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

The masked man leaped to a corner of the passage's ceiling, and below him, a powerful vortex of arrows engulfed a large group of monsters.

The monsters lined up in a straight line were pierced through in one breath and wiped out, followed by a fierce gust of wind that blew towards the blue-purple hooded robe.

Whispers emanated from beneath the mask as the shockwave relentlessly pounded against them.

How can this be.

"It took me quite a bit of effort."

"!?"

The hooded, robed figure floating in the air was attacked by a spear thrust out.

As Ais charged to the farthest point of the passage and shattered the maze, Finn followed up with her killing move (Miniature Gale), launching an attack before the enemy could calm down.

Seeing the silver spear with its non-damaging properties thrusting towards him, the man in the hooded robe swung his metal gloves, barely deflecting the attack.

"It seems there are differences in power even among you weirdos."

"...!?"

His opponent kicked the wall and landed on the ground, and Finn engaged him in close combat.

Faced with the wild thrusts of the spear, the opponent desperately defended himself with his metal gloves. But against Finn's unparalleled spearmanship, the enemy couldn't even mount a counterattack.

The strange man in front of them was weaker than Revis.

Finn had fought the red-haired woman on the 18th floor and immediately saw through this.

The dwarfs' continuous attacks pierced through the lower part of their field of vision, and their speed increased, causing the hooded robed man to cry out involuntarily:

"Violas, the carnivorous plant!!"

Countless yellow-green tentacles shot out from the ground, as if to shatter the pursuing spear.

As Finn retreated, several carnivorous plants surged out from the gaps in the single path.

Countless tentacles pierced the labyrinth, bursting forth from the ceiling, walls, and ground, showering down yellow-green raindrops from all directions. Finn whirled his spear like a whirlwind, deflecting all the attacks, while the hooded robed figure seized the opportunity to retaliate, lunging at him.

The high-speed attack and defense left those around them unable to keep up. At the other end of the distant passage, Ais blocked the larval form that was attacking her, and the sound of a chaotic battle suddenly rang out. At the same time, Finn and the monster shifted the battlefield from a single path to a horizontal cave, with silver spears and silver fists going back and forth, and the battle was fierce.

Then, under the cover of the carnivorous plant, the hooded man launched a concentrated attack with his tentacles, intending to press his advantage—and in the blink of an eye.

"grumble!?"

As if responding to a supporting shot—an arrow pierced the shoulder of the hooded robe.

"Shot, shot!"

Far behind Finn, Raul stood there, bow in hand, looking dazed.

The strange man immediately pulled the arrow from his shoulder and crushed it with a snap.

"It's useless!?"

"No, well done, Raul."

The male member let out a pathetic groan, but Finn smiled at him and slashed off several of the man-eating plant's tentacles at once.

The next instant, the man in red trousers sped across the path cleared by the spear.

"Judging from the looks of it—is it alright to cut it?"

『——』

Tsubaki let her tied-up black hair fly wildly, leaped out, and came to the front of the monster.

She gave the unsteady hooded robe-clad figure no chance to escape, narrowing her right eye as she drew her katana.

The lightning-fast Iaijutsu slash unleashed from the scabbard struck the enemy.

"Guh—Aa ...

The enemy's right arm, along with the metal glove he was wearing, was severed.

His own arm flew into the air, and the monster screamed. He quickly fell to the side, barely avoiding a fatal blow, but Tsubaki continued her pursuit.

"Try this trick!"

However, the enemy's cries attracted a carnivorous plant.

Before Tsubaki's katana could even strike the enemy, the ugly flower-beak swallowed the hooded man whole.

"What!"

The man-eating flower, its long, thin body slashed by the katana, let out a wail, but still tried to escape with the monster it had swallowed.

It used its tentacles to retract its right arm, which had been flying through the air, and ran deeper into the horizontal cave. Chun was startled and wanted to give chase, but the royal family member who had been chanting the incantation finished the spell first.

"—【Ecstasy: Fimbulb Winter】!!"

Three blizzard-like bursts were fired out.

The ice magic froze the entire horizontal cavern all the way to its far end.

The carnivorous plant that turned to flee was instantly frozen and sealed into a world of icy desolation.

Seeing the monster freeze and stop moving, Tsubaki ran over triumphantly.

“…Hmm?”

"What's wrong, Tsubaki?"

Chun smashed the man-eating flower ice sculpture, raised her katana at the monster that had been swallowed, but paused for a moment, then opened her eyes wide.

Finn and Raul fought off the remaining monsters from the rear, and Riveria ran over to Tsubaki and saw what was happening.

"Only the robe remains...?"

"Did he escape?"

The shattered carnivorous plant's mouth contained only an empty hooded robe and a shattered, frozen mask. Its severed right arm consisted only of tattered blue-purple cloth and a metal glove, both completely empty inside.

"They escaped the magic's range in the brief moment when the blizzard obscured their vision?"

"Unbelievable... what incredible speed... no, what incredible speed at which he escaped."

Riveria was speechless, while Tsubaki beside her groaned bitterly.

They looked up and saw a narrow passage extending from the horizontal cavern, connecting to the intricate maze, right in front of them.

"Riviera, Tsubaki."

"Sorry, Finn... it seems that person got away."

"What should we do? Should we go after them?"

Finn arrived with Raul and other supporters, as well as Ais, who had returned after defeating the monster. Riveria and Tsubaki turned to look at him.

Scattered among the man-eating plant's frozen, elongated body were blue-purple robes and metal gloves. Finn glanced at them and shook his head.

"Our immediate priority is to reunite with Grace and the others, and hurry to the 58th floor."

"understood."

Finn made this judgment out of concern for his companions' safety, and no one objected.

They had cornered the monster, but he managed to escape. Although this made everyone a little worried, the group still headed down to the next floor.

"Ais, thank you for your help again, Avant-garde."

"Um."

Ais nodded in agreement with Finn.

The hooded robe, covered in frost and snow, watched the adventurers' retreating figures.

◆

The battle on the 58th floor was fierce and intense.

The adventurers' escape route is still blocked by giant larvae surging from the passage leading to the 57th floor, and they continue to fight against large numbers of monsters in order to survive.

Even in this depths, the larval forms are still considered an anomaly. They formed enormous swarms, too numerous to count, and attacked Grace and the other monsters. Their innate tendency to attack upon reacting to "magic" and "magic stones" led to a chaotic battle.

The larval form dissolves its opponent with corrosive liquid, then opens its mouth wide to devour the struggling monster along with the "magic stone"; the ferocious monsters continue to bar their teeth and claws and tear at their prey despite their flesh melting; the flying dragons rain down a barrage of fireballs from overhead.

The roars of broken gongs, the howls of wild beasts, and the breaths of dragons intertwined on the 58th floor.

"Is this always the case on these floors!?"

"You're asking me? Who am I supposed to ask?!"

Monsters were engaged in a brutal free-for-all, with Tiona and Bert driving away the surrounding monsters as they attacked the newly hatched Cannon Dragon that had broken through the wall. To prevent a massive fireball from blasting both sides away, Silver Boots, equipped with the "Magic Sword," unleashed Frost Kick, combining it with a powerful, non-destructive slash to send the Great Red Dragon to its doom. The only saving grace was the intervention of the larval forms, which made movement on the battlefield slightly easier.

The two dodged the corrosive liquid that the larvae immediately sprayed, and the worst three-way melee continued.

"Are these monsters fighting day and night?"

Protected by Tione, Lefia was wary of the larval stage and dared not chant easily; while Grace, with her cloak billowing, fought bravely.

He first charged forward like a cannonball, then drew his weapons and used his two great axes to drive away all the enemies.

A group of larvae noticed him approaching and sprayed corrosive liquid.

"I've seen that move before."

However, he easily dodged it, and the giant battle axe swung towards the ground.

A hole was dug into the rock, and shrapnel formed long-range weapons that bombarded the larval monsters. The monsters were riddled with holes, dripping bodily fluids before exploding.

Facing the remaining larval forms, the dwarf warrior raised his indestructible axe high above his head.

"Drink it!!"

"Gah!?"

The massive vertical strike cleaved large individuals in two before they could even resist.

(However, these strange-looking monsters...)

During the nearly eight-hour battle, Grace, whose skills never seemed to wane, wore a suspicious expression beneath his helmet. The dwarf's eyes were observing the larval form's movements.

(Starting from the 57th floor at the north end, it devours other monsters while moving towards the center of the cave... heading south.)

Seeing that the new monsters continued to pour out and attack from the passage leading to the 57th floor, Grace glanced behind her.

That's the south end of the floor, where there's an entrance leading to the next floor.

(Are all these guys headed for the 59th floor... or even lower?)

The larval form that appears and wreaks havoc in the deep regions, is either heading to an area or returning to a place.

Grace squinted at the dark entrance to the unreached area, pulling her attention back to the battle.

"Dragon Gun...! Again!?"

Seeing the great red dragon emerge from the floor again, Tiony, sweating profusely, cursed.

Bert clicked his tongue, "You jerk!" Tiona flicked her wrist, and Lefia's breathing became rapid; the long battle had left the young adventurers unable to hide their fatigue.

Seeing the cannon dragon crash through the ground and appear in the center of the floor, Grace, displaying tireless toughness, also decided to rush over—and it happened in the blink of an eye.

"[Ecstasy: Fimbulb Winter]!"

A massive blizzard spell blew in from the north of the building.

Not only the great red dragon, but all the monsters in the vicinity were frozen. When Tione and the others opened their eyes wide, they saw a golden diagonal line.

"!!"

The blonde, golden-eyed swordswoman, Ais, who hurtled through the air like an arrow, shattered the ice sculpture of the cannon dragon.

With a swing of the Sword of Despair, the frozen dragon's head was severed, and the ice shattered, crashing to the ground with a deafening roar.

"Miss Ais!!"

"Rivia!"

Upon seeing their companions appear, Lefia and Tione cheered.

Ais landed in the middle of the floor, with Riveria, Finn, and Tsubaki behind her. Raul and the other four supporters also ran over; everything seemed to be alright.

"Commander—!?"

"Let's celebrate later! First, wipe out the remaining monsters!!"

Tiony suddenly became energetic, but Finn paid little attention and gave instructions to the band members.