Chapter 328

Chapter 331: A Feeling of Déjà Vu～ (Please Subscribe!)

As the group led by Izay gradually approached the grain storage on the 24th floor, another squad following closely behind arrived at the 18th floor.

Bert and Refia from Loki Familia, along with Philais from Dionysus Familia.

The three had been given missions by their respective deities to delve deep into the dungeon at this sensitive time, aiming not only to support Izay and Ais but also to investigate the cause of the anomalies on the 24th floor.

Being among the few deities aware of the existence of these new monster species like man-eating flowers, Loki and Dionysus both showed particular interest in them, albeit from different perspectives.

But then…

‘This team atmosphere is so stiff it’s almost awkward! I’ve never seen anything like it!’ Refia lamented silently within herself.

In front of her, Bert, seemingly bored out of his mind, walked ahead all alone, completely ignoring the two elves behind him.

And beside her, Philais, maintaining a step’s distance from Refia, remained silent throughout. Even when Refia tried to start a conversation, she only received cold “hmm, hmm, hmm” responses.

The tense team atmosphere caused the little elf considerable stomach pain.

From the moment they set off, the other two had made no effort to hide their antagonistic relationship akin to that of natural enemies.

A lone wolf accustomed to going solo and showing no mercy in any aspect, versus an elf with a strong sense of pride. The fact that they hadn’t parted ways right there was already a testament to Refia’s mediation skills.

Since setting off, the team had been shrouded in an unsettling atmosphere.

Refia usually teamed up with the easy-going Izay and would bring along Raul, who served as both comic relief and utility player. She had never encountered such a situation where not a single word could be exchanged!

She missed the good old days of teaming up with Izay… (Little Elf Sighs.jpg)

As the “observer” of this strange team dynamic,

Refia could clearly sense that both her teammates were of the type who appeared cold but had warm hearts.

There was no need to mention Bert, privately dubbed “Tsundere Wolf” by Izay; even the less familiar Philais gave her a similar impression.

When faced with monsters charging towards them, the latter would always take care of the danger first, eliminating the possibility of an attack.

Quietly, protecting their fellow magic art users.

‘Miss Philais probably doesn’t talk because Mr. Bert irritates her…’ Refia puffed out her cheeks.

According to Loki, Bert was simply the kind who couldn’t hold a conversation, a topic killer.

With just one sentence, he could ruin a conversation and annoy others.

The rigid atmosphere within the team was undoubtedly related to Bert’s argumentative attitude!

However, Refia’s disheartened mood didn’t last long. As an elf with a strong sense of camaraderie, she wanted to find a way to improve her friendship with Philais.

So she repeatedly initiated conversations with Philais.

Perhaps mindful that constant chatter might provoke another complaint from Bert, she lowered her voice as if trying to deceive herself, approaching her black-haired, crimson-eyed elven compatriot with patience and determination despite repeated setbacks.

And upon noticing the yellow-green little elf once again persistently coming closer…

Philais’ eyelid twitched slightly.

A familiar feeling of déjà vu began to rise within her.

This clingy persistence… it felt strangely familiar…

Up ahead, hearing the childish elf yet again starting an awkward chat behind him, Bert immediately displayed an expression of disdain.

‘Can’t she just shut up for a moment!?’

The werewolf couldn’t understand why his junior was so enthusiastic about talking to someone from another faction. Being used to working alone, he found it incomprehensible!

Whispered Complaint: Bert’s popularity among adventurers outside his familial group was abysmal. Thanks to his toxic personality, the phrase “no friends outside” was practically tailor-made for him.

Filled with exasperation, the werewolf unmistakably quickened his pace.

…

Floor 24.

As Izay’s group moved forward, changes began to occur in the dungeon.

The ceiling and walls, which originally resembled the bark of a tree, started to develop rocky textures, turning pale red in color, resembling underground caves.

This was the normal change near the grain storage area.

Deep within the space providing nourishment for hungry monsters lay a vast Great Void environment, specifically designed to accommodate the towering presence of the Quartz Grand Pillar.

The Quartz Grand Pillar exudes highly nutritious liquid, serving as the main food source for the monsters.

The appearance of such environmental changes indicated that the group was gradually nearing the grain storage area. It wouldn’t be surprising if a fierce battle broke out anytime soon.

However, at this moment, a peculiar phenomenon caught the attention of the adventurers.

“What… is this?”

“…A wall? No, it feels more like a plant!”

“Wasn’t this thing here before?”

Blocking the center of the passage—no, rather, blocking the entire path ahead—was a massive green wall.

Its eerie color and swollen, fleshy surface, distinctly different from the dungeon walls, obstructed the elite squad.

This sight, causing doubt in their eyes, stirred unease throughout the team.

Furrowing her brow due to the appearance of the wall, Asfi turned around to confirm.

“Lulune, are you sure this is the right path?”

The canine girl consistently served as the team’s scout, her acute senses perfectly suited for the role, determining the route and carrying maps being Lulune’s regular duties.

“Y-Yes, this is definitely the right path! I haven’t made a mistake; this should be the route leading to the grain storage. There shouldn’t have been such obstacles…”

Upon being questioned by Asfi, Lulune quickly took out the map to review it again.

“The path is correct; we’re the ones who are blocked.”

Izay quietly activated his perception magic, a sapphire magic circle hidden beneath the ground extending its magical veins in all directions.

With the aid of magic, he gained a comprehensive view of the surroundings, including the somewhat unsettling sights beyond the green wall.

“Blocked?”

Opening her eyes wide, Asfi glanced back at Izay, then looked up at the mysterious green wall obstructing their progress.

The side walls spread out normally without any abnormalities. It seemed that the dungeon itself wasn’t malfunctioning, but rather, this green wall was an alien entity deliberately “placed” here.