The completion of "Tsubame Gaeshi" was only natural, and seeing his hard work pay off brought Bell genuine satisfaction.
As for whether his Status had already reached its peak, Bell had no doubts. By the tenth day of training, he could feel that his strength and speed had stopped improving as quickly as before.
His magic power and stamina were still growing, but that was to be expected—those were his most exceptional attributes. Magic came from his innate talent, while stamina was enhanced by his "Robust Health" trait. It was then that Bell realized his Status had reached its limit.
Now came the final step—his preparations to ascend to Level 6.
After training, Bell didn't return to the Familia base through the spatial rift. Instead, he went straight to the 37th floor.
"I see... Truly worthy of being called the White Palace. I've encountered quite a number of monsters along the way."
As he moved toward the 37th floor, Bell carefully observed the monsters he encountered. The deeper he went, the more diverse and numerous the monsters became, and their strength had also increased significantly.
It was clear just how hostile the Dungeon was toward adventurers. With so many monster types and the rapid regeneration rate of Deep Floor creatures, it was no wonder even top-tier adventurers could fall within the "White Palace." That saying wasn't an exaggeration.
Most adventurers lacked the thick hide of monsters—sharp claws could easily pierce through human flesh. If one lost focus, these monsters could quickly overwhelm them, dragging them down and even trapping them here forever, turning them into part of the Dungeon itself.
Bell kept that danger deeply in mind.
At the same time, he reminded himself, 'I'm not invincible. I can't afford to die in some dark corner. I need to stay alert—always alert!'
With that resolve, Bell approached his destination on the 37th floor.
"This place isn't like the 17th floor with only one Floor Boss. It's more like the Great Falls."
The floor where the Great Falls was located was special—many monsters roamed there, and a Floor Boss would also respawn within a three-floor radius around the falls. Clearly, the White Palace shared a similar structure.
Walking through the cavern surrounded by white stone, Bell could hear the distant roars of beasts echoing from deeper within, but his steps never slowed. He wasn't interested in the monsters inhabiting the 37th floor this time.
His goal was to survey the terrain and ensure that no unforeseen problems arose during his next challenge against the Floor Boss.
"Other than the basic monster distribution, there's nothing unusual."
The White Palace, being part of the Deep Floors, was already dangerous enough. Yet, the closer he got to the Floor Boss's respawn area, the fewer monsters there were.
Bell was satisfied with that. Fewer monsters nearby meant fewer distractions when he faced the Floor Boss.
"Boom~!"
Suddenly, a rumbling sound echoed from the ceiling, causing Bell to glance up in surprise.
'I'm definitely hiding my aura... Why is the Dungeon shaking?'
While exploring the Dungeon, Bell never dared to reveal his presence carelessly. Otherwise, a violent reaction from the Dungeon would be inevitable. Therefore, these tremors couldn't have been caused by him.
With that thought, Bell shifted to the side, preparing to see what was happening. The shaking grew stronger and stronger until, at last, a hole was torn open in the ceiling.
'A hole?'
Bell hadn't expected that.
Right before his eyes, a serpent's head suddenly dropped through the opening. There was no need for anyone to deliver a finishing blow—the snake was already dead.
Its body, over four meters thick and more than ten meters long, was riddled with pitted, blood-soaked holes. It looked as though it had bled out during battle.
But why would a snake that should have died instantly be burrowing through the ceiling? And monsters from other floors fleeing to the 37th floor? Was this really an escape—or suicide?
'Wind magic?'
'An adventurer capable of using such magic must be quite powerful. But for this monster to withstand that kind of destructive force without being blown apart... it must've been strong as well.'
The serpent was completely dead now, yet the fact that it had survived long enough to reach this depth proved how tenacious it had been.
Bell was about to continue observing when he noticed the snake's mouth twitching slightly.
'The monster is indeed completely dead.'
He was certain of it—the creature had no life left. Then, that could only mean one thing.
'Someone used this snake to reach the 37th floor?'
A chill flickered in Bell's eyes. But before that coldness could settle, surprise replaced it.
'Wait, it's her? The elf from Freya-sama's Hostess of Fertility?'
Crawling out of the serpent's mouth was a scarred elf—Ryuu.
Only then did Bell realize what was going on.
'Did the mastermind behind the Astrea Familia massacre summon the Juggernaut on the 27th floor?'
Judging from the serpent's condition and Ryuu's state, it seemed that the fool who had caused the trouble had already been dealt with by the Dungeon's Scavenger.
'Looks like I'll have to get involved again.'
Though Bell had no connection to the destruction of the Astrea Familia, this elf—well, in a way—had ties to the goddess Freya.
If he hadn't encountered her, he might have ignored it. But now that he had, pretending not to see wasn't an option.
With that thought, Bell walked toward her.
Barely clinging to life, Ryuu could only crawl out of the serpent's jaws, gasping for air.
She had nearly died just moments ago—killed by the final command Jura had given to Lambton. Fortunately, Lambton had been nearly exhausted when it bit her. Otherwise, with its swallowing ability, she would already have been completely digested.
But now, Ryuu realized how dire her situation truly was. In fact, it was worse than dire.
"This is..."
The walls of white stone made her pupils contract. Her teeth trembled as she forced out four words.
"White Palace..."