Shizuna woke up from the sound of a sword being swung.
It wasn’t really a sword, it was a katana.
It was still dark in the cave. Almost no light came in from the entrance, she could only see the figure from a faint light produced by magic.
At the center of the light, Ria was swinging her katana.
Though she had learned her father’s style of swordplay, she understood the principle.
Each form had its own principle. The sword slash was tinged with light from its initial motion, the end of its motion was beautiful.
The blade was glittering.
The same went for Ria, who was handling the katana. Her beauty was beyond comparison.
(Even though she’s a pervert…)
Her personality and skill didn’t match.
Though she felt Shizuna’s gaze, Ria swung her katana with a peaceful heart.
Better yet, because she purified her corrupted heart when she was with her katana, she was able to live in rivers of blood.
Finishing her forms, she quietly sheathed the katana.
Though Shizuna looked away with an amazing momentum, Ria’s current mind and body were filled with purity.
Not knowing why, Shizuna found herself obediently nodding towards Ria’s question.
Their bout was held outside the cave.
Now that she didn’t use a magic sword, her basic skills were being improved. Even without killing intent, she put her whole spirit into it and let out her techniques.
“Well, since you’ve fought against demons the whole time, it’s no wonder you couldn’t win.”
“If you’re just speaking about talent in the sword, you might even be better than me. Still, you haven’t practiced one on one combat and your experience is a problem.”
“Have you ever been trained in war?”
However, the knights that trained Ria polished her capability in the theory behind human wars. Moreover, she had mastered that art in her previous life.
Though you couldn’t express ability with a simple Skill, it was Ria after all.
“Use the rest of your endurance. One last time, give me your best shot.”
But then, she wasn’t able to swing it down.
“W-why…”
Ria didn’t use body strengthening magic. Shizuna had been completely overwhelmed by skill.
Contrasting Shizuna’s ragged breathing, Ria hadn’t even broken a sweat.
“No way, for Shizuna to be unable to do anything…”
“Vargas, could you win?”
“Though I can’t know for certain without trying, I believe it’s impossible.”
“For the millennium, it’s said that heroes who exceed the limits of ordinary people will appear. Perhaps, that Ojou-chan might be one of them.”
However, the fact was that he’d come to a standstill after capturing a floor.
He was still alive. However, he wanted to feel even more alive.
Getting to his age, he was finally able to find it.
The group finished breakfast and immediately began their exploration.
Since they had already thoroughly explored the first floor, they headed towards the stairs leading to the second floor.
Going ahead of them was Shar and Maal, the cat beastkin combo.
The labyrinth’s traps weren’t constant. Particularly the magical ones. The ones found most often in the Dark Labyrinth were those that materialized a great amount of demons when stepping on the magic formation.
Vargas responded to Ria’s absurd statement calmly.
This was different than the Immortal Labyrinth, Ria warned herself. It would have been different if she were going by herself, but she couldn’t afford to bring her comrades to their death.
Salamanders and Worms, as well as huge insect-type monsters were defeated. They had obtained a huge amount of magic crystals. There was definitely no comparison between the Immortal Labyrinth’s enemies and this one’s.
“There’s the sound of metallic armor. It would be good if that was just the normal sound of armor, but…”
“A detour huh.”
An attack from a Ghost Knight inflicts an abnormal condition, it was very dangerous while exploring labyrinths. It’s fine if it can be fixed, but the speed you can escape from the labyrinth with falls if you can’t.
“Hey, is it no good for me to go by myself?”
“The Ghost Knight’s attack will cause a different abnormality according to the individual. Though you’ve probably fought one, it’s dangerous.”
“If you’re fine with it, then I’m off for a moment.”
Shuzina was dumbfounded and went up to Carlos.
She wasn’t worried. She wasn’t worried, definitely. But still.
“I’m not Ojou’s guard, I’m a watchdog. Well, I can’t say I’ve accomplished that recently though…”
The members of Thunder’s Fangs were worried.
The sound of metal hitting metal could be heard from the other side of the bend in the passage.
“I defeated it. Though, it wasn’t a Ghost Knight, it was an Evil Spirit Knight.”
The armor had decayed. Just the sword remained.
Vargas firmly recalled how troublesome those were.
“It’s good you were able to defeat it by yourself. Do you have a talisman or something?”
“I don’t really have something like that, but most abnormal conditions don’t work on me. Before you say anything, since I’m a bit weak to frenzy-type conditions, don’t get near me at that time.”
To not be affected by abnormal condition attacks was a terrific and envious characteristic for an explorer.
Jason consented and thought to himself.
“Though it’s not cursed, it curses the opponent. The curse causes what it cuts to not move, making it heavy like stone. When the opponent it a man, the effect doubles.”
“We don’t need it. It’s fine if you guys take it.”
Though the girl watched the sword with eyes that looked like they were drooling, Vargas asked to make sure.
“I don’t mind. However, this is still the first floor. There’s still a lot of fun to be had.”
Vargas passed Shizuna, who already couldn’t help but be amazed, the sword.
She asked her father with sparkling eyes to make sure.
“You having it would improve our fighting strength the most.”
Though they were in a passage, the group took a rest.
“Seriously, even though she was born a woman, she just likes weapons…”
Vargas and Lulu shared similar sighs.
“Yes, oh my. I met her around four years ago already now?”
“No no. I’m still only around twenty-five years old.”
While having such a conversation, they were deepening their friendship. Seeing that, Carlos was envious. As usual.
The labyrinth conquering was proceeding well.
If they discovered an enemy that the scouts couldn’t identify themselves, Ria could use Identify and they would be able to figure out if they should engage.
Even if it was an enemy they usually avoided, since Ria could block abnormal conditions, they took up the strategy of the other members beating up the remnants.
Specifically, the Basilisk.
She crushed its eyes with her katana, then called the rest of the group up. Just like beating an octopus, it was easy work.
It could nullify magic, and though they fought an existence that could do that like the Dogazer before, they broke through it with strength.
Coming this far, the members of Thunder’s Fangs were already becoming accustomed to the abnormality known as Ria. Though they had doubted Ria’s strategy of rushing forward, they didn’t hesitate anymore.
At a speed that put them far ahead of schedule, they reached their goal, the sixteenth floor. It took them four days to reach there.
They had decided to cooperate up to here to get them accustomed to the labyrinth and turn back here. Although, they had planned on it taking around a week for them to get there.
“Let’s take a bath.”
Since something like that just wasn’t said in a place like that, she didn’t think she’d be made to enter a bath in the labyrinth.
Lulu also agreed. She thought the smell of sweat couldn’t be helped, but if Ria insisted, she wouldn’t oppose.
“Give up. If you hesitate, that will just amuse Ria more.”
No one stopped Ria anymore. Bathing in the labyrinth was also an abnormality, it was something newcomers might try.
Reluctantly, Shizuna took off her clothes herself and entered the bath area.
“You have beautiful skin after all.”
“Though those are also cute, why not heal them if you mind them?”
Though explorers were rough people, Shizuna was also a woman. If something like that were possible, she would ask even if it took some of the money she’d saved.
In truth, it was possible through a special healing magic.
After that, Ria began to massage the soles of Shizuna’s feet.
“Does it feel good? By stimulating this place, it recovers your fatigue and improves any abnormalities in your internal organs.”
It was a paw pad massage.
With a loosened and relaxed expression, Shizuna stepped out of the bath.
The men entered the bath next, and she fell asleep for the day.
It was the third day on the way back.
“But it was the right answer to get more people.”
“The speed and level of fatigue is definitely different. Though, most of that is thanks to Ojou-san.”
Ria answered that her aim was power, not treasure.
“Though not a warrior, my Corfus tribe’s senior is the preeminent strength on the continent. Try and meet him at some point.”
Cell wasn’t from a forest nearby, but rather from the Oomori Woods.
They returned to Jaeburg on the mountain road.
The party collected around the gigantic gravity well known as Ria.
However, no one was aware.
Millennium.
The Five God Dragons.
The Demon King and the demons.
There wasn’t much time until the stability they had intentionally made crumbled.