"My opinion is that we should stay in the previous room a little longer."
Eiji held the opposite opinion.
With their current three-person lineup, defeating Udaeus was nearly impossible.
The white room they had been in earlier continuously spawned monsters. Given his Level 3 strength, spending ten days to half a month there should be enough to reach Level 4.
If food ran out, they could gather fruit on the 28th floor, just as they did during expeditions.
"I think so too."
Riveria agreed. Without a doubt, this was the safer approach.
"You once taught me that only by fighting an opponent far stronger than yourself can you surpass your limits."
But Ais did not reply. Instead, she fixed her gaze on Eiji, eyes full of determination.
"Oh?"
Riveria narrowed her sharp eyes.
Her gaze toward Eiji gradually turned dangerous.
So it was you who planted this idea in her head?
"Uh, well..."
Eiji was momentarily at a loss.
"But fighting a floor boss at Level 6 is too dangerous."
"Didn't you come this far the same way?"
Ais stared at him, unwilling to back down, her eyes burning with resolve. "You allow yourself to fight strong enemies, but you won't let me challenge a floor boss?"
"...Fine, you've convinced me."
Eiji took a deep breath and let out a helpless smile.
Indeed.
He had no standing to stop Ais.
All the opponents he had faced so far had rarely been weaker than him. He had always sought out stronger adversaries, pushing himself beyond his limits to grow.
That was how he had come this far, so he had no reason to stop Ais from doing the same.
Her desire to become stronger was just like his.
"Hey."
Riveria couldn't help but speak up.
"It's not a bad idea. We just have to be careful."
Eiji suddenly changed his tone and laughed, trying to convince Riveria instead.
"Ais and I are both good at running away. At worst, we can escape from Udaeus. Our lives won't be in danger, and besides, aren't you here too, Riveria?"
Ais gave Eiji a grateful look.
Eiji sneakily made an "OK" gesture toward her.
"...I understand how Finn feels now."
Riveria rubbed her forehead, showing the same headache-filled expression as Finn often did.
"Riveria, I'm counting on you too."
"...If you say it like that, I have no choice."
Faced with Ais's pleading eyes, Riveria couldn't help but relent.
Ais had always been a strong-willed child.
From a young age, she rarely expressed her desires outright, rarely said "I want something." That made it especially hard for Riveria to refuse when she did.
Besides, the floor boss might not spawn right away. Checking it out wouldn't hurt.
With their plan set, the three resumed their journey deeper inside.
...
...
...
The deeper they went, the fewer monsters they encountered.
The monsters that had been everywhere before were now nowhere to be seen. They could walk a full kilometer without encountering a single one.
But the air was thick with a heavy sense of foreboding.
This made Riveria's expression turn grave, her tension laced with faint concern.
This situation was not good.
There was only one likely explanation—the monsters were instinctively avoiding this area.
***
At the center of the 37th floor.
A dark and ominous hall loomed before them.
The usual roars of monsters were absent, and none dared approach this chamber. A deathly silence filled the space around them.
The air around them was unnaturally cold. The ceiling stretched dozens of meters high, and without phosphorescent light, the room exuded a dangerous aura, sending chills through their bodies.
Ais stopped in her tracks.
Eiji immediately sensed something dangerous approaching.
Riveria raised her staff, which was embedded with nine magic stones, and began chanting softly.
"O spirits of the woods, heed my call. O veil of the forest, I am Alf—"
"—!"
A faint tremor rippled through their boots.
As they held their breath and waited, the trembling grew stronger. Then, suddenly, the ground at the center of the room heaved unnaturally, emitting a cracking sound.
"OOOOOOOOOOH—!!"
With a wail like shattered rock, the earth split open. A massive figure emerged from the depths, spilling stone and dust like a landslide.
Amidst the ear-splitting roar, a giant skeleton—resembling an enlarged Dragontooth Warrior—rose before them. Its entire skeletal structure was pitch black, radiating an ominous presence.
The lower half of its body remained buried underground, yet even from the waist up, it was over ten meters tall. Countless black bones wriggled as if alive, and its skull bore two sharp horns, with crimson ghostfire flickering silently within its empty eye sockets.
At the center of its massive torso, beneath layers of thick, heavy ribs, a magic stone as large as a person glowed ominously.
"...I feel like it's looking down on me."
Eiji's expression tensed, but he forced a grin.
"That magic stone is way too obvious. With my acceleration magic, I could take it out in one hit."
Indeed.
Udaeus's body was made purely of bones. With no flesh to block his attack, Eiji felt confident that a single flying sword strike at full power could shatter the magic stone.
"Don't be careless."
Ais's fighting spirit only grew stronger.
She looked like she could barely hold herself back from charging in, but hearing Eiji's words, she still gave him a warning.
"Udaeus isn't that simple. Last time, our entire Familia had to join forces to defeat it."
Eiji understood, of course.
The warning signals in his mind were blaring like an alarm. He had only joked to lighten the tense atmosphere.
"—Holy Veil!"
With a firm voice, Riveria completed her chant.
Brilliant magical light radiated from the gemstones on her staff, transforming into a green veil that covered the three of them.
"You're buffing me too?"
Eiji was a little surprised.
"You'll understand soon."
Riveria finished her spell and cast him a sly, knowing smile.
Her gaze seemed to say, "That's what you get for encouraging Ais."
A look of satisfaction crossed her face, like she had just gotten sweet revenge.
Boom!
As the veil enveloped them, Ais stomped on the ground.
The earth shattered beneath her, and in the same instant, she burst forward at high speed, charging directly toward Udaeus.
"ROOOOOOOOAR!!"
The massive skeletal monster let out a furious roar.
And then, as if responding to a silent command, lesser minions tore through the ground, emerging into the open.
"Hiss—!"
Eiji sucked in a sharp breath.
Armed skeleton warriors, Dragontooth Soldiers—just like the ones in the white room!
Each one was Level 4!
Twenty in total!
No wonder even Loki Familia had to mobilize their full strength to defeat this thing—so the floor boss had this trick up its sleeve!
"Good luck."
Riveria waved at him with a playful smile as she stepped backward.
"I'm just a fragile mage, so I'll be counting on you for protection."
***
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