50th floor(corrected)

"It seems like such a long time ago, but it's only been four days eh." -Thought Mark as he looked at the various diamond-like crystals that gave light to the floor.

After the event on the 37th floor, they were all taken to the 38th floor to be healed. During the fight, fortunately, no one was killed, but many of them were more or less seriously injured, so they had to spend more time than necessary healing them.

Mark also found himself with a bandaged arm, but thanks to potions and healers, he was almost healed. Obviously being wounded he was no longer allowed to fight and for the remaining floors, he was only responsible for carrying the equipment, but he didn't mind, because he had managed to gain a lot from that fight.

Raising his hand, he concentrated carefully and the aura surrounding his hand turned a light grey color and covered it as if it were a film. While maintaining this state, he felt heat flowing through him invigorating him, but it didn't take long before the aura returned to how it was.

'I can only maintain it for a few seconds, but compared to having to train with no results, this is more than enough.' -Thought Mark smiling.

[This is only the beginning. At the moment you can focus your aura on small parts of your body, but the more you train, the more space you can cover].

'When will I be able to strengthen objects as well?' -Mark asked with some excitement.

Since he had been fighting, Mark started to feel strange. Every time he thought back to that fight, he felt his body fill with energy, longing for another battle. Initially, he felt uncomfortable with the situation, when he was on Earth, he considered himself more of a person of words than fists, but since he had come here, he had continuously fought and for this reason, he didn't mind that kind of feeling.

Being transported to this world, he knew that having an adequate level of strength was necessary. So as long as those feelings that required him to fight didn't affect his life, he would use them to grow faster.

[At the moment the host is only able to strengthen the aura. If you want your aura to be able to interact with the outside world, you must first learn how to manipulate it outside your body].

'It seems like there's still a long way to go.'

Even if he couldn't do it right away he was fine with it, he had just acquired a new power, and he couldn't expect to be able to use it perfectly right away without training first.

Leaving aside the aura part, Mark was more focused on something else. On the way up, the Guide alerted him to two more fragments, one on the 37th floor and the other on the 49th floor, respectively, where the bosses were born, which made him realize something, that the next fragments would most likely be in the rooms where the bosses were.

According to the Guide, the reason they would be there was that the bosses' rebirth cycle was the most suitable for human souls. The problem with those fragments though was the fact that they were only found in their solid-state when the boss released its magic stone and if that stone was moved to a different area, the shard would become ethereal again.

'If what the Guide said is true and that there are 10 shards in total in the dungeon, it means that I have already found 4, but at the same time, it means that there might be 6 more bosses. If that's the case, then the size of this dungeon is really scary, however, tomorrow's problems I'll solve tomorrow, right now I have another problem to deal with.''

Thought Mark wearily as he turned towards the person who was watching him from afar. As soon as he turned around he saw Tiona looking at him, but she quickly turned her head, pretending she wasn't looking at him.

'Sigh'-He didn't know what to do with her.

When he saw her feelings for him, he had a hard time understanding how they had changed like that, but then he realized that it most likely had to do with Tiona, the reason? Simple, the question she asked Mark before the exploration, was definitely referring to her sister.

Personally, Mark had no negative feelings towards Tiona, in fact, he found her an interesting person. Her cheerful and full-of-life way of life, made it so that he could relax near her, but the feelings he had towards the girl, were pure sympathy and gratitude for the help she had given him.

'I can already imagine the scene of Tione chasing me furiously because I rejected her sister's feelings and this is the lucky case. If Tiona became similar to Tione, it would become my nightmare, I don't want to be in the same situation as Finn.' -The very idea, was enough to send shivers down his spine.

Wanting to clear his head a bit, he decided to take a walk around the camp. Everyone seemed quite agitated, but they were trying to cheer each other up by laughing or joking and Mark could understand the reason behind their concern. A little while ago, Finn explained how the exploration would continue, he and the remaining main group of the Loki Familia would continue along with Lefiya, Alicia, Cruz, Raul, and Narvi as supporters and Tsubaki for maintaining their weapons.

With them gone, they would be left alone on the 50th floor and feared something similar to what had happened to the last expedition would happen to them.

"I won't be useless, I won't be useless."

"...Lefiya?"

Sitting behind a tent was Lefiya who kept looking at the floor as if she was possessed, while she kept muttering something under her breath.

"Oh you're here too Mark." -Tione who had just arrived told him.

"I was walking a bit when I saw her like this." -He pointed at Lefiya, who didn't even seem to notice them.

"Leave it to me." -She said with a smile ready to make a joke.

She slowly walked up behind the elf and blew on her pointed ear, making her scream out in surprise.

"HYAAAA! Tione when did you get here?!"

"Haaa ,you should be more careful of your surroundings, you didn't even notice Mark."

Turning over, Lefiya could see Mark hiding his mouth behind his hand, but she noticed how the corners of his mouth were turned up, as if he was holding back laughter, making her even more embarrassed of her state.

"Come on Lefiya there's no need to be embarrassed, I've seen your embarrassing sides too many times already."

"AH! You... You!" -Pointing to Mark with a trembling hand, Lefiya's whole face was tomato red.

"He's not wrong hahaha, but see the optimistic side, you're not tense anymore." -Tione smiled at her as she patted her shoulder.

"..." -Effectively Lefiya felt better after venting, but she still had a worried expression.

"Lefiya you don't have to worry, we will protect you, that's why I want you to relax. So tell me, in return for our protection, who will protect us?" -Tione asked her, taking Lefiya's face in her hands.

"...My magic!" -She said confidently.

"Great! If you're still worried we can all sleep together, ah but it's just a girl thing so you Mark aren't invited." -Tione told him with a sly smile.

Mark was about to counter, but Lefiya was quicker.

"Tione you must not give him such chances, he would surely give one of his ironic answers." -Seriously said Lefiya.

'Tch I already had one ready.' -Thought Mark defeated.

(Change of perspective)

'crack' 'crack'

On an unknown floor of the dungeon, a figure could be seen continuing to chew the magic stones of various monsters, but the strange thing was that it was surrounded by countless monsters of the new species.

"What are you up to?" -A figure dressed completely in black and with a mask on his face asked.

He was the same figure that had stolen the evolution jewel, during Ais's mission together with the Hermes Familia.

"Can't you see I'm eating?" -The person who was eating the stones, was none other than the mysterious red-haired woman, whom the Loki Familia had met few times before.

"The Loki Familia has reached the 50th floor, why didn't you do anything?"

"You should know that I was injured by 'Aria', I need to consume more stones to heal and increase my strength." -The woman said, continuing to eat without turning around.

"If complications arise..."

"There won't be, that group is strong, they will reach the 59th floor, where 'that thing' is waiting for them. Worst case scenario, all that is needed is 'Aria's' bones."-The woman said, interrupting the figure.

"Are you going to defy God?"

"I don't care if you and Enyo want to use us, do as you wish and in return, we will do as we please. If you have nothing else to say get lost."

Looking at the woman for a moment, the figure turned around starting to walk away from her as she thought about what to do.

(Author: I'm going to skip the part about the fight with the corrupted spirit since it would be the same as the original. I've already spent several chapters on this expedition, so I'd better wrap it up quickly).