From today onward, everything within the Loki Familia gradually returned to order, as though the abnormal incident Riezel and Ais had experienced on the 24th Floor had never existed at all.
Just like in the past, they began lively yet cautious preparations for the upcoming expedition.
Led by the second strings, the familia’s mbers ran through the streets of Orario every day, visiting shop after shop, purchasing massive quantities of supplies, and placing nurous orders without pause.
Anyone who noticed this activity imdiately realized that the Loki Familia, one of the city’s largest familias, was about to set out on yet another expedition.
Besides the second strings, the familia executives were also making their own preparations.
From ti to ti, they even went into the Dungeon, claiming it was rely to keep their skills from getting rusty. However, every ti they returned, they were covered in wounds, which left Finn and the others with constant headaches.
Even Ais began entering the Dungeon frequently, and there were rumors that she had gone to the 24th Floor once, after which, upon returning, she seed even more driven than before.
Aside from that, she actually sought out Riezel again, asking him to spar with her.
"I don’t know what I can do right now, so I want to beco stronger."
When Ais voiced this request with such firm resolve, Riezel knew there was no way he could refuse this golden-haired swordswoman who was both his ntor and his friend.
As a result, he agreed to her request and continued sparring with her every morning—the intensity was nothing like it had been before.
Not only did he use Wind Breathing, but he even used Ariel from ti to ti, leaving the courtyard in ruins and heavily damaged as a result.
Consequently, Riezel and Ais were scolded by Riveria, while Loki raised both hands and begged them to stop, all while tearfully hiring craftsn several tis over to repair the courtyard.
In the end, Riezel and Ais were even kicked out of Twilight Manor and sent to train in the Dungeon instead.
It was also worth ntioning that Lefiya followed along as well.
"I-I also want Mr. Riezel to train ! Teach Concurrent Chanting!"
Lefiya seed to have run into so problems with her concurrent chanting practice. Although she had been studying it diligently for quite so ti, her progress could only be described as painfully slow.
Even after seeking guidance from her ntor, Riveria, the situation still had not improved.
In the end, even though Lefiya was extrely nervous, she still gathered her courage and made the request to Riezel—her object of admiration—with a trembling voice.
In the Loki Familia, if anyone’s Concurrent Chanting was stronger than Riveria’s, it was naturally Riezel, known as Orario’s strongest magic swordsman.
Even though he was just a rookie, his proficiency in Concurrent Chanting was widely acknowledged. Whether it was attacking, moving, defending, or evading, he could accomplish all of it with ease while chanting magic.
Lefiya had always greatly admired the combat style of magic swordsn, and now that she was preparing to master Concurrent Chanting herself, it was only natural that she wanted to seek guidance from Riezel.
Riezel naturally did not refuse.
If anything, Lefiya had originally been the familia’s designated partner for him.
However, ever since he beca a First-Class Adventurer, this partner seed to have been left behind, no longer having the chance to enter the Dungeon with him—and this not only made her feel sowhat dejected, but also left him feeling a bit guilty.
Now, being able to bring her into the Dungeon again after such a long ti and to train her personally was not a bad thing for him.
At the very least, it stirred a strong sense of nostalgia in him.
For this reason, he agreed without hesitation, causing Lefiya to shout in excitent, completely unable to contain herself.
Especially since Ais would be accompanying them as well, the three of them training together in the Dungeon made Lefiya feel as though she had stepped straight into paradise.
===
Days passed one after another, and before long, the day of the expedition quietly arrived.
In the front yard of Twilight Manor, the familia mbers who had woken early and finished breakfast began carrying large cargo crates and other supplies, while checking and organizing the inventory lists.
Everyone felt both nervous and excited about the expedition starting today, and conversations could be heard everywhere.
Leaders of the second strings, such as Raul and Anakitty, were also present, giving instructions to the mbers.
Naturally, everyone was fully ard.
So carried brand-new weapons and items, while others wore newly acquired equipnt—all of them looked ready to depart at any mont.
Among the familia’s First-Class Adventurers, Riezel was the earliest to arrive, and when he entered the front yard, everyone greeted him or bowed in respect.
"Mr. Riezel!"
"Good morning!"
"Please take care of us!"
Seeing the First-Class Adventurer of the familia appear was like seeing a ray of hope, and everyone’s spirits visibly rose, considering that the core force of any expedition was always the First-Class Adventurers.
Once they reached the Deep Floors, the role of the lower-class adventurers would shrink dramatically, and on the Deep Floors below the 50th Floor, they would be completely unable to contribute at all, with no possibility of advancing any further.
If they forced themselves to do so, they would only beco a burden.
Hence, whether the expedition could achieve its predetermined goals and push into unexplored floors depended entirely on the efforts of the familia’s First-Class Adventurers.
And Riezel was the rising star among them, soone who had claid a fragnt of the strongest title despite being only Level 5.
Naturally, the mbers of the familia placed great expectations on him, hoping he would follow in the footsteps of the familia’s top executives and step into underground domains they did not even dare to imagine.
Moreover, he had previously revealed his level-boosting magic only once, yet its effect had been overwhelmingly powerful.
For that reason, there was every reason to believe that he had already beco one of the familia’s greatest pillars and combat forces.
With him, and with all the preparations made specifically for this expedition, everyone’s hearts were filled with both anticipation and confidence.
"Good morning, everyone."
Bathed in gazes of expectation, trust, and admiration from the mbers, Riezel, now accustod to such scenes, nodded calmly to everyone.
"I’m here!"
"Has the Captain arrived yet?"
"S-Sorry! I’m late!"
Not long after, Tiona, Tione, and Lefiya ran out into the front yard—one excited, one pretending to be calm, and one panting heavily.
"You’re always so damn loud. Isn’t that annoying?"
Bete walked forward with an aloof stride, curling his lip as he spat out sharp words that made Tiona bristle.
"Hmph, like I’m scared of you or anything. I’m gonna jump straight to Level 6 and leave you, you annoying werewolf, way outta the dust this ti!"
"Hah? Who the hell do you think you’re talking to, you dumb amazoness? Like I’d ever get left behind by soone like you."
"Bleh bleh bleh, whatever. You’re just Bete."
"And you’re just a dumb moron."
"Don’t call dumb!"
"You are dumb!"
Just like that, the two began arguing loudly without any regard for their surroundings, prompting Raul, Anakitty, and the others to hurry over and break them up.
"Miss Ais!"
Lefiya was just about to step forward to help when her sharp eyes caught a glimpse of gold erging from the manor, causing her to imdiately perk up and wave excitedly.
"Everyone..."
Ais was equipped with her usual light armor, which protected only her vital areas, with a silver sword hanging at her waist. Her long golden hair swayed as she walked straight to Riezel’s side, doing so with effortless naturalness.
"Are you okay?"
Riezel smiled at Ais and asked casually.
"Mm."
Ais nodded, seeming to have returned to her usual self, even wearing her cool and resolute expression.
Now, she put on the mask of the Sword Princess, transforming into Orario’s strongest swordswoman as she prepared herself to head for the battlefield.
Everyone gathered in the front yard, chatting animatedly, while the mbers staying behind at the manor—those unable to participate in the expedition—watched on with envious expressions.
"It looks like everyone’s here."
Before long, when the sun had fully risen, the three top executives finally arrived.
"Captain!"
"Lady Riveria!"
"Old man!"
One by one, everyone paid their respects to Finn, Riveria, and Gareth.
"Are you all ready?" Riveria asked seriously, receiving unanimous nods in response.
"Very good! Guhahaha!" Gareth laughed loudly beneath his helt and armor. "It’s finally ti for another expedition. Last ti we failed, but this ti—no matter what—we gotta succeed. You hear ?"
"Gareth’s right." Finn chid in with a nod. "The challenge left behind by God Zeus and Goddess Hera, aid at the unexplored floors—once we take that step, our na will once again shake the world, and the na of the Loki Familia will echo across it."
"So this ti, we can only succeed. Failure is not an option."
"Everyone, make your preparations."
""YES!""
Hearing Finn’s calm instructions, everyone responded loudly once more.
"Well then, let’s move out."
With Finn’s command, everyone set off in great numbers toward the central plaza, where Babel stood at the heart of Orario.
"Be careful, everyone!"
"Co back victorious!"
"Be careful!"
"Good luck!"
As the mbers staying behind shouted their farewells, many of those departing turned back to wave.
"They’re heading out..."
From the window of her room, Loki poked her head out and watched her children march toward Babel in a vast procession, a wide grin spreading across her face.
"Looks like I gotta work hard too."
In the past, Loki had been terribly bored whenever the familia went on an expedition, but this ti, she actually had things she needed to do.
"First things first, I’ll swing by the Guild and fish for so info. If I can, I should find a way to et that old fart who’s been hiding underground for like a thousand years. No way he doesn’t know sothing."
"And then there’s the Ganesha Familia. How did those flower monsters that caused chaos on East Main Street even make it to the surface last ti? I gotta ask them straight up and see if they smuggled them out during Monster Feria."
"And then... oh right, right, Denatus should be starting soon, huh?"
Thinking of the superstar rookie in her familia who had earned the nickna ’monster rookie,’ Loki let out a sly grin.
"Well, since Finn specifically told to handle it, I guess I’ll actually try this ti and get a really good alias for that brat."
"By the ti he gets back from the expedition, Denatus will already be over."
"When that happens, I kinda wonder if he’ll be happy when he sees his new alias."
With everything she needed to do firmly in mind, Loki stretched lazily.
"Mm... I’ll take another nap first!"
And with that, the utterly undignified goddess hopped back to her room to take a nap.
===
[A bonus Chapter for every 500 Power Stones.]
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