Chapter 62: The End of the Expedition

In a desolate and safe floor, under a rock wall, the members of Loki's Familia gathered here.

Some were packing the few remaining belongings, some were treating the injured, some were running back and forth, and some were occasionally gazing into the distance with lingering fear.

In the direction they often gazed, there was a massive crater that looked as if it had been struck by a meteor.

The crater was emitting black smoke, giving off a foul odor, and some purple liquid was dripping and flowing, continuously corroding and dissolving the area, making the crater even larger.

This was the legacy left by the female monster's self-destruction.

When the female monster was completely pierced and exploded to death, the large amount of corrosive liquid that splashed from its body ultimately left a crater on the 50th floor, resembling a volcanic crater or a meteor impact.

Whenever the members thought about the scene at that time, they would shudder and cast grateful and respectful glances in another direction.

Ryker was sitting there, surrounded by many members of the Familia.

"Please, have some water."

"Please, have this panacea."

"Idiot, Mr. Ryker isn't injured, he doesn't need the panacea. Just some stamina and spirit recovery potions will do."

"No, I heard Mr. Ryker has the abilities 'Healing Power' and 'Spirit Recovery,' so stamina and spirit recovery potions are useless."

"Then, at least drink some water!"

"No! He should eat something!"

"Please, Mr. Ryker!"

The members of the Familia argued one after another, passing items to Ryker, who was sitting among them, making him feel overwhelmed by their enthusiasm.

"Everyone, there's no need to be so formal. You are all my seniors, there's no need for this."

Ryker said this with a hint of helplessness.

After defeating the female monster, Ryker returned and was treated with such polite and enthusiastic hospitality.

This made Ryker feel very uncomfortable, and he could only lower his stance and gesture to the others.

However, the lower Ryker's stance, the more enthusiastic the members became, and the more respectful their gazes.

"There's no need to worry about such things, Mr. Ryker."

"That's right, seniority is important, but strength is more important. Mr. Ryker is already a pillar of the Familia, comparable to the officers. It's only natural for us to respect you."

"Rather, we should be ashamed for being surpassed by a senior like Mr. Ryker."

"Exactly, please don't mind us, rest well. You were almost exhausted when you returned."

The members spoke one after another, completely ignoring Ryker's words and fawning over him even more.

This left Ryker at a loss, and he could only look to his acquaintances for help with a pleading gaze.

Unfortunately, this not only failed to change anything but made the scene even more lively.

"I think you should just accept it, Ryker."

Dione stood to the side, giving Ryker a smug smile.

"Who made you perform so well, Ryker!" Tierna bounced over, hugging Ryker's arm and said happily, "You were really like a hero just now!"

"Indeed, indeed!"

Revia nodded repeatedly, her eyes and expression far more intense than those of the surrounding members. One could easily imagine that if she weren't a reserved elf, she would have also come forward to fuss over him.

Even Ais came over, glanced at Ryker, and then spoke.

"Rest well first, or you might not be able to move later."

As someone who had been through it, Ais knew exactly what state Ryker was in.

He had overloaded his magic use, causing his body to bear a significant burden, just like during the crocodile dragon hunt.

With the protection of "Wind Spirit Dash" and "Lamule," Ryker was not injured and did not need treatment. The stamina and spirit he consumed were replenished by "Healing Power" and "Spirit Recovery," so his condition was not as bad as others imagined.

The only problem was that Ryker had once again unleashed the maximum output of "Wind Spirit Dash," bearing a tremendous burden. He was probably feeling extremely sore all over, which was why others thought he was almost exhausted.

The only solution was to rest well.

Therefore, Ais said this.

"I know." Ryker, who was also aware of his current state, nodded and said, "Just give me ten minutes, I'll sit down for a bit."

Ryker's words were met with concern from the surrounding members.

"Do you really not need water?"

"What about food?"

"Or a spirit potion?"

"Should we massage you?"

The genuine concern from the members made Ryker smile bitterly.

For a moment, the corner where Ryker was sitting was filled with various noises, which did not stop.

"Really noisy, a bunch of idiots. If those disgusting monsters come again, I'll see what you do."

Bert stood on the top of a tree, looking at this scene, and muttered in annoyance before turning to guard the surroundings.

Finn, Riria, and Gries, who were talking to each other, were also attracted by the commotion here and exchanged smiles.

"That kid has truly become a hero in the Familia."

Gries, whether out of annoyance or amusement, shook his head.

"There's nothing wrong with that." Riria closed one eye and said, "Given Ryker's performance, it would be strange if he didn't get this treatment."

Finn smiled and said, "Even Anqi is mixed in there, which is quite rare."

Upon closer inspection, the catgirl who was in the same batch as Raul was indeed among the members surrounding Ryker, taking the opportunity to offer a towel.

Ryker seemed not to notice, being surrounded by everyone and looking somewhat helpless, which made Anqi appear somewhat disappointed.

Anqi's behavior made Raul look as if he had seen a ghost, completely stunned.

Seeing this, Gries was surprised.

"Anqi, that girl, I didn't expect her to be so proactive. Ryker really has some skills."

After all, as a core member of the second team of Loki's Familia, Anqi's performance in the past was much better than Raul's.

Although Raul was favored by the Familia's upper echelons, he had some issues with his personality. He was not good at handling emergencies and was sometimes particularly timid and fearful, causing a lot of worry.

Anqi, on the other hand, excelled in all aspects, being calm and composed, brave and resourceful. She had always supported the top adventurers in the Familia from the rear, earning considerable respect and popularity within the Familia and even being favored by the gods.

Due to her composure, the gods even privately referred to Anqi as the "Noble Cat," and she herself earned the title of "Noble Cat," a beautiful and talented catgirl who could make the gods fall in love at first sight, embodying a cold and fierce beauty.

If Anqi could reach level 5, her popularity would rival that of Ais and Riria, making her one of the most popular females in Loki's Familia.

Now, this noble cat, who was highly favored by the gods, was showing such behavior, which was why Gries was surprised and Raul was stunned.

"It seems that not only in strength and character, but also in popularity among the opposite sex, he can match Ais."

Riria laughed.

"The better he performs, the less pressure we will have in the future. That's a good thing."

Finn looked at Ryker for a while, then turned his gaze back to the main topic.

"From the looks of Ryker, he should be fine. How about the other members?"

Hearing this, Riria and Gries spoke in turn.

"We've already taken a headcount. Although many are injured and some have been corroded by the corrosive liquid, they have all been treated in time and are not in danger."

"Right, with a little rest, they should be able to continue moving."

Finn nodded at Riria and Gries's words.

"In that case, let's inform everyone to prepare to retreat."

Finn's decision was understood by Riria and Gries, but they also felt a bit helpless.

"In the end, we didn't even reach the 58th floor this time."

Gries sighed.

"There's no choice. We'll have to wait for the next time with such an abnormal situation." Riria gazed at the large, corroded crater and muttered to herself, "In the end, we still don't know where these monsters came from."

The sudden appearance of this new type of monster caught Loki's Familia off guard.

"All of them were enhanced, and there were many of them." Gries said solemnly, "There's no guarantee we won't encounter this situation again."

"Then we need to be prepared." Finn said calmly, "This time, we were the ones who lagged behind. We can't allow that to happen again next time."

"Of course." Gries laughed.

The three of them were top-tier level 6 powerhouses. If they had been prepared and not been hindered by the corrosive liquid, they would not have been reduced to mere spectators.

Not just Finn and the others, but even Bert, Tierna, Dione, and others were seething with frustration.

When the instructions from the Familia's leaders were given, everyone, though feeling resentful, had no choice but to accept it and set off on the return journey.

About half an hour later, all members of Loki's Familia gathered at the entrance to the 49th floor, officially starting their return.

Ryker, who was at the back, took one last look at the 50th floor.

"The expedition is over."

A sense of indescribable emotion welled up in his heart.

After two weeks, his first expedition ended with a fierce battle.

"Not bad."

Ryker suddenly smiled, feeling no regret.

Defeating that female monster and engaging in a life-and-death struggle with it, Ryker naturally gained a massive amount of high-level experience.

"Maybe I can reach level 5 this time?"

With this expectation, Ryker set off on his return journey.

The 50th floor returned to its desolate state, falling silent once again.

New book, seeking support! Seeking recommendations! Seeking collections! (*^▽^*)

(End of Chapter)