CHAPTER 59: 059 NEVER FEAR FAILURE

The underground city, 50th floor.

When Reiger and his party returned to this floor, the sight that greeted them immediately told them that the worst-case scenario had unfolded.

"Boom!"

Explosions rang out from a cliff, whose rock walls were covered with yellow-green mucus.

There were roars of anger.

There were screams of fear.

And there were monsters hissing, destroying, and ravaging.

"We’ve indeed been ambushed."

Finn stared at the rising black smoke above the cliff, his expression turning ugly.

"Revilia!"

Ais, unable to restrain herself any longer, burst out like an arrow from a bow.

"Miss Ais!"

Rephia was greatly alarmed.

But almost at the same time, another figure beside Rephia also became a blur, shooting out.

"Mr. Reiger!"

Seeing Reiger also rushing out, Rephia could no longer hold back and followed.

"Damn it!"

Bert, Theona, Theone, and the others didn’t need to be told twice. Even Finn, Grace, and Raul, who had barely caught their breath, could no longer restrain themselves and, driven by emotion, rushed toward the cliff one after another.

Ais was the first to reach the destination.

She rushed up the cliff, raced through the forest, and then saw a wide open plain and a flat rock platform set up for camping.

However, the camp, which had once been orderly, was now almost completely in ruins, and the team members were gathered together, fighting a giant worm monster attached to the rocks.

"Quick! Raise the shields!"

Revilia, who was being protected in the center, called out with a rare urgency in her voice.

Around her, all the team members formed a circle, with dwarves and Beastman Warriors holding shields up front, blocking the corrosive liquid sprayed out by the worm monsters, protecting everyone.

Unfortunately, this was not sustainable for long.

The worms’ corrosive solution was too powerful, and even the solidly built giant shields began dissolving upon contact with the liquid.

The members of Loki’s household could only keep throwing their shields away one after another, using this extremely wasteful method to fend off the worm monsters’ assault, while the rear guards protecting Revilia used magic and arrows to occasionally hit one or two monsters, causing them to burst on the spot, spraying corrosive liquid everywhere and corroding every corner of the camp.

The scene was a pure nightmare.

Seeing this, Ais charged without hesitation.

"Splat!"

When her silver sword flashed and severed the body of a worm monster about to attack, splashing out a lot of corrosive liquid, the members of Loki’s household only then felt a breeze brush past them.

Ais drew her military sword and, without a word, cut down a worm monster. Prepared, she somersaulted in midair several times to avoid the splashing liquid and landed in front of the household members.

"Ais!"

"Miss Ais!"

Revilia and the others from Loki’s household all cried out in surprise.

"Ah!"

In a twist of fate, just as everyone’s attention was captured by Ais’ sudden arrival, a corner of the protective circle formed by Loki’s household was breached, and a Beastman Warrior was sent flying by a worm, leaving a catgirl who was about to take out Spiritual Medicine to heal her comrade exposed to the monster.

"Angel!"

Raul, who had just climbed up the cliff, caught sight of this and cried out in horror.

The catgirl was indeed Angel.

"...Huh?"

Angel didn’t even have time to react. She just turned her head to see the large worm monster in front of her and went blank.

The monster opened its mouth wide in front of Angel and sprayed out a large amount of corrosive liquid, enveloping her in a downpour of purple liquid.

"[Awaken (Tempest)]."

At the critical moment, a brief chant resounded.

A sudden gust swept forth from a figure following close behind Ais, blasting away the dust and atmosphere, greatly increasing its speed.

Reiger passed through like a typhoon. Wherever he went, all the monsters were blown away by the gale, as if he was entering empty space. In the blink of an eye, he stood in front of Angel.

"Boom!"

The highly corrosive liquid shot out but was easily cleaved by the sword of Reiger, the Hermit, exploding into a purple mist, which was deflected by the surrounding wind.

"Are you all right?"

Reiger didn’t look back. Instead, he kept his eyes on the worm monster in front of him as he spoke to the catgirl behind him.

The catgirl Angel remained silent.

She just stared dumbfounded at the back of Reiger in front of her, at the swordsman wrapped in a whirlwind, and for some reason, she lost her voice.

As Reiger found this odd, the monster before him took action once again.

"Aaaaaaah!"

The large worm let out a sound of frustrated fury, continuously spraying corrosive liquid at Reiger.

"Be careful!"

Revilia couldn’t help but cry out a warning, only to find it unnecessary.

Reiger didn’t even dodge. He just wielded the Hermit’s Sword, deflecting the incoming streams of liquid, and the exploding corrosive liquid was blocked by the gale swirling around him, never coming close.

Finn, who followed closely behind, and even Revilia, instantly realized the truth.

"A wind enchantment is the perfect counter to these monsters’ corrosive liquid."

That’s right.

The protection of the "Wind Spirit Swift Walk" made it impossible for the corrosive liquid of these worm monsters to get near.

That is to say, those who can use "Wind Spirit Swift Walk" can completely battle these melee-killer monsters.

"Awaken (Tempest)."

Realizing what to do, Ais immediately chanted the magic spell and, like Reiger, summoned the protection of the wind.

A man and a woman, both swordsmen, exchanged a glance and then rode the wind out together.

"Aaaaaah—!"

The worm monsters, sensing the approach of the two gales, all turned in unison, no longer attacking the familial team, but instead spraying countless streams of corrosive fluid towards Reiger and Ais.

Facing the barrage of purple liquid like a torrential rain, this time, neither Reiger nor Ais dodged; instead, they sped up, allowing the wind around them to deflect the incoming streams of liquid, scattering them all.

"Cough!"

Finally, the swords gleamed fiercely.

Reiger and Ais charged simultaneously into the horde, their weapons carrying the force of the wind, transforming into arcs of light that sliced through the bodies of monster after monster.

"Splurch!" "Splurch!" "Splurch!"...

One after another, the worm monsters were gutted and fell to the decisive blows of Reiger and Ais, letting out pitiful screams while splattering countless purple fluids everywhere.

Like two wolves charging into a flock of sheep, Reiger and Ais moved left and right, forward and back, like twin tornadoes darting back and forth, using their swords to slay the worm monsters one by one, causing purple liquid to spray all around continuously.

Before long, the ground, walls, and the nearby forest began to smoke and melt from the explosive spread of the corrosive fluid.

Reiger and Ais, completely disregarding the dissolving spray coming at them, charged recklessly with the aid of the wind’s protection, slaying monsters in droves to their howls of agony.

"Yes!"

"Well done!"

Theona and Theone couldn’t help but shout, as if relieved of a heavy burden.

"Mr. Reiger, Miss Ais, so amazing...!"

Rephia ran up, clutching her magic wand, her eyes brimming with boundless admiration at the sight.

"Angel! Are you alright!?"

Raul rushed over in a panic, shouting loudly.

"I, I’m okay..."

Angel, who had been standing there in a daze, finally came to her senses but continued to watch Reiger rampage through the monsters, her eyes filled with fascination.

"Tch, they’re hogging all the limelight."

Bert watched as well, his expression sour with annoyance.

If his weapon hadn’t been corroded, this Beastman youth would have charged in without a second thought to smash a couple of monsters.

He had no interest in being protected by others, watching others fight while he could only stand there, helpless. His pride wouldn’t allow it.

"It looks like the crisis has been averted."

Finn and Grace joined Revilia, watching Reiger and Ais easily slay the worm monsters, feeling somewhat relieved.

It must be said, they were truly terrified this time: a horde of augmented species from the deep layers swarming in, and that ability to corrode everything—if not for Reiger and Ais, resolving this crisis wouldn’t have been so easy for them.

Seeing more and more corrosive fluid splattering about, even threatening to reach them, Finn quickly gave the order.

"Everybody, retreat! Don’t linger here!"

Finn’s command left many with reluctant expressions.

"So the camp is destroyed just like that?"

"Looks like this expedition is over."

Theona and Theone sighed at the thought.

The campsite, assailed and corroded in every part, no longer had a single intact thing visible.

Including food.

Including their equipment.

All their supplies, just like the backpack Raul had carried on his back before, were corroded to nothing.

Now that Finn had ordered a retreat, without a doubt, they wouldn’t be able to continue the expedition.

"No choice, weapons destroyed, supplies nearly gone, even if we get past this crisis, we don’t have the ability to proceed to the 59th floor. We must retreat," Grace said pragmatically.

"A bunch of disgusting monsters, next time I’ll definitely kick you all to death," Bert spat, echoing everyone’s thoughts.

"If not this time, we’ll do it next time." Finn stated calmly, "We weren’t prepared for these new species of monsters this time, but next time, I swear, we’ll take this city back."

Just like when they reached the 58th floor of the underground city and had to retreat because of the monsters there, Finn was never afraid of failure.

If not this time, then the next.

If not the next time, then the one after that.

Thinking that one of the strongest families of Orario, the Loki Familia, would give up?

Or that the world-renowned "Hero" would give up?

Impossible.

Finn was already bursting with ideas in his mind, having tentatively devised a strategy for the next expedition.

However, at that moment, an accident occurred.

A dazzling shower of rainbow particles suddenly cascaded down from mid-air, covering Reiger and Ais amidst the monsters.

"Clang!"

Within a second, countless particles suddenly lit up.

"Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom—!"

A massive explosion occurred abruptly, engulfing both the monsters and the two swordsmen.

"Reiger!"

"Ais!"

The cries of the Loki Familia echoed through the heavens.