At that moment, cracks appeared on the ground not far away, and a large number of monsters, originally from the 59th floor, began to emerge from the earth.
Riveria didn't need to give any reminders; several members of the team immediately charged forward.
During the previous battles, Riveria had intervened so often that there hadn't been many opportunities for the others to act. Now, however, they were eager to seize this chance.
The monsters on the 59th floor were stronger than the insect-type ones they had previously faced, but they still posed little threat to Sett and the others.
With swift, precise strikes, Tiona took charge of clearing the battlefield once again. Without the threat of the acid that melts flesh, Tiona can go wild even without a weapon.
"It looks like everything is fine. The dungeon is starting to refresh the monsters," Riveria remarked, observing the situation around her.
The environment on the entire floor appeared to be slowly recovering, and the chill in the air became more pronounced.
"Clear the battlefield and prepare to retreat!" Riveria gave the order decisively.
They couldn't afford to wait for the 59th floor to fully return to its glacier domain; it would become much more difficult to retreat once that happened.
While the path was still clear, it was best to leave quickly.
The team helped Tiona collect the magic stones scattered on the ground, and together they made their way toward the entrance to the 58th-floor link.
Once back on the 58th floor, Tiona wasted no time retrieving the loot she had left behind earlier, and soon, the entire group was on their way back to the 56th floor in one swift motion.
After all, none of them had the ability to fly, so they had no choice but to make the journey on foot.
However, it wasn't all bad; the return trip was full of rewards.
By the time they reached the 50th floor, everyone had gathered quite a haul.
The magic stones and materials here were enormous, and it was difficult for less-experienced members to carry them all.
Fortunately, the more seasoned adventurers in the group had no problem carrying the load.
After spending some time in the deep layers, Riveria had not only collected more materials and magic stones to cover the expenses of the expedition, but she also led the group back to the 59th floor.
The environment had completely restored itself, though the glacier domain still felt uncomfortable.
But for Riveria, this was good news—it seemed everything was returning to normal.
After staying for a few more days, Balor, which had respawned on the 49th floor, became the new target for the Sol Familia.
Among the many companions brought this time, most of them had met the attribute requirements for leveling up.
Defeating Balor, which was an excellent challenge for an LV7, would be a perfect opportunity for them.
Riveria stood at a distance, carefully observing Balor's movements, while the expedition team launched their attack according to their plan.
As expected, Kled took the lead. Riding Skaarl, he activated his speed boost and circled around Balor, setting up for a powerful strike.
Kled's small figure darted forward and, with the peak strength of an LV5, struck Balor's knee. It was a blow like a fly buzzing against a tree, but the long axe left a shallow wound on the giant.
Balor stumbled, tilting slightly. Though it didn't fall, its focus was distracted, and the hatred accumulated towards Kled.
Ignoring the nearby enemies, Balor swung its massive palm toward Kled, as if swatting a mosquito.
With the speed boost from Skaarl, Kled slapped the mount's rear and accelerated out of harm's way.
The massive palm narrowly missed him, but the wind generated by the attack sent a shockwave that nearly blew Kled off course.
At that moment, Kled's small size proved to be an advantage—Balor's large frame made it difficult for him to catch the tiny figure.
"You can't catch me!" Kled shouted, his voice full of pride.
Behind Balor, Sett had already steadied himself. His fists struck with power, creating a series of powerful impacts that rang like hammer blows. But Balor barely flinched, and Sett's wrists throbbed with the force of the hits.
Just as Balor turned its head to see Sett, another figure rushed forward.
Irelia, wielding her sharp blades, dashed in front of Balor, aiming directly at its giant eyes. Her blades pierced its right eye with precision.
The attack caused a deep gash on Balor's head as the blades were drawn away, leaving a straight scar running down its skull.
Irelia didn't pause; with swift reflexes, she realigned her blades and struck again, cutting through Balor's injured eye, causing blood to spurt out.
The immense pain of losing its eye drove Balor into a frenzy. It swung its massive head, ready to retaliate, but Irelia was prepared.
With quick thinking, she summoned her blades back to her side, adopting a defensive stance in time for the incoming blow.
The impact was still powerful, sending Irelia flying through the air, blood spraying in all directions.
Tiona and Tione rushed forward and managed to catch Irelia mid-air, though the force of the impact sent all three women sprawling back toward the rear guard.
Despite Irelia's setback, the others pushed forward. From a distance, Yone entered his [Soul Unbound] state, his spirit leaving his body behind. Wasting no time, he unleashed [Fate Sealed], instantly appearing in front of his target with deadly precision.
He closed the distance quickly and unleashed a powerful slash with both of his swords. The Godly Slash struck Balor's intact left eye with deadly precision.
Before Balor could react, Yone withdrew his spirit body, knowing that his own fragile body couldn't withstand a blow from Balor.
Balor let out a pained howl as both of his eyes were targeted, and the sound was deafening, almost like a spell in itself.
Around Balor's mouth, a surge of energy began to gather, preparing for a devastating attack.
"Whimsy!" Lulu interrupted, her voice sharp as she disrupted the energy buildup with her magic.
A sheep—albeit a large one—appeared at Balor's position, momentarily confusing it. Perhaps because of its relatively large size, even if it became a sheep, it was still a size bigger.
Seizing the opportunity created by Lulu's intervention, the rest of the group surged forward. They wasted no time, unleashing a barrage of attacks to deal as much damage as possible while Balor remained transformed!