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

Upon seeing that breath, Welf, kneeling on the crystal floor, felt a chill run down his spine. Like cherry blossoms speechless, the blacksmith who had forged the shield himself also shuddered.

The temperature on the floor, which was originally a bit chilly due to its location by the water, has now risen to a level that makes people sweat.

The cool air was gone, and the entire space was steaming hot, like a furnace burning underneath.

"The breath of the two-headed dragon (Amphispina)...flames burn on the water's surface..."

The flames spread not only on land but also to the water.

Whether it was the shore of Crystal Lake or the steaming surface of the water, wherever the breath passed, nothing was spared; all were writhing with azure, eerie flames. Lily, who was standing on all fours beside Welf—having received information about the two-headed dragon from the "Guild" beforehand—witnessed its actual power and this sight, and spoke with trembling lips.

The breath of "Amphispina" is a jet of special scorched bodily fluid (gasoline) mixed with "dragon liver". This fluid, which has extremely low affinity for water, possesses water resistance and can be transformed into a paradoxical torrent of flames. This is the special attribute of "Amphispina", which was born in a water-side building but uses fire as its weapon.

The beautiful blue napalm.

Extremely high temperature fire that can burn intensely even on water.

Although it can create a dreamlike and beautiful scene, once the two-headed dragon's deadly breath hits its target, it will burn it to ashes.

A direct hit is equivalent to death.

"Whatever you do, don't get burned by that! Once you're hit, the fire will spread throughout your body and won't go out for ages! Even healing magic won't cure it!"

Amidst the drifting blue sparks, Aisha put down Chunji, raised her large broadsword, and loudly issued a warning.

Several streaks of sweat dripped from her brown skin.

The rising temperature on the floor, coupled with a restless mood, contributed to this.

(Fighting the floor master under these circumstances?! That's terrible! We're pitifully few people on our side to fight that stinky dragon!)

Even a Level 4 adventurer like himself couldn't help but feel worried and fearful about the current situation.

When Aisha belonged to the Ishtar Familia, she fought and defeated "Amphispina" several times. However, that was because she was able to team up with the Level 3 or higher battle barbelas, and most importantly, she also had the Level 5 first-class adventurer (Friline) with her.

That was something that required more than twenty combat prostitutes working together to defeat with great difficulty. How could our current team, far inferior to the former faction (Ishtar Familia), possibly possibly conquer such a monster?

The combat strength is simply insufficient.

"Tsk! Those guys up there, they've already made their escape...!"

Far above, at the southern end of the Great Hollow, the cliff was deserted.

Perth's men, who had occupied the area in front of the 24th-floor passageway in their search for "Gale," seem to have already scurried up to the upper floors for refuge. The series of unexpected events, culminating in the arrival of a floor master, seem to have made them feel that fleeing was justified.

Although adventurers are inherently self-reliant and blaming others is a grave mistake, Aisha glanced up at the sky and couldn't help but utter a curse. If they could cooperate with the adventurers who remained, and the two groups launched repeated attacks, they might even have a chance to break through their predicament.

(What's going on! If the "guild's" report is reliable, the two-headed dragon shouldn't appear for another half month!)

Just as Lily, the team's strategist, had gathered official information from the management organization (guild), Aisha hadn't neglected to collect intelligence on the dungeons. When undertaking an "expedition," confirming the presence of floor masters and the length of production intervals was fundamental. Adventurers had to check for dangers along the planned route and whether any "abnormal situations" were occurring on each floor, thoroughly organizing the information and striving to eliminate potential hazards.

It was precisely because they had confirmed that the floor master of the "lower level" wouldn't appear for a while that the [Hestia Familia] decided to launch their expedition during this period, but unexpectedly...

(Another "Enhanced Type (Moss Titan)" and another "Deep Type (Remton)," a whole host of "abnormal situations"!)

Damn it! she thought.

The beautiful Amazonian shrew frowned.

"Lady Aisha! We have no choice but to retreat now...!"

"Is that even a question? Who can possibly fight that guy head-on?"

In response to Lily's shrill shout from behind, she stared intently at the two-headed dragon and roared back.

(I can't get back to the 25th floor of the maze; the huge explosion just now caused the entire maze to collapse. Even though it's a struggle, I can only manage to escape to the 26th floor…!)

The interior of the cliff, extensively damaged by the "Flame Stone," was no longer passable by humans or monsters. Aisha was looking behind her at the cave that opened wide on the southeast side of the large hollow, leading to the next level.

The problem is that the "mobile" floor master, "Amphispina," can travel between the Great Hollow and other labyrinthine areas via a large water flow connected to the "Giant Waterfall." Once cornered by it, and with the entire passage ablaze by the Azure Flame, the team is destined for total annihilation.

Just as Aisha was thinking about this...

Clap, clap...

"...?"

Many "raindrops" fell on me.

It consists of hard particles that shatter upon falling to the ground and emit a blue glow.

The gentle sound was similar to that of hail.

Seeing the tiny particles of light bouncing on the hood, robe, or battle cloth, Lily and the others looked around.

"Crystals, from the zenith...?"

Their gaze shifted upwards, to the distant rooftops of the buildings.

There was a ceiling filled with blue crystals and huge tree roots.

That is, the traces left by the extremely thick tree roots, at least five meters in diameter, that the boy (Bell) looked up at when they stepped into this floor—the "Great Tree Maze" that radiated outwards and filled the ceiling.

"Roar!!"

"Amphispina" chirped.

Ignoring Aisha and the others who had covered their ears, it looked up at the sky again and roared loudly.

The great cavity was shaken and made a loud crashing sound, the crystal rain became even more intense, and countless ripples were stirred up in the waterfall pool.

It was as if they were lamenting something bitterly.

It was as if they were earnestly pleading with the dungeon.

No one can confirm the truth.

But the moment the floor owner finished yelling...

The ceiling on the 25th floor began to creak.

"────"

Lily, Welf, Mikoto, Haruhime, Sakura, Chigusa, Daphne, Aisha...

As they gazed at the ceiling, which groaned and silently crumbled, time seemed to stand still for everyone.

Slowly, gradually, and finally with irreversible speed, a torrential downpour of crystal rain fell down.

Fragments of the shattered ceiling fell down.

then……

"The big tree—"

A plant that has lost its support...

The tree roots, crisscrossing and radiating from the ceiling...

It seemed to be a declaration that despair would never end, as it fell from the sky.

"【A Cage of Despair】──"

The prophet of tragedy, his face ashen, murmured as if he had seen through everything.

"Ooh, ooh ...

After a sound like the air being torn apart, the tree roots fell into the large cavity.

The tree roots covering the entire ceiling weren't just walls of a huge hollow; they were scraping away at the "Giant Azure Waterfall" as it cascaded down. It was as if a giant dragon had ripped it apart, screaming "Gagaga ...

Welf and the others had nowhere to escape and could only stare wide-eyed, bracing for what was to come.

The roots of the fallen tree crashed violently into the ground.

"~ ...

The terrifying up-and-down shaking gave Lily and the others the illusion that the entire floor was about to sink.

An astonishing number of crystal shards flew off the walls and the ground, shaking the waterfall pool, and the raging flames were swallowed by the surging waves.

Many people began to lose their balance due to the impact, or even fell to their knees; it was during this time that Welf and others finally regained their clarity of mind after a period of blankness.

They take a few seconds to confirm that they are still alive.

Then it took a few more seconds to see clearly the "space that arose from it".

"What—"

Centered around the waterfall pool—a lake—a huge "dome" rises from the ground.

Those were actually the roots of a huge tree. The massive roots were embedded between the lakeshore and the wall where Lily and the others were standing, looking exactly like a crushed "birdcage."

Tree roots that had spread across the ceiling of the building fell and completely covered the large hole on the 25th floor.

"The big tree on the 24th floor... fell down?"

"Was it the damaged 25th floor that couldn't support the tree anymore...?"

"Daphne, who had not yet recovered from the shock, said, and Sakura replied in a low voice."

It wasn't the entire 24th floor that fell; rather, a portion of the "Great Tree Maze" collapsed and fell.

Moreover, it only applies to the very bottom roots of the tree.

"...!? The passageway (escape route) is damaged!?"

Aisha turned her head sharply as if struck by lightning, and was taken aback when she saw the southeastern shore of the lake.

The rough, cracked roots of the large tree pierced through the passageway and the wall, destroying it beyond recognition.

For adventurers, this meant their escape route was cut off.

"Hooohoo..."

The two-headed dragon, still standing majestically in the center of the lake, showed no sign of panic, moving its two necks back and forth.

A grid of interwoven tree roots, an inescapable iron curtain of roots...

Waterfall Pool – a giant egg-shaped tree canopy centered around a lake, indeed resembling a cage.

"There's nowhere left to run..."

“How could this be…”

With faces ashen, Ming and Qiancao spoke the voices of the adventurers imprisoned in the giant tree cage.

They could not escape the "Water City" and were not allowed to go to the 26th floor for refuge.

The only remaining option is to confront the dragon, which symbolizes despair.

This is a "forced combat" order imposed on them by the dungeon.

“Hoooooooooooooooo!”

「!?」

As if to say that the stage was already set up, "Amphispina" sprayed blue flames everywhere.

Faced with the hellfire that could burn even water or crystal, Lily and the others reflexively dodged. Several fiery paths were burned out on the northeast bank of the great cavern where they had originally been.

The temperature on the floor rose again.

It was like a furnace of hell, with fierce, raging blue sparks.

"Take up your weapons! We have no choice but to fight!"

Aisha was the first to regain her composure from the shock.

She had Chun-hee hide behind her while she brandished her large broadsword.

"Lady Aisha...but..."

"Prepare for the worst! ...I'm already mentally prepared."

Our retreat has been cut off. In that case, we have no choice but to fight.

That's how adventurers should be.

Aisha shouted loudly to Lily and the others, but her eyes immediately became crooked.

(Looks like there's no other way...)

Looking up at the floor master, Lily and the others glanced sideways at the boundless despair that was about to engulf them.

This is different from dealing with the "Enhanced Type (Moss Titan)," and it's even more life-threatening than before.

They weren't foolish enough to fail to see the disparity in strength between themselves and their enemy. The two-headed dragon's potential was Lv.5. One thing Aisha didn't know was that, numerically speaking, this ability was comparable to the previous "Black Goliath." There were over a hundred high-level adventurers present at the time, including Asphie, Ryu, and Bell. However, Lily and her group now numbered only nine. Even if the giant with its absurd regenerative abilities was more troublesome, the enemy's strength was enough to plunge them into despair.