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By the ti Lucian returned to the Dungeon, the Zeus Familia and Hera Familia were already fully prepped and ready to move. Reaching the 28th floor took one day; the 38th floor took another; and descending to the 50th floor demanded a grueling full day and night. After resting and readjusting their condition for a day, today marked their fifth day inside the Dungeon.
As the familiar sensation of Lucian's magic re-established itself in their minds, everyone's spirits instantly lifted.
"So, how did the forging go?"
The Empress looked at Lucian, her eyes gleaming with curiosity. She wasn't the only one; several others shot him eager glances.
"It's my trump card. Why would I ever tell you?" Lucian replied dryly.
"Fair enough."
The Empress shook her head. Though she was intensely curious, it would be rude to keep pressing the issue after a response like that. If he had a worse temper, prying further wouldn't just be impolite—it would be a surefire way to make an enemy out of him.
"Look alive, everyone! From the 51st floor onward, stay sharp!"
The Empress shouted, her voice echoing with commanding authority. The adventurers imdiately snapped to attention, their expressions turning dead serious.
Alfia walked over and extended her hand. "Take my hand."
"Hmm?" Lucian looked at her, slightly surprised.
"Starting from the 51st floor, we can't afford to move at a leisurely pace anymore," Alfia explained. "The 58th floor harbors a special type of monster known as the Valgang Dragon. It can lock onto enemies and fire long-range attacks straight through the floors. Its bombardnt range is massive. If you don't react in ti, it's incredibly dangerous, even if you have acceleration and teleportation magic."
Every adventurer present—including the healers and supporters—was at least Level 4, so they could hold their own. However, Lucian's situation was entirely different. He was rely a lower-level adventurer. Even though his combat prowess rivaled that of a second-tier adventurer, they couldn't treat him like a standard party mber. He was the core of their entire operation, requiring absolute protection. If anything happened to him, not only would it be a disaster to explain, but his magic would sever, instantly stripping the two Familias of the overwhelming tactical advantage they had enjoyed for days.
"If we're heading into the Deep Levels, our logistics need to keep pace," Lucian asked. "How did your supply lines survive Valgang Dragon bombardnts in the past?"
With Lucian's spatial inventory, logistics were no longer a concern for this trip, but it was still a tactical detail worth understanding. They couldn't place all their hopes entirely on him, just in case an accident occurred.
"After a Valgang Dragon fires, its blast leaves a massive crater piercing straight through the floors. While the Dungeon eventually regenerates, executive teams can use that temporary crater to bypass the maze, speedrun straight down to the 58th floor, and slaughter the dragons." Alfia calmly explained. "The rest of the expedition follows the standard route, which drastically reduces the chances of an ambush. However, the Deep Levels are massive. The vanguard team that drops into the 58th floor can't guarantee they've killed every single one."
If they missed even one—or if the Dungeon spawned a new Valgang Dragon before they noticed—a sudden blast shooting up from the depths could wipe them out if they were caught off guard.
"I see." Lucian nodded in understanding, then shifted the topic. "How is your negative skill holding up?"
"Manageable for now, but the sheer intensity of these battles is making the seal tremble," Alfia replied.
The effects of Alfia's Gifts of Flaws scaled violently with the intensity of her combat. Once the backlash grew too powerful, it would begin tearing through the seal. For now, it was stable, but a prolonged expedition made that a ticking clock.
"I already have a definitive cure for your terminal illness. Once we return to the surface, I'll administer the treatnt," Lucian stated.
Alfia shot him a look of genuine astonishnt. She hadn't expected him to be actively researching magical cures while marching through the Dungeon. She was truly curious about exactly how many miraculous thods he had hidden up his sleeve.
"Alright," Alfia nodded. Even though her face remained impassive, her heart undoubtedly rippled with emotion. She simply suppressed it.
At the front, the Empress finished her pre-battle rallying speech. She led the vanguard down the massive bedrock stairs, plunging into the labyrinth of gray trees. About half an hour later, the second squad led by the Champion advanced deeper as well. The mont they crossed the threshold, the atmosphere shifted violently. Everyone tensed up. Even Lucian felt the oppressive weight of the environnt suffocating him.
"The Dragon's Pot." Lucian gripped Alfia's hand tightly, muttering the na under his breath.
Spanning from the 51st floor down to the 58th floor, this region possessed a maze-like structure rarely seen in the Deep Levels. The leaden-gray walls and flat ceilings ford a complex, sprawling network of unified corridors connecting massive caverns. It felt like a return to the basic layout of the Upper Floors, but the sheer scale and suffocating width of this labyrinth were on an entirely different level. This zone was appropriately dubbed the Dragon's Pot, as a massive percentage of the monsters spawning here belonged to the dragon species.
"Don't be too nervous." Alfia glanced at him, her voice cool and steady. "I will protect you."
"That's incredibly reassuring." Lucian snapped out of his daze and chuckled. "Careful, I might just fall for you."
"Pass. I have no interest in womanizers like you," Alfia replied flatly, though the faintest hint of a smile tugged at the corners of her lips.
"Everyone, accelerate!"
The Champion's booming voice transmitted directly into everyone's minds via the voice chat. Instantly, the entire formation kicked into high gear. At this pace, Lucian's base speed was completely insufficient. Even after channeling Divine Walk to its absolute limit, keeping up felt like an extre endurance sport against his current physical constitution.
Noticing him lagging, Alfia seamlessly scooped him up into a princess carry without breaking her stride. For a brief mont, Lucian seriously considered deploying Balor's Djinn Equip. But, ultimately, he decided against it. Being carried like this wasn't too bad, after all.
"Shift formation! Zald, Maxim, take the vanguard!"
Maxim was the Champion's true na. At the commander's order, the two undisputed juggernauts instantly surged to the vanguard. Blocking their path were seven Black Rhinos, radiating a heavy, suffocating pressure.
"Drop dead!"
For the Level 8 Champion and the upper-tier Level 7 Zald, monsters that were considered terrors among their own tier were nothing more than elite mobs waiting to be effortlessly swatted aside. On any other floor, they would have let the lower-ranking mbers engage to gain experience. But here in the Dragon's Pot, they had to carve a bloody path forward with absolute, overwhelming speed. Soon, a wide, sprawling staircase ca into view—the entrance to the 52nd floor.
But right at that mont, a massive, glowing red circle materialized on the ground within the top-down map.
"Evade! A Valgang Dragon's attack is coming!"
Everyone's eyes darted to the map. Without skipping a beat, the entire formation flawlessly sidestepped the targeted kill zone.
BOOM!!
A deafening roar shook the labyrinth as a massive pillar of crimson light—nearly eight ters in radius—erupted from the floor, blasting straight into the leaden ceiling before slowly dissipating. In that split second, every single person felt a profound wave of relief wash over them. Having Lucian's magic on this expedition was an absolute godsend!
. . .
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