Volume 8 Chapter 456 - To 58th Floor
As soon as they stepped into the first hall of the 52nd floor, Finn shouted to everyone as a reminder, "Avoid combat as much as possible! Just repelling them is enough!! Don't get sniped no matter what!!"
Sona, Aika, and Koneko became serious when they heard him. Even though they were briefed regarding the 52nd floor and beyond, they truly had no idea what it would be like in real life.
Raul saw that Tsubaki still had her usual nonchalant expression and her relaxed stance so he shouted towards her, "Hurry up!!!"
Tsubaki was a bit startled and hurried her steps, "This is my first time coming somewhere this deep. Does this 'snipping' that he mentioned really happen?"
But before she could receive any answer, the atmosphere slightly changed and everyone from the Loki Familia except for Lefiya and some supporters took notice of this, "!!"
"Finn!" Ais called out to their Captain.
"Yeah…" Finn briefly answered, "We have been 'captured'. Run, run!!!"
Tsubaki, Lefiya, Sona, Aika, and Koneko heard something from below them, '…A dragon's howl? It's coming from below!?'
"It's coming," Ais muttered.
Koneko and Sona immediately noticed the changes in Mana and saw something coming from below very fast.
"Bete, change course!!" Finn suddenly shouted.
"!!" Bete hurriedly jumped to the side and a split second later, a gigantic pillar of fire emerged from the spot he was before, reaching the 51st floor.
The rest had to brace themselves from the shockwave and heat that was generated. Tsubaki grimaced at such terrifying sight and Lefiya almost started crying and did her best to keep up with the group. On the other hand, the trio's expression became even more serious and they estimated that they would be severely injured and would have no way to continue in this expedition if they were to be hit by that pillar of fire without putting up defenses…
However, the first-timers were still not aware of the true horrors of the 52nd floor until a few seconds later when multiple pillars of fire started attacking their group from all directions.
"Detour!! Use the west route!!!" Finn shouted.
Sona had to ride on Koneko's back because with her physical abilities, it was almost impossible for her to keep up with the group.
"It's alright even if you pull the monsters!!!" Finn reminded them because the pillars of fire weren't the only danger of the floor. The monsters were keeping on to attack them simultaneously, regardless of the chaos around them, "Riveria, hurry up with the defensive magic!"
While dodging the attacks from below through Finn's commands, the Loki Familia was also dealing with the monsters which came after them and the trio admired their teamwork which was really different from the Adventurers whom they usually saw.
Although they had already seen how the group worked together on the expedition until now, everything on the upper floors seemed so easy for them and they didn't have to work as much. Only now they realized how they truly synergized with each other.
Although Koneko could detect the signs of the fire pillars earlier than the rest thanks to her usage of Ki, the chaotic battlefield rendered her judgment on the surroundings clouded, which showed how inexperienced she truly was.
But as long as she pointed out where the fire pillars would be coming out to Sona, Sona could instruct her and Aika to dodge to a spot where they wouldn't be flanked by the monsters emerging or being left behind by the whole group.
The group progressed until Raul made a blunder. He wasn't paying much attention to his right side and a Deformis Spider's thread came after him, "Raul! Dodge!" Finn tried to warn him but it was already too late.
Lefiya saw the Deformis Spider's thread earlier than Raul so she pushed him out of the way. However, she was caught by it instead of him and was dragged towards the spider.
"Lefiya!?" Tiona, Tione, and Ais called out, but the first one to respond was Aika. Using her Flash Step, she went behind Lefiya and cut the spider thread. Aika caught Lefiya but the momentum pushed them towards the spider and Aika got ready to meet it.
But even with her preparation, a pillar of fire emerged below the monster, annihilating and creating a large hole in the floor and the two fell into it. Aika immediately tried to create a foothold using Reishi but due to Mana turbulence and her poor mastery, she couldn't materialize it properly and could only use it to slightly change her direction.
Koneko and Sona immediately noticed Aika's plight and Sona hurriedly got off Koneko's back before the latter used Flash Step to follow them.
Lefiya, on the other hand, blanked out and was already incredibly nervous and crying thinking that she was about to die and that she dragged someone else into her misfortune.
"Hey, hey. Don't make that kind of face now. We're still alive." Aika flicked the forehead of the Elf in her arms as they descended down the hole.
"Eh…? But…"
However, Koneko suddenly appeared beside them, interrupting the Elf and asked, "Aika-senpai, what happened?"
"Well, maybe it's due to surges of Mana, but I can't create a stable foothold. What about you?"
"I can, but I also have the same problem. I can only support my weight. Maybe some more if I focus on it."
"Then take her." Aika then passed Lefiya to Koneko.
"Kyaah!!!" The moment Koneko caught Lefiya, she and Aika suddenly jumped away from each other and a pillar of fire passed through their former spot. The pillar of fire was actually a big ball of fire. It only looked like a pillar when it came from the ground.
"H-how can the two of you act so nonchalant?" Lefiya asked.
"We're not acting nonchalant. We're doing our best to analyze the situation and constantly try to come up with a method to stay alive." Koneko then looked into her eyes full of fear and continued. "You should do the same instead of cowering in fear. True, it's scary to die, but don't you think it's scarier to do so without doing anything? Besides, look up. Those guys are coming for you… To protect you. I think it's time for you to do your part."
Lefiya was left speechless and she looked up like Koneko said and saw Tiona, Tione, and Bete coming after them, using the walls of the hole to run down, "Lefiya!!!"
"Don't weigh us down, slowpoke!!!"
"…E-everyone…" Lefiya muttered to herself.
Tione was the first one to reach them and she smashed away the ball of fire aiming for Koneko and Lefiya in exchange for a few burns, "Aw, aw, aw, it's hot!!!"
Aika, Koneko, and Lefiya were speechless at her brash actions but airborne monsters started to pour out from the halls of the floors below, not giving them enough time to comment, "The Wyverns are coming!" Tione warned everyone.
"Tione! Protect that slowpoke!" Bete overtook them and met the monsters. He started beheading them with his daggers and used their bodies as a foothold to jump to another one.
Tiona was doing something similar while making sure to keep the monsters away from the others.
"Are you three alright!?" Tione reached Koneko and Lefiya and asked.
Koneko nodded at her and Tione continued, "It seems that you two are able to maneuver yourself properly. Pass Lefiya to me. It's too dangerous for you if you're carrying someone else."
"I'll be fine. I still have some leeway, but Aika-senpai and I have no way to effectively deal with those Wyverns and can only dodge them so I think it would be safer for us if you were to join them instead of babysitting us." Koneko replied.
Tione hesitated for a bit but she didn't have enough time to contemplate and agreed with her after recalling what they witnessed earlier of Koneko and Aika kicking the air to maneuver, "Fine, but I won't be going too far away from you. You too, Aika! Come here."
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.
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After dealing with the monsters, Ais intended to follow them but Finn immediately stopped her, "Don't go, Ais!"
Ais hurriedly turned to him to protest but Finn didn't let her and continued, "We can't protect everyone if Raul and the others also fall into a hole! We'll head to the 58th floor following the proper route! We need you in order to get past the new species as fast as we can!"
Ais hesitated a little bit, but she knew her magic's importance against the new species and didn't press the issue.
Finn then faced Gareth, "I'll leave Bete and the others to you, Gareth."
"Got it." After a simple answer, Gareth immediately jumped down to follow the young ones.
However, Finn was still conflicted. But before he could say anything else, Sona suddenly said, "If you're worried about my companions and thinking about sending another one to them, please don't. Although they won't be able to fight on these floors, I'm confident enough to say that they won't hold the others back and are agile enough to avoid the danger."
Finn looked at her and sighed, "I see… Then let's go."
Raul, on the other hand, was blaming himself as the cause of this accident, "Because of me… Lefiya and the others…"
Off to his side, Riveria suddenly said with a threatening expression, "Don't worry, we'll punish you more than enough once when everyone's finished."
Raul shuddered at her cold voice, but Riveria still continued, "Brace yourself for now so don't lower your guard."
But before they started running in earnest, Finn faced Sona again and asked, knowing that she was just a Level 2, "Can you keep up? If not, you can ride on Riveria's back."
Sona, in response, shook her head, "It's fine. I have a way to keep up."
While wondering what she was about to do, Sona suddenly materialized her Sacred Gear which shocked everyone especially Tsubaki, "Wh-What is that!?"
Not entertaining her question, Sona tapped the ground with her halberd and a blue magic circle appeared under her. A few seconds later, water came surging out from it and propelled Sona forward passing everyone. She was surfing, using the water she summoned.
The rest hurriedly followed her while admiring her magic and it's speed.
Group:
28th00: Well, this is gonna be a wild ride, huh?
Alexander: The plot is thickening.
Goyya: I guarantee that the trio will have their limelight later.
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