The early floors became little more than a formality.
Shadows poured through the Dungeon like a silent tide, erasing wave after wave before steel or spell ever needed to be raised. From Floor One to Eighteen, the Dungeon barely had time to breathe. Monsters surfaced, shrieked once, then vanished into drifting black mist.
Damien walked at the center of it all, hands in his pockets, shadows moving at his will.
Diana and Adonis had been left behind with the Hestia Familia, reinforced by a detachment of elite shadows. Protection came first. Risk was calculated, never careless. Igris led the vanguard with Damien, carving a clean, merciless path straight to the Eighteenth Floor.
By the time they reached the Under Resort, the expedition had barely spent stamina, let alone morale.
It was smooth. Almost too smooth.
Tents were already being raised across the open cavern, lanterns glowing softly against stone walls veined with crystal. Though they could have pushed further, Finn had called for a halt. Discipline mattered more than speed.
Damien stepped into the command tent, the smell of parchment, ink, and warm food mixing in the air.
"Ah, Damien. Come in," Finn said, looking up from the map spread across the table. "We're outlining tomorrow's route."
Gareth let out a booming laugh from his seat. "Never thought I'd see the day I could lie back on a cart and nearly fall asleep during a Dungeon run. Those shadows of yours are a work of art."
Damien smirked. "You should have committed to it. That's usually how I do things down here."
"Oh? Then I'll hold you to that next time!" Gareth laughed.
"Enough," Riveria cut in calmly, eyes never leaving the map.
The tent quieted.
Finn folded his hands. "As per standard procedure, tomorrow we head toward the Under Garden on Floor Twenty Eight. That means confronting the Monster Rex, Amphisbaena."
His gaze shifted to Damien. "At your request, the Hestia Familia will engage it first. We will not interfere unless the battle turns unfavorable. Monster Rexes can vary. Mutations, irregular growth patterns. We cannot assume consistency."
Damien nodded. "That's fine. I want my familia prepared mentally. Ryuu and Samira are veterans, but the three of us have never fought together as a unit. This is the right place to synchronize before the real danger starts."
Finn smiled faintly. "That level of foresight is why I trust you as a leader."
Riveria inclined her head in agreement. "Next, Damien's scouting proposal."
She tapped a section of the map further down. "After Udeus, in the Volcanic Region, terrain and enemy behavior become far more hostile. Narrow paths, unstable footing, monsters capable of coordinated ambushes. Having you advance ahead, eliminate high-threat targets, and secure routes will significantly reduce casualties."
Finn continued, "However, this strategy will be abandoned once we reach the safety zone of Floor Fifty."
Damien raised an eyebrow. "May I ask why?"
Gareth answered first, tone serious now. "Because from there on, survival stops being predictable."
Finn nodded. "Above the Fiftieth Floor, even we operate with incomplete understanding. Intelligent monsters, abnormal spawns, tactics that react and adapt. Your scouting pattern would be noticed. Exploited. We cannot afford that risk."
"I understand," Damien said after a moment. "I trust your judgment, Finn. You're leading this expedition."
Finn exhaled quietly, relief flickering across his face. "Thank you. Your cooperation has already saved time, stamina, and lives."
He straightened. "That's enough planning for tonight. Eat well, drink if you wish, and get proper rest. Tomorrow, the Dungeon stops being polite."
The tension eased. Cups were raised, conversation softened, and outside the tent, the shadows finally settled.
For now, the Dungeon slept.
But it was only waiting.
...
"Here, here, Damien!" Tiona chirped, thrusting a fresh mug of beer into his hand before plopping herself down onto his lap in the bustling camp. She wrapped an arm around his neck, her own mug held high. "Everyone! Let's have a toast for our MVP, Damien!"
Around the crackling fire, Gareth, Finn, Riveria, Ais, Lefiya, Ryuu, Samira, and Tione all raised their cups in response. Even Bete, with a clear lack of enthusiasm, lifted his mug half-heartedly.
"For Damien!" the chorus rang out.
"So, Damien!" Tiona leaned back against his chest, looking up at him. "Got a name for our expedition?"
"Why do you usually have names?" Damien asked, taking a sip.
"Well... not usually," Finn answered with a diplomatic smile.
"But! I thought that since this one is gonna be special, we'd give it a name!" Tiona insisted.
"Hmm... I'd have called it Expedition 33, to be honest," Damien mused. "But that's just for nostalgia, something special from my past. If we really had to give it a name... honestly, I don't know. Maybe Expedition Loki and Hestia?"
"Terrible naming sense," Tione stated flatly from across the fire.
"Well... you all put me on the spot there," Damien replied with a shrug.
"Meh... I'd call it the Drunk Expedition, considering we're all getting drunk already!" Gareth boomed, his words starting to slur. Finn, noticing his state, stood and helped the swaying dwarf to his feet.
"I'm gonna take Gareth to bed. This old fart can usually hold his liquor, but thanks to Damien doing all the work, he's been drinking all day."
Bete, seeing this, frowned deeply. He got up abruptly. "I'm gonna head to bed," he grumbled, shooting a last, unmistakably angry glance toward Damien before stalking off.
Damien watched him go. "What's his deal?"
"He's an idiot... and probably a bit jealous of our resident Harem King," Tione drawled, taking a long drink.
"Harem King?" Damien echoed.
"You're dating my sister, Ais, Samira over there," Tione began, ticking names off on her fingers. "Aisha? Perhaps Hestia? Rumors say you're close to Hephaestus and Tsubaki. You fought a war game for that Haruhime girl, so you've definitely found your way to her panties. That Mikoto girl is also close to you, the hostess of the fertility girls... How many girls is that? Fifteen? So, yeah. Everyone calls you a Harem King."
Ais, Samira, and the other girls present blushed at the blunt assessment. Tione looked around the circle, her grin widening. "Honestly, at this point, it's just a matter of time before you get into my panties. Riveria here is gonna be a hard nut to crack, but I bet she'd love it. Even our shy Lefiya is not safe from you."
Riveria smacked Tione's head lightly with her staff. "Enough."
Tione just rubbed her head and took another swig. "What? I'm just being honest here..."
Tiona laughed, wiggling on Damien's lap. "Well! The more the merrier! Isn't that right, Ais?"
"Uhm! Sharing Damien with you all will be good," Ais agreed with serene simplicity.
"Why am I being talked about like I'm some commodity?" Damien protested. "I don't just date girls for the sake of it!"
Everyone looked at him, expressions ranging from amusement to disbelief.
"Are you saying you have standards and shit?" Tione challenged.
"Well... yeah..." Damien said, suddenly on the defensive.
"Name them," Tione demanded, leaning forward.
"What?"
"Go on. Give us your standards. I'm interested."
"Well... uhm... She's got to be... beautiful. And smart. And interesting. And... well, cares about me. And... well, I don't know," he finished, lamely.
"Riiiight. Standards," Tione said, making sarcastic quotation marks with her fingers. "Just admit you're a horny bastard, but you also happen to be a sexy, handsome one as well, so girls are all over your dick."
"And that includes you?" Damien asked, meeting her gaze.
Tione held it for a beat, then smirked. "Honestly... yeah? ...You know what? Fuck it. Let's go back to my tent. I wanna fuck you."
Tiona burst into laughter. Riveria smacked Tione's head again with a sigh. "Tione, you're drunk."
"Ow!" Tione complained, but her grin didn't fade. "Yeah, but so what? I wanna see what the hype is all about. Aren't you as well, Riveria?"
"No, I am not. If I am to seek a romantic partner, it would not be for their skills in bed," Riveria stated primly.
"Yes, but that would be a nice bonus, right? Tiona talked about Damien like he's the god of sex personified, and I am curious. So, fuck it. Let's do it," Tione pressed, her eyes gleaming with drunken challenge.
"I think I'm supposed to consent as well," Damien pointed out.
"Yeah. And so what? Are you gonna refuse me?" Tione stood and moved toward him. She turned around, displaying her backside, then leaned down and arched her back provocatively. "Are you?"
Damien was, indeed, tempted. To add fuel to the fire, Tiona, still on his lap, grabbed his hands and placed them firmly on Tione's offered rear.
"Yeah... you feel it up. I know you want it," Tione purred over her shoulder.
Riveria sighed, standing with an air of long-suffering dignity. "It looks like you are all far too drunk to be controlled. I'm off to sleep. Just be careful." She turned and walked away. Lefiya, who had been burning crimson through the entire exchange, squeaked and scrambled after her. Ryuu, with a calm sip of her drink, also decided not to indulge and departed for her own tent.
And Damien? Well, he had his own personal war to manage in his massive tent later that night, as Tiona, Tione, Ais, and Samira all followed him inside for a long... long night of indulgence.
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