I quickened my pace and swiftly passed through the 42nd Floor. The monsters were easily dispatched, and I reached the 43rd Floor without much trouble. Just like the dragon said, these floors aren't a challenge for me.
I didn't even need to use any of my special abilities. My sword and fire magic alone were enough to deal with them. Even though the monsters had resistance to fire, my fire magic was so powerful that I could still kill them.
It was actually a little funny.
Lizards engulfed in flames being blown to pieces by fire magic. It was an incredible sight.
And on the 43rd Floor, the difficulty remained the same.
The only thing that changed was the number of monsters.
That actually made everything more fun. Fighting large groups of monsters is enjoyable.
I still remember the day I explored the Dungeon with Ais, Tiona, and Tione, when that anomaly occurred. Fighting that horde of monsters was incredibly exhilarating.
On the 43rd Floor, I began attracting as many monsters as possible by using my magical power, and once a large group had gathered, I faced them head-on using only my sword.
I ran through the monsters, slicing off their legs and limbs with my sword as if they were made of butter.
After limiting their mobility, I cut off their arms.
I rendered them completely helpless before killing them.
I did it basically to humiliate them.
You might think monsters can't feel humiliation, but they can. They become visibly frustrated and enraged. Their anger grows so intense that they completely lose their minds.
The monsters become even more ferocious than before.
However, because their mobility was so limited, I simply watched them while finding them incredibly "cute." And after amusing myself with them for a while, I simply cut off their heads.
I repeated this several times on the 43rd Floor.
Eventually, I reached the passage leading to the 44th Floor.
[You seem to be having a lot of fun.] the dragon said.
"It's fun ripping off these monsters' legs and arms. The looks on their faces make me happy."
[You're quite sadistic.]
"Don't tell me you actually feel sorry for them. They aren't that self-aware. They're not like humans."
[I don't feel sorry for anyone. Not even you. If you ever lose an arm or a leg, I'll laugh at you.]
"Good to know. I don't like people feeling sorry for me."
[...]
I stepped onto the 44th Floor and finally noticed a few differences.
The floor was still hot and filled with lava, but the ceiling was much higher, and the lava pools had grown considerably larger. Large enough for a gigantic monster to hide inside them.
I remember playing a game where one of the bosses was a dragon that lived in a sea of lava.
Wouldn't that be interesting?
[Never wish to face a real dragon. You'll get yourself crushed.]
"Are dragons really that strong?"
[Stronger than you can imagine.]The dragon's tone irritated me a little. He was far too full of himself.
[I'm just being realistic. With your current strength, facing a real dragon would be suicide.]
"Either way, I don't think I'll find a real dragon here. But I bet there are plenty of those fire-covered lizards around."
[Yes, definitely.]
"I think I'll go as far as the 45th Floor and then head back. I need to visit Ishtar today, and I also have to see how Freya and my son are doing."
[That terrifying child?]
"Don't call my son terrifying, you stupid dragon."
####
After spending some more time enjoying myself, I finally reached the 45th Floor. The 45th Floor was completely different from the Inner Floors, which were hot and filled with lava and fire. This place was like the area where that snake lived.
It's basically a gigantic, humid, and utterly eerie forest.
Eerie because there's no way to tell what's lurking among all those trees.
"Let me get a better look."
I looked up and teleported to the Dungeon's ceiling. Suspended in the air, I quickly scanned my surroundings. As expected, I spotted several lakes, along with trees of many different colors.
Pink trees, blue trees, yellow trees, purple trees—trees of every color imaginable.
Then I teleported back to the ground.
"The forest is incredibly dense. I'll have to be very careful."
[Don't worry. You'll be able to handle this floor easily.]
"I'm starting to suspect you know this place and the monsters I'm fighting."
[I don't.]
Since my Eye of Truth ability doesn't work on him, I had no way of knowing whether he was lying.
"Huff..."
I let out a sigh before speaking.
"Even if you do know what's going on, I just hope you never betray me or become my enemy."
[That will never happen.]
"I don't know if I trust you."
After hearing my words, the dragon remained silent.
I stood there quietly for a few seconds, staring at the trees ahead of me, before teleporting to my room. As soon as I arrived, I found Mikoto typing on my laptop.
The moment she saw me covered in dirt and blood, she said,
"You were in the Dungeon? Without me!?"
I didn't answer and headed straight to the bathroom to take a shower.
After putting on clean clothes, I said to Mikoto, "Tell Hestia I'll be staying out again tonight."
"Are you meeting Ais?"
"No, I'm meeting Ishtar. You don't need to tell her where I'm going. Just tell her I won't be coming home tonight."
"Ishtar... What's she like?"
"Why are you asking that all of a sudden?"
"I'm just curious. I've heard a lot about her, but I've never actually spoken to her."
"Hm... I'd say she's an eccentric woman. But don't worry too much about her. She's completely in love with me, so she won't do anything against our Familia."
"I wasn't worried about something like that."
As soon as I heard those words, I teleported to Ishtar's room.
The moment I appeared, Ishtar was already lying naked on her bed, waiting for me.
####
Read 22+ chapters on my patr eon: patr eon.com/parodygirl
By subscribing to my Patr eon you encourage me to keep writing. I'm planning lots of new fanfics (mainly danmachi) ^^
Next Chapters: Chapter 399 - Papa! +18 / Chapter 400 - You're really trying to get pregnant again. +18 / Chapter 401 - Investigating his origin. / Chapter 402 - Intruder! / Chapter 403 - If you die, I'll give up my life. / Chapter 404 - What is she doing here? +18 / Chapter 405 - What's Going On? Threesome +18 / Chapter 406 - Foursome +!8 / Chapter 407 - Balls +18 / Chapter 408 - I Didn't Know That Hole Could Be Used. +18 / Chapter 409 - The Next Target +18 / Chapter 410 - Leaving Orario for the first time? / Chapter 411 - Sea. / Chapter 412 - Battle in the Middle of the Sea. / Chapter 413 - I want to know about the place where you were born. / Chapter 414 - Mess me up inside. +18 / Chapter 415 - Expression. +18 / Chapter 416 - My family is doing well. I'm happy. / Chapter 417 - A letter from Hephaestus. / Chapter 418 - Does Hephaestus want to sleep with Luan? / Chapter 419 - Isn't He Interested? (Hephaestus's POV)