Is it wrong to try to meet someone in a dungeon?

A simple "It's alright," followed by a sudden and unexpected attack.

I leaped into the air to avoid the sweeping blow that was like a whirlwind, and then untied the Goliath scarf that was wrapped around my neck.

My figure swept across the sky, and the 'enhanced species' suddenly looked up, but it was too late for it to realize.

The raised left hand transformed into the muzzle of a cannon.

Aim at the target, lock on directly below, and then a torrent of flames and lightning pours down.

"【Flame and Lightning】"

'────────────Gahhhhh!?'

Three shots in quick succession.

Even the weaker 'quick-fire magic' can be transformed into a devastating barrage under the 'magic power' of a first-level adventurer.

The spear of flames and lightning relentlessly devoured the massive body of the large monster.

Its crimson scales burst open, its body was pierced by fiery lightning, and its flesh turned into charcoal under the scorching heat. The scarlet predator let out a deafening wail.

When that enormous body finally stopped moving, a nearly melted 'purple-blue radiance' quietly emerged from its depths.

I don't want to waste my mental energy.

So I let my body fall with gravity, and in the air where I couldn't move freely, I suddenly swung the scarf off my right hand.

A jet-black whip-like shadow shot through the air. A giant's strike, imbued with the strongest power, descended.

The scarf, hurtling past, struck the 'magic stone' precisely, shattering its core.

The loud cracking sound arrived as expected.

The crimson predator's massive body turned into ashes, scattering across the dense forest. I landed lightly, and only after confirming that the Shadow Queen was no longer around did I wrap my scarf around myself again.

"...That's amazing..."

I could almost hear the sigh of that girl who once said she wanted to become an adventurer and see all the beautiful sights in the world.

"How many monster materials (dropped items) are needed to complete the mandatory quest, Lady Lily?"

"I've already collected enough 'Blood Tyrannosaurus Fangs,' so to be honest, I'm basically done. But... if the guild finds out, I have a feeling they'll say, 'Oh, looks like floor 30 was a breeze. Next expedition, the minimum floor will be 31!' So I'll probably get ten more Armored Dragon Horn Spikes or Thorn Axe Blades..."

After that, we resolved two more battles.

At this moment, in this temporary resting place, Miss Ming was stuffing her portable rations into her mouth, while Lily was rummaging through the contents of her backpack in front of her.

She carefully laid out each of the "dropped items" as if they were precious fossils.

Maybe she's already doing the math, like 'how much can this sell for?' or 'how many tens of thousands of fares did she make this time?'

After quickly completing my initial surveillance of the surroundings, I couldn't help but smile. At that moment, Welf handed me a water bottle.

"But honestly, having to run back to the 28th floor every time I need a break is just too much trouble."

"That might be true... but there's nothing we can do about it. As soon as we stop to rest in the 'Dense Forest Canyon,' dinosaurs come knocking on our door. We can't relax at all. Besides, it's a rare safe floor nearby, so it would be a shame not to make good use of it."

Upon hearing what I said, Welf responded, "Well, you're right," while glancing around.

Looking around, several tall, azure crystal pillars stand majestically here.

At its base lies a beautiful, colorful flower field.

Wisteria blossoms, shimmering with blue and white hues, hang from the towering dome, radiating an incredible, mysterious glow. Illuminated by the blossoms, the space shifts between azure, pale purple, and seemingly pure white, drawing the soul in and captivating it with this enchanting spectacle. Clear spring water ripples gently, reflecting this mystical light.

"The Maze Garden".

This is the second place, after the 18-story "Maze Park", to be designated as a safe floor.

"I heard that they passed through here when they returned to the surface from the 'deep layer'... but I have absolutely no recollection of it."

"After all, you and that guy were both on the verge of death after falling to the 37th floor. It's normal that you don't remember."

As a safe floor in the lower area, the excellent location of the 28th floor makes it a popular resting place for adventurer teams like ours who are exploring the "Dense Forest Canyon".

Normally, the deeper you go, the wider the maze becomes, but the 28th floor is actually smaller than the "Maze Park," making it a rather rare exception in the entire maze. Even so, it is still spacious enough, and with the unobstructed view, it makes you feel as if you are in a flower field on the ground.

The towering crystal pillars and the glowing vines hanging overhead give this space a dreamlike hue; it might be more accurate to call it a garden in a fairy forest.

It's said that the food available here isn't as plentiful as in "Maze Paradise," but occasionally breaking the blue crystal pillars will yield a rare fruit called "Crystal Candy." The spring water is drinkable and even has a hint of lemony citrus aroma. Furthermore, no monsters spawn from within the walls, which alone is enough to call it a paradise. Just a little attention to the monsters lurking above and below will instantly relax the entire team's tense nerves.

After each battle, they retreat to the 'Maze Garden' to rest and recuperate. Once fully recovered, they launch another attack on the 'Dense Forest Canyon'.

Although it was a bit of a hassle, we decided to adopt this tactic of going back and forth between the 28th and 29th floors.

"Should we just set up camp? We might only make one or two more advances today, right?"

"That might attract monsters from other floors and destroy the camp... But if we leave this stinky bag here, I feel like we'll get a lot of flak if other adventurers pass by..."

"That's true. It's not a good thing to attract attention in this area after the 'factional wars.' Thinking about it that way, 'Rivera Town' is actually quite convenient... although I'm not really willing to admit it."

Welf placed the water jug ​​by the spring and filled it with water, while pursing his lips. I could only respond with a wry smile.

In this "labyrinthine garden", there is no hotel street like in "River Town".

I used to find it strange, and I even asked Mr. Perth, "Have you ever considered doing business on the 28th floor?"

I remember his answer was,

"The floors are too deep. There are too few customers; it's not worth it."

Indeed, compared to the Lv.2 adventurers easily navigating the 18th floor, teams capable of breaking through the "Water City" all the way to the 28th floor are extremely rare. That's basically a skill only mid-to-high-level [Familia] members in the labyrinth city (Orario) possess. After all, Mr. Perth and his group, the seller, already had a tough time getting down here; what's more, if an abnormal situation were to occur, it would be quite terrifying. They might be able to turn back to the surface on the 18th floor, but on the 28th floor, it would be a certain death. It feels entirely possible that such a thing could happen.

That being said, I have indeed heard that some people do business in the 'Maze Garden'. For example, some teams that go down to the 28th floor will take the opportunity to offer exorbitant prices to other teams.

There are also rumors that certain "familias" specifically target the major factions' "expeditions," sneaking up to the 28th floor without actually exploring, instead focusing on trading to make a fortune. Because they lack someone like Mr. Perse to manage things, they have even more freedom to operate. Whenever I hear these things, I can't help but think how incredibly resilient adventurers are.

We've digressed, but in short, our plan is to stay overnight on the 28th floor, including rest.

Given the depth of this level, a day trip was simply unrealistic, so we had planned to camp in the maze for about two nights anyway. After all, this exploration was a true "expedition."

Just like Welf said, we might make one or two more advances today, and then it's time to set up camp and rest.

"However, thanks to you first-level adventurers, floor 29 seems like a piece of cake. It's certainly a good thing for the Familia... but to be honest, it's also a bit scary, as it's easy to get the illusion that 'we can do it too'."

"It's good to have this awareness. A person can't do anything... Keep this in mind, and it's actually the most suitable thing to do in a maze."

While I was talking to Welf, Miss Ryu returned from the depths of the building.

She was holding a large bunch of red fruits in her arms. Those were fruits… no, they were fleshy fruits!

The high-quality ingredients we were treated to at the "Hermitage of Heretics" on the 20th floor.

I never expected to find it in the 'Maze Garden'.

Could it be that Miss Liu knows some unknown collection points?

"Thank you for your guidance. Since that's the case, it's not exactly following the topic, but could you also tell us some information that we can't afford to be careless about? Like, the worst-case scenario in the 'Dense Forest Canyon' or something."

"Well, it's not very common... but if I had to put it in a way, it would probably be like when you're fighting a group of dinosaurs and a giant snake (Lambton) suddenly jumps out from the 'deep layers'."

"Huh!?"

Just as I was gratefully accepting the fruit, I heard Ms. Ryu's words and couldn't help but let out a pathetic scream, "Oops!?" My hand slipped and I almost dropped the fruit on the ground.

Recalling the terrifying experience of being taken to the "Deep Layer," I, a Level 1 adventurer, was the first to scream. Welf couldn't help but burst into laughter, and Miss Ryu also couldn't help but chuckle. So, I really do lack the dignity expected of a Level 1 adventurer...?

Although I'm not as knowledgeable as Miss Ryu, I do know a little about the threats, or rather, the characteristics, of the "Dense Forest Canyon".

Its structure is similar to the other levels of the "Water City". It is an open structure. It is said that there is a shortcut. You can ignore the maze structure and go straight to the passage leading to the next level by climbing up the huge tree trunks to the top of the tree.

...However, the sky above is the hunting ground for winged species, led by the 'Gale Wyvern'.

Even the most skilled adventurers would find their combat efficiency significantly reduced in the trees, where footholds are precarious, compared to the ground. And once airborne, they'd be practically immobilized. Those monsters are born from the unfathomable ceiling; if one were to accidentally find themselves caught in a feast of winged creatures, they'd be doomed. Even if that didn't happen, the 'Gale Wyverns' would constantly circle overhead, waiting for their chance to strike.

Unless you use a super barrage of bullets like your master's magic to shoot it down, or use magical artifacts like Miss Asphie to fly freely in the air, it's just a pipe dream to make the whole squad move between the treetops.

But to be honest, if we're talking about individuals, a first-level adventurer like Miss Ais could probably really jump around in the trees, slaying winged creatures as they go...

There is actually another passage located in an underground cave. Although it takes a longer route, it avoids crossing dense forests and running into those troublesome dinosaurs, making it essentially a second, legitimate route.

However, it's said that some kind of 'highly poisonous' monster will appear over there.

(At this depth, the complexity of the maze is truly incomparable to the 'upper levels'... Even I have this feeling, Nina's head must be in a complete mess...)

I looked away from Welf and the others and saw the half-elf girl slumped in the flower field, groaning and looking more dizzy than anyone else present. She was gratefully accepting the dry rations and water bottle offered by Miss Haruhime.

The last "school trip" was the same; suddenly being taken to various places in the "lower levels," I guess I'd lost all interest in appreciating the mysteries of the labyrinth. My hard-earned ambition to become an adventurer might just be extinguished by this.

Not to mention, they even got to experience a bit of the [Hestia Familia]-style 'baptism'... specifically, it was Lily, or Miss Ryu, or Miss Ryu.

After all, she's a rare volunteer who actively wanted to join our faction. Of course, I hope she can stay. Besides, even if that's not the reason, as friends who helped each other at the same university, I should care about her.

Moreover, unlike in the "Third Squad," this time she was meeting everyone except me for the first time, so she might find it a little difficult to fit in.

As I was thinking this, I was about to walk over.

"Um, could I have a moment? During the fight just now, I felt like something was off, or rather, there was a phenomenon that I couldn't ignore..."

Miss Ming raised her hand to attract everyone's attention.

She drew the team's attention to herself, as if she felt it necessary to share information.

"At one point, I noticed that Lady Haruhime's level-up was still taking effect, even though twenty minutes had passed..."

Since leveling up to Lv.2, the duration of Haruhime's [Mega Hammer] has increased from fifteen minutes to twenty minutes. As a beneficiary of the level upgrade, Miss Mikoto seems to have developed a habit of silently counting the time during battle, stating that the effect duration has been extended by about five minutes.

"Now that you mention it, it does seem to have taken longer than usual this time..." Welf seemed to have some recollection of it, and said while stroking his chin.

This is indeed a phenomenon that cannot be ignored (in the best sense).

The commander was taken aback, while the caster (Miss Haruhime) shook her head repeatedly, looking confused. Just as everyone was about to begin a discussion,

"That... I think it was my fault..."

“““Eh?”””

This time it was Nina's turn to timidly raise her hand.

She stood up, holding the long staff in one hand, her pointed ears drooping, and began to speak.

"My healing magic (Holy Light) can prolong the duration of buffs granted by magic and items..."

"Huh!?"

The next moment, the members of the Hestia Familia screamed in unison. Lily, in particular, reacted the most.

Nina was startled, and the expressions of Miss Mikoto, Lily, and Miss Haruhime beside her changed drastically.

"The buff effect is prolonged!? So, Lady Haruhime's magic will change like this, then that, and then that again...! Lady Lily!?"

"That's right, combined with level enhancement, it's absolutely incredible!! Excellent, it's just too excellent!! For small-scale upper-class factions (the Hestia Familia), this is a treasure they absolutely must acquire!! But the other party is a philandering cat eyeing Lord Bell, but, but, um...! Ahh, whatever—!! We have to get it, we absolutely have to get it!!"

"If Lady Nina becomes an ally, Haruhime's mental energy won't be constantly depleted, and she'll be able to make a greater contribution to everyone, right?! !?!!"

The three of them suddenly formed a circle, excitedly chattering away. But... I understand how they felt.

Could it be that Nina is not only a healer, but also has the talent of a support warlock...?

Even the usually composed Miss Ryu showed a look of surprise. Nina, who looked completely bewildered, was quickly surrounded by Miss Ming and the others.

"Lady Nina, please join the Hestia Familia!"

"Since you've already come to experience it, it's settled! We absolutely won't send you back to the 'school district' again!!"

"Please, please grant us the power of the fairy lord...!"

"Eh, eh!? Wait, that—!?"

Nina, who was in the middle, was instantly enveloped by the warm and intimate sandwich of Miss Life, Lily and Miss Haruhime, and was almost swallowed up.

The three of us stood at a distance watching. The scene was so lively that it seemed like they were about to throw people into the air to celebrate... Seeing this, Welf grinned slightly.

"You're integrating faster than expected. Now you don't need to worry too much, right, Captain?"

"Haha...you're right."

"She's better at socializing than I am. It'll definitely be fine."

I responded to Welf's joke with a smile, and Miss Ryu confidently asserted the same thing.

At the very edge of our sight, the half-elf girl felt needed, and an undisguised joy appeared on her face. As if a tickle ran through her heart, she finally broke into a smile.

Time: Daytime on the third day of Bell and his crew's expedition to the lower levels.

Above the labyrinth, the towering white chalk pillar known as the Tower of Babel finally welcomed the grand gathering that the gods had been eagerly anticipating.

"God is coming—!!"