Once we cleared the thirtieth floor's boss room, things moved quickly from there on.
By using my Skills, I could reliably give us the upper hand right from the start of each battle.
I could scout out the shortest route to the exit and reach our destination with the minimum number of encounters.
The types and numbers of enemies moving in groups.
Confirming all of that before initiating combat made things incredibly straightforward.
We carried only the bare essentials and swapped out equipment to match each enemy.
When I spotted a cluster of Monsters near the exit that weren't moving around much, I issued orders to everyone.
"Clara, put out the light. Novem, get your magic ready — fire attribute, please. Aria and Miranda, I'll leave the finishing blows to you. Damian, have your puppets hold shields and block any enemy charges. If you turn left at the corner, there are enemies beyond, so same pattern as before."
The same pattern meant I would fire an explosive-tipped arrow from my bow to kick off the battle.
Launching a surprise attack and hitting the panicked Monsters with magic.
When they charged toward us, Aria and Miranda would drive in the killing blow while the puppets blocked their attacks.
"...I had no idea Miranda could fight like this."
Aria regarded Miranda with a complicated expression.
"Really? I didn't mean to keep it a secret, but there was never really a chance to tell you."
Seeing Miranda answer with a smile, Aria spoke up.
"You've changed a little, haven't you? Maybe you're riding high from the 'growth'? Be careful with that, okay?"
Everyone experiences growth in their own way.
I'd heard that plenty of people feel their growth when they enter the Dungeon and grind through combat. In those cases, it's best to pull them out of the fighting for a while and keep an eye on them.
(If it weren't for the fact that I need to conserve my stamina, I'd pull her back...)
Thinking about facing a boss, I needed to conserve as much stamina as possible and save my magic power.
Counting my arrows, even accounting for the time I'd need, I still had a decent amount to spare.
(I'm about at my limit with the mace. If I'm planning to take on the fortieth floor tomorrow...)
Thinking about switching weapons, I nocked an arrow, and Clara extinguished the light.
We crept slowly around the corner, advanced into range, and I released the arrow.
When the explosion rang out, Clara relit the light.
The Second Generation spoke.
"That's that."
As long as we didn't let our guard down, this fight would end without taking a single hit.
On the third day, we reached the thirty-ninth floor of the Dungeon. A little early, but we decided to rest for tomorrow.
The ingredients we'd brought weren't limited to preserved rations.
We'd also brought our usual cooking ingredients, and the Seventh Generation's skill, [Box], kept everything perfectly fresh.
As for meals, we were eating dishes you'd never guess were prepared inside a Dungeon.
In a room near the entrance to the fortieth floor, we took down the surrounding Monsters and settled in to rest.
"Honestly, I was underestimating you."
Damian came over and spoke to me while I was resting.
"You do have Skills. Ah, but please keep that quiet."
When I told him to keep it under wraps, Damian pushed a coin up with his index finger and said:
"I have no interest in spreading it around, either. Opposing you sounds like a hassle, so I won't."
Being called a "hassle" — maybe that was a compliment of sorts.
Being evaluated by someone like this isn't exactly flattering...
As I was thinking that, Damian brought up the matter of payment.
"Now then, we were talking about magic, weren't we? That can wait until after we leave the dungeon, right? I'd like to conserve my mana."
"Yeah."
Having said that, Damian then started discussing the main request.
"It looks like we're on track to complete the request, so let me tell you now—the reward for this job isn't gold. However, it's worth more than that."
The request form stated it was equivalent to a thousand gold coins.
The materials extracted from the floor forty boss were absolutely necessary.
(So that's it. His wording was a bit vague. If that's the case, what's the reward? A Mana Tool, or something like that?)
As I was trying to guess the reward, Damian spoke up.
"Ah, judging by how unsurprised you look, you already figured it out. Well, that's easier for me... How about an automaton for the reward?"
"An automaton? Wait, isn't that..."
Aren't those incredibly rare?
As I was about to say that, Damian explained.
"The parts for the automaton are already assembled. You can find plenty of materials here. All that's left is to flesh it out and activate it... but we didn't have a high-quality Magic Stone that could store the mana needed for activation. That's why I posted this request. We'll need some materials, but you're free to take whatever's left over. You can even carry the luggage on the way back, if you like."
The Guild's notes said the boss on floor forty was a giant clad in full armor. It was a troublesome entity that wielded a tube-like weapon from which it launched offensive magic.
I'd heard the armor the Monster wore sold for a high price.
"Will the academy allow the automaton?"
"There's no 'allowing'—they're so common now, what's one more? It's not a hobby of mine, so you can take it. It seems to use a master-servant contract for activation, so it will need your blood."
For something built with ancient technology, it's slightly puzzling that it operates using magic.
I became curious about why such advanced technology had been lost in ancient times.
(It's not very well known, is it.)
"Oh, right. If you're going to be here a while, come by and tell me your impressions after using it. I'll pay you for the info then. Right now I've blown through my budget, so it's rough."
Thinking what a free-spirited guy he was, I nodded.
Looking at Damien's automaton, it was basically a lump of iron armor.
It seemed like it would be useful in combat.
(If I use it together with the Golem's magic, my combat power would jump up all at once.)
I was entertaining these carefree thoughts, but decided to ask about something that had been bothering me.
"Damien, about what you said back in the boss's room—"
At that, Damien furrowed his brow slightly and said something like "...That?" — clearly not remembering.
"Never mind."
"Alright. Well then, I'll see you tomorrow too. At this rate, it looks like we'll finish ahead of schedule, which is great."
Watching Damien walk back, I thought to myself.
(...What did he mean by "if you stay like this, you'll be done for"?)
Morning of the fourth day.
We got up, finished our preparations, and set about getting ready to challenge the boss.
I took out the supplies I'd prepared for this day from my Box.
The Third Generation saw that and said.
"Laiel is pretty wild too, you know. Using something like a wooden ball packed with gunpowder."
The Fourth Generation was exasperated as well.
"Indeed, with the Seventh Generation's Skills, carrying them would be possible. And there'd be no worry of them detonating midway."
The Second Generation spoke—
"However, reaching the boss on the fourth day was fine, but when you think about the trip back, it would indeed take a week. I'd forgotten about that."
That's right.
What matters in a Dungeon is that it doesn't end with simply infiltrating and defeating the boss.
Getting back is just as tough.
Your haul increases while your equipment dwindles, your movement speed drops, and you could say the return trip is more dangerous than the way in.
But I'm different.
With Box, I can minimize my load and take the shortest route back.
Furthermore, I've already defeated all the Monsters along the path I came through.
Even if they've revived, there wouldn't be more fights than on the way in. It's entirely possible to slip past them.
(There won't be a boss either, so maybe I should rest near the 20th floor on the way back, where there are plenty of adventurers.)
Because there was a boss, I took breaks like this before challenging it.
If not for that, I could have reached this point much sooner.
The problem was that the boss was on the 30th floor.
(One of my trump cards is no longer usable, but oh well—not a problem.)
I looked at the gunpowder-packed spheres I'd pulled from Box. I'd prepared quite a few of them—one of the many tools in an adventurer's arsenal.
They're used when troublesome Monsters attack.
However, they were difficult to manage, and there was always the danger that magic might be used—either by you or on them—causing them to explode. No sane adventurer would ever bring them into a Dungeon.
Once I finished my final check, I stored Box away and handed one of those balls to everyone before we descended into the boss's chamber.
"When we reach the boss's chamber, throw them at it. They don't seem very effective against the surface, but I've heard they work on what's inside."
That's what I'd heard from adventurers who had reached the fiftieth floor.
As for whether they actually worked or not, he had answered that they did.
When Damian caught the one I tossed him, he said something like, "Have a puppet throw it. I can't do it myself."
"Novem, Clara — have Aria throw them for you. Once Aria throws it, just pass it over. Miranda, use fire-attribute attacks against the Monsters."
Once I explained how we should move after entering, everyone nodded.
Or rather, that thing looked incredibly tough.
To face a Monster like that head-on, you'd need a party of seasoned veterans who had thoroughly prepared beforehand.
Why did a Monster like that appear as a boss in the Dungeon?
I couldn't help but think that.
"Basically, aim for the canister it's carrying first. Apparently it fights like a cannon of sorts, but the other one was holding a shield, so watch out for that. It also apparently had an axe-like weapon, so after we get it to drop the canister — "
After confirming the final plan, we moved ahead to challenge the fortieth floor boss.
Subterranean fortieth floor.
It was the same as the boss chambers we'd seen so far.
What was different was the size — the breadth and the surrounding walls.
Where the passages up to now had looked like they were lined with metal plates thrown on haphazardly, this area was neatly finished.
The atmosphere was completely different.
"This corridor is long, isn't it?"
Miranda murmured, and those around her agreed.
For the other party members who couldn't see the map, they were probably wondering where the enemy would come into view.
I know the distances in my head, so I don't get nervous about things like that.
"We're almost there. The target isn't in the center of the room, but at the back. I'll engage first once we're inside."
I was taking the decoy role.
I couldn't have my magic used while I was frozen solid, so this kind of role was necessary.
As for me, I just needed to use my Skills to boost my speed and run them ragged.
"Lord Lyle, please be careful."
"I know."
Concerned for me, Novem's words prompted me to simulate the scenario in my head again and again. The Second Generation's Skill, which could roughly perceive an enemy's strength, was warning me of danger.
But at the same time, I could judge that with our current lineup, defeating them shouldn't be too difficult.
That was why I had conserved the other party members as much as possible.
(Still, I can't beat them alone, huh?)
Even if I used magic, the opponent could apparently defend against magical attacks.
The adventurers who challenged them last time had bombarded them with magic all at once.
However, they still took heavy damage from a single magical strike.
I heard that the main members barely held the line, then regrouped and kept attacking until the enemy finally fell.
As we walked, the entrance to the room came into view.
It was dark inside and gave off a creepy vibe.
Most of all, we could hear that unsettling sound of something breathing.
"I knew it, but it gives me chills. From here on, the Monsters seem to be a whole different league," said Damian.
Aria was steadying her breathing.
"Seriously, why did I accept this quest? I could have waited until I got stronger."
Then Miranda-san smiled and spoke.
"Aria, you're way too tense. We've prepared thoroughly, so there's no need to worry so much."
"Why are you so casual about this?! Yesterday you were so…"
"Both of you, quiet down."
When Clara told the two of them to be quiet, the room fell silent.
I slowly opened my mouth.
At the same time, using the true intended method of the Second Generation's Skill [All]—
I enhanced the entire party's abilities with the First Generation's Skill [Full Over].
"Let's go."
I was the first to step into the room. I broke into a run and used my Skill to make my presence known with deliberate sound.
When the large something began to move, I hurled the wooden ball I held in my right hand toward it.
The Monster caught it with its shield, but when it realized there was nothing to it, it took up a combat stance facing me.
It held a large tube in its right hand, aiming it my way.
I quickly pulled wooden balls from the pouch at my waist and threw them one after another.
Moving along the walls of the circular room, by the time I had thrown all five wooden balls I carried, I could clearly see a strong light being directed toward me.
The Second Generation—
*'This is seriously bad. If you take a hit, Lyle is done for in one strike.'*
And the Seventh Generation—
*'Don't even think about blocking it. Avoid it at all costs.'*
I agreed with the opinions of the two giving me advice.
"That's bad."
A cold sweat broke out.
Deciding a direct hit was dangerous, I immediately rushed forward as the blow fired from the tube came hurtling towards me.
At an insane speed, no less.
The mass of magic power smashed into the wall, exploding and illuminating the room for just an instant.
What I saw was different from before— the figure of a monster wearing angular armor neatly.
Wooden branch-like things protruded from its joints.
"A plant-type monster wearing metal armor? What kind of joke is this, seriously!"
I used magic.
Not on the enemy. On the wooden ball rolling beneath it.
"Fire Bullet!"
A fireball shot from my fingertip and struck the wooden ball dead-on.
It caused an explosion, triggering a chain reaction in the other wooden balls.
Smoke filled the entire room.
The Fifth Generation spoke.
*'The others won't be able to spot the enemy through the smoke. Lyle, blow the smoke away.'*
As instructed, I decided to blow away only the smoke.
As for the monster, it seemed to have dropped its shield from the explosion at its feet.
"Drop the tube! Storm!"
The wind picked up and blew away the smoke.
However, I still couldn't see much of my surroundings.
It seemed this method had its problems too.
The Sixth Generation was—
'Should've stuffed them in a wooden box and had someone carry it. Lure them in, then boom.'
It was too late now, but that method certainly would have worked.
However, gunpowder wasn't that easy to come by. Even if I could prepare some, I'd only have one.
The chances of luring them in properly were questionable, and there was the danger of the powder being attacked while being transported and exploding prematurely.
The Third Generation looked around at the situation—
'See? Novem and the others are here.'
Round objects were thrown one after another toward the Monsters, and from a distance away from the group, Miranda was using magic.
She must have judged that clustering together in one spot was too dangerous.
At the same time, I feared that Miranda's magic might set off the nearby gunpowder.
Fireballs and wooden spheres struck the boss and exploded.
The angular armor didn't so much as budge, but the joint section of its right arm was blown off by the impact.
The tube fell to the ground.
The Fourth Generation issued orders.
'Lyle, adjust the wind direction and funnel the smoke into the passage beyond. If we stay like this, visibility will drop and we won't be able to move.'
I used magic to clear away the smoke, and the Monster that had been kneeling let out a roar.
When its helmet came off, the creature beneath had the head of an insect.
What a creepy thing.
The Second Generation was—
"Hey, Aria—"
Aria used a Skill and hurled a wooden ball with all her might.
When the ball struck the mouth of the screaming Monster, the creature swallowed it whole.
Next, Novem cast her magic.
The surrounding wind spiraled upward toward the Monster.
The high-difficulty magic was the same one Ceres had been using.
"Fire Storm… so she could cast it?"
The fire whipped the wind upward. Flames joined the gale, and the Monster thrashed within it.
The heat sent the room's temperature spiking in an instant, and the Monster began to falter.
Its head was blown clean off.
The Fifth Generation mused.
"So the thing Aria threw finished it off? Looks like Aria gets the credit this time."
I watched the burning Monster, confirmed it was already dead, and let out a sigh of relief.
I hadn't expected Novem to be capable of that level of magic, but since we'd won in the end, there was no issue.
The first one to rush over wasn't Novem—it was Miranda.
"Good work!"
"That went well, didn't it?"
When I said that to Miranda, she nodded with a bright smile.
"Really. I thought it might be a plant-type Monster that had gotten in, but the head was definitely insectoid. If Shannon had been there, she would have fainted."
Apparently Shannon really hates bugs.
Seeing the motionless Monster, Damian happily used his magic to extinguish the flames.
The insides were burning, but the armored portions were barely melted at all — just dirtied.
It was way too durable.
Aria looked exhausted, probably from using Skills she wasn't accustomed to.
Novem and Clara were staying by her side.
Miranda-san glanced at Novem and murmured something.
"...That girl is extraordinary, you know. More than me."
Hearing that, I assumed she was praising Novem.
"She's someone you can count on. Well, uh... in all sorts of ways."
I deflected vaguely and headed toward the rest of the group, thinking about having Damian carry the scattered metal armor pieces — the tubes and shields.
"I'm so tired. I just want to go home."
"Oh, honestly with you..."
Having defeated the boss on the fortieth underground floor, we turned back and returned to the upper floors without pushing any further.
Ideally, I would have liked to make it back to around the twentieth underground floor today and rest there for the night, but — that was when the changes began to manifest in me.
Not as bad as before, but I was feeling terrible fatigue in my body.
Even moving around was becoming a chore, and walking on top of that was brutal.
I watched Damian rejoicing over the huge Magic Stone, going on about "Now the device that converts mana into electricity will be complete!"
(A scene straight out of a kid who just got a new toy, huh?)
We'd also collected the necessary materials from the Monsters, but the real prize seemed to be the Magic Stones.
He was probably happy that the device was nearing completion.
Damian was rejoicing innocently, but the automaton dolls were busy carrying the heavy armor the boss had been wearing.
The reward for this run was the automaton dolls and learning some of Damian's magic, apparently.
But that didn't bring in any income.
Having paid out a large sum for preparations, it was only natural I'd want to recoup at least a little.
However—
"That armor is pretty cool. The rugged look really works for it."
Aria, growing impatient with my shuffling gait, glared at me and shouted.
"Would you please walk properly for once!"
"I... just can't get motivated."
If there was a guy here, I'd want him to carry me.
But the only man present was Damian, who was even shorter than me.
Moreover, he was currently hugging the huge Magic Stone and nuzzling his cheek against it.
He probably wasn't seeing anything else around him.
(Miraculous he can still command the dolls in that state.)
Wondering at the sight, I summoned what little energy I had left and pressed on through the Dungeon.
Day five.
In an even worse state than before, I was borrowing Novem's shoulder to walk through the Dungeon.
Clara saw me and, naturally, started to look worried.
"You look really pale, Lyriel."
"…I can't go on… oh, next turn right there."
Using my Skill, I somehow managed to give directions to the whole group.
I could still use the Skill, but the fatigue was getting worse and worse. My mana recovery was minimal, and my body ached terribly.
"Lyriel, I wonder if you've been pushing yourself too hard?"
As Miranda said that, Aria—
"You looked like this last time too. And it got really bad after that."
"Really?"
I couldn't be bothered to scold my companion for spilling my secret, so I stayed quiet.
Novem spoke up to me.
"Lyriel, we've already reached the tenth floor, so just hang in a little longer."
Thanks to the many adventurers delving in, the higher we went, the fewer Monsters there were, making it safer to move around.
When I checked our surroundings with my Skill, I could spot yellow readings scattered here and there.
But—
"…I really can't do this anymore…"
A whimper escaped my lips.
Hearing that, the Sixth Generation let out a sigh.
'Lyriel, just endure a little longer. Actually, you're that type, aren't you… the kind whose condition drops significantly before a growth spurt.'
The Fifth Generation was calm as ever.
'That just means you'll grow that much more. Think of it as recoil and tough it out. Besides… the others don't look like they're doing great either.'
Looking around, Novem was also enduring her discomfort with a strained expression.
Damian had gone quieter than usual.
Aria was clearly irritated.
Miranda's movements had lost their sharpness.
Clara's light kept flickering, unable to stabilize.
Novem looked a little rough too. And yet, she was lending me her shoulder.
The Second Generation spoke.
'So this is what happens when everyone fights together and gains a massive amount of experience. We're going to have to seriously increase our numbers, or we'll be in trouble. This definitely has something to do with Lyriel's Skills.'
The Third Generation shared the same opinion.
'If anything, maybe you can't grow without gaining this much experience… But even considering that the rest of us have grown multiple times already, this is only Lyriel's second time, you know?'
That's right — I was about to experience my second growth spurt.
The only problem was that it came from all the battles fought inside the Dungeon, including the victories over the bosses on the thirtieth and fortieth underground floors — and it only happened once.
And afterward, I'd end up so exhausted I couldn't move a muscle.
The Seventh Generation chose their words carefully.
'…Lyriel is, well, you know… that type. As long as you don't misuse them, they're an invaluable asset. A few minor drawbacks are hardly a concern.'
The Fourth Generation chimed in.
'Well, once you grow, you should be fine for a while. But still…'
Even taking a single step required a tremendous amount of effort from me.
In the end, once we reached around the fifth underground floor and I finally felt all right, I lost consciousness on the spot.
Later, I was told that Novem and Miranda had carried me on their backs.
Damian's doll carried the heavy luggage, Damian refused, Aria served as combat power in case of an emergency, and Clara was on support duty, having to keep the light lit.
Since Miranda volunteered, she and Novem apparently took turns carrying me on their backs.
Near the fifth underground floor, where adventurers were wandering around, I ended up being seen in a state of being carried by women.
My ancestors evaluated me in this Dungeon as follows:
"Getting carried by girls, is it? Seriously? What a letdown."
...R-right.
I thought so too.