"Here you are, Ais."
Nodding, Riveria spoke, causing everyone present to turn their heads.
"Um!"
Preparations were complete; it was time to explore those troublesome floors.
"Now that everyone is here... It's time to go."
Taking the lead, Finn took up his spear and walked forward.
"I wish you all good luck..."
"See you, Loki."
With both hands on her hips, Loki watched as her children set off. She already had an idea why the dungeon behaved this way, but she couldn't say it. Time was running out, and as deities, they knew it was time to prepare their children. This expedition was a sufficient test to toughen them up.
Hopefully, the world would guide their destinies, and they would gain a few numbers in their statistics.
---
"Kenki? Good to see you. How have you been?"
"Well, thanks for joining us."
Upon reaching the dungeon entrance, another group awaited them. This was the Hephasteus Family, which, like them, had also joined this expedition.
"No matter, they haven't asked for you... Hm? Kenki, you've changed..."
With a hand on her chin, Tsubaki looked Ais up and down. She didn't know exactly what was happening, but Ais now seemed brighter than when she saw her at the banquet.
"Changing?"
"Hm! You seem sharper... no, maybe more dazzling? It's hard to tell."
Watching as Tsubaki approached without reservation, Ais's cheeks blushed a bit. After all, this change was due to her training.
"Ais-san... It's time."
But before she could stop Tsubaki, who was touching her arm, Lefiya approached.
Everyone was gathered, and it was time to march.
"Alright... Let's go."
Using the elf as an excuse, Ais freed herself from Tsubaki, who sighed in disappointment as she watched her walk away.
---
"As you all know, the dungeon created several abnormalities, especially the Monster Rexes. Each of them is much stronger than we've known before. For example, Goliath's power is Level 5, but due to its size and resistance, adventurers of Levels 4, 5, and 6 are needed to defeat it. I'm pleased to have the support of the Hephasteus Family, who will be in charge of our weapons and provide rear support."
Taking a pause, Finn looked over all his subordinates, then glanced at Tsubaki. In response to his gaze, she nodded. The moment had come; it had been a while since they had embarked on an expedition of this scale with two families united in this. Finn took this seriously.
And with the dangers inside, Finn took the opportunity to announce the conditions of the journey.
Yuki made it clear in his report: no one should venture beyond floor 45 if they didn't want to die. The mutated monsters on those floors were enough to destroy Orario.
A ticking time bomb that, if not dealt with in time, would cause monsters to start emerging from the floors. Although Finn knew that the Hestia Family had control over the monsters on those floors, they couldn't rely on them forever.
No, they didn't want to fall behind. They were adventurers, living beings seeking adventure. This was just another challenge they had to face.
So, there was no way they would stand by and watch as the Hestia Family ventured into these floors. They also wanted to grow stronger.
"According to His Excellency, beyond floor 45, monsters form Level 5 groups and attack everything in their path. Even Level 4 minotaurs are not rare on that floor. Our mission is to find out what caused this change and, if possible, stop it."
With the dungeon entrance behind him, Finn raised a finger.
"However, everyone must remember not to act alone. The dangers we face will be many times greater than before, so it's preferable to walk in groups of 3 to 4 people... That's all; let's go."
"Hooo!"
Spinning on his axis, Finn was the first to advance, followed by Riveria and Gareth.
This was a memorable day for them, a day where they would step onto the dangerous floors that only heroes and the Champion had trodden...
"Ais-san... Tiona-san."
Swallowing hard, Lefiya clenched her staff. After all, she knew about this and confirmed it with the massive hole on floor 17. To think that she would face those terrible monsters brought fear to this girl.
"Don't be afraid, Lefiya... We'll protect you."
Raising her thumb, Tiona comforted her, and Ais also nodded. No matter how far they were at the front, Lefiya, as a mage, would always be protected by her companions.
"Thank you..."
---
Dungeon, Floor 33, Orario
*Bom..
**GYAAAA
*Clang, clink
In the depths of the floors, a large group of adventurers made their way through dinosaur-like monsters.
"Tiona! Tione! Surround them! Don't let them get close to the mages!"
"Yes, Captain!"
"Understood!"
Instantly obeying Finn's command, both Tiona and Tione surrounded the monsters. They were tougher than they thought; in the past, these Bloodsaurs would be massacred with a few blows, but now they resisted with their claws and fangs. There were ten of them, and this number posed a bit of a challenge as they attacked and evaded. Their speed had increased, making it difficult for adventurers even at their level.
*GYAAAA
"Take this!"
Spinning her Urga, Tiona delivered a powerful blow to the Bloodsaur's jaw. However, this only angered the monster, and it used its claws to knock her down.
"Here I come."
*Pufff
But before it could have a chance to strike Tiona, Ais moved at high speed, hitting the creature with her sword and cutting through its defense. The monster instantly vanished in smoke. However, Ais didn't stop there. She moved with agility, cutting through the other monsters, clearing the way for each of them.
Ais's speed was too much for these monsters to react; they disappeared in smoke as she attacked.
"Incredible..."
Opening her mouth in disbelief, Tiona was surprised. These monsters had high resistance and defense, but Ais eliminated them in seconds, and what surprised Tiona the most was that Ais wasn't using magic; it was her raw strength.
This made Tiona reflect on how high Ais's stats should be.
"She has grown a lot in these days."
Tione, in the same position as her sister, couldn't help but praise. They were the same level, but Ais had more endurance than both of them combined.
"Tch..."
Bete, on the other hand, clicked his tongue. Weaklings causing them trouble damaged his pride, but what bothered him the most was that Ais was getting further away from them, as if walking a completely different path. This irritated him a lot because the woman he loved was getting farther away.
"Ais-san is amazing!"
Lefiya, who watched everything from the rear, clenched her fists, and her cheeks flushed. As expected from the woman she admired, she was very powerful.
"This is bad. If the monsters are this strong on these levels..."
"Floor 45 must be a complete nightmare."
Finishing his words, Riveria looked towards Finn, who raised his thumb. Unlike the others, he, although impressed by Ais's power, was more concerned about the monsters. After all, his thumb had never been wrong; something big must be happening in the dungeon, and his instincts screamed danger.
"I'm afraid so. My thumb hasn't stopped hurting since we entered."
Frowning, Finn didn't deny Riveria's words. It had been a day, but since they entered floor 30, the difficulty had increased. All the monsters they once knew were gone; now, these monsters had black skin, showing their abnormality, and their power and resistance levels had increased.
These were not good news. Fortunately, they had Ais, who continued to kill these monsters with a few sword strokes. Thanks to her, they were able to easily traverse the upper and intermediate floors. However, they knew they couldn't continue like this; otherwise, Ais wouldn't be able to endure the entire burden. Not to mention that, from floor 30 onwards, her speed had halved.
Before, when they descended to these floors, it would take at least two days to reach this floor. But now, thanks to Ais and the numerous adventurers, their speed had doubled. This made them happy and proud, as it also spoke volumes about their strength and progress. However, nothing lasts forever; they couldn't continue at that speed.
Unfortunately for them, this was just the beginning...
Their goal was floor 45, but they were still stuck on this floor.
-----
TN: They do be dumbasses at times