42 The poor and defenseless Udaeus.

~METALLIC CLASH~

The thunderous sound of two swords clashing resonated throughout the dungeon.

A gigantic sword clashed against a small rapier.

One of the swords was wielded by a huge Skeleton, while the other was wielded by a small, delicate elf.

The confrontation seemed disproportionate, as anyone would think the gigantic sword would surely shatter the small rapier.

However, as is common in a magical world, the laws of physics are never present.

Upon colliding, the weapons created a great wave of air, then, as if competing in strength, both swords remained momentarily locked.

However, soon the enormous size of the sword and its wielder made their terrifying strength evident.

~ROOOAARRR~

With a titanic roar, the skeleton applied even more force, and the immense weight and energy pushed the elf's rapier violently.

" Ahhhh! " Being thrown through the air, the elf woman screamed in panic, unable to stabilize herself from the skeleton's impact.

" Elinalise!! " A panicked cry pierced through the dungeon.

Fortunately for the elf, soon a shadow swooped over her, grabbing her by the hips like a sack of potatoes, saving her from crashing to the ground.

" Hahaha Elinalise, did you really think you could compete in strength with Udaeus? Who do you think you are?? Eris? Hahaha " A burst of laughter came from the man who had caught Elinalise.

Elinalise, just recovering from the fall, felt her face flush with embarrassment and anger at the man's taunts.

" Shut up, you bastard Paul!!" With a flushed face of anger and embarrassment, Elinalise threw a punch at Paul's exposed back.

~ BANG ~

~ GAH ~

Paul, who received the blow to his back, spat out a mouthful of saliva.

" Ahhh!, you bitch, I save you and you repay me by hitting me " with a burst of righteous indignation, Paul immediately let go of Elinalise.

" Ah, don't let go of me!!" Being thrown by Paul, Elinalise didn't have time to stabilize herself and fell like a comet to the ground.

~ BAM ~

" Cough* cough* that hurts " Elinalise, landing on the hard rocks, held her back in pain as she coughed violently.

Fortunately for her, when Paul let her go, she wasn't too far from the ground, and with her Level 6 status, this was only a superficial blow.

" Haha Elinalise, is the ground tough? " Paul, descending safely, mocked Elinalise as he rubbed his sore back.

" Damn you, Paul, you're not worth a damn, do you really have the heart to throw a damsel like me to the ground" glaring fiercely at Paul, Elinalise got up painfully.

" Heh, who told you to hit your savior, stupid elf" With a disdainful expression, Paul made a universal gesture at Elinalise.

" Get lost" Waving her hands in disdain, Elinalise didn't want to continue arguing with stupid Paul.

~ METALLIC CLASH ~

However, as Elinalise prepared to return to the battlefield, the deafening sound of two swords clashing echoed throughout the 38th floor.

" Haha, look Elinalise, now that's strength!!" With a huge smile, Paul pointed out Udaeus' position.

Turning her gaze, Elinalise could see a confrontation, this time between Udaeus and Eris.

However, unlike her previous embarrassing clash of swords, this time it was Udaeus who recoiled.

~ BAM ~

Eris's immense strength pushed Udaeus's sword back, making his huge figure stagger.

" Tsk " with an annoyed click and a flushed face, Elinalise wished she could bury her head in the ground.

Indeed, in her first attack on Udaeus, Elinalise had been overconfident and decided to face the giant head-on.

A clear mistake on her part, which became painfully obvious when she went flying.

Shaking her head, Elinalise could only blame her own stupidity.

She is well aware that among the Level 6 members of her family, she is undoubtedly the one with the least physical capabilities.

However, she is also the fastest among the Level 6 members of her family; probably the only one who matches her speed is Alfia.

" Elinalise, are you okay? " Soon, while Elinalise was reflecting on her foolish thoughts, Riveria's somewhat concerned voice sounded behind her.

" Riveria-chan!!, please open your coat and let me hide my head inside it! " Upon hearing her captain's soft voice, Elinalise immediately turned around and, with a regretful expression, grabbed Riveria's coat.

~ BANG ~

" Of course not! " Seeing Elinalise was well enough to take advantage of her, Riveria's expression relaxed, and then she immediately grabbed her staff and hit Elinalise's head.

" Ouch! " Feeling her brain rattle, Elinalise held her head in pain.

" Hmph, you're a stupid one, you know your specialty isn't strength, but still you dare to face Udaeus head-on" with a furrowed brow, Riveria began to scold Elinalise.

" Yes, yes, sorry... " With a bitter expression, Elinalise quickly started to apologize.

" Hmph, I know it's useless for you to apologize when you don't listen to people, from now on..."

To her pity, her small apologies didn't spare her from Riveria's scolding this time.

~ METALLIC CLASH ~

~ ROOOAAARR~

Meanwhile, the battle against Udaeus continued, although anyone watching the fight from afar would only see a few people intimidating a poor floor boss.

With Eris charging ahead, Ghislaine looking for opportunities to deliver devastating blows, and Talhand blocking Udaeus's devastating attacks.

Udaeus could only feel aggrieved and wonder who the real floor boss of the place is.

...

~ ROOOAAARRR~

With the final roar, the floor boss Udaeus fell completely.

Dispersing into particles, a huge crystal and Udaeus's beautiful jet-black sword remained in place.

" Wasn't Udaeus supposed to be really powerful? Why was that thing so weak? " with an unsatisfied grunt, Eris disdainfully looked at Udaeus's huge magic stone.

For her, the previous fight was really boring; in her opinion, the only worthy thing about Udaeus is his strength and endurance.

Whether it's his agility, dexterity, or sword technique, everything is mediocre. That, in Eris's opinion, made the fight absurdly boring.

Her previous desire for battle faded just moments after the fight began.

On their part, everyone except the executives of the family looked resentfully at Eris.

For Eris, she might be a weak rival, but for any other adventurer, the absurd endurance and immense strength of Udaeus are simply unbeatable.

" Eris-sama is in Versailles again..."

" Damn it, why do I feel inexplicably scorned?"

" That's because a floor boss who can turn you into mincemeat in seconds has just been looked down upon in front of you."

" As I watched the fight, I couldn't help but wonder who the real monsters of the place were..."

" We must be, we came to Udaeus's house, dragged him out, and beat him up."

" Now I have a little guilt in my heart..."

While Eris complained, the members of the Family commented with pity for poor Udaeus. (Udaeus: Poor, defenseless, and pitiable)

After the groups chatted for a while, Riveria's voice soon pulled them out of their conversation.

" Are you all right? Let's not waste any time, gather the stones and let's go! " Riveria, who had finished scolding Elinalise, approached the team and gave orders when she saw they weren't moving.

" Understood! " Setting aside their complicated feelings, the family members quickly organized themselves to continue descending.

...

Inside a Camp Tent.

Minutes before the expedition group's departure.

" Riveria-sama, I recommend that we leave the level 2 and 3 adventurers on the 37th floor " Elinalise said with a serious voice.

Upon hearing Elinalise's words, Riveria frowned; she naturally understands what Elinalise means.

After the 48th floor, the ultra-deep floors of the dungeon begin. Most monsters in this place have an integral strength of level 4.

Therefore, level 2 or 3 adventurers do not have the ability to continue descending.

That's why Elinalise recommended leaving them on the safe 37th floor so they wouldn't risk the lives of adventurers from her family.

Although Riveria knows all this, she still feels uncomfortable when she thinks about leaving part of her expedition behind in the dungeon.

Even though the 37th floor is safe, there can still be a risk of a monster party from floors 36 and 38.

Elinalise, who knows her captain well, saw Riveria's concerns. Assuming the reason for Riveria's concern, Elinalise said:

" Riveria-chan, if you're so worried, I can leave Rakash on the 37th floor " With a smile, Elinalise said to Riveria.

" Um... " Upon hearing Elinalise's suggestion, Riveria felt much better.

With Rakash's strength and leadership ability, even if there's a monster party, he can defend himself.

Taking a deep breath, Riveria decided " All right, inform the level 2 and 3 members, and also inform Rakash about the situation."

Although it's uncomfortable for her to leave part of her team behind, she knows it's necessary to advance to the ultra-deep floors.

Once they get there, with the huge number of monsters, it will be difficult for them to take care of level 2 and 3 adventurers.

" Riveria-sama! "

While Riveria was lost in her thoughts, the cry of a woman pulled her out of her thoughts.

Turning her gaze to the woman, Riveria saw a dark-skinned woman with an eye patch.

" Tsubaki" with a smile, Riveria greeted the half-dwarf.

During their expedition, the Hephaistos Family was of great help.

The large number of monsters causes weapons to lose their edge or break constantly.

However, thanks to the Hephaistos Family, Riveria doesn't have to worry about that.

During each expedition break, the Hephaistos Family takes advantage and starts sharpening weapons and repairing the damaged ones.

Thanks to that, they were able to save many weapons and avoid inconvenience due to a shortage of weapons.

Of course, the Hephaistos Family didn't work for free; the benefits they receive from this expedition are also quite substantial.

Thanks to the help of the Rozzo Family, they managed to reach the 38th floor, a floor they hadn't had the chance to explore personally.

Also, the family has collected many materials along the way; thanks to that, there is no longer a shortage of materials in the Hephaistos Family.

" Riveria-sama, I heard that we have to leave the level 2 and 3 adventurers on the 37th floor " with a somewhat complicated expression, Tsubaki approached Riveria.

" You are correct, that's how we decided to organize the team to continue descending to the ultra-deep floors " Riveria nodded and confirmed Tsubaki's words.

" Um... Is this absolutely necessary, Riveria-sama? " With a bitter face, Tsubaki asked.

For the Hephaistos Family, this is not good news; after all, their family is full of blacksmiths, and most of them are level 2 and 3.

So if they have to leave all their level 3 and 4 members behind, they'll practically have to leave their whole family behind.

Because apart from her, there is no other level 4 or 5 in the Hephaistos Family.

Riveria, seeing Tsubaki's complicated expression, after thinking for a moment, understood her complications.

" I'm sorry, Tsubaki, but after the 40th floor, my family will lose the ability to protect both your lower-level adventurers and mine " With an apologetic smile, Riveria told Tsubaki.

" Um, you don't need to apologize, Riveria-sama, I understand your reasons " Upon hearing Riveria's apologies, Tsubaki quickly said.

She also has part of the dungeon's information, so she also heard that the ultra-deep floors can only be challenged by first-level adventurers.

She just came to confirm and see if there might be some small hope.

After all, if she leaves her team behind, it will be very difficult for her to bring materials, as she only has two hands.

" Um, don't worry, I'll do what I can to gather materials for you " Being aware of Tsubaki's needs, Riveria said.

" Thank you very much, Riveria-sama!! " With a big smile, Tsubaki felt more relieved.

After a few more words, Tsubaki went to pass on the news to her family.

On the other hand, Riveria sat in the chair of the makeshift desk, looking

at the dungeon information received by Alfia.

" How strong is the Balor? " Throwing a question to the seemingly empty tent, Riveria waited for the response.

" Its integral strength should be level 7... I recommend you to go on a crusade with all your main members " The soft and indifferent voice of a woman resonated in the tent.

Then, appearing out of nowhere, a woman with a hood sat comfortably in the chair next to Riveria.

" Thank you for your information, Alfia " Receiving the information from Alfia, Riveria thanked her.

Then, taking the teapot on the table, Riveria poured some for Alfia.

Taking her cup, Alfia drank Riveria's delicious tea with satisfaction.

" You don't have to thank me, we're family, it's normal for me to help you " with her usual indifferent voice, Alfia said, though if you paid attention, you would feel a touch of warmth in it.

" All right! I'll go prepare the rest of the team, you can stay here peacefully, Alfia, I'll be back later " Carefully organizing all the information, Riveria walked out of the tent.

...

Pov Alfia

Watching the departure of the elven captain, Alfia sighed.

It's been about a month since she joined the family, and during this time she has requested to get to know everyone within it.

Getting to know most of the members, Alfia realized that the word "family" held much more weight here than in her previous family.

People within the Rozzo family treat each other as if they were a real family.

The atmosphere is always filled with warmth, honesty, and kindness. For her, a cold woman, this amount of affection was really difficult to accept.

Whether it's Riveria's almost maternal love, who even worries about whether the members of her family have eaten well.

She herself witnessed the huge amount of money paid to the family chefs, when she asked why such lavish spending.

Riveria simply uttered words that a mother would say.

"A delicious meal brings a happy heart, a happy heart brings peace and harmony to the family." Remembering Riveria's words, Alfia perfectly understood why she had earned the nickname "mama."

Then there's the stupid elf Elinalise, who despite being called her "sworn enemy," always asks if she needs anything or has any needs.

Even when she said she would go look for her nephew, Elinalise offered to look for him with her.

Then there's Talhand, who despite his reserved personality, still showed up at her residence and asked if she wanted a weapon or armor.

He even said that if she didn't have money to pay for it, he would do the work for free.

Then there's Ghislaine, who despite being a woman of few words, is always attentive to any problems within the family.

She also offered to help her look for her nephew.

And also the two balls of perversion, Paul and Rudeus, who although Alfia thought would be like the types in the Zeus family, who only seek to be under a skirt.

She soon realized she was wrong; although they are undoubtedly perverts, after getting to know them a little better, she realized they have great qualities.

Paul, who has the personality of a family man, is always helping family members in training fields.

Teaching new techniques, sharing his adventurer knowledge, giving advice and suggestions.

Then there's Rudeus, who is teaching magic to many in the family, even asking Riveria to give him a teaching classroom.

And every day, he gets up early and teaches basic magic classes, not only on how to learn it but also on how to protect oneself from different spells.

He even teaches how to fight mages properly, which seemed absurd to Alfia.

Why would you teach mages' weaknesses when you are a mage yourself?

And then there's their Kami-sama, the reason she joined the family, a man who in Alfia's opinion, could be described in many ways.

He can be lazy, irresponsible, and annoying, yet he can also be a wise leader, a determined man, a kind father, and a fair and upright person.

A person that Alfia has come to respect, whether for his power, his personality, his way of being, or his love for his own family.

This family atmosphere makes it really difficult for Alfia to adapt, one that has no intrigues, lies, or hatred.

Unlike her old family, the members here don't want to become stronger to impress their God or to boast.

They seek strength to better protect their own family.

"Sighh... Meteora would love this place." Thinking of her sweet sister, Alfia thought she would really fit in here.

Looking at the warm tea in her hand, carefully prepared by Riveria, a small smile appeared on Alfia's face.

Although she feels it will be difficult for her to adapt to this place, at least for now, she didn't dislike it in the slightest.

--------------------------------------------

That's it for today's chapter!

Probably in three more chapters, the expedition will end, and then we'll move on to Fate.

Thanks for the support!!!