After a brief rest on the 18th floor, the team quickly began the second phase of their expedition.
Their target this time was the safe zone on the 28th floor.
Since the 28th floor wasn't a gathering point constructed by the Adventurers' Guild, there would be no further opportunities to resupply after this. The 18th floor was their last chance to stock up.
Fortunately, they had brought enough provisions for the journey, so Finn wasn't too concerned about running out.
With everything ready, the first party swiftly began their planned advance.
"Finn, how come the Floor Boss didn't respawn this time?"
Tiona had actually thought about this question when they began the next leg of their expedition.
Finn had chosen to rest on the 18th floor not just for recovery, but also to wait for the Floor Boss's respawn. Yet even after waiting a full day, there was still no sign of it, which led him to decide to continue the expedition.
"Someone else probably dealt with it."
"Huh? There are others interested in Goliath?"
Tiona folded her arms behind her head, pondering who might've taken their prey. But was there really anyone bold enough to move in on it?
Would those monsters even bother stealing a kill from them?
"No need to think too hard about it, Tiona."
"Hmm? Finn, are you saying I'm dumb?"
"No, just that thinking about it doesn't lead anywhere useful."
Finn didn't think it was worth dwelling on. Challenging Goliath would generally come down to two motivations—materials or Excelia. But judging by those, no one seemed like a good fit.
"Based on the timing, Goliath should've respawned two or three days before we started the expedition. That means anyone could've taken it down, and tracking down the culprit would be near impossible."
Alright, Tiona admitted she was a bit clueless. She really had no idea who could've taken down Goliath.
Still, it didn't matter if she was clueless—as long as the captain was smart.
Curious, Tiona asked,
"Finn, who do you think did it?"
"Only the one who did it would know for sure. But it's not like we have no clues at all."
Finn wasn't too concerned about who exactly killed Goliath, but the information they had gathered did interest him.
"Goliath's estimated respawn should've been two to three days before the expedition. According to Bors, there was no sign of Goliath at that time, and no Familia entered Rivira during that period either."
"What? Then that's not a clue at all!"
Tiona let out a disappointed sigh after hearing Finn's explanation.
But Bete, standing nearby, scoffed.
"You idiot, Finn means the lack of any signs is exactly what's suspicious."
"Whether or not Goliath was killed, the real issue is that no one in Rivira heard anything from the 17th floor. That means whoever did it either had everything perfectly prepared... or was strong enough to one-shot Goliath."
Ignoring Bete's insult, Tiona finally understood what Finn had meant.
Tione, who was next to her, followed up with an explanation to clarify further.
"Someone capable of instantly killing Goliath wouldn't have done it at such a critical moment, so whoever killed Goliath must have planned it thoroughly—most likely for the 'Excelia' needed to level up."
Riveria nodded in agreement and offered her own analysis.
"The fact that no one in the City of Rivira on the 18th floor heard anything from the 17th floor means the killer used significant soundproofing—probably barrier-type magic."
"A solo kill on a Level 4 Goliath, using sound-blocking barriers, intentionally avoiding detection by other adventurers, and acting just before our Familia's expedition..."
By this point, the clues were more than enough.
Tiona couldn't shake the feeling that all of this sounded familiar—like someone was deliberately describing a specific person. After thinking it through for a moment, it finally clicked.
"That sounds like Bell-kun!"
Tiona's realization earned her a look of disdain from Bete.
"You only just figured that out? You're seriously dumb."
"What did you just say, you stupid mutt!?"
Fed up with the teasing, Tiona launched herself at Bete, jumping onto his back and grabbing his ears with both hands.
"You crazy woman, get off me!"
"No way! Not unless you apologize!"
"Hah!? Like I'd apologize to an idiot!"
The two of them broke into their usual scuffle, neither backing down—something that happened all the time between them.
None of the nearby Loki Familia members were surprised. In fact, everyone instinctively gave the pair a wide berth.
Their spats were practically a trademark of the Loki Familia.
"So, Bell-kun leveled up to Lv. 4 to earn 'Excelia'?"
Faced with Riveria's question, Finn fell silent, unsure how to respond.
In the end, he just gave a slight shake of his head.
"I'm not sure."
"Ais used to be the fastest to level up in Orario—she reached the required stats and gathered enough 'Excelia' in a single year. But Bell-kun's case seems even more abnormal."
"I knew it! I told you that kid wasn't normal!"
At that moment, Loki, seated among the Hestia Familia while sipping her drink and watching the scene unfold, echoed the sentiment.
Hephaestus gave her a sidelong glance, but even she couldn't deny Bell's peculiarity.
"Finn and the others really went there... linking Bell to the Floor Boss incident just like that."
"Hmm... Bell-kun's actions are just that distinctive. He's so meticulous that he leaves no trace, and that's exactly why Loki's children were able to recognize it was him."
Hestia understood clearly now why Loki Familia could pinpoint the culprit so accurately.
"Hmph, pretty impressive, right? My children are sharp too."
It was Loki's turn to be proud.
While Hestia's child was undoubtedly an anomaly beyond conventional reasoning, the experience of Loki's children was no trivial thing. Their years in Orario were finally paying off.
"Tch, it's not like I can't admit that."
Hestia pouted but watched Finn and the others on the screen with genuine admiration.
That they could identify Bell-kun as the one who defeated the Floor Boss just from his methods showed just how sharp Loki Familia's members really were.