As Fron and the others set out, concealed intelligence also gradually spread to the factions excluded by the Guild.
Before each god's desk lay a report obtained through various means.
On this, each had their own reaction, some sneered, some were amused, some brooded darkly, and some rejoiced in others' misfortune.
A thousand gods, a thousand faces.
A divine being's nature is almost impossible to change. Unlike mortals in the lower world, a deity's essence lies in their divine authority and the power they wield.
These have long formed their core being. They do not change with their environment, but are "eternal."
...
Dungeon, 15th Floor.
With Ryu and Aisha as vanguard and frontline, Asfi in the middle, Fron bringing up the rear.
The four-person party crossed the first deadly line, the 13th floor, almost as if it were flat ground, then rushed onward toward the 18th floor without slowing down.
Compared to the narrow, twisting tunnels and mist of the upper levels, the mid-level caverns had higher "ceilings" and much wider passages, allowing the four to quicken their pace even more.
The monsters that posed huge trouble or even mortal danger to Level 1 and 2 adventurers were, to a Level 6 and three Level 4s, no different from Level 1 foes. For this party, it was basically one strike, one kill, hardly an effort at all.
For reasons unknown, Ryu and Aisha, as the vanguard, casually struck down every respawned or obstructing monster as they went.
"Uh, I suggest you two conserve your strength. Besides, we're in stealth mode, monsters can still attack us using smell and hearing. If you keep fighting so openly, and a witness happens to see, it'll cause a lot of trouble later."
To minimize unnecessary trouble, Fron reminded them to keep a lower profile.
"It's fine. The dungeon entrances are already sealed off. At this time, no adventurers other than the suppression squad could possibly be here, so there's nothing to worry about."
"….."
And how exactly do you know no other adventurers are here?
Don't you know what adventurers are like? Reckless, curious, eager to make a fortune by piggybacking on a suppression squad, there's no shortage of them.
But seeing the peculiar tension radiating between the women, Fron wisely chose to shut his mouth.
Never reason with women, especially beautiful ones.
Worse still, Ryu was not only beautiful but also a stubborn elf, making her even more intimidating.
Thus, even in stealth, Fron instinctively pulled his hood lower, hiding his face and wordlessly trudging along, as though that gave him a sense of safety.
Asfi followed the group, watching them, and when she noticed Fron being deflated by Ryu and Aisha, she couldn't help but stifle a laugh.
"…."
"…."
...
Three Level 4s plus a Level 6, sparks flying all the way, the four quickly cleared the next floor.
Passing through the broad tunnel, they gazed up at a massive, unnervingly smooth wall.
"As expected of the Dungeon. A natural wall, so smooth and mirror-like, it's hard to believe, no matter how many times I see it."
"The Wall of Sighs…"
Seeing it reminded Fron of his own arrogance back in the day, when he foolishly challenged a floor boss while still only Level 2. Floor bosses were nothing like ordinary or even rare monsters.
They had enormous health bars, absurd defenses, gigantic bodies, and all-encompassing attack ranges. Unless you completely out-leveled them, a solo challenge was impossible. Cross-level fights were outright suicide.
Remembering those harrowing moments still made Fron break out in a cold sweat.
Fortunately, even among top adventurers, he had been a "cheat player", and the biggest one at that. Even so, it had been a brush with death.
"I was really reckless back then. If it were me now, I wouldn't dare, even if I were beaten to death."
The others, well aware of his past exploits, smiled knowingly.
"New adventurers always think like that. Most of them end up dying because of overconfidence. But the Dungeon is alive, it strikes from places you least expect."
Fron had long since learned this truth, carved into him through countless brushes with death and bloody lessons.
Yet, when such wisdom was passed down to rookies, they never took it seriously.
They always had to 'try.'
"Try it, and die, haha. Let's move." Ryu and Aisha hadn't caught on yet, but Asfi immediately understood, shaking her head.
Crossing the Wall of Sighs, the space before them suddenly opened wide. Once again, the miracle of the Dungeon unfolded before them.
Unfortunately, unlike before, today's Rivira was choked in thick smoke. From the passageway came the clashing of steel and the roars of battle.
Exchanging glances, Asfi suggested:
"Our identities shouldn't be exposed. I imagine none of you want to bring trouble to your familias, especially you two, Fron and Ryu. So let's focus on gathering information."
Fron raised a hand in an OK sign, and the four detoured from the designated route, slipping quietly into the scene.
...
"Kill them all!"
As they went deeper, they finally encountered the battle firsthand.
On one side was, of course, Ganesha Familia's suppression squad. On the other, strange monsters clad in armor, wielding weapons.
"So these are the armed monsters from the Guild's notice? They're completely different from normal monsters… not fighting on instinct and brute force alone, but actually using skill and technique."
Even Fron, like the three women, was seeing "Xenos" for the first time.
Their movements, their eyes, all of it proved they possessed reason.
"Strange… why do these monsters feel so much like… humans?"
"..."
"..."
Hearing Asfi's words, both Ryu and Aisha fell silent.
Fron, however, took it more easily. His worldview and values had been formed in his previous life.
To him, monsters having reason was not so strange. Compared to the simplicity of this world, his past one had been far more brutal.
"Remember, between races, there is no hatred without cause, and no love without cause. As for what the future holds, with these special monsters appearing, that's not for us to judge."
No love without cause… but thousands of years of blood hatred.
Fron smartly skipped over the topic. He had no desire to waste time on it, it wasn't something he needed to think about.
"Look over there, where are those flying monsters going?"
"Judging by the direction… the eastern edge of the Great Forest? But there's only a wall there. What are they trying to do?"
"Let's go find out."