The lower floors were already very far from the surface. Even for seasoned adventurers, it took the better part of a day to reach them, so every expedition to the lower floors typically lasted two or three days before returning.
Eiji set the exploration cycle at three days—return to the surface after three days, rest for two, then head back down.
He himself had no issues with this, but he had to consider Lefiya and Alicia's stamina, as well as their supplies.
Although the lower floors spawned large numbers of Level 3 monsters, the reduced gap in strength between Eiji and the monsters meant his leveling speed had slowed significantly.
A single trip to the lower floors only netted him around 200 to 300 excelia—nowhere near his previous gains. At this rate, it would take him at least two or three months to reach Level 4.
"No expeditions?"
Eiji often grumbled about this.
"How could there be one so soon?"
Alicia sighed helplessly. "The last expedition was just a few days ago. We'd need at least a month before the next one… Anyway, forget that—try the lunch I made!"
Lefiya remained silent beside them. These past few days, she had barely spoken, as if preoccupied with some serious dilemma.
Eiji was just venting.
Expeditions required logistical preparations, networking, and other arrangements—they couldn't be organized in just a few days. He understood that perfectly well.
But he really loved those massive experience boosts from expeditions.
If there were an expedition now, he could reach Level 4 at least twice as fast.
"Let's head back today. It's almost noon."
After lunch, Alicia pulled out a pocket watch and suggested to the other two.
"Fine."
Eiji sighed.
'By the way, does Charm work on monsters?'
During a quick break, Eiji found a monster to test it on.
The result? The monster's expression instantly turned fanatical. Even as he raised his blade, it didn't flee—instead, it seemed perfectly willing to die for him.
If it could communicate, it would have obeyed his every word. It was practically brainwashing—terrifyingly effective.
One might think, "Then why not use Charm to lure and slaughter monsters en masse?"
But reality wasn't so simple. Proficiency gains came from training, not slaughter.
Killing defenseless creatures—even higher-level monsters—barely gave any proficiency.
Level 5 adventurers could massacre Level 4 monsters in droves and still only gain single-digit proficiency points. The fact that Ais gained less than 20 points from an entire expedition showed just how stark the difference was.
The group returned to the 25th-floor passage, then fought their way back up to the 18th floor.
By the time they reached the 18th floor, evening was approaching. They decided to take a detour to Rivira for a short rest, dinner, and to replenish their stamina.
However, the moment they arrived, they noticed something was very off.
"It feels… emptier than usual."
Eiji frowned at the eerily deserted streets.
Rivira wasn't large, but it usually housed around 500 resident adventurers. While not exactly bustling, it shouldn't have been completely devoid of people either.
"This shop's goods are still here, but no one's around."
Lefiya approached a rundown item shop and called out a few times, but no one answered.
"...I hear voices near the plaza."
Alicia tilted her head, listening carefully before speaking up.
After a brief discussion, the trio decided to check the plaza.
Their food supplies—even the portable rations—were completely exhausted. They needed to find a shop to eat at.
Crystal Plaza.
The twin crystals, once destroyed by the frog-woman Phryne, had been restored. They stood proudly in the center of the plaza, radiating a kaleidoscope of colors that bathed the surroundings in a shimmering glow.
Just like last time, every adventurer in Rivira had gathered here, making the area noisy and chaotic.
And once again, the ones responsible for this were familiar faces.
"Miss Ais?!"
Lefiya gasped.
Her heart pounded as she spotted the golden-haired girl standing at the plaza's center.
'What do I do?! What do I do?!'
'If Miss Ais sees me with Eiji, will she misunderstand our relationship? How should I explain this…?!'
Lefiya's thoughts spiraled into panic.
Alicia coughed lightly, reminding them she wasn't invisible.
"Eiji, you're here too?"
Ais noticed them and showed a faint hint of surprise before walking over.
Lefiya froze.
'Huh?!'
I was the one who called out, right?
So why did she say his name first?!
"What's going on here?"
"Someone was murdered."
At Eiji's question, Ais explained softly.
It had happened last night.
The victim was a Level 4 fist-fighter from the Ganesha Familia named Hashana. The suspect was the woman he had brought back to his inn.
None of the victim's valuables were stolen, but his belongings had been rummaged through. Additionally, his head had been brutally crushed—likely out of frustration after failing to find whatever the killer was searching for.
The woman was probably still hiding in Rivira. Gathering everyone here was an attempt to identify the culprit.
"That's Finn's plan."
Ais pointed toward the distance.
Finn, Riveria, Tione, and Tiona were all there, separately interrogating the male and female adventurers.
"The Loki Familia acting as detectives now?"
"The safe floor is crucial. If the killer isn't caught, no one can do business here safely."
For most third-tier adventurers, traveling from here to the surface took two hours—without accounting for monster attacks. That made safe-floor settlements like Rivira invaluable, especially to high-level adventurers.
If Rivira stopped operating, adventurers would waste enormous amounts of time and supplies traveling up and down. That wasn't acceptable—even for the Loki Familia.
So, they had to resolve this incident.
And since the killer had murdered a Level 4 fist-fighter, she was likely at least Level 5. Right now, only the Loki Familia had the strength to handle this.
"Is that werewolf girl trying to run?"
While Ais and Eiji were talking, Alicia suddenly spoke up.
She pointed at a werewolf girl in the crowd clutching a medium-sized bag. Her tanned face was unnaturally pale, and she stared at the commotion with terror in her eyes.
Then, step by step, she retreated—unnoticed by anyone—before suddenly bolting from the plaza.
"I'll chase her!"
Without hesitation, Ais shot forward like the wind, giving immediate pursuit.
Above the floor, a massive white crystal bloomed like a flower's stamen.
The light it emitted gradually dimmed before vanishing entirely, replaced by the glow of the surrounding blue crystals.
Night fell over the town.
***
Hey readers!
Want to read ahead? 📖 Join my Patreon for early access to 30+ advance chapters! Your support helps me write more and bring the story to you faster.
🔹patreon.com/aarvan🔹