bookbashuk Page 126
Page 126
Ikelos deliberately came to the surface, mainly to check on the situation of the top-ranked woman, as it concerned their sponsorship and couldn't be ignored. "Ikelos, is there any information that can please me?" Ishtar suppressed her anger and glanced at the pleasure-seeking god. Ikelos smiled and said, "I'm just an observer; I won't take any initiative."
"Hmph, you're the kind of person who always finds amusement." Ishtar took off the few clothes she had on.
After a night.
Exhausted, Ikeros was pale and felt a dull ache in his lower back. "There's some information you might be interested in: Freya may have her eye on the Justice Moe of the Astrea Familia..."
Ishtar sat on the sofa, her hair disheveled, her beautiful and alluring face still flushed. As she listened to Ikelos's story, she took a puff of her pipe, exhaling smoke. "A cigarette afterward is better than being a god," she thought.
“The budding of justice…that’s interesting.” Ishtar’s beautiful lips curled up slightly.
What Ikelos said was exactly what he and Sanatos had guessed before. They had plotted against the Astrea Familia, causing Roy to almost fall into the deep layers, and Ota to enter the artificial labyrinth and wreak havoc.
They had no evidence, but Icelos told Ishtar about this conjecture, and no evidence was needed.
For Ishtar, that was the truth!
Jealousy towards Freya and anger over the destruction of the entertainment district combined to make Ishtar unable to think calmly; she just needed an outlet. "Damn Freya!"
Ishtar smashed her pipe in anger. There weren't that many LV.7 adventurers in the world! What kind of berserker was that? It was probably Freya's conspiracy! The person who knocked her unconscious that day must have been Ota.
Ishtar's eyes flashed with a cold light. "You messed with my pleasure district, so I'll play with your man!"
On the other side.
The expedition's deadline had arrived. Roy filled his spatial ring with supplies, and with the blessing of the goddess Astraea, the group departed from the Star Garden. With Roy, a master blacksmith, repairing the remaining equipment, everyone was armed to the teeth.
The impressive lineup and equipment attracted considerable attention, drawing envious glances wherever they went. The Astrea Familia was currently enjoying unparalleled success, with the addition of a super rookie and Roy's revealed forging skills...
Especially the matter of the Soma clan.
The Astrea Familia has amply demonstrated their ability to both support a powerful commercial family and annihilate it in an instant. This deterrent power is no less than that of the top-tier Familias.
Roy is a rising supernova, rapidly leveling up, possessing world-class forging skills, and becoming the leader of a clan. In the blink of an eye, he has transformed into a mighty eagle that blots out the sky, with fully grown wings, inspiring both awe and fear.
The opinions of outsiders had no effect on Roy and the others.
Because it was a deep expedition, the team size increased to seven people, and the supplies they needed to carry were far greater than before. Even Roy's spatial ring was somewhat insufficient, and some of the supplies were packed in the large backpacks commonly used by supporters, which were carried by Lily.
Lily's petite frame allows her to easily carry a backpack several times larger than herself.
Thanks to the opponent's skill "Unsung Hero", when the equipment weight exceeds a certain level, you will gain attribute bonuses. The bonus value is proportional to the weight, which can be simply put as being able to carry a lot of luggage.
His role in the team is support, but he can be the commander who takes over from Roy in critical moments.
The group arrived at the square in front of the Tower of Babel.
Eina was already waiting there. "Everyone, please be careful, safety first!"
Eina's emerald green eyes swept over the members of the Astrea Familia. In recent days, she had done her best to teach Roy and the others what she had learned, and they had a very good relationship, like teacher and friend.
But apart from Ryu having experience fighting in the deep realm, the others are at best theoretical strategists.
Eina was very worried.
"With our commander here, we are invincible!"
"Eina looks so cute when she's worried. I'll come back and marry you after this battle!"
"Don't worry, we will definitely be back!"
Tiony, Tiona, Daphne, and Eina became close friends.
Ryu, Lily, and Cassandra also comforted Eina in their own ways, frantically planting flags.
Roy felt a sudden chill run down his spine; it felt like these people were setting a dangerous flag.
Finally, Eina looked at the magical boy, her clear eyes rippling like water. "Mr. Roy, you must come back alive." Roy nodded emphatically.
Under Eina's worried and nervous gaze, Roy and his group entered the dungeon.
Walk through the corridor and arrive at the first floor.
A horde of ferocious-looking goblins came rushing towards them. Tiona wielded her large twin blades, the broad, sharp blades slicing through the air and easily slaying all the monsters. Fragments of magic stones fell to the ground.
Roy said, "According to the plan, we will first quickly break through to the eighteenth floor of 'Maze Paradise'. We don't need to pick up magic stone fragments and ordinary materials. We can collect rare materials. When our equipment is damaged later, I can use those materials to replace it."
"Yes!"
The crowd responded.
Even though the upper and middle classes posed no threat to them, the group still acted strictly according to the established formation.
Roy and Tiona were at the front, while Ryu and Tione were at the rear, clearing out the monsters in front and behind. Daphne was responsible for protecting Cassandra and Lily. During the advance, Roy constantly gave instructions, adjusted everyone's positions, and warned of potential collapses in the middle layer…
Lily silently observed Roy's words and actions, absorbing his experience as a commander. The only thing that made her feel a little heartache was that magic stone fragments and ordinary materials were scattered all over the ground, which was all money.
However, the Astrea Familia was not short of money. They also learned about the idea that Roy had given Tsubaki Kobrand to make a net profit of 18 million Fali. They were stunned and dumbfounded. Their captain's ability to amass wealth was truly terrifying.
Earn enough for a small villa in no time.
The dungeon once again demonstrated its bullying nature; unable to harm Roy and his group, the monsters on that floor turned their attention to other adventurers, resulting in a sharp decrease in the number of monsters appearing before Roy and his companions.
Goliath, the master of the seventeenth floor, had not yet been reborn and successfully entered the eighteenth floor.
"So easy!" The beautiful scenery of the maze amusement park came into view. Tiona cradled her head in her hands, a happy smile on her face. The others felt the same way; reaching the eighteenth floor for the first time was so effortless. The monsters in the dungeon seemed to be deliberately avoiding them. In team battles, each additional member, with skillful coordination, doubled the overall combat power, not just a simple addition of the parts. The dungeon naturally wouldn't waste its energy on the upper levels for them, but there was a hint of provocation in its atmosphere, as if saying, "Come and experience the grand stage of the deep layers!"
"How to do?"
Liu Tian looked at Roy with his blue eyes.
Roy pondered. They had originally planned to rest for a day on the eighteenth floor before continuing deeper, but the team's combat strength was unexpectedly strong, making it easier than they had imagined. Resting any longer would be a waste, given their limited supplies.
"Lily, how are you feeling?" Roy's gaze fell on the little girl.
Lily instinctively wanted to answer that there was no problem, but when she met Roy's calm gaze, she instantly calmed down and carefully assessed her condition: "My body is not injured, my physical strength is about 80%, and my mental strength is intact."
Roy nodded and said, "Let's continue forward and rest for another day on the 28th floor."
"Yes!"
The group walked towards the large tree in the center of the eighteenth floor, where there was a passage leading to the nineteenth floor.
Roy also retrieved the Earth Demon Sword, which is a powerful weapon in the dungeon.
"Little Lily, I thought you'd try to be tough in front of the captain," Tiona said with a smile, lowering her voice.
“Lady Tiona, I am a mature adventurer and I will not act recklessly.” Lily raised her chin.
Lily secretly breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that she had probably passed. She remembered what Lord Roy had said: a team is like a wooden bucket; how much water it can hold depends not on the longest plank, but on the shortest one.
She was undoubtedly the only weak link in the team, so Roy only asked about her condition.
Although it's considered a "weak point," Lily is still a Level 2 adventurer, with a physique far superior to that of ordinary people.
"Adventurer, that's true, but you seem quite immature," Tione laughed, puffing out his chest, two large thunderbolts practically leaping out. Lily's eyes were clouded by a wheat-colored mask; she was both anxious and angry, crying out, "Lord Tione, quickly put away that wicked thing!" Tiona looked down at herself and suddenly felt like she was going to vomit blood; she had been shot for no reason.
"Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!"
A cheerful sound rang out from the group.
Roy smiled slightly; Tione's area-of-effect attack had injured many members of the clan.
The elf girl, who usually didn't care about such things, glanced at it without leaving a trace. She was developing normally, not as fast as Tiona. In the blink of an eye, the group arrived at the entrance to the nineteenth floor.
Since it was an expedition, Ryu didn't leave the group to offer flowers to her former teammates. She glanced at the graves in the distance and silently prayed, "Ariseh, Kaguya, Laila... please bless us."
The eighteenth floor acts as a dividing line; the monsters that appear after that level require at least a C-rank or higher stat for a LV.2 adventurer to solo. There's even a risk of death if you're not careful.
Roy and his group even encountered a dragon girl named "Vivel," a rare monster with a human upper body and a snake-like lower body. Appearing in the middle layer area from the nineteenth to the twenty-fourth floor, she is a treasure trove; even her scales and nails can fetch astonishingly high prices.
Especially the red gem on his forehead, known as "Vivel's Tears," is worth tens of millions of falies.
But obtaining the red gem is not easy.
The "Vivel" is the strongest type of dragon among monsters, and its combat ability is quite high.
Moreover, once "Vivel" is killed, the red gem shatters. The gem must be taken while the opponent is still alive, and taking the gem will put the opponent into a berserk mode, doubling their combat power.
Therefore, this monster left behind a lot of records.
Numerous adventurers have perished for "Vivel's Tears."
"drink!"
Tiona wielded her large twin blades, cleaving "Vivel" in half at the waist. Faced with the power of LV.4, almost no mid-level monster could withstand her, especially since she also had a top-tier weapon.
Tiona saw the magic stone of "Vivel" protruding from the wound. "Tiona, you idiot, you almost shattered Vivier's tears."
Tiona pouted as her older sister scolded her.
Expeditions cost money, and to cope with various unforeseen circumstances, a large amount of supplies need to be purchased, significantly reducing the clan's assets. These assets must be earned back during the expedition. "Vivel's Tears" is undoubtedly the best choice; it is small, doesn't take up much space, and is highly valuable.
At Roy's command, Ryu's figure shot out like a golden afterimage, flashing past in an instant and snatching the red gem from Viviel's forehead. "Roar!"
Viviel roared and entered a berserk state.
However, the gap between the two sides was too great. Liu swung the Elven Flowing Light Dragon Staff and struck Viviel's magic stone. His opponent's whole body stiffened and turned into ashes. "Wow!"
The girls in the group gathered around the red gemstone, also known as the "Stone of Happiness," and couldn't help but exclaim in amazement. It was radiant and had an internal flow that made it comparable to the world's finest natural gemstones.
"Alright, stop looking. It'll be worth at least two or three times more as material for the staff later." Roy put the red gem away. "The captain's only thinking about money."
"No romance!"
The girls in the group couldn't help but complain.
Roy scoffed, "What's the point of romance? Luckily, Liu is here for me. It's so heartwarming."
We arrived at the entrance to the twenty-fifth floor.
Roy said, "We need to be careful from now on!"
The crowd's expressions turned serious. From here onwards was the lower level, the three interconnected levels of the Water Maze.
Entering the Water City, one is greeted by a magnificent waterfall, its roar echoing through the air, with crystal peaks forming valleys and cliffs. Accompanied by the spray of water like mist, the high-pitched songs of mermaids or singing birds resound across the vast void, magically drawing people forward. "Wait a minute!"
The group hadn't gone far when Roy and Ryu, whose levels and attributes were higher, were the first to notice the anomaly. Their ears twitched slightly; they could hear a faint whooshing sound. Flash Swallow!
Seconds later, numerous tiny shadows appeared in the cave. Roy and Ryu exchanged a glance, simultaneously realizing the monster that was about to appear, their expressions changing slightly. Roy said, "Everyone, move towards me!"
The group moved swiftly, responding to the call to action, and arrived beside Roy, standing ready. Playing around was fine, but they shouldn't joke about the dungeon. "Let's dance together, air spirits, masters of light. I have made a pact with the guardian of the forest, may the song of the earth envelop us! Protect us—I beg you to transform into a colossal wall of forest light to protect us—My name is Alfre!"
Dimension·Interruption!
Roy chanted rapidly, channeling his spiritual power to form a semi-circular barrier, a thin shield protecting everyone. The others also noticed the numerous afterimages appearing in mid-air, their expressions turning grim.
This Crimson Swallow monster appears in the "Water City," using the cliff surface inside the "Giant Waterfall" as its lair, and is described by adventurers as the "Invisible Monster."
The name comes from its astonishing speed.
If anyone dares to approach the waterfall, they will launch an attack from the air at a speed that can break through the magnificent waterfall, so fast that they cannot be seen with the naked eye.
They were even given the nickname "Flash," as they were the fastest monsters in the lower levels!
It is even more dangerous than the Blood Dragon.
It's not that the Flash Swallow's stats are superior to the Blood Dragon's, but rather that Flash Swallows appear in large numbers, sacrificing their lives for a single, desperate attack. They directly convert their lives into damage, which is why their impact is so powerful. They fly with reckless speed, determined to pierce through their enemies. Even level 4 adventurers would be killed.
Bang!Bang!Bang!
Numerous Flash Swallows crashed into the barrier Roy had created, producing dull thuds. Their tiny bodies shattered as if exploding, blood staining the light shield. Tiony, Tiona, Daphne, Cassandra, and Lily couldn't help but swallow hard. If it weren't for the captain's barrier, things would have been much worse. If it were only people at level 4 or higher, it wouldn't have been so bad.
Under the super-fast sprint of the Flash Swallow, even Liu, at LV.5, had no strength left to protect the others.
Roy is a true all-rounder, capable of handling roles such as frontline, defense, healer, mage, and commander. The girls looked at his strong back with eyes full of admiration.
Roy wasn't in a good mood; he was quite exhausted. He glanced at the elven girl behind him.
Ryu immediately understood what Roy meant.
Synchronization Contract!
Roy combined Liu's ability and development abilities with his skills to gain the "Magician" development ability. A magic circle appeared under his feet, and the barrier's strength increased to another level. Roy immediately felt much more relaxed.
Flash Swallow's attacks are suicidal; as long as he can maintain the barrier, he can wear down his opponent.
Seven or eight minutes later, Flash Swallow's attack gradually subsided, and Roy dispelled the barrier magic.
When the group stepped out of the barrier, all they saw was a trail of blood and the remains of a Flash Swallow. Most expeditions would have to give up early if they encountered such a monster, but only they were able to continue.
“Let’s go!” Roy’s calm voice rang out.
"The commander is amazing!"
The girls in the group shouted excitedly, believing that no matter what difficulties they encountered, the boy would lead them to the end, until victory.