An "expedition" is never simple. To keep pushing the cleared floors deeper and deeper, you need a lot of people: the main assault team up front, the logistics unit in the rear, and a midline that's no weaker than the vanguard.
The midline's job is to handle weaker monsters and provide firepower support and assistance to the main force. In practice, this "midline" is the so-called "Second Team," with most members between Lv.2 and Lv.4.
The assault team—the "First Team"—has better talent, stronger offense, and greater potential. Its core is Finn, Gareth, Riveria, Tiona, Tione, Bete, and Ais. They're the main members, but it isn't absolute; if someone in the Second Team proves stronger, they can enter the First.
As for the Logistics Unit, they do much less direct fighting. They handle supporter work: hauling supplies, picking up drop items, extracting magic stones, and building camps.
After finishing these support tasks, the people in Logistics can choose a growth path while steadily soaking up experience. In the Loki Familia, as long as you put in the effort, "deeds" toward promotion are never in short supply.
It's a process of feeding on experience. Even with limited combat, the Logistics Unit still gets a share of deeds here and there. Even if someone isn't the strongest individually, with enough effort and a bit of talent, they can still find a place in the familia.
Loki Familia is a magnet for adventurers—though there is a bar for entry; you need some talent. Take the "Extraordinary Fellow," for example—he's not talentless. He just lacks innate skills and magic, yet his growth and rank-up speed are impressive.
Right now Raul is Lv.4. In the four years since joining Loki Familia, he's basically ranked up once per year. If that's not talent, what is? He now commands the Second Team. His abilities may not be the flashiest and he still drops the ball sometimes—but he's the steadiest and the hardest-working.
"Whoo!"
Tiona was at the very front. Against upper-floor spawns she felt zero pressure—barely even obstacles. She practically steamrolled her way forward.
"Tiona, don't push too fast. This expedition is different from before—we need to collect all the magic stones and drop items."
"Got it~"
She planted a boot on a War Shadow that was about to fall from the wall and stomped it back into the stone, then stopped surging ahead.
"Tch. What's there to get so hyped about on the upper floors?"
"Heh~ Whether you get it or not doesn't matter, Bete."
Tiona ignored Bete entirely. Hands wrapped behind her head, she waited, grinning, for the Logistics Unit to catch up.
So something did happen, huh. Bete wasn't blind to the mood. Tiona and Tione were acting off—and what caught his eye first was their gear. Especially those red outfits—completely different from their usual. He'd also noticed the two Amazons repeatedly glancing at the red cloth bracers wrapped around their forearms.
That red fabric—new equipment? Bete couldn't recall anything like it in Orario. He had no idea why those two had changed their attire, but since it was the Amazons, the new kit clearly wasn't standard fare.
"More excited than I expected. Is it because the gear changed?"
Good question, old man. Bete wouldn't ask, but if Gareth did, he'd listen.
"Ehehe~ You noticed, Gareth? Let me tell you—Tione and I are wearing Tsunayoshi's newest creation. We're field-testing its functions for him. This new outfit's defense beats ordinary heavy armor by a lot."
"Oh? That really is interesting news."
New creation… so, made with that abnormal crafting power? Bete immediately connected the dots. Conjuring beasts—and more—through imagination. It was a frighteningly strong, dreamlike ability—and, crucially, not limited by mana. Absurd.
"A thin layer of cloth tougher than heavy armor? That kind of abnormal gear does sound like something that kid could make. Tiona, how strong is it exactly?"
"Heh heh~ Don't be shocked, Gareth."
At his question, Tiona lit up. She wanted to brag about this gear right away.
"When I chopped Tione with Urga, she only felt pain. The spot I hit didn't have a single cut. It can completely resist first-grade weapons. Besides physical defense, it has strong resistance to magic too—though we haven't tested that part yet."
Resist a swing from Urga? Gareth couldn't help but admire it. Tiona's Urga was forged from ultra-heavy metal: not only as sharp as a first-grade weapon, but far heavier than normal. To take a hit from Urga without serious injury—that defense was no joke.
Gareth couldn't guarantee that even his full metal kit would perfectly block Urga. If his armor could hold for even an instant, he'd already call it sturdy.
"Excellent physical resistance, plus magic resistance. If the magic resistance matches the physical, ordinary spells should be stopped too."
Gareth turned his gaze to Riveria, whose judgment carried more weight here. She had been observing the two Amazons for a while and finally gave a small nod.
"Indeed. If magical and physical defense are comparable, simple magic would be blocked. That level of defense even surpasses my clothing."
(End of Chapter)
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