27 Familiar Figure

Dungeon, 1st Floor.

At the entrance to this floor closest to the surface, Riezel and Lefiya descended the stairs.

Accompanying them were other adventurers—Beastmen, Dwarves, Elves, and even Amazonesses.

Among them, Riezel and Lefiya didn't stand out much. Aside from a few male adventurers casting slightly lustful glances at her, the two hardly drew anyone's attention.

Lefiya, however, seemed a bit uneasy. She tightly gripped her staff, carrying a massive backpack on her back, and followed behind Riezel, taking each step cautiously.

He chatted casually with her until they completed the descent of the stairs and set foot on the soil of the 1st Floor.

"So, just like we discussed earlier, I'll take the role of vanguard, and you'll be the rearguard for firepower support. Is that okay with you?" Riezel asked.

"N-No problem!" Lefiya quickly nodded, not expressing any objections.

"Great. Then, I'll leave it to you." Riezel nodded and instructed. "Since we're short one member in our party, as the rearguard, you might face some risks. I'll do my best to keep any monsters away from you. Just focus on chanting your magic."

Typically, dungeon exploration was most effective with a party of three, handling attack, defense, and support roles. The vanguard took on the main offensive role, drawing enemy attention, and blocking their advance. The mid-guard defended against enemy counterattacks and supported the vanguard. The rearguard primarily provided long-range support, using magic attacks, bows, or crossbows, and also handled recovery for frontline injuries.

The Guild and Familias organized exploration using this party example, as a party of three was considered the minimum requirement for dungeon exploration unless conditions didn't allow it.

In situations where a party lacked a member, becoming a party of two, the burden on each member increased, and the likelihood of encountering unexpected dangers rose.

Lefiya, being a pure rearguard mage, could do little other than long-range attacks and support with magic. Considering this, Riezel took on both the vanguard and mid-guard roles himself.

In other words, he had to act as the vanguard, charging forward, attracting enemy attacks, and intercepting all monsters to prevent any from reaching her position. This burden was indeed heavy, making Lefiya feel somewhat guilty.

"Sorry for not being of much help..." Lefiya said while avoiding eye contact with him.

"Don't say that." Riezel shook his head. "You're a rearguard mage; that's your role. You shouldn't be doing things beyond your responsibilities."

With that, he took out a map, unfolded it, and laid it out in front of them.

"Considering our party was just formed, and we don't know each other well yet, let's take it easy today. We'll probably be fine exploring up to around the 9th Floor. What do you think?"

Lefiya, who was a Level 3 second-class adventurer, even as a pure rearguard mage with no close combat abilities, held the advantage in levels. Floors with only Level 1 monsters were unlikely to cause fatal injuries to her. Therefore, unless they descended to the 13th Floor with Level 2 monsters, she would likely only sustain minor injuries even if attacked.

However, considering it was their first time cooperating as a party, going directly to the 10th to 12th Floors with larger monsters might have posed some risks. Therefore, Riezel temporarily set the goal for the 9th Floor.

Although he personally wanted to go further down, today's goal wasn't seeking excitement but honing group combat. He had to abandon the idea that could be criticized by everyone and focus on the 'safety' issue that he wasn't too keen on before.

However, while Riezel felt he had sufficiently considered safety, Lefiya was startled by his idea.

'9th Floor?!'

Lefiya looked into Riezel, filled with shock.

'No way, right? He just became an adventurer not long ago, and he even received the blessing recently. He's a complete rookie. How can we run off to such a deep floor?'

She thought with worry. 

As someone who accompanied Familia seniors on distant expeditions, she had ventured to depths around the 50th Floor. Naturally, a mere 9th Floor wouldn't scare her.

But Riezel had joined the Familia not long ago. Even though Lefiya couldn't quite adopt a senior attitude in front of him, she knew how dangerous it could be for a rookie to venture into the 9th Floor.

It was a floor that only seasoned adventurers, considered skilled even in Level 1, could tackle, and that too in a proper party.

For Riezel, a rookie who had joined the Familia less than a week ago, going to such a floor only with her, who was still immature in her own right, and taking on the roles of vanguard and mid-guard simultaneously was, to put it bluntly, a reckless move.

"No worries." Riezel assured as he sensed her reluctance. "It's just the 9th Floor. It won't pose any danger to me."

With his current status, the 9th Floor held almost no difficulty for him.

Without delving into details, his basic abilities like 'DEX' and 'AGI' were already at B-rank, with 'STR' and 'END' at C-rank.

According to the safety exploration requirements for Level 1, from 8th to 10th Floors needed a basic ability between E-rank and C-rank, while the 11th and 12th Floors required B-rank to S-rank.

Therefore, he could easily explore down to the 11th Floor or even the 12th Floor without a problem.

"But..." Lefiya, who was still unaware of all this, was somewhat concerned and hesitated.

Seeing her like this, Riezel didn't insist.

"How about we try exploring first and decide later how far down we can go?"

At his suggestion, Lefiya breathed a sigh of relief and nodded repeatedly.

"Then let's go." Riezel put away the map and smiled at her.

Looking at the calm and steady smile on his face, Lefiya seemed to find reassurance and started to smile as well, which was rare.

At this moment, she had no idea that the calm and steady demeanor she perceived was just a surface impression.

Soon enough, her understanding of him would shatter into pieces.

===

Dungeon, 6th Floor.

This floor was deeper than the 5th Floor, often referred to as the first casualty line for adventurers, and far more dangerous than the 5th Floor.

On this floor, there lurked a creature known as the War Shadow.

It had a humanoid silhouette, devoid of any fur or skin-like texture, its entire body seemed as if coated in black paint. The head formed a cross, the face resembling a mirror, presenting a heteromorphic monster strikingly similar in height to a human shadow.

The War Shadow, along with the Killer Ant on the 7th Floor, earned the moniker 'rookie assassins'.

While their attacks were predictable, they possessed astonishing power and speed. With arms boasting an impressive reach, they could extend from various angles.

Their sharp claws could effortlessly sever heads, much like a longsword. For rookie adventurers who had only faced low-level monsters like Kobolds and Goblins, they posed a deadly threat.

Especially when the numbers of War Shadows accumulated, even a seasoned Level 1 adventurer could risk their life if surrounded.

Considering this, many adventurers regarded War Shadows as one of the most threatening monsters on the upper floors. Dealing with one or two was manageable, but encountering a group of them, unless you were at a higher level, was a challenge rarely undertaken.

However, today, a rookie who had recently received a blessing shattered this unspoken rule between adventurers in the most brutal manner.

*Pu-chi!*

Accompanied by a sound resembling the cutting of flesh, a silver sword swiftly sliced through a War Shadow's neck, sending its cross-shaped head soaring.

Riezel, wielding a slender sword, darted among a group of War Shadows.

The numerous War Shadows surrounded him, extending their sharp claws, intending to disembowel him. Yet, their usual speed and attack range were ineffective before him.

With bullet-like speed, Riezel effortlessly dodged the sluggish War Shadows. His sword easily pierced through countless sharp claws, creating flashes of blade light, disemboweling, and killing War Shadows on the spot, without stopping.

From a distance, it looked like a phantom flickering among a group of War Shadows, creating waves of blade light and afterimages, engaging in a one-sided massacre that was particularly awe-inspiring.

"..."

Lefiya, who watched from a distance, was left in awe.

Originally planning to chant her magic for support, completely forgot her duties and stared blankly at the rookie wreaking havoc among the monsters.

'...Is he really a rookie?'

'Such an experienced movement.'

'Such beautiful swordsmanship.'

'Could a rookie really achieve such feats?'

'Are rookies this strong nowadays?'

'Then, what am I?'

'A useless trash?'

Lefiya started to doubt herself, dumbfounded by the scene before her eyes.

But most surprisingly, amidst Riezel's ruthless onslaught, she perceived a familiar figure. A figure she had admired, idolized, and cherished for a long time.

'Miss Ais...?'

'Mr. Riezel's fighting style... Why does it resemble Miss Ais's so much?'

Lefiya was confused.