Daphne was right.
In this isolated subterranean labyrinth, reliably restocking water, food, and various consumables was incredibly difficult.
The merchants of Rivira knew exactly how to exploit the fact that adventurers couldn't carry too many items on their person.
It was the exact same principle as the value of water in a desert.
Even items that could be obtained for pennies—or entirely for free—on the surface experienced a world-shattering shift in value the moment they were brought down to Rivira.
Here, adventurers were faced with only two choices: pay an exorbitant fee for items that could save their lives, or hoard their money and die during their next expedition.
With a smile, the merchants of Rivira forced adventurers to make that cruel, single-choice decision.
Everything sold here, right down to the most basic magic stone lamps, was outrageously expensive.
What was even more amusing was that you couldn't find a single clerk standing outside the eaves trying to solicit customers.
Instead, they sat comfortably inside their shops with faint, cold smirks, leisurely polishing their weapons.
They were adventurers too, and the shrewd, ferocious looks on their faces formed a wildly jarring contrast with the beautiful surrounding scenery.
Here, the customer wasn't god. The seller was king.
"Thank goodness... Thank goodness we didn't plan on staying at an inn here."
Aiden couldn't help but feel relieved.
It was a good thing he had listened to Eina's advice before departing and packed more than enough rations, supplies, and several tents.
Otherwise, just spending one night here would have just rubbed salt in the wounds of their already impoverished Familia.
Just then, a sudden clamor echoed from the distance.
Aiden and the others looked over curiously, just in time to see a fully armed squad of adventurers, led by Bors, hurrying urgently out of the town.
"Flamescion, you're here too. Perfect. A massive swarm of Firebirds just spawned on the 19th Floor. We need hands to clear them out. Emergency quest—do you accept?"
Bors spotted Aiden in the crowd immediately. His eyes lit up, and he marched straight over.
"An Adventurer Commission? Sure, no problem."
Aiden agreed without hesitation.
Aside from earning money through monster drops like magic stones and items, accepting Guild or private commissions was a major source of income for adventurers—sometimes even their primary source.
Seeing him agree, Bors quickly and concisely explained the situation.
As it turned out, the Dungeon would periodically trigger an anomalous event where the population of a specific monster spiked dramatically.
The Firebirds currently being sighted were rare, avian monsters that only began spawning on the 19th Floor. True to their name, they specialized in fire-based attacks.
Rumor had it that the population of these troublesome beasts had skyrocketed recently, repeatedly turning the Large Tree Labyrinth of the 19th Floor and below into a sea of fire.
To make matters worse, a portion of the swarm had flown up into the 18th Floor—a zone that was supposed to be a safe haven. They were flying around setting fires everywhere, and even the lakeside Town of Rivira had suffered damages.
The high-level adventurers running the inns and shops in the labyrinth weren't about to sit back and watch their businesses turn to ash. They spontaneously organized and issued an emergency subjugation commission, hoping every high-level adventurer passing through the 18th Floor would lend a hand to hunt down the arsonists.
Although the Loki Familia's main force had already pushed deeper into the lower floors, Finn was far too shrewd to halt their expedition. They weren't going to play the good Samaritan for a crooked black-market town by going out of their way to clear out monsters that, while annoying, posed no real threat to their expedition.
As long as the Firebirds weren't blocking their path, the Loki Familia didn't care. They just let them be—after all, you could never kill every monster in the Dungeon.
The organizers in Rivira clearly understood this as well, which was why they had prepared a large stock of fire-resistant Salamander Wool robes to hand out as an upfront reward for anyone who accepted the commission.
"Wow. It's just the basic model, but the craftsmanship isn't half bad."
Hyacine draped the soft, dark-red robe over her shoulders, enjoying its naturally cool texture.
"Who doesn't love free stuff?"
Aiden shrugged from the sidelines. Even though he said that, he made no move to put one on himself.
Robin, Tifa, Daphne, and the others all donned the robes. The oversized garments enveloped their figures, leaving only their vigilant eyes exposed and adding a layer of mystery to their presence.
"Captain, aren't you going to wear one? It's free fire-resistance gear."
Robin looked at him, amused.
"It's my specialty. I don't need it."
Aiden patted his chest with absolute confidence. "I play with fire for a living. You think I'm afraid of a little heat? If word got out, I'd be a laughingstock."
Hearing this, the group didn't push the issue.
Following Bors and the large contingent of adventurers, they soon arrived at the entrance to the 19th Floor.
The moment they stepped inside, their vision opened up to a sight entirely different from the caves and rocky structures they had seen before.
It was as if they were standing inside the hollow of a world-spanning tree.
The walls, the floor, the ceiling—everything in sight was composed of massive, intertwining wooden structures, radiating an ancient, damp scent.
There were no phosphorescent stones on the ground. Instead, vast patches of moss emitted a faint, ghostly blue light, illuminating the colossal space like a dreamlike, eerie deep-sea palace.
Countless gigantic roots and branches wove together to form a highly complex natural labyrinth. In some places, they formed wide corridors, while in others, the gaps were so narrow that a person had to squeeze through sideways.
The adventurers quickly split up into different squads based on their usual habits. Chasing the fiery trails left by the Firebirds in the air, they scattered and vanished into the depths of the labyrinth.
"Let's go too. Stay close and watch your step."
With a quick warning, Aiden led Robin and the rest deeper into the Large Tree Labyrinth, hunting down the Firebirds as they pushed forward.
Before long, the muffled sound of flapping wings echoed from an intersecting path above them.
A bright red, oversized bird appeared with an ear-piercing screech. It was over two meters long, with an astonishing wingspan. Tyrannical flames burned in its bloodshot eyes as it violently snapped its massive beak open.
Deep within its beak, scorching orange-red flames rapidly condensed. The intense heat distorted the surrounding air, giving off the sharp stench of burning.
Just as the flames were about to erupt, Aiden moved.
His figure flickered rapidly. Tapping his toe lightly against a thick root, he used the momentum to launch himself into the air.
Mid-flight, his cold, gleaming longsword drew a beautiful arc. With a dull shing of a blade biting through flesh, the Firebird was cleanly cleaved in half from head to tail before it could even utter a cry of pain. Boiling blood and internal organs, mixed with the embers of its flames, showered down upon the ground.
At the same time, another Firebird dove in from the flank.
Without even looking, Aiden extended his left hand. Two cold words slipped from his lips. "Gospel."
An invisible sonic shell crossed the distance instantly, striking the Firebird squarely in the chest.
The bird's flight halted abruptly. It was as if it had been slammed by an invisible giant hammer. Its chest caved inward, and its internal organs were instantly pulverized into mush by the terrifying concussive force.
It let out a short, miserable screech before plummeting powerlessly from the sky. Before it even hit the ground, its life force was completely extinguished, leaving behind nothing but a scorching magic stone and a beautiful red feather.
"Nice shot!"
Daphne praised him, though her long whip didn't stop moving for a second.
The whip lashed out like a striking viper, wrapping perfectly around the neck of another diving Firebird before yanking downward with tremendous force.
The Firebird let out a shrill hiss as it was dragged violently out of the sky.
Before it could struggle, Daphne closed the distance. Her rapier flashed like a streak of silver light, instantly piercing its throat.
The Firebird twitched once before its body dissolved into black ash, returning to the Dungeon's embrace and leaving only a magic stone behind.
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