The air on Floor 10 felt heavier.
The white mist signature to the Mist Labyrinth hung thick, scattering the phosphorescent glow from the ten-meter-high ceiling into hazy, shifting shadows.
The smell of wet earth and moss clung to the brownish walls — sharp and damp, bleeding into a bone-deep cold that seeped into everything.
Usually, this border floor was always loud — echoing with orc growls, the heavy stomping of massive monsters, the clash of weapons from adventuring parties out on a hunt.
But right now? Dead silent.
An unnatural stillness had crept across the short grass beneath my feet.
---
I stepped off the last stone staircase connecting Floor 9 to Floor 10, my grip tightening slowly on the hilt of my weapon.
The moment my eyes swept across the wide chamber ahead, my feet locked up completely.
My heart, which had already been pounding, just... froze.
At the far end of the room, barely visible through a thin curtain of mist, was a group of adventurers that felt way too familiar.
The emblem on their equipment hit me like a punch to the face.
Loki Familia.
---
My heart immediately kicked into overdrive.
These weren't just regular members standing in front of me.
My body went rigid on instinct as I recognized them one by one. Finn Deimne at the front, with that signature compact posture of his. Riveria Ljos Alf nearby, calm as ever. Bete Loga with that scowl that somehow suited him perfectly.
But none of them were what caught my eye the most.
My gaze stopped on the figure standing at their side.
Golden blonde hair.
Flat golden eyes — cold and sharp at the same time.
Even from this distance, her aura pressed down on me like a physical weight.
Aiz Wallenstein. The Sword Princess herself.
I swallowed without thinking.
Why the hell is a top-tier party like them on Floor Ten?!
---
My mind was racing — but before I could answer my own question, something happened.
Aiz Wallenstein's and Bete Loga's eyes shifted toward us. Or more accurately, past my shoulder, locking straight onto the small figure standing beside me.
Gob.
For a moment, none of them said anything.
Then Bete snorted.
"Hah?" Bete Loga narrowed his eyes like he'd just spotted something disgusting. "A Goblin? The hell is some low-level monster doing crawling around this close to us?"
My chest went ice cold.
---
And just like that, the atmosphere shifted completely.
The air grew heavy with pure, freezing killing intent, radiating off their bodies and directed straight at Gob.
Without even thinking, my body moved first. I spread both arms wide, planting myself right in front of Gob.
"Wait! Don't attack! He's not just some monster — he's my friend!" I screamed, my voice bouncing off the dungeon walls.
Finn raised an eyebrow, looking mildly intrigued.
But Aiz had already wrapped her hand around Desperate's grip. Her face showed nothing. Not a single thing.
No one moved, and somehow that made me even more nervous — like the entire dungeon corridor was holding its breath, waiting to see who'd make the first move.
---
Right when the tension hit its peak, a calm set of footsteps fell beside me.
"Whoa, whoa. Easy." Ukyo's voice drifted out, relaxed and unhurried, cutting right through the freeze.
He stepped forward with both hands raised to chest height, palms open, making it crystal clear he had zero intention of fighting.
His smile was steady, but his words came out fast and deliberate in a way that felt oddly precise.
"You really wanna let Loki Familia's reputation take a hit over something like this? Killing some low-ranked adventurer's little companion? Come on — that's just bullying kids and a tiny goblin on Floor 10. Doesn't exactly scream 'elite,' does it?"
He glanced briefly at Finn. "Finn the Brave — I know you're smarter than this."
---
A short silence settled over the corridor.
Finn appeared to think.
That's when it hit me.
Ukyo's words carried no magic in them. No aura, no mind manipulation. Just charisma, a silver tongue, and very practiced psychological maneuvering.
Riveria narrowed her eyes slightly while Finn weighed something in silence.
Then he raised one hand, stopping Bete, who was already coiling up to pounce.
But not Aiz.
I could see it in her eyes. Those golden eyes didn't waver even a little, and wind aura had already started gathering around her feet.
It was obvious. To the Sword Princess, there was no negotiation. A monster was a monster.
---
That's when I knew — this wasn't going to work.
Ukyo could hold Finn or Riveria back with pride and optics, but Aiz operated on a completely different logic.
And as long as Gob stayed anywhere near me, sooner or later they'd get him.
"Gob! Run! Get back to the upper floors, now!" I screamed at the top of my lungs without turning around.
Gob hesitated for half a second.
Then his survival instinct won out. He spun and bolted down a side corridor.
---
Whoooosh!
A second later, a sharp gust of wind swept across my face.
Aiz had vanished from her spot, completely ignoring me and Ukyo. Her target was locked.
Damn it.
I spun around and ran as hard as I could.
"Hey!" Bete barked, stepping forward — but Ukyo was faster. He spread both arms wide, blocking the entire path of the Loki Familia group.
His easy smile was gone, replaced by something dark and lethal in his eyes, even though his posture showed absolutely no fighting stance.
"Go, Kaen!" Ukyo called out. "Leave 'em to me!"
I didn't look back. There was no point.
Ukyo was buying me time. And I wasn't going to waste it.
---
The dungeon corridor blurred into streaks as I pushed myself harder.
Ahead of me, Gob threw himself into every corner at every split in the path.
But Aiz stayed on him like a shadow he couldn't shake.
The distance between them kept shrinking.
A few seconds later, Gob hit the end of a dead-end corridor.
No way out.
He turned around and raised his sword with shaking, desperate hands.
Aiz drew Desperate. The dungeon's crystal light caught the silver blade, and there was no hesitation in her movements. Not even a flicker.
The sword swung toward Gob's neck.
I'm not going to make it.
But my body kept moving anyway.
---
My foot slammed into the dungeon wall and I launched myself using every last bit of strength I had.
Not to attack Aiz — that would be suicide.
Not to deflect her sword — mine would shatter first.
I made myself the shield.
"STOP!"
I threw myself in front of Gob a fraction of a second before the silver blade landed.
Aiz's combat reflexes kicked in mid-swing. She wrenched her wrist hard, forcing the blade off its trajectory — but the momentum was too much to kill completely.
The silver blade slammed into my brand-new Leather Plate Armor, splitting the cheap metal like paper, tearing through the protective leather layer, and punching into my shoulder.
Fresh blood sprayed into the air.
---
Searing pain ignited through my nerves, but before Aiz could pull her blade back, my left hand shot up and clamped down on the silver blade still buried in my shoulder with everything I had.
Blood from my palm dripped down the length of her sword.
I didn't let go.
Still standing in front of Gob.
That's when Aiz truly went still. The wind swirling around her slowly died.
Those golden eyes looked at me, filled with a confusion that probably almost never showed up on her face.
"Why..." Her voice came out barely above a whisper. "Why are you protecting that thing...?"