If he were carrying the greatsword "Great Fortune," then using the Combat Art "Lion's Claw" to deal with these mutated giant dogs in front of him would be simple. There was no way he could rely on the two short swords he carried to fight monsters like these.
So—the method Ron chose was to embrace faith and incantations.
Those giant dogs lurking in the darkness would absolutely swarm him the moment he showed any weakness. If that happened, the situation would become extremely troublesome.
"..."
Compared to magic, some incantations required no chanting—only the unavoidable wind-up for channeling.
Watching the T-Rex Dog in the distance, keeping its distance and observing, Ron held the Gravel Stone Seal in his left hand. As the magic power within his body was continuously mobilized—with the injection of magic—the sacred seal emitted a crimson emblem symbolizing ancient dragons.
Lightning Fire Sword.
Crimson lightning crackled, gathering continuously in Ron's palm, like flames in motion. Yet as the caster, he felt no heat.
That scarlet lightning spread at a speed visible to the naked eye.
Finally—it condensed into a long, straight blade interwoven with lightning and flame. Rather than a sword, calling it a spear would actually be more accurate.
"..."
The jumping lightning seemed filled with unstable elements, as if it could explode at any moment.
"This thing…"
"Probably can only be used as a ranged throwing weapon?"
As for the specific applications of the "Lightning Fire Sword" incantation, he would need to first familiarize himself with the floor's environment and the monsters' combat patterns before having the capacity to develop it further.
It seemed to sense danger.
Not far ahead, the giant dog that had been observing stopped probing. Its powerful hind legs erupted with explosive force in an instant.
Like a hunting dinosaur—its grotesquely massive head opened wide, revealing rows of sharp teeth, as it charged toward Ron, intent on tearing the human before it apart.
As its enormous body sprinted at full speed, even the ground trembled beneath it.
"So straightforward?"
Ron didn't stand there waiting for the monster's attack. The moment the Lightning Fire Sword fully formed, he aimed at the dog's wide-open jaws.
And threw it without hesitation.
This straight blade, which had no weight and was purely formed of magic, maintained its flight posture without any drop as it shot toward the monster.
The crimson flames briefly illuminated the dim cave passage.
The Lightning Fire Sword struck precisely into the giant dog's open mouth. The violent energy of lightning and flame intertwined exploded the instant it made contact.
Boom!
Even with its thick hide and tough flesh,
the giant dog still couldn't withstand the magical attack of the Lightning Fire Sword. Flesh blasted apart, mixing with blood and saliva as it splattered in all directions.
"Awwooo—!"
Like a stray dog kicked on the roadside, a sharp, explosive cry echoed through the wide tunnel.
Was it really this easy to deal with?
Crackling red lightning stirred up dust in the surroundings. Just as Ron stepped back to observe—the dust that blocked his vision was suddenly torn apart.
A brilliant burst of fire shattered the brief calm of the tunnel, dispelling the cold darkness as it shot straight toward him.
Incredibly fast.
Even launching a fierce assault under the cover of dust!
"You've got to be kidding me—"
Even though he had anticipated this, when the giant dog's counterattack came, Ron still couldn't hold back the curse.
He didn't choose to rely on the inner potential of the Ashen One character save to block it.
Instead, his body moved almost on instinct—rolling to the side to dodge.
The flames that brushed past him carried terrifying heat. He could even smell the sharp, scorched stench of singed hair.
"Pretty tough."
Even after taking the Lightning Fire Sword head-on, the giant dog hadn't been killed.
Ron didn't dwell on that detail.
More precisely—the giant dogs lurking in the darkness didn't give him the chance to think at all. They swarmed toward him in dense numbers.
Like hyenas catching the scent of blood.
A normal Level 3 adventurer would absolutely have a headache facing this.
Short swords combined with hit-and-run tactics were clearly not viable—the speed displayed by these massive monsters didn't match their size at all.
Ron quickly adjusted his stance. Facing the oncoming swarm—he decisively retreated, creating a safe distance, then once again gripped the Gravel Stone Seal in his palm. Since probing attacks hadn't worked, then he would try—
Dragonfire.
If it's breathing fire, then no way—after turning into a dragon—would his own flames be weaker than these enhanced monsters from this Soulslike Dungeon, right?
"So…"
"So you're the only one who can breathe fire, huh!"
...
Dungeon Abnormality Incident.
During the Familia's return from an expedition, they encountered a large number of Minotaurs on the 17th Floor. It was precisely because of her own reckless combat actions—that those monsters fled toward the upper floors…
This was actually a very serious exploration accident. Ais understood—no matter what, she had to wipe out those monsters completely.
So, she chose to leave the returning party and pursue them using her own speed.
The good news: her speed was fast enough. She quickly eliminated the fleeing Minotaurs, preventing any trouble for passing adventurers.
The bad news: because she acted alone and left the Dungeon quickly, she missed a very important Dungeon "Abnormality Incident."
It was only after her Familia members explained it to her afterward that Ais learned about it—the 12th Floor had seen the appearance of an unprecedented ancient dragon.
And then—the hatred deep within her heart toward dragon-type monsters made it impossible for Ais Wallenstein to remain calm. She didn't even consider resting briefly in Orario.
The girl hurried nonstop toward the site of the abnormality.
But found nothing.
The arena that had been formed by the Dungeon's transformation had already returned to normal. Even the monsters she encountered were the familiar ones from before.
As for the details of the battle… no matter how much Ais questioned Lefiya or Captain Finn, she received no answers. They only repeatedly emphasized that the mutated Floor Boss had not been killed by them.
If she wanted answers, she could only find them herself.
"…Too late."
After quickly searching the 12th Floor, the somewhat airheaded girl tilted her head slightly, her brows knitting together, her eyes filled with confusion.
Bad luck?
Ais tentatively thought so. But compared to the dragon-type Floor Boss that had already been killed, what she was more curious about—was the source of the Dungeon's abnormality.
Should she return to Orario next…
She paused at the staircase leading to the 13th Floor, fully aware that this aimless search of hers was no different from a headless fly.
There was no way she would find any answers.
But—just as she was about to make her decision, the roar of a monster echoing from deep within the stairs completely drew her attention.
Very unfamiliar.
It didn't feel like the Hellhounds she remembered?
"…Then I'll take a look on the way."
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