Floor 50. The Loki Familia had established a temporary camp there, taking a calculated reprieve.
It was the process of making final, absolute preparations before descending into the abyss known as the Deep Floors—the true hell of the Dungeon.
"So this is the 50th floor, huh?"
"This is your first time down here, isn't it, Big Sis?"
"I'll say thank you for the tour!"
"Don't mention it."
Akumo and Tsubaki stood atop a small rise, observing the activity below. They watched as the Familia members, usually boisterous, radiated a sharp, focused intensity that saturated the air with a lethal pressure.
"Are they always like this?"
"No. They've just been stimulated by something."
"And what would that be?"
"...An adventure."
"Ah..."
'If that's the case, then certainly...'
Tsubaki immediately understood what they had witnessed through Akumo's words. She herself had experienced that specific shock—the kind that reignited the fires of passion—many times. In fact, she had felt it several times just by being around the man standing next to her.
"Let's start the equipment inspections. It's about that time."
"Agreed. I've brought the weapons you requested! The
"The series specialized for unbreakability, right?"
"Exactly!"
Time passed. As the artificial night of the upper floors was emulated by their internal clocks, Finn, Riveria, Gareth, and the core executives gathered to finalize the expedition strategy.
"I will now announce the party that will advance past the 51st floor tomorrow."
"Myself, Riveria, and Gareth."
"Ais, Bete, Tione, and Tiona."
"Serving as supporters, Raul and Lefiya."
"Tsubaki will accompany us as our master smith."
"And... Akumo!"
At Finn's words, every member turned their gaze toward Akumo. It was a look of absolute conviction in his strength—a manifestation of their faith in the ultimate pioneer.
"Leave it to me!"
Akumo responded to their expectations with a confident, effortless smile.
On the 51st floor, the elites of the Loki Familia were engaged in a surgical slaughter. At the front, Ais, Bete, and Tiona were a whirlwind of steel and violence, laying waste to anything that moved.
"There's nothing left for me to kill...!"
"The 52nd floor is just ahead! Keep the momentum!"
Rumble—!
"I'll handle the rear! Everyone, run!"
BOOM—!
The moment Akumo spoke, pillars of flame erupted from the floor they had just crossed, and spider-like webs lunged from the shadows to ensnare them. Most of the webbing was neutralized by Akumo's surgical dagger work, but Finn and Riveria noticed that Lefiya and Raul were being specifically targeted.
Slice—!
"We'll bleed stamina at this rate...!"
Squelch—!
"Finn!"
"Permission granted! Dive into the shaft with Akumo!"
Finn and Akumo led the plunge into a massive vertical hole. Below, several Winged Dragons circled, their maws glowing with heat.
"Kyaaa!"
"Lefiya! Don't panic. Maintain your focus so you can deploy magic the moment we hit the ground!"
Whoosh—!
"Incoming!"
Sever—!
"Trust Akumo with the defense! The rest of you, prepare to secure the perimeter and follow me!"
Using the massive pit that bored straight through the levels, they bypassed the labyrinthine corridors and reached the 58th floor. Any dragon breath that threatened them during the fall was either absorbed by Akumo's [Crimson Flame] or simply cut out of the air.
They touched down in the 58th floor, a territory crawling with dragons and a new species of larval monsters.
"Go!"
Flash—!
"Whoa!? Too fast!"
"Hah! I expect nothing less!"
Dozens of monsters were dissected by Akumo's blade in a heartbeat, reduced to ash. Tiona watched in awe, while Bete's competitive spirit flared as he threw himself into the remaining swarm.
Meanwhile, in a dimly lit cavern.
Revis, the enigmatic woman who had caused havoc on the 18th floor, was gorging herself on magic stones.
"What are you doing?"
"The Sword Princess and her group have already reached the Deep Floors."
"Why are you not moving?"
A figure shrouded in robes spoke with an eerie, distorted voice, reprimanding her. Revis, indifferent, continued to crunch on a magic stone before speaking.
"You know as well as I do... this body has terrible fuel efficiency."
"Furthermore, I still cannot surpass Aria as I am now."
"Moving now is pointless."
Revis pictured Ais Wallenstein. She was the woman targeted by Enyo—the existence Revis was forced to serve—and the one she was destined to clash with.
"Self-indulgent as always... If a problem arises..."
"They are strong. They will certainly reach the 59th floor."
"...."
"In the worst case, I don't care if Aria is a corpse."
"Are you planning to defy Enyo?"
"I don't mind you using me, but I move as I please. If you're so worried, do it yourself for once."
Next to Revis lay the cursed jewel used to create humanoid monsters, along with a mysterious, jet-black magic stone.
"Is this a Winged Dragon's fang? And these are scales?"
"Really, Big Sis... save the scavenging for the return trip."
"I suppose you're right. Everyone, check your weapons!"
Having successfully rendezvoused and cleared the 58th floor, the group didn't waste time celebrating. They quickly checked their gear and brought out Salamander Wool to survive the anticipated sub-zero temperatures of the 59th floor.
"But... it feels quite hot from here?"
"...The unknown?"
"There's no other choice. We move forward."
"Akumo is right. Keep the Salamander Wool ready just in case. Move out as soon as maintenance is complete."
"Hmm..."
'Why does this feel so wrong?'
Sensing a predatory presence like a beast awaiting its prey, Akumo maintained a state of absolute combat readiness as they stepped into the 59th floor.
What met them was not a frozen wasteland, but a high-temperature, humid jungle.
"I see... how interesting."
'The information I heard from Zard and Alfia was that this was definitely a frozen region...'
"We're moving deeper. We'll know what we're facing soon enough."
Crunch!
Snap!
"Is that...?"
"It's the new species from before!!"
In the jungle, they saw the Enhanced Tree monsters from the 18th floor devouring the new larval species. As they gripped their weapons to engage—
TREMOR—!
"What!?"
"Prepare for combat!!!"
—UAAAAAAAH!!
Screech—!
The Enhanced Tree let out a piercing shriek that shook the entire floor. Its upper body burst open like an eggshell, and a feminine form emerged from within.
—Aria!
"A... Spirit..."
'Now I'm certain...!'
"Stay alert! This is an external interference—"
THOOM—!
Ais had unconsciously called the creature a Spirit. Akumo, realizing the floor had been corrupted by outside forces, tried to shout a warning, but his words were cut short as something massive dropped behind them.
"W-What is that?"
"What the hell is this monster...!"
Standing behind them was a titan of darkness.
"A... Black Demon?"
A massive, black giant with four horns stood there. Its face was a void marked only by eye-like crimson patterns, its body disproportionately long and unsettling.
Whoosh—!
"...!!! DODGE!"
CRASH—!
"...Master Akumo!"
While they were still processing the sight, the entity known as the Nightmare swung a devastatingly long arm, aiming to pulverize the rearguard, Raul and Lefiya. It was an attack they couldn't possibly survive. Akumo shoved them aside, taking the full brunt of the kinetic impact and being sent flying.
"Akumo!"
"Calm down! Focus on the enemy in front of you!"
'My thumb won't stop shaking...!'
BOOM—!
"I'm fine! Deal with that Spirit!!!!"
'If I hadn't blocked that with Lævateinn, I would have been severely injured...!'
Akumo vaulted out of the crater, sheathed his daggers, and drew the [Lævateinn] from his back.
"Surprised I'm still alive?"
'This déjà vu... and that reaction... there's definitely a connection here.'
KRA-KOOM—!
"You're not even giving me time to think!!!"
Clash—!
A green flash and the black giant collided, filling the air with thunderous sonic booms. Behind them, the sounds of his comrades battling the Spirit echoed.
Suddenly, another anomaly reared its head.
—[Come, come, come, crust of the earth, light of iron, hammer of the stars. With the contract of genesis, invert.]
"A monster... chanting? Impossible!"
"That's an Ultra-Long Chant...!"
—[V-Vestige... of shadow... b-become... the sacrifice... of the n-nightmare...]
"What!? This side too!?"
'And this one is a Super-Short Chant!'
"Aku—"
"Focus on stopping your side first! Go!"
"Dammit...!!"
As the Fallen Spirit and the Black Giant began their simultaneous incantations, Finn immediately ordered a combined assault. Riveria focused on barrier deployment while Lefiya, Tsubaki, and Raul were told to disrupt the Spirit's chant with magic and magic swords.
"[Fusillade Fallarica]!!!!"
"Haaah!"
"HRAAAGH!"
BOOM—!
—[Incinerate the heavens, shatter the earth, join and become one. O axe of the falling sky, calamity of destruction—]
"It didn't work...?"
"Don't panic! Keep pouring it on!!!"
At that moment, a massive shadow loomed behind Riveria as she prepared her barrier.
"[Dance, o spirits of the air, o lord of light...]...!?"
'What...? Was the giant's chant... teleportation magic?!'
SHING—!
"Riveria! Keep chanting!!"
Akumo intervened with terrifying speed. Distracting the Giant and forcing it to look away from Riveria, he unleashed his prepared [Broken Curse].
"[Broken Curse]!!!!!!!!!"
Ripping Slash—!
"This thing... it took five consecutive strikes directly and it isn't even slowing down!"
—[Vestige of shadow...]
'Another chant... another teleportation ma—'
CRACK—!
"...Huh?"
The Nightmare smiled.
The hero, unaware that the giant's spoken words were mere decoys, felt the Nightmare's claws tear into him.