The girls had still been discussing Sword Aura when they heard Tsukuyo Inaba's remarkably precise report.
Their expressions immediately sobered.
In the Dungeon, where death could come at any moment, they had encountered a large, unfamiliar party, led by someone powerful whose strength was unknown.
On top of that, their own party consisted entirely of strikingly beautiful girls.
Vigilance was essential.
"Stay on guard."
Kikakujō Mary spoke in a low, sharp voice.
Onigawara Rin immediately pressed her palm against her sword hilt.
Sasamori Aya also lowered her folded arms and leaned forward slightly, her cold gaze fixed on the bend in the passage ahead.
Protected at the very center, Seitenshi watched her companions instantly ready themselves for battle, and her shoulders tensed with nervousness as well.
A few minutes later.
Tap, tap, tap...
The irregular footsteps gradually grew clearer.
A party of over a dozen people emerged from around a massive tree root.
At the head of the group was a tall man.
He had black hair.
A pair of goggles with translucent smoky-quartz lenses covered the upper half of his face.
He wore a somewhat worn black trench coat made of excellent material, and carried a spear pointed downward that exuded an ominous, dark-red aura.
-The captain of the Ikelos Familia, Lv. 5.
-The Violent Brute, Dix Perdix.
Then.
Dix led his men around the bend and came face-to-face with the girls standing on guard.
They were still over ten meters apart.
His steps did not falter in the slightest; he merely swept his gaze over the conspicuous girls through the lenses of his goggles.
Especially when his gaze passed over the enormous black bear Fierce Man, and the vicious aura constantly radiating from Sasamori Aya and Kisara Tendo.
The corners of his mouth dipped slightly.
Without speaking, he