"So this is B3F... It looks exactly the same as the floors above."
Elena murmured this as soon as they stepped off the stairs.
A magic circle for the teleportation device was installed right next to the landing. The corridor stretching ahead was paved with the same cobblestone as before, its walls emitting a faint, ethereal glow. The sight was so identical to B1F and B2F that it triggered a distinct sense of déjà vu.
"We're still in the shallow layers," Rei replied. "Remember the Dungeon of the Altar of Inheritance? The upper floors there were mostly the same, weren't they? This dungeon is on a completely different scale from that one. It’s only natural for the scenery to repeat for a while."
In this dungeon, even the most advanced adventurers had only reached around B30F. Compared to the Dungeon of the Altar of Inheritance, which housed its core on B7F, this place was at least six times larger—and that was only counting the areas already explored.
"At any rate, not much time has passed since lunch. Our goal is to clear B3F today and exit via the magic circle on B4F... does that sound right?"
"Yes, that's fine. How far is it to the stairs?"
Rei asked while keeping an eye on Seto, who was scanning their surroundings. Even near a magic circle, the area wasn't guaranteed to be safe. Elena pulled a map from her magic pouch and studied it.
"Let's see. This floor is a labyrinth of numerous crossroads. Without a map, finding the stairs would be exceptionally difficult. Fortunately, we have one, so we should be able to proceed without much trouble... hopefully."
A map certainly allowed them to take the shortest route to the stairs leading to B4F. However, maps didn't account for travel time on foot; they merely prevented one from getting lost. While experienced delvers could estimate the time required after multiple trips, it was a tall order for Rei and Elena, who were stepping onto B3F for the first time.
"Let's move out, then. What about traps? B2F was quite a mess."
Elena pondered Rei's question for a few seconds before answering.
"We should stay as vigilant as we were on the floor above. I doubt there are fatal traps this early on, but until we can recruit a thief, we should stay in the habit of being cautious—hm?"
Just as Elena spoke, the magic circle near the stairs flared with light. In the next instant, a group of about 5 men appeared atop it. All of them were young; some were slightly older than Rei, while others looked younger than Elena.
"Alright, let's head out. The request is for sword bee magic stones. We need seven. Remember, magic stones sell for the highest price of any material. Right now, House Marstchel and House Rebisole are buying them up for a premium. This is for Big Bro Bosk's sake, too... hm?"
The man who seemed to be the leader of the men was addressing his comrades when he finally noticed they weren't alone. He turned his head and realized that Rei, Elena, and Seto—two men and one beast—were watching them. Meanwhile, Iero, the final beast, was dozing contentedly on Seto's back after his meal.
The leader's eyes widened as he looked at Rei.
"Ah-ah-ah! You... no, you're the ones from yesterday!"
The way he hurriedly corrected his tone revealed exactly how he felt about Rei.
"...Ah, right. You're the guy who came flying out of the dining hall," Rei remarked.
Rei recalled the incident from the previous day. He had caught this man after he was tossed out of a restaurant by Vihera just as Rei was about to enter. For someone like Rei, who was constantly being accosted by various men, it was rare for a face to stick in his memory so clearly.
"Wait, you only just remembered!?"
"...Is there a problem?" Rei asked, his tone suggesting he was more than ready for a complaint. The man shook his head vigorously.
"Now that you mention it, I recognize some of the others as well," Elena added, eyeing the men surrounding the leader.
Indeed, several of the men present had also been beaten down by Vihera alongside their leader. It was only natural they looked familiar.
"Er, so... what are you folks doing in such a shallow layer?" the Newly Joined Adventurer asked.
He seemed to realize that standing in silence wouldn't get them anywhere. His intuition was sharp enough to recognize that Rei was effectively the leader of the party. Rei rested the death scythe's shaft on his shoulder and spoke as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"What does it look like? We're here for a dungeon conquest."
"No, I mean, obviously you're here for a dungeon conquest, but why such a shallow layer?"
"Because we only started exploring the dungeon yesterday."
"...Oh. I see."
The leader nodded, finally understanding. His companions followed suit. Those who had been unconscious during the scuffle with Vihera might not have known the extent of Rei's skill, but seeing him accompanied by a gryphon like Seto made it clear that underestimating him based on his age was a fool's errand.
"And you lot? Is that a guild request?" Rei asked.
"Yes. Seven sword bee magic stones. Normally, we operate around B10F, but... well, Big Bro Bosk was furious about yesterday. This is partly a punishment..." The leader scratched his cheek with a sheepish grin.
"I see. Well, good luck. We're heading out."
"Yes, sir! Be careful! Hey, you lot, bow your heads!"
"Take care!" the men shouted in unison, bowing as Rei and his companions walked away. Their movements weren't perfectly synchronized, but they were unified enough to show a certain level of discipline.
The Newly Joined Adventurer watched their retreating backs in silence. Once they were completely out of sight, he let out a massive, ragged breath. Cold sweat broke out across his forehead. He had managed to suppress his nerves while Rei was present, but the tension rushed back the moment the pressure was gone.
"...What's wrong, boss? It's rare to see you sweating like that," one of the men asked. The others looked at their leader with similar confusion.
In response, the leader wiped his brow and lightly cuffed the man's helmeted head.
"You know he's an alias holder, right?"
"Yeah, of course. Big Bro Bosk personally warned us never to pick a fight with him."
"Right. I've seen other alias holders besides Crimson before. Obviously, anyone with a title is a monster far stronger than me. But he's different. Remember that woman, Vihera, who dragged Big Bro Bosk into a fight yesterday because of us? She told Crimson to his face that he was strong. Can you believe that? Her strength was recognized by Big Bro Bosk himself, and she acknowledged him. That means he's likely on the same level as Big Bro Bosk."
The surrounding men gasped as the realization hit them.
Bosk was the man they looked up to as an older brother; despite being born into House Silwa, he was approachable and kind. Above all, his combat prowess with a claymore was legendary. He had defeated B-rank adventurers in mock battles and had even traded blows equally with A-rank adventurers.
To be equal to such a man was terrifying. Furthermore, Rei was accompanied by an A-rank monster gryphon and the princess general, Elena. The leader chose not to mention Elena's title to avoid frightening his subordinates further, but the sheer military power of Rei's party was staggering. It was no wonder Bosk had ordered them to stay away.
"At any rate, don't you dare cross Rei or that woman, whether we're inside the dungeon or out. From what I can tell, as long as we don't start anything, they won't either. Understand? This isn't just an order from me. It's an order from Big Brother."
"Understood!" the men shouted in unison.
Satisfied that his warning had sunk in, the leader gripped his spear.
"Alright, let's move. Sword bees are fast, but their defense is pathetic. As long as we land a hit, they're easy pickings. Let's gather the seven for the request and grab as many extra magic stones as we can. Our haul today determines how much wine and how many women we get tonight. You hear me!?"
"OHHHHHHH!"
The group let out a roar and began their descent. A thief led the way, though unlike Rei's party, he didn't seem to be searching for traps with much care. This was partly due to his skill, but also because experience had taught them that the traps on B3F weren't capable of dealing fatal damage to veterans like them.
They marched straight ahead, navigating the crossroads of B3F with practiced ease. The floor was complex, but the monsters were weak. They cut down ghouls and other low-rank monsters as they encountered them, stripping materials and proofs of subjugation parts while extracting magic stones.
"Still no sword bees."
"Yeah. It's been a while, but we haven't seen a single one. What's going on?"
"Hey, you sure you're not picking paths to avoid them?"
Hearing his companion's jab, the thief at the front frowned and looked back.
"Of course not. I'm heading right for their usual nesting grounds. It's not my fault they aren't showing up."
"...What the hell is happening?" the leader muttered, his suspicion growing.
It was undeniably strange. While sword bees inhabited other floors, they were supposed to be common here. The leader considered moving to another floor, but something held him back. His adventurer's intuition, honed over years of delving, was screaming that something was wrong.
(What should I do? Something is definitely off. Should we pull back?)
The leader reached a decision, but he was one step too late.
"There! Sword bees!" the thief shouted.
The others let out sighs of relief and prepared for battle, thinking their luck had finally turned.
"Wait!" the thief screamed again. His voice was laced with terror, and his face went pale. "Listen to the wings... this is bad! It's not ten or twenty—there must be more than 50!"
"What!?"
The rest of the party cried out in shock. The leader reacted instantly.
"Tch, fall back! Something's wrong. Or maybe..."
The image of Rei's party near the magic circle flashed through his mind. Had those two and their beasts done something to cause this? Regardless, they needed to regroup. His judgment was swift, but the situation had already spiraled out of control.
"They're coming from behind, too!"
As soon as the thief shouted, a massive swarm of sword bees appeared from both directions as if perfectly coordinated. There were about 50 in front and nearly 40 behind. Being caught in the middle of a crossroads, they saw even more approaching from the side passages.
"Damn it, battle stations! There are a lot of them, but they're just sword bees! One hit and they're dead! Think of this as a mountain of magic stones!"
The leader shouted to bolster their spirits, but he knew they were in a dire position. He racked his brain for a way to get his subordinates back to the surface alive as the melee began. His assessment was correct; his men were skilled enough to kill the bees easily, but the sheer numbers were overwhelming. As the bees began to close in from their blind spots and panic started to set in...
VROOOM!
The nearly 40 sword bees pressing in from behind were suddenly engulfed in a roar of flame. They were incinerated in an instant, turning to ash along with their magic stones.
A wave of intense heat washed through the corridor. Sweat—born of both the rising temperature and sheer relief—poured down the leader's face.
"Need a hand?"
The leader's eyes snapped toward the source of the voice. There stood the all-too-familiar group: a boy holding a massive death scythe over two meters long, a dignified beauty with a whip-sword in hand, a gryphon growling deep in its throat, and a tiny dragon hovering in the air to stay clear of the fray.