Even in terms of sheer strength, Noah would have no problem dealing with Goliath.
"But I must emphasize again! This is the Dungeon! The greatest danger is the unknown! It's possible that the Floor Boss's respawn was brought forward, or that an unexpected Irregular appeared."
Even if there's only a one in ten thousand chance, if an accident were to occur, Riveria, whose only means of attack is ranged magic, would have no way to provide timely assistance. Therefore, she wouldn't allow it!
The stern rebuke echoed through the cavern. Even just being on the edge of the situation made Ais tremble. She couldn't imagine what it would feel like for Noah to directly bear the brunt of Riveria's wrath.
However, when Ais turned her head and saw Noah, her eyes widened immediately.
Compared to the furious Riveria, Noah appeared remarkably calm, as if all the murderous intent he had accumulated on his body during his rampage had vanished.
"Riveria, I think I can beat it!"
Those eyes were calm and shining with a light that contained a strong will. Moreover, Ais also saw a smile on Noah's face.
Yes, a smile. That was an expression that had never appeared on Noah's face in the more than half a month since they met. The smile was charming, but it made Ais feel as if something had struck her body. As if she were standing in the biting winter wind, Ais couldn't help but shiver.
Because Ais understood, and perhaps only she could understand, the meaning behind that smile. That was an excited smile that arose from anticipating a fierce battle with a powerful enemy. To outsiders, Noah, like her, was a battle maniac. Ais knew this very well, without anyone else needing to say it.
But it was the difference between someone who picks up a sword out of necessity and someone who was born with one in their hand. Ais had learned to fight to survive; Noah lived to fight. For Ais, the gap between them was fundamental and absolute. Although they looked similar, their path was different.
The smile on Noah's face at this moment was the most powerful evidence. This was different from fighting against one's own hatred, forcibly suppressing fear and pain. Noah was enjoying the battle, enjoying the carnage, immersing himself in it with his body, mind, and soul. He longed for battle so much that he hadn't smiled once during the more than ten days he hadn't been able to fight...
Why? Why can you be so happy because of fighting? Fighting means facing terrifying monsters, suffering painful injuries, and possibly dying, right? Why did you even develop a liking for fighting?!
Sensing the gap between them, Ais's hidden weakness was uncontrollably exposed. The warrior mask she had built over the past year shattered, and she realized once again that she was just a weak and powerless little girl. The impact made her dizzy, as if her consciousness and body were about to separate. To combat the suffocating anxiety, Ais had to bite her lips so hard that a bitter metallic taste spread through her mouth.
Ais wasn't the only one stunned by Noah's smile.. Riveria was too. "Noah, you..."
Even though she wasn't sure what to make of that fleeting feeling of trepidation, Riveria knew she probably couldn't stop Noah.
"Riveria, if I don't fight this time, I'm afraid I'll have insomnia... I will definitely win!"
This guy was different from Ais...he always knew exactly what he needed. His will was unlikely to be shaken by anyone. Treating him like a kid was the biggest mistake of her life.
"...Honestly, you're always causing me trouble!" She took off her backpack and tossed it aside, then gripped her staff and stretched her shoulders, glaring angrily at Noah.
"It's decided. Whether you win or lose, I'm going to double your study load when we get back! If you dare complain, I'll beat you to death! Understand?"
Seeing the elf who, despite her cold expression, had already decided to support him, Noah smiled from the bottom of his heart. He took out the potion Riveria had given him earlier, frowned, and drank it all in one gulp. Unaware of Ais's strange gaze, he turned and entered the hall on the 17th floor.
Although Noah had entered a spacious hall with a wide field of vision, he felt a sudden stillness in the air. A strong sense of unease arose, as if he were an uninvited guest, an intruder.
Noah had experienced this feeling before, during a campaign to subdue a monster lurking in a deep lake. Compared to the surging, vibrant ocean, entering a tranquil lake always brought unease, as if being watched by countless creatures. The oppressive feeling that surged into his heart the moment he entered the silent lake was the most unforgettable part.
Fortunately, this time, the Floor Boss did not keep Noah waiting.
A sound echoed through the hall, and cracks appeared on the huge white wall. The cracking sound accelerated, gradually becoming as rapid as the roar before a storm, evolving into a deafening, trembling roar that made one's eardrums groan.
Awoooooo!!!
With a tremendous roar, the colossal Goliath looked down at Noah with scarlet eyes.
"...So noisy."
Although a slight smile remained on his face. Excitement, fear...these personal emotions completely disappeared. The only thing that stood out was pure murderous intent, so pure it seemed almost sacred.
"So, I'm going to kill you!"
Accompanied by the clear, resonant sound of a sword cutting through the noise, a bright, cold light appeared in the hall.
Meanwhile, in the cave leading from the 18th to the 17th floor, a group of eleven girls was slowly ascending. The lead blonde, masked elf was having a heated argument with her companions.
...
"Stupid elf! Useless elf! Foolish elf! Are you even worth anything? Any random passerby could do a better job than you!"
During the climb up the long, steep slope, a black haired girl in a kimono used a rude tone, completely opposite to her elegant appearance, to verbally abuse her companions. The blonde, masked elf who was attacked initially lowered her head and silently endured it. But seeing that Kaguya's verbal attacks weren't stopping, Ryu could no longer bear it. She raised her eyebrows, her eyes shining with strong will.
"Kaguya! That's enough! What do you mean any random passerby could do better than me? Why don't you just say any random passerby could beat the Floor Boss?!"
Kaguya fell silent, glancing sideways at Ryu and slowly revealing a smile that would arouse the imaginations of men. But this was not a gentle smile...it was a dangerous preparation for attack.
"Oh dear, I'd rather believe a random passerby comes along and beats up the Floor Boss than believe that you, a useless elf, can get things done. Guess who caused us to be unable to rest for a day in Rivira after the expedition, and had to return exhausted like this? And we even had to give away the precious materials we found in the deep floors?"
Kaguya Gojouno was famous in Orario for her superb swordsmanship and was therefore bestowed the alias Yamato Rindou by the gods. But only those who knew her well knew that Kaguya's words were just as harsh, sharp, and precise as her swordsmanship. Even Ryu, who was also a Level 3 adventurer, was somewhat overwhelmed.
Her previous imposing manner vanished, and Ryu lowered her head stiffly. Although her expression was obscured by the mask, one could imagine her pouting. "Who... who let them touch my hand..."
"Yes, yes, the noble elven lady's hands are truly precious. Just when they almost touched them, she beat five or six adventurers until they were covered in blood! It almost caused us to go to war with those adventurers in Rivira!"
Even though the blonde elf's eyes were almost overflowing with tears, Kaguya showed no sign of stopping. "My noble elven lady, I wonder if you would deign to offer a paid handshake service? If you were, the wealth of the Astraea Familia would surely surpass that of the Hephaestus Familia in no time! Then we wouldn't have to work so hard!"
Seeing the two vanguards arguing, the other members behind them finally spoke up.
"Hey, Kaguya, don't blame Ryu. It's all my fault for accidentally getting attacked by the Poison Vermis. I needed to buy an extremely expensive potion in Rivira, which is why they took the opportunity to extort us."
The speaker was an elf mage holding a staff and wearing glasses. Her short green hair and neutral shirt meant she could easily be mistaken for a pretty boy. The large bandage wrapped around her right arm explained her pale complexion.
The Poison Vermis is one of the most dangerous monsters that use poison. The potent poison from its mouth or skin can easily penetrate the Abnormal Resistance of first class adventurers. Although their individual combat ability is poor, they often appear in massive swarms, making any group of adventurers tremble. The crucial point is that the venom can only be completely cured by using a special potion made from its drop items. So far, no healer's magic could completely remove it; it could only alleviate the symptoms.
On their way back from the lower floors, the Astraea Familia was attacked by Poison Vermis. Celty, who had not yet recovered from her Mind exhaustion, was unfortunately caught. In the adventurer town of Rivira on the 18th floor, such a potion naturally existed, and unsurprisingly, the price was extremely high, forcing them to sign IOUs.
When they tried to sell some materials in exchange for a night's rest at an inn in Rivira, they were besieged by unscrupulous merchants. Rivira is a black market town that doesn't even care about the Guild. They dare to extort members of the Loki Familia and Freya Familia, so why would they be afraid of the Astraea Familia? Rather, they were already frequently arrested by the Astraea Familia, who acted as city law enforcement on the surface, so they wouldn't miss a chance to assert their dominance. When a few perverts, emboldened by their position, reached out with perverted gazes to Ryu, everything was destined to end badly.
"Enough! This has nothing to do with anyone! It's the fault of those merchants, so why are you all attacking your teammates or apologizing?" The cute, pink-haired Pallum spoke up, ending the internal strife.
"Also, Celty, don't talk about who's wrong. If it weren't for your and Ryana's magic, we don't know when we would have completed this expedition. Your Mind fatigue is for everyone's sake, understand?"
Although Lyra looked young, she often got straight to the point. For the Astraea Familia, whose captain often acted impulsively, she frequently shouldered the role of commander. After being lectured by Lyra, the team fell silent.
The one who broke the silence was the red-haired girl. She let out a hearty laugh that echoed through the long slope, dispelling the eerie danger of the Dungeon. "That's right, Kaguya. You can't always use words to attack people if you want to care about them. When will you learn to be frank? If you want Ryu to learn to get along with people, you have to speak properly first!"
As if she had been ambushed, Kaguya's expression changed drastically.
"Huh? Who cares about this useless elf?!"