Another week had passed since my consultation with Grandpa regarding the magic tool.
I was currently making my way to the smithy within the Equipment Development Room. My new sword was finally ready.
"Good morning, Alan-san."
"Yo, Orun. Morning. It’s finally finished—your sword!"
With an enthusiastic grin, Alan handed me a bundle wrapped in cloth.
I took it from him and peeled back the fabric. A longsword emerged, its color a uniform, deep black from the hilt to the tip of the blade. As I had requested, the weapon incorporated Black Dragon Scales, yet it possessed no luster; instead, it was a void-like black that seemed to swallow the very light around it.
It was a double-edged longsword perfectly balanced for my height. It lacked any gaudy ornamentation, and while the design was simple, the weapon exuded a weightiness and presence that marked it as an undisputed masterpiece.
"Alan-san, thank you. Do you mind if I give it a few practice swings?"
"Yeah, go ahead."
I moved to an open area and gave the black blade a few experimental swings. There wasn't the slightest hint of discomfort; it felt like an extension of my own arm. The center of gravity was flawless.
(So this is a sword forged specifically for me. Incredible...)
"How’s the handling?"
"Perfect. I’d expect nothing less from the best blacksmith in the Silver Rabbit of the Night Sky."
"Glad to hear it. Just like you asked, I treated the scales and the ore with Hide Turtle blood. I don't know if that's the reason, but the durability has dipped just a hair. Still, it’s leagues sturdier than any common sword you’d find on the market."
"I can compensate for that with my support magic, so it won't be a problem."
"Fair enough. So? Have you settled on a name for it?"
"Yes. Its name is 'Schwarzhase'."
"Schwarzhase? Never heard that word before."
"I’m not surprised. It’s from a regional dialect."
"Hoh. Is that so? And what does it mean?"
"It means 'Black Rabbit.' Since it’s a black sword born within the Silver Rabbit of the Night Sky."
"I see. Not bad at all."
◇
With the new sword in hand, I headed to the Strategy Room, where the rest of the unit had already gathered.
"Morning, Orun-kun! Hey, hey! Let me see the sword! Is it done?"
The moment I stepped inside, Lucre practically pounced on me, her energy through the roof.
"Morning, Lucre. Sure, here."
I drew Schwarzhase from my storage magic tool.
It wasn't just Lucre; everyone else leaned in, their eyes wide with curiosity as they studied the blade.
"Whoa! It’s so black! That looks cool!"
"For a blade utilizing Black Dragon Scales, it’s remarkably matte," Wil noted, voicing his observation.
"I specifically asked him to remove the luster. If the blade reflects light, it makes me stand out too much."
"With this, our preparations for the Deep Floors are finally complete," Selma-san murmured, a fearless smile playing on her lips.
"Sorry to keep you all waiting."
"Don't worry about it. We’ve already waited a year; another week is well within the margin of error."
"She’s right," Rain-san added, her voice thick with pent-up emotion. "Finally, the Deep Floors... the time for our revenge has come!"
Selma-san stood tall, addressing the room. "Then, as planned, we head for the depths! Today, we explore the 91st Floor. If everything goes smoothly, we’ll move to conquer the 92nd Floor once again. Is everyone ready?"
We all nodded firmly in response to her question.
"...Then let’s move!"
"""OH!!!!"""
◇
We arrived on the 91st Floor of the Great Labyrinth. Finally, the first foray into the Deep Floors with this team had begun.
The 91st Floor was a vast marshland. The ground was a treacherous slurry of mud, making it difficult to maintain solid footing. The skeletal trees scattered throughout the area were devoid of leaves and heavy with rot.
The magic beasts that inhabited this place were almost exclusively undead—creatures that were either putrefying into sludge or reduced to rattling bones. Their patterns were predictable and their individual combat power was relatively low, but their numbers were staggering.
They swarmed us in endless waves, forcing us to constantly manage the horde. Furthermore, we had to harvest the magic stones immediately; if an undead creature absorbed a stray stone, it would grow stronger. One or two stones might not make a visible difference, but "many drops make a river." It was best to ensure they didn't get the chance.
Aside from the monsters, the stench was unbearable. The air was stagnant and thick with miasma—a wretched environment that would turn the stomach of anyone who stayed too long.
A pack of magic beasts appeared almost immediately—rotting, monkey-like bipeds. There were at least fifty of them. Apparently, this was considered a small group for this floor, which spoke volumes about the sheer density of the enemy.
The standard tactic for this floor was to fight in a tight cluster. With such an overwhelming number of enemies, individual hate management was nearly impossible. Since the rearguard couldn't utilize their full power if they were swamped, the strategy dictated that the front-line act as a shield.
The three rearguard members huddled together, projecting a Magic Barrier around themselves. Wil and I positioned ourselves on opposite sides of the perimeter, intercepting the encroaching monsters.
Rain-san and Lucre sniped at the more distant beasts with attack magic, while Selma-san remained at the center, coordinating our movements and managing our buffs. In an environment like this, area suppression was the name of the game.
『I’m ready! You two, get inside the barrier!』
Rain-san’s voice echoed directly into my mind via Telepathy. Wil and I ducked inside the shimmering wall of the Magic Barrier as instructed.
Once we were clear, Rain-san unleashed the spell she had been meticulously constructing. A 360-degree tsunami erupted from our position, sweeping away the massive cluster of undead. As the monsters were caught in the deluge, the rest of us—excluding Rain-san—discharged thunder-type magic into the water. The resulting massive electrical discharge decimated the entire horde in a single burst.
"It’s crowded, it’s stinky, and I still hate this place!" Lucre grumbled the moment the last of the monsters dissolved.
I couldn't blame her. The magic beasts were grotesque, and the atmosphere was truly foul.
"It’s a miserable environment, certainly," Selma-san said. "But if we can fight effectively here, we’ll be able to handle whatever the lower floors throw at us. Fortunately, these monsters are only dangerous because of their numbers. Let’s push a little further."
She had a point. If we could function here, the 92nd and 93rd Floors would actually feel like an improvement. The 94th Floor was grueling in a different way, and even I didn't know what horrors awaited on the 95th Floor and beyond.
We engaged in several more skirmishes. Unlike the higher floors, each battle here was a war of attrition that drained our stamina. Breaks were a luxury we couldn't afford. This was the reality of the Deep Floors—a significant jump in difficulty from the Lower Floors.
Eventually, our haul of magic stones grew too heavy to ignore, and we decided to turn back.
The 91st and 92nd Floors were polar opposites in terms of terrain, but one thing was certain: with this team, we could navigate the Deep Floors without suffering a single serious injury.