Chapter 25: A bold idea?
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After calculating the time, Izzy and Raul had a brief conversation and prepared to end today's exploration.
There was nothing surprising about the monsters on the eighth floor, so there was no need to check them out specifically.
On the contrary, their stomachs were already rumbling slightly in protest.
There is a saying: Man is iron, and rice is steel; if you don't eat for a meal, you'll be hungry.
Although he didn't know the exact time, Izzy was certain that he hadn't eaten lunch today.
The two had entered the dungeon in the morning and had spent so much time exploring the maze, fighting, and cleaning up the battlefield that it went without saying they had consumed a lot of energy.
By the time all the spoils were collected, the backpack behind Raul was already heavy.
This is called the weight of money.
Sir, what's in this backpack is… pure silver!
Ahem, I said it wrong. It should be golden Farleys.
The process of returning was much simpler than exploring.
Just follow the route marked in the Adventurer's Handbook, and it's usually safe.
The route instructions for each floor were obtained after countless verifications by the guild. It is the most convenient route between the two floors of the underground maze, the route that adventurers need to remember carefully, without a doubt.
Whether you are heading deeper or returning to the upper levels, the indicated route is the best choice.
There are many adventurers passing through here every day, which is why it is considered safer.
But if you are exploring the underground maze for rewards, it is best not to explore along the indicated route.
Because during a battle, depending on the situation, your monster may be snatched away by someone else, and in order to avoid being involved, others usually choose to turn a blind eye.
By the way, the route instructions in the Adventurer's Handbook only go up to the tenth floor.
After all, this is an adventurer's manual designed to take care of novices, so providing it to this extent is considered to be the most benevolent thing one can do.
Along the way, Izzy and Raul were able to see many adventurers who were returning to the upper levels like them.
Everyone was carrying a bag that was bulging with weight, and they had smiles on their faces, probably looking happy with their harvest.
However, there were also some adventurers who hung their heads in dejection, looking extremely depressed.
Maybe some companions stayed in the dungeon, or maybe there was no harvest at all?
Anyway, it had nothing to do with Izzy.
After just a quick look at these people, Izzy and Raul returned to the ground, chatting and laughing.
They followed the route in their memory from the seventh floor to the first floor and finally completed the "Departure Road" to the big hole leading to the ground.
The height is about ten meters, and the diameter is about the same, forming a thick cylinder. There are gentle silver steps along the circumference, outlining a huge spiral.
After walking up the stairs, the view suddenly opened up, and the exquisite environment decorated by humans was everywhere.
This is the Tower of Babel located right above the dungeon—a floor underground, and also the largest entrance to the dungeon.
Once you get here, you're in a completely safe area.
The tense nerves of many adventurers relaxed instantly. The hidden fatigue oppressed their whole bodies, forcing them to sit down and rest in this space that could accommodate thousands of people.
Izzy and Raul didn't linger in the area for long. Their growling stomachs had become relentless taskmasters, urging them to move on.
However, before they could rush off to replenish their energy, they first needed to exchange the day's spoils at the Tower of Babel.
"Izzy, go wait in the rest area nearby. I'll handle the magic stone exchange at the window in the Tower of Babel," Raul said, adjusting the heavy backpack on his shoulders.
"Oh, okay," Izzy replied casually.
The Orario Adventurer's Guild had two magic stone exchange locations: one at the guild headquarters and the other inside the Tower of Babel.
Most adventurers preferred the Babel Tower exchange. After all, it was conveniently located right above the dungeon entrance—just a stone's throw away.
After a long day of exploring the dungeon, it made sense for most adventurers to exchange their magic stones there.
That wasn't to say the guild headquarters saw no traffic, but the volume was noticeably smaller.
Izzy made his way to a rest chair on the first floor of the Tower of Babel. He leaned back, stretched out, and let out a quiet sigh of comfort.
Beside him, his silver-gray spear rested upright in its holster, its presence a constant companion.
Finally above ground, Izzy tilted his head back to observe the sky, using its colors to gauge the time.
The horizon was tinged with the deep reds and oranges of a maple-hued sunset. The day was clearly drawing to a close.
"Did we really stay in the dungeon all day?" Izzy mused, slightly surprised.
Exploring the dungeon was undoubtedly a time-consuming endeavor. Still, Izzy understood that this was largely due to his inexperience.
As he became more familiar with the dungeon's layout, his efficiency would naturally improve.
Lost in thought, Izzy stared at the fiery sky, only to be snapped back to reality by Raul's arrival.
Raul emerged from the magic stone exchange window, carrying two heavy bags that clinked with the sound of gold farlies.
The gilded coins gleamed under the fading light, the intricate guild emblem on each coin catching the eye of nearby adventurers.
Envy, or perhaps more sinister intentions, flickered across their faces.
"Hiss… brothers, I have a bold idea!" one adventurer whispered to his companions, his eyes fixed on the bags of coins.
But before he could elaborate, his companion slapped him hard across the face.
"You idiot! Look carefully at who that is! That's Raul Nord of Loki's Familia—Level 4 and nicknamed the Superhuman! You want to mess with him? Are you suicidal?"
The others quickly nodded in agreement.
"If you're itching to die, don't drag us down with you," another muttered, shoving the first adventurer aside.
While adventurers weren't exactly paragons of virtue—many were as rough and ruthless as the dungeons they delved into—they still knew better than to provoke someone far above their league.
Raul, however, paid no attention to the murmured plotting of the crowd. He didn't need to. Just the name of Loki's Familia was enough to send would-be troublemakers scattering.
He approached Izzy with an easy smile, the weighty bags still in his hands. Setting one of them down, he grinned.
"Seventy thousand Valis—well, seventy-two thousand eight hundred, to be precise. Not bad at all for your first dungeon dive! A pretty impressive haul, I'd say."
But when he offered the bag of coins to Izzy, the latter waved it away without hesitation.
"Hold onto it for now. I don't have anywhere to keep it, and honestly, it's too much of a hassle to carry around," Izzy said as he rose from his seat, his tone dismissive.
This time, Izzy had entered the dungeon lightly equipped, with no storage space beyond his pockets.
Carrying a bag the size of a football was simply impractical—where could he even put it?
"You little rascal…"
Raul couldn't help but laugh as he realized Izzy's predicament. Shaking his head, he muttered a few choice words under his breath before retrieving the bag. He stuffed the purse into his own backpack for safekeeping.
The two left the Tower of Babel together, joining the steady stream of adventurers heading out for the day. Around them, people were animatedly discussing where to grab a hearty meal.
Names of well-known taverns, such as the Flame Bee Pavilion and Hostess of Fertility, were mentioned repeatedly, fueling the lively chatter.
Caught up in the festive atmosphere, Izzy turned to Raul with a grin.
"Hey, brother, how about we treat ourselves to a proper feast tonight?"
Despite their minimal age difference—Izzy being sixteen and Raul nineteen—calling him "brother" felt natural and fitting.
Raul scratched the back of his head, a wry smile spreading across his face.
"I'd love to, but chances are slim. If nothing unexpected happens, we'll all be eating in the Familia's dining hall tonight. Tomorrow's the expedition, and the Goddess always uses dinner as an opportunity to give us a little pep talk."
Izzy raised a brow. "A lecture, huh? What for?"
Raul shrugged. "Mostly to remind everyone to value their lives and come back alive."
A pre-expedition address from the gods—it seemed even deities felt the weight of what lay ahead.