Sensing the disturbance from the floor boss's chamber, Ais Wallenstein rushed there at top speed, estimating the timing.
The Familia expedition had ended, and it was just about time for the Goliath to respawn.
She had searched the entire upper half of the floor without finding any trace of Liang Yue, and now there was a battle ahead. No matter what, she had to check it out.
Sure enough, just as Ais had expected, when she reached the boss chamber, she found many adventurers gathered there.
Among them were some unfamiliar faces, though their uniforms bore the emblem she recognized from the Freya Familia.
It looked like they were in the middle of a Goliath raid. Ais scanned the area, about to turn and leave—when she caught sight of a figure she knew all too well.
He was sprinting toward the monster at incredible speed.
From this distance, and given she had only met Liang Yue twice before, Ais didn't recognize him instantly.
But when he used a sword technique that was somewhat unfamiliar yet tinged with familiarity—
"Found you… Liang Yue."
The Guild's Eina Tulle had asked her to look after him a little, and now, watching the battle ahead, the usually calm and cold-eyed girl's serene expression remained unchanged.
But those clear, pale-gold eyes narrowed slightly when she saw the gleaming arc of sword qi streak through the air.
"This is… What kind of fighting technique?"
Ais had earned the title of "Sword Princess" for good reason—her swordsmanship was well-honed. Yet, observing Liang Yue fight gave her a strange, unfamiliar feeling.
The first time they met was after the expedition, when she was chasing a Minotaur. Even then, Liang Yue's swordsmanship had been foreign yet precise—like the Far Eastern saying: 'A stone from another mountain can polish jade.'
It had piqued her interest in his sword techniques. But in the mere half a month since then, what she now saw was no longer unfamiliar—
—it was outright astonishing.
He had just broken through to Level 2, and even then, during the expedition, he could defeat a Level 4 Goliath by himself.
Recalling her own days as a fledgling adventurer—
Her level-up had come from defeating a juvenile dragon in the upper floors, not a full floor boss. Could she have done what Liang Yue had done so soon after reaching Level 2?
Even Ais herself doubted it.
Speed, technique, and special battle skills…
From an objective perspective, Liang Yue looked nothing like a newcomer. He was more like a seasoned veteran who had survived countless Dungeon expeditions.
With the power to solo a boss above his level, she doubted anything in the middle floors could truly threaten him.
"A sword duel…"
Tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear, Ais didn't forget their initial agreement to spar.
She wouldn't have to wait too long, she thought. She looked forward to the surprises he would give her then, and with Eina's request in mind, she decided not to linger.
The girl's graceful figure turned and left the boss chamber.
The rich EXP from defeating the Goliath pushed Liang Yue's Sword Soul class to Level 35—just as he had expected.
Glancing around without much interest in the distant Freya Familia members, he opened his class interface.
His skill levels were unchanged, but two new skills were now available for learning.
[Auto Parry]
Level Requirement: 35
Cost: 20 SP
Effect: One second before receiving a hit, instinctively parries as a swordsman. Lasts for a short duration.
[Reverse Counter]
Level Requirement: 35
Cost: 20 SP
Effect: When attacked from behind, perform a counterattack.
Both skills leaned toward defense—especially useful in the lower floors when ambushed by powerful monsters.
"These are… unexpectedly good."
Without hesitation, Liang Yue spent 40 SP to learn both mastery-type skills.
Once learned, his prior Dungeon experience and faint danger sense began evolving into an instinctive reaction.
While this didn't directly increase his offensive power, it enhanced his dueling ability against other adventurers.
Looking forward, the skills he most anticipated were Dragon Breaker Slash and Phantom Sword Dance. As for the class awakening to Sword Saint, that was still a distant goal.
Closing the interface, Liang Yue's eyes held a spark of anticipation.
"I wonder if becoming a Sword Saint has any special requirements…"
After watching the battle, Bell's feelings were complicated. For a strong man like Liang Yue, whose resolve was unshakable, such feats seemed both shocking and… natural.
His admiration only grew, though it came with a faint sense of frustration.
"We became adventurers around the same time, yet his strength is now far beyond mine…"
It wasn't just that—every time Bell faced an insurmountable problem, Liang Yue always seemed to appear at the right moment. Coincidence?
His complicated emotions faded as he looked at Liang Yue's familiar figure—not even the gray-brown cloak hiding his diseased hands and physical impairments could conceal the determination to move forward.
Bell had no reason not to work hard.
He muttered softly, and when Liang Yue approached, he had prepared several ways to greet him in his head.
But in the end, what came out was a straightforward, earnest greeting:
"Mr. Liang Yue."
"After finishing my Familia's expedition, I happened to pass by here and saw the Goliath. I didn't want it to trouble other adventurers," Liang Yue calmly explained, knowing what Bell was thinking. "So I just dealt with it on the way."
"It was a good chance to test my limits."
Bell didn't doubt the first part. When they first met in the Dungeon, the reason had been the same—Bell was overwhelmed by a swarm of Killer Ants, and Liang Yue had stepped in out of kindness.
But now Bell's focus was all on the second part—
"Testing my limits…"
Unable to hold back his curiosity, Bell asked:
"Mr. Liang Yue, we became adventurers around the same time, but now…"
He couldn't find the words to describe all the miracles Liang Yue had achieved—from the fastest Level 2 promotion, to earning the title Sword Soul, to defeating a floor boss above his level.
Just as Liang Yue was about to leave, he paused and turned back, noticing the uncertainty in the boy's eyes.
If he were being honest, he had been "cheating" from the start—but yes, his stats were more absurd than the "rabbit's."
The magic book that helped him awaken Warrior's Zeal had been a gift from Freya. And this encounter with Bell in the Dungeon—
—was clearly part of the price.
Helping Bell find and commit to his path of growth.
With that thought, Liang Yue's tone softened.
"Do you think I'm moving too fast?"
Bell panicked, afraid of being misunderstood, his boyish face showing awkward fluster. He shook his head quickly, but before he could explain, Liang Yue walked past him, speaking in an even voice—
"The path of training isn't about surpassing others…"
"It's about surpassing yourself."
"If you think I'm moving too fast—then start running."
There was nothing fancy in those words—some might even call them empty platitudes—but to Bell, they struck straight at his heart.
He watched Liang Yue's departing back, a genuine smile of determination forming on his face, filled with the will to catch up.
"I will."
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