Chapter 262: Not today

'Why am I so irrational right now?'

Marcia asked herself while looking at the broken doors in the royal court. The pressure was immense and she would usually be here with her party, but the one who was in front of her was a 19th floor adventurer.

It was shocking how the husband and his party could withstand all of this, but Marcia was questioning herself more than before.

This underground… was opened. One of the keys to the upside down castle was probably here and yet Marcia just stood before its doors. She just thought once about turning around and going for her party.

After all, this castle was a bother to everyone and also the huge treasury. It was just fair for her to return and call others and yet she stood, her eyes on the husband's back.

"Let's go."

Kyoya didn't hold himself too. He crossed the line first and went down with his wife immediately going to the other side as she was glued to his back. His party followed him, all leaving Marcia alone who was in disguise.

She could turn so easily now and yet…

"..."

Was Kyoya's influence that deep? He could've asked her to bring the party too, but it was clear that Kyoya didn't want to push his limits. Would every adventurer around the 19th floor get such treatment?

Would such powerful people run after him in such a dangerous place?

Thus, he never asked and relied on his own strength.

"Haaa…"

The leader could only sigh, her eyes narrowing. Even if the mask was gone, one would find it hard to read her emotions. And soon, she also crossed the line! Going straight below, Marcia quickly found the husband who was talking with his friend.

"It looks bizarre… There is one open wide area and many paths scattered around it… I am not sure if I can read every cranny, though."

"It's fine. Good that you can at least read this much."

"This much?"

Marcia muttered to herself, luckily no one heard it. She could guess that Josef somehow gathered intel about the underground, but not only did he do it fast, he also gathered the intel in this place!

A place that was a major obstacle for The Grooma Kingdom!

She was astonished unlike others. The husband's party was focused on their current work which was to find Rosa. To find her, they had to unveil all the mysteries gathered in this underground.

No one was thinking how amazing Josef was, but that was 'direct' disciple of his lord! He was one big newbie, though. Both Josef and his god were newbies in their own fields!

[Minimap.]

[You have found Divine Demon's Lightning Cultivation Rooms; If divine demon's creature brings the human or any other living creature, they will be able to extract their negative emotions out of it.]

[You have found a Believer Present Room; It's a room where any believer is able to attain lightning present. It's a room that divine demon's creatures desperately protect and try to break into.]

[Unique Quest has been triggered.]

[Unique Quest: Ninth Trickster God's Present: You can develop anti-lightning concept in this place by killing creatures, destroying the cultivation rooms and by conquering the believer present room.]

"Not today."

Kyoya would be glad if it was a normal adventure, but his party member was far more important. His eyes swept through the minimap carefully, but the dots couldn't be distinguished.

There were many rooms and the divine demon's creatures had way more advantages here as they had rooms. Only one room could be used by Rosa and her brother, so they had to first find that.

"It will be a pain in the ass, but we can do it."

"Yeah. Look, we are already getting welcomed," Josef's eyes spotted the creature emerging out of the shadow.

The humanoid lightning creature instantly tried to pounce at the party with clear intent to kill, but Josef was first. He tapped the ground with his feet, then the pebbles from the ceiling began to fall straight onto the creature.

Lightning specks danced in place of blood as Josef's technique was far from weak.

"Josef… Nice one."

"Thanks. I and Maria got much stronger than you can imagine!"

It was not only the husband and his party who were growing up in strength! His close friends also had their struggles and desires to reach! No one was alone, though! And this allowed them to overcome any obstacles.

"We have to thank those damn fishes, right?"

"Right! Haha!"

Josef was still not strong enough to kill the creature before it could clash with his party. The falling pebbles stopped the creature, but only for a while. But it was fine as Josef was already shifting his concepts.

He summoned earth hands from the wall and floor, then used these to stun the enemy.

His eyes then glanced at Kyoya and others, telling them that it's fine to just get rid of this first mere obstacle!

In a mood that could be only described as triumphant, Josef and his friends went forth to deal with the first enemy and find their lost party member!

'He got a bit of control over this place…'

Shocked by Josef who was technically a party member of her own party, Marcia looked at him and his girlfriend. These two were close with many people around their strength in Wings Free, but they were recently going alone on their missions.

Such growth could be stimulated by danger looming over their heads! The problem was that this danger was coming from her party for such potential adventurers!

Following the husband and his party, Marcia was deeply thinking about some serious talk with certain party member.

-

"Why haven't you called your guard?"

"Isn't it because I want my sister to return to her prime? No, it's been a long time already… Hmm… I want my sister to get as strong as possible, then?"

"You think it's funny?"

Rosa and her brother were in the believer present room.

This room was like a perfect training room with the unique system integrated to help lightning believers with their concept. One also could rest here! There were beds, food and everything needed for that harsh training.

This was unexpected for Rosa, but she saw how hard Mervase worked to get this place to.

That was why she asked that question yet Mervase joked while not trying to hide the truth at all. It was obvious as to why he hadn't called his guard or secretly passed his 'orders' to Rosa.

Now that they were in this room, the unique concept training could begin.

"It is funny. Because I can see your emotions clearly… It's a really unique place, isn't it?"

Mervase was at least honest now. He cleaned his sword, looking at it with no emotion at all. It was a mere weapon compared to what the future held for him. He was also regaining the lost energies in his equipment.

All of this was far easier and faster done as it was indeed present for the believers.

Though Mervase didn't get spared from the wounds, he was looking all fine and ready to conquer this whole place for himself.

"First, we heal. Then, we will use this place to learn more concepts. Be happy, Rosa. It's your lucky day."

"You are really a piece of shit."

"Hmm?"

Mervase didn't misheard. He turned his eyes at his sister, all smiles. This smile irritated her so much that Rosa just clenched her fists and began to speak what lied on her mind.

Her brother was a fool, "A fool that gets swayed by god's influence like a toy. How do you even plan to continue our lineage with such mindset? If our lord told you to sacrifice our whole family for power, would you do it? Of course, you would, trash."

"Haha! Rosa, you are right."

Rosa's brother was enjoying this as more emotions began to surface on Rosa's face. It wasn't like he was that sadist, but Mervase was not only influenced by his lord, but also this place.

He spread his arms widely, then boldly declared, "As long as I am alive, our blood will continue to prosper. The sacrifice you spoke about… If something like that were to happen, then our blood would only get further polished."

"Scum... Trash… Piece of shit…"

"Keep singing for me, Rosa. You look so much better already. Haha! This song will turn into a thunder melody later on."

The hate was so deep that it couldn't be properly shown on her face.

Though it would make Mervase glad if he knew about it, so Rosa stood silent and kept it all within herself.

-

On the other hand, Kyoya and his party found a problem…

"They are… fucking strong."

"We must keep our battles in a narrow corridor where I and Maria can control the earth… Otherwise, we will be done before we notice it… I fear that this open area we saw on minimap will be our worst and the hardest obstacle."

Josef was so useful that he was on the lead here. Kyoya and his party were mostly cursing or doing their job properly. The husband's first wife's remarks filled with the word 'Filth' sounded so normal that every took these as given.

The party continued to march their way in such a plan, then the first spot got conquered. This allowed Kyoya to get some break, but his heart was far from its calm state.

"It takes us a lot of time to move…"

"The husband… She is not that easy to kill. If the filth tries to do something, I am sure Rosa won't stay still and let him use that technique. If anything, she will be the one to buy enough time for us."

"You are right, Xaya."