The Joint Expedition force quickly completed its assembly.
On the surface, it appeared to consist only of members from the Loki Familia and the Astraea Familia. The Hephaestus Familia had sent only Tsubaki; the rest of their craftsmen, unsurprisingly, had entered the Rest Space to recuperate.
The front-line assault on the Dungeon didn't require their assistance. Their role would come later—repairing weapons and armor for the Adventurers once the expedition advanced deeper into the Dungeon.
The gathered expedition naturally drew the attention of the watching Gods.
Their eyes, however, were not on the familiar faces of the Loki or Astraea children—they were searching for one person, someone unfamiliar.
It wasn't difficult to pick out an unfamiliar Adventurer from among so many well-known ones. Their gazes soon locked onto a single stranger.
Among the two Familias assembled, there was only one Adventurer they didn't recognize. And this one exuded an odd, unnatural aura—nothing like a human's. More like a lifeless shell without self-awareness.
The Gods reached the same conclusion at once—
A puppet.
"Imagine letting a puppet stand at the forefront," one God muttered. "Loki's children truly have no intention of stepping into the spotlight themselves."
"If it were your child," another replied, "would you let one with such power stand in front?"
"Of course not. A child like that should only be revealed once they've matured enough. But Loki's clearly focused on drawing out the greater power sealed within that puppet and its spatial ability. Up till now, we haven't even seen the child's real form because of it. How tantalizing."
The curiosity born from the unknown made the Gods restless. The mysterious child hidden by Loki was now the center of every divine whisper. Aside from Loki, Astraea, and Hephaestus, no one had ever seen that child's true appearance.
That sense of mystery—it made the Gods itch with anticipation.
Perhaps the child wasn't even attractive. But until they saw for themselves, the excitement of that mystery wouldn't fade.
Meanwhile, the key members of the Loki Familia and Astraea Familia had gathered at the Dungeon's entrance.
Finn stood at the front, holding his long spear adorned with golden inlay. He didn't make any grand speech of declaration; he simply stood there, calm and resolute.
"This Joint Expedition carries different goals for each of us," he said. "But I believe, with our preparation, every one of you will reach the height you seek. Our objective this time is clear—the exploration of the unknown."
"Everyone—are you ready?"
"Yes!!!"
Both Familias roared as one, voices firm and brimming with conviction.
Every Adventurer had their own reasons for joining. For many, it was the longing to advance—to gather enough Excellia to step into a higher realm of power.
Their destination was the deeper floors, where countless opportunities awaited. So long as they dared to risk their lives, Excellia would not remain a distant dream.
Flames of excitement blazed in every eye. The Joint Expedition had truly begun.
Even the Gods watching from afar couldn't help but exclaim in awe.
"As expected of Loki's children—their aura alone outshines my entire Familia combined."
"Indeed. But aren't they too energetic? Do they even understand what an Expedition truly means? They seem almost… thrilled."
An Expedition was never safe. The Dungeon was full of change and peril; even the most seasoned Adventurer could fall victim to its deadly surprises.
Every veteran had been injured. Every one had faced death in the Dungeon's embrace.
"Then—move out!"
With Finn's command, the assembled force advanced into the Dungeon.
Once inside, they immediately broke into formation.
Before reaching Floor 18, they progressed in three-man cells, advancing in a tiered, rotating formation. Each group of three would face the monsters ahead with maximum efficiency—two in the front, one in the rear—covering and supporting one another seamlessly.
This strategy was remarkably effective, especially when facing packs of monsters.
"Ha!"
A dual-blade Adventurer darted forward, closing in on a Goblin before it could even react. In a single blur of motion, he slashed open the creature's throat.
"Screee!"
Three more Goblins lunged from behind.
The dual-blade fighter shifted aside instead of pressing forward. The shield-bearer behind him stepped up to meet the charge head-on.
"Shield Bash!"
He drove his massive shield forward with all his might. The impact resounded with a dull thud, launching all three Goblins skyward.
"Whsshh!"
Behind him, the archer was already ready—three arrows loosed in perfect unison, striking each Goblin midair.
The four monsters were slain in an instant.
As soon as the three-man team finished their engagement, they pulled back smoothly, clearing the space for the next unit to advance.
Another trio stepped in without hesitation, keeping the momentum constant.
For these upper-floor monsters, the battles were little more than warm-ups. But the point of this rotation system was endurance—each group alternated attacks to manage stamina and maintain fighting condition for the long descent ahead.
The Goblins on these upper floors were simple foes. This stage was nothing more than a warm-up to prepare for what lay below.
As the party descended, the monsters' numbers and strength would grow sharply. By the time they reached even the 10th floor, their opponents would be several times stronger. The Adventurers would have to push forward at speed, consuming stamina faster with every battle.
This was why the formation required no orders—only mutual understanding and flawless teamwork.
It was small-scale combat in motion, perfectly synchronized and utterly efficient.