Chapter 258

Chapter 261: The Starting Point of a Dream (Please Subscribe!)

Among the eighteenth floor, everyone as usual split the expedition team into two groups to climb upwards. Riviria oversaw one group while Finn and Gress managed another.

Since the maze passages above the eighteenth floor are standard cavernous terrain and relatively narrow, having everyone crowded together would make movement difficult and slow down the return time.

Izay was in the vanguard group overseen by Riviria, along with dozens of other members including Ais.

Most were rear-guard magical arts practitioners and supporters responsible for carrying luggage.

Finn and Gress, on the other hand, formed the rearguard, transporting the preserved spoils of the expedition as well as the dropped items and magic stones obtained on the way back.

Though the events of this expedition still lingered in their minds, as they got closer to the surface, the atmosphere within the group gradually relaxed.

Some chatted, others bickered, and the fatigue from constant travel seemed to fade.

Soon, the group arrived at a spacious cavern.

And then… the relaxed atmosphere abruptly ceased.

The moment they stepped into the cavern, an odd cracking sound echoed through the previously silent space.

“Crackkkk——”

Not long after, the dungeon wall in front of them shattered.

“Bwwaaaaaahhh……”

A menacing presence, or rather, heavy breathing descended upon the cavern.

With massive muscular bodies and copper-red skin—representative monsters of the middle layer, the Minotaurs appeared.

The bull-like creatures, their eyes bloodshot, breathed heavily, as if they were about to charge forward any second.

Surrounded by these towering monsters, everyone’s expressions became oddly complex.

“Not again? Are we really going to have a ‘Monster Feast’ just before leaving!?”

Someone muttered in the group, voicing everyone’s thoughts.

At this point, everyone was just thinking about returning to the surface to rest.

But suddenly, a large group of monsters appeared in front of them, blocking their way with an attitude that suggested they wouldn’t let them leave until they were all dead.

It was quite demoralizing.

In no time, their gaze towards the Minotaur horde grew increasingly sharp…

Question: What should be done when a large group of potential Level 2 upper monsters surrounds dozens of Level 3, Level 4, and even Level 5 adventurers?

Answer: Surrounding? That’s not surrounding; it’s being surrounded!!!

Naturally, the situation turned into a one-sided massacre.

Led by Izay and Ais, they swiftly eliminated half of the Minotaurs in a flash.

The magical arts practitioners didn’t even have time to chant spells.

If they didn’t hurry up and strike with their staves, there’d be no room left for them to act!

“Bwaaa?”

“Bwwaaaahhhh!?”

However, possibly intimidated by the overwhelming disparity in strength, when the first Minotaur turned tail and fled, the remaining monsters all began to escape.

“They’re running away?”

“Hey! Aren’t you supposed to be monsters!?”

This unexpected turn shocked Tiona and Bert, his bewildered reaction strangely comical.

“This familiar scene… isn’t this where dreams begin?”

“…Lord Izay, what are you talking about?”

“Don’t worry about dreams, Izay! Hurry up and chase them! There are other adventurers above!”

Izay mumbled nonchalantly. Spring姬 looked confused, but Rivi利亚 quickly slapped him, pointing her delicate finger at the fleeing Minotaurs as if saying: Get moving, boy!

Scolded by the boss lady, Izay obediently said “Oh,” and then rushed off with Ais and the others to chase the Minotaurs.

As for Spring姬, she stayed close to Riviria.

Being only a mere Level 1, she couldn’t handle the Minotaurs.

Unfortunately, those escaping Minotaurs ran towards the sixteenth floor passage. If regular adventurers encountered such a large group of Minotaurs, the outcome would be obvious.

To rectify their mistake, the group chased the Minotaurs madly.

Racing up floor after floor, despite the scattered Minotaurs, Izay felt inexplicably puzzled.

For some reason, although they were running around chaotically, each time they ascended a level, a few of them clearly found the route to the next floor, continuing ever upward.

Upon reaching each floor, Izay used his perception magic to guide the group.

He pointed out the scattered positions of the Minotaurs, focusing on the farthest batch himself.

Thus, the number of people in the chasing group dwindled.

By the fifth floor, only one Minotaur remained, pursued solely by Izay and Ais.

“Ais, this way.”

“Okay!”

Izay, enveloped in the glow of activated magic while running, could clearly sense the movements of the Minotaur, almost like he had a mini-map.

“Buwoooooooohhhhhhhhh——”

The next moment, a roar shook the cavern, reaching Izay and Ais’ ears, faintly accompanied by a small whimper.

“That poor kid…”

The image conveyed by the magic made Izay mutter something cryptic.

Beside him, Ais, unsure of what he meant, didn’t question him at this moment but quietly quickened her pace.

Rounding a corner, they saw an adventurer being chased by the Minotaur, prompting Izay to immediately cast a spell.

“Wall Rising to Immense Heights!!”

“Boom—!”

The surrounding dungeon walls instantly surged, and several dark golden rock pillars shot out.

The sudden flanking attack pierced through the Minotaur’s massive body, shattering its magic stone and scattering ashes across the ground.

The adventurer being chased seemed completely unaware of the change behind them, still frantically fleeing forward.

“……?”

Ais watched the fleeing figure, which resembled a frightened white rabbit, and slowly raised a question mark.

Is it a girl?

Such a timid girl…

But judging by how energetic she was running, she seemed unharmed, so there was no problem.

With the final Minotaur dealt with, their pursuit mission was complete.

At this point, Ais turned to look at Izay, noticing him sighing while staring at the corner where the girl had disappeared.

“Ah, I was hoping to say hello…”

“Was that someone you know, Izay?”

Hearing this, Ais immediately looked at him curiously.

Izay shook his head and corrected her: “Not exactly an acquaintance, just someone I recognize.”

“—?”

“That happened before I came to Orario… due to getting lost, I ended up staying in the village where that girl lived for a few days. Her unusual white hair and red eyes left quite an impression on me.”

Izay explained succinctly, mixing truth with fiction.

Upon hearing this, the blonde girl nodded understandingly.

Before coming to Orario, Izay had gone through a period of being lost.

Eventually, he was brought to this city by the Goddess Artemis, a fact that wasn’t a secret within Loki Familia.

Meeting someone he once knew in the Dungeon… could only be called a coincidence.