After crossing the bustling streets of Orario and descending through the towering Tower of Babel, the members of the Astraea Familia officially began their dungeon expedition.
Thirteen adventurers in total formed this elite unit—led by Alise and accompanied by a special guest—Ais from the Loki Familia.
Only Astraea remained behind at the Stardust Garden, entrusting her precious children to the will of fate and justice.
The long procession of adventurers naturally attracted attention. In a city where small-party dives were the norm, an entire Familia going to the dungeon stood out like a comet streaking across the night sky.
Veteran adventurers didn't even need to ask. A single glance at the fully armed group, radiating discipline and cohesion, was enough. This was clearly an expedition team.
Though a large party granted overwhelming power and coverage in the dungeon's treacherous depths, it also came with drawbacks.
The more members in a group, the thinner the rewards had to be sliced.
Not to mention, the scent, noise, and presence of such a mass were like dinner bells to monsters lurking in the dark.
"Ah, look over there. That's Astraea Familia, right?"
"They're heading in? So the rumors were true… They're really starting their expedition."
"Wait… is that Ais Wallenstein with them? A Loki Familia warrior? Then that alliance gossip was real after all."
At the dungeon's entrance, whispers surged among nearby adventurers like ripples on water.
"Captain Alise! May fortune bless your blades!" Someone called out.
Alise grinned wide, the sunlight reflecting off her crimson armor as she patted her chest with confident pride. "Hahaha! Thanks! With your blessings, we'll make this a perfect expedition!"
Once they entered the dungeon and reached the entrance, the party swiftly adopted a tactical formation—each member moving with purpose, the rhythm of warriors long accustomed to one another.
At the vanguard stood four agile and deadly figures: [Gale] Ryuu, [Sword Princess] Ais, [Crimson Harnel] Alise, and [Yamato Rindou] Kaguya.
All of them possessed exceptional stats in agility, making them ideal for leading the charge through the twisting corridors of the Dungeon.
Ryuu and Ais took on the most dangerous roles—scouts and monster clearers. With their blinding speed and precise swordsmanship, they dispatched threats before they could even become one.
Any monsters that slipped through their line were promptly dealt with by Noin, Asta, or the rest of the forward guards.
In truth, Ryuu was something of a marvel. Her mastery of parallel chanting allowed her to seamlessly combine movement, chanting, dodging, and attacking in a fluid ballet of death.
Among Orario's current adventurers, few could match her efficiency and some whispered she might one day surpass even Riveria in magical versatility.
With two powerful offensive spells—one for ranged bombardment, one for healing—Ryuu was a one-woman army.
The only flaw? Her low durability made her fragile, requiring precision and constant awareness to stay alive in the Dungeon's depths.
Alise and Kaguya, though not far behind in raw stats, relied more on technique and positioning.
Their role was clear: cut a path. They were the spears of the expedition, tasked with annihilating all resistance along the Dungeon's main arteries.
The center formation was held by Noin and Asta—defensive pillars who absorbed counterattacks and protected the flanks.
Supporting them from behind were Neze and Iska, guarding the rear while ensuring the safety of Celty, Ryana, and Maryuu, the party's key long-range support and healing assets.
Meanwhile, Akira and Lyra brought up the rear. As supporters, they handled collection and logistics, protecting the team's backline from surprise attacks and handling monster corpses.
With time being a luxury, Akira would often unleash a swift wind drill to burrow through monsters' bodies and extract magic stones on the fly.
Sometimes, he even abandoned the stones if time was too tight—though this violated typical adventurer practice.
Leaving a monster's corpse intact risked the Dungeon absorbing it and spawning an enhanced species. Still, in the upper floors, where adventurers were numerous, someone would likely retrieve the stones before that happened.
In one such corridor, the team came across a sudden ambush.
Ais surged forward like a phantom, her golden hair trailing behind her as she dashed into the fray. Her sword—Desperate—sang in the air, slicing arcs of silver light through the darkness.
A flash. A roar. Then silence.
Monsters exploded in a spray of blood and flesh, their corpses torn apart before they could even cry out.
Without a flicker of emotion, Ais glanced at the remains and murmured one word coldly, "Kill."
Then, without pause, she pivoted and charged toward the next wave of beasts.
Neze, stationed at the middle rear, gawked. "She's… incredible." She whispered in disbelief, her eyes wide with awe.
"Heh." Noin chuckled softly behind her. "But don't count Ryuu out just yet."
Ryuu followed in Ais's wake, her wooden blade dancing like a whirlwind. Each swing landed with surgical precision, felling foes with calm efficiency. Her movements flowed like a river, cutting a path with speed that nearly rivaled Ais herself.
Further back, Alise and Kaguya gave chase, but their pace lagged behind the front-runners.
"These two… they're not even pretending to hold back." Alise muttered, beads of sweat gathering at her brow as she watched the gap widen. "They're practically competing!"
"It's turning into a race." Kaguya said, slightly winded.
Meanwhile, Akira, still guarding the rear with Lyra, frowned. If this kept up, the party formation would fall apart entirely.
"Ryuu! Ais! Slow down! You're way too far ahead!" He shouted, his voice echoing through the winding stone corridors.
Ais's ears perked up. As if waking from a trance, she halted abruptly—momentum almost sending her tumbling forward.
A split second later, a monster lunged from the side.
But Ais didn't flinch. Her blade flicked upward in a sharp arc, bisecting the monster cleanly in midair. Blood spattered, and the creature collapsed in two twitching halves.
Turning back, Ais offered a sheepish glance toward Akira, cheeks slightly pink.
Then, with an unusually loud voice, she shouted back, "I know!"