"Why exactly do we have to do this?"
A male voice rang out, tinged with annoyance.
"Stop complaining, Eldric. Weren't you the first one to agree when you heard the reward?" another young man responded, chuckling.
"But I didn't think this journey would be so tough. A long trip from Lubberia's capital all the way here, and now all these strange occurrences!" Eldric continued to grumble.
Alden could only shake his head.
"Ignore him, Alden. Coming to the great dungeon this time really has been full of strange things. Who would've thought a huge number of monsters would be gathering in unusual floors? And to top it off, there's a whole other group guarding them."
A girl added.
"At least we chose to sneak past quietly." Said another young man with a large build. He was carrying a shield and leading the group.
"Anyway, we've already made it to the 29th floor. Once we reach the 30th, we can call our mission complete." Alden reassured the group.
"Let's hope so…"
Everyone replied in unison.
"...Wait, an ambush!"
Suddenly, the large man with the shield called out. He was Borin Ishiew, the tank of the team.
"There are a lot of them!"
Another girl spoke up. That was Lyriana Dawnblom, a mage. Eldric, an archer, immediately drew his bow upon hearing trouble. His expression turned serious, a stark contrast to his earlier whining.
Alden drew his sword and stared ahead, vigilant. Another girl, Sear Starwind, served as the team's healer. She was positioned at the rear, heavily protected by both Eldric and Lyriana.
"Sear-sama, please stay alert." Said Lyriana.
"I know!"
The petite girl gripped her staff tightly, wary of whatever might happen next.
"Can you identify the species, Borin?" Alden asked.
"They seem to be wolf-type, and there's dozens of them." Borin said with a grim look.
That information left the entire group speechless. Wolves had never appeared on the 29th floor. If they were here, they must have come from much higher levels.
"Could something have happened on the 30th floor?" Alden murmured.
"Let's focus on the present. Do we fight or retreat?" Eldric asked.
"We still have a mission to complete. We can't just run. And if something really has happened on the 30th floor, we should assist. First, we need to identify the enemy." Alden said, his analysis clear and precise.
Everyone nodded in agreement.
Lyriana began chanting. Massive, blazing fireballs surged forth and exploded ahead. Screams of pain followed immediately, accompanied by the howling of wolves echoing through the area.
Those creatures, with silver-gray fur and glowing red eyes, snarled like the ghosts of nightmares. They slowly emerged from behind the rocks, looking anything but friendly.
"They're Maxtal Wolves—monsters that only appear on the 45th floor!" Borin shouted in shock.
The others were just as stunned.
"Why are they here?!"
That was the question on all their minds, but there was no time for answers. The wolves kept advancing.
"Retreat!"
Alden gave the order, but just as they turned to run, another pack of wolves appeared behind them, surrounding the team.
"They know how to hide and ambush. There must be an alpha nearby! Sear-sama, can you locate it?" Alden asked.
"Leave it to me!"
Sear closed her eyes and began sensing. After a moment, her face turned grim. She opened her eyes and spoke in a disheartened tone.
"I can't detect it. It seems to have a high-level [Stealth] skill."
"I see... Everyone, activate your magic barriers. Prepare for a surprise attack. Eldric, find higher ground. Lyriana, stick close to me. Borin, protect Sear."
Despite the dire situation, Alden remained calm and organized the team efficiently, preventing chaos.
"Got it!"
The formation was quickly established: Alden paired with Lyriana, and Sear with Borin. Eldric, with his mobility, would support from a high vantage point and watch for ambushes.
"Hold your ground! Don't let them push forward!"
Alden shouted, his voice full of determination. He charged forward, initiating the battle.
At the rear, Eldric had found a large rock with a good view. With his magic-infused arrows and divine bow, he closed his eyes to focus on the Maxtal Wolves, then fired with pinpoint precision. Each arrow flew like lightning, piercing through the monsters' hides and staggering them.
Lyriana stood behind Alden, her long cloak fluttering in the wind. She was ready with her spells to support both Alden and Sear's group.
"Flame Rain!"
Magical fire erupted from deep within her, spreading into a storm of energy that engulfed nearby monsters. Purple and blue lights intertwined, forming a fierce magical tempest sweeping in all directions.
Even so, the wolves from the 45th floor weren't easy opponents—their stats were extremely high.
Elsewhere, Borin stood firm in front of Sear like an immovable wall. When the Maxtal Wolves lunged, he activated [Invincible Shield], forming a dense wall that absorbed the enemy's blows.
Each punch and claw from the beasts shook his shield, but couldn't break through.
"Sear-sama, now!" Borin shouted.
"Right."
Sear closed her eyes and raised her staff. Magic began gathering at its tip.
"Judgment Light!" she cried.
Beams of light descended from above, engulfing the wolves. When the glow faded, the beasts had vanished without a trace.
Not stopping there, Sear activated [Benediction] to restore HP and SP for her allies and cleanse the status effects inflicted by the wolves.
At the same time, [Sanctuary Barrier] created a holy shield around the group, reducing incoming damage. Thanks to Sear's support, the team was still holding on. However, the number of wolves kept increasing.
"How many of them are there?!" Eldric cried out. He had lost count of his arrows, but more wolves kept charging in.
"This won't hold much longer..." Alden muttered while continuing to fight.
The Maxtal Wolves attacked from all directions. Growls, claws, and fangs echoed around them.
Alden slashed through the monsters with his sword. Each strike left deep wounds, and Eldric finished them off from a distance. Lyriana continuously cast wide-area magic storms, sweeping the battlefield.
In the center, Borin bore the brunt of every attack, shielding the team with his unwavering endurance. Sear's healing spells maintained their vitality and removed dangerous conditions.
Though a mage, Lyriana fought like a dancer, combining [Reflexes] with [Divine Flame Dance]. She weaved through the battlefield, and wherever she passed, wolves lay slain.
The adventurers moved fluidly, coordinating their formation. Alden was the storm at the front, Eldric the lightning archer, Lyriana the spellstorm, Borin the impregnable wall, and Sear the heart and faith of the team.
However, the Maxtal Wolves seemed endless. Their glowing red eyes tracked every movement of the party.
Everyone knew that a single mistake could mean death, so every move and skill was executed with precision. Still, they began to struggle under the overwhelming numbers.
"We can't keep this up! Alden, do we head to the 30th floor or fall back?!" Eldric shouted—a question that silenced the entire group.
Alden clenched his teeth. For the sake of his team's survival, he chose retreat.
"Got it!" Borin replied, then roared. His body turned black and hardened to an incredible degree. Holding his shield, he charged forward. The others quickly followed.
The wolves gave chase without letting up. Thanks to Borin's lead, they managed to create some distance, but they couldn't shake off the pursuing wolves.
"Keep running!" Alden commanded.
While fleeing, Lyriana and Eldric launched spells and arrows to slow the wolves down, but some of the stronger ones broke through.
Suddenly, Alden's instincts screamed danger. He only had time to shout "Watch out!" before another creature appeared directly in their path.
Borin couldn't stop in time and collided with it. The impact sent him flying back, heavily injured.
"Borin!" Sear rushed to heal him, but the creature that appeared caused her hands to tremble in fear.
In the dim glow of dying flames, a massive beast stood tall. Twice the size of the Maxtal Wolves, it had pitch-black fur and eyes like smoldering coals. The air around it twisted, pressing down on everyone.
The Alpha Wolf.
…A true monster.
Though seriously injured, Borin forced himself to rise, using his greatshield for support. Blood dripped from his mouth—he had internal injuries from the crash.
Sear panicked but still attempted a healing spell. Holy light surrounded Borin, but before it could finish, a wave of dark energy from the alpha swept over them, blasting both of them away.
"Sear! Borin!" Lyriana screamed, but immediately felt a powerful killing intent aimed at her.
"Damn it!" Alden rushed to shield her.
But it was too late.
The alpha had moved.
It vanished from sight in an instant, then reappeared with its massive claws slashing down.
Alden raised his sword to block, but the sheer force sent him flying, skidding across the bloodstained ground.
"Too fast..." Eldric gritted his teeth. His hand had long been on his bowstring, but he hadn't gotten a single chance to shoot.
The alpha wolf had already set its sights on the next target—Lyriana.
It opened its jaws, and a surge of dark energy swirled violently before erupting in a shockwave aimed straight at the team's mage.
Lyriana knew there was no way she could dodge in time. She barely managed to raise her staff and poured all her remaining mana into forming a defensive barrier.
But in that instant—
A radiant arrow pierced through the darkness, striking directly into the monster's left eye.
A furious howl echoed through the battlefield.
Eldric didn't waste the opportunity. He immediately fired two more arrows at the wolf's throat. But this time, the beast evaded. The arrows only grazed its skin—far from a fatal blow.
"Damn it."
The wolf roared in fury. The pain from its injured eye had truly enraged it. It stomped hard on the ground, sending out a shockwave that shook the entire area and made everyone stagger.
Borin, who had just been temporarily healed by Sear, barely managed to raise his shield in time, but the impact was strong enough to knock him down to one knee.
Alden gritted his teeth and forced himself to his feet despite the searing pain throughout his body.
"If it's this strong… then we'll have to go all out."
He turned to the others, eyes resolute.
"No more holding back. Give it everything you've got."
Lyriana wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth and nodded. Eldric drew three special arrows and loaded them into his bowstring. Sear took a deep breath and prepared her strongest enhancement spells. Borin slammed his shield into the ground and let out a beast-like roar.
The alpha wolf crouched low, readying for its final pounce. Both sides were prepared for a life-or-death battle.
This would be the decisive fight.
…
There were five of them, surrounded by a horde of monsters. It looked like they were on the verge of collapse—the number of enemies kept increasing while their strength was dwindling.
I saw one of them had already fallen.
Hmph.
I figured I should just head straight to the 30th floor and not get too involved.
Everyone has their own path and their own ending. I can't always play the hero, can I?
I nodded to myself at that thought and moved on.
…
But I had only taken a few steps before I couldn't help but glance back at them. One of them seemed seriously injured. If no one stepped in, all five of them would definitely die.
Haizzz.
As expected, I'm still too soft-hearted.
I changed direction and ran toward the battlefield. There were hundreds of monsters here—and their numbers just kept increasing. I had no idea where they were coming from.
Why hasn't my army arrived yet?
No... something's not right.
These monsters… they don't belong on this floor.
I tried using [Appraisal] on one of them.
…
<
HP: 2000/2000
MP: 2000/2000
SP: 3000/3000
Attack: 9748
Defense: 9840
Magic: 7646
Speed: 10896
[…]
Huh?
These things are higher-level than me. There's no way they're native to this floor.
"Damn it! Why the hell are wolves from the 45th floor showing up here?!"
I heard one of them shout. So they're from the 45th floor, huh? But how the hell did they get all the way down here?
Well, whatever the reason—
I'd better save them first.
Even if these monsters are a higher level than me, their stats probably aren't even close to mine—not even their alpha.
I scanned the area, looking for the leader.
There.
Let's use [Appraisal] again.
[…]
Its stats were quite high— Elite level, perhaps?
No… it's just on the verge of Elite, but it's already that strong?
Seems like they've been fighting this alpha and got injured because of it. The alpha wolf suddenly turned its head, as if sensing something. But of course, there's no way it could find me.
Let's wrap this up.
In a flash, I shot out a strand of [Spider Silk] and yanked the alpha toward me. Before it could make a sound, my [Blade Leg] had already finished the job.
Too weak.
…
<
<
<
<
Whoa, just killing that one gave me a whole level?
Nice.
Now that their alpha's dead, the rest of the pack should fall into disarray soon.
But since I could use some more EXP anyway—
I'll go ahead and clean them up.
I descended like the wind, swiftly cutting down the wolves closest to me. They glanced at me, but that was all—they didn't get a second chance.
They became EXP.
I rampaged through the battlefield, and dozens of wolves fell in quick succession.
Without their alpha, their coordination was sloppy. But even if they had coordinated better—
I could still take them all down in one strike. In the end, after about two minutes of darting around, I had eliminated every last wolf on the field.
<
<
<
<
…
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<
Two whole levels…
Not as much as I expected, but I'll take it.
I turned back to check on the humans. They were staring at me with wide eyes, a mix of shock and fear.
Can't blame them.
After all… I'm just that strong.