There's Still One More Thing To Do

In the dim, phosphorescent, murky passage, a suffocating silence permeated the air.

Lefiya Viridis felt like she couldn't breathe, and looking at the silent Ais, her heart was filled with worry and doubt.

Recalling Ais's state just now, Lefiya Viridis hesitated, wanting to speak but then stopping herself, ultimately freezing in place because she didn't know how to begin.

Tiona and Tione also looked at Ais with complicated expressions, their thoughts unknown.

It was the first time any of the three of them had seen Ais in that state, and they felt that Ais at that time was completely different from her usual self.

Although Ais is usually taciturn and seems extremely cold and emotionless, like a doll, those who know her well know that Ais is actually very emotional; she just doesn't know how to express it.

They were the people in the entire Loki Familia who were closest to Ais and knew her best. How could they not know what the real Ais was like?

But the Ais they just saw felt so unfamiliar and even terrifying; she was nothing like them at all.

Most importantly, Ais in that state was able to unleash such astonishing power.

That was a power they didn't understand.

However, whether it was Tiona, Tione, or Lefiya Viridis, they all genuinely felt that that dark power was definitely not a good thing.

They wanted to ask something, but didn't know how to begin.

Having been through it all, they knew very well that since Ais had been hiding such power, there must be some unspeakable secret behind it.

Among those present, apart from the pure and innocent Lefiya Viridis, almost everyone had some past and secrets that they could not tell outsiders.

So, Tiona and Tione opened their mouths, but ultimately chose not to ask anything.

Leo didn't ask either.

Of course, it wasn't because he couldn't get the answer, but because he already knew where that power came from.

"That power just now—was that [Avenger]?"

Leo thought to himself.

[Avenger], Ais's only skill, which was also sealed away because it was too dangerous, has unexpectedly been revived under the circumstances today as Ais loses control of her emotions.

Recalling Ais's performance just now, Leo had to admit that this power was indeed very strong. Once activated, it could easily surpass her when she activated [Ariel].

This is quite an amazing thing.

It's important to know that Ais, when she activated [Ariel], possessed the strength to challenge opponents of higher levels. In terms of stats alone, she even surpassed Finn and others at level 6, making her incredibly powerful. However, Ais, when she activated [Avenger], was even stronger than in that state, which shows just how amazing the effect of this skill was.

However, just as anticipated, this force, while powerful, was also genuinely dangerous.

As the name suggests, it is the embodiment of the hatred that Ais has always hidden deep in her heart. Ais sealed it away, which is equivalent to suppressing the hatred that has been hidden in her heart, and that is why she became the Doll Princess in people's hearts.

But once it begins to be unleashed, it means that the hatred that Ais has been hiding in her heart will be released once again.

The power of hatred is the fuel that drives [Avenger].

The stronger the effect of [Avenger], the more intense the hatred in Ais's heart will become. At that time, Ais will only set herself on fire and become a monster of hatred, completely losing her mind.

Thinking of this, Leo reached out and grasped Ais's hand.

Ais, who had been silent, was startled and turned her head to look. She immediately saw Leo staring straight at her and noticed a rare look of worry and concern in his eyes.

This inexplicably eased Ais's suppressed feelings.

At that moment, Ais silently held Leo's hand, saying nothing.

As everyone watched this scene, apart from Lefiya Viridis slightly widening her eyes and inexplicably puffing out her cheeks, Tiona and Tione both suddenly revealed relieved smiles.

Well, with Leo watching over us, nothing should go wrong.

"We've pretty much finished planning for today, shouldn't we head back now?"

Tiona seemed to have completely turned the page on what had just happened, and immediately changed the subject to their strategy.

The way he looked was as if he was saying that nothing had just happened.

"It's indeed time to head back." Tione nodded knowingly, saying, "Our backpacks are almost full, and the planned week is almost over. It's time to go home."

"----I have no objection." Lefiya Viridis glared at Leo and Ais's clasped hands, and said sullenly, "My Training Plan is basically complete, and it's just right to leave the Dungeon now."

"Yes, yes," Tiona nodded repeatedly, saying, "Although we still haven't paid off our debts, we can come back another time."

Leo, Ais, and Lefiya Viridis came to this mission for practical training, but Tiona and Tione were there to earn money.

After a week of planning and selling all the loot earned, each person should receive ten to twenty million Valis. This is just a drop in the bucket for Tiona and Tione, who are in debt for hundreds of millions. But as Tiona said, they can come back another time.

If you can earn 10 to 20 million Valis in a week, then earning 40 to 50 million Valis in a month shouldn't be a problem, and you can pay off your debts in about two months.

This is only after infiltrating to the 37th Floor. If we can infiltrate deeper floors in the future, we can make money even faster.

The debt can be paid off in one or two months, so there's no need to rush.

Anyway, no one would think that a Level 1 adventurer wouldn't be able to pay back the money, especially since this Level 1 adventurer was a member of the city's strongest faction, so no one would come knocking on their door to collect the debt. Tiona and Tione could slowly pay back the money.

A week has passed, which was the initial planned duration of the trip, and now it's time to head back home.

Only----

"Before that, there's one more thing I need to do."

Leo, who was holding Ais's hand, suddenly spoke up, attracting everyone's attention.

"What's wrong?"

Tiona immediately asked out of curiosity.

"I'm sure you've all noticed, I'm almost leveled up." Leo didn't hide his thoughts and said directly, "I'm just one last achievement away from leveling up, so I want to complete the final piece of the puzzle."

Upon hearing this, everyone's expression changed slightly.

"You want to achieve great things here?"

Tione frowned.

This is no small matter.

To challenge a great cause means to challenge a powerful enemy whose strength surpasses one's own, and one that can elevate one to Lv.5 and make one a first-class adventurer. This is definitely not an opponent to be challenged casually.

The amount of advanced experience points required to reach Lv.5 is more than anyone imagines. It's not as simple as just finding a stronger enemy to challenge. Otherwise, there wouldn't be fewer than forty level 1 adventurers in all of Orario, Raul, Anakitty, and Alicia wouldn't still be stuck at Lv.4, unable to reach Lv.5.

These people are no less experienced than Ais and the others.

Ais joined the Loki Familia at the age of seven and has been a member for nine years. Raul and the others Loki Spring Familia for seven or eight years. During this time, they have entered the deepest parts of the Dungeon the expeditionary force countless times and defeated countless powerful enemies, including the floor masters of various dungeons. As a result, they have accumulated a huge amount of high-level experience points, but they still haven't been able to level up. This shows how difficult it is to reach Lv.5.

Leo wants to achieve great things and level up by challenging powerful enemies, even if it means choosing an opponent far stronger than himself.

The danger of fighting against such a being is self-evident.

This is a matter that could cost lives at any moment, so everyone has no choice but to take it seriously and remain composed.

Especially at this time, and the location is still on the 37th Floor.

Anyone with half a brain would understand who Leo's chosen opponent is.

"You... you don't want to challenge the floor master of the 37th Floor, Udaeus, do you?"

Lefiya Viridis realized it too and exclaimed in surprise.

Immediately, Ais also turned her gaze sharply to Leo, no longer looking away.

The floor owner of the 37th Floor, Udaeus.

Its production interval is almost over, and it will reappear soon.

It was precisely because of its existence that Leo and the others originally planned to spend a week exploring this place before returning home before Udaeus's rebirth, in order to avoid encountering danger.

But now Leo has his eye on this floor owner?

"Are you crazy!?"

This surprised even Tiona.

"That's Udaeus!"

The floor owner, whose classification level is Lv.6, is someone who's only a Lv.4, Level 2 adventurer, capable of faking an encounter?

They simply don't know the meaning of death!

"Is there a difference?" Leo shrugged casually and said, "When I was Lv.2, didn't I also challenge the Lv.4 floor master?"

Back then it involved challenging two levels ahead, and it still does now. Not much difference, right?

"The difference is huge!" Tione said bluntly. "How can Goliath be compared to Udaeus?"

Although both involve crossing two levels, how could the difference between Lv.2 and Lv.4 possibly be greater than the difference between Lv.4 and Lv.6?

Moreover, Udaeus is no ordinary Lv.6.

Although this floor owner is classified as Lv.6, its potential ability value has always been above Lv.6.

Just as Goliath, though classified as Lv.4, is a "durability" specialized floor master, exceeding Lv.4 in terms of durability alone, reaching the level of Lv.5, Udaeus, as the floor master of the 37th Floor, is even more exaggerated than the floor master of the 17th Floor. Many of his abilities surpass Lv.6, and he even possesses special abilities and mechanisms, let alone Lv.4.

Even a level 5 adventurer would likely suffer a fatal injury if attacked by it.

That's something that a level 4 can't handle, or even a level 5 or 6 can't handle.

Even at level 7, whether it can handle it is still an unknown.

At least, a regular Lv.7 would definitely struggle against it.

Lv.4?

To Udaeus, they were not even ants.