章 113: Chapter 113

Time seemed to pass quickly as I effortlessly descended from the first to the nineteenth floor of the dungeon. I yearned to explore deeper, seeking monsters that matched my level of skill.

However, evening was approaching, and I had to meet Hephaestus to show off my new appearance and finalize the plans for our date.

Now standing on the nineteenth floor, I grew frustrated with the lack of challenge that the monsters posed. Although their numbers could overwhelm me, individually they were no threat. Nevertheless, caution remained necessary.

Contemplating my options, I wondered if I should attempt to speed run through the next few floors and reach the twenty-seventh.

I had an interest in seeing the water city now that I had the ability to do so, and rushing through the dungeon would allow me that opportunity.

With deliberation, I cast an "Ice Lance" spell, impaling a lizard man that attempted to ambush me.

Yet, deliberation plagued my thoughts. Was I becoming too eager? Perhaps not. All I desired was to explore and witness a new floor, not engage in constant battles.

By utilizing my wind tracking skill, I believed I could evade the majority of the monsters and proceed quickly.

Thus, I continued my descent into the depths of the dungeon, struggling to adapt my skills to my new elemental affinities.

The secondary elements proved challenging to control, requiring a denser concentration of mana compared to the basic elements.

However, I found solace in the fact that combining basic elements had become considerably easier. Regrettably, blending basic elements with secondary ones proved to be a complex endeavor.

For instance, the coordination between lightning and water in an attack should work in theory but proved difficult, as the lightning element demanded a higher density of mana than water. I often faltered when attempting to execute such combinations.

Unbeknownst to me, several hours passed as I experimented with my newfound abilities. I realized my impatience had gotten the best of me.

Although I possessed an enhanced talent for mana control, it was unreasonable to expect mastery of the new elements within a few hours.

"No more delays," I muttered. It was time to dive deeper into the dungeon. I aimed to briefly explore the twenty-fifth to the twenty-seventh floors before returning to the surface.

According to the dungeon notes kept within the guild, the entrance to the twenty-fifth floor was referred to as the "Second Line," and the subsequent three floors were known as the water city.

A colossal waterfall stretched from the twenty-fifth floor to the twenty-seventh, demanding the traversal of various passages with varying elevations.

To progress, one needed to reach the lowest point on their current floor and navigate to the next.

"Why can't I simply fly to the twenty-seventh floor using the waterfall as a guide?" I questioned aloud, unable to contain my thoughts.

The twenty-fifth floor proved to be an annoyance to me, interfering with my heightened senses, particularly sound.

The relentless outcry of the waterfall echoed incessantly, rendering my hearing useless. Therefore, I relied solely on my sight, smell, and magic to detect approaching monsters and evade them.

As I descended cautiously towards the twenty-seventh floor, a realization struck me. The fearsome monster, Rex, possessed water-based abilities.

Me obtaining the ice element would greatly aid me in combatting it. With this in mind, I continued my descent, encountering fascinating creatures like the carbuncle, raider fish, and drag octopus.

However, there were many unidentified monsters that populated the floors. To engage them, I predominantly employed ice magic spells.

Fire magic proved to be ineffective in these dungeon floors, and water magic didn't have much impact on the water-dwelling monsters.

However, I found that ice magic was highly effective. Although I could also use lightning magic, I hesitated due to the fear of potentially harming myself.

Before I knew it, I had reached the entrance of the 26th floor. Time was running short, and I realized that it was likely approaching evening on the surface. Despite this, I couldn't help but feel exhilarated about exploring further.

"Ugh, Bahamut will kill me if I don't make it back in time to escort her to Denatus," I muttered aloud, feeling a sense of urgency.

As I considered the situation, I realized that I hadn't encountered any other adventurers since the 23rd floor which was odd but I ignored it.

It dawned on me that it might be best to start heading back to the surface now so that I wouldn't be late. I decided that I could always return to explore when I had more free time. With this decision made, I turned back and began sprinting towards the surface.

Utilizing the extended range of my magic, I used wind tracking to scout a larger area, albeit at the cost of expending more mana.

Additionally, I increased my speed using wind magic to hasten my journey back to the surface. Though slightly unsatisfied, I knew that keeping my promises was of utmost importance.

After some time of sprinting, I finally emerged onto the surface. Glancing at the sky, I realized there was still some time left before it would become too late.

Without wasting any time, I hurried towards Hephaestus' location to see her before returning home, taking a bath, changing my clothes, and escorting Bahamut to Denatus.

"So much to do," I muttered to myself as I sprinted towards Hephaestus' office.

"Halt, state your identity," the guard of the Hephaestus familia commanded, halting me in my tracks.

"Ugh, I forgot about this," I sighed in frustration.

"Come on, it's me, Draco," I replied impatiently, a bit annoyed by the guard's unnecessary delay.

"Don't lie to us, Draco isn't this tall and muscular," the guard retorted skeptically.

"Sigh, who else in this city has horns, a tail, black scales, and is an adventurer?" I shot back, growing increasingly irritated.

"Hmm, but still," the guard hesitated in response.

"Just get Tsubaki, she knows it's me," I said, fed up with the situation and eager to move forward.

Soon enough, Tsubaki arrived, and I knew she wouldn't let the matter rest without adding her own commentary.

"Pffff," Tsubaki struggled to suppress a laugh at my predicament.

"Please don't, I'm already short on time," I pleaded, wanting to avoid any further delays.

"Fine," Tsubaki replied, leading me inside towards Hephaestus' office.

Upon entering, I saw Bahamut already in the room, dressed up and sitting with her head resting on her chin. It was clear that she was displeased.

'Ugh, I thought I still had around 30 minutes before the Denatus,'I thought to myself, recognizing Bahamut's annoyed expression.

"So you finally decide to return," Bahamut began, her tone laced with irritation.

"Draco?" Hephaestus interrupted, her eyes scrutinizing my appearance.

"Hey, Hephi, you ruined my act," Bahamut exclaimed, her cheeks puffed up like a squirrel. I found her pouting expression quite adorable. She had a certain clichéd Loli charm about her at times.

"Ugh, I came here to ask if Hephi was free for a date tomorrow, and then I would take Tsubaki on hers the day after," I stated bluntly, cutting to the chase. I knew that if I didn't, we would end up wasting more time playing around.