"She's incredible! Alise's gotten insanely strong!"
Lyra's eyes widened as she stared at Alise's back—the back of the girl who had just felled Goliath with a single strike. Her jaw nearly hit the floor. She remembered that Alise hadn't been anywhere near this powerful before. And it wasn't just Alise. Kaguya, too.
Confusion flickered in Lyra's gaze. When had those two become so strong?
And that strange blue aura that had tainted Goliath's body… along with the crimson crescent Alise unleashed with her sword—everything about it felt unusual. Lyra could hardly restrain the urge to demand answers from Alise and Kaguya on the spot. Weren't they supposed to be good friends? How could they keep something like this a secret?
Only now did Lyra begin to understand a few things. She remembered how everyone used to train together—until one day, Alise and Kaguya started going off on their own, claiming the group training wasn't challenging enough. They'd said, "You'll see the results soon."
So this was the result?
"She's mastered her power well," Gareth remarked, crossing his arms. "To use an ability like that… she's probably stronger than Ais."
"Yeah," Finn nodded. "Ais's control still isn't quite at Alise's level. Ais is all about explosive bursts, while Alise's style is focused on precision. But Ais could really learn something from her. Better control over her strength might take her even further."
Ais?
Hearing Finn and Gareth's conversation, Lyra immediately turned her gaze toward the blonde swordswoman. Ais looked the same as ever—cute, quiet, blank-faced, showing no visible reaction. But the mention of "power" caught Lyra's attention.
Wait… does that mean Ais has the same kind of power as Alise and Kaguya?
Her mind spun. Could two people really share a power of the same type? It didn't look like magic—at least, not any normal kind. And if it was magic, could such abilities even be compared?
Her curiosity only grew stronger.
Once Goliath was defeated, Dyne stepped forward and with a simple wave sent the bisected Magic Stone and all its rare materials into storage. The rear units quickly caught up.
"Alise, you've gotten stronger."
Ais's words drew a beaming smile from Alise—bright and childlike, her happiness radiated as she made a playful victory sign.
"I worked really hard for this Joint Expedition! I didn't spar with you lately because I was training with Kaguya. Her 'Rain' is way gloomier than my 'Storm.' The calming effect is ridiculous—it completely neutralizes my style."
Alise's words made Ais's golden eyes light up as she turned to Kaguya. During past sparring sessions, she had only faced Alise, never Kaguya. She hadn't yet experienced Kaguya's "Rain." Now, she really wanted to.
This talkative girl…
Kaguya sighed and covered her face. Sparring with Ais wasn't exactly something to look forward to. Ais was far from an easy opponent—not only was she a level higher, but her swordsmanship was ferociously refined. And unlike Alise, Ais didn't hold back. Fighting her in a mock battle was exhausting.
"Kaguya, let's spar when we get back!"
Ais's face, still innocent and soft at this age, glowed with excitement. Her expectant eyes practically sparkled—it was impossible to say no.
"…Fine. After this Joint Expedition is over."
"Okay!"
Seeing that settled, Finn walked over at a steady pace.
"Ladies, our priority now is to continue advancing. We won't be resting on Floor 18 this time. Our destination is the safe zone on Floor 28."
"The Amphisbaena that used to dwell in the Great Falls was slain by Bete last week. There's no longer an obstacle there. Passing through will be far easier than before."
After addressing Ais and Kaguya, Finn turned to face the rest of the gathered Adventurers—most of whom were staring curiously, brimming with questions.
"As for the power that Ais, Alise, and Kaguya used—once we reach the safe floor, we'll talk about it in detail. It concerns all of you, so for now… just look forward to it."
It concerns everyone!?
That single line sent a ripple of excitement through the crowd. Their curiosity burned higher than ever. Now they were eager to reach Floor 28—not just for rest, but to uncover the mystery behind that power.
"Now, let's move out!"
"Yeah!!"
With Goliath defeated, the Expedition force resumed full speed.
They marched straight through Rivira on Floor 18, drawing plenty of stares from the adventurers there.
"Is that… a Joint Expedition between the Loki Familia and the Astraea Familia?"
"It is—but doesn't the group look small for an expedition?"
The reminder made several onlookers glance behind Finn's vanguard. Normally, the supply team would follow right after the main force. But this time, only combat members trailed behind—no supply carts, no materials, nothing resembling a logistics unit. It was strange.
"They didn't bring any supplies? How far can they really go like that? Maybe it's just a short-term expedition?"
"Could be. Still, it looks like they're not even stopping in Rivira to restock."
"Yeah. If it's a short operation, that makes sense—they wouldn't need to carry tons of provisions. But with a force that big, they won't make it far without resources. They don't even have tents for the safe floors."
"No idea. Maybe the Loki Familia has some other method for resupplying. Either way, if they run into trouble, they'll end up buying from us. So, no worries."
"True enough."
Rivira had always made its fortune this way. As the Dungeon's midpoint hub, it thrived off adventurers' crises. No danger meant no business. And business, as always, was good.