19th Floor.
After descending from the large tree hollow in the center of the 18th floor, Eiji noticed that the terrain of the Dungeon was becoming increasingly bizarre.
The 17th floor still had narrow cave-like passages, but by the 19th floor, the space had expanded several times over. The corridors were now like canyons, over ten meters wide, allowing more than twenty people to walk side by side.
From the narrow upper floors to the expansive middle floors, the Dungeon took on a conical shape, growing wider the deeper one went. It was said that by the 40th floor, the terrain's width could rival the entirety of Orario.
Looking around, the corridors of the 19th floor were covered in bark and moss that glowed with countless points of light, resembling a maze made of giant trees.
In fact, the middle floors, spanning from the 19th to the 24th floor, were officially named the "Great Tree Labyrinth."
"Level 2 adventurers will take the lead, with Level 3s providing support!"
The high-level adventurers, led by Finn, looked completely at ease, showing no signs of pressure or even the intention to fight.
Several Level 2 adventurers, including Eiji, along with some Level 3s, stepped forward, forming a spearhead formation and charging straight into the horde of monsters.
The monsters here were all Level 2, and their numbers were overwhelming. It wasn't uncommon for a dozen or more to appear at once, making it feel like a banquet. At least a few Level 2 adventurers were needed to form a party to venture here.
"Ooooh—!"
A massive Sword Stag, with its sharp, sword-like antlers, charged at Eiji with a ferocious roar.
"Ha!"
Just as Eiji was about to strike, an Level 3 adventurer beside him rushed forward with a shield, blocking the stag's charge.
"Now's your chance!"
After stopping the Sword Stag's charge, he immediately shouted to Eiji behind him.
Without hesitation, Eiji stepped forward and delivered a fatal slash to the stag's throat, leaving it dazed and disoriented.
"You're new to expeditions, so pay attention to how we fight as a team."
The shield-bearing adventurer put away his shield and patted Eiji on the shoulder with a friendly expression.
"Don't try to show off or hog all the experience. If you do, you won't last long, especially when we reach the lower and deeper floors."
Eiji glanced around.
Everyone in the vanguard team was fighting in pairs, with clear roles as frontliners and midliners. It was like a well-disciplined army, with no one fighting alone.
Even Line, who was usually more reserved, had picked up a dagger and was fighting fiercely in the midline.
"I understand."
Eiji nodded in realization.
The battle resumed.
This time, Eiji integrated himself into the team's formation. Instead of trying to stand out, he worked in sync with his teammates, steadily cutting down monsters. His adaptability was so impressive that the shield-bearing adventurer from earlier was left speechless.
"It's different now..."
Eiji swung his katana.
Everything felt different.
His eyes were more agile, his dynamic vision significantly sharper than before his level-up, and his hearing had also improved. Most importantly, his physical stamina had increased by leaps and bounds!
He felt much more at ease than he had at Lv. 1.
He hadn't noticed it much right after levelling up, but once the battle started, the difference was immediately apparent. It felt like a complete transformation, and his sword swings were so fast they were almost invisible to the naked eye.
Eiji steadied himself.
His gaze sharpened.
Slice!
His sword became even more precise, cleaving a two-meter-tall white bear monster in two with a single strike. The Level 3 shield-bearer beside him stared in disbelief.
The bear monster was one of the strongest Level 2 monsters, even stronger than a Minotaur—essentially its superior version. Yet it had been killed in an instant, leaving the frontline adventurer with no chance to act.
Wasn't he just promoted to Level 2? How was this even possible?
"Something feels off!"
Even though the power of his strike had increased by at least twofold, Eiji kept frowning.
"This isn't bravery. It's just sharpness. True bravery should be fearless and unyielding, like when I use Lightning Flash. I've been too fixated on Indomitable, and it's become a mental shackle."
In battle, he instinctively entered the state of Indomitable, where his mind was free from all distractions and restlessness, allowing him to face enemies in the most ideal state.
But Indomitable was extreme calmness, while bravery was extreme passion. The two were contradictory.
This made it much harder for Eiji to unleash the full potential of his skill, Sword Heart's Valor, which amplified his attack power.
"No, the fact that I have this skill means I possess a brave soul. This is my innate talent. There's no way I can't master it!"
Eiji took a deep breath, his eyes blazing with determination.
Calmness and passion.
Two contradictory states of mind.
It had taken him less than half a month to master Indomitable. Now, he refused to believe he couldn't master the balance between calmness and passion in the same amount of time!
All he needed was to keep fighting.
Through continuous battle, with his talent, he would undoubtedly master it!
***
The roars echoed continuously.
On the barren, lifeless land, where everything—rocks, gravel, and all—was dyed a deep red, a vast expanse stretched out like an alien world.
In this crimson wasteland, dust clouds billowed into the air, and the ground trembled as if an earthquake had struck, shattering the rocky terrain.
Twisted, goat-like horns protruded from the monster's head, and its grotesque face resembled that of a horse. Its blood-red eyes rolled wildly as it snorted heavily.
The goat-headed monster glared down at its prey.
"Shield formation, hold!"
Amid the chaotic battlefield, Finn's command roared across the field.
The massive body of the monster charged forward like a black tidal wave, crashing into the frontlines.
Dozens of shields, held by Level 3 and Level 4 adventurers, formed the outermost defense. But the monster's impact was no joke, instantly breaking through the frontline's formation and forcing the defenders' heels into the dirt.
"Frontline, maintain tight formation! Rearguard, keep attacking! Tiona, Tione, reinforce the left flank immediately!"
Following Finn's orders, the twin Amazoness sisters dashed across the battlefield.
With their bare fists, they shattered the fossil-like weapons of the monsters, and with a single kick, they sent a goat-headed monster's head spinning.
"There are too many Fomors! We don't have enough bodies for this!"
"Stop complaining and move!"
Dozens of goat-headed monsters surrounded the entire Loki Familia in the red wasteland.
This was the 49th floor—the deep levels.
The Fomors' strength surpassed that of Minotaurs by more than tenfold, forcing even the Level 4 frontline adventurers to grit their teeth in desperation. Only Gareth stood firm, unmovable like a rock in a storm.
But his steadfastness alone was meaningless. The frontline's formation broke like a dam bursting, allowing a Fomor to break through and charge into the rearguard.
***
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