It didn't take long for everyone to be playing an active role in combat thanks to the level boost they all just got from Haruhime. Though, thanks to the suddenness of the buff, it shocked them more than anything else, and caused a few accidents, one that caused Allen to careen right up through the floor boundaries, reaching the 57th floor before he regained control and came back down with the force of a meteor impact. Yet, even with an impact that powerful, the monster rex simply flexed, shrugging it off.
Ryuu had joined the frontline with her combat skills, to help keep the dragon from breathing its fire breath. However, she was quickly replaced by the legendary Hogni, and his sword. She followed Lili's order to retreat to the magic circle Riveria had created… Realizing the reason immediately. With the addition of her magic to the constant bombardment, the dragon's right side finally started losing scales.
It wasn't until later that Ryuu realized the damage the floor had experienced was quite a bit higher than substantial. Bell noticed it too, but he didn't care, there was no need to worry, not this time.
And of course, the left side started losing scales, and several small cuts on its body began appearing. Haruhime's magic started to flicker out.
"Master Leon, Master Bell! Everyone! Attack!"
"Hildis Vini!"
"Afterglow!"
"Argos Vesta!"
Several other powerful abilities, strikes, and magic flew out towards the monster rex, Specifically, Ottar's and Leon's resonated and combined with each other, each amplifying each other. Slicing right through the monster rex two slashes rotated around a single point, cutting the dragon into four curled pieces.
Finally killing the monster rex, everyone took a deep breath, and at that moment everyone realized just how damaging the attack they just used actually was. Ignoring the fact it was still drilling its way through the dungeon, focusing more on the down feeling of having leveled back down again.
"That's certainly one way to do it…" Leon said, with a nervous sweat.
"Yeah, not bad, It's almost as strong as one of my wolves." Shurry said with a slow clap.
The dungeon wasn't happy though. It let out a familiar terrifying roar.
Ryuu's ears flicked slightly from the sound, and started to panic knowing that it gets stronger the further down one goes. "Not again… A third time?! REALLY!?"
"Ryuu, relax, Shurry planned for this. Everyone should just watch and wait." Bell said with a smile and a thumbs up.
Just like Ryuu had mentioned, the beast of destruction appeared. Shurry let out a short breath as he suddenly appeared in the place the newly spawned juggernaut appeared. He had one foot out in front as if he'd just kicked the monster, and… there was no longer any monster.
"Alright… Time to move, let's go. Or do you want the god's dinner to be late?" Shurry said, with a smirk, half hoping they'd be slow pokes.
Exhausted after that hellish fight, they all dusted themselves off, and Bell took point in the vanguard. The expedition party continued moving again, this time, with Bell in the front it was quite a bit faster than before.
Eventually, everyone reached the 66th floor with all of their gear, and immediately the level 5s fell to their knees and passed out. Those at level 6 either vomited, or came close to it. The hellish cold, after the insane heat, was just too much.
The world of them thinking they were strong was now in their past. It was only after seeing Shurry eliminate a monster 2 levels higher than what they all struggled with, with such ease it might as well have not even spawned that they realized they were living in an illusion.
Then, as if to rub salt in the wounds, Bell, a brand new adventurer, just guided them all the way down to the next safe zone on the 66th floor, where Bell just smiled and laughed now that they arrived.
"Looks like it's time for dinner." Mama Mia said, rolling up her sleeves.
"That would be lovely. Make sure there's enough for everyone. They've earned it." Freya smiled…
Supporters began setting up camp really quick, each of them having just witnessed so many interesting things at this time, the idea they might get stronger too had firmly rooted into their minds.
Shurry stretched, doing a full course of them, to really get every muscle awake and ready to go, then did a double step and a hop. "I'll go get some meat real quick. Be right back, get some rest, you're gonna need it." He said taking off with a speed unlike anything anyone had ever seen, even the speed he showed on the 58th floor was nothing by comparison.
"I would say god speed, but…" Miach chuckled.
"Well, he really has been holding back considerably." Takemikazuchi said, with a wide smile.
The sounds, and shockwaves of Shurry fighting deeper down radiated all the way up to the 18th floor, let alone the 66th. After an hour of rumblings later, Shurry returned with enough raw meat to feed a small army. And of course he was munching down on it with a big smile on his face.
"Ah, it feels good to finally let loose once in a while. Sadly, I can't go all out…" Shurry said, letting out a sigh. Setting down his light platform full of meat down for Mama Mia to handle the cooking.
"Why don't you just go all out then?" Mama Mia asked.
"Because I would destroy the world." Shurry yawned. "If you and the others improve enough, I'll show you the battle I had with my timeline's dragon."
"Heh, I still find it crazy that one man managed to pull that off. After all, I remember better than most just how strong freaks like Maxim, and Empress really were. And that thing annihilated them." Mama Mia said, as she started working on the large pieces of meat, half surprised at how good monster meat can look. "To be honest, I had given up on ever defeating that monster. If they couldn't do it, no one could."
"It would have been possible, if my timeline's version had survived in Telskyura. A real shame that he didn't. Though, the great feud was quite a bit worse there than it was here… way, way worse." Shurry said, still eating the meat raw, showing he really was a werewolf through n through now.
"Yeah, I'll get a bit stronger, but I don't know how much I can do…"
"You let me worry about that, all you have to do is try, and do."
…