Chapter 33: I actually refused...

Chapter 33: I actually refused...

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When Izzy and Raul previously encountered the killer ant colony, it wasn't truly a "monster party."

At best, it was just a case of the dungeon going haywire. When the monsters spawned, over a dozen appeared unexpectedly, catching them off guard.

But what Izzy was experiencing now was unmistakably a "monster party." Monsters had filled the area around him in an instant, leaving no room for doubt.

The deafening roars of the creatures jolted Izzy from his brief moment of dismay.

He could feel the monsters closing in, their presence growing heavier with each passing second.

Taking a deep breath, Izzy's first instinct was to glance back at the floor passage leading to the tenth level, now dangerously close to being overrun by monsters.

Then...

"Solid as a rock!!!"

Emperor, Shield!

The next moment, several massive rock pillars burst from the ground, instantly clearing the path back to the tenth floor.

At the same time, a shield formed around Izzy—a protective layer of black and gold gravel infused with a heavy, radiant light.

Reality was no game. Izzy had developed his own magic, and it was entirely within his control to decide how many rock pillars to summon.

The strength of his shield was determined by the amount of magic power he infused into it.

As for spell chanting?

Well, it was mostly for show. Izzy's self-developed magic didn't require chanting; he could cast it silently if he wanted.

But chanting added a sense of ritual—and it could mislead others.

If the gods outside Orario ever discovered Izzy's unique abilities, who knew what kind of chaos would ensue?

Fortunately, Izzy had been prudent during his previous explorations, conserving his magical energy. Now, even after summoning the rock pillars and adding the shield, his reserves were still robust.

His physical strength had also been fully restored earlier with high-grade recovery medicine, leaving him in excellent condition.

The only thing left to do was conserve enough energy for the return trip. After that, it was time to give this a try.

"[Draw the Curtain—Orionids]!!"

His chant rang out, clear and sharp.

In an instant, the night sky above seemed to come alive with stars.

A wave of heat enveloped Izzy, and dark blue starfire erupted from his body, spreading and flowing like a celestial river.

"[Orionids]!!!"

Boom!!!

The air exploded with force, and the dark blue flames surged wildly, revealing their raw, menacing power.

The powerful energy swept away the thick fog, exposing the area's true landscape. The surrounding grass and dead trees withered and melted under its intense heat.

Even the shield formed from rock elements couldn't withstand the energy—it shifted from bright yellow to pale blue before dissolving entirely, transforming into a transparent barrier that shimmered faintly around Izzy.

"Let's see how many of my strikes you can withstand!"

With a fluid motion, Izzy spun his spear in both hands, its movements precise and deadly.

In a flash, he launched himself forward, shattering the ground beneath him and propelling himself like a cannonball straight into the mass of monsters.

---

Time always moved strangely in the dungeon.

Battling waves of freshly spawned monsters, hours slipped by unnoticed.

By the time Izzy emerged from the dungeon, his backpack weighed down with magic stones and dropped items, the sky had begun to shift. Dusk painted half of it in hues of ochre red.

He headed straight to the Tower of Babel to cash in the magic stones he had collected.

After completing the exchange, Izzy left the tower, feeling satisfied.

Today's earnings exceeded what he and Raul had made together the previous day.

The difference lay in the depth of the floors explored.

The magic stones from large monsters like the orcs turned out to be far more valuable than Izzy had anticipated. The disparity was clear—better floors meant better quality magic stones.

Excluding the unsold dropped items, Izzy's income from magic stones alone was close to 100,000 Vali's.

"But should I find a supporter? It feels like exploration would be faster with one..."

On his way back, Izzy considered the feasibility of this idea.

After mulling it over for a while, he dismissed the thought.

Setting aside whether outside supporters could even be trusted, it was uncertain if they'd be able to keep up with his pace. Hiring someone just to clean up the battlefield might end up being more trouble than it was worth, requiring him to split his attention to take care of them.

Most professional supporters who worked with adventurer teams either had unsavory reputations or were simply down-on-their-luck weaklings trying to get by.

"Let's just forget it."

Returning to the Twilight Manor in high spirits with the day's earnings, Izzy made a few stops at clothing stores to buy some new outfits.

Even as an adventurer, expanding his wardrobe felt like a necessary indulgence. After all, wearing the same set of clothes repeatedly wasn't ideal. Improving his quality of life was a basic need, after all.

Once back at the Twilight Manor, Izzy stowed his belongings in his room and immediately headed to the large bathhouse with his newly purchased clothes.

After a full day of combat, his body was drenched in sweat, and the stench was unbearable. A bath was the perfect way to refresh himself.

When he stepped out of the bathhouse, feeling clean and invigorated, Izzy encountered several clan members preparing to go out for dinner.

Upon seeing him, they invited him to join them, but when he learned they were headed to the Hostess of Fertility, he declined without hesitation.

After being personally chosen by Mia earlier that day, Izzy had no intention of showing up at her tavern again so soon. He could already picture her reaction—she'd likely greet him with the best drinks on the menu, and the situation would quickly spiral out of his control.

Agreeing to such an idea would clearly be madness.

Izzy had no doubt that the moment he sat down, the black-hearted proprietress would gleefully push drink after drink at him with that unsettling smile of hers.

But things rarely went as he planned.

"What? You're all heading to Mama Mia's tavern? And you weren't going to invite me to such an event!?"

Appearing behind Izzy like a bolt of lightning, Loki wasted no time inserting herself into the conversation.

Without missing a beat, she slung an arm around his neck and patted him on the shoulder with a grin.

"Izzy-kun, you have to come with us! Mama Mia's tavern is the best in Orario. Missing out would be a tragedy!"

"I literally just went there this morning—"

"Alright, kids! The target is the most happening bar on West Street! Let's go!!!"

"Well, I'd really rather not—"

"OOOOHHHHH!!!"

"..."

Every time Izzy tried to protest, Loki interrupted him with exaggerated enthusiasm. Like a defeated kitten, Izzy found himself dragged out of the Twilight Manor by the persistent goddess.

The sky's maroon hues were fading, giving way to the deep vastness of dusk.

---

Orario's West Street

The bustling avenue, crowded with craftsmen returning home and adventurers fresh from their dungeon explorations, was as lively as ever.

Standing before the tavern, The Hostess of Fertility, Loki raised her voice triumphantly.

"Mama Mia! Drinks all around—we're back!!!"

"Oh! Welcome, Loki!"

The tavern's owner, Mia Grando, smiled warmly at the familiar voice, her hands busy with work.

But the moment her eyes landed on the blond figure being dragged into the establishment with a gloomy expression, her smile grew even wider.

Izzy: "..."

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