inspire-indiana Chapter 291, Floor 44: "Crimson Lotus Mountains"
Chapter 291, Floor 44: "Crimson Lotus Mountains"
Chapter 291, Forty-Fourth Floor: "Red Lotus Mountain Range"
"What a pity!"
Watching Roy's departing figure, Hermes' smile faded slightly, and he said regretfully, "I was hoping to take Roy to the school district for a while."
Studying abroad in the school district and systematically learning knowledge can't be a bad thing. Besides, the school district has traveled the world and witnessed the chaos caused by the impending awakening of the black dragon. He wanted Roy to understand this.
But Roy didn't seem interested.
It's not easy to cultivate a "hero"; the task is arduous and the road ahead is long, Hermes thought to himself.
"Hehe, Lord Hermes, it seems your plan has failed." Asphie gloated. Although she didn't know what Hermes was up to, she was quite happy to see her god suffer a setback.
However, for someone like Hermes, the frustration and disappointment on his face lasted less than a second. He pulled out two contracts and laughed, "Asphie, I've found two excellent investment projects: potato balls and banana pies on North Street!"
"Lord Hermes—!" Asphie screamed, a scream that could shake the mansion, and piles of work documents were once again placed on her desk.
Three days passed in the blink of an eye amidst the busyness. It was time for the Astrea Familia to explore the dungeon. Roy obtained six Silent Harps (earrings), and the rest would have to wait for Asphi to deliver them slowly.
Roy didn't dare push the oxen and horses that worked 24 hours a day too hard. Roy, Ryu, Daphne, Cassandra, Haruhime, and Anya formed a six-person team and entered the dungeon to carry out their daily exploration activities.
Everyone was fully armed.
With Roy, a top-notch blacksmith, and materials piling up in the warehouse, the Astrea Familia has no shortage of equipment. Everyone is well-equipped, at least what adventurers often refer to as Tier 2 weaponry. While Tier 1 weaponry is good and Roy can forge it, it's not something everyone can use; there's a level restriction—you need to be LV.5.
A level 4 adventurer wielding a level 1 weapon can only utilize 50% of its power; it's better to use a weapon that can utilize 100%.
The second level of weaponry of the Venn.
Ryu is still going to travel light to ensure agility.
In addition to her armor and longsword, Roy crafted a thick shield for Daphne, which was indestructible, maximizing her frontline defense.
Cassandra is a healer and supporter, and carries an oversized backpack.
Haruhime was wearing a Goliath cloak. Although she was only LV.2, Roy didn't intend to let her fight. This little girl was much more valuable than a healer or a mage.
Anya wore chainmail under her clothes, with a golden shoulder guard on her right side and a golden spear in her hand. Her equipment had been refurbished by Roy and was now a level above.
"Thank you, Commander." Anya felt grateful as she experienced the improved quality of the refurbished equipment.
Roy laughed and said, "You're welcome."
Then, Anya asked in confusion, "Today's team composition seems different from usual."
During this period, Roy had been in a team of three, but this time the number of people doubled to six.
Roy replied, "Since you're also going to fight, of course you need to reorganize the team members."
"I understand—" Anya's expression darkened. She was the one who held them back. It had happened before, when she almost killed her brother Allen in the dungeon.
"Break through to the 28th floor in one go, then stop to rest for two hours, and continue to break through to the 39th floor where there are no monsters," Roy said.
"Yes, Commander!"
Apart from Anya, the girls responded.
Anya looked surprised. Why not stay on the eighteenth floor? Even for the Freya Familia and the Loki Familia, it takes half a day to go from the first floor to the eighteenth floor. Is it too much to continue going deeper into the lower floors?
Soon, Anya found out the reason.
From the moment they entered the dungeon, they encountered monsters only a handful of times. Roy always led them through unexpected shortcuts to the next level, completely different from the regular routes provided by the guild.
Sometimes they don't even feel anything, and they skip several floors in one go.
Anya was amazed. How were those secret passages discovered? It was a wonder Roy dared to go there. There were many landslides in the underground city, especially on irregular routes. If an accident happened, the exploration would be forced to stop.
Until the 25th floor, "Water City", the number of monsters began to surge. Blue crabs, ambush fish, giant water snakes, water beast horses, giant beavers, walrus monsters and other monsters swarmed in and pounced on Roy and his group.
The three-pronged attack—from the ground, the sky, and the river—will also leap out from the walls at any moment, their numbers outrageous, overwhelming, and suffocating.
Anya breathed a sigh of relief; the familiar feeling was back. Yes, this was the dungeon!
The upper and middle sections at the front resemble a leisurely stroll or spring outing.
Although the monsters in the Water City are numerous, they are no match for this powerful team.
Roy and his group quickly broke through the "Water City" and entered the 28th floor, the "Maze Garden".
After a quick energy replenishment, everyone closed their eyes to rest. When the time was up, they continued their journey deeper into the underground city.
Along the way, the adventurers they encountered showed more or less envy and admiration. Judging from Roy and his group's equipment, they must have been on a deep expedition.
What's even more enviable is that, apart from Roy, everyone else is a cute and strong girl.
That hateful harem king!
The male adventurers glared at Roy of the team, but unfortunately, the difference in their strength was too great. Otherwise, they would have shown this bastard the iron fist he had honed over thirty years of solitude.
The female adventurers felt the opposite way.
The male adventurers were as envious of Roy as they were of his team.
If people want to become adventurers, the Astrea Familia is almost always their first choice.
Although they are currently ranked third, no one doubts that the Astrea Familia will eventually surpass the Freya Familia and the Loki Familia. The reason is simple: they have a prodigy who can help others grow quickly!
Roy muttered to himself, "What a disappointment."
The girls looked at Roy with confusion.
"I thought someone would set up an ambush in the dungeon to plot against me and Haruhime." Roy shrugged.
There are countless people who want to take away Chun Ji's power, but for someone of higher value like him, it's not that they never did, but they certainly didn't encounter them many times.
"Lord Roy, please don't say such terrifying things." Haruhime trembled with fear.
Ryu gently shook her head. "Generally speaking, no one would dare to scheme against a Level 1 adventurer!"
If Roy were LV.4, those factions would definitely have some ulterior motives, but Roy is LV.5!
LV.4 and LV.5 are a huge dividing line. The difficulty of upgrading and the boost they bring are not even in the same league.
It could even be said that LV.5 is no longer a realm that can be reached through hard work; it also requires talent and opportunity—as for the higher LV.6, it is extremely rare!
The group continued on their way.
Arriving at the Thirty-Layer Dense Forest Canyon, Liu gazed at the dense forest, returning to this place of sorrow, and sighed softly before quickly breaking through.
From the 33rd floor to the 36th floor is the "Desert Maze," the final area of the "Lower Levels."
In this vast desert with no maze-like structure, all you can see are sand and dunes, with the occasional strangely shaped thorny plant.
On the ceiling is a huge red crystal that shines like the sun, creating a zone of intense heat.
The sand on this floor is more difficult to traverse than on other floors, and monsters can suddenly emerge from the sand to launch surprise attacks, making it practically a minefield.
In addition, mirages with magical properties and beyond reason will appear here, confusing adventurers and distorting their path. There are deadly traps everywhere. Without special equipment or experienced guides, it is difficult to pass through this magical desert.
The entire area is very open, with the entrance at the south end and the next level at the north end, separated by tens of kilometers.
It took Roy's team two days to go from the 24th floor to the 36th floor, killing hundreds and thousands of monsters along the way.
If the monster hadn't turned to ashes, its corpse alone would probably have formed a small mountain.
The continuous battles also honed everyone's abilities, skills, and experience.
Upon entering the thirty-seventh floor, the "White Palace," one officially enters the deeper levels, where both the potential abilities of the monsters and their frequency of appearance increase to a new level.
Anya felt the pressure; the exploration standard for this floor was LV.4, and the basic ability was above D level, which was beyond her ability value.
Bang!Bang!Bang!
Liu transformed into a green whirlwind, flashing sword shadows as all the monsters around Anya turned to ashes, and magic stone fragments fell like rain.
Anya stared blankly at the scene.
"Anya, don't force yourself. Don't forget we're a team!" Ryu said softly.
Anya felt a surge of warmth in her heart, but also felt even more guilty, because she was an undercover agent sent by the goddess Freya to steal information about the Familia.
Ryu and Anya, acting as vanguards, advanced forward.
Roy and Daphne are responsible for protecting Cassandra and Haruhime, and also act as their guards and mages.
If any monster tries to ambush you, or suddenly jumps out, Roy will unleash a bolt of lightning, blasting it to smithereens—a noble, uncastable spell.
The floor master "Udeos" has been defeated, and its regeneration cycle is three months. Roy and his group did not encounter it. After breaking through the 37th and 38th floors, they successfully entered the 39th floor where no monsters were born.
"I'm so tired~"
Daphne, Cassandra, and Haruhime plopped down, especially Haruhime at LV.2, whose little face was exhausted and glistening with sweat.
Anya used the golden spear to barely support her body.
Only Ryu and Roy can maintain their physical and mental strength at over 60%. The former is at LV.6, and the latter reaches his maximum ability value with each level up. Even in terms of pure numerical values, he is invincible at LV.5.
We set up the tent and rested for a whole day.
Anya stared in disbelief as Roy conjured up all sorts of supplies as if by magic, and the resting conditions were almost no different from those on the surface.
"Gurgle—!"
The sweet and sour hot soup simmered down their bellies, and the girls squinted their eyes, letting out a satisfied sound. Their faces were relaxed and content. Indeed, exploring the dungeon with the guild leader was pure bliss.
When Roy and Liu went on an adventure to the Great Tree Sea, they ate dry rations and drank plain water when they entered the underground city. It is easy to go from frugality to extravagance, but difficult to go from extravagance to frugality.
Anya sipped the hot soup slowly, absorbing the nutrients she needed. A warm current flowed through her exhausted body, making her feel very comfortable.
"Remember to replenish your vegetables and fruits." Ryu handed over a salad made of fresh vegetables.
Anya hurriedly took the small bowl. "Thank you, Ryu—Miss Ryu."
"Call me Ryu, or Rion, you can." A smile appeared on Ryu's beautiful face. After all, she was the one who took Anya in, so she had a certain responsibility.
"Okay, Ryu!" Anya's brows relaxed.
When Ryu turned around, she was already surrounded by Daphne, Cassandra, and Haruhime. "Ryu, this ring looks familiar. I think it belonged to the captain before."
Upon hearing this, Liu Qiao's face flushed slightly, and her icy beauty instantly vanished. She clutched the ring Roy had given her tightly in her arms with both small hands.
The three girls' eyes looked like they had lemons stuffed in them, incredibly sour, and filled with envy.
Anya stared blankly at the girls playing around, then suddenly snapped out of her daze. Her eyes cleared, and she realized she had almost become completely absorbed in the moment again. The warm, family-like atmosphere of the Astrea Familia was terrifying; it always made her forget everything without her noticing.
"Anya, come here quickly, it's time to sleep!" the girls called to the catgirl over there.
"Coming!" Anya nimbly ran over.
The girls crawled into the tent to rest, and through the magic stone lamp, you could still see them playing around inside, tugging at each other's clothes, laughing and joking.
Roy was responsible for guarding the first half of the night. Even the safest floors weren't absolutely safe, and accidents could happen at any time.
Click! Click!
Roy took the opportunity to repair his equipment, having cleared over thirty floors, his blade now tangled and curly.
It wasn't until late at night that Liu came out to take over the shift.
Roy asked, "How is it?"
Ryu replied, "I get along very well with Daphne and the others, and I even sleep while hugging Haruhime's tail."
Roy smiled and said, "Eat the sugar-coated bullets of the enemy, and fire the bullets back!"
"Enough talk, let me hug you first." Roy wrapped his arms around the elven girl's slender waist, feeling the wonderful touch of her delicate body, soft and boneless.
Back in Orario, Roy faces numerous obstacles from the girls of his clan, and coupled with Ryu's shyness, he barely has any opportunities to be intimate with them. Roy must seize every chance he can to take advantage of her.
Ryuna's originally cool face instantly flushed with a burning blush that spread all the way to the tips of her ears. Afraid that her companions in the tent would notice, she hurriedly lowered her voice and said, "Don't, don't mess around—this is the underground city."
"I know, otherwise I would have executed you, you useless elf, on the spot." Roy revealed a wicked smile.
"snort!"
Liu pouted her rosy lips and glared at her beloved with her sky-blue eyes. Could she never get rid of this shameful nickname in this lifetime?
Roy held her tighter, lowered his head, and gently pressed his lips to the elven girl's slightly pouting cherry lips.
The intense heat rushed towards her, and Roy's domineering and forceful manner made her feel powerless.
When no one was around, the shy Liu would muster her courage and wrap her slender arms around Roy's strong back, awkwardly but firmly responding to his affection. That close embrace spoke volumes without words.
After a day of rest, everyone was fully recovered and continued exploring the dungeon.
Starting from the fortieth floor, the area is equivalent to the entire Orario. The deeper you go, the larger it becomes, and there are even many dangerous areas that have not been investigated.
The previous Astrea Familia's record was forty-one floors, and Ryu had only recently explored to the forty-third floor with Roy. Her little face was tense and serious.
The team advanced slowly, without any major incidents.
After breaking through the "Giants' Graveyard," they finally arrived at the entrance to the forty-fourth floor, which was also their goal for this trip.
Roy said, "Next is the forty-fourth floor. The exploration standard is LV.5. The guild recommends that there be at least two LV.5 adventurers in the party. Be careful!"
"yes!"
The girls nodded emphatically, not daring to be careless for a moment; they were already close to the front line.
Starting from the forty-fourth floor, it is called the "Red Lotus Mountain Range". The moment Roy and his group stepped into the forty-fourth floor, it was as if they had crossed an invisible boundary and entered a deathly wasteland surrounded by flames!
There was nothing else in sight!
It wasn't a maze like the middle or upper levels, but a mountain range that stretched as far as the eye could see, made up of burning mountains, continuous and twisted like the spine of a giant fire beast, with the dome reflecting a crimson red!
The mountain itself is not rock, but some kind of dark red to black hot material, like solidified magma.
Countless thick pillars of fire shot into the sky from cracks in the mountain or from the mountain pass, turning the entire sky into a rolling, heart-stopping display of fire!
The scorching heat, the tangible breath of a furnace, carrying the acrid smell of sulfur and burnt metal, came wave after wave. Each breath felt like swallowing scalding sand, burning the throat and lungs.
Adventurers below LV.5, without any abnormal resistance, will enter a state of dehydration within two hours, leading to dizziness or even coma.
The ground beneath your feet is scorched red by an ever-burning fire, and even through specially made boots, you can feel the intense heat as you step on it.
Crimson Lotus Mountains, a fiery world where the earth, sky, and walls themselves are burning!
Roy and the others immediately put on the water crystal protective cloth.
The protective cloth, imbued with the magic of water essence, rippled with a faint, water-like light, completely isolating the body from all the scorching heat and enveloping it in a cool sensation.
The Water Sprite Cloth is the core equipment for conquering this level. Its fire resistance is irreplaceable. It is information that many adventurers have gained at the cost of their lives over thousands of years. They are standing on the shoulders of giants.
Bang!Bang!Bang!
Besides the harsh environment, the monsters on this floor are also quite terrifying. The crimson earth crumbles, and one "Blazing Demon Rock" after another crawls out. Their bodies are made of black stone, and it seems that there is a ball of fire burning inside. Flames emerge from the gaps between the stones.
Roy and the others quickly banded together, their expressions wary.
This monster has the potential to reach LV.4 S-rank in all aspects, but the problem is not that, but that the Blazing Demon Rock can self-destruct, and everyone is a Jade-Faced Grenade King.
You must never engage in close combat with this kind of monster!
"O harbinger of the end, oh, the snow-covered landscape! As dusk approaches, let the fierce winds whip up the closed light, and let the frozen earth be blanketed in snow!"
"Third harsh winter—my name is Alfre!"
"Ecstasy: Fimbulb Winter!"
Roy chanted rapidly, and as soon as he finished speaking, he channeled his magical energy, unleashing an ice-based magic attack.
call--!
A biting, piercing wind suddenly rose up, carrying an extreme cold capable of freezing the soul, like a torrent composed of billions of ice blades, roaring forward!
Following closely behind were frost and snowflakes flying everywhere, shimmering with a cold, diamond-like light, which, propelled by the gale, formed a rapidly spinning ice crystal storm.
This cold wave covered a large area.
The temperature dropped rapidly, and frost formed on the ground at a visible speed. The boiling magma on the surface of hundreds of Flame Demon Rocks came into contact with the cold air, and thick white mist rose into the sky, emitting painful roars as they tried to dispel the invading cold with the lava cores inside their bodies!
"roar!!"
However, the power of this ice magic was too domineering. The magma flowing on their bodies quickly dimmed, solidified, and turned black! The blazing red light was replaced by a cold blue-white! A thick, ever-thickening layer of solid ice, like heavy shackles, spread from their limbs to their torsos, turning into one ice sculpture after another.
Frozen for over ten kilometers, deathly silent and frigid, this area has been transformed into a terrifying frost inferno!
"call!"
Roy breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, he had learned ice magic from Riveria. Using other magic or the Fiery Sky Blaze of the Elven Holy Sword would cause a chain reaction of explosions, sending everything flying.
The Flame Stones dropped by the Blazing Demon Rock are an important fuel frequently used by blacksmiths, and with a little modification, they can be turned into extremely powerful explosives.
The Astrea Familia has a somewhat karmic ties with this monster; the dark faction used firestones to blast down the building, summoning the "Calamity" Zagnat.
Bang!Bang!Bang!
The sound of explosions rang out continuously, and many fiery magic rocks were reduced to ashes. Magic stones and fire stones fell, and a single spell wiped out hundreds of deep-level monsters.
"The commander is amazing!"
The girls cheered and jumped for joy, their faces beaming with happiness.
"Don't get distracted, the fire dragon is coming!" Roy said in a deep voice, golden lightning surging from his palm.
A large-scale monster called "Fire Dragon" flew out of the volcano. Its size was comparable to a truck. Its massive body was covered with crimson scales. With its wings spread, it was the most powerful dragon species among monsters, with a potential ability of LV.5!
The flames of the Crimson Lotus Mountains are also constantly melting the frozen earth, and new fiery magic rocks are emerging.
The group is caught in an endless battle with monsters, honing their abilities to the fullest.
A moment later, Cassandra's voice rang out, "Commander, there's an unusual target on the left."
Roy turned his head, his gaze piercing through thousands of meters, locking onto the unusual target Cassandra had mentioned.
From the direction of the forty-fifth floor, there was a cat-man with a gloomy face, black hair, and a cold appearance. His equipment matched Anya's, with a silver shoulder guard on his left shoulder and carrying a silver spear. He looked like he had been waiting for a long time and looked impatient.
"Goddess Chariot" Alan Fourmore!