I didn't know that fog had hallucinogenic effects(corrected)

(Author: maybe I'm doing too many time jumps? I don't know if you want me to write more chapters about his training, in my opinion, I consider them superfluous.

PS. the chapter is long)

A week had passed since the search started by the Loki Familia. During this time, Mark's strength increased incredibly, mostly because he continued to challenge himself. He spent his days on the 11th floor and sometimes he would go to the 12th as well, but due to the number of monsters, it was difficult for him to manage them all at the same time, so he would only be there for a short time.

While his 'golem heart' training proceeded normally. He still hadn't been able to exceed his 10-minute limit, but he found the use of the skill, less difficult to use, and he continued his shadow sparring with the image of Tione, even if it always ended with his death.

"Guide how long is it until sunset?" - Mark asked, as he finished killing the last group of monsters.

[ One hour host.]

"So it's time to go up."- Mark said to himself, as he began the climb.

'The 12th floor is problematic, as soon as I'm trying to fight a monster, three or more monsters, attack me at the same time, slowing my hunting rate.' - Mark thought as he reached the 7th floor.

'How can I...' - Mark's thoughts stopped as soon as he saw the scene in front of him.

"I didn't know that fog had hallucinogenic effects." Mark thought aloud as he rubbed his eyes.

How could one not deny Mark's words? In front of him, he could see Aiz with her damaged armor, who is using her legs as a pillow to a Bell who seemed fainted, also she was caressing the boy's head with a smile.

Hearing a voice from behind, the girl turned quickly while trying not to wake the boy, only to see a speechless Mark. Looking at his expression, she couldn't help but blush with embarrassment.

"Yes, I'm sure the fog did something to me." -Mark said, looking at the girl he considered expressionless now to be embarrassed.

To understand how this situation happened, we need to go back a few hours ago, when the Loki Familia had finished their search.

--- Pov Aiz ---

'It's not enough, the strength I have at the moment is not enough!' - I thought while I was killing the last spartoi.

"Wow, she did all this by herself" -Said Tiona in amazement, as she saw the pile of bones generated by me.

"Good work Aiz..." -Lefiya told me, but I wasn't focused on her expression.

"Please take care of the rest." -I told her as I walked away, I was not in the mood to talk.

It has been 3 years since I became level 5 and I have noticed that my growth has almost stopped and no matter how much exploration or research I do, my status grows little or nothing.

'I'm still weak' -I thought, clenching my fist.

Since that woman defeated me, the realization of my weakness has grown stronger and stronger. Every night I had the same dream, my mother and father's back moving away, but no matter how hard I ran, I would always find myself in a ditch full of the corpses of the monsters I had killed.

Inside me, there was a flame, a horrible flame that was always in search of the strength, burning everything it touches, and that had brought me to the brink of death several times. But since I joined the Loki Familia, that flame had started to lose power, with the kindness and affection that others gave me. For some time I thought it was gone, but after meeting the woman and the fact that she knew my mother's name, made those flames revive.

"Well guys, we can go." - Finn said as he got ready.

'I can't stay like this.' - Having made up my mind, I walked over to Finn and Riveria who were getting ready.

"Finn, Rivera, I'd like to stay behind. You don't need to worry about leaving supplies with me, I don't want to burden anyone. " -I said bowing.

"There is no way we will leave you here!" - Yelled Tiona.

"She is right, even if you can handle monsters at this level, being alone is too dangerous." - Tione agreed.

"Hmm, that's a problem, we don't have enough supply to stay." - Finn said thoughtfully.

I felt bad for causing that situation, with my request, I was putting the captain in difficulty.

"Finn, I'd like you to accept Aiz's request." -Said Riveria.

"!" -Hearing her words, I got up surprised, I expected that she would be the most against it.

"Riveria I'm the leader of the group, I can't make decisions just for one person." - Finn said seriously.

"If that's the reason, don't worry, I'll stay with her too."

"Then I allow it" -Said Finn smiling.

"Eh! Captain how can you accept! " -Said Tiona annoyed.

"Aiz rarely asks for anything, plus Riveria will stay with her, so I'm not worried." - Finn said simply.

"I apologize for my selfishness." -I told everyone bowing. I didn't dare to face them, especially because of my attitude of the last few days.

'tap'

Feeling something hit me, I lifted my head and rubbed my forehead, only to see Tiona smile at me.

"Now you are forgiven, me and the others will be waiting for you Aiz." -She said giving me the last farewell before leaving.

'It's warm' - The affection that my companions give me always manages to calm the flames that burn inside me.

"You too Riveria, thank you and I apologize for my behavior."

For me, Riveria was a very important person, in addition to teaching me she had been the closest figure to a mother I have had since I lost my parents.

"I hope that this way, you will be able to calm down." - She told me smiling.

After exchanging words with Riveria, I waited. At the moment I was at 37th, which was known as White palace, due to the white walls and ceilings. This floor is highly complicated due to its tunnels and is divided into 5 zones, and the monster that I intend to challenge is born in this zone.

'tremor'

While I was waiting, the earth began to shake, and a stone pillar emerged from the ground, which was then destroyed by the monster inside.

'GRAAAA!'

"Right, three months have already passed since Udaeus was killed." -Said Riveria frowning.

The monster that I intend to defeat was Udaeus, the boss monster of the 37th floor and a level 6. It had the appearance of a giant black skeleton, which was missing the lower part of the body, moreover, it was covered with black spines and horns coming out of its skull.

"Please do not intervene." -I told her while I was getting ready. "Tempest."

Activating my ability, I dashed towards the monster. As soon as it saw me approaching, it swung its very long arm, but I dodged by bending.

I quickly made my way to the monster's ribs, where the magic stone was present. But when I tried to swing the sword, it only managed to make a scratch.

'Its bones are too hard' - I thought as I dodged plowing spikes that appeared below me.

Udaeus's attack did not end there, because other spikes began to emerge from the ground getting closer and closer to me, which is why I was forced to retreat. During my retreat, skeletons came out of the ground in front of me stopping my run.

At that point, I began to attack the monsters, while I had to be careful to dodge the spikes that came out of the ground.

'More strength!' - Dodging Udaeus' fist, I moved to the side, and using 'aerial', I moved at an incredible speed behind the monster's head.

"Tempest !." -With eyes full of determination, I pierced Udaeus' head and managed to damage it, but I could not continue, because I had to defend myself from the spikes.

After I walked away, I was ready to attack again, when Udaeus did something I never knew it could do. it pulled a giant, all-black sword out of the ground and raised it high, ready to swing it.

'I have to dodge!'

Because of my constant fighting, my instinct was screaming to get away, so with 'aerial' I tried to get away as much as possible.

'BAAAANG!'

"GHA!"

"Aiz!" - Screamed Riveria who was farther away.

The power behind the blow was enough to destroy everything in its path and make me fly away.

"'Cough' all this damage even while I was using 'aerial' and not being hit directly." -But my face was covered with despair as even more skeletons began to emerge from the ground.

"Aiz retire, I'll take care of it from here." -Said Riveria, as she positioned herself in front of me.

'Why I can't be stronger!' -

Initially I was looking for strength only for myself and my hatred for monsters, but now I want it to protect my comrades. I'm afraid that my weakness could represent a danger to them, that's why I have to fight.

"Riveria wait, give me another chance, please." -I told her as I struggled to get up.

"Haaa silly girl. I hope you accept at least this. " - She told me while invoking an extremely fast chant, flooding me with a relaxing sensation, which closed the wounds.

"Thanks, Riveria." -I told her smiling, before charging towards the group of monsters.

"Tempest!" -Surrounding the sword with the wind, I swept away all the enemies that separated me from Udaeus, allowing myself to arrive in front of it.

'Inspires'

Taking a deep breath, I concentrated to the maximum, to extract all the strength from the 'aerial' and swung the sword.

'Clank'

'It stopped the swing! But the maximum output of 'aerial' is much stronger! '- Afterwards Udaeus and I exchanged more and more hits, and the power behind my swings became stronger and stronger.

"AAAAAA !!"

'GRAAAAA !!'

'Strength, I'm looking for the strength to reach goals never achieved! To make my dreams come true! To protect the people dear to me! '

'Clank'

Clashing our swords again, I charged as much 'aerial' as possible. - "Lil Rafaga!"

Surrounding myself with the wind, I charged full force towards Udaeus, who tried to defend himself with its sword, but the power behind my wind was such that it slowly crumbled its weapon.

"Wake up Aerial!" - Screaming at full force, the power of the wind increased exponentially, allowing me to break its sword and pierce its magic stone

'Heavy breaths'

"I did it." -I said while I was covered with wounds, before losing strength in my legs and starting to fall.

"You were fantastic Aiz" -Riveria told me with a proud smile, as she held me in her arms.

After giving me some medications, and giving me some potions to recover, Riveria used her legs as a pillow for my head, to put me to rest lying down.

"So Aiz, do you want to talk about what's happening to you?" -She asked me as she gently brushed my hair.

"... That woman with the red hair, she called me Aria." -I told her since she already knew about my secret.

"!" -After opening her eyes in shock, she took a deep breath and looked at me.

"Aiz, I'm glad you are counting on me, but remember that the others are there too. Everyone considers you part of the family, you are no longer alone Aiz. "

"I'll think about it."

I also consider others a family but I was afraid of how they might look at me once they discovered the truth. As those thoughts raced through my head, the sleepiness got the better of me.

When I was fully healed, we headed to the 18th floor, where we sold the remaining part of Udaeus's sword, and now we had reached the 7th floor, but I stopped when I saw someone lying on the ground.

"Did something happen Aiz?" Riveria asked me from behind.

"Someone is lying down, I take care of the monsters, you check his condition." - Seeing some goblins approaching, I treated them easily.

When I finished killing the monsters, I walked over to Riveria, who had finished checking his condition, but the moment I saw the boy's face I recognized him immediately.

"He seems to have used too much magic, and now he's passed out." -Said Riveria, while checking for injuries.

"Hmmm Riveria, do you remember that boy I told you about, the one about the minotaur accident... it's him." -I told her while pointing to him.

"Yes, I remember, besides Bete didn't stop laughing at the fact that he ran away from you covered in blood." -Said Riveria irritated by Bete's behavior.

"Exactly. I've never talked to him, but I want to apologize for scaring him. " -I told her slightly embarrassed.

"If you want to make peace with him, there is a very fast way." - She told me with a mysterious smile.

A few minutes later.

"This thing is quite embarrassing." -I thought slightly blushed as I used my legs as a pillow for his head. Riveria said that with this method, no one would be sad and before I could say anything, she was gone.

"They are soft." -Caressing his hair, I could feel their softness.

Looking at his armor, a smile formed on my lips. On the armor, there were several marks left by the monsters, but from them, you could see the progress he has made and the challenges he has overcome.

"I was similar."

The me of the past, even if it sought strength, I was not dominated by the flames. The white passion of adventure and emotion to improve myself, which I had long forgotten, was present.

I remember how my first fights were a disaster, I was charging forward without thinking and many times I was hurt by my mistakes, but it was fun. Trying to improve and find a way to defeat the enemy in front of me, filled me with passion.

'Thank you for making me remember the beauty of the adventure.'

I didn't even notice, that I was smiling with affection and because of the memories that went through my head, I didn't notice that a person had just arrived there.

"I didn't know that fog had hallucinogenic effects."

Hearing a familiar voice, I quickly turned my head, only to see a speechless Mark.