In this chaotic world, it all started when they found an elf girl

Page 51

　Even the War Shadows and the Killer Ant swarm, known as "newcomer killers," were easily swept away.

　"How are you doing? Are you getting used to it?" Roy asked, looking at Daphne and Cassandra.

　The two had previously followed the Apollo Familia to the seventeenth floor, but as newcomers, they didn't have many opportunities to fight and were entirely protected as they progressed. Daphne said easily, "Absolutely no problem!"

　Cassandra nodded in agreement.

　Their abilities, honed to the limit, filled them with confidence, though Ryu saw numerous flaws in them and frequently offered pointers. Ryu was the frontliner, Roy the center-back, and Daphne protected Cassandra, the healer, while Roy and Ryu handled most of the monsters. The four traversed the long, labyrinthine rock passages, arriving at the seventeenth floor of the dungeon. The floor's master, Goliath, had been defeated, but the place was far from peaceful. *Boom! Boom! Boom!*

　As if sensing their arrival, the wall cracked open, and countless minotaurs emerged from it, each about two meters tall and possessing powerful muscles.

　The Minotaur, a monster that only appears on floors 15 and below, has the strength of a Level 2 monster!

　The situation facing Roy's group of four was even more troublesome. The Monster Feast had unleashed dozens of Minotaur in an instant, their blood-red eyes fixed on them. Roy frowned and chuckled, "Looks like our luck isn't so good."

　Daphne and Cassandra had never seen such a terrifying sight before; their faces paled slightly. These were not the weak zombies they had killed. The three girls' gazes fell on Roy.

　"In case of unexpected situations, you will be in charge!"

　These were Ryu's words to Roy before the expedition. Roy actually wanted to be a vanguard, slaying monsters, honing his abilities, and gaining practical combat experience. Unfortunately, the two newcomers in the team lacked experience and were destined to be unable to lead. The taciturn Ryu seemed to be heading further and further down the path of becoming a mere "fighter"...

　Faced with Roy's "pitiful" little eyes, Miss Ryu forcefully handed over command to him.

　"Miss Liu, deal with the monsters in front, but don't stray too far. I'll take care of the ones behind. Daphne, watch where you're supposed to take over. Cassandra, prepare your magic. The team is moving towards the passage to the eighteenth floor. Don't let them drag us down here!" Roy spoke quickly, delivering clear and concise instructions in just two seconds.

　Ryu, Daphne, and Cassandra acted immediately.

　Once inside the dungeon, only one voice is allowed in the party; no questioning is permitted, even for higher-level adventurers! Two voices in the party can easily cause chaos and ultimately lead to the annihilation of the entire team.

　This also meant that the person in charge had to earn everyone's trust, and Ryu knew that her standing among the two newcomers wasn't as high as Roy's. Of course, the main reason was that she wanted to test Roy's leadership skills; even if he failed, it wouldn't matter, she was confident she could salvage the situation from the middle management. This was called demonstrating tolerance for mistakes!

　Pitter! Pitter! Pitter!

　Roy ran towards the back of the group, golden lightning surging from his hands, condensing into two giant axes that landed in his hands. He swung them swiftly, and the axe blades instantly cleaved the Minotaur that approached them in half at the waist.

　The Minotaur's muscles and bones could not withstand the cuts, which were as thin as paper.

　In the blink of an eye, he killed seven or eight Minotaur, turning them to ashes, and shards of magic stone fell all over the ground.

　At the same level 2, the monsters are much easier to deal with than the adventurers; they're like clueless idiots.

　Roy didn't use the Elven Holy Sword; that legendary weapon was far too overpowered, like using a cannon to kill a mosquito—it wouldn't provide any real training effect. The monsters ahead were increasing in number—Minotaurs, Needle Rabbits… but they couldn't stop them at all, and the team slowly advanced towards the eighteenth floor. Ryu was unstoppable, but Roy occasionally had to step back, letting Daphne hold them off for a couple of seconds.

　"O light of heaven, once rejected; merciful arm, saving my shallow self; in the name of my powerless words, save the pitiful. O sunlight, listen to the fading and shattering of prayers, light of Thor!"

　Cassandra activated her magic, providing widespread healing. Roy, Ryu, and Daphne's scrapes and minor wounds were completely healed. Roy looked at her with a hint of approval; having a healer was indeed convenient.

　Although his life potions and panaceas could restore his condition, he was surrounded by dozens of monsters with different attack patterns, so there was no time for him to drink potions.

　The guild's recommendation to team up in groups of at least three to tackle dungeons is not without reason.

　The time he and Ryu entered the dungeon and defeated Goliath, they relied entirely on their own strength to brute force their way in, without any coordination. Doing that in the upper levels might be acceptable, but in the middle and lower levels, doing so would be suicidal.

　The monsters in the dungeon are endless, and one can't fight against many. Fighting alone will eventually lead to exhaustion and death. Someone in the team must provide support. Even if someone has to step back, it is crucial to let Roy drink a potion.

　I don't know how many monsters I killed, but I didn't even have time to pick up the magic stone fragments scattered all over the ground.

　About an hour later, Roy and his three companions finally saw the passage to the eighteenth floor.

　Roy shouted, "Miss Ryu, use the Wind of Light and charge through in one go!"

　"Wind of Light!"

Chapter 92 The Strange Monster on the Twenty-Fourth Floor (Please Subscribe)

　"Wind of Light!"

　Upon hearing Roy's instruction, the elven girl began chanting without hesitation. Her elegant golden figure swiftly weaved through the monster horde, slaying countless monsters. As the clear sound faded, countless emerald-green orbs of light appeared, flying forward and instantly blasting away any monster that touched them. A clear path was blasted open.

　Roy shouted, "Forward!"

　The four of them took off running, crossing the empty road that had been blasted open, and disappeared into the tunnel. The monsters behind them stopped and eventually turned and left.

　Upon reaching the eighteenth floor, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

　“I thought I was going to die.”

　Daphne and Cassandra embraced each other.

　Roy and Liu exchanged a glance and smiled. Faced with the monster feast just now, any LV.2 team would have been completely wiped out, or at the very least, would have retreated to the surface.

　They managed to break through the monster's feast.

　Ryu asked, "What's next?"

　Roy felt like he had truly become the elven girl's external brain. "Let's take a day off and camp in the wild. Accommodation in town is too expensive." He and Ryu were in good physical condition, while Daphne and Cassandra were already exhausted and collapsed.

　And since they were already there, it was impossible not to present flowers to their former teammates. Ryu looked at Roy with a hint of gratitude in her eyes, which he clearly noticed. Roy had stored twenty days' worth of food and water, as well as supplies like a tent, in his ring.

　The expedition had ample time.

　The group pitched their tents in the wilderness, then traversed the forest to the gravesite of Alexie Rofer and the others' equipment, where they laid a large bouquet of flowers. Daphne and Cassandra looked respectful; these fallen members of their clan were truly admirable, and countless people in Orario had benefited from their help. Seeing the somewhat somber atmosphere, Roy chuckled, "Let's go for a stroll in town; I've never been before."

　"Great!"

　Girls seem to have some kind of obsession with shopping. Daphne and Cassandra, who were almost exhausted, suddenly straightened their backs and their steps became lighter. Ryu could only follow behind them.

　The eighteenth floor, "Rivera Town," is a town built by adventurers. It is located on the eastern part of an island facing a lake. It sits atop a cliff more than two hundred meters high and is surrounded by walls made of crystal and rock, which are strong enough to defend against monster attacks.

　Roy and his three companions arrived at the town gate.

　A stone tablet stands nearby, with the number "three hundred and fifteen" inscribed on it in Common Language.

　This is the number of times "Rivera Town" has been rebuilt.

　Although this is a safe floor where no monsters will be born, it is still an underground city, and "Rivera Town" always suffers whenever an anomaly occurs.

　Once adventurers sense danger, they will immediately abandon the town and return to the surface.

　After everything is destroyed, the adventurers will return to this floor to rebuild the town.

　From the beginning until now, it has been rebuilt a total of 315 times, which also means it has been destroyed so many times.

　As Roy and his companions entered the town, they were greeted by a multitude of shops—tents, small shacks, and street stalls—almost none of which could be considered buildings. Food and other supplies were outrageously expensive, costing ten to twenty times more than those on the surface, leaving the two newcomers speechless. Therefore, Roy preferred to camp in the wilderness with them rather than stay in any of the local inns.

　Doing business in a place like this requires considerable strength; high-level adventurers, rarely seen on the surface, are a common sight here. The average level is LV.2!

　You can see quite a few at LV.3 as well.

　Rivera Town, established by the combined efforts of adventurers from various clans, has no lord or order; it is a lawless town where the law of the jungle is fully displayed, and power equals status.

　"Hey, it seems someone else has gone missing!"

　Suddenly, Roy and the others noticed that the adventurers in the town were heading in the same direction.

　Roy and Ryu exchanged a glance, seeing the seriousness in each other's eyes. Could things really be this bad? Encountering an unexpected situation on their very first expedition? Roy said, "Let's go check it out!"

　Ryu and the other two had no objections and followed.

　Gathering intelligence and information in the dungeon is crucial; otherwise, when something unusual happens, everyone else will run away while they foolishly stay behind to die.

　Upon arriving at an open space, they found that hundreds of adventurers had already gathered there, completely surrounding the area.

　"Even in the fiercest winds, there are still buds of justice."

　The arrival of Roy and his group immediately attracted the attention of many people. The war game had been broadcast live throughout the city, and those who did not know them were rare.

　"You've come at the right time!" A muscular, burly man walked over, his face fierce, wearing a black eye patch over his left eye, looking like no good person. He exuded power, revealing his broad shoulders and abs.

　Perse Elder!

　LV.3, a powerful high-level adventurer who runs a purchasing station in "Rivera Town". He has close relationships with the leaders and members of various high-level clans and has the authority to command the entire town in emergency situations.

　Roy recalled the man's information in his mind and asked, "Is there anything unusual?"

　"It's great that you understood so quickly."

　Perth said, "There's a very strange monster on the 24th floor. More than a dozen high-level adventurers have gone missing. We suspect it's an enhanced species." This immediately caused an uproar.

　Enhanced species!

　Encountering such a monster is definitely not a good thing for adventurers.

　The enhanced species possesses unique abilities unlike other monsters, and its danger is no less than that of the floor master!

　The most famous of them all is the "Bloody Giant," which is said to have ravaged the dungeons for over ten years.

　When the guild learned of its existence, a large number of high-level adventurers had already been killed. Later, they dispatched a subjugation team composed of LV.3 and LV.4 adventurers, which also suffered a large-scale casualty of more than fifty people.

　This forced the guild to request the deployment of the "Freya Familia," which finally defeated the "Bloodstained Giant." It's estimated that this enhanced monster's stats were above Lv.5. Perse said, "We're preparing to hunt that monster, and you'll be joining the expedition. Your expedition destination is also the 24th floor. Without dealing with that enhanced monster, the expedition won't go smoothly."

　Ryu, Daphne, and Cassandra looked at Roy.

　The surrounding crowd looked surprised. Two newcomers were one thing, but even LV.4 Gale seemed to focus on "Sprouts of Justice," which was quite unusual. Roy lowered his head in thought, "Okay, but we just encountered the Monster Feast on the seventeenth floor, and we're lacking in stamina and energy. We need to rest for the night." "What a hassle. I can only give you five hours at most," Perth said, scratching his head in annoyance.

　The group returned to their tents in the wilderness.

　Roy took out an expensive silkworm pillow from his spatial ring and tossed it to Cassandra.

　"Sweetie, go to sleep!"

Chapter 93 Precognitive Dreams (Please Subscribe)

　Having been semi-forced into joining the team to hunt down the "enhanced species," they only had five hours left to rest.

　Roy and the others valued this time very much.

　Daphne and Cassandra went into the tent to rest, while Roy and Liu took turns keeping watch by the fire.

　When Roy woke up and came to relieve him.

　“You seem to value that child Cassandra quite a bit.” The elven girl flicked the fire with a branch. Although she and Cassandra were about the same age, their experience levels were on completely different levels.

　In Ryu's eyes, the timid and shy Cassandra really is a child who never grows up.

　Roy laughed and said, "She has an extraordinary talent that might help us get through this difficult time."

　Ryu glanced at Roy in surprise. Having come this far together, how could she not understand him? Roy valued very little. Roy didn't explain much; Cassandra's prophecy was imbued with "cursed power." Even if he told Ryu, she wouldn't believe it, and it might even backfire.

　Liu got up and walked towards the tent, but suddenly stopped, pursed her lips, and whispered, "No matter what, I will protect you." After saying that, she went into the tent to rest.

　Roy heard Ryu's whisper and laughed, "Truly a reliable senior member of the clan."

　The eighteenth floor was devoid of monsters and small animals, eerily quiet, but for Roy, it was the perfect opportunity to calm down and think things through. Roy recalled his encounter with Ota on the street that day, and he suspected that this incident was related to Freya, that crazy woman. She had once hunted down enhanced species and must have a good understanding of this type of monster.

　It is not difficult to breed a "strengthened species".

　The question is, to what extent does the other party want to go?

　As Roy pondered, time flew by, and the appointed time with Perth was fast approaching.

　Cassandra ran out of the tent, panicked. "Mr. Roy, I was dreaming!"

　Roy's eyes lit up; it seemed that the expensive silk pillow he had bought had not been a waste.

　"Don't be anxious, speak slowly."

　Roy comforted the blue-haired girl, asked her to sit down, and handed her a cup of sweet milk tea.

　Roy's composed demeanor quickly influenced Cassandra. Holding a warm cup of milk tea, she sipped it slowly, her emotions gradually calming down. Roy asked softly, "What did you dream about?"

　After calming down, Cassandra became hesitant and awkward. Finally, encouraged by Roy's gaze, she mustered her courage and recited poetry: "Phantom in the water, are you singing? No, I am weeping. Then why do you hurt others? Is it because of your wounds? Perhaps I am lonely..."

　Roy's expression was no different from the old man, the cell phone, and the subway meme.

　The ability to foresee the future through dreams, in the form of poems accompanied by blurry images, was completely incomprehensible to Roy—quite abstract indeed. He provided all support except for assistance!

　As he listened, he understood less and less, as if someone was chattering in his ear. A sense of disgust welled up in Roy's heart, and he became angry and impatient. He even wanted to slap them hard.

　It was at this moment that the "Adventure" development ability was activated!

　As if the whole world had brightened, a goddess with a perfect figure and appearance, but whose true face could not be seen clearly, descended from the sky and gently kissed Roy on the forehead.

　That elusive luck increased dramatically, Roy's eyes cleared, and his mind became perfectly lucid.

　Roy recalled the emotional shift he had just experienced and broke out in a cold sweat. If it weren't for his "Adventure" development ability, even he wouldn't be immune to Cassandra's "Prophecy Dream" spell. It was a truly terrifying skill.

　Roy's mind raced, searching through Cassandra's poetry for relevant passages. "So, you dreamt of an environment with lots of rivers?" Cassandra's eyes lit up, and she nodded.

　Roy asked again, "You saw a monster that could sing... and cry? She was all alone!"

　“Yes, yes, yes!” Cassandra nodded emphatically, her eyes filled with emotion as she looked at Roy. After so many years, finally someone believed in her prophetic dream.

　Roy's brow furrowed deeper and deeper. The twenty-four-layered "Great Tree Maze" was a labyrinthine cavern covered in moss, devoid of any aquatic monsters. This was according to Cassandra's description.