Not long after Asfi's reckless request to retrieve gems from the Treasure Tree, countless presences began emanating from the corridor ahead.
"Everyone, halt." Asfi commanded, raising her hand to stop the party's advance.
All eyes turned forward. In the distance, shadows writhed in a massive crossroads. A sense of foreboding filled the air as the figures came into focus: a horde of monsters so vast they filled the entire junction. It was nearly what I feared.
"Oh, gross..."
Lulune groaned, her face twisted in distaste as the others instinctively stepped back. The sheer variety of monsters, a chaotic and unnatural mix, was enough to unsettle any human.
"Asfi, could I ask for your help with this?"
"Wait, what!?"
Barely daring to look away from the swarm, I implored her with a desperate tone.
"It's fine."
Despite the overwhelming scene, Asfi responded as nonchalantly as ever. She drew her sword and charged straight into the fray.
The monsters turned their attention toward her, and the annihilation began. With every swing of her blade, creatures fell in droves. Their attacks couldn't land; instead, they were met with swift counterstrikes.
What would've taken the Hermes Familia their utmost effort to defeat, she approached almost experimentally, as though testing herself. The sight left the rest of us speechless.
"Honestly." Lulune muttered. "When Toki suggested we let her handle it, I thought we were doomed. But now I'm starting to think she really can do it all by herself."
"I didn't expect this either." I admitted.
"Should we... just go home?" someone ventured.
"That's not an option." Asfi interjected sharply.
"Exactly!" I chimed in. "If I backed out now, why did I even come all this way?"
I'd already entrusted Bell with the matter involving Lili so I could join this expedition. Giving up here would make my presence pointless.
Besides, something about the monster swarm felt deeply unsettling. The creatures were too disparate, a chaotic mix of Deadly Hornets, Sword Stags, Lizardmen, Dark Fungus, Hobgoblins, and more. It was unnatural.
"Doesn't Asfi's movement seem a little off to you?" I asked, narrowing my eyes at her combat style.
"She's likely gauging the limits of her newly leveled-up status." Asfi observed.
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"When someone ranks up, their status increases significantly, which can cause a mismatch between perception and capability. She's using this swarm to recalibrate herself."
Hearing this, I could only stare at her in awe. Now her words from the tavern made sense, she'd mentioned wanting to 'adjust herself.' This was what she meant.
Eyes glued to her every motion, I watched Asfi battle without the use of magic, relying solely on her swordsmanship and physical prowess.
Bell, your goal is beyond lofty. And me? What's my place in all this?
"...So that's the Sword Princess." I murmured.
It took her roughly ten minutes to clear the horde completely.
"First-class adventurers are incredible." Lulune gushed. "Taking down a swarm like that solo? No wonder everyone else is so intimidated!"
"Do you need any potions?" I asked her.
"I'm fine. Thanks." she replied with a slight smile.
We took a moment to praise Asfi before turning to practical matters.
"Neri, Toki, we can't leave this unattended. Start collecting the magic stones." Asfi ordered.
"Got it!"
Twelve shadowy tendrils emerged from me, scooping up the magic stones and depositing them into Neri's backpack. As a supporter and fighter, I didn't carry the party's pack, so Neri had to shoulder it all. I felt guilty about this arrangement, especially since my shadows couldn't store magic stones themselves.
For what it's worth, I'd mastered controlling twelve tendrils in all directions, but anything beyond that felt excessive. After years of solo or small-group adventures, this setup was second nature to me.
Even so, Neri processed three monsters for every one I handled. No matter how I tried, I couldn't match her efficiency.
While we worked, Asfi and the others discussed our next steps. My gaze drifted northward, the direction the monsters had come from, toward one of the 24th floor's three pantries.
"Toki, are you finished?"
"Ah, yes!"
"Then let's regroup."
I snapped out of my daze and hurried after Neri.
After completing our collection, Asfi decided to guide the party toward the northern pantry.
We pressed forward, frequently facing waves of monsters. True to her word, Asfi dealt with them herself.
"Asfi, thank you for indulging my selfish request." I said.
"It's fine. I needed the experience anyway. Also..." Her tone softened slightly. "I'm looking forward to those Jagamaru-kun snacks."
"Right! I'll buy a whole year's supply if you want!"
"If they sit that long, they won't taste good anymore."
Asfi's unintentional humor left me momentarily stunned. I'd have to tell Bell about this later.
"By the way, Asfi." I asked as we pressed on.
"Hm?"
"Before we left the 18th floor, you handed your protector to someone. Wasn't that...?"
She nodded.
"Yes, it belonged to someone from your party."
"I thought so. What happened to it?"
"Well..." A rare hesitation crossed her face. "It's complicated."
….Ais's Story
Ais began recounting what had happened before she joined us. Eina-san had asked her to help Bell, and she had saved him when he was surrounded by monsters on the 10th floor, only to part ways with him again. After dealing with the monsters, she found that protector.
When I asked about the second parting, her expression clouded, and she hesitantly shared the details.
On the 37th floor, after defeating the floor boss, she found Bell collapsed from mental exhaustion on the way back. She stayed with him, letting his head rest on her lap until he woke up. But the moment he opened his eyes and saw her, he bolted away.
The thought of it made my head throb. I retrieved some painkillers and water from the shadows and swallowed them down. It was a good thing I stocked up.
"...Do you think he's afraid of me?" Ais asked, her voice trembling slightly as tears seemed to well up in her eyes.
"No, that's not it." I reassured her."Listen, Ais-san, waking up to see someone as beautiful as you would be enough to startle anyone. Bell's just timid, and the joy of such a moment must have overwhelmed him. That's why he ran. He's not scared of you."
"...Are you sure?"
"Yes, absolutely. I've fought alongside him, trusting each other with our lives. I can vouch for it. So, do you want to return the protector to him yourself?"
"...That's the plan."
"In that case, I'll help ensure he doesn't run off. Once this mission is over, let's discuss the details."
"...Okay."
Somehow, Ais seemed more resolved after our conversation, and she dispatched the subsequent waves of monsters with unparalleled speed.
….
Approaching the Pantry
As we moved further in, the cavern walls began to resemble the bark of trees, a sign that we were nearing the pantry. According to the information we had, the pantry was a massive hollow where monsters came to feed, drawn by the nutrients seeping from a quartz pillar at its core. The closer we got to this unique environment, the more the labyrinth around us seemed to shift to reflect it.
Tension rose as we approached the pantry, the oppressive silence broken only by the sound of our footsteps. The absence of monsters was almost unnerving.
And then we saw it.
"What the…?"
"The walls…"
"Is that… a plant?"
Before us stood a grotesque green wall, pulsating faintly as though alive. Its texture, glossy and swollen, resembled plant matter but felt deeply unnatural.
"Lulune, are you sure this is the right path?" Asfi asked, turning to our guide.
"Y-yeah, I'm positive!" Lulune stammered, nervously double-checking the map."I've been following the route to the pantry, but… something like this shouldn't be here!"
In other words, this was no ordinary obstacle. It was clear something extraordinary was happening here.
"Asfi-san." I said,"I can scout beyond the wall using my shadow."
A strange, fleshy"door" stood embedded in the wall. Though it was closed, my shadow slipped easily through its seams, probing what lay beyond.
"Good. Be cautious and let us know what you find." Asfi instructed.
….
Unveiling the Truth
After some time, I reported back: "The layout beyond the wall doesn't match the map. The structure ahead has deviated."
Asfi frowned at this revelation. Soon, the scouts who had split up to investigate alternate routes returned with similar findings.
"All paths to the pantry are blocked by this wall." they confirmed.
"This anomaly…" I began, but Asfi cut in, completing my thought.
"Yes, the monster outbreak we were sent to investigate, it's not a natural irregularity caused by the dungeon birthing new creatures."
"What does that mean?" Lulune asked, perplexed.
Asfi explained,"Monsters from across the floor are drawn to pantries. If one pantry becomes inaccessible, the creatures will naturally migrate to other pantries. This means the so-called outbreak is actually a large-scale migration."
Everyone seemed to understand as the pieces fell into place, but Lulune stared back at the pulsating wall."If that's true, then… what's behind this thing?"
I had no answer, but an ominous feeling gripped me.
"Whatever it is." I muttered,"it's nothing good."
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Note: I'll cut it off here for now. Things will get intense next chapter as the real battle begins.
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