"Let me handle it," Roy said, stopping Mari from biting her finger to use her healing blood. The rabbit was a high-value "pet" the Ikelos Familia intended to sell, so the injuries were mostly superficial. Using mermaid blood would be overkill.
"Noah Heal!"
Emerald light washed over the rabbit, closing its wounds. Rejuvenated, the rabbit jumped up and hugged Roy's leg. Mari glared at the rabbit, her eyes sparking as if defending her territory. Even as Xenos who would die for each other, some things—or people—could not be shared.
"Since it's over, let's eat." Roy pulled bread and roasted meat from his ring. He used his sword to carve a large stone into a table and laid out a feast. The two Xenos drooled at the aroma; they had never tasted surface food before. Mari and the rabbit ate until their faces were covered in grease, smiles of pure bliss on their faces.
As they ate, Roy pondered his next move. He hadn't finished dealing with Freya, and now he had provoked the Ikelos Familia. He had killed most of the squad, but a few sentries had likely escaped. Exposure was inevitable.
"Roy..." Mari noticed his frown and looked guilty. "It's fine, just a small problem," Roy laughed, patting her head. He was actually wondering if he should just wipe out the entire Ikelos Familia now. He had stood up to Freya; he wasn't afraid of Ikelos. His only concern was their connection to the Thanatos (Death God) Familia and their stronghold in the Knossos labyrinth. That place required a key—the Daedalus Orb.
They finished their meal and parted ways. Mari dove back into the water, and the rabbit was picked up by other Xenos. As Roy walked away, a ghost-like figure in a black robe appeared: Fels, the Sage.
Fels looked at the remains of the Ikelos squad and spoke in a complex tone. "Justice Sapling... I didn't expect the first person to truly accept the Xenos would be you." He remembered his previous loss to Roy. This boy was rising like a supernova, and now he was tied to the fate of the monsters.
Roy returned to the 18th floor. On his way back, the Dungeon's "malice" triggered, spawning waves of monsters to trap him. But Roy didn't use them for training this time. He opened a path with the Holy Elven Sword, burning through everything in his way.
Back at the surface, he was scolded by Eina for going to the 18th floor with a rookie, but the results were undeniable. Maryse, the rookie, had become humble and eager to learn, which would vastly increase her survival rate.
Back at the Starry Garden, Roy looked for his next "Dungeon/World." He needed more power to deal with the Ikelos labyrinth.
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My : https://[email protected]/AuAuMon
Danmachi : Starting with an Elf (342 Chapters – Ongoing)
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