The next morning, Aston and others enjoyed an early breakfast and then set out on their journey again.
Today's market refresh was the same as yesterday, nothing of interest, Aston glanced at it and didn't pay much attention.
Yesterday was a journey of fighting downwards, today they were fighting upwards.
Yesterday's pace of advancement set the speed for today.
After just five floors, Aston leveled up again.
This time, the reward was a skill.
A skill of Lancelot, a Heroic Spirit from the Fate world, called 'Infinite Martial Training.'
In a certain era, it was called unparalleled martial arts refinement, allowing the integration of mind, skill, and body, enabling the exertion of formidable combat capabilities without mental constraints.
This directly maxed out Aston's combat experience and skills.
The first to feel this change were those fighting alongside Aston.
Ais and others only felt that Aston's combat skills had improved several times instantly, far surpassing theirs.
At least when they saw Aston's changed combat skills, they immediately compared them to their own, and the result was a complete defeat.
Everyone was very concerned about this sudden change in Aston.
Among them, Ais was the most concerned.
Ais's pursuit of strength was the most important among them. Aston's strength, far exceeding their combat skills, was something she sought to improve her own abilities.
Ais's gaze towards Aston almost glowed.
If it weren't for the fact that their team was fighting while on the move, needing to return to the surface before dark, Ais might have requested a fight (or instruction) from Aston, just like on their last adventure.
In the blink of an eye, several hours had passed.
The fully engaged group smoothly returned to the 38th floor.
However, even upon reaching this safe floor, they did not stop to rest and continued towards the upper levels.
Returning to the surface from the lower levels also took several hours.
"Speaking of which, I wonder if we'll encounter a Floor Boss on this return trip," Tiona said with a laugh while running quickly.
On their two consecutive adventures, the first time they encountered Goliath, the second time Udaeus, and they wondered if they could meet Amphisbaena, the double-headed dragon on floors 25 to 27, this time.
As for Balor, the monster on the 49th floor, they did not hold much hope, as that behemoth, though undefeated, rarely appeared.
Moreover, even if it did appear, they were not a match for it. After all, being a level 7 Floor Boss, they, a few level 5 adventurers, couldn't possibly win.
It was said that once Ottar, the strongest level 7 adventurer in the city, went deep into the dungeon to challenge Balor, but returned heavily wounded.
Even Ottar couldn't defeat Balor, so there was no chance for them banding together.
Only if the first-class adventurers of the Loki Familia joined forces would there be a possibility of defeating it.
"Well, who knows," Tione shook her head, not holding much hope."
"Aston, listening to the conversation of the others, fell into deep thought.
The 27th floor, if he remembered correctly, was where the Astrea Familia was annihilated.
At that time, due to the Dark Faction's activities in the dungeon, Juggernaut was born, sweeping through the adventurers on the 27th floor.
The downfall of the Astrea Familia began after that incident.
Eleven second-class adventurers, levels 3 and 4, all disappeared except for Ryuu.
However, considering Ryuu's current situation, there must have been more to that incident.
And most likely, it was somewhat related to Aston himself.
Aston had a vague feeling about this.
"Hmm?" Just then, Aston sensed something and discreetly glanced at the nearby river without showing any sign.
They were currently on the 27th floor, within the area known as the 'Water Mystery,' and Aston had just detected a special presence in the rapid waterfall beside them.
This presence was very subtle, unnoticed by Ais and the others.
If it weren't for Aston's affinity with natural auras and his acute sensitivity to living beings, he wouldn't have noticed it.
The presence he felt was not that of a monster but something different.
An image flashed in Aston's mind.
Mermaid Marie, the Xenos they encountered during their expedition in the Water Mystery.
If not for this mermaid, Bell would have been defeated in his first expedition.
Turning his gaze away, Aston pondered for a moment but decided not to make contact with Marie.
After all, the adventurers with him, especially Ais, due to their own experiences, harbored absolute hostility towards monsters.
It can be said that apart from the Ganesha Familia, all adventurers stood in opposition to monsters.
Even Aston himself was only more interested in Xenos and bore absolute hostility towards monsters.
If the others discovered Marie's existence, she would not survive.
This was not good for Aston, who intended to use the Xenos for his own purposes.
Although Marie's own strength was not great, only around level 2, even a mosquito is still meat.
The group quickly left the area, heading towards the upper floors.
A few minutes after they left, a deep green head emerged from the turbulent waterfall.
"That person just now seemed to have noticed me," Marie quietly observed the spot where Aston and the others disappeared, murmuring softly.
She was swimming comfortably in the water when she suddenly felt a very comfortable aura approaching and couldn't help but search for it, almost revealing her presence.
Even in the water, she clearly felt that the comfortable aura came from Aston.
Moreover, Aston seemed to have noticed her presence too.
"A special human, I should tell Rey and the others," she murmured softly, then dived into the water and swam away swiftly."
***
500 power stones = 1 extra chapter
Check out my Patreon for 20 chapters ahead! Your support helps a lot.
PATREON.COM/METARLN