"I'm going too."
Ais Wallenstein stood there expressionless, yet her golden eyes shone with quiet determination.
"I… I'll go with Miss Ais."
Lefiya, standing just behind her, gathered her courage and softly voiced her decision.
"…Sigh."
Riveria covered her forehead with one hand, already feeling a headache coming on.
Finn Deimne looked at the over-energetic members before him and couldn't help but smile.
"You've come at just the right time."
He glanced at the commission in his hand.
"In that case, you'll handle it. The mission is to investigate the new monsters appearing on the first five floors of the Dungeon and collect detailed data."
He had already assessed the situation. For First-Class Adventurers of Level 5 and above like Ais and the others, there was no real danger involved.
"Yay! Captain's the best!"
Tiona cheered, clearly delighted at the chance to go out and have some fun.
"I'll go as well."
A cool, resigned voice followed.
Riveria pressed her temple lightly. She simply didn't trust Ais and this group of problem children to act on their own.
"Oh? That's even better!"
Loki grinned immediately, her tone full of teasing mischief.
"With 'Mama' going along, I'll feel much safer."
Riveria rolled her eyes elegantly, giving her goddess a look that said she couldn't be bothered.
Very soon, this temporary investigation team made up of Orario's top combat power—was assembled.
Riveria, Ais, Tiona, Tione, Lefiya, and a visibly irritated Bete set out from Twilight Manor, heading straight for Babel Tower.
---
Meanwhile, on the second floor of the Dungeon—
Clang!
The dull collision of metal and wood echoed through the narrow rock corridor.
Faen twisted his body to avoid a heavy downward swing. His finely crafted longsword let out a strained cry after blocking the crude wooden club of a Hilichurl.
He was currently surrounded by five of them.
Hilichurls—short, stocky creatures about 1.2 to 1.5 meters tall, had gray-black skin, stubby limbs, crude totem masks covering their faces, sparse brown hair atop their heads, and long dark ears. They were not native Dungeon monsters; they existed solely because of Faen's passive skill.
*(PS: Hilichurls are goblins of Genshin Impact.)
Two club-wielding Hilichurls pressed forward as the vanguard, roaring as they launched relentless frontal assaults.
One carried a crude wooden sword, circling more cunningly, probing for blind spots in his defense.
Behind them, perched atop a rocky outcrop, two archer Hilichurls continuously drew their bows, firing cold, lethal arrows whenever an opening appeared.
"Hah…"
Faen's breathing grew heavier. Fine beads of sweat formed on his forehead.
He used the uneven rock walls to his advantage, weaving through the confined space. With a light push of his foot against the wall, he shifted sideways against gravity, barely dodging an arrow fired from behind.
His blade carved silver afterimages through the air, parrying and deflecting incoming strikes with precision.
But every impact numbed his palms, and the sword's wear worsened with each clash.
These monsters were far stronger and tougher than the goblins on the first floor.
Just as three melee Hilichurls pinned him down and restricted his movement, one of the archers seized the moment and fully drew its bow.
"Resound!"
At the very instant the arrow was released, a cool, concise chant rang out.
Robin had been standing quietly at the edge of the battlefield, her lake-green eyes calmly analyzing the flow of combat.
She hadn't acted rashly—she had been waiting for the perfect timing.
And now, it had arrived.
A sharp, invisible soundwave burst from the tip of her staff, arriving before the arrow could reach its target. With a piercing vibration, the wooden arrow shattered midair.
The sonic blast continued forward, striking the archer Hilichurl directly.
It cried out in pain, clutching its ears, temporarily incapacitated.
The effect of her skill "Intoxicating Prelude" quietly activated, a faint warmth returning to her mind and replenishing part of the magic she had just expended.
With reduced magical cost, she could sustain longer support in battle.
Faen seized the fleeting opportunity.
Abandoning defense, he pushed off the ground and lunged forward. His sword flashed like quicksilver, sweeping upward to knock aside a Hilichurl's club before the tip pierced cleanly into its exposed throat.
Without pausing, he twisted his wrist. The blood-streaked blade slashed horizontally, forcing the remaining melee Hilichurls back. Using the rotational momentum, he charged toward the archer who had just recovered from the sonic shock.
The creature attempted to retreat in panic—but Faen was faster.
A flash of cold steel.
Its head flew into the air.
In the blink of an eye, two of the five were gone.
The remaining three roared in fury, their attacks turning frenzied.
Faen inhaled sharply and met them head-on.
After another fierce exchange, he finally cut down the last Hilichurl—though not without cost. His left arm had been grazed by a club, leaving a burning bruise.
When the final monster dissolved into black ash, Faen leaned on his sword, chest heaving.
Robin stepped forward, skillfully collecting the scattered magic stones and a crude totem mask, placing them into her pack.
She glanced at Faen's slightly fatigued expression, then at the longsword in his hand—now riddled with chips and even slightly warped.
"We should head back," she said softly.
Faen nodded with a bitter smile.
Yes. It was time to retreat.
If he had been facing normal Dungeon monsters, his Level 1 strength would have allowed him to clear straight to the fifth floor without much difficulty.
But because of his passive skill, the monsters being generated were far above their intended floor standards.
From Fire Slimes and Ice Slimes on the first floor, to Lightning Slimes and Wind Slimes on the second, and now Hilichurls capable of basic coordination…
Their combat ability far surpassed goblins and Dungeon lizards.
His stamina consumption had skyrocketed.
But the most fatal issue was weapon durability.
After just half a day of fighting, this finely crafted weapon from the Hephaestus Familia was already on the verge of breaking.
If he continued, it might snap mid-battle.
Robin retrieved half of today's collected magic stones from her pack and handed them to Faen.
He accepted them. With a thought, he fed every single magic stone into the system in his mind—
[Entwined Fate].
==================
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