The joyous time always passes quickly.
After a lively celebration feast, Loki Familia's activities transitioned to the right track.
Everyone had their own tasks to take care of.
Finn, Riveria, and Gareth, the top executives and higher-ups of the familia, needed to prepare for the next expedition. The rest of the familia members, following the three top executives' orders, began investing the money earned from the expedition in various areas.
Tiona, Tione, and several others had to go for weapon maintenance.
Bete, due to his absence yesterday, was caught and scolded by the three top executives. Today, as he intended to go to the dungeon again, he got caught once more and was ordered to handle miscellaneous tasks.
Even Lefiya was not idle. With a few elves, she helped Riveria gather information, seemingly intent on finding out about the new species of monsters.
In such a situation, Riezel and Ais unexpectedly found themselves with some free time.
After all, both of them wielded Durandal weapons. While they still required maintenance, they weren't as worn out as the weapons of other members. Furthermore, with Bete handling miscellaneous tasks, the two didn't have anything to do.
As a result, Riezel once again proposed a sparring match with Ais.
Naturally, she had no reason to refuse.
The young girl knew that he needed to adjust to his power every time he leveled up to avoid any inconsistencies in his body.
This time was no different.
Riezel had reached Level 5 with the expected feelings of imbalance. He urgently needed someone to spar with to adapt to his current power.
As was customary, Ais casually agreed.
However, the outcome of this sparring match was completely different from the past.
*Clang!*
When Ais raised her sword to block the thunder-like strike that came at her, the astonishing power from Riezel's bright silver sword made her groan involuntarily, forcing her to retreat.
Riezel's form had turned into a blurry phantom, giving the impression of teleportation with every flicker. Even Ais struggled to catch his incredible speed. Her golden eyes narrowed to pinprick size, while her entire body tensed up, showing no hint of underestimation.
*Whoosh!* *Whoosh!* *Whoosh!*
Suddenly, Riezel closed in on Ais, and the sword in his hand transformed into bursts of cold light, thrusting toward her body at a very fast speed.
'?!'
'So fast!'
'Too fast!'
Ais barely managed to react.
She relied on her keen senses and exceptional abilities to barely counter Riezel's attacks, wielding her sword to deflect the rain of sword tips coming at her.
Fighting with all her might, Ais found herself constantly retreating, unable to stop the relentless attack from Riezel.
On the contrary, Riezel not only grew stronger with each clash but also moved with a fluidity that seemed to have no bounds. Whether it was attack speed or movement speed, everything continued to improve, leaving Ais feeling trapped in a storm that only intensified, making each attack more challenging for her.
Until finally—
*DING!*
With a loud metallic collision sound, her sword was flicked away.
'No!'
Just as Ais exclaimed inwardly in panic, Riezel's silver sword pointed directly at her throat. Her movements came to a complete halt, her expression frozen in place.
""...""
Silence enveloped the surroundings.
"Sorry!"
Realizing he might have gone a bit too far, Riezel quickly withdrew his sword and apologized.
"..."
Ais remained silent, her hand clenched slightly.
She had lost.
She had lost to Riezel.
"Ais?" Riezel looked at the now-silent Ais with a hint of worry. "Are you okay?"
"...I'm fine." Ais shook her head, then looked at him complex expression. "You became stronger than me."
It was an unbelievable turn of events.
Riezel had just reached Level 5, while Ais had been struggling at this level for over three years, maintaining a superior status. However, at this moment, Ais, a seasoned and veteran Level 5, lost to Riezel, who had just reached Level 5.
The impact it brought was greater than she had imagined.
"It's just a sparring, doesn't mean much, right?" Riezel said softly, trying to console Ais.
Indeed, it was just a sparring, not a life-and-death battle. Saying he was stronger than her based on this sparring alone was too hasty.
But Ais could sense that he was merely comforting herself.
What did sparring or practice prove?
What would demonstrate his power then?
A life-and-death battle?
Ais had witnessed Riezel's strength in such situations more than once!
If she couldn't even win during sparring, how could she beat him in the so-called life-and-death battle?
Thinking about his battles at Level 1 against the Crocodile Dragon and at Level 4 against the female-like worm monster, Ais's emotions became even more complex.
This complex feeling lingered until the end of their sparring match.
Later on, Ais left.
She left the training ground and Twilight Manor, disappearing somewhere unknown.
Back in his room, Riezel, having put down Hermit, couldn't shake off the complicated look and expression Ais had when leaving.
Eventually, he stood up.
"No, I can't just leave that girl alone."
Worried, Riezel left the room to find Riveria.
===
At this moment, Riveria was in Finn's office, discussing the familia affairs with Finn and Gareth.
"Wait a sec, you actually defeated Ais in sparring? You've gotten this strong already?"
Gareth exclaimed in shock upon hearing Riezel's explanation. Riveria and Finn were no better either.
Ais was not just anyone.
Even before Riezel appeared, various gods considered her the most talented individual in the lower world. Despite her young age, many saw her as the strongest Level 5, capable of challenging Level 6 with the help of her magic, Ariel, making her comparable to Level 6 adventurers.
The moniker of the strongest swordswoman wasn't just a mere moniker but a well-deserved reputation. Even within Loki Familia, apart from the three Level 6 top executives, Ais was the strongest adventurer.
The fact that Ais lost to Riezel in a sparring match was indeed surprising for the three top executives.
"It was just a friendly match, and I happened to win by luck..." Riezel explained carefully.
Unfortunately, the three weren't fools and didn't buy it.
"If it was just luck, Ais wouldn't be so affected by it..." Finn said calmly while looking meaningfully at Riezel. "You should understand that better than anyone."
"..." Riezel instantly fell silent.
Did he understand? Of course, he did.
Despite his excuse, he had realized through this sparring match that his strength did indeed surpass Ais's.
His latent basic abilities were extremely high, and his development ability was stronger than others at his level. All his development abilities belonged to the combat type, amplifying his status. Even though he had just reached Level 5, he was no less powerful than anyone at this level.
Even though Ais was the strongest Level 5, it didn't matter. Without development abilities to enhance her power and only possessing the 'Swordsman' development ability, which was lower ranked than Riezel's, she couldn't compete with him at all.
If she had an advantage in other aspects, like superior swordsmanship, it would be a different story. Unfortunately, Riezel had mastered her swordsmanship, leaving her without an edge.
Considering his accumulated latent basic abilities, development abilities, and the variety of magic at his disposal, Ais couldn't match up.
Knowing this, Riezel couldn't help but feel somewhat responsible.
As she saw the conflicted expression on Riezel's face, Riveria spoke up.
"You don't have to blame yourself..." Riveria said gently, trying to comfort him. "It's not your fault."
"Yeah..." Gareth added. "If you were intentionally trying to bring Ais down, that would be a different story. But you were just doing what you normally do and sparring like you usually do, where's the fault in that?"
"Ais won't blame you for sure and likely blaming herself..."
Finn also chimed.
"She's always been eager to go above and beyond, constantly pursuing power. Besides getting stronger, there's almost nothing else in her eyes."
"You winning against her today might make her feel she's still weak, and getting surpassed quickly is also a big blow to her."
"In short, she's dissatisfied with herself."
At Finn's explanation, Riezel fell into silence. His perspective was blunt, hitting the core of the matter.
Riezel knew Ais was dissatisfied with her own growth and desired more power. The three top executives were also well aware of this. It could be said that she had this dissatisfaction and tendency from the start and the outcome of her sparring with him was just the spark that ignited the fuse.
"So, what should we do now? We can't just sit idly, can we?" Riezel asked while looking at the three top executives.
"Of course..." Riveria furrowed her brows and made a worried expression. "Knowing her temperament, she's probably already delved into the dungeon, likely planning to do something dangerous."
Ais's current condition was more worrisome than Bete's yesterday.
Bete, at least, should know some limits.
Ais, on the other hand, was different.
If that girl were to lose control, she might throw caution to the wind and recklessly slaughter monsters without stopping.
"Looks like we can't just stand by, after all..." Finn pondered for a moment. "I'll send someone to look for her."
"I'm going as well." Riezel declared without hesitation.
"I'll join." Riveria turned to Finn. "Sorry, I'm just a bit worried about that child."
"No problem, go ahead." Finn agreed with a nod. "We're not in a rush anyway. Let's find Ais first and then decide."
Everyone nodded in agreement and began to move.
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Babel, Plaza.
At this moment, adventurers were pouring into the dungeon one after another, exploring in fervor.
When Riezel and Riveria, along with some members of Loki Familia, appeared at the scene, they were immediately spotted by quite a few people.
However, they soon dispersed, approaching adventurers who had visibly spent more time around or the Guild personnel stationed inside Babel, seeking information.
Ten minutes later, they regrouped in front of Babel, exchanging gathered intelligence.
"No surprises, Ais did indeed enter the dungeon..." Riveria said while sighing. "The Guild personnel inside Babel claimed to have seen Ais fully armed. If that's the case, she must have entered the dungeon."
"I confirmed as well, someone saw Ais entering the dungeon." Riezel looked at Riveria. "Although some time has passed, catching up with her now is not impossible."
"You're right..." Riveria sighed. "But it doesn't mean we will."
It was common knowledge that with Ais's speed, after these few hours, she must have descended to a certain floor.
In various aspects, she resembled Riezel.
Riezel excelled in 'DEX' and 'AGI', and judging by Ais's status, her main specialty was also 'DEX' and 'AGI', where she achieved A-rank in both.
With her swift speed, delving into the dungeon for a few hours was enough for her to reach below the 10th Floor.
Even if she focused on moving quickly, given her speed, it wouldn't be impossible for her to reach the lower floors below the 20th Floor.
Riezel might have a chance to catch up, but for Riveria and the rest, it was quite difficult.
Riveria, being Level 6, excelled in 'MAG', but basic abilities like 'STR', 'END', 'DEX', and 'AGI' were not her strong suit.
At this moment, her 'MAG' had reached S-rank, but her 'AGI' was only at C-rank. Even with latent basic abilities from the previous level factored in, her speed still couldn't match Riezel and Ais.
The rest of the group was even less capable.
The highest level among those brought by Riveria was only Level 4, making it impossible for them to catch up with Ais.
"Alright, Riezel, you go first and find Ais, while we'll catch up later." Riveria placed her hopes on him. "Is that okay with you?"
Riezel shook his head.
"No problem."
He was already Level 5 now, and even alone, he was more than capable of delving into the deeper floors.
Starting from the 37th Floor, the deeper floors could be easily handled by him. Unless he encountered an irregular, he wouldn't face any life-threatening situations. But even if he ran into an irregular, he would undoubtedly face it head-on after having plenty of experience.
"No time to waste, I'll set off first."
With that, Riezel's figure flashed, turning into a gust of wind, rushing into Babel. The strong wind he stirred up along the way drew exclamations from onlookers, leaving some irritable adventurers cursing.
Riveria watched him leave, then turned to the rest of the searching group.
"Two of you stay here and guard. The rest, follow me inside."
"Yes!"
The searching group members responded one after another.
After a while, Riveria, along with several members of Loki Familia, entered the dungeon.
===
The dungeon today seemed unusually quiet.
Although there were plenty of adventurers, causing quite a commotion, as Riezel dashed through, he didn't encounter many monsters. The roars that were usually faintly heard upon entering the dungeon were also absent today, giving the labyrinth an eerie sense of tranquility.
Some adventurers found this situation strange and even frustrating.
"Yo, what's up with the dungeon today?"
"Haven't spotted a single monster, what gives?"
"Did someone already wipe them all out or something?"
"But that doesn't make sense."
Adventurers discussed one after another, and Riezel, who happened to overhear everything, furrowed his brow.
"Could it be Ais? That girl... Maybe she's been taking out all the monsters since entering the 1st Floor and making her way down?"
With her strength and speed, if she really did that, the upper-floor monsters would have been wiped out in no time. It wouldn't have been surprising if the dungeon couldn't spawn new ones fast enough. If this was her doing, it proved that she was indeed getting a bit impatient.
After all, no matter how many upper-floor monsters she slaughtered, Ais, who was already at Level 5, wouldn't have gained a bit of excelia.
In the past, she wouldn't indiscriminately slaughter monsters in the dungeon like this. She would quickly dive down and explore after reaching a certain floor. It was an unwritten rule that high-level adventurers should avoid making moves on upper-floor monsters to ensure enough monsters for lower-level adventurers to fight later.
Even Riezel rarely engaged upper-floor monsters after reaching Level 2, and Ais, needless to say, wouldn't make moves on upper-floor monsters unless absolutely necessary.
Now, she was disregarding even this unwritten rule, indicating that her mentality was indeed becoming a problem.
Riezel remained silent, but his speed increased significantly. He rushed through the dungeon, frightening many adventurers who witnessed the scene.
All they could see was a gust of wind, a shadow passing at an astonishing speed. They couldn't confirm the identity of the shadow and were left with expressions as if they had seen a ghost.
Riezel paid no attention to them, focusing on speed and advancing deeper into the dungeon, startling many witnesses.
In order to boost his speed, Riezel even chanted the protection magic, Raumure, significantly increasing his 'AGI'. If it weren't for the side effect of 'Ariel', he would have used it to travel faster.
This showed that he was also feeling a sense of urgency.
In this way, Riezel continued deeper, quickly crossing the upper floors from the 1st to the 12th, and entering the middle floors starting from the 13th.
From this floor onward, the frequency of monster appearances was much higher. Even if they were defeated, the dungeon quickly spawned new ones. Hence, after entering the 13th Floor, Riezel finally saw scattered monsters.
*ROAAARRR—!*
A black creature, resembling a wolf or a dog, spewing flames from its mouth, roared at Riezel as he entered this floor.
"Scram!"
Without looking back, he shot the creature a glare, and it flinched before running away.
He continued downward, maintaining his speed without any reduction.
Ten minutes later, he reached the 14th Floor.
Seventeen minutes later, he reached the 15th Floor.
Thirty minutes later, he reached the 16th Floor.
In less than an hour, Riezel entered the 17th Floor, smoothly reaching its end and entering a large underground area.
This area was a rectangular prism with a large circular entrance, at least 200 meters long. The width was about 100 meters, and although the height from the ground to the ceiling was less than 20 meters, it was higher than other places. The entire structure was made of rough rocks, except for the unique construction of the left wall.
The surface of the wall was extremely smooth, like a mirror without seams, extending from the entrance of the hall to the deepest end, covering the entire wall.
"The Big Wall of Grief?"
This was the last obstacle on the 17th Floor, known as the dungeon's wall that gave birth to a particular monster.
In this peculiar Big Wall of Grief, only a specific monster was born.
This was the master of this area.
Up to this floor, among the seventeen floors, it was the most powerful and fearsome existence.
The 17th Floor's floor boss, Goliath.
The Big Wall of Grief was the wall that gave birth to Goliath.
Unless Goliath was defeated and it was not time for it to be reborn, anyone entering this area would inevitably face the crazy attacks of the dungeon's first floor boss.
Any attack from giant monsters like Goliath, who stood at least seven meters tall, would give headaches to any adventurer not yet a first-class adventurer.
Riezel was not unfamiliar with this place.
Originally, when reaching the limit of Level 3, to achieve a great exploit, he came here alone, fighting Goliath one-on-one.
In that battle, even he faced the brink of death several times but brushed against it.
Goliath was a Level 4 monster, a floor boss with a massive body. At that time, when Riezel was only Level 3, fighting such a massive monster had been extremely disadvantageous. Even with all his basic abilities at SSS and an overpowered enchant magic like 'Ariel', it was an extremely difficult battle.
If Riezel hadn't been so excited and reckless in that battle, whether he could defeat Goliath or not would have been uncertain.
It had been precisely because of this challenging battle that he could achieve a great exploit and advance to Level 4.
Of course, the current him, facing Goliath again, could easily crush it. However, what he could do, others could naturally do as well.
For example, a swordswoman who was Level 5 like him.
"..."
Riezel stood before a pile of ashes, looking at the untouched magic stone on top, remaining silent for quite some time.
After a while, he abandoned the enormous magic stone and rushed onto the 18th Floor.
===
Meanwhile, a golden-haired swordswoman entered the 19th Floor from the entrance of the 18th Floor.
"Not enough..."
The golden-haired swordswoman murmured softly, watching the path ahead.
"I must become stronger..."
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