"Well, I'm here for morning exercise, Noah, you..."
Seeing that the two problem children, Ais and Noah, were about to start discussing things, Riveria suddenly became anxious.
If this gets out and Noah finds out, what will happen?
"Ah? So the serious Lady Riveria has this side to her. I never thought... She's so cute!"
No! That must never happen!
"Ais!" Just as Ais and Noah were about to continue their conversation, Riveria suddenly interrupted them. "Today, Noah and I are going to explore the Dungeon. Do you want to come as a supporter?"
Ais's gaze changed from confusion to surprise, her eyes widening slightly and shining with a dazzling brilliance like gems. Whatever she was thinking before was now thrown completely out of her mind. All she could think about was that she could finally go to the Dungeon again!
Seeing Ais so happy that her long blonde hair seemed to fly, Riveria quickly added, "You're just a supporter and not allowed to fight!"
But Ais wasn't listening at all. She turned and rushed back into the Twilight Manor. "I'm going to change into my gear!"
After Ais left, Noah and Riveria were the only ones left in front of the gate. The difference was that Riveria crossed her arms, looking at the gradually clearing sky, completely ignoring Noah. Although Noah wasn't afraid of embarrassment, they were going to the Dungeon together. If he made Riveria unhappy, he probably wouldn't be able to fight to his heart's content.
"Speaking of which, Riveria, how did you know I was planning to go to the Dungeon today?"
Although she was fully aware of Noah's intention to change the subject, Riveria didn't intend to dwell on it. "Heh, a forty million Valis order. Do you think the Goibniu Familia would let you take the gear without notifying me, the one paying?"
"Oh, I see." When it came to this, Noah really didn't know what to say.
Seeing that Noah stopped talking, Riveria breathed a sigh of relief. In fact, she hadn't told the whole story. Besides the bill from the Goibniu Familia, more importantly, Airmid had informed Riveria that Noah had bought potions on credit. However, Riveria wasn't stupid enough to betray Airmid easily; she would need her help keeping track of Noah's movements in the future.
Although Noah hadn't finished learning all the books on those shelves during his week of magic classes, it was enough to shock Riveria. She never expected him to finish everything so quickly; otherwise, wouldn't she seem foolish? But even so, Noah's learning progress far exceeded her expectations. Within seven days, he had completed the content that the school district required new mages to learn within three years.
This made Riveria even more convinced of her judgment: Noah would surpass her at an unimaginable speed, perhaps even surpassing the monsters of the Zeus and Hera Familias. But precisely because of this, Riveria wanted to protect Noah as much as possible during his early adventuring stages.
In the Dungeon, the greatest danger is never the monsters, but the unknown: unknown areas, unknown monsters, unknown enemies... Because the Dungeon is alive, it will take action when adventurers are vulnerable and push them into despair. It's common for even first-class adventurers to die on the upper floors due to carelessness on their way back from the deep floors. Being strong doesn't mean you won't encounter danger. On the contrary, the stronger you are, the more likely you are to be accompanied by death. Riveria, having witnessed the defeat of the Zeus and Hera Familias, understood this deeply.
Although the time is short, I will do my best.
Glancing at the silver-haired boy out of the corner of her eye, the high elf made a vow to herself.
After Ais changed into her armor and came out with a huge backpack, the three of them left the Twilight Manor in the cold morning breeze. After grabbing something to eat on the roadside and packing lunch, the three entered the Dungeon.
...
After passing through the large entrance under the first floor of Babel, they came to a wide path. Although the cobblestone road was solid and spacious enough for several carriages, it still gave a feeling of being winding, narrow, and dark. With every step, the dark walls seemed to press in, as if they would close and crush them.
Entering the cavernous maw, Noah stopped once his feet touched the dirt floor. He closed his eyes and gently breathed in the air. Although this was his second time entering the Dungeon, it was only now that he truly began to experience it.
Phosphorescent light illuminated the surroundings, and the ceiling above was high, but once inside, everything felt different. A slight breeze could make a roaring sound through the tunnels, like a monster inviting adventurers to battle.
The sun, moon, stars, the seasons, wind, rain..all external symbols were left behind. Ahead lay a deep labyrinth full of endless dangers, extending infinitely downwards. Even the gods didn't know where it ended.
Endless monsters, endless dangers, endless battles... The pervasive sense of danger surged through Noah's body like static electricity. He felt his hair stand on end, and his breathing deepened. His heartbeat quickened, pumping hot blood throughout his body, and his muscles tensed unconsciously.
There's no mistake. This is where I belong.
Ais and Riveria stopped beside him, looking at Noah quietly, recalling their own feelings when they first entered the Dungeon. Fear, nervousness, excitement... Those emotions were still vivid. I wonder how Noah feels?
When Noah opened his eyes again and glanced forward with a calm gaze, both Ais and Riveria felt a cold light, like a sharp sword, sweep past them, stinging their souls. But when they looked again, Noah's eyes had returned to calmness, making them wonder if it was just an illusion.
No, it's not an illusion.
Riveria and Ais were both certain. Something had disappeared from Noah's blue eyes..the usual calmness tinged with laziness. But something else had emerged: a coldness similar to that of a wild animal locking onto its prey. Although no emotional fluctuations could be seen, both knew this was just a layer of ice over a swift undercurrent. It was like a magic sword containing immense power; even sheathed, it commanded attention.
Ais widened her eyes, looking at the silver-haired boy who seemed suddenly unfamiliar. She recalled the fear she felt entering the Dungeon a year ago and tried to find common ground. But she failed. Just that look made Ais realize there was an insurmountable gap between them.
Noah... unlike me... he is strong.
The trembling that surged through her body, even fear, made her realize this.
"Let's go." Without noticing their glances, Noah took the lead and walked deeper into the cave.
Not long after, the walls of the Dungeon automatically broke apart. Among the falling debris, monsters tumbled out, stretching to reveal their forms. They had dark grey fur, short, hunched bodies, but walked upright, their sharp claws and fangs emitting a cold glint. Malicious scarlet eyes explained their nature, completely different from any creature of the surface world.
Kobolds, like Goblins, are among the weakest monsters in the Dungeon, found from the 1st to 5th floors. Even an armed adult could defeat these cannon fodder. It was the kind of monster that made one lose the desire to fight.
Even so, Noah looked at the more than thirty Kobolds in front of him and slowly drew the long sword from his waist. With a clang, the silver blade was unsheathed. In the moment the silver light flashed in the dim cave, Noah turned into an afterimage and slashed forward!
Three hours later, 12th Floor.
The phosphorescent light had faded. In the dead woods filled with a gloomy mist, Riveria and Ais stared in astonishment. The silver sword swung down, the sword energy tearing through the mist, engulfing five Orcs over three meters tall. Before the Orcs could fall and turn to ash, the figure rushed forward with the violent sword energy, passing through like a ray of moonlight.
Unlike the upper floors composed of crisscrossing tunnels, this floor was made up of jungle areas with overgrown weeds and dead trees, shrouded in white mist. In this vast field, a figure moved across without dodging or turning. Slashing, piercing... countless attacks turned into a sharp barrier, crushing all monsters within reach. The blade left countless afterimages, its whistling sound turning monsters into dust.
Feeling threatened, monsters launched ferocious attacks, but their claws, clubs, and projectiles missed the boy's figure by a hair's breadth before their bodies were cut apart mid roar. Noah passed under a rolling log thrown by a Silverback without even looking, simply following his intuition and striking backward with his sword. Then, just before the frozen Silverback died, he pushed off the ground, landing with a kick that shattered the chest of a Hard Armored.
Although he chopped more than ten Imps to pieces with one sword stroke, Noah's target was a group of black figures in the distance. They had sharp claws, ferocious fangs, black scales, and wings. Black Wyverns, powerful dragon species typically found on the middle floors, though these seemed weaker than the Irregular he'd fought before.
There were about twenty Black Wyverns that appeared in front of Noah. Every time this number appeared, it basically meant the Guild would receive news that a Monster Party.
With a twist of his wrist, Noah deflected all attacks in a wide slash. Then he pushed hard against the ground, releasing an astonishing burst of speed. Noah became a violent wind, charging forward, passing the Wyverns a second before their tails lashed out like hammers. Reaching the edge of the cavern, he rushed towards the top of the rock wall without slowing. Racing up into mid-air, Noah flipped, stepped off the ceiling, and launched himself out! Moving faster than the eye could follow, Noah's body gradually faded, turning into silver light along with his sword.
The Wyverns shattered amidst roars and screams!
Leaving the ground during a fight is dangerous. If he didn't kill in one blow, it would give the enemy an opening. The reason Noah chose this fighting style, constantly changing his methods, was to adapt to his body. Whether it was the strengthening from the Falna or the seven days of healing from Airmid, Noah possessed a different kind of power now, decreasing his fine control.
A blow intended to cut the neck ended up shattering the head. He wanted to jump behind a monster but landed ten meters farther than expected. He misjudged the hardness of a rock and crushed it while trying to push off, almost falling.
To regain fine control, Noah abandoned the efficient techniques honed over long battles. Facing monster attacks, Noah didn't dodge or block but overwhelmed them head on with sheer speed and his sword.