"Hoh, you have already cleared 10 floors, Airi? That's fast!" (Eugene)
I got into the dungeon elevator with Sara and Airi, and we exchanged information with each other.
Turns out, Airi wasn't new to dungeon exploration.
"Well, yeah. I cleared five floors over two days with some tips from my combat instructor, took a day off, and then fought the Floor Boss on the 10th floor. Did you and the others go through something similar?" (Airi)
Airi asked, and Sara and I exchanged glances.
"Sara and I were in the Normal Department, so we weren't allowed to challenge the Zenith Tower for over two months after enrolling." (Eugene)
"Yeah. And we only tackled one floor at a time, so it took ages." (Sara)
"It took me more than six months to fight my first Floor Boss. I had to wait until the Sword of Mercy, Curtana, was sent from my homeland." (Sara)
"It took me over a year to challenge a Floor Boss." (Eugene)
Sara and I reminisced about the past.
"O-Oh… I didn't realize it varied so much between people." (Airi)
Airi seemed surprised by our unexpected answers.
"Wait, but wasn't Sumire-chan in the Normal Department too? She started dungeon exploration right after enrolling." (Airi)
"I am impressed you know that." (Eugene)
Did she hear that directly from Sumire?
"Well, of course! The Empire's Intelligence Division can easily find that kind of information!" (Airi)
Turns out it was from the intelligence division.
"…You had her investigated?" (Sara)
Sara sounded taken aback.
"What's the problem?! I've already had every girl near Eugy thoroughly checked!" (Airi)
"Saying that in front of a related party might not be the best idea." (Sara)
Sara's wariness grew even more intense.
Sara, who had been in my party, was also probably investigated. Not to mention, she's the next Holy Maiden, so she's definitely on the intelligence division's target list.
"By the way, Sumire is special even among the Normal Department students. She was found inside the dungeon after all." (Eugene)
"Oh yeah, that's right. She's an otherworlder." (Airi)
"Also, Sumire-chan set the fastest record in Lykeion Academy history by clearing 10 floors on her first day and 20 on her second day." (Sara)
"Huh? Is that true?" (Eugene)
"You didn't know, Eugene?" (Sara)
"I didn't…" (Eugene)
I hadn't realized our exploration had such a record.
"Well, you were busy fighting Cerberus, so it's understandable." (Sara)
"Yeah, I thought I was going to die back then." (Eugene)
"You wouldn't die on the 20th floor." (Sara)
"That's how much pressure the Divine Beast had." (Eugene)
We arrived at the 11th floor as we talked.
The 11th floor was a dense jungle known as the Jungle Area.
Unlike the open fields below the 10th floor, visibility became significantly worse.
――Kya! Kya! Kya! Kya!
――Grrrr…
――Rustle… Rustle…
From above, hidden in the trees, we heard the cries of unseen monsters.
"Wow, so the dungeon layout changes every 10 floors! Interesting!" (Airi)
Airi's eyes sparkled as she looked around.
"If you get too excited, you'll run out of energy, Princess Airi." (Sara)
"Don't worry about me. I'm a Heaven Knight -the Empire's top force- after all, future Holy Maiden Sara." (Airi)
Airi responded sharply to Sara's comment.
The Holy Union and the Empire are rival nations.
These two are destined to lead their respective countries, so their interactions were naturally tense.
"Gaaah!!"
Suddenly, a black shadow lunged at us from directly above.
It was a Leaf Leopard, which made its nest in the jungle and ambushed explorers from outside their field of vision.
It seemed to be targeting Airi.
I sensed it but waited to see how Airi would respond.
"Twin Heavenly Sword Style: [Kamaitachi]." (Airi)
With a swift movement, Airi's thin, one-handed sword sliced off the leopard's head before it could even scream.
The monster's body hit the ground, separated from its head.
"Well done." (Eugene)
"Heh, that was easy." (Airi)
Airi sheathed her sword with a click.
Then…
"Kya! Kya!"
"Ki! Ki!"
"Shaa!"
More monsters descended from above.
This time, it was a group.
The Angry Forest Monkeys that claimed the jungle as their territory.
Airi readied her sword, and I reached for the hilt of mine.
"Holy Sword Magic: [Light Saber]." (Sara)
Sara's light blades sliced through the Forest Monkeys, splitting them in half.
Thud, thud. The monsters' bodies fell to the ground.
"You've gotten good with that Holy Sword." (Eugene)
"Fufu, right?" (Sara)
Sara smiled happily.
The exploration was going smoothly.
Sara and I had already cleared the 100th floor and were ranked as A Rank explorers.
Airi was lower ranked as an explorer, but she is a Heaven Knight, so she can handle herself.
There was no reason we'd struggle on the lower floors of the Zenith Tower.
So exploration wasn't an issue, but another problem arose.
"Eugy, this brings back memories. Being together with just the two of us reminds me of the sword training we had with Jubei-ojisan!" (Airi)
"Hey, Eugene, exploring these lower floors with just the two of us feels like the old duo team days." (Sara)
"Uh…guys? We're a party of 3 right now, remember?" (Eugene)
Airi and Sara kept competing with each other.
I had expected them not to get along, but now it was becoming obvious.
"Twin Heavenly Sword Style – Wind Form: [Swallow in Flight]!" (Airi)
"Holy Sword Magic: [Light Saber]!" (Sara)
The two were competing with each other, and quickly took down the monsters.
I had no turn.
We progressed through the floors, moving from the 11th to the 12th, 13th, and 14th floors.
On the 15th floor, a tough Basilisk appeared. I thought about helping, but Sara's light blade and Airi's magic slashes beheaded it.
(They surprisingly work well together.) (Eugene)
Despite their differences in personality, their fighting styles complemented each other.
"It's too easy." (Airi)
"Well, it's only the 15th floor." (Sara)
Airi and Sara turned to me with calm expressions.
Then Airi furrowed her brows.
"Hey, Eugy." (Airi)
"What's up, Airi?" (Eugene)
"Why haven't you been fighting?" (Airi)
"Now that you mention it, that's true. What's the matter, Eugene?" (Sara)
They both asked.
It's true that I barely participated in the battles.
"Well, with this team, I figured I'd be the healer, so I stayed out of the front lines." (Eugene)
"Really? But we've got the future Holy Maiden here, right?" (Airi)
Airi's words made Sara look uncomfortable.
"Sara isn't great at healing magic." (Eugene)
"What?! Even though she's the future Holy Maiden?" (Airi)
"Eugene! Don't say that!" (Sara)
"Everyone at the academy knows." (Eugene)
It's not exactly a secret.
Or more like, it is not hidden at all.
"I've gotten better recently, thanks to the Holy Sword…" (Sara)
Sara's voice trailed off.
She was referring to the healing magic blessing of Curtana.
But she still wasn't skilled at healing magic on her own.
"Hey, Eugy. I can use healing magic too." (Airi)
Airi casually added.
"Oh, right. I forgot." (Eugene)
Airi possessed the rare seven-colored mana, capable of using all types of magic.
"I'll be fine, so why don't you show us your sword skills too?" (Airi)
"Yeah, I'd like to see them too." (Sara)
Airi and Sara both encouraged me.
"Alright, I'll start fighting next time." (Eugene)
Honestly, just watching was getting boring.
After that, the three of us fought together, and the speed of our dungeon exploration increased.
By evening, we found the stairs to the upper floors from the 19th floor.
"Alright! Let's finish up on the 20th floor today!" (Airi)
Airi suggested.
"Airi, the boss is up there." (Eugene)
"Of course, I know that." (Airi)
"If you get too cocky, you'll regret it, Princess Airi." (Sara)
"Stop calling me princess, you muscle-head Holy Maiden who can't even heal!" (Airi)
"What did you say?! Take that back!" (Sara)
"I'm stating facts!" (Airi)
Airi and Sara weren't getting along.
We should probably split up soon.
"It's getting late, so let's wrap up for the day and—" (Eugene)
"Come on, Eugy, let's go!" (Airi)
Airi had already dashed up the stairs to the next floor.
"O-Oi!" (Eugene)
"Geez, she's so selfish!" (Sara)
Sara and I hurried after her.
Airi must still be looking for a fight.
The monsters on the 19th floor were weak compared to the ones in the Empire.
She probably wants to challenge the boss.
Sara likely thought the same; a 20th Floor Boss wouldn't be a problem for us.
It is probably a Goblin King or an Orc King.
We climbed the stairs with light steps…and then we saw it.
――A massive dragon.
"Eh? Why…?" (Sara)
Sara's mouth fell open in shock.
"The monsters just got a lot stronger all of a sudden." (Airi)
Airi's expression turned serious, switching to battle mode.
"Dragons are supposed to appear above the 50th floor…" (Eugene)
You won't ever meet one until then…that's common knowledge in the Zenith Tower.
As we stood there, confused, a voice called out from behind us.
――Fufufu, I messed with the Zenith Tower's Floor Boss settings.
It was a little girl in a bright red robe.
The Dungeon Master of the Zenith Tower.
"Anemoi-san… What do you mean by that?" (Eugene)
I asked her.
"Hmm, waiting until the 50th floor to see a dragon would be boring, don't you think? So I changed the dungeon's difficulty." (Anemoi)
She winked at us cutely.
I found it anything but cute.
(Dungeon Master, you seriously don't do anything decent!!) (Eugene)
Cursing inwardly, I readied my magic sword and faced the dragon.