Danmachi: I Can Summon Anime Characters!

"Damn it! They were laughing at us!"

In the dimly lit Dungeon corridors, Ai Hayasaka clenched her fists, her irritation clear in her voice.

The sneers from the adventurers at the Guild still echoed in her mind.

"Those guys are jerks!"

Kato Megumi, standing beside her, remained calm. "That's just how adventurers are, Ai-chan. It doesn't matter."

Kanae Kocho, as usual, was silent. Her sharp eyes scanned the surroundings, completely unfazed by the mocking words from before.

Hayasaka Ai took a deep breath.

She wasn't going to let a bunch of rude adventurers get to her.

They had a mission.

"Alright, let's focus." She turned to her companions. "We stick to the outer edge of the first floor. If we run into goblins or kobolds, Kanae will take the lead!"

Kanae simply nodded, gripping the cheap adventurer's sword they had borrowed from the Guild.

Megumi adjusted the dagger at her waist, her hand tightening slightly.

They weren't here to be reckless.

They were newcomers.

This was just the first step.

---

As they moved deeper into the Dungeon, the walls around them pulsed with an eerie blue glow.

The forking paths made it easy to get lost, and Hayasaka Ai kept glancing at the simple map Eina had given them.

It was a maze.

And monsters could come from anywhere.

Kanae suddenly stopped.

"...Monsters ahead."

Hayasaka Ai's grip on her sword tightened.

Megumi's breath hitched slightly.

The low, guttural sounds of goblins echoed through the hallway.

"Ughhh! Gyaaah!"

Their disgusting voices made Ai Hayasaka's stomach churn.

Then, they appeared.

Five goblins.

Short, hunched creatures with filthy green skin, sharp teeth, and crude weapons—rusty daggers and wooden clubs.

The lead goblin sneered at them.

"Gyee-hee-hee!"

It screeched, raising its club high, calling for its companions to attack.

Hayasaka Ai's face darkened.

"...These things are disgusting."

The goblins charged.

"Get ready!" Hayasaka Ai shouted.

Kanae stepped forward.

Megumi turned to cover their back.

Hayasaka Ai raised her blade, her heart pounding.

The battle had begun.

---

The goblins lunged at them, their yellow eyes glowing with hunger.

Kanae moved first.

WHOOSH!

A pink blur flashed through the air.

The goblins didn't even see her coming.

"Breath of Flowers: Fourth Form—Crimson Hanagoromo!"

A single slash.

Two goblins' heads flew off their bodies, blood spraying onto the Dungeon floor.

The other three goblins froze.

Fear flickered in their eyes.

They had underestimated their prey.

Hayasaka Ai's jaw nearly dropped.

"...What the hell?!"

Kanae landed gracefully, her blade dripping with blood.

For her, this was nothing.

Hayasaka Ai snapped out of her shock.

"Megumi! We can't be careless!"

Megumi nodded, gripping her dagger. "Understood."

The remaining goblins hesitated—then made a desperate charge at Megumi and Ai Hayasaka.

They saw Kanae as too dangerous to approach.

So they went after the weaker targets.

Big mistake.

Hayasaka Ai stepped forward.

The lead goblin swung its club at her head.

She dodged.

With a sharp movement, she spun to the side, then drove her sword straight into its stomach.

STAB!

The goblin let out a choking sound, green blood spilling from its mouth.

Hayasaka Ai kicked its corpse off her blade.

She turned to Megumi—

And froze.

Megumi hadn't moved.

The last two goblins were charging straight at her.

Hayasaka Ai's eyes widened.

"MEGUMI, MOVE!"

But Megumi… just stared at them.

Then, she raised a single hand.

And whispered something.

The air around her shifted.

A strange pressure filled the Dungeon.

The goblins slowed—confusion flashing in their dull eyes.

Hayasaka Ai felt it too.

Something was changing.

Then—

Megumi vanished.

Or at least, that's what it looked like.

The goblins stumbled in confusion.

They swung their weapons wildly, but they hit nothing.

It was as if Megumi had faded out of existence.

Then—

SHINK!

A single slash.

Megumi reappeared behind the goblins, her dagger dripping with blood.

The goblins collapsed.

Dead.

Hayasaka Ai's mouth went dry.

"...What the hell was that?"

Megumi looked at her own hands.

She wasn't sure herself.

But at that moment—

Her hidden magic had awakened.

And she had just taken her first step into the world of adventurers.

======

I'll tag a book under the Author Note so, be sure to add it to your collections if you love HxH and an mc that grows so fast that op mc lovers are gonna loved it.