Chapter 84

As Draco lured the green dragon away from the treasure tree, the Astraea familia seized the opportunity to plunder its riches. But amid their looting, a sense of unease washed over them.

"Isn't that green dragon acting strangely? It left its post as Guardian of the treasure tree to chase after Draco," Cecil pondered aloud.

"Yes, you're right. Something's definitely off here. We should proceed with caution," Kaguya responded, her voice tinged with concern.

While the familia delved deeper into their treasure plundering mission, Lyra used her heightened senses to scout the area. It wasn't long before she discovered aa locked chest with a peculiar design adjacent to the treasure tree.

"Over here!" Lyra called out, pointing at the mysterious chest. But before they could fully investigate, chaos erupted.

Clang!

Lyra swiftly deflected an attack from an ambush by lurking monsters, their presence catching the familia off guard. Reacting quickly, Kaguya unsheathed her katana and dove into the fray.

Swish! Splurt!

Kaguya's blade danced through the air, leaving deep gashes on the monsters' bodies. Celty, too, began chanting a spell, ready to unleash her magic upon their enemies.

Iska and Neze were not far behind, springing into action. Iska wielded his massive great sword, each strike resonating with thunderous impact. Neze gracefully maneuvered with her spear, striking with calculated precision.

The relentless onslaught of monsters seemed never-ending, but the Astraea familia fought on. Each member faced the peril head-on.

Suddenly, as if summoned by the chaos, a group of wicked assailants and what looked to be tamers emerged from the shadows. Their malevolent grins told of their sinister intentions as they charged towards the Astraea familia.

"Who are you people" Kaguya asked with a vague guess on who they were.

"Tsk, you bitches have ruined everything. We will eliminate you all right here," one of the assumed tamers in a dark cloak taunted, venom dripping from his words.

The battle intensified, but Celty conjured a protective shield, shielding her comrades from their foes' initial onslaught. Lyra, heightened by danger, danced with acrobatic grace, dodging attacks with remarkable agility.

Kaguya, relentless and agile, engaged the assailants in a deadly dance, her katana parrying each strike with expert precision. The clash of steel reverberated through the battlefield, a testament to her combat prowess.

From her vantage point, Celty unleashed bolts of lightning, arcing through the air with electrifying intensity. The crackling sparks punctuated the screams of the assailants, their bodies wracked with pain. She had decided to take out the tamers controlling the monsters.

Iska, swung her great sword with devastating force, creating sonic booms that rippled through the battlefield. Each strike shook the ground, leaving tremors in their wake.

Neze, with her focus, skillfully maneuvered amidst the enemies, thrusting her spear with calculated precision. The clash of metal against flesh resonated with raw power.

As the battle raged on, the Astraea familia fought as one cohesive unit, their camaraderie and unity shining through their coordinated efforts. Each member unleashed their unique skills, their combined efforts weaving a symphony of destruction and heroism that echoed across the treacherous battlefield.

.....

As I surveyed the area where the battle sounds were coming from, I could see the Astraea familia engaged in a fierce fight with a group of people I assumed were tamers along with their controlled monsters. It was a peculiar sight, as there weren't many tamers in Orario who would attack the Astraea familia. It was also unlikely that any sane adventurer would have such a motive. The only conclusion that remained was that it had to be the evilus.

The evilus were an elusive and dangerous group known for causing trouble in the city. Thoughts raced through my mind as I wondered why they were on this floor. Weren't they laying low for a while? And could they have been responsible for the strange green dragon I had just fought?

Despite my desire to jump in and help the Astraea familia, I knew I was still too exhausted and seriously injured. Joining the battle would only make me a liability to them.

"Tsk, no wonder the Astraea familia weren't nearby when I fought the green dragon," I muttered, grateful that other monsters had kept their distance during my fight and that I hadn't been ambushed by other adventurers in my weakened state.

Of course, I didn't forget to pick up the drop item and core from the green dragon. They would be worth a substantial amount of Valis, providing a nice reward for my effort.

As the battle continued, the intensity gradually dropped, signalling the defeat of the evilus assailants. "Tsk, retreat," one of the evilus members declared, and soon a swarm of monsters enveloped the battlefield. By the time the Astraea familia finished clearing the monsters, the evilus had vanished into thin air.

Walking towards the Astraea familia after coming out of my hiding spot, I asked, "Are you guys okay?" I could see the exhaustion and weariness on their faces, much like my own.

"Yeah, we're fine," Kaguya replied, wiping the blood off her katana.

"Any guesses who they were?" Kaguya inquired.

"Most likely the evilus, but what was their objective here?" I replied, pondering the situation.

Suddenly, Lyra spoke up. "Uhm, I think I know," she said hesitantly. "The chest that I found is missing."

"What chest?" I questioned.

"It was a chest with a weird design, adjacent to the treasure tree," Lyra explained.

"Well, there's no point dwelling on what we don't know. Right now, you need treatment," Iska, interjected, pointing her great sword towards my battered body.

"Yea you are right. But we will need to report this to the guild when we return to the surface" Neze added before plopping down on the floor to rest.

"The fact that you're here, and what you're carrying, means you killed the green dragon alone. You're one crazy guy," Celty added, a mix of admiration and concern in her voice.

"How did you do it?, What magic did you use, How did the green dragon fight ?, Were there any new abilities used" Celty pestered me with questions. Everyone knew that she was a knowledge maniac but I was too tired to deal with this.

"Ugh, we can talk about it when we return to camp" I replied. My reply seemed to have kept her curiosity at bay for the moment.

After receiving the necessary treatment, we gathered our belongings and prepared to return to the 18th floor with all the loot we had acquired throughout the day. It had been a productive day despite the stressful process of picking up loot after gruelling battles.

I knew I would be levelling up once we reached the surface. Although intense and filled with uncertainties, the relaxed feeling of satisfaction washed over me as we headed back to the 18th floor to rest.