The monster's roar manifested as a physical shockwave, sweeping forward draped in gravel and a foul, metallic wind.
Solon's eyes narrowed as he took a sharp step forward.
"Shield!"
A translucent, translucent arc-shaped barrier instantly deployed in front of the group, firmly blocking the wall of sound and the physical impact.
"Action!"
Alise's clear voice cut through the rumbling. "Kaguya, pin down the giant! Ryu, lock down the toxic bee! Solon, support as needed. I'll take the front!"
The moment the command fell, the team sprang into motion like a precision machine.
Gojouno Kaguya's figure blurred, transforming into several afterimages as she struck at the massive "Giant Fool." Her blade light was as cold and desolate as a lonely moon; she didn't focus on heavy strikes, instead using lightning-fast slashes to force the creature to parry and shift, pinning it ruthlessly to its spot.
Ryu's emerald eyes locked onto the carriage-sized Killer Bee in the sky. She didn't rush to cast magic, instead using her long wooden sword to probe and harass the enemy while maintaining a rapid chant. In an instant, countless small, swift light motes materialized behind her, firing off like invisible crossbow bolts. They formed a triangular array to seal off the bee's evasion space, forcing it to spiral continuously in the air, unable to launch a ground attack.
Alise, meanwhile, transformed into a blazing meteor, charging with terrifying speed at the largest and most imposing of the three: the Stag. Raging flames rose around her, condensing into a blinding brilliance.
"Enka!"
The flaming slash collided violently with the hideous antlers of the giant deer. A thunderous explosion erupted, and the air rippled with the force of the impact.
Under the influence of Solon's buffs, Alise engaged in a head-on contest of strength with the Level 4 monster. The ground beneath her feet cracked inch by inch, yet she did not retreat a single step. The searing flames spread from the junction of her blade and the antlers, madly scorching the writhing plant-like limbs of the beast.
Solon did not immediately join any specific engagement. His eyes were like lightning, rapidly scanning the entire battlefield.
Kaguya held the giant in check with her blade, but the monster's reactions were remarkably fast; its seemingly clumsy swings always managed to barely guard its vitals. Ryu's barrage of light was effective, but the toxic bee was starting to adapt to the trajectory, its stinger transforming into a massive lance as it looked for an opening to strike Ryu or the nearby teammates.
Alise and the Stag were locked in a pure stalemate of power, but the monster's horrific brute strength was beginning to press her down. These three creatures were each far stronger than a typical Level 4. They weren't fighting on instinct alone; they were displaying an unholy level of cunning.
I need to create a breakthrough.
Solon's gaze finally locked onto the Killer Bee, which was attempting to force its way through the light barrage out of frustration.
Now.
"Blindness!"
He raised his hand, pointing at the tiny gap in the bee's attack transition. The flash of the Blindness spell flickered and vanished. The toxic bee was caught off guard, instantly losing its vision. Against a monster of this level, the spell would only last a few seconds at most, but that was enough.
Ryu did not hesitate. The chant for Luminous Wind rang out again. Guided by the elven song, a rain of light motes hammered into the bee's most vulnerable joint at the tail. Immediately following, the elven blade turned into a verdant arc, cleaving down vertically from above. The speeding bee lost its balance mid-air due to its own momentum, and its body was torn apart.
Almost at the same moment, the rhythm of Kaguya's battle with the giant shifted abruptly.
"The Other Shore Flower of Calamity."
As the chant fell, her blade light split into five paths, like a blooming flower of death enveloping the giant.
"Earthbind!"
Solon's second spell followed immediately. The dusky light cords of Earthbind lashed around the monster's limbs. The giant monster tried to break the restraint, but that moment of stagnation was fatal. Five paths of cold blade light precisely severed its head, limbs, and torso. Under the edge of a First-Tier weapon, a mist of blood erupted like scattered petals. The god-speed draw-and-slash extinguished all life, and the giant crashed to the ground.
Only the Stag remained.
"Plant Growth!"
Solon pointed his longsword again, his chant rising. The brilliance of Plant Growth enveloped the Stag's body, which was infested with mutated vegetation. Countless vines and branches moved to the rhythm of the magic, coiling and binding wildly, instantly turning the agile monster into a struggling prisoner of wood.
The flames around Alise exploded, reaching their zenith. Under the dual enhancement of her skills, she gripped Red Order and unleashed a full-power strike. The Stag, fixed by the plant cage, was a sitting duck. It was sent flying dozens of meters by the crimson slash. Flames clung to its body, continuously incinerating flesh and plant matter, drawing out a shrill wail of agony.
It still struggled in its death throes, lowering its antenna-like antlers in an attempt at a final charge. However, Solon's incantation was completed a step ahead.
"Reduce."
The Stag's massive frame shrunk rapidly under the magical influence. The momentum of its charge instantly turned into a comical stumble and slide.
Alise would never miss such a killing blow. Red Order turned into a scarlet rainbow, piercing through the creature's skull and pinning it firmly to the ground.
As the dust settled, the three terrifying Enhanced Species had finally been executed through the team's coordination.
Looking at the three corpses, everyone finally breathed a sigh of relief. However, the question remained: why had they appeared here in the 18th floor's "Under Resort"?
Puzzlement filled everyone's hearts. Alise knit her brows; by all logic, these Enhanced Species usually stayed on their respective floors. To travel straight to the 18th floor as a group like this was almost unheard of.
Her gaze couldn't help but drift toward Solon. Is it because of him? It seemed that ever since he entered the Dungeon, all sorts of bizarre abnormalities had been happening one after another. But the Dungeon itself was full of the unknown; claiming it was definitely linked to Solon felt a bit forced.
At this point, Solon walked toward the corpses, wanting to see for himself if the Magic Stones of these special monsters were different. The Dungeon was prone to incidents, but thanks to the Guild's management and the efforts of the major exploration Familias, Orario had mapped out the Upper, Middle, and even deeper layers quite thoroughly. Detailed information on terrain and monsters was compiled into books to be taught to adventurers.
Even so, the Dungeon remained fraught with danger and the unknown. This labyrinth, which possessed a self-awareness of its own, would bared its fangs whenever adventurers let down their guard. Monsters appearing where they shouldn't, or displaying abilities they shouldn't have—these were all categorized as "Abnormalities."
And a monster tide commanded by three Enhanced Species, as they had just seen, was undoubtedly a unique and serious abnormality.
Solon carefully examined the Magic Stones and found they were no different from those of ordinary monsters. He remembered from the original story that special monsters produced by the "Corrupted Spirit" had multi-colored Magic Stones. Therefore, he could roughly judge that these monsters originated from the Dungeon itself rather than from the hands of the Corrupted Spirit.
"So, Solon, what's your take on this?" Alise asked.
"It's hard to say," Solon mused. "In theory, these monsters were likely coming for me, but the Dungeon has its own will. Anything is possible. Perhaps... it's related to my 'luck' ability as well."
He shrugged, then his expression turned serious again. "Anyway, do you still plan to go deeper? Logically, after experiencing an abnormality of this scale, the conditions for everyone's 'Great Feat' should be just about met, right?"
"We're sticking to the original plan," Alise replied, before turning to the group. "How is everyone's potions, equipment, and packs? Is everything organized?"
"Mostly handled," Kaguya answered from the side.
Lyra added, "Thanks to Solon being here, we don't need to carry the massive amounts of rations, kindling, or flint we usually do. He can handle all of that. Having you in the Familia makes things so much more convenient. At least we never have to worry about supplies when we go down."
The others nodded in agreement, then began skillfully processing the monster corpses to collect the Magic Stones.
At that moment, they saw Bors, the administrator of Rivira, returning from the upper floors. When Bors saw the mountain of Magic Stones they had hauled back, his eyes nearly popped out of his head. These stones were top-tier in both purity and size; the estimated value easily exceeded ten million Valis. Between this batch and the loot from the monster tide earlier, the profits for this expedition had likely surpassed a hundred million Valis.
"Can we trouble you to help us process these as quickly as possible?" Alise asked.
Bors stroked his beard, thought for a moment, and said straightforwardly, "No problem! You did save the town, after all. I'll have someone haul these straight to the Guild to sell. As for the commission fee... consider it waived."
"Much appreciated."
"Don't mention it," Bors said, his gaze shifting to the entrance of the 19th floor with a grim expression. "I know you're all incredibly strong, but I have to warn you to be careful. In the past few months, while the monsters below the 19th floor haven't changed much, the frequency of Enhanced Species... seems to have spiked. Luckily, they haven't specifically targeted us yet, but I don't know if that's a blessing or a curse."
Hearing this, Solon thought to himself: The frequency of these Enhanced Species seems to correlate with how often I've been going deep into the Dungeon. This only confirmed that he was receiving special "attention" from the labyrinth. Fortunately, the fundamental rules of the Dungeon hadn't been twisted yet. If it turned into a completely alien, "Souls-like" death trap, that would be the real trouble.
"Let's keep moving," Solon said.
"Yeah."
The team passed through the entrance and entered the 19th floor.
Floors 19 through 24 were known as the "Great Tree Labyrinth." The area was filled with bizarre trees growing from the floors, walls, and even ceilings. Traps were everywhere, and there was a marked increase in venomous monsters and environmental hazards.
They soon encountered a common resident of the 19th floor: the Shadow Mushroom. These monsters sprayed toxic spores everywhere; without status resistance, engaging them in melee was dangerous. Fortunately, Alise possessed natural resistance, and combined with her flames, she was able to handle the threat of the spores.
The Familia members quickly cleared the path to the 20th floor. To Solon, these 19th-floor monsters were only at the lower end of Level 2 strength and posed little pressure to an experienced team.
Upon reaching the 20th floor, they encountered Trolls. These nearly four-meter-tall giants, built like stacked boulders, roared upon seeing adventurers and charged with massive spiked clubs.
"Eldritch Blast!"
Solon raised his hand, and a beam of crackling energy instantly pierced a Troll's skull. Working together, the group easily dispatched the other monsters along the way and continued down.
From the 20th floor onward, Bugbears began to appear. These bear-like monsters lacked the raw power and stamina of a Minotaur, but they possessed an agility that belied their bulky frames—effectively "fast Minotaurs."
The team handled them with ease, but the true challenge of the "Great Tree Labyrinth" lay in its intricate, maze-like terrain. Luckily, Solon had mastered the [Speak with Plants] spell, allowing him to communicate with the flora of the labyrinth. He could make branches and vines move aside or even use [Plant Growth] to reshape the terrain itself. Under his assistance, turning dozen-meter-high knotted barriers into clear paths, the team's efficiency skyrocketed.
"Honestly, Solon," Ryu remarked as they walked. "With so many practical spells at your disposal, exploring the Dungeon has become so much easier. Any abnormality we run into seems to have a solution through you."
"True," Alise agreed, nodding. "With you here, we don't have to worry about logistics, food, or rest. We can just focus on fighting monsters. It almost feels like a picnic—though maybe I shouldn't be so relaxed."
"However, according to Guild intel," Alise shifted the subject with a warning, "from the 20th to the 24th floors, Gun Libellula will start appearing. They can fire stingers from their tails..."
Before she could finish, the sound of dense wingbeats echoed from above. A large swarm of massive dragonflies, their tails glinting with a cold light, descended from the sky.
"Tch, speak of the devil!" Alise said with a look of annoyance. "Everyone, engage!"
Ryu had already begun her chant: "The far-off forest canopy. The infinite stars set in the boundless night sky..."
Luminous Wind swept out again, countless light motes screaming as they slammed into the swarm. Solon calmly used Eldritch Blast, accurately sniping individuals that tried to close in. With the team's seamless cooperation, the swarm of Gun Libellula was quickly wiped out.
They continued to encounter other monsters in the lower layers. The "Death Wasps" of the 22nd floor were less of a threat than the "Killer Bee Enhanced Species" they had faced earlier. There were also the Gnasher Goblins—upper-tier goblins—but they failed to provide any real obstacle.
With Solon's magic clearing the way and the team's immense combat power as a guarantee, the complexity and danger of the "Great Tree Labyrinth" were reduced to a minimum. They moved steadily toward the deeper layers, nearing their objective for this expedition: the 24th floor.
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Danmachi: My Magic Style is Different from Yours (Simulpub – Ongoing)
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