Chapter 324: Dragons!

Very much like the 49th floor, it was a big, wide-open space. No maze. No extra corridors. Just one massive rectangular room with graphite-colored walls and ceilings. Numerous tunnels were etched in walls for the ten-meter red dragons to rest their butt and snipe the adventurers. Right now, all of them eyed the adventurers, puffing flames from their noses.

"Dragon's Urn. We're at the 58th floor," Finn muttered, still in disbelief over this achievement. The name came from the holes Valgang dragons created with their attacks.

Riveria took a heavy sigh. Just one floor down, they'd be exploring the territory unexplored since the demise of Zeus's Familia.

"Gareth, Tiona, Tione, Ais, I need you on the frontline," Finn roared. "Riveria, Lefiya, Alicia, stay in the rear. Asahi, do whatever you want. Bete, Aki, take the middle and protect the mages."

"Understood." Riveria nodded and turned to Ryuu. "Lion, can I ask you to use your famous Luminous Wind?"

"I will," Ryuu said.

"What about me?" Alise asked, pointing at herself.

Asahi lightly spanked her bottom. "Do whatever you want."

"Got it."

As the dragons charged their flame, Asahi and Alise took off first. Alise boosted her parameters with her skill and leaped into one of the tunnels. She shifted the momentum of her sword into her rapier and stabbed the dragon's face. She ignited her enchantment, burning the dragon's brain juices.

Asahi pondered whether to switch to his massacre mode or use his current spear. He noticed the Valgang dragons excelled in their ranged fireball attacks, but their physical attributes were comparable to the level 4 Fomoire chiefs. Alise, whose parameters boosted to nearly level 6, could burn them down in a one-on-one fight. Sadly, that wasn't the case as the hundred-plus dragons held an overwhelming number advantage over them.

'Fuck it.'

He summoned Phenex Wings and took off. Floating a couple of meters under the ceiling, he squinted at his targets.

"Israel Judgment."

The majestic avatar of the divine bird came to life behind him. It spread its wings, scarlet flames compressing at the tip of each feather. Over a dozen thin beams of compressed fire shot toward the dragons sitting in their nests. Almost twenty Valgang dragons were incinerated in the heat of Phoenix's divine fire without uttering their last shriek.

'Israel Judgment is the best sniper.'

"Thanks for the praise, my king," Phenex's soft voice echoed in his head.

Asahi charged up another Israel Judgment and wiped out twenty more dragons. The others watched in awe as the number of dragons dwindled without much of a resistance.

Finn smiled wryly. If this was a demigod, he couldn't imagine the feats that could be done by a real god.

'Or he is a special one.'

Whatever it was, he couldn't wait to level up to a demigod's level. Even if he wasn't born with divine powers, he could grind out excelia and achieve level someday. With new determination, he raised his spear.

"Charge!"

Tione rushed forward and swiftly lunged at a nearby dragon. With a swing of her halberd, he bisected a dragon's head.

Riveria opted to provide protection and healing spells instead of chanting an offensive spell. Asahi in his rampage mode won't give her time to finish her long chants.

'Will this even be our achievement?'

Instead of one of the executors, it felt like she was a side adventurer or a mere supporter in this expedition.

'So this is what it feels to rely on someone?'

It was a new experience for the High Elf who had always enjoyed being in a position of authority.

Ryuu, who was about to sing the chants of Luminous Wind, stopped and sighed. She glanced at Riveria to see her nod in affirmation. She squeezed the hilt of her sword and leaped into combat.

The only one who wasn't moving was Ais. Standing incredibly still, she was observing the dragons. A stray fireball hit her, diminishing the jade glow from her body.

"So many of them. Are you seeing them?" A childish voice spoke in her head. "They killed your father and took your mother. Will you let them be? Will you stay powerless? Will you not… avenge them?"

A black flame crackled around her. A dark light clouded her golden eyes. The pitch-black flames raged, burning her back.

"Ais, embrace this power."

The flames manifested as her mother's figure, even speaking in her gentle voice.

Darkness tempted her.

"No…" Ais replied and lightly shook her head. "I can be strong without you…"

She raised her hand, looking at Asahi, who was banishing dragons like they were some mobs from the 1st floor of the dungeon. She didn't need 'that' skill's aid to become powerful.

He released another burst of beams, wiping a dozen more dragons.

[—You have leveled up!]

'Level 36, hell yeah!'

Asahi glanced down at Ais. A pitch-black radiated from her eyes as if the darkness of her Avenger skill had consumed her. It faded just as quickly, and her golden eyes displayed strong willpower. It seemed the loli had managed to push back the compulsion of her Avenger skill yet again.

'She is growing up.'

Well, that was true. Ais had matured physically and mentally since the day he met her in the dungeon.

He spotted a dragon spawning in the back of the narrow tunnel to replace a dead dragon's spot. The spawn rate seemed really slow as though the dungeon had to burn more resources on the Valgang Dragons than the black rhino monsters.

As Riveria had plenty of magic power, Asahi decided to take a backseat in this fight. He had to do it or the Loki Familia would feel like the achievement solely belonged to him. He trailed Alise and Ryuu, protecting them with flame walls whenever a dragon's fire came to strike them. Ryuu showed a complex expression at his overprotective behavior.

Ryuu pulled out the sword from a dragon's chest and shook her head. "I… can do this. Please, go look after Alise. She is way more reckless than me."

"Uh."

Asahi was at a loss for words. She was so nice yesterday, watching anime and all with all smiles. She was showing an opposite image right now. He checked her affection, finding it at 48. It should've been around 80 to 90, according to the affection notifications.

'Is she suppressing it like Saeko?'

He squinted for a second. Ryuu insisted again to support Alise, making his theory more believable.

'These girls are too pure for their own good.'

He could only shake his head.