"My name is Ariel, and I belong to the Ganesha Familia. I'm currently a Level 3 adventurer. The reason I risked entering the Deep Floors was on the orders of our captain, Shakti Varma. We were tasked with capturing powerful monsters to prepare for the upcoming Monster Feria."
The girl, Ariel, who appeared to be in her early twenties, was clearly a straightforward soul; she laid out all her information in one breath. As she spoke, her eyes sparkled with blatant, undisguised admiration.
Indeed, admiration.
In Ariel's eyes, if even Allen's pets possessed the power to slay Udaeus, then the master was surely a top-tier adventurer of Level 5 or even Level 6.
"The Ganesha Familia? I see..." Allen adopted a thoughtful expression.
As a power in Orario second only to the Loki and Freya Familias, the Ganesha Familia held an S-rank standing. They were entrusted by the Guild to maintain public order within the city and hosted the massive "Monster Feria" carnival every year. Ganesha's adventurers were not only numerous but also formidable, with their captain, Shakti Varma, hailed as one of the strongest among the human race.
Monster Feria required the capture of many live monsters to be transported back to the city and imprisoned until the festival, where they would be killed in grand gladiatorial combat.
Unfortunately, this particular party had been quite unlucky. They had risked venturing past the 37th floor to capture stronger specimens, only to stumble upon Udaeus, who had respawned ahead of schedule. Furthermore, most of the party members were mercenaries hired from other Familias; Ariel was the only true member of the Ganesha Familia present. It was no surprise they had scattered like frightened birds.
Having grasped the situation, Allen served the girl a large bowl of steaming food and said with a smile, "Here, have something to eat."
"Thank you!"
Ariel had clearly been lured by the aroma long ago, having secretly swallowed her saliva several times. She thanked him hastily and began to devour the meal. Within five minutes, the large bowl of stew had vanished, soup and all.
After licking the bowl clean, she flushed red and said in an embarrassed tone, "I'm... I'm so sorry! I was just so hungry, and your cooking is so delicious that I lost control. I'm not usually like this."
"It's fine. If you're not full, go ahead and grab another bowl," Allen replied, shrugging as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
He was well aware of how enticing food prepared with a max-level Cooking skill could be. Back in the Naruto world, even prideful characters like Neji and Sasuke would discard their composure during mealtime.
"Eh? Really? Then thank you so much!"
Ariel chirped her thanks and immediately hurried back to the campfire to dish out another brimming bowl. The leftovers were tossed to the three silver wolves, who had been watching with predatory intent.
Once the entire pot of meat was annihilated, Ariel patted her slightly bulging stomach and praised with a look of pure satisfaction, "Delicious! Simply divine! This is the first time in my life I've tasted stew this good."
"I'm glad you like it. Now, let's head back to Orario."
As he spoke, Allen packed away the pots and bowls, signaling for the girl to lead the way.
Ariel obviously had no idea that her savior was a traveler from another world. Believing him to be a core member of some powerful Familia, she happily accepted the invitation to travel together. After all, her weapon and shield had been lost somewhere during the previous battle. Without weapons or armor, anyone who wasn't a fool would accept the protection of a powerhouse.
Under the guidance of this Level 3 adventurer, the two traveled unhindered, quickly reaching the Upper Floors. Unlike the regions below the 30th floor where adventurers were rarely seen, this area was teeming with life. Every so often, they encountered individuals or parties engaged in combat with respawning monsters within the intricate labyrinth.
Among them were teenage boys and girls, as well as middle-aged men and women. Furthermore, the presence of demi-human races, Pallums, Dwarves, Elves, and Beastmen, truly opened Allen's eyes.
Regrettably, Vaelastrasz was currently in a deep slumber, so he couldn't determine how the genetic makeup of these fascinating lifeforms differed from humans.
As for the monsters encountered along the way, the three wolves handled them entirely. They even picked up the dropped Magic Stones and materials, tucking them into the rows of Onyxia Hide Backpacks (18-slot) strapped to their sides.
Seeing these powerful creatures, bursting with intelligence and eyes full of spirit, Ariel finally couldn't help but ask as they reached the 18th floor: "Allen, is the Skill or Magic you awakened related to training and strengthening pets?"
"Oh? Why do you think that?" Allen asked back, intrigued.
"Because these three wolves are just too incredible! They can even use all sorts of magic! They've clearly surpassed most Level 4 adventurers," Ariel answered without thinking.
Of course, she had no idea that since leaving the 40th floor, Lupos and its two descendants hadn't used a fraction of their true strength. They hadn't even touched high-level abilities like Banshō Ten'in, Chibaku Tensei, or Susanoo. They were crushing most monsters using nothing but their enhanced speed, strength, and physical constitution.
Clearly, the 40th floor was a watershed. The areas above it posed virtually no threat to Allen and his three pets. However, from the 40th floor downward, the threat level would likely increase exponentially. Allen estimated that by the 60th floor, even he would have to get serious.
This was, after all, a world with actual gods, and the existence of the Dungeon seemed intimately tied to their descent.
Thinking of this, Allen smiled and explained, "No, you're mistaken. Lupos and its offspring aren't strong because of my Skills or Magic; they possess that power naturally. You might find it hard to believe, but I am actually a Blacksmith and Alchemist. I'm much better at forging armor and weapons, brewing various potions, and crafting interesting gadgets. Once we're back in Orario, I plan to open a shop. You and your friends are welcome to visit; I'll give you a twenty percent discount."
"Wha... What?!"
Ariel's jaw dropped in shock, unable to believe what she was hearing.
A Blacksmith and Alchemist... wandering into the 37th floor and below, a place countless adventurers wouldn't dare touch? And his pets could easily slaughter Udaeus, a boss only a handful of elites are qualified to challenge?
For a moment, the girl's brain stalled. Since she wasn't the intellectual type to begin with, it didn't take long for Allen to smooth things over with his practiced lies. She naively began to believe that he was just incredibly lucky, that he had happened to find a powerful magic wolf cub, happened to raise it, and it eventually sired two more offspring, while he himself possessed no actual combat ability...