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"Challenge Udaeus? Right now?"
Tsuna immediately perked up at the mention of the Floor Boss.
"No, no!"
Alise waved her hands quickly.
"This is an important Expedition. If we go challenge a Floor Boss now, we'll completely mess up everyone's rhythm. That's definitely not okay. What Kaguya and I mean is—we, the Astraea Familia, will challenge Udaeus on our way back from this Expedition~."
Sawada thought for a moment. That did make sense. Doing it now would disrupt everything. But if they planned to challenge the Floor Boss on the return trip… should they tell someone about it?
"Alise, why don't you just talk to Finn about it directly?"
"Heehee~ That's exactly why we came to you for help!"
Alise smiled ingratiatingly, rubbing her hands together as she inched closer.
"Kaguya and I both know you made Tiona's and Tione's outerwear using your ability. It's incredibly resistant to both magic and physical damage. So… we were hoping you could make a set for us too."
"I see."
Sawada nodded slightly, now understanding why the two had come. Making protective gear from the Shroud of Turin was certainly possible—but there was something he needed to clarify first.
"Alise, are you sure your whole Familia can wear it? Don't you have that clean-freak elf? If she finds out the clothes were made by me, won't she have some kind of meltdown?"
"Ah…"
Both Alise and Kaguya froze. The same useless elf popped into their minds. Celty wasn't too bad, but Ryuu… that girl wasn't just helpless in daily life—she was also incredibly fussy.
"She should… be fine?"
"Absolutely not." ×2
Their words said one thing, but their hearts said another.
Both Alise and Kaguya were certain that with Ryuu's personality, the moment she learned her clothes were conjured through someone else's ability, her nerves would go taut and she'd instantly enter total rejection mode.
"Then we just won't tell her!"
After a brief pause, Alise and Kaguya came to the same conclusion at once.
"W-wait, not tell her?"
Sawada stared at Alise in disbelief. "You're making her wear something without telling her where it came from?"
"Yup. As long as she doesn't know the truth, it's fine. We'll just say Kaguya and I ordered special protective outfits with our own pocket money before the Expedition."
At that moment, Alise's brain was working at lightning speed.
It was a harmless lie, she told herself. And knowing Ryuu's single-minded nature, she'd never question it too closely.
Is that really going to work?
Sawada couldn't quite believe that such an obvious story would actually fool anyone.
"Don't worry!"
Alise gripped his shoulders, staring into his eyes with full conviction.
"Ryuu's a total idiot—she'll believe it for sure!"
"Exactly."
Kaguya nodded solemnly in agreement, though as she did, she pointed behind Alise—at Alise herself—and made a small circling motion at her temple.
Sawada glanced between them and instantly understood.
"In that case, there's just one more thing."
He extended his hand toward them.
"I'll need your spare clothes. I have to know your exact measurements."
Both women froze, their delicate faces instantly turning pink.
No matter how tough an Adventurer might be, this kind of thing was still embarrassing.
"Is that… really necessary?"
"Of course. You'll be wearing it directly against your skin. Besides, you said you wanted to make it seem like custom-made outfits, right? Would you really order something that doesn't fit perfectly?"
"W-well, when you put it that way…"
Alise and Kaguya couldn't argue.
If they wanted their lie to hold up, even the sizing had to be perfect. If the so-called "custom" clothes didn't fit, even Ryuu's straight-as-a-spear brain might jam for once.
They sighed. There was no way around it. Both of them had to go back to their rooms to fetch their undergarments.
Not just their own, either—there were other teammates involved.
Yes, the others needed to know. No—they had to know. Otherwise, if Ryuu caught even a hint of something strange, they'd all be doomed.
"...Do we really have to hand over even our underwear?"
Lyra's voice shot up before she hurriedly clamped her mouth shut.
"Of course you do," Kaguya said sternly. "We're preparing to challenge a Level 6 Floor Boss. If something goes wrong, do you think this is the time for modesty?"
Still, despite her serious tone, a faint blush dusted Kaguya's cheeks—like the glow of dusk spreading across the sky.
Looks like Kaguya's just as flustered as I am, Lyra thought.
Her gaze shifted toward Alise, whose eyes were darting back and forth, clearly torn between embarrassment and resolve.
Lyra herself wasn't doing much better. The thought of handing over her underwear—and then wearing a full outfit made by Sawada—was mortifying.
Ugh… no wonder Tiona and Tione adore him so much…
Just imagining the scene made her skin crawl, as if invisible hands were tracing across her body.
After a moment's hesitation, she couldn't help but ask,
"Is it really necessary to change everything?"
"Do you think you could take a full swing from Tiona's Urga and still stay in one piece?"
Lyra's eyelids twitched. Clearly, she couldn't.
Tiona's strength was monstrous, and Urga was unbelievably heavy. One clean hit, and Lyra would be split clean in two.
Since Kaguya brought up that example, it meant Sawada's equipment truly could withstand such force. No wonder Alise and Kaguya were begging for his help.
"So… not just the outer layer, huh?"
"Same reason," Kaguya said firmly. "It's about complete protection. Can you tell exactly where you'll be hit in battle?"
"...Fine."
Lyra surrendered. Safety had to come first.
But as soon as she agreed, another realization hit her—there was someone who'd have an even harder time accepting this than she did.
"Ryuu… can we even convince her?"
"...Safety first."
After a long, awkward silence, Kaguya gave her answer.
Lyra understood immediately.
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Chapter 242: The Declaration of a Rushed Ending (Temporary Title)
When the Black Dragon was slain and the thousand-year promise finally fulfilled, the world of Orario began to move toward a brighter tomorrow.
The Dungeon still remained.
The Black Dragon that had once slumbered in its deepest depths was gone without a trace, yet the Dungeon continued to serve as a cradle for monsters, endlessly spawning countless new ones.
The Labyrinth City still stood at the heart of the world.
It remained the greatest dwelling place of the Gods, and the largest source of Magic Stones in existence. Even after the Black Dragon's demise, the world's attention never left this city.
Of course, there was another reason—this was the city that had given birth to the Adventurer capable of slaying the Black Dragon.
Ten years had passed since then.
A decade ago, a band of Adventurers from the same Familia had once again stirred the fading embers of the Age of Heroes. Though the glory of those heroes had dimmed with time, the afterglow they left behind illuminated a new hope for the world.
The great war ten years prior had left nearly half of the Labyrinth City in ruins. But after ten years of effort, the city had been rebuilt, more vibrant than before. In fact, its people were now pushing forward into a new era—one shaped by Magic Stone Technology.
The Gods, though they had already come to understand the mysteries of the Dungeon, found fresh excitement and passion in this ever-evolving world. Yet rather than focus on the Dungeon itself, most now turned their eyes toward their former Adventurers—those who had become researchers.
The rise of Magic Stone Technology owed much to these very people, especially the Adventurers who had survived the final, world-altering "War of Lamentation." Many of them had since shifted their focus to scientific and magical research.
They were no longer called Adventurers, but Researchers.
These were the ones striving to unlock the potential and applications of Magic Stone Technology. Many held a burning passion for mystery, research, and invention. Among them, the most outstanding was Asfi Al Andromeda, Captain of the Hermes Familia.
As the Captain of Hermes Familia, Asfi had a remarkable mind for research. Her unique Development Ability—Mystery—which she had acquired during her years as an Adventurer, made her a natural genius in the field of technological innovation.
Through her efforts, Magic Stones were developed into numerous new applications, most notably in the fields of communication and entertainment. Abilities that once required divine power could now be replicated through Magic Stone Technology, bringing the divine ever closer to mortal hands. As a result, Magic Stone Technology rapidly became woven into daily life across the city.
Of course, this technological boom also led to a soaring demand for Magic Stones. Since monsters outside the Dungeon could no longer reproduce at the same extraordinary rate, the Dungeon beneath the city became the single greatest source of Magic Stones in the world.
Because of this, Orario secured its place as the undisputed center of the world. The increasing importance of Magic Stones also drew more and more Adventurers to the Labyrinth City, eager to take part in this new age of discovery.
In many ways, the advent of Magic Stone Technology had breathed new life into Orario—a second golden age.
As the demand for Magic Stones grew, so too did the need for Adventurers to harvest them. The ever-expanding population pushed the city to its limits, forcing it to expand outward once more.
Thus began the construction of satellite cities orbiting around Orario like moons around a star.
At first, there were only two.
But as development advanced and demand for Magic Stones continued to rise, even those two were no longer enough.
Gradually, the outer walls of Orario were torn down, and several satellite cities were connected to the main city. The most remarkable innovation among them was the new mode of transport that linked them together.
Horse-drawn carriages were still common, but now they were joined by a new creation powered by Magic Stones—the Magic Stone Train.
The Magic Stone Train not only enabled large-scale transport of Magic Stones beyond the city, but also provided a fast route between Orario and its satellite cities.
Though incredibly fast, the fare was steep—too expensive for ordinary citizens. Thus, the trains were mostly used for cargo and Magic Stone delivery, while only the wealthy could afford to ride them.
Commerce flourished around Orario, and the city stood once again at the very peak of the world.
Once, the Labyrinth City had been known as a paradise for Adventurers. And in many ways, it still was.
Only now, the focus had shifted—from exploration of the Dungeon to the harvesting of Magic Stones.
After all, the heroes who had once ventured to the very bottom of the Dungeon still lived. They were living legends.
Yet even so, the Dungeon retained an irresistible allure—one that drew countless Adventurers into its depths.
"The Dungeon is alive."
That belief alone was enough to explain the pull it held.
The rest, perhaps, was admiration for the heroes who had once saved the world.
At this very moment, a long line stretched before the gates of the Loki Familia.
"All right, next!"
Adventurers of every race and kind entered the hall of the Loki Familia, each one hoping for the chance to join.
The great war ten years ago had forever cemented the Loki Familia's status as the most renowned in the world.
Finn Deimne still served as Captain, and today, his task was to review new recruits.
"Haah..."
From morning till afternoon, he had read through stacks of resumes, met countless promising Adventurers—and it was enough to make even him feel the weight of exhaustion.
Elbow on the desk, fingers pressing against his forehead, Finn sighed deeply.
"Why is there always so much to do? Recruitment, then the establishment of the new Pallum nation... I'm not even their king, so why am I the one handling all their affairs?"
Work, work, and more work.
It was enough to make him want to abandon everything and escape to the modern world for a long, quiet vacation—far away from this endless flood of duties.
Glancing around the quiet, empty room, Finn let out a weary sigh. None of his old friends were here anymore.
"They all dumped their work on me because I'm Captain... then ran off to the modern world to live easy lives. I don't want to work either... I just want to rest..."
He slumped back in his chair, the loneliness echoing through his muttered complaint.