"Grain Depot"

Before setting off, Asfi naturally learned about the attack that had occurred in Rivira Town from Lulune.

She knew that if this commission was related to that time, or even a follow-up to that incident, then the enemy was definitely not someone that a Hermes Ridge Clan could handle.

Putting everything else aside, the Man-Eating Flower monsters that wreaked havoc on the entire Rivira Town alone were enough to give the entire Hermes Familia a run for its money.

The mastermind behind all of this is someone even the top-tier adventurers of the Loki Familia have to take seriously.

Therefore, before this, Asfi was under considerable pressure.

Even if the [Sword Princess] couldn't defeat this being, my clan, even if we lied about our level and concealed our strength, would definitely not be a match for them.

Asfi was genuinely worried that this operation would lead to the destruction of the entire clan.

Under these circumstances, when Asfi learned that her saviors were Leo and Ais, she truly breathed a sigh of relief.

"Let's not delay, let's discuss our next steps."

Asfi gestured for Leo and Ais to sit down together.

She took out a map showing the route to the 24th Floor.

"The reason for this request is the abnormal surge in the number of monsters on the 24th Floor, which has had a huge impact on the entire floor. Not only are adventurers trapped or suffering heavy casualties, but the entire ecosystem seems to be in trouble."

Asfi pointed to a corner on the map and spoke to Leo and Ais.

Why did this abnormal situation occur?

"Our purpose in coming here is to investigate this point and resolve it."

"Based on our investigation and the information provided by the mysterious man in black, we are basically certain that the problem is most likely located in the grain warehouse at the deepest part of the building."

The so-called food depot refers to the place in the Dungeon that provides nutrition for the monsters.

The monsters in the Dungeon hunt adventurers for food, and some even kill each other, but most of them actually fill their stomachs by consuming the nutrient solution provided by the Dungeon itself.

Just as the Strong Dragon Cadmus drinks from the spring, Leo had previously encountered Berg Bear gathering tree fruits to eat in the forest on this floor, most monsters would go to the food depot to replenish their supplies and drink the nutrient solution there when there was no prey.

Such grain depots exist on almost every floor, with only a few special floors being exceptions.

"That man in black told us that Hassanna Dorria of the Ganesha Familia also discovered the anomaly in the grain storehouse on the 30th Floor and brought back that green orb."

Asfi spoke with a serious expression.

"Therefore, we have reason to suspect that this similar incident also originated in a grain depot."

So, they only have one thing to do next.

That meant they would collectively rush into the 24th Floor and head all the way to the grain depot to investigate the problem that had occurred there.

"There are fifteen of us on our side, including myself, all of us belonging to the Hermes Familia. Most of us are level 3, and I am level 4 myself. We shouldn't be a burden."

Asfi said this in a serious tone, not as if she were joking.

"Of course, judging from previous attacks, our forces are mostly insufficient to handle the situation. The main fighting force for this operation can only be you, and we will provide assistance throughout the entire process."

Asfi was well-prepared for this, not only purchasing a large amount of elixirs, tools, and spare weapons, but also bringing many magical items she had invented herself.

She also told Leo and Ais detailed information about her team members and the situation regarding their troop deployment.

"Although it's only temporary, and we certainly can't compare to your team, which is the strongest faction in the city, we'll have to trouble you two to join us and become one of our members until this mission is completed."

Asfi explained everything swiftly and efficiently, and then extended her hand to the two of them again.

"It's only temporary. Please entrust your backs to us; we will rely on you completely."

As Asfi made her declaration, the Hermes Familia members around her silently equipped themselves with weapons and smiled.

Even Lulune smiled at the two of them and raised the weapon in her hand, as if to say, "I will never hold you back like last time."

Leo and Ais exchanged a glance, then both grasped the hand that Asfi extended.

Please give me your guidance.

Ais's words were concise and to the point.

Let's go.

Leo was even more decisive and efficient than Asfi.

The group then left the tavern and hurried toward the large tree in the center of the building.

They needed to get through the five floors (19-23) as quickly as possible to reach the 24th Floor, the destination of this anomaly.

--

Dungeon, 24th Floor.

This is the final layer of the layered domain known as the Great Tree Labyrinth, and also the final layer of the middle-level domain.

Below this floor lies the lower realm, a place accessible only to level 3 players.

As the floor closest to the lower levels, the 24th Floor normally requires adventurers at the late Lv.2 level to access. Now, it has become a demonic cave that even Lv.3 level 2 adventurers dare not enter casually.

This is because the number of monsters here has increased dramatically, creating a far more dangerous area than ever before.

"Whoa whoa!"

"Roar!"

"Gahhhhh!"

The roars of countless monsters echoed throughout the bark-covered floors and reverberated through the moss-covered passageways, each shimmering with countless points of light.

Given that the dungeon expands as you go deeper, while the 24th Floor Dungeon n't quite as vast as the 37th Floor that Leo and Ais spent a week conquering, almost comparable to the entire city of Orario, the passageways here are still very wide. Even Leo, Ais, and the entire Hermes Familia can move around leisurely and even fight freely here.

Therefore, when a large number of monsters appeared in front of the group, they went to meet them without hesitation.

"Gahhhhhhhhhhhh----!"

Amidst the chaotic roars, countless monsters appeared one after another in front of the passage, attacking this side.

Among them are deadly wasps with terrifyingly large stingers, lizardmen whose size rivals that of Barbarian from the deep realm, sword-horned deer that are so robust they don't resemble animals, and dark poison mushrooms that carry toxins—all monsters with the highest ability stats in the middle realm.

Faced with this group of monsters, Leo and Ais, needless to say, fully demonstrated what it means to charge into battle.

Almost instantly, the two drew their weapons, pressed down, and pushed off with their feet, transforming into two gusts of wind that instantly swept into the monster horde.

"Pfft pfft pfft pfft pfft pfft-

C

Ais's high-speed slashing technique was displayed immediately. Before she arrived, the sword light appeared first. The burst of sword light poured out like a rainstorm, instantly landing in the crowded monster horde, severing countless monster limbs and bringing with it a bloody storm.

Leo gripped the black longsword he had drawn from its sheath tightly, feeling its weight in his hand, and watched the approaching horde of monsters, a cold glint in his eyes.

The black longsword in his hand was different from Ais's silver saber. Its surface looked extremely rough, like a black iron sword, making one wonder if it could actually cut into the monster's body.

However, when Leo wielded it, drawing streaks of black light, its sharpness was enough to make anyone change color.

"Pfft!"

The black sword light, like a crescent moon blooming on the ground, swept across the monster horde, leaving behind a trail of blood.

Countless monsters on the dark crescent-shaped track were severed in two by this massive slash, their waists ripped open, their upper and lower bodies completely separated. Even the Magic Stone within their bodies were cut in half by the sword, causing the monsters to stop moving and their cries to cease. They instantly turned into corpses and fell to the ground, unable to rise again.

"Pfft!" "Pfft!" "Pfft!"----

Unlike Ais, Leo didn't unleash high-speed slashing techniques. Instead, he slowed down, as if weighing or adjusting something, and slashed out with his sword one after another, wounding the surrounding monsters with each strike.

With each strike, a thoughtful look would appear in Leo's eyes, and then the trajectory of his strikes would begin to change. His strikes became faster, more accurate, and sharper, making any monsters within three feet of him seem to have encountered a meat grinder. Once inside, they would be turned into a pile of minced meat and blood, never to emerge again.

His physique, gait, posture, way of moving, and direction of movement are all gradually changing, becoming more and more fluid and natural.

Using these monsters, Leo constantly adjusted his fighting style, to the point that he began to catch up with Ais, whose kill count and efficiency gradually caught up with Ais's slaughter mode.

"Those two people—"

Asfi, who was directing her troops to form ranks and deal with monsters coming from all directions, watched this scene, her pupils behind her glasses trembling slightly.

She wasn't unfamiliar with battles between first-level adventurers, but the fight between these two was completely different from anything she knew about first-level adventurers.

The storm-like, strangling style of killing, the whirlwind-like sword dance, formed a black and white spectacle of flashing blades. Wherever it passed, monsters were instantly slain, their bodies left unscathed.

Blood-red light flashed at an alarming speed, staining the green area crimson—a bloody and glaring sight.

"So this is a first-class adventurer from the Loki Familia?"

Or are these two special individuals even within the Loki Familia?

Asfi could only gasp in astonishment.

"Those two are truly monsters----"

This was her most direct feeling.