The floor was different from the get go.
First of all, it didn’t look like a labyrinth at all.
It was a vast space. From what I could see, the wall also shined a dull white.
There was something like a nest in a crack on the pillar, and I caught sight of a monster in it. I also saw monsters prowling along the wall.
Carlos muttered bitterly. Though Ria did treat it like a dog, the boss on the second floor was a small fry here.
“How much does it fear you, Nee-chan…”
“Although it is possible to make it your familiar, you can’t take it out of here.”
“That’s a shame.”
As for what came next, it was a black horse with two horns on its brow.
Two headed towards them, so one was left to Carlos and Gig while Ria handled the other.
Due to some sort of criteria, she gave it up and killed it with a swing.
“Horse meat♪ Horse meat♪”
Drawn by Serge’s question, Ria returned him a cheerful smile.
To begin with, it was different than a unicorn. Bicorns had poison in their horns. It was obviously classified as a monster.
In conclusion, the bicorn was delicious.
By the third room’s exit, it was time for camp.
“Even so Nee-chan, your earth magic is your strong point.”
“… Well, to each their own huh.”
Basically, Ria is good at bestowal magic and reinforcement magic. After that, offensive magic to defeat enemies at long range.
Though she’s thought to be a muscle-brain that just leaves everything to her katana, she’s learned a variety of methods.
The magicians were mentally exhausted from the day and took a full rest. The two people with keen senses, Ria and Maal, split up taking watch.
While stroking the fur of Maal’s head on her lap, Ria’s senses sharpened.
(Hmph…)
Something’s watching us. No, probing us.
One was obviously hostile. Not to the point of killing intent, probably because it’s a distance away.
I felt this when we finished the first floor.
The hostility contained something like a pressure. That was it, not a big deal.
It had probably been watching Ria the whole time. Yet not coming into contact.
For now, she had no choice but to wait and see.
They reached the center of the fifth floor the next day, and Ria found the owner of the signs.
“Explorers, you did well coming this far…”
That person spoke with human words.
At a glance you’d even think him a beastkin. However, if you looked closely, you’d find it made of just a single creature.
The legs of an eagle, the body of a bear, the head of a wolf, the horns of a sheep, and wings of a bat.
“Nee-chan, that’s a devil. It can use magic at level 75 so be careful. It can blow fire.”
Serge warned her with a whisper. Of course, Ria also noticed it wasn’t the same as her opponents until now.
Devils and demons were different existences.
Summoned by some means from another world, they generally have high intelligence.
“He’s been watching us since yesterday.”
And yet around ten percent of explorers still made it to the fifth floor.
The devil produced many arrows of fire around his body.
“Lulu! Use defensive magic! Carlos, defend those three! Gig and I will attack!”
She broke into a run. Ria caught the fire arrow that came toward her with her palm.
Heat Resistance. If it’s a flame of that degree, it was only slightly hot.
As for the fire arrow going towards Gig, it disappeared on the way. Seeing the movement of magic power, it was likely Serge’s magic influencing the space.
And as expected, Carlos defended the three people with low defenses using his armor and shield.
The devil didn’t have a chance to use magic again.
“Shaaah!”
Unsheathing her sword with quick draw, she severed halfway down the claw devil’s arm.
“Aaaah-!”
The devil retreated, jumping back to regain its stance. However, Ria’s katana flashed again.
One leg was cut off. The devil’s expression warped into that of a beast’s.
“You bastards…”
When the devil appeared from within the smoke, it didn’t appear to have taken any damage. Physical attacks were probably more effective after all.
The moment she thought that.
She felt a surge of unprecedented magic power and looked back reflexively.
She saw Serge, holding the sword in his hand towards the heavens.
“EX-CA-LI-BUUUUUUUUUR–!”
Then, he swung it.
With almost no gap, space was severed.
Since the devil’s stance was broken, it wasn’t split in two from the front, but one of its wing and arm were severed.
And then, it fell to where Ria ran.
Opening its mouth, the devil breathed fire.
Cutting through the flame, she cut off the devil’s head.
Without leaving a body, the devil turned into black ash and disappeared.
Nothing was left other than a magic stone–no, it’s purity was already high enough to be a magic crystal.
“Ah~, I’m tired. I didn’t think it’d dodge my long-awaited special.”
“Though I thought you still had a trump card, I never though it’d be that strong.”
“It was successful because the Devil only paid attention to Ria,” Serge said proudly.
Kotsun. Ria knocked Serge on the head.
Though space-time magic can cut space, since it is composed of magic and by extension magic power, the resistances held by strong enemies could dampen the effect. But even so, Serge currently held a magic of powerful strength.
“Well then. Next is the sixth floor?”
Carlos let out a comment while being conservative.
“I agree as well. Since our future enemies will be even stronger as we go down, we should get more information.”
“Ah~, then me too, I want a cane. From now on I want to avoid spending even a little extra magical power.”
The two magicians spoke.
Gig was the only one who didn’t object, but didn’t particularly approve. His style was to leave it all to Anego.
“Well, I could still go, but it’s more dangerous. Shall we return then?”
Thus, the explorers’ first adventure was over.
After they returned, there was an uproar, but that’s for the future.