"Listen up, my friends! Our brave and fearless Astraea familia is about to set out on our journey once more."
Standing tall atop a large crystal, Alise raised her arm dramatically and declared with a voice full of vigor and pride.
"Our destination is one we've never reached before—the thirty-sixth floor, the end of the lower floors!"
"Ooooooh! Charge!"
"I'll do my best!"
"Captain Alise is so handsome!"
"Hahaha! You're absolutely right! Someone like me—naturally beautiful, clever, and brave—is, of course, extremely handsome!"
Though her words were filled with playful bravado, her confident stance radiated an undeniable charisma that inspired trust and admiration in those around her.
Akira and the girls laughed, caught up in the cheerful atmosphere. Their banter and lighthearted jokes filled the air with warmth and camaraderie.
Even in this short reprieve, they adjusted their condition quickly. Once everyone had gathered the necessary supplies, they continued their journey forward.
Their next stop brought them to Rivira.
As planned, they retrieved large quantities of food and medicine from their pre-prepared supply stash, sorting them with practiced coordination.
When all was ready, Akira and the team charged forward again, without hesitation or delay.
Although the earlier part of the trip had only taken a few hours—thanks to the upper floors posing little threat—their real challenge was just beginning.
From here on, they needed to push through from the 18th to the 36th floor.
Each descent would cost time, energy, and resources, with no shortage of danger. Battles became frequent, and even with their strength, exhaustion gradually mounted.
The dungeon's walls had changed. Gone was the familiar rocky terrain—replaced by a strange border between worlds.
Towering trees stretched endlessly in every direction, with tangled branches creating confusing passageways above and below. The air was thick with the pungent stench of decaying wood, and a dense white fog cloaked the entire region, obscuring vision and swallowing sound.
There were no clear landmarks to guide them, and the vast forest seemed more like a twisting maze than a dungeon floor.
The ground was a poisonous swamp, forcing the group to stick to narrow, precarious tree paths.
In this alien world, danger lurked everywhere.
They could be facing enormous insects that looked like something out of a horror story, or swift jungle creatures that camouflaged perfectly in the mist.
Sometimes swarms of tiny monsters descended in overwhelming numbers, enough to make anyone's scalp crawl. Other times, elusive enemies took advantage of the fog to launch surprise attacks.
On the 21st floor, the group encountered such enemies again.
Akira was forced to use magic frequently to fend off cunning tapir bears that darted from the mist and targeted the rear-guard mages.
After dispatching another sneak attack, the group found themselves facing a new threat—an overwhelming swarm of wild, frenzied green beetles charging toward them at an alarming speed.
Amid the chaos, Ryana turned to the girl beside her and calmly instructed, "Celty, let's use magic together. Time it with me."
"Roaring, rising, coming from the source. Open the door, survival of the fittest, deep flame holding the jaws—devour it all!"
A glowing magic circle formed beneath Ryana's feet, responding to her invocation.
Holding her wand high, she began chanting. From the tip of her staff, a furious flame erupted—blazing and wild, like a fire dragon waiting to consume all in its path.
The magic circle's appearance underfoot signified the manifestation of her developed magic ability.
"I understand." Celty responded, a calm light in her eyes.
A matching circle glowed under her feet. Raising her staff, she aimed at the oncoming swarm.
Brilliant white light burst from the gem atop her staff, accompanied by a sharp crack of thunder. Forks of lightning—twisting and writhing like living serpents—danced through the mist.
"Hah!!" The two shouted in unison.
Ryana's flame shot forward in a wide column, and Celty's lightning wrapped around it like a glowing net, accelerating the combined spell into a devastating, spiraling blaze of fire and thunder.
BOOM! BOOM!!
The explosion rocked the forest.
The beetle swarm was obliterated instantly, disintegrated into tiny chunks that scattered like confetti in a storm.
The raw magic continued surging forward, tearing through the trees ahead. Flames roared. Bark blackened and cracked as several trees toppled under the impact, their branches crackling with residual sparks.
"Well done, you two!" Alise called out excitedly, her eyes gleaming.
Her beloved sword, Crimson Order, pulsed with radiant light. As she slashed the blade through the air, red arcs of energy flew forth, cleanly slicing apart any stray beetles that had escaped the blast.
With the path cleared, the group regrouped under Lyra's guidance and ran toward a massive tree trunk with a hollow in its base—that was the entrance to the next floor.
At the entrance of the 24th floor, everyone finally took a short breather.
Some stood, others slouched casually on the thick roots of the surrounding giant trees. All eyes turned toward Maryuu, waiting as she prepared to cast recovery magic.
"...Rea Vindemia!!"
As her chant concluded, a soft emerald glow erupted from Celty's staff, which Maryuu had borrowed. The healing magic spilled forth like a gentle spring breeze, wrapping around each member of the group.
Fatigue, aches, and pain dissolved with the warmth, as if sunlight had melted away the weight of battle.
"Mmm... as expected of Maryuu. That recovery magic really hits the spot." Lyra sighed contentedly, stretching her arms overhead.
"Haha, no, no. It's the only thing I can do," Maryuu said with a small smile. "I'm not as good in combat, so let me handle the healing."
She handed the staff back to Celty, then gripped her mace with both hands, her expression resolute.
Watching her quietly, Akira reached into his [Backpack] and retrieved a silver pocket watch. He glanced at the time, then turned to address the team.
"It's around 5 o'clock now. If we keep pushing, we can break through to the 25th floor and set up camp for rest."
"Got it. Everyone, you heard Akira!" Alise raised her sword high, rallying the group. "Hold on just a little longer—justice will prevail!"
"OOOHH!!"
The cry echoed through the forest.
Weapons in hand, spirits reignited, the Astraea Familia set off once more toward the ever-deepening unknown.