Chapter 24: 13th Floor

Feeling a sense of excitement I lead Ryner, Ryuu, and Gaul towards the dungeon.

Our destination, floor 13. The first of the middle floors.

Leonmitchelli and Millhiore decided to hang back today to watch over our home and Athena. Our standard strategy.

The only reason all of us went into the dungeon together last time was so we could level up. But such a thing will rarely ever happen.

Not until we are required to go on expeditions by the guild in the future once our familia achieves the status of D-rank.

When that time comes we'll work something out. But for now we're doing it this way since it works.

Entering Babel tower the four of us descended, our salamander cloaks offering us great protection against the monsters on the first 12 floors.

All of which we can handle easily now that we have leveled up.

However we're not getting cocky.

Since doing so inside the dungeon will lead us to our deaths.

And I don't plan on dying again anytime soon.

Easily reaching the 12th floor in just over an hour after we entered the dungeon we took one of the known passageways and began descending. Eventually we arrived in an area completely made of bedrock, featuring multiple tunnel routes in front of us.

Letting us know we have reached our target destination.

The middle floors, also known as the Cave Labyrinth.

As soon as I stepped into said area of the dungeon I felt empowered. I can literally feel the presences of the others without even looking at them.

Which tells me my [Geo Archon] skill is finally coming into play.

'Finally.' I thought. I've been waiting to break out this skill. To test it and push it. Allowing me to learn all its nuances.

A small smile on my face I continued leading the others forward.

But stopped in my tracks five minutes later when the walls on both sides of the path we were on opened up and thirty hellhounds appeared.

"Hellhounds, in formation!" I cried. Raising my spear as I did so.

The others raised their weapons as well.

As soon as they did so the hellhounds opened their mouths in our direction and a giant torrent of flames raced toward us.

Looks like the dungeon isn't using any kid gloves today.

As the flames moved closer and closer the four of us huddle together and used our salamander wool cloaks to defend against the flames. When we were engulfed the heat radiated through the cloaks but otherwise we remained unharmed.

"Damn, this is insane." Ryner said. "If we didn't have these cloaks right now we'd be charred corpses."

"It's just like they say, the middle floors are nothing like the upper floors." Ryuu added.

"Right. Which means stick together and follow strategy." I said.

The others nodded.

After they did so we waited another few seconds for the flames from the hellhounds to stop completely.

Then we made our move.

"Go." I shouted.

Once I did so we all separated and re-drew our weapons. Just in time to see several hellhounds charging at us.

Taking the lead I leap forward and raked my spear through the air, cutting apart several hellhounds as I did so.

Out of the corner of my eye I stopped one of them getting ready to fire off flames at me. But before it could Gaul punched it straight in the face, and then smashed its head into the ground with his left foot killing it.

Giving him a curt nod I stabbed my spear through the chest of a hellhound in front of me, killing it in an instant.

"Woof!" One of the remaining hellhounds barked in my direction.

It then charged at me and leapt towards me, it's claws at the ready to cut me up.

Leaning backwards I dodge its strike, and then maneuver my spear to cut upon its stomach as it passed over me.

When the beast landed I saw it turn into a puff of smoke, leaving behind a magic stone for the taking.

"Better luck next time puppy." I said.

Just as I did so several more hellhounds appeared from the walls. All of them getting ready to let out a torrent of flames from their mouths.

{What I seek is thunder, Izuchi!}

Ryner cried out.

As he did so several spears of electricity pierced the hellhounds the dungeon just spawned, killing them all before they could release any flames.

The second after this happened Ryuu made her move.

Running forwards she began using her sword to slice the hellhounds up without pause. A blue flash engulfing her blade.

Since after reaching level Two she not only gained the Hunter developmental ability like me, but she also gained one of her original skills from canon.

Aero Mana.

A skill which increases Ryuu's attack power the faster she's running.

So once again, even though she is no longer part of the Astrea familia like in canon it seems she'll develop the same skills and powers she had during canon.

Well that's what it looks like, but only time will really tell.

Still, even if she does it wouldn't be bad.

Dodging a pair of hellhound claws aimed at her side Ryuu swung her blade upward and cleaved the monster right in two.

But as soon as she did so the cieling above her cracked open and several dungeon worms came falling out towards her position.

Raising my left hand I chanted.

{Ground that we walk upon, heed my command and come forth!}

Activating my magic [Geo Force] a magic circle appeared over my left hand and several earth spikes shot out of it, skewering the dungeon worms before they even touched Ryuu and forced them all into the wall.

Killing them.

"Thank you Morax." Ryuu softly said.

"No problem." I told her.

As I did so the floor opened up and more dungeon worms came out.

"They just keep coming." Ryner said.

"This is the middle floors." I said. Pointing my spear at the enemies in front of me. "But if we can't handle this than going any further is impossible. And I know you guys want to go further."

"Yeah." Gaul shouted.

Ryuu nodded.

"Then let's take these guys down." I said.

Everyone nodded.

As they did so I charged forward, a smile on my face as I stabbed my spear into the first dungeon worm.

----------------------

Walking up the spiral staircase that led outside the dungeon I released a yawn from my mouth. Doing my best to ignore the pains from the cuts and bruises on my body.

We have just finished spending several hours on the 13th floor, and I must say it was very eye-opening.

The monsters weren't any stronger as compared to the ones on the 12th floor. But their numbers were greater, and the interval's between their spawning time were much lower than anything we've previously dealt with.

It was disorienting at first.

But we got used to it, and once we did so took down monsters left and right.

The bags we are carrying full of magic stones speak for themselves.

Though we didn't come out of is unscathed.

Ryuu got a gash on her arm from a hellhound that got lucky. But thankfully her injury wasn't too deep and the bleeding stopped on its own.

Ryner got cut in several places.

While Gaul got some minor burns.

Still we're no worse for wear.

Arriving at the top of the tower we immediately headed for the exit.

Those battles today wiped us out, so we all agreed on the way back up to exchange the magic stones tomorrow.

Leaving Babel we started to make our way home.

But as we did so I noticed eyes on me.

"Guys, we're being followed." I whispered to them.

No one made any sudden movements but they got the message.

It's about to go down.

Rounding another corner we continued walking, but a few seconds after began on the new street a figure stepped out of a nearby alley and blocked our path.

We all came to a stop when this happened.

"Excuse me but we're walking here, do you mind moving?" I asked the figure.

"Is that how you talk to your elders kid?" The person in front of me asked.

Taking him in I saw he has the look of an adventurer.

"Only ones I don't respect." I retorted. "And from the looks of you I will probably never respect you. So I say again, move it we're walking."

"Such a disrespectful little shit." The man retorted. "Looks like my friends and I are going to have to teach you some manners." He said.

The adventurer then snapped his fingers and several other people stepped out of the shadows and surrounded our group.

As soon as they did so we brandished our weapons.

"Boys, kill them and steal their magic stones and items." The leader said. His eyes then landed on Ryuu and he got a lustful look. "But leave the elf with the mask alone. She's just my type."

The moment the man said that I looked at him with cold eyes.

Looks like he really wants to die.

That's fine. I'll make his wish come true.

"Ryuu, watch over Ryner and watch the rear. Gaul, you and me will take the assholes in the front. But leave the leader to me." I said.

Everyone nodded.

Once they did so we all moved to put the plan into action.

But a few seconds after we did so several more figures appeared on the street.

Turning my gaze to them I recognized them instantly.

The Astraea Familia.