In front of the dungeon entrance, the activity was intense. Hundreds of adventurers spread across the large plaza, some waiting for their companions to arrive, others discussing strategies or negotiating reinforcements.
But at a certain moment, the bustling plaza suddenly fell silent. Many adventurers stopped speaking and stared straight ahead.
A relatively large group from the Loki Family was advancing toward the dungeon.
"The Loki Family…" murmured a nearby adventurer, as if speaking any louder would be sacrilegious.
"Are they heading out for another expedition?" whispered another. "But… I don't see any supplies or travel gear."
The steady footsteps of the Loki Family members echoed, setting a consistent rhythm. None of them seemed to care about the stares. They carried no maps or goods—only sharp weapons, serious expressions, and an air of purpose.
Without a single word spoken, the common adventurers made way. Not out of direct fear, but from a natural instinct not to hinder those who bore such a weight on their shoulders.
Shirou, walking alongside such an imposing group for the first time, couldn't help but comment in a low voice:
"I admit… it's strange. They just pass, and everyone makes way. No one needs to say a thing."
"It's not just respect," Finn replied, walking beside him, his tone calm but laden with meaning. "It's a right granted by Orario. But also… it's the burden of duty."
"The burden?"
"When danger knocks at the city gates, when monsters or worse threaten the walls, we are the first line of defense. The Guild won't call ordinary adventurers. They'll call us. We march ahead, no matter what's coming."
Pallum's words carried more weight than his small frame suggested.
Shirou absorbed the lesson in silence. He knew that sooner or later, Evilus would rise again, and he knew that on that day, he would stand beside this very family against something far more sinister than a dungeon monster.
Finn noticed that the message had been understood. Without prolonging, he stepped back a few paces to reassume his position as leader.
After all, teaching must be done gradually, and besides, it was not yet time to retire.
---
Upon entering the dungeon, the Loki Family advanced with unstoppable force.
For high-level adventurers like them, the upper floors were little more than a warm-up.
Even in the mid-level floors, the Loki Family's pace showed no signs of slowing.
Not even in the intermediate levels was there a reduction in rhythm. Some less experienced members felt the weight of the depths, but Finn had anticipated this. He positioned them beside the stronger veterans, ensuring the group as a whole did not slow down.
In a few hours, the seventeenth floor revealed itself before them.
The final passage, narrow and flanked by dark rock walls, opened into a vast cavern illuminated by bluish crystal light. Here lay the natural arena, the territory of the floor's master.
The group stopped. And this time, the focus was not Finn, nor Aiz, nor any of the veterans.
Shirou, stepping out from the middle of the group, wandered through the monster-free passage until he entered the cavern belonging to the floor master, Goliath.
Looking at the Wailing Wall on one side of the cavern, Shirou's eyes shone with fighting spirit.
Last time, he had truly not wanted to encounter the Floor Master, but this time, he had taken the initiative himself.
Only a month had passed, but in that month, he had grown tremendously.
And now it was time to prove that growth.
"It's coming…"
As soon as Shirou finished speaking, the Wailing Wall in front of him began to shake violently. Then, a massive figure broke free from the wall and appeared before Shirou.
"Oooh!"
The enormous monster roared as it appeared.
Unlike other monsters, this was a true monster.
The massive figure towered dozens of meters high, its muscular frame brimming with raw power.
This was Goliath, the seventeenth-floor dungeon master.
"Trace… on."
A bluish light coursed over Shirou's body, and Kanshou and Bakuya materialized in his hands. He spun the blades, adjusting their weight, and a faint smile crossed his face.
Gripping his twin swords tightly, Shirou approached the monster ahead.
"According to information, Goliath's level is Lv. 4, but if we consider sheer endurance, he could reach Lv. 5."
"Fortunately, I have these babies with me." Shirou smiled as he gripped the twin swords even tighter.
After a few seconds analyzing the monster, Shirou finally advanced without hesitation.
Goliath reacted with surprising speed for his size, clenching his fist and striking the ground. The resulting explosion of stone and dust would have instantly crushed a normal man, but Shirou had already read the move.
Using Mind's Eye, he dodged even before the fist touched the ground, running to the side and leaping to land on the giant's arm.
Before Goliath could attack him, Shirou had already "read" his movements and dodged perfectly.
With a calculated jump, Shirou landed firmly on Goliath's arm.
Each step was a calculated risk. Goliath tried to intercept him with the other hand, but Shirou slashed deeply into the bicep of the arm he stood on, using the momentum to leap back to the ground.
Thick, black blood gushed like a wave, the giant's roar swelling with rage.
Upon landing, Shirou remained steady on the ground, his last attack nearly severing Goliath's arm.
"Oooh!"
A deafening roar echoed through the cavern once again, and a smile of exhilaration crossed Shirou's lips. This was the kind of battle that made his blood boil.
---
(End of Chapter)
"Hmph. If you really want to be useful, then entertain me, try to throw those pathetic power stones at me. Let's see if even your insolence can amuse a king."