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

Suddenly.

The white light that had been spreading through her closed eyelids was blocked, and a shadow covered Ais's face.

The gentle ripples on the water told Ais that someone was approaching her, and she leaned closer to look at her face.

Ace opened his eyelids... and saw the elven girl with flushed cheeks right in front of him.

(Lefia...?)

She uttered the girl's name softly, but the girl covered her nose and mouth with one hand, desperately trying to explain something, but she couldn't hear her clearly because her ears were submerged in water.

Perhaps just as the God said, she was going through puberty. The elven girl covered her breasts, which had grown to the same size as her own, with one hand, looking flustered and at a loss.

In short, Ais first put her feet on the bottom of the water and stood up.

"—So that's not it, Miss Ais! I definitely didn't just stare at you, mesmerized by the sight of you shimmering on the water...! No, I did think that if I had a talent for painting, I would definitely capture your image in a painting and hang it in my room as decoration...! But I have absolutely no evil thoughts like those of a god (Loki)! I was just unconsciously drawn here...!!"

Lefia blushed and desperately tried to come up with excuses.

As for the person in question, he was completely unaware of the almost worshipful feelings the younger elf held for him.

Ais tilted her head in disbelief, then suddenly heard cheerful laughter. She turned her head to broaden her view to the side.

In my eyes, I saw lush green leaves, several trees, and a large pool surrounded by blue crystals.

Meanwhile, several companions—the female members of the Loki Familia—were enjoying a cool, naked bath in the spring.

"Ah—! This feels so good—!!"

"Please! You're not a dog, don't do this!?"

Tiona pulled her head out of the tiny waterfall flowing from between the rocks and cheered.

Seeing her younger sister shaking her head vigorously like a puppy, the older sister, Thione, yelled in anger. Neither of them made any attempt to conceal their healthy tanned skin, slim waists, and full breasts.

Her body, unlike Ais's, is incredibly flexible, almost like a female warrior, and has a somewhat alluring quality.

"Everyone here has such a great figure...it makes me feel a little inferior."

"No way, your breasts are pretty big too, aren't they?"

"N-No, I'm just fat...!?"

Hearing the girl (human) Linne speak softly, the cat-person (catperson) Angie, who was rubbing the thin tail that grew from her buttocks with both hands, twisted her slender waist to tell her. Linne's long hair, which was usually tied in braids, was now loose down her back. She blushed and covered her chest with her hands.

Angel, with her black hair and black fur, shrugged her slender shoulders.

Despite saying that, the black cat girl herself also has breasts that can be described as beautiful.

"However, in my humble opinion, the Loki Familia is indeed full of beauties. Perhaps it can only be attributed to the preferences of the supreme god."

In the distance from the spring, a half-dwarf woman named Chun, who was practicing alone under a waterfall that was over ten meters high, walked over, lifting her black bangs.

She didn't remove the blindfold from her left eye, and many water droplets still streamed down her wheat-colored skin, sliding down her alluring neck and the depths of her breasts. Her breasts, usually covered by a white cloth strip, were so large that they could rival the beauty of Tione.

As a blacksmith from another faction, she looked around at the beautiful young women of all races.

"Men would find it hard to resist... What if they come to spy on us, Alicia, Navi?"

"I will punish them severely. Especially if they dare to peep at Lady (Rivia) bathing—I will make them regret ever being born."

"Haha... I don't think the guys can peek even if they want to."

A blonde elf and a human girl answer Tsubaki's question.

The Level 4 Level 2 adventurers, who were attacking the 59th floor alongside the Level 1 adventurers (Ais and others), glanced at the other female members of their party, who were guarding the area with bows and swords. Needless to say, there were monsters, and if any man dared to appear in this sanctuary of young girls, these guards would mercilessly slaughter them.

As expected of a goddess with a penchant for women, the Loki Familia is completely imbalanced in gender. Even if the executives were brought in, the female members would likely still have the advantage in pure combat strength. The male members of the Loki Familia are actually quite embarrassing compared to the numerous and talented female members.

The second-level adventurers, both elves and humans, waved gratefully to their colleagues who were about to take their turn guarding the area, and the demi-human girls immediately returned the smiles.

The pure and innocent girls, whose beauty rivals that of the moon and flowers, removed all their clothes and equipment, revealing their naked skin to one another.

Although we're still in the dungeon, let's relax for a bit.

"Ah—I really like the 18th floor—. The crystals are beautiful, and the water is so clear."

Tiona swam freely on her back in the forest spring water, which was bathed in blue light, and answered leisurely.

Ais thought Tiona was right.

You can also wash your body on the 50th floor of the safetypoint or other floors, and take a cool bath using the springs or rivers if you wish. But even so, this 18th floor is still unique in the underground city.

The crystal-clear water flowing from the depths of the building is more beautiful and clearer than surface water, and can be used by humans or monsters to quench their thirst and heal their fatigue. "Under Resort" is not just a name.

"..."

That's right, this is the 18th floor.

After a fierce battle in the deeper areas, Ais and the others are now on this floor.

The "expedition" to the 59th floor—an unreached area—has ended. It has been six days since we set off from the 50th floor of our base.

The group hadn't originally planned to linger in this underground paradise and should have already returned to the surface.

So why did it turn out this way?

Listening to everyone's conversation and Lefia's blushing voice as she continued to speak, Ais looked up at the forest dome blocking her view and recalled what had happened so far.

Sword Oratoria 5 Side Story Chapter 1: Past and Present

Seven days ago, Ais and the others arrived at their "expedition" destination—the 59th floor of the Unreached Realm.

Ais and the others were supposed to update their factions and reach the floor, but what awaited them was the "unknown"—the floor scenery had become like a dense forest, and the hideous "filthy fairies".

Named "Demispirit", it is a hybrid creature of fairy and monster.

After finally defeating the powerful enemy and monster army that could use spells, Ais and the others immediately withdrew from the 59th floor and returned to the expedition base on the 50th floor where the other members were stationed. After a short rest, they immediately set off from the base camp.

Under the swift instructions of Captain Finn, the expedition prepared to return with great urgency. The first-tier adventurers, exhausted from venturing into the "Deep Layer," led the way, but the other members responsible for guarding the base fought even harder than before. Thanks to their spirits and the efforts of the second-tier adventurers (Raul and others) to avoid burdening the leadership, Ais and the others were able to rest their injured bodies even during the march. The group embarked on their return journey to the surface, progressing smoothly along the way.

however--

The dungeon will not easily allow brave adventurers to set foot in the depths of its magnificent underground labyrinth and return victorious with their spoils.

"...A scream?"

"What's wrong?"

The team is advancing into the lower area.

When they were about halfway to the surface, it happened.

The large squad stretched out in the wide passage, and Ais, Werewolf Bert, and others at the front heard several shouts coming from the rear of the group.

"—Finn, order the troops to run!"

Immediately following was a thunderous roar from Grace, the veteran dwarf who was bringing up the rear of the squad.

"It's a 'Poisonous Maggot'!!"

In an instant, the group members who were fleeing in all directions, as well as countless maggot monsters, appeared in the distance.

Poisonvermis are among the most dangerous monsters of the races capable of using "toxic status attacks." Their deadly venom, sprayed from their mouths or secreted through their skin, can even penetrate the "status abnormality resistance" (developmental ability) of high-level adventurers. While weak in pure combat, their sheer numbers—resembling maggots crawling on corpses—pose a significant threat, earning them the fearsome reputation of being called "poison graveyards" by adventurers.

Meanwhile, the monster horde attacking the Loki Familia was so numerous that Ais and the others began to doubt their own eyes.

"So many—a surge in cases!?"

"Of all times...! Oh no!?"

The surge in monsters is an "abnormal situation".

The group members helped their incapacitated companions and ran frantically. No fewer than a hundred disgusting, poisonous maggot monsters seemed to be invading the passage, crawling along the ceiling and walls, closing in on their backs.

Ais and the others had no time to feel disgusted or disgusted; they were in a hurry to cover for the defenders.

Ais, wielding the wind (Wind Spirit Swiftness), and Bert, who infused her "magic" into her silver boots (Frosvelt), along with Grace, who raised her great shield, fought off the poison. Tiona and Tione dragged away several members whose skin had turned purple. Although Riveria used "magic" to freeze the entire passage, a new wave of poisonous maggots arrived from several side paths to converge upon them.

"This is never going to end...!"

Lefia, who was playing as a center-back, continued to practice the "parallel chanting" she had learned, and her face turned ashen when she saw this scene.

"Monster Party" – This is not a sudden, massive increase, but a continuous proliferation across a wide area. Moreover, the surge is driven by hordes of venomous maggots, causing their numbers to rise sharply.

Encountering such a monster on the return journey from an expedition that had severely depleted their physical and mental strength and resources was a major setback. Although the few remaining "magic swords" were effective, they were far too slow to deal with the monster.

After rescuing their companions, Ais and the others quickly switched from fighting back to escaping.

"Finn, Rakta and the others are in bad shape! We need to treat them quickly!"

"Commander, let's go to the safe floor 'lower'...!"

"We don't know the scale of this surge (the anomaly)! If the venomous maggots are proliferating throughout the entire lower level, we'll be locked up here!"

Tiona and Tione, holding the groaning humebunny girl and male members of the group, pleaded with Finn, but he, brandishing a spear at the front of the squad, refused outright.

The leader of the dwarf race shouted that even if they hid in the safe zone of the "lower level" and held their ground, they would have difficulty even providing proper medical treatment once they were busy fighting back.

Most importantly, the antidote items are almost gone.

"We're going to the 18th floor. Those who can't move, drag them along! Everyone else, run!!"

Lefia and the others followed the leader's instructions without any distraction.

They grabbed the arms or legs of their poisoned and immobilized members, dragging them as they fled at full speed. Ais and the other first-level adventurers dispersed to the rear, center, and vanguard of the group, supporting the squad's forced march.

Wherever they went, maggot-like monsters the size of thirty centimeters (Selchi) rained down from the rocky ceiling. The deadly poison secreted by their completely purple skin caused the blacksmiths of the Hephaestus Familia who were traveling with them to scream in agony.

"There's really nothing we can do; the other monsters have been affected too."

Chun used her katana to cut down several falling poisonous maggots in one go. Even the other monsters around her were poisoned and rolled around on the ground.

Amidst the screams of both humans and monsters, the Loki Familia, carrying or dragging a large number of wounded, broke through the lower levels and escaped into the 18th floor.

"Even at the very last moment, this kind of trouble awaits us."

In a corner of the open forest, Finn couldn't help but sigh.

This is the forest at the southern end of the 18th floor, a safe floor, and it's also very close to the passageway leading to the 17th floor.

Under the instructions of Finn and others, the Loki Familia set up a temporary camp here.

Many adventurers and blacksmiths lay supine inside tents with open curtains for ventilation, beside tree roots, or on the grass outside. Regardless of gender or race, parts of their bodies were discolored, and they were sweating profusely.

Screams of unbearable pain could be heard everywhere.

Faced with the desolate scene unfolding before their eyes, Finn, Riveria, and Grace stood beside the main camp and talked.

"Members with 'Abnormal Resistance' ratings other than G are all immobilized after being poisoned... Aside from Tsubaki, almost all the highsmiths are also poisoned. Seriously, this poison is still just as potent."

"Sigh, dungeons aren't easy to conquer... But this time, even I'm turning down the chance."

Perhaps because they had just experienced a fierce battle in an uncharted territory, even Riveria and Grace sounded heavy-hearted.

The powerful attack of the poisonous maggots and the damage they caused.

Many lower-ranking members, including supporters, have been "poisoned".

Their numbers exceeded one-third of the expeditionary force, effectively forcing the troops to halt operations.

Finn and his team had to take a long break.

"Rivia, how's the treatment going?"

"We prioritize treating those with severe symptoms... but don't get your hopes up too high. Even if you include me, there are very few mages and healers who can use rare antidote-type healing spells."

Upon hearing Finn's confirmation, Riveria looked down at her body, where her mental energy was almost depleted.

Fortunately, she had the effect of "Mental Recovery (Development Ability)," and she felt her mental strength recover slightly, but she still closed her eyes with regret.

"Moreover, this is the poison of the Poisonous Demon Maggot, and even with antidote magic, it will be difficult to cure completely."

The trouble with the "Poisonous Maggot's" toxicity lies in its unique nature; it can only be completely cured with a special antidote—a special medicine made from the bodily fluids (dropped items) of the same type of monster.

Even with the highest level of "magic power," ordinary detoxification magic, as Riveria said, can only alleviate the poison's effects. At least, as far as Finn knew, only the high-level healing magic used by Amid Theasanare, a member of the DeaSaint family, had successfully removed the monster's deadly poison.

"To cure everyone, a specialized, highly effective drug is needed, no matter what."

"Hmm—it seems we'll just have to wait for Bert to come back."

It was already the second day when we arrived at this safe floor.

Finn and his crew arrived last night—during the "night" hours of the floor—and quickly set up a campsite to care for the wounded. They also instructed Bert to go to the surface and buy the special medicine sold in the city (Oario).

Bert was chosen for the mission between the surface and the 18th floor simply because he possessed the fastest speed in the faction. Also, due to the effects of his "skill," Bert's speed was indeed slightly faster than Finn and others whose levels were higher than his. Although he couldn't match Ais using Wind (Wind Spirit Dash), he was the best choice to balance stable speed and endurance for long-distance running in this fatigued state.

"You dump this troublesome stuff on me."