CHAPTER 835: CHAPTER 652: BIG TREE MAZE

Underground city, Floor 24.

Just as the nickname "Big Tree Maze" suggests, the scenery of this floor is a fusion of "trees" and "maze."

The paths here are convoluted, resembling a fairy-tale forest, giving one the feeling that stepping in will lead directly to a dream, lost in a paradise.

The walls, ceiling, and floor here are all formed of bark, as if inside a giant tree.

Luminous moss grows chaotically within the maze. Along the way, one can see bizarre-shaped and colorful leaves, giant fungi, and petals dripping with silver droplets—plants unseen on the surface, even beautiful gardens, chaotic grasslands, lush forests, and enormous hives, creating an incredible landscape that turns the entire maze into a haven away from the world.

In fact, for some people, this place is indeed as good as paradise.

Because the "Big Tree Maze" area from the 19th to the 24th floor has a unique characteristic: various rare herbs and fruits grow here.

Some of them can be eaten directly and taste excellent, while others have immediate recovery and detoxification effects, making them valued by pharmacists who brew spiritual medicine and other tools. Some are rare plants that are scarce on the surface; they are expensive collectibles and have artistic value. Even the dazzling moss that illuminates this area can be brought back to the surface for considerable money—it’s truly a place of treasure.

Due to this feature of the "Big Tree Maze," many merchants or pharmacists on the surface post adventurer commissions at the guild to collect precious herbal materials by hiring high-level adventurers who can enter the "Big Tree Maze" area. Some commercially-oriented clans even regularly form collection teams to visit, making it a genuine treasure trove within the underground city.

Thanks to this, many adventurers often treat this place as a gold-seeking hub. Adventurers who come here every year due to financial shortage in search of "treasures" are numerous, with many losing their precious lives, reminding people that no matter how resource-rich it is, the underground city is still the underground city, and danger is inevitable.

Perhaps this is precisely why the underground city (mother) is especially fond of this area, allowing monsters born here to be more diverse and special than the floors thus far.

Here, there are Berg Bears and large beetles with exceptionally high potential innate abilities that regular Lv.2s cannot handle. There are sniper dragonflies and firebirds mainly employing long-range attacks and poisonous dark mushrooms that can poison people. If targeted by these monsters, even a second-level adventurer who’s reached Lv.3 might find it a headache.

Additionally, there are lethal wasps that suddenly emerge from the trees to stab human flesh with their massive tail stingers, lizardmen wielding weapons and shields, massive goblins unbelievable to be goblins, and Sword-horned Deer with deadly sharp horns. None of these monsters are easy to deal with; each has its formidable traits and danger.

In such a place, a half-baked Lv.2, no matter how many come, probably only serve as cannon fodder. Even Lv.3 would find it difficult to ensure safety in a solo fight here. If careless, even Lv.4 might meet their end here, as there have historically been Lv.4 adventurers who died in unusual events like monster feasts.

From this perspective, the mysterious magician assigning the unusual events of monster surge phenomena on this floor to the Hermes Clan for handling was indeed correct.

Fifteen members of the Hermes Clan came to the 24th floor this time, including Asafi, most of whom are Lv.3, with Asafi herself being Lv.4. Such a small unit should have no problem infiltrating the deep lower regions; if they dare an adventure, they could even venture to the 37th floor.

This kind of squad exploring the 24th floor usually would be somewhat... no, it should be said as extremely excessive in combat power.

But today, such a squad appears on the 24th floor and can barely self-preserve.

The reason is simple.

"""""Gaaaaaahhhhhhhhh——!"""""

Accompanied by a terrifying roar echoing through the "Big Tree Maze," a massive group of monsters appeared in herds racing through the maze.

It was like witnessing a black tide surging.

Like beasts released from their cages.

Lethal wasps, lizardmen, Sword-horned Deer, dark mushrooms... various monsters abandoning racial differences, seemingly forming an army, a force, a whole, rushing forward towards the prey appearing on this floor.

The extraordinarily grand parade of monsters almost engulfed the entire passage, leaving adventurers marked as prey no chance to escape.

"Form ranks! Raise shields!"

Asafi widened her eyes seeing the massive monster army charging towards them, then shouted orders as if electrified by the sense of crisis.

"Bang!" "Bang!" "Bang!"......

Immediately, the Hermes Clan’s vanguard members moved forward, suppressing the disturbance within, obeying their leader’s directive, slamming shields onto the ground, forming a shield wall.

Tiger men wielding great swords stood behind them; small magic guides raised magic wands chanting spells; beautifully appearing elves lifted short bows, shooting arrows, with dog-ear girls holding short swords leaping onto trees seemingly prepared to flank the monster horde through the forest, providing guerrilla support to allies.

Members of the Hermes Clan contacted the astonishing number of monsters, falling into a melee.

Facing such a large number of monsters, even with levels between Lv.3-Lv.4, they could barely support one battle line, warding off monster charges, fighting to keep them outside the team.

Presented before them was the brutality of quantity.

Far more terrifying than monster feasts, monster offerings, and unusual events, the monstrous army roared, hissed, and hysterically assaulted the Hermes Clan’s defense line, attempting to engulf them.

"Is this the monster surge...!?"

Asafi understood the severity of the situation and finally realized why the adventurers who had explored this floor before them faced such grim fates.

With such an abnormal number of monsters, even they found it extremely challenging to handle. Needless to say, adventurers around Lv.2 could pretty much be pronounced dead on arrival in such circumstances.

"Deceptive Swordsmen! Sword Princess!"

Asafi could only turn her head to look at the two first-level adventurers accompanying them, trying to elicit their support.

Unexpectedly, as soon as Asafi turned her head, two gusts of wind swept past her.

The young man and the young woman who had been by her side had already dashed out, moving like a swift breeze, causing a whistling gale as they stirred the dungeon’s atmosphere, wrapping the airflow around themselves.

"Go!"

"Okay!"

The young man and woman exchanged this brief dialogue, then leaped high in perfect harmony, jumping over the heads of the Hermes Clan members supporting the shield wall, and amidst the gasps and astonishment of everyone, they plunged into the overwhelming horde of monsters.

"Swish!"

"Clang!"

The crisp sound of swords being drawn echoed across the sky.

"Swoosh!"

Ais was the first to wield the Sword of Despair, allowing her silver saber to cut through the air, marking the path of a lightning-fast strike, cleaving through the deadly wasps flying in mid-air.

"Garoooh! "

"Roaaaaar!"

"Screee!"

The surrounding monsters immediately charged at Ais with fierce, gleaming eyes, especially the two firebirds, which stood out the most, spurting flames as they rushed towards Ais, seemingly intent on burning her along with the fellow (monsters) to ashes.

To this, Ais merely coldly, fiercely, mercilessly, and swiftly swung her slash, advancing like the wind, with her silver saber in hand becoming the source of countless sword lights and slash lights, weaving a storm of carnage that obliterated the monsters charging at her and even sliced the fire breath of the firebirds, showcasing an awe-inspiring might that sent shivers down one’s spine.

Compared to Ais, who had transformed into a sword-storm, Reiger’s posture appeared even more graceful.

He reached the scene after she did, deftly slipping through the gaps between monsters the moment Ais dashed into the midst of them, coming to the center of the monster horde, then spun on the spot, allowing his crystalline, translucent treasured sword to flash across the void, leaving arcs of light in the space.

His slashes were silent, like a gentle breeze passing by.

His slashes were sharp and fierce, seemingly not carrying much destructive power, yet causing all the monsters touched by the sword’s tip and blade to scream in agony, losing parts of their limbs in a blink of an eye, splattering the ground with blood.

Unlike Ais who wove a blade storm, he harvested monster lives while flashing back and forth amidst their attacks, dancing gracefully, evading every attack without a hint of error.

During this time, while everyone gasped, he calmly and indifferently began chanting magic.

"[Light Arrow of Liberation, Bow of Sacred Wood, I am the Master of the Bow.]"

"[Strike, Elf Shooter.]"

"[Pierce, Guaranteed Hit Arrow.]"

As if dancing on a knife’s edge, Reiger dodged the lizard man attacking from behind without batting an eye, then kicked away the sniper drakefly swooping in from the side, dodged the sneak attacks from the Berg Bear and Giant Beetle, turned around, and stretched out his palm towards the direction with the most monsters.

"[Arc-shaped Beam]!"

A brilliant golden magic array formed in front of his palm, and a massive flash turned into a torrent, unleashed from Reiger’s hand.

Instantly, the flash engulfed the monsters, swallowed the passage, and consumed the dungeon, leading to a grand explosion right there.

Watching this scene, Asafi trembled as well.

"This is..."

The Omnipotent One’s lips pressed tightly together.