CH. 309: Mruit

What followed was a grand banquet where the hellhounds carried the barrels of alcohol made by 'Rivira'. Lyd also gave him a red fruit. Asahi took a bite, only to feel like digging his teeth into soft meat. Contrary to its texture, it tasted nothing like meat. He could only describe it as the finest meat coated in layers of honey and lemon.

'It's kinda good.'

"Asacchi, your people call it 'mruit'. Seems to be a delicacy on the surface."

"Nice. Do you have more?"

He wanted to bring some home to his wives.

"Of course. You can take anything."

"Thanks."

Asahi also asked the source. All of it was given by Fels. In exchange, Xenos had promised to bring any Xenos to their village as soon as they appeared in the dungeon. They were happy to do so, even going as far as to make hidden paths from the 5th to 29th floors.

Asahi drank some since no alcohol had much effect on him. Ray refused to drink as it made her voice sound strange. Shiori enjoyed her song, so keeping her voice at peak condition was a given.

After the banquet of fruits and nuts, Asahi took some mruits in exchange for the fruits created by Klyscha. It was a fair trade from any perspective.

Lyd scratched his cheeks covered in scales while his tail waved behind him. "Asacchi, you don't have to."

As he said that, the other Xenos eyed the stack of fruit baskets. Asahi chuckled and used telekinesis to place the baskets on the platform.

"Here you go. It's the least I can do to help Ray's village." Asahi glanced at Ray. "Wanna say something?"

Ray gulped a mouthful of air. The Xenos looked at her puzzled. Neither Ray nor Asahi brought up the information about Ray leaving to settle in his family. She wanted to bring everyone along, show them the sight they yearned for all these years. She knew Asahi would agree to her request as it wouldn't cost him much. But she didn't allow herself to make that request.

'I haven't earned it.'

From the day she left the cave, she had been helped all this time by Asahi and others. She wasn't going to take more advantage of his kindness.

With her jaw clenched, Ray stepped forward and looked everyone in the eye.

"Everyone, thank you for taking care of me until now… I'll be leaving with Asahi."

Ray brought silence with her words. She couldn't say more or she'd burst into tears.

"No. You belong here, with your kind."

"We won't let you."

Ranye, the Arachne, and Gros, the Gargoyle, weren't pleased with Ray leaving with a "human." Not everyone on the surface was kind like Asahi. No matter how strong he was, none of them believed he could protect Ray from the entire world.

"I can't protect her—Is that what you guys are thinking?"

"Yes. Even the gods aren't omnipotent, much less a mortal like you," Gros spoke as he shook his head. "I did not mean to belittle you."

"It's fine," Asahi waved off Gros's concern and turned to Ray. "What do you want to do? Stay here or come with me."

"Come with Master…"

"Then, off we go."

Asahi grinned, and Klyscha teleported them back to the mansion. The Xenos could only look at the spot where Asahi and Ray disappeared.

Lyd snickered. "Ray made her decision. Let her live. Asacchi will keep her happy."

"They will be in danger," Ranye retorted.

Lyd shook his head. "Let Ray however she wants. She isn't a child."

Ranye sighed, gazing up at the ceiling as though trying to peer through the layers of the abyss between her and the surface.

***

Asahi returned home to find Grayfia lecturing Rini with a stern face. Grayfia halted in between and stared at him.

"My Lord?"

"Something happened?"

"Rini wanted to go into the dungeon alone. We can't let this strength get to our heads."

Asahi slapped Ray's back, pushing her toward Grayfia. "Train my new maid. Leave Rini to me."

"As you wish."

"Rini, we're going into the dungeon."

He might spend his entire tomorrow in the dungeon with Loki Familia. He wasn't sure if he'd be free the day after.

"Let's go!" Rini took his hand, seemingly prepared for the teleportation.

"You're awfully excited this time."

Asahi pulled out her gauntlets. Rini stared at them, eyes wide in shock.

"Onii-san… they look cool!"

"Wear them. They are strong too."

Asahi helped Rini in fitting the gauntlets. Rini clenched and unclenched her fists with a fascinated look in her eyes. It was easy to sense the strength flowing through her body.

"A passive boost?"

"Yup."

Asahi patiently explained the other skills, earning a bright smile from her.

"I can kill more with this. Thank you, Onii-san. You worked hard on this."

"How did you know?"

"I… had this feeling."

'I forgot she also has the instinct skill.'

"Tell me if you dislike anything about them."

Rini's fixation on strength was only second to Aimi's passion for strength to protect him. All thanks to her monster blood.

"I will."

Asahi pulled Rini and teleported to the 50th floor, the safety checkpoint. He immediately checked the floor, finding the ceiling as good as new.

'Superb healing.'

He wasted no further time and descended into the 51st floor.

The view flipped his view on the dungeon. The walls, floor, and ceiling were completely smooth and flat. Every corner was a perfect right angle, as if carved by some master architect. Every other floor looked crude in comparison.

Asahi touched the black wall. The texture was somewhere between stone and soil.

"I'm curious about the 60th floor."

The place no one else had visited. He could just speedrun through the floors, which might scare Dungeon-chan into shutting down her holes. Asahi sighed and walked into the wide passageways illuminated with lights overhead.