Is it wrong to try to meet someone in a dungeon?

That was a spare battle axe thrown down from the rocky platform. He slung the heavy weapon over his shoulder, letting his heavy cloak billow in the wind, and then swung the axe with the force of cutting through the ground.

"snort!"

Following the angle at which the tomahawk dug into the ground, shrapnel of rock fragments shot towards the enemy.

Only dwarves with immense strength could wield flying weapons that pierced through the monster's body or sliced ​​it into pieces.

"【O harbinger of the end, snow-covered landscape. As dusk approaches, let the winds rise!】"

Overlooking the scene of Ais and the others fighting, several chants overlapped one after another.

On a vast rocky platform, in a camp ravaged by a monster attack, mages, mainly elves, gather on the rocky ground, offering a panoramic view of the battlefield, preparing to launch a simultaneous artillery barrage.

"[Closed light, frozen earth. Snowflakes falling, three harsh winters—my name is Alfre!]"

With Rivia at the forefront completing her incantation, the process began, and the mages successively completed their magical operations. Many magic circles unfolded, and the continuous flow of magic seemed to say, "Disperse immediately," serving as a warning to Ais and the others fighting below.

The level 1 adventurers scattered like little spiders, ending their battle with the monster and leaving their original positions.

"[Ecstasy: Fimbulb Winter]!"

Heroic support fire covered the battlefield.

Ice, fire, lightning. A variety of attack spells rained down like sleet, striking the earth.

The monsters, splattering with bodily fluids, were smashed to pieces, some burning, some electrocuted. Countless explosions occurred one after another, and magical remnants flew all around.

"See that?!" The magic specialists roared in unison at the nearly destroyed monster army. Riveria glanced at their excited faces and sighed quietly.

The campsite, which was attacked a few hours earlier, was in serious condition. Besides the loss and depletion of supplies, the biggest problem was that many members were encountering that unavoidable corrosive liquid for the first time, and all were seriously injured. The strategy of thorough defense had actually backfired.

Because of the sudden expansion of the chaos, Riveria could only focus on commanding and was unable to take the lead in using magic herself—until just now, she was unable to switch from defense to offense.

She sighed quietly, feeling ashamed that she had been left behind.

"In short, most of the issues have been resolved..."

She leaned out from the edge of the rocky ground, looking down at the battlefield.

The support fire just now became the final blow. The remaining monsters were also almost wiped out by Ais and the others, with only a few yellow-green clumps left. Like Finn, Riveria was also annoyed by Tione and the others' ruthless fighting style, but she was too lazy to care and decided to leave all the trouble to the young leader.

(But what exactly are those monsters...?)

The supporters who had just pushed the supplies (cargo boxes) to the edge of the cliff and thrown the weapons down as requested by Tiona and the others were now holding hands and sharing their joy, but Riveria was lost in thought.

Seeing how skillfully Ais and her companions repelled the monsters, it was easy to imagine that they must have been attacked by the same monsters on the 51st floor. Witnessing this new type of monster invading a safe floor on a massive scale for the first time, Rivera tried to discern a sense of unease she had never felt before… but she immediately shook her head. There was no point in thinking about it anymore. There were other things to do now.

She still needed to send some people to treat the wounded. Her thoughts drifted to post-war management, and she was about to turn away when suddenly, those emerald-colored eyes stopped on a point deep in her field of vision.

"What is that..."

His thin lips unconsciously uttered this muttered phrase.

■

"it's over--!"

After Ais killed the last monster, there was nothing else moving except for them.

Tiona was overjoyed to see the monster fall to the ground, while Ais, having dispelled the magic, looked down at the one-handed sword in her hand.

Unlike the beloved sword entrusted to Finn, this blade was riddled with nicks and worn down to the point where it could break at any moment. It couldn't withstand Ais's swordsmanship, much less the power of the wind (Wind Spirit Swiftness).

Her magic is useful, but its drawback is that it puts a heavy burden on weapons and armor.

Ignore the aches and pains throughout your body as usual.

"You've caused us trouble... Are the guys left at camp alright?"

"Oh, Bert, you're worried about Riveria and the others? That's rare!"

"You're making a lot of noise! ​​If they don't guard the things, how are we going to get back from the depths (here)? Don't get me wrong!"

As usual, Tiona and Bert started bickering again, which lightened the atmosphere a bit.

Tiony clung to Finn, refusing to leave; Grace patted Raul on the back as he slumped to the ground; and Lefia smiled at Ais. Everyone was safe and sound, and their tense expressions gradually relaxed.

Ais looked around, glancing at her companions, trying to confirm the situation at the campsite. Just as she was about to turn her head towards the rocky platform...

The next moment.

"——!"

A sound came from behind.

A tree breaking, the sound of it shattering coming from afar.

Everyone turned and looked up in that direction. They re-equipped themselves with their weapons and returned to battle readiness.

The trees' wailing still echoed. Rivera and the others on the rocky platform must have already seen the true nature of the sound from above. Their silence, as if devoid of sound, caused unease and anxiety among Ais and the others who were already in position.

I don't know how long I waited.

Perhaps it didn't take too much time.

Ais and the others dared not be careless and kept their eyes fixed on the direction from which the sound came. Finally, the sound appeared in their field of vision.

"...Could that have come down from downstairs too?"

"If we destroy the maze while advancing... perhaps that's barely feasible?"

"Stop talking nonsense..."

The Amazon sisters' surprised and helpless conversation echoed throughout the quiet room.

It's about six million.

Compared to the large monster we just fought, this one was a whole size bigger.

It has a yellowish-green body and flattened arms. Its appearance is similar to that of a worm-like monster, but its overall design is quite different.

"Humanoid...?"

The worm-like lower body remained unchanged. Only the upper body, which had bulged like a small hill, now had smooth curves, like a human upper body.

It resembles both a stingray and a fan, with two pairs of thin, flat upper arms on each side. Several tubular organs hang down from the back of its head.

His yellowish-green skin looked as if it had been splashed with colorful paint, the colors of his entire body were completely disordered, and he looked as if he had been eroded by a deadly poison of unknown origin.

The intense color extends all the way to the face, which lacks a nose, eyes, and mouth, only having a thin outline that evokes femininity. However, the large, protruding belly ruins all feminine features. If it is to be a pregnant woman, the belly lacks rounded lines and is simply too ugly, appearing as a purplish-black color.

"If we could take down such a big one..."

—A large amount of corrosive liquid will splash around.

Raul was astonished to see the enormous body that rivaled the floor master's, and the black abdomen that seemed to be filled with bodily fluids (something).

Recalling the battles so far, most of the worm-like monsters' bodies explode the moment they run out of energy. What if that monster also sprayed out all its internal fluids as it died…

Even if we manage to defeat it, everyone in the vicinity will perish.

Everyone had imagined the worst-case scenario.

"With such a huge body, it would probably be difficult to target the magic stone directly."

"And we have no idea where it's buried..."

Grace lifted his helmet, which was pulled down low, while Bert cursed bitterly.

The monster, wreaking havoc in the gray forest, finally revealed its full form and stopped some distance away from Ais and the others.

Looking at it from the front again, it looks like a centaur (Centaurus), no, perhaps more like a serpent (Lamia).

The group faced the enormous female monster across the ground.

"..."

The female-sized monster slowly began to move.

Like enticing a beloved into one's embrace, the four flat arms gently opened.

Light danced in the air. A swarm of seven-colored particles.

Scales, or pollen. Colorful, fine particles of light drifted toward Ais and the others.

In an instant, a chill ran down their spines.

Urged on by instinct, the first-level adventurers fled their positions as if running away.

In less than an instant, countless bursts of light flashed in succession.

"Aa ...

“Hmm…!”

The ground, along with the remaining corrosive liquid, was shattered by the explosion. Lefia's piercing scream echoed all around, and the intense heat slammed against her cheeks.

That's not some little thing like pollen.

Every tiny particle scattered in the air is a terrifying bomb.

Amidst the billowing smoke and dust, Ais and the others, who had been blasted away, regrouped.

"Everyone retreat."

Finn announced to everyone.

Many eyes turned sharply to Finn, who remained vigilant, his gaze fixed on the female-shaped monster.

"Abandon the camp immediately and leave the scene with only the bare minimum of supplies. Also, inform Rivera and the others."

"Hey, Finn! You trying to run away?!"

"Are we just going to leave that monster alone?!"

Bert and Tiona argued vehemently. Their pride as first-class adventurers, and more importantly, their sense of honor and responsibility as the largest faction in the labyrinth city (the Loki Familia), wouldn't allow them to ignore the monster before them.

That monster has now appeared on this safe floor. If it continues to climb upwards, it will surely cause the deaths of many adventurers.

"I had no choice. But this was the only way to get rid of that monster and minimize the harm to others. Sorry for using such clichés."

He seemed utterly disgusted with the order he was about to give.

Finn's expression turned blank as he turned to the blonde, golden-eyed girl.

"Ais, defeat that monster!"

"You're all alone," the little boy said, looking up at her face.

"Please wait a moment, Commander!"

Lefia cried out in pain before anyone else.

Tiona and the others were about to step forward to ask questions when suddenly a bombardment erupted.

The female-sized monster is making a move.

It spread its arms and began to move forward, wriggling its cluster of warts.

"...There's no time. Raul, give the signal for Rivera and the others to retreat!"

"Hey, wait a minute, Finn! Why did you let Ais go alone! I want to go too!"

"How can you expect a woman to protect her buttocks? That's a huge joke!"

"Commander, I also want to ask you. Please reconsider."

Tiona and the others were nearly blown away, but they persisted in their arguments, however...

The next sentence left them speechless.

"Don't make me say it twice. Hurry up."

His tone carried an undercurrent of cold, tyrannical pressure.

No one dared to defy the short boy anymore.

Tiona and the others had firsthand experience and knew that once Finn became like this, no amount of persuasion would help.

The young members, heads bowed or barely suppressing their regret, began preparing to retreat.

"...At least, at least let me cover for you!"

Lefia was left alone, pleading until the very end.

However, someone grabbed her slender shoulders from behind and gently pulled her back.

"Lefia... I'll be alright."