Chapter 389

Chapter 394: Though the Plot is Clichéd, It Works Well (Please Subscribe!)

The trio, nearly exhausted, encountered the blonde adventurer.

Ignoring Goliath who had fallen like a backdrop in the cavern, Izay waved at the white-haired girl leading the group.

“Yo~ isn’t that Beier? Haven’t seen you in a while, and now you’re already at the middle layer?”

“I-Izay sir…”

Choosing to overlook his previous entrance line, upon seeing the familiar figure, Beier’s tense heart relaxed slightly.

In the dungeon, facing life-and-death crises at any moment, and being chased by the powerful labyrinth king… what could be more reassuring than having someone reliable and familiar appear before you?

Though due to Hiel and Ryu, Beier had met Izay quite a few times and knew him to be rather laid-back and easy to get along with.

But this impression wouldn’t distort Beier’s perception of him.

—A top-tier Level 5 adventurer. One of the small handful standing at the peak of Orario!

Someone whose back she could barely see from where she stood.

A person like this, probably even the floor boss Goliath on the seventeenth level would just be a bigger monster in front of him?

As if confirming Beier’s thoughts, the heavily wounded Goliath in the back and Izay’s nonchalant attitude said it all.

“That weapon is the world-class armed equipment {Que Xia}? The exclusive weapon of the first-level adventurer [Silver Star]!!”

Weirfu, the blacksmith of the trio, leaning on his great sword, stared intently at the dark silver spear embedded in the wall, taking a deep breath.

As a member of the Hephaestus Familia, one who was relatively favored by the deity, he had a unique impression of this renowned top-class weapon in Orario.

Because he had heard the goddess of forging speak highly of this weapon.

That goddess herself admitted it was an incredible weapon imbued with special “Divine Craftsmanship.”

This remark left a deep impression on Weirfu about the weapon, and he even considered it as his goal to strive for, but this thought didn’t last long before he gave up.

After all, if he couldn’t even see it, how could he strive for it?

It would be better to find an opportunity to study Beier’s mysterious little black knife; judging from the inscription on the sheath, it seemed to be personally crafted by Lady Hephaestus.

“[Silver Star]…” Liliruka bit her lip, looking at Izay with a complicated expression.

Indeed, being saved at this point was very gratifying, but there was also a cat-like sense of territorial threat.

Seriously?

There’s already a mischievous young goddess competing for Beier within the faction, and now there’s another strong rival outside?

Although the hero-saving-the-maiden plot is clichéd, its effect on pure-hearted maidens like Beier who yearn for heroes remains potent!

If things got serious, Beier might even willingly approach…

Then what should she do? What should Lady Hestia do!?

Liliruka felt troubled at this moment.

Actually, she was overthinking it.

Beier yearned to become a hero, not to have a hero appear for her.

If it were truly a case of hero saving the maiden, Beier would want to be the one doing the saving, not the one being saved.

“Judging by your battered state, this must be your first time entering the middle layer, right? Was it an accident? Reaching the seventeenth floor on your first attempt into the middle layer and encountering the floor boss, should I say you’re lucky or unlucky?”

Izay’s keen eyes naturally saw that the three were already at their limits. Exaggerating a bit, they could be blown over by a breeze.

Yet they managed to survive here and maintain some semblance of consciousness.

Even if he hadn’t arrived, they likely would have been pushed into the eighteenth floor by Goliath’s attacks and then helped by some kind-hearted adventurer passing by.

Don’t underestimate the “Luck” development ability; Izay definitely had something to say about it. By now, Beier should have acquired this ability.

While speaking, Izay glanced at Goliath struggling to get up and raised his hand slightly to activate magic.

An area of grayish-white Sigh Walls immediately manifested, producing a large patch of dark golden rock veins, skillfully controlling them to easily suppress this least impressive floor boss.

“Izay sir… please don’t tease me at a time like this… we had no choice…”

Hearing his usual teasing, Beier sighed twice with drooping eyelids.

Turning her head slightly to look at Goliath struggling in the dark golden rock veins behind, she couldn’t help but sigh.

That powerful floor boss Goliath, whom even her fully equipped team could only run from, was so effortlessly controlled by Izay.

This was the strength of a first-level adventurer…

“We’ve encountered some unexpected situations too… though they were man-made…”

“Hmph! What unexpected situation? Those bastards were clearly doing it on purpose! They saw there were only three of us and tried to save themselves by driving monsters towards us!”

Weirfu and Liliruka both had similar feelings, but hearing Izay’s words reminded them of why they ended up like this, and their expressions changed instantly.

“So, you’ve been subjected to ‘Monster Delivery.'” Izay nodded.

The predictable answer didn’t surprise Izay.

Their angry attitudes didn’t surprise Izay either.

The act of ‘Monster Delivery,’ Izay had experienced it himself in the past.

To describe it in one word: disgusting.

The behavior of pushing monsters onto others when one can’t handle them oneself feels particularly unpleasant when it happens to you.

Especially for teams like Beier’s who are new to the middle layers, it could be fatal.

Such is the reprehensible nature of ‘Monster Delivery.’

Thinking for a moment, Izay looked at the three and said, “Since we’ve met, I can’t just ignore it. Why don’t you come with me to the Loki Familia camp to recuperate? I’ll treat your wounds along the way.”

“Wouldn’t that… be too much trouble for you?” Upon hearing this, Beier timidly spoke up.

Izay shook his head, “Not at all, just treatment, won’t take much time.”

“But isn’t it improper to bring outsiders into such a big faction’s camp?”

Weirfu, the rough guy, showed surprising attentiveness in unexpected areas. After his words, Izay looked at him with a hint of amusement.

“Are you part of the Hephaestus Familia’s blacksmiths?”

“…Ah, yes, how did you know?”

“I’ve seen you in the Hephaestus Familia. Chun also mentioned an unreliable red-haired junior in her own faction. Speaking of Chun, she’s currently at our Loki Familia camp, working with several senior blacksmiths~”

“If she finds out I neglected her severely injured junior, she’ll surely make me eat poisonous mushrooms. That’s something she’d definitely do.”

After listening to Izay’s words, Weirfu was momentarily stunned before reacting immediately.

Half a month ago, he indeed heard Lady Hephaestus mention selecting elite blacksmiths to accompany the Loki Familia expedition team, but since his level wasn’t high enough, he didn’t pay much attention to it.

Recalling now, it was indeed true!

“…”

Then, the three exchanged glances.

Facing Izay’s willingness to protect them at this time, saying they weren’t moved would be a lie. Considering their own safety, it wasn’t embarrassing.

And since Izay appeared to not mind their company, why be coy?

After discussing among themselves, they agreed!

Thank you, Lord Izay, for temporarily accommodating them!

They quickly huddled behind the great master like little followers.

Taking advantage of the moment, Izay dealt with Goliath, storing the near two-meter-tall magic stone from the floor boss into his personal space, then led Beier and the others into the passage leading to the safe floor.

Not long after they left, another group visited the area.