A while ago...
"You're clearly stronger than me, aren't you?" Ryuu's delicate eyebrows furrowed. "Since that thing is as important as you say."
"Why don't you go get it yourself?"
My Minotaur has already gone... Eugene didn't voice his inner thoughts.
He glanced back at Ryuu, his expression thoughtful.
"No way, right? You just said you'd be someone's helper for life, and now you're unwilling?"
Seeing him bring up the matter, a blush immediately spread across Ryuu's fair face.
Her heart pounded as she watched Eugene deliberately lean in closer with a mischievous look.
If it were any other man, Ryuu would have already given him a slap.
But facing Eugene, her delicate hand simply couldn't lift.
Ah, ah, ah! What was I thinking back then!
Ryuu regretted her words at that moment.
She spoke boldly, but everyone knew what she was really thinking deep down, didn't they?!
"I think I heard something?"
"Wh-what is it?"
"A true heart beating."
The current Eugene's hearing was extraordinary; he could easily pick up Ryuu's heartbeat.
He flashed a wicked, "blonde-exclusive" grin. With every step he advanced, he forced Ryuu to retreat one step.
The two were like the big bad wolf and the little lamb.
However, Eugene was taller, and his strides were bigger.
Slap!
He lunged forward and cornered Ryuu with a kabedon, deliberately blowing a puff of hot air onto her face.
"I really need you, Miss Ryuu."
"In every aspect, I need you."
"Pervert! Shameless! Lecher! Demon!!"
Ryuu was flustered under the pressure of his stance, delivering a string of zero-damage insults.
The hot breaths on the Elf's skin made her tremble all over.
How to describe this feeling...
Irresistible!
Ryuu instinctively wanted to push away this annoying guy, but her soft hands repeatedly lifted and dropped.
Her snow-white neck was exposed right in front of Eugene, tempting the wolf to take a bite.
But just then, a maid who unexpectedly entered saved Ryuu.
"Oh dear! I'm so sorry, Master and Miss!"
The maid's face was flushed, and her gaze, full of gossip and knowing implication, darted back and forth between the two.
This stare made Ryuu feel so ashamed she almost fainted, wishing she could find a hole to crawl into.
"We are not, that, I, this..."
She stammered, unable to form a sentence, while Eugene casually waved his hand and dismissed the maid.
"You bad person!!"
Ryuu, furious from embarrassment, punched Eugene in the waist, narrowly avoiding giving him a debilitating blow.
Resistance Sharing! Steel Kidneys!
Eugene transferred all the pain to the Minotaur!
Fearless Minotaur, unafraid of injury!
"Alright, alright! Stop messing around!"
After calming the disgruntled Ryuu, Eugene re-explained the key points of the mission.
First, was the package carrier: Lulune Louie, a Werebeast (Dog Person), Level 3 Adventurer, and a member of the Hermes Familia.
Like the man whose head was blown off, she was commissioned by "someone" to transport the Jewel Fetus.
According to Eugene's deduction, by now, she should have already received the package.
Ryuu walked discreetly through the streets of Rivira Town.
As expected, the murder case, after a day of fermentation, had caused widespread panic.
Following the appraisal by Bors and others, the deceased was identified as the Ganesha Familia's veteran Level 4, "Hard Fist Fighter" Hasanah.
Hasanah's reputation, while not as resounding as the Level 5 heroes, was still well-known.
The fact that he died so mysteriously in the inn, even losing his head, truly unsettled everyone.
To silently kill a Level 4 in such a confined space, only a Level 5 could manage it.
Moreover, according to the innkeeper's recollection from last night, the most suspicious person was the woman Hasanah had brought to stay overnight.
She was completely covered in a cloak, but her figure was undeniably voluptuous and captivating.
"In that case, every woman in town is suspect!!"
Bors stood on a high platform, his single eye gleaming:
"For a thorough inspection, everyone must strip!!"
The men let out surprised, wolf-like howls.
But the women roared back in furious tiger-like shouts!
Are you kidding? There are no delicate damsels among the women who frequent the Dungeon!
"Um... did something happen?"
A delicate damsel appeared!
Lefiya, who also noticed the strange atmosphere, looked at the crowd ahead and approached to ask.
Bors and the others felt a sense of relief upon seeing the high-level adventurers from the Loki Familia.
No matter how strong the murderer was, they couldn't possibly be a match for three Level 5s, right?
Just as Bors was thinking this, a brain-rushed idiot cheekily shouted: "What if the killer is among them, pretending to have just arrived in town?"
"Eh, eh, eh?" Lefiya and the others widened their eyes. What was this situation now?
To everyone's surprise, this guy Bors actually agreed. His eyes scanned the three beauties back and forth, and he smirked obscenely: "It's not impossible, huh..."
"Possible my foot!!" Tiona was instantly enraged by this—he was intentionally stirring up trouble!
She was about to step forward to argue, but Bors merely glanced at her, quickly shifted his gaze downward, and then—that was it.
"Hmm, it's definitely not you."
Whoosh~ The sound of wind blowing across an airfield.
The sorrow of being flat-chested deeply wounded Tiona. She recoiled as if struck by lightning, staggering back a few steps.
This conveniently revealed Tione, who had been quietly watching.
"Ooh, ooh, ooh!!"
Bors's single eye immediately widened!
This size!
With such majestic mountains, any man would be utterly captivated!
No words were needed; his gaze and expression said it all.
"You bastard!!" Tione roared like a lion whose tail had been stepped on, her shout booming like thunder!
Her eyes were wide and her eyebrows raised high, like a fierce, spotted tiger!
"I'm the Captain's woman! Say one more damn word, and I'll tear your junk off!!"
"I'm wrong, I'm wrong! Merciful lady, spare me!!"
Bors instantly dropped to his knees with a plop.
In short, after a commotion, the Amazon sisters supervised, and a few female adventurers who permanently resided in the town led the systematic body search of the women.
Meanwhile, Bete maintained a foul look throughout, completely uninterested in this mess.
Despite his indifference, as a Werewolf, he still detected an unusual scent.
There seemed to be a specific odor on Hasanah's body.
Bete entered the room and sniffed the corpse's personal belongings, detecting the same strange smell of Monster Stone he had encountered on the 50th floor of the Dungeon!
Did this guy... come into contact with that kind of monster?
Bete's eyebrows furrowed.
Following the extremely faint trail of scent, he returned to the front of the crowd.
Looking down at the men left at the scene, he finally beckoned to Bors.
"Hey, where did the gear of the guy inside go?"
Bors scratched his head, puzzled. Gear? What gear?
Bete glared at the idiot: "Didn't I say he was wearing heavy armor when he arrived?"
"Where did that heavy armor go!"
Bors's expression changed in surprise.
Holy crap?
He immediately turned to Willy, the innkeeper, who also claimed ignorance, insisting he hadn't pocketed anything.
"..."
Bete was silent for a moment, then curled his lip into a sneer.
"No need to check those chattering women anymore."
"That heavy armor was probably taken by the woman."
"She's either disguised herself as a man and is hiding, or she has already left."
Bors and Willy exchanged a look, both startled.
This speculation had a very high probability!
"Now that you mention it, I remember that woman was quite tall too!"
In that case, wearing someone else's armor would certainly allow her to move around!
"You'd better not have left..." Bete sneered, showing his fangs.
Things were finally getting interesting.
A Level 5 killer, and one connected to the new type of monsters from the Dungeon.
Such an event naturally piqued Bete's interest.
In fact, things were exactly as Bete suspected.
Revis, clad in black heavy armor, was currently standing at a high vantage point in the small town, observing everything from afar.
From beneath the cumbersome helmet, a chilling, emerald light shone.
She would not leave until she found the Jewel Fetus.
...
Although she didn't know who took the package, that person must still be in town.
Revis just needed to wait silently for that person to break down and expose themselves!
She could sense the approximate location of the jewel to a certain extent.
The longer she waited here, the stronger that sensation became.
"Soon..."
There was no emotion in Revis's voice.
But she still clenched her fist, even crushing the armor plate in her hand.
"When I find you, I will definitely make your life a living hell!"
In one corner of the town.
Ryuu successfully avoided people's attention and entered a secluded alley.
The crystal pendant Eugene had given her for navigation was beginning to glow faintly.
This meant that her "reliable partner" was nearby.
What kind of person will he be?
As Ryuu pondered, a sudden strong gust of wind blew behind her.
She swiftly turned around, her hand simultaneously gripping her wooden sword.
What met her eyes was a shadow.
A shadow cast by a heavily armored man, about two meters tall, with broad shoulders and thick arms—a towering, strong figure!
It was the transformed Minotaur Eugene!
So strong!
The moment Ryuu saw him, she felt slightly breathless.
Especially the cow-horned helmet the man wore, which gave him a powerful, monstrous presence.
"You..."
Ryuu swallowed, desperately suppressing the urge to retreat, and spoke cautiously.
"Mhm."
The Minotaur nodded heavily. In reality, Eugene's soul was laughing inside.
He looked at the nervous Ryuu, who seemed like a rabbit ready to bolt at any moment.
"No need to be nervous," Eugene maintained his aloof persona.
"You, find person. I, in shadows."
"Crucial moment, you leave, I take over."
His voice was hoarse, making people uncomfortable.
However, once Ryuu got used to it, she felt reassured to have such a companion.
With such an intimidating presence, he must have at least Level 5 strength.
Operating in the upper floors would certainly be smooth sailing.
As if seeing through Ryuu's thoughts, the Minotaur Eugene issued a timely warning.
"Our enemy is strong."
He looked into Ryuu's serious eyes and spoke word by word:
"The numbers are large."
"The leader is Level 6."
Every 100 Power Stones gets 1 bonus chapters!