'The first eighteen floors are always the most boring.'
As part of the team responsible for clearing the path ahead, Bete really was feeling bored.
It wasn't just his attitude—there simply wasn't anything on floors 0 to 18 that could challenge a Level 5 like him.
Sure, everyone knew they had to move quickly, but most of these upper floors were basically training grounds for newcomers.
Even though the assault team was made up mostly of veterans, there were quite a few new recruits as well—Cassandra and Daphne, for instance, had joined the assault team not long ago.
Even Aisha and Haruhime were placed in Team One.
But their placement wasn't due to combat ability. It was purely a matter of security—Haruhime's special role made it too risky to leave her with Team Two, so she was placed with the main group for protection.
Though Bete found all of this boring, he didn't complain. He just stood quietly to the side, watching the others deal with the monsters.
Eventually, his eyes landed on Daphne.
'So a Level 2 can fight like this now?'
Daphne was on the front lines, striking with consistent speed and force. Despite being the most active of the bunch, she managed her stamina well. Her movements were smooth and controlled—signs she had reached the upper limits of Level 2.
'She's not on Ais's level, not even close... but her skills are solid.'
Bete hadn't forgotten how Daphne had taken the initiative to organize a squad of lower-level adventurers for the offensive. Under her lead, the Level 2s were striking with impressive coordination and efficiency.
'She's way more confident than Raul. At the very least, she's second-team material.'
'And it's not just her. That other one's not bad either.'
Among the attackers, one of the few Pallum stood out—an adventurer at the lowest level, which was unusual in itself. But in terms of controlling the rhythm of the fight, she was even more precise than Daphne.
Liliruca Arde had been seeking her own path ever since joining Loki Familia. She knew her natural abilities were lacking, so she focused her efforts on intelligence and battlefield command.
As a supporter, there was no shame in assisting others. The key was how effective that support could be.
"Vanguard, brace—right flank's got a charging monster!"
"Spears ready, attack formation!"
The frontliners raised their shields and took the hit head-on. Most of them were built for power, and none of them were still at Level 1—upper floor monsters stood no chance.
Behind them, the spearmen—mostly Level 1s, some even new to the Familia—moved to attack. Their current goal was to strengthen their presence in the team and push beyond the limitations of Level 1.
Their strikes were still rough, but paired with the vanguard's stability, they delivered decent damage. The constant fighting had sharpened their movements—they were no longer as stiff as before.
The upper floors didn't demand intricate tactics. With clear commands, advancement was simply a matter of coordination.
As the synergy between front and rear guard grew, their pace steadily increased.
At this point, battle operations had naturally split into two squads.
One was an offensive unit with Daphne leading from the front lines. The other, a more cautious group guided by Liliruca in a supporting command role.
The two teams had different members and contrasting styles, but both were making far more progress than previous formations.
"They're starting to sync up nicely."
Finn watched calmly as Liliruca and Daphne worked together. Under their command, the once-clumsy newcomers had grown noticeably more capable, with their attacks becoming smoother and more coordinated.
"If only we'd had more tacticians like them in the Familia back then."
He let out a sigh.
Back in the day, there weren't many who could take up command roles. With the group split between Team One and Team Two, the responsibility of training new recruits had always fallen on him as captain. And each time, those rookies would move awkwardly, likely overwhelmed by having a Level 6 giving orders.
Finn couldn't blame them. If he were a new recruit being commanded by someone that high up, he'd probably be just as stiff.
But now, with Daphne and Liliruca stepping in, things had become much easier. Seeing former novices move with such agility and confidence under their lead—improving in both coordination and pace—was nothing short of reassuring.
"Daphne's more of a frontline commander. As an adventurer, she can't dedicate herself fully to commanding, so her style still reflects that. On the upper and middle floors, it's fine, but once we reach the lower or deeper levels, that'll become a serious issue."
Riveria had also been observing the two. Unlike Finn, who was simply relieved, she analyzed their command styles in detail, weighing which approach better suited the team.
"Liliruca, on the other hand, serves as the rear commander. As a supporter, she knows her strengths well and puts her full focus into leading from behind. That allows her to read the battlefield without letting an adventurer's instincts get in the way. Her tactics may be a bit green for now, but she's got the potential to go far."
Finn shared the same sentiment.
While Liliruca's identity as a Pallum naturally drew his attention, it was her command style that solidified his assessment.
Pallums weren't blessed with high stats from the start, so they often had to carve out other paths.
Liliruca embodied that route perfectly—not one of raw talent like Finn, but a classic Pallum path: support and leadership.
Her pure focus on command, combined with her emerging talent, gave Finn confidence that she could go even farther down this path—possibly even beyond Raul.
"They both need more experience. We should give them room and time to really hone their skills."
Both Daphne and Liliruca still had a ways to go.
Daphne clearly had the potential to one day lead the second team. If she raised her level just a bit more, breaking through Lv. 2 wouldn't be far off.
As for Liliruca, Finn hoped she would eventually gain the ability to lead Team One, freeing him from the burden of command.
That was the hope, at least. Whether or not it came true would depend on continued training—and results.