Out of the corner of his eye, Aiden caught a glimpse of the water's surface. A massive shadow that had just surfaced seemed to sense his gaze, letting out what sounded like a disgruntled huff before rapidly vanishing back into the depths.
If we don't get used to this, just keeping our guard up against these underwater monsters is going to drain our stamina, he thought to himself.
Keeping an eye out for any environmental changes—especially the turbulent rapids beside them—the group pushed forward with heightened caution.
"Hm? What's that..."
Suddenly, Aiden, who was leading the way, stopped in his tracks. He had spotted a cluster of peculiar, branching objects growing on a patch of crystal rock across the river.
These objects were a strikingly vibrant pale red. Even in the dim labyrinth, they seemed to emit their own light, sparkling brilliantly like gemstones.
"If my memory serves me right..."
Robin followed Aiden's gaze. Her mind, which had practically memorized the entire Guild encyclopedia, quickly retrieved the relevant information.
"That's Dungeon Coral, a gatherable material that only grows in specific aquatic regions of the deep floors. It's highly valuable and serves as a rare material for forging certain high-tier weapons and armor. Furthermore, you can sometimes find special shells hidden within these coral clusters. Those shells produce Dungeon Pearls, which are treasures that can fetch astronomical prices."
"Hold on, I'm going to go harvest it."
The moment he heard the words "highly valuable" and "astronomical prices," Aiden's eyes lit up, his interest instantly piquing at one hundred and twenty percent.
If this were an ordinary adventuring party, faced with a treasure separated by a rushing, peril-filled underground river, they would likely only be able to stare and sigh in defeat.
But Aiden was different. He was a man blessed with the [Divine Protection of the Water God].
Under Astrea's astonished gaze, Aiden stepped forward. His foot landed firmly on the churning surface of the water, yet he showed not the slightest sign of sinking. Instead, it was as if he had stepped onto solid ground.
Without missing a beat, he shot forward like an arrow released from a bow, sprinting rapidly across the surface of the water, heading straight for the Dungeon Coral on the opposite bank.
A closer look revealed a faint blue halo lingering beneath the soles of his boots. It was this layer of light that allowed him to tread on water as if walking on flat land.
This was the miraculous power brought about by the [Divine Protection of the Water God].
The monsters lurking at the bottom of the river clearly noticed this intruder who dared to speed across the surface of their territory. In an instant, dozens of dark shadows launched a synchronized attack from beneath the water.
However, Aiden's perception was razor-sharp, and his reaction speed was far beyond that of ordinary people.
Without even breaking his stride, his right hand drew the Fire Spirit Sword from his waist.
Flashes of his blade danced across the water, flawlessly slicing through the monstrous fish leaping into the air, turning them into clouds of black ash.
When faced with monsters he couldn't easily cut down, he either nimbly leaped to dodge or used the surfacing monsters' bodies as stepping stones to propel himself further.
The entire sequence was fluid and visually stunning. In the blink of an eye, he arrived unscathed at the crystal rock bed overgrown with Dungeon Coral.
Come to think of it, is our party missing a scout or thief-type character?
Even while dodging and slaughtering monsters, Aiden still had the leisure to ponder their team composition.
A scout's primary duty was reconnaissance—acting as the vanguard to confirm the route ahead and the distribution of monsters, sometimes even serving as bait. Since they frequently had to navigate complex terrain, technical tasks like harvesting and mining labyrinth resources often fell to them as well.
Aiden quickly reached his destination.
Without a moment's delay, he got straight to work.
He pulled a sharp dagger from the pouch at his waist and severed the beautiful coral at its base, carefully stowing it away in the backpack slung over his shoulders.
Incidentally, despite being called "coral," Dungeon Coral was classified as a plant inside the Dungeon—unlike the coral polyps on the surface—and boasted a hardness comparable to minerals.
Afterward, he expertly rummaged through the coral branches. He soon found several fist-sized shells hidden within.
Using his dagger to pry the shells open, he found Dungeon Pearls gleaming with a seven-colored radiance. Known as "rainbow gems," he scooped them all up, along with their pure white shells.
Having safely secured this unexpected windfall from the Dungeon into his pack, Aiden swiftly wrapped up his operation. Before more underwater monsters could be drawn to the commotion, he departed the rocky patch—which still had plenty of Dungeon Coral left—stepped back onto the water, and prepared to return to his team on the opposite shore.
However, the Dungeon was indeed the Dungeon.
Its generosity was always accompanied by an equal measure of malice. It would never let an adventurer who dared to snatch its treasures leave without a fight.
Just as Aiden started his return trip, his figure reaching the exact center of the turbulent current, the water beneath his feet erupted without warning.
It wasn't a simple splash, but a violent geyser, as if a depth charge had been detonated underwater.
A massive pillar of water over five meters in diameter shot into the sky, carrying an overwhelming force that instantly swallowed his foothold.
"Look out, it's a giant water serpent."
From the opposite bank, Robin, who had her mental perception constantly active, called out a warning the second the water's surface shifted.
Accompanying her warning, a colossal head emerged from the churning waves.
It was a serpentine monster entirely covered in pale green scales, sporting massive fins on its head. Its majestic posture even evoked imagery of the dragon species.
According to the intelligence gathered by the Guild, this giant water serpent known as a Hydra could reach up to ten meters in length.
And the one attacking Aiden right now was a fully mature, large-scale monster nearing its size limit.
Coiled in the water, it blocked Aiden's only path back. Its murky, vicious eyes locked dead onto the tiny human standing on the water. Its massive jaws slowly unhinged, revealing a dense row of dagger-like, razor-sharp teeth.
The next second, its gargantuan head—which practically scraped the ceiling of the cavern—turned into a green bolt of lightning, carrying a foul wind and a tidal wave as it lunged violently at Aiden.
Faced with this ferocious strike, Aiden's reaction was pushed to its absolute limit.
In the instant the water pillar erupted, rather than panicking over his lost foothold, he used the upward thrust of the geyser to propel his body higher.
In mid-air, he sharply caught sight of a protruding crystal rock briefly exposed by the surging waves.
Tapping his toe lightly against the slippery rock, his entire body spun rapidly through the air like a top. He narrowly avoided the Hydra's massive maw—which possessed enough bite force to crush steel—and used the momentum to position himself directly above its head.
Immediately after, facing the massive lower jaw that had just snapped shut beneath him, he unhesitatingly aimed the tip of his right boot straight down.
BOOM!
A heavy, teeth-aching crash echoed out.
A right kick carrying the full brunt of Aiden's physical strength slammed squarely into the center of the Hydra's face.
The berserk force was so great it slightly caved in the monster's hardened visage, snapping its two thickest fangs upon impact.
The Hydra let out an agonizing roar. Its massive body was blown backward by the sheer pain and kinetic force, crashing heavily back into the water and kicking up an even more astonishing wave.
Aiden didn't give it a single moment to breathe.
While still in freefall, he had already completed another ultra-short chant.
"Gospel!"
The invisible sonic cannon arrived on cue, accurately locking onto the Hydra's head amidst the chaotic spray and striking it instantly.
A terrifying, muffled sound—like a watermelon being smashed by a sledgehammer—rang through the air.
The Hydra's hardened skull, capable of deflecting swords, was thoroughly pulverized from the inside out by the terrifying sonic vibrations, reducing its brain tissue to mush.
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