The Monster Horde's Sudden Mutation?

After picking up the enormous magic stone dropped by Amphisbaena, Wood left without another word, having said something that was sure to drive Orario's adventurers mad.

After entering the Safe Floor on the 28th floor, Wood ran into the same merchant he'd met before.

Compared to their first meeting, the merchant now knew who Wood was—and that he was the "Great Sage" who had caused such a stir in Labyrinth City recently.

"Well, if it isn't my pal, the Great Sage! It's been ages. I only found out what an incredible person you were after I returned to the surface half a month ago. You really gave me a shock."

The merchants on the Safe Floors didn't stay in the Dungeon all the time. Every so often, they returned to the surface to sell their wares and restock their supplies.

The merchant, who had been left with a deep impression of Wood, had asked around about him after returning to the surface.

After all, a newcomer who could take down a Floor Boss like Goliath single-handedly clearly wasn't an ordinary person. If he wanted to keep getting along with Wood in the future, it was only natural that he'd want to learn more about him.

But once he started asking, the merchant found out just how incredible Wood was.

He'd "taken on an entire Familia by himself," "outwitted the gods without making them hate him," and "faced the pressure of a god and questioned him until he came to his senses." He'd "broken Orario's fastest level-up record in three days" and earned the Adventurer title of "Great Sage"—and that was just the beginning.

Honestly, if all those events hadn't had witnesses, and become accepted fact, the merchant would've thought he was listening to a myth.

Given his exploits, Wood was