──── Fists lashed out.
In a clearing north of Orario, two opponents faced each other. One was an Amazon woman in her prime; she wore no armor, choosing only a black cloth to mask her mouth. The other was a boy with white hair and red eyes, gripping his blade in a reverse hold.
The dark-skinned woman took a boxing stance. The boy shifted the blade in his left hand, tightening his grip. They lunged simultaneously, trading strikes aimed at vital points the moment they crossed paths.
Their total lack of hesitation suggested a life-or-death struggle to any casual observer. However, an expert eye would have seen the truth: this was no deadly duel, but a training session where the Amazon served as the instructor.
Her name was Bache Kalif, the captain of the Kali Familia—a prominent group from outside the city—and a Level 6 warrior. The boy was Bell Cranel, a second-tier adventurer who had recently risen in rank following the "War Game" against the Apollo Familia.
Al had introduced them, and Bell now trained under Bache several times a week. Although Bache had her own motives, Bell felt deeply grateful for her dedication and her strict, almost cruel, guidance.
For Bell, combat usually meant facing monsters. He lacked experience against human opponents, save for that one War Game. Having Bache teach him the fundamentals of humanoid combat was invaluable. She provided a different kind of foundation than his mentor, Bete, who had instilled in him the adventurer's mindset and anti-monster tactics. Though her teaching style was far more savage, Bell endured the pain to grow stronger.
The gap in their power was obvious. Bell could barely keep up with Bache, who launched attacks along the shortest possible paths, relentlessly targeting his openings. Faced with her storm-like assault, Bell used every ounce of strength just to evade.
Bache's tan fists and kicks barely grazed him. In this frantic back-and-forth that resembled a violent dance, Bell desperately dodged. His movements gradually sharpened. Noticing this, Bache increased her speed, abandoning any lingering leniency.
When her movements became almost too fast for the naked eye to track, Bell finally saw an opening for a counterattack. He evaded a left roundhouse kick, and before her right palm could strike, he thrust with the blade in his left hand.
It was a feint. The real strike was a thrust from a dagger he drew from his waist with his right hand.
"....!"
Bell lunged from his crouched position like a released spring, closing the distance in a heartbeat. But the blade he aimed at her heart struck only air.
"Naive."
The voice came from behind him, sending a chill down his spine. As a cold shiver ran through him, Bell turned to find Bache already bringing her fist down.
"ـــــ!"
Instinctively, Bell crossed his arms in a defensive guard. The massive impact sent him flying, and he tumbled across the ground with violent force.
"Urgh, Gh—...?"
"Get up. It isn't over yet."
Bache lunged for her next attack, resetting her stance.
(This woman is truly powerful!)
Bell broke into a cold sweat. Her strength felt equal to Bete's—perhaps even superior when it came to fighting people. Unlike Bete, who relied on raw physical power and absolute speed, Bache used skill and maneuver to manipulate her enemy before crushing them.
The martial arts of Telskyura were entirely new and difficult for Bell. Yet, this was the perfect training. He gripped his blade and stood back up. Bache was strong, and that was exactly why he had so much to learn from her.
Bell felt lucky. He had his "Brother" as a clear goal, the Sword Princess as his inspiration, Bete as a mentor, and now this woman before him. He wanted to get stronger—for himself, and for his beloved Familia. Everything he needed to grow was within reach; he only had to keep climbing. To become a hero like his brother, the Sword Princess, and his mentor, Bell pushed toward farther horizons.
●○●○●
While the women explored Daedalus Street, the men were elsewhere. Finn, the Familia captain, led a group including Bete, Gareth, and Al—all first-tier adventurers—along with Raul and other second-tier members. They were searching the underground sewers for a second entrance to the labyrinth.
Through the damp air, the group advanced through the tunnels, guided by Al under Finn's direction. The passages were wide enough for ten grown men to walk abreast, designed like broad irrigation canals.
The water flowed quietly. Everyone walked cautiously, listening to the rhythmic dripping and watching their surroundings. At the edge of the light from their magic stone lamps, shallow water ran, carrying strange, unknown algae.
"We heard that Lord Njord met that suspicious man in these sewers, but..."
Gareth spoke up, suggesting that no evidence likely remained. The trade between Njord and that man had happened nearly five years ago; traces wouldn't last that long.
"Well, Bete and Loki inspected this place before, and I brought Tione here after the 24th-floor incident, but we found nothing."
"If you knew that, why did we come here, Finn?"
"Something has been bothering me. Besides, searching for people is different than searching for monsters. This time, we are focusing on Daedalus Street and the sewers more intensely."
Finn explained that even if the chance of finding traces was slim, the investigation was a necessary precaution. Convinced by the Pallum leader's logic, everyone checked their weapons, ready for a fight at any moment.
They continued slowly, sharpening their focus. After several minutes of careful advancement...
"── Al, what is it?"
Al, who was in the lead, stopped abruptly. His gaze was fixed on a side junction. This spot sat exactly beneath Daedalus Street on the surface.
"──── This way."
"And why is that?"
"Just a hunch."
If any ordinary member had said this, they would have been mocked. But coming from Al, a first-tier adventurer, it carried immense weight. His intuition had saved the Familia countless times. While it wasn't always perfect, his track record convinced everyone he was right.
Finn's eyes widened for a moment before he regained his calm. The others remained silent in agreement. Al stepped confidently toward the turn. Amidst the echoing flow of water, they moved forward with extreme caution.
Finally, Al led them to an old-style water channel where the smell of rust and mold was overpowering. The place looked like a derelict, abandoned canal. Moss grew everywhere, and climbing plants choked the space. It was likely just a small branch of an ancient waterway.
"We searched before and found no sign of this, yet... we found it this easily now."
Bete whispered, his eyes fixed on a ladder leading down into a hole where the surface floor had peeled away. In the middle of these labyrinthine sewers, the ladder looked natural enough not to raise suspicion, which only increased Finn's tension.
A foul stench wafted from the hole. It wasn't the usual smell of sewage, but something else entirely. It was the scent of blood that adventurers knew too well—the smell that heralded combat and death. It was the stench of death from monster flesh and blood.
The aura, which its owners made no effort to hide, was an open invitation. Despite sensing a trap, retreating was not an option. All eyes turned to Finn, who nodded as if deciding for them all. Led by Al once more, they descended.
Faint light from magic stone lamps illuminated their path as they moved through the dark corridor. This passage differed completely from the sewers; it was built of solid stone, feeling like a distinct architectural structure.
As they continued warily, a massive iron mass appeared before them, reflecting a dull luster.
"A... metal door?"
"That shine... could it be the hardest metal?"
A massive, imposing metal gate stood there. The heavy portal was well over two metres high, making everyone catch their breath at its sheer scale. But what caught their attention most was the material giving off that hard gleam. If their estimates were correct, it was undoubtedly "The Hardest Metal" (Orichalcum). It was an extremely rare and difficult-to-forge metal, said to be the hardest substance in the world.
●○●○●
The day after the discovery, the adventurers of the Loki Familia—both first and second-tier, including the women—gathered before the door. Everyone wore full battle gear as if preparing for an expedition into uncharted territory, weapons in hand.
"Wow, is this the Orichalcum gate you talked about? It's huge!"
Tiona exclaimed in admiration. As she said, the massive metal gate stood before them like the walls of an impregnable fortress, making the idea of breaking it with human strength seem impossible.
"They've set up a strange entrance like this, so this is definitely their lair."
"I agree. The problem is how to break in..."
Finn replied to Loki's comment. Since the place was so strictly guarded, it was logical to assume the enemy's headquarters was here.
"It's the same Orichalcum used in Ais's 'Desperate' and Al's 'Mistilteinn'..."
Orichalcum. A metal alloy of extreme hardness, far surpassing the "Adamantite" extracted from the maze. It was the material used for "unbreakable" weapons, like Ais's primary sword, Desperate, and Al's sword, Mistilteinn.
This alloy was said to be the result of human wisdom and determination in ancient times, before the Gods descended. Obviously, this metal was incredibly precious; only a handful of smiths in Orario could work with it.
Its hardness made it difficult even for a first-tier adventurer to scratch the surface with a single blow, let alone destroy it; that was a distant dream. The fact that the place was protected this way meant it was of vital importance. However, it made entering significantly more complicated.
"Comparing it to the map, this secret passage definitely connects to Daedalus Street as well."
"Still... regardless of the Captain and Al, the fact that the men found it first makes me feel inadequate..."
Tione said, knitting her brows and expressing her frustration at the lack of results during the search in Daedalus Street.
●○●○●
"──── And now, Al. This door... can you destroy it?"
This door was entirely different from the crude Adamantite door Al had cut days ago. This gate, which exhausted the resolve and techniques of that strange person who reached the limits of the Gods, was not just a mass of metal relying on hardness.
It was perhaps the hardest, most durable material in this world. This door, crafted by a master at the boundary of the Gods, could be considered a work of art for its sheer beauty. Even the surrounding walls were mixed with materials dropped from deep-floor monsters with high magic resistance. The structure of this artificial labyrinth was so sturdy that Lefiya's artillery magic or Finn's spear wouldn't be enough to breach it.
Fundamentally, human strength shouldn't be able to shatter a door tens of centimeters thick made from "unbreakable" metal. Facing this obstacle, Finn asked Al. Al stared at the door in silence, then slowly drew his greatsword and lowered it in a casual motion.
At that moment, a massive explosion erupted (DOGAN!!), and the air shook with a terrifying shockwave. Although the metal gate took Al's direct hit, it didn't shatter; only slight scratches appeared on its surface.
However────
"Well, I can destroy it."
"But it will be difficult without using 'Leaf of Yggdrasil.' That magic has too wide a range... and if I'm not careful, all of Daedalus Street might collapse."
He followed up by explaining that reinforcing other attacks with his "Path of Heroes" skill would yield the same result.
".... I see. So it's a last resort."
●○●○●
While the Familia members monitored the surroundings, they suddenly heard footsteps from behind the door. As everyone raised their guard, the massive metal gate began to open slowly.
A sharp creaking sound echoed as it opened. In the depths of the darkness behind the door, the silhouette of a person appeared under the bluish light of a magic stone lamp.
"────!! That masked person... no doubt about it. It seems that freak opened the door for us."
There stood the strange individual they had seen during the fierce battle on the 59th floor. A black robe covered their entire body, and a white mask hid their face. It was as if a being had crawled out of the deep dark. Finn and the others prepared to attack, but before they could, the person vanished from the spot as if melting into the gloom.
The door closed again, leaving only silence. The tension faded from their faces as everyone sighed in relief. It seemed the other side had no intention of acting for now—at least, they opened the door as if extending an invitation. Therefore, they had no choice but to advance, keeping the possibility of a trap in mind.
"Finn, let's leave the weaklings behind."
Bete said, gripping his twin daggers, his face contorted in disgust at the rotten smell of blood emanating from the dark depths. A battle against the freaks inside was inevitable. His words came from his assessment that adventurers of the second tier and below wouldn't provide enough combat power.
"There's a foul stench coming from there... having nuisances around will only hinder us, no matter their numbers."
Bete's tone grew sharper. His words sparked resentment among the other members, and the Hiryute sisters lunged toward him.
"We are comrades, so stop talking like that!"
"Tell me, how much of your strength would you or we have left if we rushed in without support?"
Although Bete snapped back at the sisters' rebuke, he said nothing more. Finn smiled bitterly as he watched the exchange, then looked at everyone. Despite his delivery, Bete had a point. The area ahead might be more dangerous than the deep floors, and they might not have the luxury of fighting while protecting those who weren't part of the core strength.
Finn began coldly considering the party formation: a frontline consisting of himself and adventurers of Level 6 and above, with healing and supply personnel in the rear. And...
"──── Wait here for a while. Raul, go quickly to the Kali Familia and the Dian Cecht Familia and bring them here. Once the numbers are complete, Al and I will lead the frontline and the rear guard with the healing team to advance. Lefiya, Gareth, stay here to gather information about this secret passage just in case, and wait with Loki and the others."
Raul immediately responded to Finn's orders and dashed off. Once everyone's tasks were set, Finn and the others began preparing. They readied equipment, froze the doors with magic, and prepared consumables. Al, standing at the front as the elite of the elite, readied his gear to be prepared at any moment.
"Cranel..."
"Oh, Filvis. What is it?"
Filvis stood before Al, her black hair swaying. She had been accompanying the Loki Familia since yesterday and looked at Al with a serious expression.
"I agree with that werewolf... I also have a bad feeling. This place... there's something about it..."
"── So, you're asking me not to go?"
".... Yes, that's right. If you don't go, I will— ──"
"You will what?"
"──!! N... no, nothing. It's nothing."
●○●○●
I feel like Filvis is healing my parched heart, which hasn't tasted drama or sorrow in a while... Truly, no one surpasses Filvis. If things go well, maybe just by using added fire magic, she'll reach that peak of emotional intensity Ryuu had before... With Ais and Finn there too... isn't this wonderful? I wish Ryuu would come as well...
"We've brought the 'Battlefield Saint' and the Kali Familia!!"
I didn't call you lot! Go back where you came from! Wait, what did he just say? Dea... Saint?! Do you mean the "Walking Healing Machine" has come here?! Don't joke with me! She of all people is no good! Absolutely not! How am I supposed to practice drama and sorrow in front of her Ladyship the Saint?! It's impossible!
No, wait, calm down. If I lose my temper here, everything is wasted. Act cool and collected. Be cool, man. Come on, start with a deep breath to calm the heart. Hee... hee... hoooo.
..... Alright, I've calmed down. F-Fine, with Ais and Filvis-chan, things will be okay (voice trembling). Anyway, I'll continue my work as usual. Yes, I will.
"──── Al, are you thinking about something bad right now?"
I'm doomed.
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