"Rest for today. Tomorrow morning, we'll take down the seventeenth floor boss, Goliath."
Since everyone had made the same decision, Finn knew exactly what needed to be done. From here on, things wouldn't follow the usual "expedition" rhythm—what awaited them was the rhythm of dealing with an "abnormal situation." That was why Finn had ordered a full day of rest.
"After defeating Goliath, we won't stop at Rivira. We'll head straight for the next safe floor. The key to this plan lies with the transport team."
Finn made it a point to call out the transport team directly.
"During the Goliath fight, you can destroy half the supplies. But the other half must remain—at least enough for the people in Rivira to see. We won't actually stop there; we just need them to think we did. According to the intel, this still isn't the time for Amphisbæna's revival, so if we move fast, there's a good chance we'll catch it off guard."
"Understood?"
"Understood!"
No one had trouble following Finn's clear explanation. Rest today, blitz through Rivira tomorrow, and rush straight for the twenty-eighth floor safe zone.
"Good. Transport team, move all supplies to the warehouse beside the Great Tree House. The wagons only need to look loaded—make sure anyone watching believes there's still cargo inside. The rest of you, head into the Tree House and pick your rooms. It's got quarters for everyone, plus a bath for cleaning."
A bath? The girls' eyes lit up instantly. Cleanliness was no small matter for them. They'd assumed there wasn't one—after all, water sources were precious in the Dungeon. A place where you could actually bathe was practically unheard of. That made this a luxury beyond expectation.
"Lady Riveria, will you be free later?"
"Hm? For a bath? Very well, let's go together."
Faced with the hopeful gazes of her kin, Riveria sighed softly but agreed. She didn't like being overly revered by her fellow elves, but as long as the invitation was normal—and not something handsy like Loki's—she had no reason to refuse.
Soon, the Familia members dispersed at the entrance. Those assigned to handle supplies went about their work, while the others entered the Tree House to pick their rooms and rest. Tomorrow they'd face Goliath on the seventeenth floor and then press onward at top speed to reach the next safe zone.
As the crowd thinned, Bete's attention drifted to the quiet figure sitting near the edge—Tsuna.
"Got a minute?"
"Yeah, sure."
Bete didn't bother with small talk and turned toward the Tree House. Tsuna followed close behind. Inside, everyone was busy choosing rooms, so no one paid much attention to the two of them slipping into one of the rooms on the first floor.
The space inside was surprisingly large—about twice the size of a room in the Twilight Manor.
"Rookie," Bete began bluntly, "those training tools you made for those two women and for Ais—do they really work?"
"They do," Tsuna replied honestly. "But they put a heavy strain on the body."
"Training's supposed to hurt."
To Bete, that was common sense. Strength came from pushing limits. If training was comfortable, you'd never grow. It was exactly because his past training had been too easy that his growth had stagnated.
"You don't worry about 'strain' when you're training," he said firmly. "The whole point is to push your limits—to build strength so you don't choke when it really matters."
No one understood the pain of weakness better than Bete. When you needed power and didn't have it… all you could do was watch as the people most important to you were taken away. Beneath his roughness, there were still old wounds buried deep.
"…There's something else I want to ask. About… resurrection."
"I figured that might come up," Tsuna said quietly. "You must've lost someone important, and you're wondering if they could come back. But the real question is—can you bear the weight of bringing the dead back?"
Bete's ears flicked. He'd forced the question out awkwardly, but Tsuna didn't dance around it. He met the werewolf's gaze and continued calmly.
"This world runs on reincarnation. I can tell you that with certainty. The ones who control that cycle aren't mortals—they're the gods themselves. Trying to resurrect someone is basically trying to steal from the gods. That's suicide."
He paused before adding, "You're not on their level. You can't take responsibility if a god decides to intervene. So my advice—don't chase the idea of resurrection."
"…"
He wasn't wrong. Bete's jaw tightened, but he didn't argue. He knew Tsuna spoke the truth. The problem wasn't desire—it was ability. He was just a Level 4 adventurer, far too weak to even touch something like that.
"…So it all comes back to power."
Bete drew a deep breath. It was just like he'd always known. When you needed strength the most, if you didn't have it, you'd lose everything. That reality hadn't changed.
"You're right," he said, voice steady. "Without power, I'm not even qualified to talk about things like that. Forget it for now. When I've earned the right—then I'll think about it."
A new goal formed in his mind. It was far, far away—but that didn't discourage him. Before today, the idea itself had been unrealistic. Now, at least, it had taken shape.
If he wanted to reach that dream, he needed strength to back it up. Everything began and ended with strength. Bete understood that truth better than anyone: in this world, what you could or couldn't do—all depended on your power.
"Anyway, let's talk about that Gravity Bracelet," Bete said, shifting topics. "It really does increase physical load and improve training efficiency. Judging from those two women and Ais's reactions, that's gotta be true. If it didn't work, Ais wouldn't have gotten her ass beaten that day."
So you do know about that. Tsuna couldn't help but grin. He knew about Ais's miserable situation that day—Loki had given him a vivid retelling.
"Also," Bete added suddenly, "is there any way to boost my abilities faster?"
"Uh…"
Tsuna blinked, caught off guard by the intensity in Bete's eyes. He hesitated, then said, "Ais asked me that same question. But before I could answer, Tiona and Tione tackled her to the ground. Still… I can create monsters tailored specifically to your abilities."
"That's perfect."
Bete's grin widened, sharp and wolfish. A challenge made just for him—nothing could've excited him more. For someone who lived to grow stronger, this was the ideal path forward.