Of course, everything has its pros and cons.
Aiden's own enchantment magic, [Everlasting Flames], which relied on fire as its core, would inevitably have its power somewhat dampened in this humid environment. There was no avoiding it.
"The main signature monsters of the 25th Floor are the Harpies and Sirens in the air, and the Mermaids and half-human, half-snake Lamias in the water."
Aiden's voice snapped everyone's thoughts back to reality. He drew the longsword from his waist, his eyes growing sharp, and took the lead, stepping into the dim depths of the labyrinth.
"Whoa, what ugly monsters."
Just then, Hyacine's disgusted exclamation broke the brief moment of revelation.
The group followed her gaze. From the depths of a dark tunnel ahead, a massive swarm of crab monsters covered in blue steel shells was surging toward them, emitting a chorus of click-clack sounds from their rubbing joints.
There were at least twenty of them.
The approaching enemies were one of the 25th Floor's signature monsters, categorized as metallic monsters: the Metal Blue Crab.
The most striking feature of these creatures was that regardless of their overall size, one of their pincers—either the left or right—was abnormally developed, nearly half the size of their entire body and functioning like a literal sledgehammer.
But what truly unsettled the group was that despite being crabs, they marched straight forward like humans. The bizarre sight of their six legs crossing rapidly provided a visual shock that almost overshadowed the actual threat they posed.
"First battle in the deep floors. Watch yourselves."
Aiden issued a low command. Instead of retreating, he surged forward. The Fire Spirit Sword was already drawn, its blade tracing an eerie arc under the reflection of the crystals.
The battle erupted instantly.
One Metal Blue Crab rushed to the front, raising its hammer-like giant pincer and bringing it crashing down with a gust of wind.
Aiden didn't dodge. With a flick of his wrist, the tip of his sword snapped upward at a tricky angle, perfectly tapping the connective joint beneath the massive pincer—the weak link not covered by its steel shell.
Clang!
With a crisp ring, sparks flew.
The pincer's momentum was instantly shattered. The Blue Crab lost its balance from overexertion, exposing its soft abdominal shell.
Aiden didn't give it a single opening. Following through with his sword, a sharp slash effortlessly cleaved its abdomen open, and the flash of a Magic Stone faded as quickly as it appeared.
Simultaneously, several more Blue Crabs flanked him from both sides.
Aiden stepped back with his left foot and aimed a half-curled right hand straight ahead.
"Gospel!"
The ultra-short chant flashed by, and an invisible sonic cannon blasted forward with a boom.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
Amidst the heavy impacts, the three Blue Crabs at the front were hit head-on as if by an invisible battering ram. Their hardened steel shells instantly spiderwebbed with cracks, and their massive bodies were blown backward, crashing into their comrades and causing absolute chaos.
The threat from the rear was flawlessly intercepted by Daphne and Tifa.
Daphne moved like lightning, her rapier transforming into a deadly silver viper.
She didn't engage the monsters in any contests of strength; instead, she weaved through the crab swarm. Every thrust of her blade pierced flawlessly into the thick shell seams, striking directly at their vitals.
With a flash of cold light, a Blue Crab would stiffen and crash to the ground, the entire process occurring without a single superfluous sound.
Tifa's approach was the exact opposite; her combat style brimmed with raw power and lethal beauty.
Facing a Blue Crab swinging its giant pincer, she didn't retreat. A clean side-step evaded the strike, and her long right leg snapped out like a battleaxe, slamming directly into the crab's flank.
With a loud crack, the steel shell—strong enough to deflect swords—caved in and shattered beneath her kick.
Immediately after, she closed the distance. A palm strike infused with magic slammed mercilessly into the face of another Blue Crab. The berserk force launched the creature entirely off the ground, causing it to vaporize into black ash mid-air.
In the center, Jeanne displayed the absolute reliability of a Guardian.
She wrapped her holy flag tightly around her spear, using it like a quarterstaff, every swing carrying devastating weight.
A Blue Crab that tried to bypass the frontline and rush Robin and the rear guard was swatted away by her sweeping strike, smashing violently against the crystal wall and shattering its steel shell into pieces.
Standing there, she was an insurmountable barricade, isolating all danger from the group.
The battle concluded swiftly.
Though the Metal Blue Crabs boasted impressive defense, they posed virtually no threat to the perfectly coordinated Focalors Familia, who knew exactly where their weak points were.
"What a waste..."
Looking at the ground littered with blue steel shells gleaming with a metallic luster, a pained expression inadvertently crossed Aiden's face.
These steel shells were excellent armor materials. Selling them to the Hephaestus Familia would fetch a hefty price.
"We're short on hands, and our carrying capacity is already near its limit. We'll just have to abandon a lot of the loot," Robin sighed helplessly.
"It can't be helped."
Aiden spoke while crouching down, pretending to inspect the broken crab shells. In reality, he was using the [Intertwined Fate] system—which only he could see—to quietly absorb the Magic Stones scattered on the ground one by one.
To Daphne and Cassandra, who were unaware of his system, it simply looked like their Captain had weighed the pros and cons and made the most rational choice—abandoning the relatively bulky and lower-value Magic Stones so that Hyacine and Cassandra, their supporters, could carry more valuable monster drop items.
After a quick sweep of the battlefield, the party maintained their previous formation and continued deeper into the labyrinth.
Aiden broke the path at the front, Tifa and Daphne secured the rear flanks, and Jeanne stayed glued to the center, protecting Astrea, Robin, Hyacine, and Cassandra.
After navigating the crystal labyrinth for about half an hour, the ceaseless roaring of the Great Fall outside had faded into the background, sounding like distant ocean waves.
At that moment, Hyacine and Cassandra simultaneously noticed a new sound.
Just as Tifa muttered softly, a parallel stream of water had appeared alongside the tunnel they were advancing through.
This current, gathering from various intersecting paths, had already reached a considerable size—calling it a small river would be no exaggeration.
The crystal-clear water reflected the hues of the surrounding crystals, radiating a dreamlike, pale blue glow under the illumination of their Magic Stone lamps.
"Currents like this flow all throughout the labyrinth."
Robin checked her map, confirming their route before speaking. "Basically, wherever there's a land path, it's an official route marked by the Guild. So you don't have to worry about needing to swim."
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