Chapter 74

After teleporting to the sixth underground floor's transfer magic circle and after Dick's party set off, Sherry and Lotte were once again observing the people defending the same sixth floor.

Not all guilds have S-rank or higher adventurers. As with Sherry and Lotte, only those who are S-rank or higher can qualify as guild masters, and in a typical guild, the number of guild members who are C-rank or lower far outweighs the rest.

Yesterday, Sherry and her party had defeated new monsters that seemed to have spawned on the first floor of this dungeon, but their strength was such that even C-rank guild members could barely handle them. However, Dick and his party had slain a Chimera equivalent to SS-rank, and the monsters that had originally inhabited the first floor of the thousand-year-old dungeon had grown stronger by fighting each other, like parasites, and there were many that were A-rank in strength. Even goblins had a pitch-black color that Sherry had never seen before and could not be defeated without Lotte's flail delivering a full-force blow.

Seeing such a state firsthand, the floors that Dick and his party had not yet cleared of monsters were far too dangerous. The fact that even A-rank adventurers could not be guaranteed safety meant that among the thousand gathered for the dungeon expedition, only a small fraction could be considered combat-effective. Unless it was confirmed that the monsters spawning on the secured floors were below B-rank, B-rank personnel could not be deployed.

The dungeon expedition to slay the 'Versalis Serpent' was entrusted to the hands of Dick and a select few who were S-rank or higher. However, it wasn't that the gathered people would not fight; depending on the strength of the monsters that respawned on this sixth floor, tasks could be assigned even to B-rank and lower adventurers.

"Miss, as Mr. Dick said, the monsters on this floor have been completely eliminated. Still, should we stay here with everyone as a precaution?"

Lotte asked, feeling the time was dragging. Leonid and some adventurers were descending from the first floor to clear the monsters that Dick's party had ignored.

If the monsters on a floor were completely eliminated, even a demon lord extermination squad would expend physical and magical energy. Therefore, it was a reasonable judgment for Dick and his party to avoid unnecessary battles to swiftly slay the 'Versalis Serpent.'

In a normal dungeon, to prevent monsters from respawning on a floor that had been cleared, a 'Seal Shrine' might be built, but in this dungeon, each floor was so vast that several shrines would have to be built at regular intervals. Since the skill to build a shrine was a specialized one held only by high-ranking priests, it was impractical.

A shrine had been built around the magic circle, but it was one that Dick had constructed with Uma's assistance. The meticulous work meant that the forty people who had come to the sixth floor were, in a sense, idle.

(Dick is still on the seventh floor. I can see through the earring... The seventh floor might be a tough battle even for S-rank adventurers.)

The seventh floor was home to a sandworm of unprecedented size, and even its larvae were large enough to swallow an orc whole.

Sherry was not fond of worm-like creatures, and the thought of a monsterized sandworm sent shivers down her spine. She empathized with Dick's apprehension, but the thought of stepping onto the seventh floor made her reconsider.

"... The guild master of the Knights, Cody, can apparently discern the dungeon's mechanisms to some extent using the power of light. There are others with such skills, so I think there are no oversights on this floor. If there is, it would be the next floor. It's very wide and buried in sand, making it hard to tell what's there."

"Then, should we go to the seventh floor to investigate, and ask Mr. Dick for instructions using the telepathic earring? It would be easier to explain to others if we have his exploration instructions."

Lotte did not want to spend the day just defending the sixth floor. If things went smoothly, the magic circle on the eleventh floor could be activated in less than half a day, but in the worst case, they might waste a day on a floor with no monsters.

Among the explorers who had descended simultaneously, some were concerned about this and suggested exploring the fifth floor on their own or following Dick's party. They had only seen the aftermath of Dick's party slaying monsters and did not know how dangerous unexplored areas could be. Among the elite knights and noble guards, and the more bloodthirsty adventurers, there were those eager to claim glory.

However, understanding that the defense of the transfer magic circle was the top priority, those who faithfully carried out this task ensured that everyone did not act independently and fall into the worst-case scenario. Those with the skill to manage the transfer magic circle, arranged by Dick, were difficult to replace, so their protection was strict.

Still, forty people were a lot. With few floors to serve as bases, it was inevitable that personnel would be scattered, but Lotte thought that if there were spare personnel, it could be advantageous.

To get permission to leave the base defense, she approached Kusumi Kushina, the guild master of 'Blue Maiden Inn,' who was currently in command of the sixth floor defense.

Kusumi Kushina, one of the SS-rank adventurers in the capital, was a Sword Saint with a strength of 66,442, and was said to be the closest to the demon lord extermination squad.

At the age of thirteen, she had reached S-rank and was known as a prodigy swordsman, but after suffering a major illness that caused her to lose her sight, she retired from the front lines. At the age of twenty, she acquired the skill 'Mind Eye' and made a miraculous comeback. Although she was not in perfect health, she was moved by the events happening in the capital and temporarily returned as a guild master to join the dungeon expedition.

"Kusumi-sama, it's been a while. I am Charlotte Hertis, the guild master of 'Red Twin Inn.'"

"Oh, it's been a while. I haven't seen you since the guild master meeting before the last one."

Kusumi, a woman with a gentle demeanor, spoke in a dry tone influenced by her Eastern master, an old swordsman. Lotte admired Kusumi as a senior, including her graceful behavior and handsome appearance.

"I was unwell during the previous meeting, but now I can move again after a long time. In a matter of national importance, I cannot just stay at home and enjoy myself. Yesterday, I cut down a goblin for the first time in a long time, and it made my heart race. I guess I am a battle enthusiast."

Kusumi spoke happily with her eyes closed. The curved sword she wielded was called a 'katana,' and in the capital, only Ria used a similar weapon. A swordsman who could make it rain blood with a single swing was now smiling genuinely.

Compared to Sherry and Lotte, Kusumi looked a bit frail and delicate due to her illness, but at times, she exuded a formidable presence. Being within Kusumi's 'Iai' range meant being at her mercy—thus, Lotte thought that if she could become strong enough not to fear Kusumi, that would be the strength of an SS-rank.

"However, being left behind by Dick and his party, I cannot even gradually get my body used to it. Although waiting is also part of the job, it is quite tough. To put it bluntly, I am bored."

"Yes, that's why we want to contribute to the vanguard as much as possible and explore the untouched part of the seventh floor. Can we have your permission?"

"I would like to go too, but I was asked to command by Leonid, so I cannot move. I will entrust my thoughts to you and wait here."

"Thank you, Kusumi-sama. I would like to have a proper conversation with you again soon."

"I look forward to it. To me, you are dear juniors. Although I sound like an old person, please be very careful."

Although her tone was mature, Kusumi was only twenty-two, five years older than the Hertis sisters. Her long, lustrous hair, a color between indigo and blue, was tied up in a unique style, not just a simple ponytail. Combined with Eastern-style layered robes, it gave her an alluring aura beyond her age.

Dick, as usual, took a liking to her. Kusumi respected the strength of the demon lord extermination squad and, when she met Dick at a guild master meeting, she had even offered to show him her skills one day.

To Sherry, Kusumi was a respected female guild master, but she was also wary of her bold approach to Dick.

Because of this, she even felt jealous of the demon lord extermination squad and worried her sister. Sherry reflected on this internally and joined the conversation between her sister and Kusumi.

"... We have a magical item that allows us to communicate with Dick. If we can receive instructions through this, we want to explore the seventh floor."

"If Dick and his party leave monsters behind and proceed to the eighth floor, it would be worrying for just the two of you. As a precaution, I will send an SS-rank adventurer with you. How about this: I will send a few people as a separate squad to patrol up to the entrance of the seventh floor. That way, if you encounter a strong enemy on the seventh floor, we can respond to a rescue request."

"Yes, that would be a great help."

"Then, go down to the seventh floor with Zekt's party. I will recruit a few more people who want to patrol this floor and send them off later."

Lotte felt relieved that her request was granted but felt a slight resistance to the idea of a male companion, even if he was part of Dick's guild. Zekt was large and, being SS-rank, Lotte felt a bit intimidated by him.

"Zekt from 'Silver Water Jug Inn.' Please take care of me."

"Likewise, I'm Sakuya. Our master is always grateful for your help."

"I'm Reiza. Please take care of me. I'll stay out of the way in battle but won't hold you back!"

"I'm Sheryl Hertis from 'Red Twin Inn.' Please take care of me."

Lotte, who was usually shy, left the initial greetings to her sister. She wanted to hide behind her sister, but she endured and told herself not to be wary of Zekt.

"Ah, by the way... Charlotte, you're not good with men, right? Zekt may look intimidating, but he's harmless. Are you still scared?"

"Ah, no... I'm sorry, I'm not used to men. It's not that I can't handle it, so I'll be fine. We're all together, after all."

"If we can work together, it would be a great help. I'll try not to interfere."

Zekt said this matter-of-factly and walked ahead. As an SS-rank and a skilled Shadow Striker, it made sense for him to lead, so the other four followed.

◆◇◆

When they reached the seventh floor without any particular obstacles, Sherry contacted Dick using the magical item.

"Exploring the seventh floor, huh? We prioritize diving deeper, so we haven't thoroughly investigated it. The biggest one is gone, but there should still be many smaller sandworms. I don't really recommend it..."

Dick's voice came from the transparent magic stone embedded in the earring, making Sherry feel ticklish. Hearing Dick's voice as if he were whispering in her ear was a strange sensation.

(... If I use this, I can always... No, that's not why I got it.)

"Sheryl? Can you hear me? We're heading to the next floor soon. We can still return from the eighth floor, so call us if anything happens."

"It's fine. Be careful. Please pass on my regards to the party members."

"Sure, thanks. You also be very careful."

The presence of Dick, who had been speaking to Sherry's consciousness, faded away. Lotte, who had been watching, was tense as if it were her own situation, but she let out a sigh of relief when the conversation ended.

"What did Mr. Dick say?"

"He said it's okay to explore. He mentioned that there are still enemies that even A-rank adventurers might struggle with, but I think we'll be fine with this group. Reiza..."

"Ah, you can call me by my first name. This floor seems to have no enemies, so I think I can handle it, but... is it still dangerous?"

"No, they're buried in the sand. If a hidden monster targets you, it's dangerous, but I can sense danger. Watch my ears. When I sense something in the sand, they'll stand up."

Sakuya showed her rabbit ears on her head. They looked like they were attached with a headband, but they were genuine animal ears, a characteristic of the Moon Hare race, with hearing that was among the best of all beast races.

When Sakuya's ears perked up, Sherry's cheeks turned slightly red. She thought they were cute, and Lotte realized her sister was trying not to show it on her face.

Zekt nodded slightly at Sakuya's ears and positioned her slightly ahead to take advantage of her scouting ability, with the rest of the group following. The Moon Hare race was adapted to sandy environments and could grant a similar effect to Verlene's 'Sand Walking' spell to the party members through their own magic, so they did not get stuck in the sand.

"... Huh?"

"Whoa, you scared me. Zekt, is something wrong?"

When Zekt, who was leading, stopped, Reiza hurriedly stopped as well. Zekt silently repositioned himself to the rear and said, looking at the entrance to the stairs leading up to the sixth floor.

"Someone might have patrolled up there. I felt someone's gaze."

"Don't say such creepy things. We can't see from here, can we?"

"Sorry. Just to be safe, I'll take the rear."

Zekt replied briefly and increased his vigilance. As a Shadow Striker, he could respond immediately to ambushes, but he felt a threat from something invisible, not a sand-dwelling monster.

He wanted to use his combat skills to clear the monsters left by Dick, but he reminded himself to be cautious.

If his intuition was correct, the enemy was not just monsters—just as Zekt thought this, Sakuya's ears reacted.

"Everyone, scatter! It's coming from below!"

Everyone followed the order and scattered in five directions. Then, a sandworm with hardened skin burst through the sand. With a whooshing sound, it lunged at Reiza, whom it deemed the weakest.

"—'Shadow Clone'"

Reiza could have avoided it on her own, but Zekt's magic assisted her. Two clones emerged from Reiza's shadow, and the confused sandworm lost sight of Reiza's real body and attacked the other shadows.

"Kyaa...!"

The sandworm passed by Reiza and plunged into the sand with a thud. If left alone, it would start burrowing, but Sherry and Lotte did not miss the opportunity and attacked simultaneously.

"'Thunder Whip'...!"

"Haah... 'Whirlwind Strike'!"

Sherry took out her whip and delivered a strike wrapped in spirit magic, causing the sandworm to glow with electricity. The skeleton of the sandworm, which only had an exoskeleton and solid bones for its teeth and skin, became visible through the lightning.

Then, while the sandworm was still charged, Lotte spun her flail to create centrifugal force and delivered a powerful blow. The sandworm's exoskeleton shattered, and it was sent flying high into the air, disappearing into the darkness of the dungeon.

"Phew, that was a shock... You two are really amazing. Being twins, you really work well together."

Reiza put her hand to her chest and said. Sherry and Lotte sheathed their weapons and smiled at her.

"... Are you okay? You're an easy target, so you need to be careful."

"But being an easy target also makes you easier to protect. It has its pros and cons, doesn't it?"

"Let's be cautious. It seems there was some kind of facility buried in the sand on this floor. Whether it was made by past intruders or is part of the original dungeon, it's worth investigating."

Sakuya, who had knowledge of ruins, observed the exposed rock in the sandy area and determined that