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"… Ugh… mnn…"
Silver woke up with another intense headache, one he was very familiar with.
He looked around, finding himself inside his room on the second floor, '… Did they carry me here?'
"Huff… moving more than one person is too much. When we came back, I felt the Mind drain hit me like a hammer."
There was nothing worse than the sudden kind of pain one could not defend against. The last thing he remembered was stepping out of the gate, everything else was hazy.
'This is what I get for trying to show off. I could've shown him so many other things but I went with the one that takes the greatest toll on me.'
"Huuu… it'll take a long time until I can move an entire Familia in and out of the Dungeon on a whim.'
He stretched his arms and back, pushing the blanket off his body before slowly making his way to the door with trembling steps.
'The feeling of weakness after a Mind Zero is horrifying…'
He stepped out of his room, eager to see the world outside.
…
/SLAM!/
"… Ugh…"
Silver slipped down the stairs, looking at the empty living room from the cold, hard ground…
/Growl…/
"… I'm hungry."
'I barely ate anything since we arrived. Those girls ate all the food I made.'
After a few more minutes to recover, Silver stepped outside.
…
/Chatter…/
As he stepped outside, Silver was welcomed by the warm scene of multiple bonfires and circles as everyone sat down to eat dinner.
Above him, the artificial lights had grown slightly dimmer, and around him, blue fireflies had taken to the skies, lighting up the darkness in the tens of thousands.
Silver enjoyed their dance for a while before his rumbling stomach reminded him of why it had awoken him.
With a slight sigh, he walked downhill to one of the circles.
…
"… and then BAM! An explosion rang like this!"
Tiona stood next to the bonfire, recounting the tale of Silver's clash with Hogni, holding a mug in one hand and clenching the other tightly.
.
Her sister, on the other hand, seemed fed up to hear the tale for the seventh time today.
Next to them were the usual people Silver had grown accustomed to. Lefiya stood next to Rakta and a few other girls, chatting happily, while Ais stood on the side with her bowl, quietly chatting with Riveria as other ladies listened and joined in their talks.
Silver recognized most of those ladies, part of the Second String of the Loki Familia, many of whom were elves and thus part of Loki's elite combat unit, the famed Fairy-Force.
On another nearby circle, he saw Gareth talking with a few other boys, likely recounting the tale of their descent as well to a few others. Amidst them, he recognized Cruz, the first member of the Familia he ever met, and others such as Raul, one of the leading members of the Second String.
"Hm? Look who it is."
A young woman with long golden hair and pointed ears. An elegant Elf with hazel eyes beckoned to him as he looked for a place to sit down.
(Image)
Many turned to him as they saw him approach, and Silver smiled faintly as he went to sit down next to Lefiya.
"Give me some space, will ya?" Silver asked as stepped closer
The girl to her left smiled, patting the ground where she once sat and calling Silver to sit beside her.
He thanked her, but that didn't last long… "#! Tsk! Go sit over there! You're intruding!" Lefiya said as she puffed her cheeks and looked away.
The girl to her right smiled, leaning over slightly as she looked at Silver, "Lefiya was praising you quite a bit before. She was very happy to have another junior from the School District… mnmn?!"
(Image)
"S-Stop talking, Narvi! What are you saying?!"
Lefiya immediately turned to him, serious, "She's lying! You're still very much incompetent!"
"I know, there's still a long way to go for me." He replied with a faint smile as he turned to the girl who stepped aside for him
(Image)
"Thank you, I've seen you before but didn't have the chance to introduce myself. I'm…"
"You barely arrived and you're already hitting on Sharon?!" Lefiya exclaimed as she elbowed her waist
Silver scoffed, "Kids these days sure have wild imaginations."
"I'm not a kid!"
Silver didn't bat an eye at her rebuttal, "What does a kid like you even know about being hit on? Have you ever been courted?"
"W-W-Wha…"
"Right, no need to answer, I already know."
"#!! What's that supposed to mean! For your knowledge, back when I was a student, I was everyone's role model!!" She claimed as she tapped her chest, face flushed
Silver looked at the ceiling with a light smile, "And for your knowledge, back in my village…"
She pushed his face aside, "I don't want to know! Pervert! Dirtbag!"
As they bickered with one another, Narvi and Sharon smiled, and just like that, their dinner continued.
…
Dinner went on for another hour with Silver and the others talking and laughing.
Tiona was the first to join in, jumping into their small circle… literally.
Ais and Tione were the next few to join in, followed by several others who wanted to see the "fabled one" themselves.
Before long, Silver saw himself as the center of the conversation, and after a lengthy discussion, he began playing around with his Plasmids, giving everyone around them a show.
/Burn!/
"Woah!"
"It's beautiful!"
"Amazing…"
He toyed with the bonfire, manipulating its embers and flames to create gorgeous scenes.
Like a puppeteer holding the strings of a puppet, Silver orchestrated his fight with Hogni, allowing all to see, in a rather bizarre manner, what occurred with their own eyes.
When that was over, under Tiona's "request", Silver also reenacted several heroic tales through the fire, and soon enough, several dozen members of the Familia had gathered around the bonfire to listen.
Not long after, he continued to display his abilities, turning fire into ice, water into clouds, and even fireworks of all shapes and sizes.
They clapped and cheered at his abilities, making Silver realize that perhaps he'd do well in the entertainment industry if adventuring ever became too dull…
Perhaps he was more fitting to be a clown than he thought.
…
"He sure is putting on a show, huh?" Finn said out loud as he approached Riveria from the side
He smiled, "Why don't you step a little closer? They'd be thrilled to have you there."
"I've already eaten, thank you."
"No one there is eating, though?… Could it be that what Gareth said before…"
Her eyes sharpened, and Finn stuttered, coming to a halt, "Were you saying?…"
"Nothing… I said nothing."
"Humph… Let them enjoy the moment a little…"
But cutting through her words, Silver said out loud, "… I took several pictures of our descent. Here are some of my favorites!"
Light bent into a rainbow of shapes as several large pictures drifted in the air, one after the other, like a slideshow, Silver recounted their descent through the Dungeon, being welcomed by everyone's laughs.
Until… they arrived at the Water City…
/Whistle/
The boys whistled, while the girls rolled their eyes…
"WHAAAAAAATT!!"
Lefiya screamed in embarrassment as Silver showed everyone a picture of her in the "Undine Battle Armor"…
Her scream rang across the floor as she got to her feet, her face the reddest it had ever been, "WHEN DID YOU TAKE THAT PICTURE?!"
But Silver's gaze was resolute as he showed another picture, this time, of Lefiya casting a spell against a large monster as water splashed around her, "This is her fighting against a Crystal Turtle in her Undine Battle Armor…"
Yet his tone was quite sarcastic, especially as he mentioned her clothes…
"T-TAKE IT OUT!"
/FLARE!/
A magic circle flared underneath her as she put her hands forward, ready to cast a spell, as Silver rolled to the side.
What came after was the comical scene of a heavily embarrassed Elf running after the Human as he ran around the campfire, everyone dying of laughter as Lefiya's picture remained hung in the air.
As he ran, Silver continued, "I have several more, especially of our highness." He added with a mild smirk.
""!!""
The Elven ladies all immediately changed their gazes as the picture changed, this time, showing a gracious shot of Riveria as she cast her healing spell.
"Lady Riveria, as always so gorgeous." A young Elf said with flushed cheeks as she put her hands together
Another tried to copy her movement, "~I'll heal your wounds~ te-he…"
"I want to get hurt so Lady Riveria will heal me~"
""Who said that?!""
/Chatter!/
"…"
"…"
Finn and Riveria watched it all unfold from a nearby hill.
Riveria's expression went black, darkening by the minute, especially as more and more pictures of her were revealed. Her jaw hung slightly loose, her right hand had clenched so tightly the surrounding air seemed to shake.
Finn, on the other hand, closed his eyes and looked down, holding his breath, and… "Pfft…"
"Did you just laugh?"
"I… pfft… no? Sand came in my mouth, ahem."
That was all she needed to hear.
/Step…/
The moment she heard his laugh, Riveria walked down with such speed one would think she was running.
"Oh, dear… I'm sorry, young man."
Finn lightly closed his eyes…
/BONK!/
/BONK!/
"Why me?!"
What came after was most expected.
…
/Later…/
/Scrible…/
Under the cries of insects and the nightly ambience, Silver finished his report of his ventures and the transferred items within the storage.
As the possessor of the magic, he was also in charge of inventory keeping, and that included everything that came in and out of it… He didn't expect Finn to keep a precise count of everything, but once the expedition ended, Silver wanted to make sure no misunderstandings were left standing.
And the first step to that was keeping track of everything, no matter how trivial… although Finn would likely not blame him even if he failed to account for some things, after all, that was something not even their own could do.
But he was supposed to be especial, to defy their expectations. And even something as small as this should be handled in accordance to his own standards, and to some degree, morals.
"… Ugh… what's next?"
He looked at a small pile of papers and brushed his face with his left palm, rubbing his eyes before holding the bridge of his nose in frustration.
'So many things to keep track of… but I have to, there're hundreds of millions worth of items inside my pocket space; it's the kind of thing that has no room for failure.'
He put his pen aside, "But it's not like I have to finish this now, anyway…"
'Once Finn and the rest of the vanguard take off to the 29th Floor tomorrow, the rest of the expedition party will resume their normal operations.'
'Level 2 and 3 adventurers will take off with the Level 4s that will remain behind to the 26th and the 29th Floors and beyond to complete commissions and gather materials, together with training and so on.'
'Reports will keep coming in after that. Though I'm uncertain how Finn asked the others to divide their loot, I'm certain much of it will end up being stored with me.'
He exhaled lightly, "… Thinking of all the loot they'll end up leaving behind is quite disappointing, but there's little I can do about it."
'Maybe one day I can make a magic item that allows for instant communication between parties, then I can act like a "mobile porter", able to collect their loot and transfer it between the Dungeon and the outside on just a call.'
'Wouldn't people pay crazy money for that? Just the prospect of moving items between Rivira and the surface is already enticing enough…'
/Shake…/
Silver shook his head.
"There's no point in trying something like that if I don't have the strength and trust to support me."
'Wasn't this the entire reason I went to Loki in the first place? To see for myself how far I can push this idea.'
He pushed his back against his chair, "Haaa, it's all because of money…"
/Tick-tac…/
The clock hanging on the wall ticked loudly…
"…"
/Crunk…/
And before long, Silver stepped through a gate, vanishing from his room.
…
/Meanwhile…/
"… It's quiet."
Hestia stood on the balcony of her new home, looking down at the streets under the starry sky.
It was all different from her previous home. The pristine roads, the carved homes, decorated lamps… the luxurious district felt foreign to her, than welcoming.
It wasn't Orario's richest neighborhood, but it was the place Silver chose for the new home.
'But its not home without him, is it?'
She looked at the bright moon, wondering about the world below.
Was he safe? Was he fighting dangerous foes, risking his life as he always did?
He promised her many things, but she knew him, he would keep his word, but there was little he could do about his nature. He'd say one thing, but his words were nothing but sound.
His true promise lay elsewhere. He thought he was deceiving her, but she could see right through without issue.
His deception was not malicious, it was merely his way of protecting her and himself. That from downplaying his own actions, they'd be on more familiar terms as her worry and his guilt weakened…
She knew it very well: the immense ambition hidden within his heart, and the dark emotions he suppressed within it as well. She knew it from the day they met, but her gaze went beyond it, towards the core of his being, and what she saw inside… his true self…
Was more than worthy of being by her side.
It was rather funny. He sought something he was unwilling to tell others, worried about what they'd think and do with that knowledge, then himself, while she was forced to play along with his antics, just so his already burdened heart would move on a little less encumbered.
Did he think she wouldn't realize? No, he already knew, Silver always assumed the most absurd when it came to deities, it was a fact that burdened her quite a bit, for she knew that beneath all of his jokes and praises, a gargantuan mountain of expectation and respect stood buried.
Silver saw the Gods as the ultimate point in whatever question and mystery he held, and to some degree, he wasn't wrong. Yet despite so, he did not see it through with them, merely teasing and toying with them, as if to show them his progress, while also trying to incite a reaction from their all-knowing minds.
How cute it was… like seeing a little kid trying to make their parents fall to a tongue-twister, while unable to utter a single word of it right…
But she knew little of such things, yet his expectations remained… she liked to be relied on, to be sought for advice, but for what she wanted, it often suffocated her.
With her tiny hands, would she be able to dig herself out of this hole? She felt it was working, but sometimes, she felt Silver threw sand over her head, burying her even deeper into it…
She would sigh when thinking about such things, Silver was very much a person that understood the saying: that it was far easier to believe in what you didn't see than try to ignore what you could.
For what he desired, she had decided to support him, it was something she had learned to tolerate, thanks not only to her maturity, but also to those around her that understood her emotions.
There wasn't a single deity in this mortal world that hadn't lost their first child. Few were those who still walked this earth with the first mortal they passed down their Ichor to.
That was why Hephaestus, Demeter, Takemikazuchi, Loki, and many of the other deities she had sought out for advice… could understand what was passing through her mind right now.
'Be well…'
Silver was truly a smart child. Able to make decisions in split moments and carrying the means to push any ridiculous plan forth for his own survival.
But she couldn't help but worry, for deep down, she knew that if faced with difficulty, a challenge, or anything of the sort, Silver would resort to clashing against it face-first, even if he was forced to act in a disadvantageous manner.
Hell… he'd go out of his way to make things harder for himself! Like trying to drive a plastic nail down a metal board…
She puffed her cheeks, "That damn boy. Making me worry so much…"
And so… Hestia melted on the railings, "Silver… please don't get hurt…"
"I'm fine."
"?!?!?!?!?!"
Hestia jumped forward, almost falling onto the street below, "GHASBCKASB?!!!!"
Seeing her reaction, Silver burst out laughing at Hestia's gobsmacked expression, and weaving chest stared at him with wide eyes…
Seeing his wide smile and her beating heart, she clenched her teeth as a vein popped on her forehead…
/SMACK!/
She jumped forward like a torpedo, using the railing as a platform to launch herself at his chest, headfirst!
"GUAH?!"
Silver spat all the air in his lungs as he fell back, but never once did he let go of her as he protected her from the fall.
She released her one hundred hit combo on his chest, "YOU IDIOT! I told you to stop scaring me like this!!"
"Haaaaa…"
Silver closed his eyes as his Soul flew from his lips…
"You're not going to heaven just yet!" She exclaimed as she slapped both of his cheeks at the same time, squeezing his face before she pinched and pulled them apart, stretching his lips apart as if trying to mold his face like clay
"It hurchs… pleash stchop…"
"HUMPH! This is what you get for pranking a deity… Divine punishment!!!"
"OUCH!"
Their banter only served to wake their neighbours, which led to a rather awkward conversation between them and Hestia in the morning…
…
After a while trying to calm her down, Silver stood in their living room with a very upset Hestia sitting opposite to him.
She stood with her arms crossed under her chest, face turned to the side in a manner the Gods would describe as… "rather stereotypical, Moe manner".
"I'm sorry, I just couldn't resist…"
That only seemed to make her more upset, "That's the problem! How is that you're so adamant in making poor me scream!"
"Because its cute, what else?" He replied in a straightforward manner
'Alright, that's my trump card!'
"I'm not falling for that again!" She exclaimed with a slightly flushed expression as she sneaked a peek at him, only to look away when their gazes met
"…"
'She's acting difficult… Dammit, I don't have any sweets to calm her down this time.'
If Plan A, praise, did not work, and Plan B, food, was not applicable…
His eyes flashed, 'Looks like I'll have to go with what I learned from the Far East…'
Silver kneeled on the ground and prostrated… "Please forgive me!"
"Ehhh?"
'Where did he even learn to do this?!'
Hestia grew embarrassed at his extreme action, and for a moment, she even felt bad about playing around too much…
"Allow me to kiss your feet as an apology…"
"You don't need to!!"
…
"Never do that again!" She said as she exhaled
"Try to kiss your feet?"
"No! That too!… Actually… maybe you can leave that for another time…" She said as her words slowly grew weaker and weaker
She pinched her fingers together as she looked left and right, but Silver tilted his head:
"What did you say? You kind of ate your words. Actually, I only heard the first no…"
"N-Never mind what I said!"
She pointed at his face, "Just don't prostrate on the ground again! You don't need to go that far… as long as you understand your wrongdoings!"
"I understand them, your divine decree is hereby in action."
Looking at him as he kneeled on the ground dramatically, Hestia sighed as she tapped her forehead before putting her hands on her waist.
'I'm really starting on Hard Mode here, aren't I?'
She took a deep breath, "Then? How are things down there? Can you afford to stay up here like this?"
Silver got to his feet, looking down at his goddess and smiling in kind, "Not for long. Everyone's asleep now, so unless someone gets into my room, I think it's fine to stay around a little longer."
She nodded in satisfaction, "Good! So you listened to what I said. No sleeping with anyone else in the same room! Especially girls!" She declared as she raised her hand high.
"Yes, I was instructed to only sleep with deities." Silver claimed with an understanding nod
Her face reddened again in frustration, "That's not it either! Only me! Only I'm allowed to sleep next to you!"
'Why does he misunderstand everything like this! He's doing it on purpose!' She thought as she ground her teeth
Silver smiled as he looked at the angry Hestia jumping up and down before him, "Aside from that, it's been a great experience, I've learned a lot about their operations and how a proper Familia functions, it's been quite eye-opening…"
Silver narrated some of his experiences while avoiding some of the more… difficult ones to share…
After that, they discussed for a few more minutes, mostly about what she had done throughout the day and the like…
…
"… What? Are you serious?"
She nodded, "The Guild called for an emergency Denatus for the reason I told you before."
"From what I heard, this new Familia really attacked the Freya Familia all of a sudden!"
Silver couldn't really process this reality. Just who were the Freya Familia?
Simply put, the greatest military power in the entire world, its executives can face entire armies of lower-level soldiers by themselves, holding immense power in all fields.
Hestia continued, "Then again… their call for the emergency Denatus was also called back. I don't know the exact details, but I asked Hephaestus, and she told me Freya herself pushed the Denatus back again to its original time."
"To me, it just seems that whatever issue she had was already resolved. That's what Hephaestus told me, at least."
"Hm…"
'Right, its Freya we're talking about. Whoever was crazy enough to plot an assault against them likely didn't live much longer after.'
'It's certainly a strange development, but definitely not beyond reason. There are all kinds of exotic personalities and deities out there, so one was bound to not take the positions of the stronger Familias in Orario and challenge them.'
'That's how things are out there. Gods will grow their Familias, get a few Level 2s and maybe 3s, and start thinking they're at the top of the world.'
'Unfortunately for them, most come to Orario and are quickly humbled as they realize their strongest members are nothing but at the starting point where people call you a proper adventurer.'
"Sigh… so who was it? The dumbass that went to challenge Freya in her home turf?"
'How stupid do you have to be to go there by yourself? That's worse than a hornet's nest… several Level 6 and 5 adventurers live there… extremely fanatical ones at that.'
Hestia shook her head, "I don't know. Everything is tightly under wraps."
"The Guild likely suppressed information about it then…" Silver said as he pushed his hair back, "It doesn't matter either way, we'll figure it out eventually."
"This isn't the kind of thing that'll remain under wraps for long."
As Silver lost himself in thought once more, Hestia leaned over him, almost shoving her chest in his face.
"Anyway! Get on the bed! Let's update your Status!"
"No."
"EHHHHH…"
'I thought I could sneak that in with the mood!'
…
After a few more minutes trying to convince her against updating his Status, Silver sat down on a couch with the upset deity beside him.
"… I told you, Hestia. Let's leave the update until I return. I want to accumulate as much Excelia as I can before pushing it to the next stage."
He crossed his fingers over his lap, "I'm not exactly in a rush to raise my stats, not after how fast I've grown, but I'm not against maximizing my growth either."
He smiled, "Besides, I'm as strong as I can be for my Level, even if I raise my Stats even more, it won't make much of a difference between where I am."
'I can't fight the monsters on the Lower Floors, anyway. Maybe in one-on-one scenarios I can persevere with some preparation, but that's not how reality is, unfortunately.'
"Sigh, fine… you're awfully stubborn around this subject."
He patted her head, "A man has to be decisive every once in a while."
"A shame it's for something this important…"
"Hahaha…"
'I'm trying to compress as much Excelia as I can. This sole week of experiences will more or less dictate my growth for the next few weeks to months. Depending on how much I can grow now, it'll reflect on how much I'll be able to stretch my Stats later down the line.'
'And from there, it'll tell if its truly worthy to Rank Up or not. However…'
'I could always just keep my Level and only raise it when my Stats stop rising, but Hestia raised an issue with that in the past.'
He closed his eyes, 'The Status is merely a representation of my Vessel, the greater my Stats are, the more "water" there is within it… but if I pour too much water into it…'
'My Vessel has already been pushed wider. It wouldn't be utterly against logic to believe that if my Status grows too much, I could end up with some adverse effect never once seen before.'
'And as far as I know, there have been cases of people having illnesses and side effects manifested from their Status before. I'd prefer not to be one more on the list.'
'If I push these Stats too much across multiple Levels, I might find myself with issues once I reach higher levels… hypothetically that is.'
Silver looked at Hestia before brushing her hair aside, "I'll take my leave for tonight."
"What?" She asked, surprised at the sudden revelation, "Why so soon?"
"I'd rather be early than late… there'll still be tomorrow and the days after."
'And half an eternity later…'
He got up from his seat, reaching out for the wall, "Take good care of yourself while I'm away."
"… I will, but you should too."
He looked at her expression, a mix of worry and sadness, and couldn't help but step back and hug her.
"!"
"I'll always return, not until I've had my fair share of fun and experienced all kinds of adventures."
/Crunk…/
As the wood twisted and turned, taking the shape of a circular gate, Silver turned away from her, "Well then… until tomorrow, sleep well."
She smiled, "I will!"
/Step…/
/Crunk!/
Silver stepped through the gate, pushing the door open. The wooden wall soon returned to its original appearance as it closed behind him.
As he vanished into the beyond, Hestia's smile faded, replaced with a serious, more solemn gaze.
"Come back home safely, Silver."
…
The night passed quietly after that.
Beyond the walls of Orario, the stars slowly drifted across the heavens while the city beneath them surrendered itself to silence, one light at a time.
The laughter around the expedition's camp eventually faded as well. Bonfires dimmed into embers, conversations dissolved, and before long, only the endless roar of the Dungeon's waters and the fluttering wind remained.
Blue lights continued to drift across the caverns like wandering spirits, rivers flowed endlessly through the ancient stone, and somewhere far beyond the reaches of mortal sight, monsters continued to crawl from the Dungeon's depths seeking something they couldn't properly understand.
And those that did… woke up to yearn for something beyond mere destruction.
…
/Gleam…/
Far above, the horizon slowly brightened.
The pale darkness of night gave way to faint gold as the first rays of sunlight crossed over Orario's towering walls and countless rooftops alike as the city awakened to yet another day of adventure, ambition, greed, and dreams.
The shadows of its ancient walls and towers slowly fell before its many markets and countless stone roads beneath the awakening sky.
A new day had begun.
…
The Under Garden stirred awake.
Across the flowery fields, adventurers slowly emerged from their tents and temporary shelters erected throughout the previous day. Some rekindled fading campfires while others sat atop crates and boulders, quietly eating breakfast before their day began.
The smell of cooked meat drifted through the air alongside the fragrance of flowers as conversations slowly replaced the silence of the night. Weapons were inspected, armor straps tightened, and supplies counted for what felt like the hundredth time since the expedition had begun.
Here and there, healers moved between groups, treating lingering injuries while supporters distributed fresh water and replacement equipment.
A handful of adventurers prepared for the day's descent, while most returned to their usual routines, maintaining the camp and enjoying the rare peace afforded by the 28th Floor.
While the 28th Floor was the stopping point for many, it didn't mean it was the end of their expedition. The floors above beckoned the brave, the riches and dangers within waiting to be uncovered… so Finn could cross out the red on their accounting books…
The flower-covered hills gradually filled with movement as another day began beneath the earth. And atop one such hill, overlooking the camp below...
"Mnn…"
Silver awoke to the sound of voices drifting through the morning air.
…
/Open…/
Silver slowly opened his eyes, his brain firing up his thought processes, "Hmm… did I oversleep?… "
He looked at the hanging clock as he threw his blanket aside. It wasn't that he overslept, on the contrary, he woke up early.
It just seemed that the Loki Familia woke up even earlier than him.
…
/Shua…/
After a short, cold shower, not bothering to heat it up, Silver stepped outside to meet the others.
…
"… Hey, is it true that go to the Dungeon with weights?"
Silver sat in an improvised dining hall. The ground had been compacted, tree stumps had been turned into seats, while empty boxes were decorated with mantles to become tables.
This much was already quite rich compared to their usual facilities. It was all thanks to a certain somebody who made it all possible…
On one such table, Silver stood with several others, all very interested in what they had heard from their companions.
To his left were the Amazon sisters. To his right were two young ladies, Sharon, and Line, who served as a Supporter for Ais and her group when they first met.
Before him, Ais and Lefiya sat with two more young ladies, the same beautiful young Elven girl with golden hair, he met the night before, Alicia Forestlight, and a young Human girl with short red hair, Narvi.
There were a few more given the empty seats, but they had left to grab more food for themselves.
"Humph…"
Lefiya, sitting on a corner of the table, didn't seem as excited as the others, however…
Silver took a bite of his bread before wiping his lips, "It's true."
Sharon found his plain response unbelievable, "Just… why?"
Silver didn't even bat an eye, "Why not?"
"For once… doesn't it make it harder to fight? How can you fight with weights?"
The corners of his lips twitched, "You kind of answered yourself. I put on weights exactly because it makes things harder."
He stretched his neck left and right, "Sometimes, I also put on a blindfold, and if I feel everything's still too easy, I'll drink a little bit of poison to spice things up."
"That tends to be how I go with my usual training, but I've been looking for some ideas… the Upper Floors have gotten way too easy even with all that much." Silver said as his purple vortex took shape behind him
"It's kind of like caffeine, you get me?" He mumbled as he put some butter on his bread, "It helps me stay "alert", or something like that."
Silver smiled with a nostalgic smile, "Gramps trained me in the grass fields in the hills near the village. He'd blindfold me and then throw knives at me while the wind was blowing to train my reflexes… good times."
""…""
While everyone was utterly silent, some were horrified to hear about his past, especially Lefiya, who had grown in a relative sheltered. Although Tiona and Tiona felt that was a matter of course, and not for the right reasons…
Tione herself hated to be reminded of that, while Tiona forgot about it as quick as she was reminded of it, although her gaze fell on her sister, noticing her expression…
/SHOVE!/
"MNNM?!"
She shoved a piece of bread into her mouth, breaking the Amazon's thoughts as her forehead tensed once more…
As the two started bickering again, the half-smiling Silver pulled a small set of metal bracers from within, gently lowering them for all to see, and shattering the silence in the process.
Tiona grabbed one of them unceremoniously as she pushed her sister aside, "They're not heavy at all."
"Can you say the obvious any louder?" Tione added as she scoffed on the side, "The weights of a Level 1 shouldn't be heavy for a Level 5."
Tiona snickered, gesturing as if to throw the weight at her while the others checked it out as well.
Silver took his chance to speak, "They're light for me too. I made them back when I was at my village, by now they're lighter than some clothes I wear."
"You know how to forge too??" Lefiya asked with indignation
He raised ah eyebrow at her question as he stuffed his bread with scrambled eggs and meat, "Didn't I tell you yesterday one of my majors was smithing?"
/Chomp…/
After he took a bite of his bread, he continued, "My grandfather is a smith, who taught my father, who then taught me. I can forge a sword with my eyes closed."
"In fact, my first ever suit of armor was made by yours truly." He finished with a smirk as he took a sip of his drink
"… Poser." Lefiya said as she looked away
"I can show it to you, I don't use it anymore, so its just for decoration."
/Bam!/
Tiona slammed her hands on the table, and everyone instinctively took their drinks so they wouldn't spill… aside from Silver, who had to use telekinesis to prevent it from spilling on him.
"Show it!"
"Hm…"
Silver lowered his bread before washing his throat with some juice. He stepped back and stretched his arms and shoulders as everyone looked at him.
"I'm only doing this once."
With a faint smile…
/Burst!/
""!!!""
Flames ignited from the ground, enveloping him completely.
Before the others even had the time to tell what had just happened, the flames died down as a fully armored Silver reappeared in a heroic pose, cape and all.
Downing full red plate armor, he posed with a large Greatsword, resting his left hand over it as his right one stood over his waist, a red cape fluttering in the non-existent wind behind him.
"Alright, be honest… don't I look good?"
"… Barely passable…" Lefiya replied as she looked away, a bead of sweat falling from her cheeks
'I can't say he looked cool! Because he didn't!'
'… Maybe only a little…'
Silver scoffed within his armor, while the girls were visually impressed by his display.
Ais clapped and cheered in monotone, but all knew she was being genuine here.
Sharon's jaw hung low together with Narvi's, while Alicia chuckled faintly at Silver's dramatic entrance.
"WOAH! That was amazing! Do it again, but this time while posing like this!" Tiona exclaimed as she laughed out loud, spitting food forward as her sister looked at her with disgust
"At least ask with proper manners! Eat with your damn mouth closed!"
"Huh?? I'm asking with manners!"
"Don't turn to me! EWWW!"
As the sisters bickered yet again, Line smiled helplessly on the side as she pushed her glasses back.
Overall, the atmosphere seemed rather great… not the same for a nearby table…
/Gloom…/
Not too far from them, a table, composed solely of boys, watched Silver and the girls from afar.
"… Looks like fighting isn't the only good thing he's good at." An Elf with a hoodie said as he looked at Silver, impressed
Cruz finished his bread and smiled, "He knows what he's doing, that's for sure."
'That guy will never end up like that other one we saw a few months ago… man… I wonder how he's doing now?'
The other boys were mixed. Just where was Silver sitting? Between some of the strongest girls of the Familia!
In the first place, all girls of the Loki Familia could be considered cute if not beautiful, with most being gorgeous thanks to Loki's… preferences…
The number one priority when recruiting new members was to check if they were girls, once that was checked, was to see if they were cute.
If both marks were crossed, she'd welcome them with open arms. One could only imagine how she'd act if they were not only talented but "uniquely looking" on top… Actually… it was easy to imagine because it had already happened many times before.
Most boys could also be said to not be ugly either, but when picking boys, Loki's conditions were… relatively lax to say the least…
In her own words, she didn't even bother to look at their face, something that pained all of them whenever she jokingly talked about it.
But it wasn't like they were weak either, every single boy at this table was a member of the Second String, and without exception, was a Level 4 adventurer, an elite in their own right!
One of them, a man with sleek brown hair, asked, clicked his tongue, "What do you think, Raul?"
"Huh? Me? I uh… good for him?" Raul replied half-heartedly, not really thinking about it at all
The Elf sighed, "Man… you're a lost cause…"
Some of the other boys seemed to agree.
"Raul? Would you mind coming with me?"
A young catgirl with dark hair passed by their table…
Raul wasn't very enthusiastic about it, "Huh? I'm eating…"
"I won't take much of your time, so are you coming or not?"
It was almost as if she was demanding him to come… and that was exactly how Raul saw it.
The moment she spoke to him in that tone, Raul seemed to wake up as he grabbed his food tray and stepped out.
"Coming!…"
He turned to the rest of them, "Erm… see you guys later."
""…""
They were left utterly speechless, and even Cruz ended up shaking his head, "At least someone is dedicated to make something out of that lost cause…"
""Lucky bastard.""
As they returned to their uneventful breakfast, one of their silent members blurted out: "… That was pretty cool, though…"
""On whose side are you on?!""
"Is there a side to this?!"
Their banter continued…
…
After breakfast came the time to bid farewell.
Multiple teams had already assembled, most would hunt around the Water City, others would dive deeper and challenge the floors between the 29th and 32nd Floors which were "safer" compared to those beyond.
Beyond that point, only a few specific assortments of adventurers could explore further because of the harsh conditions present between the 33rd and 36th Floors, also known as the Sand Land.
Finn prohibited all but a few from venturing that far with their absence, a place where even Level 3 adventurers would struggle to keep up, even as Supporters.
Those adventurers would accompany them through the harsh deserts and help them preserve strength for the road ahead, albeit many would remain behind at the entrance to the 37th Floor, the gateway to the Deep Floors.
From that point onward, only the vanguard would press forward and pierce into the darkness where few had stepped before, pioneering the path forward!
After a short and strong speech that warmed even Silver's heart with determination, Finn returned to the central tent before stepping outside with several others, who quickly gathered with another large crowd.
For this venture, Loki's most elite team was assembled!
Level 6 Dwarf, possessing immense strength and constitution, Gareth Landrock, who would never back down.
Level 6 High Elf, a living Sage and master of both ancient and modern magic, princess of the White High Elves, Riveria, Ljos, Alf.
Level 6 Pallum, the strongest little man! Captain of the Loki Familia and the one who desires to bring his race out of the dark ages, Finn Deimne, who wished to follow in the footsteps of the ancient knights.
Level 5 Amazon, Tione Hiryute, who wished to become a woman worthy of her captain's aspirations.
Level 5 Amazon, Tiona Hiryute… who was pretty content with her life, and was plenty happy with just punching things and seeing her sister happy.
Level 5 Werewolf, Bete Loga, the ever so upset. Whose thoughts were ever buried inside a scarred heart.
Level 5 Human, Ais Wallenstein, the quiet girl who looked above. Possessor of the irregular wind, Ariel, whose blade would never stop until it dug out the other eye of its greatest enemy.
To support this incredible team, several Supporters would follow them down this perilous journey.
Level 4 Human, Raul Nord, representing the brave but ordinary, insecure adventurer… but destined for greatness?
Level 4 Demi Human, the Cat Girl Anakitty Autumn, who would not be left behind and would continue to assist her friends to the very end.
And two dozen more would follow them down this path, including Lefiya, Cruz, Narvi, Alicia, and several other Level 3 and 4 adventurers.
Finn hoped that once the path to the 50th Floor, which was the next safety point past the last one at the 39th Floor, was unveiled, he'd be able to secure a route further down, allowing more of the expedition to dive after them and provide support so they can raid even deeper floors.
They had already reached the 39th Floor, but Finn wasn't yet confident in bringing more people with him, and even if he were, there's no point in bringing anyone that wasn't at Level 3 or close to that level down there. Even if for training.
"… That was a pretty good speech, in all honesty." Silver said as Finn walked past him
Finn smiled, "I hear that a lot."
"Not humble at all, ha!"
Silver looked away. In the distance, he could see Ais talking with Lefiya and a few others, "Good luck down there. Not that you'll need it."
"Thanks, I try not to rely on it, but some faith isn't unwelcome in times like these."
"Can't you come with us? I'll protect you!" Tiona said as she butted into their conversation, holding her biceps to show her power
Unfortunately, her arms were rather thin…
To her enthusiasm, Silver shook his head, "I'm sorry, but this is where I stop. My grandparents taught me to be humble, so I'll step out while I still can."
"Your grandparents again! They almost sound mythological when you bring them up every time!" Lefiya exclaimed as she looked at them
Silver laughed, "So you were listening, I knew it when I saw your ears twitching."
Her ears twitched again as she put her hands over them, "I'm not peeking! Humph!"
As she looked away, Silver threw a small glass bottle at her, and she caught it with some confusion.
"What's this?…"
"Sunscreen, I heard it gets quite hot down there…"
"#!! I don't need sunscreen in the Dungeon!!"
Silver tilted his head and showed an expression of enlightenment, "Right, you just need to put on your battle armor and you'll be fine. Like going to the sunny beach, yeah?"
"No! It's not the same!" She exclaimed as she turned away and ran, still holding onto the bottle
Finn smiled helplessly, "Give her a break…"
"What can I do? It's like having a younger sister; it's too amusing."
Finn sighed, 'No wonder Riveria was upset… if he keeps toying with her like this Riveria will really shove him down hard.'
'Well, I can't say I didn't warn him. Sometimes unruly kids need to be scolded.'
Silver turned to Tiona, "Don't get bored without me."
She smacked her hands together, "There'll be a lot of monsters for me to punch!"
"Good to hear."
"Finn. We're ready." Riveria said as she called him
After looking away from her, Silver turned to Finn again, "Looks like that's it… remember to gather a lot of magic stones for me." He said as he raised his thumb.
"If you can't bring them all, you can hide them somewhere and we can get them all later…" He whispered with a smirk while a bead of sweat fell down Finn's forehead
After that, Silver grew serious, "Don't get too comfortable, I'll get there, eventually."
His smile grew.
"And I don't plan to stop there either."
Finn was going to say something, but eventually only smiled.
He walked away while Tiona waved at Silver, "Until later!"
And after she ran past him, he added, "Don't get too cocky either, kid."
Not long after, the vanguard team of the Loki Familia descended into the 29th Floor, leaving the rest behind.
Silver bade his farewells to all of them, including Bete, whom he hadn't seen since last night in passing during dinner.
…
After they left, the others who stood next to him to watch them leave slowly dispersed, going on with their ordinary routines while Silver remained there with his arms crossed.
'Now then… what do I do? I can help around the camp every so often, but that's not even enough to take an hour of my day, and it'll take them several to return…'
"It's not like I can join the others in hunting around the Water City either…"
He sighed aloud, 'Looks like I'll have to live as a hermit for the next few days. At least on the outside.'
Silver returned to his room, continuing his studies.
And as everyone departed to perform their own duties, the once busy camp was soon left deserted.
…
Time passed, faster than he originally expected.
Paradoxically enough, when stuck inside the Dungeon without being forced into his usual responsibilities, which weren't many by the way, Silver found himself with quite a lot to do.
Immediately after the Loki Familia departed with the other teams to the 29th Floor, Silver veered to the Water City with a small party of Level 3 and 2 adventurers as their Supporter.
Most of the higher-level members of the Familia had descended, but like in Rivira, a small part of the Raid Team was left behind to work on the Under Garden, performing as usual.
He joined the party with the goal of gaining experience, and he did gain quite a bit. They were all very welcoming, and throughout the entire journey, shared their experiences and tips they had built over the years.
For the most part, these smaller parties were meant to have lower-ranked members of the Familia gather Excelia and grow in relative safety, and right now, Silver was enjoying the privileges of a strong Familia like never before.
For the next few days, he'd participate in several such raids to the Water City, growing quite familiar with the layout and surroundings of the area, so much so that he grew able to move around on his own without a map.
He still wasn't able to even perceive most monsters in the area, but he had grown somewhat adjusted to the battle rhythm between the adventurers and the monsters, slowly joining in to assist them.
For the most part, he continued with his previous actions. Stand in the back, collect the loot, learn what he could, and collect whatever material, mineral, plant, or in between, from the Dungeon.
And that he did… a lot… it didn't take long for everyone to joke around that Silver spent longer fishing than fighting. For most of his time in the Water City, Silver would stay near the shore, scanning the water's surface for hidden treasures beneath the waves.
After having grown used to the beast's senses and tempo, Silver was now confident enough to stay on his own and look around for underwater items… not that everyone else agreed, but then again, Silver didn't need to stay at the shores to explore them regardless, it was just less taxing.
In the meantime, he'd continue on with his studies inside his office, going out to help the others cook Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner. He'd often call the veteran Level 2 adventurers to spar with him until they collapsed from exhaustion, to the point they began avoiding him during "training hours"…
And when that happened, he started calling the Level 3 to beat him up… and they started to whisper amongst each other that he liked it…
Anyhow, whenever he found himself alone, Silver would continue with his research and training as well. There was much to test after all.
Between his own Plasmids, Martial Arts, and ordinary training, he had his studies over Alchemy, Magic, and Smithing. Not to mention his meditation over Afterglow, and his own experiments he ran beyond anyone's view.
All the while learning about his Skills and Development Abilities…
It was a busy life with little time to rest, but he enjoyed it quite a bit.
Although… he did miss the surface, especially the people he had grown used to seeing daily. It just wasn't the same to work out and fight monsters without being able to show it all off at the end of the day to his overly energetic deity and "friends".
He really wanted to go back to Orario and resume, or rather, start his training with Takemikazuchi, and at the same time, he felt he needed to piss off Mia at her pub every night, else he just wouldn't sleep right.
As the day ended in the Under Garden, Silver would gather with the others and show off… play… with his Plasmids, exchanging stories with everyone who really had nothing else to do.
He became their source of entertainment, though depending on who you asked, that'd be either a good or bad thing...
And as his eyes grew heavy and his mind itched for sleep, Silver would often find himself conflicted between going to bed and staying still, and more often than not, he ignored its calls.
After all, it was just that entertaining to him… and to a certain degree… wasn't it also a form of training?
But that was something he'd never admit to anyone, for he was certain they'd call him insane.
… Wait… they already call him that, huh…
…
/Splat…/
/POOF!/
"Hm… that was it for today." Silver mumbled out loud as he found himself covered in ash and rapidly decaying flesh
He wiped his bloodstained hands before using telekinesis to lift a book from a stone counter and a pen, writing in it:
"Let's see… for today's log, I've succeeded in removing a Hellhound's stomach while keeping it alive. This leaves only its esophagus to be removed, which I failed to perform."
"The stomach, liver, pancreas, intestines, and associated digestive tissues had all been excised. Assuming they all function like those of an ordinary canine… which is most likely not correct."
He splashed the blood from his right hand away, "I've ended up removing no less than three organs whose purpose eludes me, and several other structures have not followed the standard seen in most surface-dwelling species, if not entirely vacant altogether."
"Once again, the lack of proper documentation on the matter is greatly frustrating."
"The School District has proven great in covering missing gaps in basic knowledge, but the study of monster anatomy and its relevant fields remains… extremely uncharted."
He crossed his arms, ignoring the blood as he closed his eyes, "I might indeed have to consider venturing into the Gnome Libraries when I have the time. Would the Spirits be more okay with me copying their documents in the open, or would they… oh… I'm writing them down."
/Poof!/
He closed the notebook and put it aside, sighing, 'Too much to study, and the knowledge is spread everywhere.'
'Am I supposed to go on a great hunt across kingdoms to learn it all? This is all so frustrating.'
"I'll figure out what makes monsters strong, eventually. It has definitely something to do with their Magic Stone, but the question remains of why it succeeds in doing so."
"After all, isn't it strange? How can monsters eat magic stones and grow in power, potentially even mutating beyond their physical forms?"
'One thing is for them to grow with experience, and another is for a Troll to grow a meter higher and its muscles to bulge and their skin changes color.'
He tapped his forehead, "The Magic Stone, should I keep its qualification as an organ? No, it really is just a piece of crystal shoved inside its body."
"So I guess I should call what its connect to as its own defined organ… but what the hell do I even call that?"
Fumes seemed to rise from his head as he kept thinking about it over and over again…
"Haaa, whatever. I don't need to figure this out today either."
'One of my goals is to understand how drop items form. It's commonly known that drop items appear from particular condensations of energy within parts of the body.'
'That much is fine. It's defined that energy seems to prevent the body part from decaying when the magic stone is removed, shattered, or from the natural, slightly lengthier delay from an ordinary takedown. But then what?'
"… How come no one ever asked why? These people are so shabby…" He exclaimed with a scoff as he kicked a stone away
'There's also the case of some body parts being more resistant to decay than others. Or when preserved through certain means, allows the material to last a little longer so it can be processed into something more permanent, like a potion.'
He looked at a book stuck to the wall. "Mermaid Blood is an actual drop item. It contains such strong vitality and energy within it, that merely drinking it raw gives it the same effect as a High Potion or an Elixir."
"However, that doesn't mean other monsters' blood has no properties, such as the infamous case of the Minotaur… ahem…"
He massaged his temples, 'I just don't know, the Dungeon truly is one of the greatest enigmas of the mortal world.'
He walked to the side, cleaning his hand at a small hole where water kept pouring through, "Maybe I should cheat. Go to a deity and ask it directly… maybe find one good-hearted deity, get it drunk, or even mind control it…"
"Can I even mind control a God though? Their physical bodies aren't divine right now, though… I can't kill them, nor force my hand too much, but maybe I can coerce them into talking."
/Grunt…/
"HUFF!"
Silver turned his head to the side, smiling faintly, "Ahhh, you're awake, my good friend. I was about to address you."
"…"
A Minotaur stood chained to the Dungeon's walls, massive metal pins driven deep into the rock.
Several needles punctured its slightly paler skin, drawing blood and even injecting something from a glass container into its body.
Its breathing was slow and unusually weak, but Silver wasn't worried about it, for this particular minotaur had survived far worse.
But the Minotaur saw things differently. Yet again, it opened its eyes from what it believed to be its last rest, even if it couldn't comprehend what that entailed, nor what it meant.
It understood that its end was close, yet every time it closed its eyes, somehow, its own instincts were proven wrong as it would awaken time and time again.
And every time it would do so, this creature would stand before it. The white eyes that shone in the darkness, followed by its white teeth… followed by the red staining its body.
That was often the first things it noticed whenever it awakened. If not, those… darkness.
But it had come to appreciate it rather than fear it. Because that was far more merciful than whatever this thing imposed upon it whenever their gazes met.
Above all, it had come to fear its song, the dreadful call that was precedent to pain most incomprehensible…
"Mino-Tan! Keep yourself steady, will ya?"
/Grunt…/
The Minotaur grunted, visibly irritated, but it was too weakened to move more than an inch back and forth.
"Now, now, let's not get ahead of ourselves. The day is still long."
Silver looked at the containers and then at their condition, "For this training session, I'm thinking of letting you relax a little bit."
Silver turned around, conjuring a vortex from which he took out a small box full of glistening magic stones.
"I got these just for you. Do you know what they are?"
"…"
Silver's eyes went cold, "Right… and they told me talking cute with animals helped."
He put the box aside, bringing one of the stones directly into its jaw.
"Now, please cooperate and take your medicine. These Level 3 Magic Stones won't be eaten on their own."
/CLENCH!/
The beast snapped at him, trying to chop his wrist off!
/Push!/
But against all of its expectations, Silver merely pushed his arm down its throat, its teeth grinding against his arm as if it were metal!
/BLERCH!/
The Minotaur retched as the magic crystal was pushed down its throat, cutting through its sides…
Seeing its reaction, Silver clapped, "Good work Mino-Tan! I would feed it powdered to you, but I have no idea if that has any adverse effects on its overall… whatever magic stones do to monsters when consumed."
The creature merely showed him its teeth like an angry horse, but Silver thought it was smiling at him, given its peaceful behaviour.
He walked to the side, grabbing a large bucket, "Open up, you need your milk too."
"I went all the way to the Pantry on the Middle Floors to collect some of this, so eat up plenty so you can grow well. I put in some mild healing potions in it too, just in case you weren't doing too well."
"Guah…"
Once again, Silver forced the liquid down its throat with a faint smile through Telekinesis, causing the Minotaur to almost drown as its head collapsed, foaming…
"Excellent, let's begin your daily training, shall we?"
"Huff… huff…"
/Crank!/
As its chains were released, the massive beast, already a head taller than other Minotaurs, raised its head to face Silver…
"ROOOOOOOAAAAAAARRRRR!!"
Its humongous cry shook the caverns, echoing far and beyond the periphery of the Middle Floors.
…
/Twitch…/
"Hum?…"
A young boy with gray hair and a sharp expression turned his head towards the dark caverns…
"Luke? Did you hear anything? I-I really think we shouldn't be here again!" A young girl with pink hair said as she held her staff tightly
"Huff… can you slow down for once?!" A young Elf exclaimed as she ran after the boy with gray hair
A few others followed behind her, equally exhausted.
"…"
The gray-haired boy merely glanced at them for a moment before clicking his tongue and turning back, walking past the arriving team.
"W-Wait! Luke!" The young girl clamored as she ran after him again
A young werewolf boy fell to his knees, "HAAAA… Haa… man… we just arrived."
The party of students returned from where they came, leaving the dangerous Dungeon behind.
…
/Tremble…/
"It's so damn hotch…" Tiona exclaimed as she stuck her tongue out, lying on the floor and covered in sweat
She stood on a boulder overlooking a small patch of land amidst a vast, dried wasteland.
The gargantuan cavern resembled the inside of a Volcano. The walls, floor, and ceiling were all stained a deep crimson, often smooth and reflective, cracking under their weight, as though the stone itself had once melted beneath unimaginable heat, turning into brittle glass.
Jagged fragments of distorted rock littered the ground. Countless black fissures spread across every surface like scars carved into the earth. The surrounding stone appeared charred and carbonized, while a faint red glow pulsed from its depths.
It was not bright enough to illuminate the cavern, yet it painted the darkness in an unsettling hue…
Finn and their party stood at the end of the 48th Floor, standing just shy of the entrance to the 49th Floor.
Yet even as they stood just a mere floor from their goal, they did not step beyond it, and for an extremely valid reason…
The 49th Floor was home to a creature they didn't dare treat lightly.
She turned her head to the side, begging the slender Elf that stood next to a high boulder, "Riveria… please conjure some ice…"
She shook her head for the tenth time already, "I can't. I must preserve every bit of Mind I can before we advance. Please hold on a little more." Riveria replied as a bead of sweat fell down her forehead as she too felt the immense heat through her robes
"I'm going to fall through the floor!"
/SLAP!/
"GU-HO!"
Tione smacked her sister's forehead, "You're not the only one suffering here, so please cut it! You're making it worse for everybody!"
"Don't slap me!"
/SLAM!/
The two sisters soon found themselves in a tug of war on their boulder next to a crack where lava flowed deep down.
""…""
They were joined by a small crowd that watched them from afar, all clearly suffering from the intense heat…
"… So? Are we ready, Finn?" Gareth asked as he turned to the Pallum, his face likely the least bothered by the immense heat despite his heavy armor
"Yes, I'm just about ready to proceed."
"What got you worked up, pal? You usually step inside the Dungeon with everything figured out already."
Finn smiled helplessly, "Even I can't think that far… I'd never leave my office otherwise."
Gareth smirked, "You wish you didn't, though."
"I don't like working that much…"
"Says the workaholic… Tell the truth, you're thinking of taking it down, aren't ya?"
Finn's gaze sharpened, "If only it were so easy." But he soon shook his head, "We'll go with the usual plan."
Gareth nodded, "Avoid it as much as we can, and if not, we push it down a bit till the others can rush past it."
"Let's hope we don't meet it though, taking it down isn't easy."
Finn turned to Riveria, nodding.
She answered with a quiet nod of her own, and soon enough, called up to the others.
Banners raised, the Loki Familia's expedition ventured into the 49th Floor, home to the strongest monster of the Dungeon.
The last known Floor Boss. The Piercing Eye, Balor!
…
/Five days later…/
Today marked the expedition's 6th Day, and also its last.
The large camp was dismantled, with Silver's help, everything was put back in place, leaving only the bare essentials for those who were about to return.
As soon as Finn and the others arrived, they would pierce upward with their momentum, stopping only at Rivira to rest, recover, and process some of their loot by selling it off.
/Fuuuon…/
"Mn? Looks like they're here."
"KIIIIK!"
"Sorry little guy, but you're going back to the box." Silver said out loud as he grasped the Goblin before him with telekinesis
"Gu… kk…"
Silver reached out into space before him, pulling out a long needle the size of its finger. At the mere sight of it, the once ferocious beast recoiled with immense fear, whimpering like a dog in the rain.
"Stop moving for me and go to sleep. If you wake up in there again and mess it up, I'll really feed you to Mino-Tan like the others."
He didn't know if it could understand him, but the Goblin had calmed down considerably, and before long, it vanished inside the swirling torrent.
Silver dusted his hands before putting them on his waist, "Now then."
'Time to go home.'
…
"Can't we stop for a bath? Pretty please…"
Tiona and the other members of the vanguard sat on the side where their camp once stood, with a clear division between them… and everyone else.
Gareth smacked her shoulders, "We'll take a bath in Rivira, for now, we really need to move forward before Amphisbaena spawns. If it somehow escapes during the battle, it'll be too dangerous to move and we'll end stuck until we can take it down."
"Stay away, old man! You stink!" Tiona exclaimed as she ran away with tears in her eyes
"#!! You little… you have no respect for your elders, brat!"
"KIAAA, stay away!"
""…""
Most of the male members of the vanguard stood by themselves on the corner, not bothering with the smell as much as the girls… However, this wasn't entirely out of consideration for them.
There wasn't anything more dangerous than admitting they stunk right in their faces…
"Haaaa… I want a bath. A BATH!" Lefiya cried as she held her knees on the side
Ais looked at her once white armor, now mostly black with some patches of red, "Me too."
'A warm, nice shower with warm food later. Then I'll lie down and sleep, patting my belly…' She thought as she imagined the scene of her lying by a comfortable couch near a bonfire
She looked at the hills where Silver's home once stood, but as she expected, there was nothing there.
/Step…/
""!""
At that moment, Silver stepped from the ground, looking at Lefiya and the others from afar.
"… Heh."
He smirked, much to Lefiya's annoyance, "What's that guy doing… wait… he isn't coming here, is he?!"
Silver approached Lefiya and Ais, "You two are back, how were things?"
"E-Erm… o-okay, I guess?"
"That's nice to hear… Here, I have something for you."
Silver reached behind his back, and shocking everyone, he pulled out a bouquet, handing it over to Lefiya.
"WH…"
/Gasps…/
Both the girls and boys alike froze at the scene, and even Ais' eyes widened as her jaw fell.
Before Lefiya, who was between disbelief and some jumble of emotions she couldn't properly define, Silver turned around, and raised his right thumb to her.
"Don't worry, you need it more than I do. Take this as well." He added as he gave her a small glass bottle
"Wh… what is this?…"
"Perfume, of course. You need it more than I do."
""…""
Lefiya's expression darkened like charcoal, as if the bright skies had turned into night in the blink of an eye.
Ais gasped as she quickly turned away, a bead of sweat falling from the corner of her…
A moment of silence reverberated amidst them… until Lefiya's lips parted open, "~Unleashed streak of light, bow limbs of the holy tree~" She whispered as her head hung low
/Shine…/
A magic circle took shape beneath her.
"L-Lefiya…" Ais mumbled as she noticed what she was doing
"~You are an expert of the bow. Shoot, sniper of the fairies~"
Silver had already run away into the distant forest while everyone watched in disbelief…
"~Penetrate, arrow of absolute accuracy~"
"…"
Ais had already given up, she merely chose to feign ignorance as she looked away like a robot without grease…
"~ARCS RAY!!~"
/BEAM!/
A white beam of light flashed from the tip of her staff, it flew into the sky before curving, homing in on Silver like a shark in the sea.
While the boy flew around with all his mind, she screamed, full of embarassment and indignination, "COME BACK HERE!"
""…""
…
/BEAM!/
""…""
From a nearby hill, Finn and Riveria watched it all unfold with mixed expressions…
"That boy… he can't hold himself at all." Riveria claimed as she sighed out loud
Finn chuckled faintly, "He already did most of the work. We're ready to move."
"Already? Then what are we waiting for?"
Finn looked at Silver as he flew around the distant woods with a beam of light curving around him, "I was thinking about giving them some time to rest… looks like it backfired."
/Boom…/
As the ray of light ignited in the distance, Riveria and Finn watched it with plain expressions as the light beamed on their faces…
"… Can we just…"
"We can't leave him behind." Finn answered immediately without letting her finish her line
"…"
Riveria left in silence.
…
.
.
.
Notes
Almost finished with everything. Thank you all for reading.
And until next time!
Peace.