down inside one of the medical tents. The doctor said he would take it from there, and I was asked to step outside and rest.

Stepping out of the tent, I walked a short distance before sitting down on the ground, sighing heavily. It seemed no one dared to approach me.

Sometime later, the vehicle carrying Capsaicin and the others arrived, and he walked over to me.

"Miss Asteria, you can rest now. I already called Kuroi to come pick you up."

"Leave the rest of things here to us."

I could only nod. I kept my head down, still trying to catch my breath. Capsaicin walked off somewhere, leaving me standing there in silence.

“Seriously... what am I even doing?”