(Author's note: Please forgive me for taking so long. Due to personal reasons, college, and work, I was exhausted this week and barely had any time.
There are 10 new chapters available on Patreon — the ones here are older and usually range between 1,500 to 2,000 words. Starting from Chapter 43, which I'm currently posting, the chapters are more elaborated and range from 2,200 to 3,600 words. I'll do my best to maintain a more consistent schedule.)
A new day. Hachiman woke even before the first rays of sun touched Orario's horizon. The customary weight of Aqua beside him in bed no longer surprised him; he merely disentangled himself with the silent practice of one accustomed to the bizarre. The exhaustion of previous days had been washed away by the time spent with the Hephaestus Familia and his new title; when he thought of Hephaestus, Hachiman blushed and, taking a deep breath, decided to deal with the implications of possibly being or not being a goddess's boyfriend later—he didn't know if it was just something of the moment or something more.
'Level 2. Status I-0, but with the latent potential of my former SS and SSS Ranks. Development Ability Mystery, knowledge for Rank C Noble Phantasms, and those new Skill and Magic – Savage Determination and Single Strike.' He mentally reviewed his arsenal. 'Today, I test the Middle Floors. Alone.' The idea was risky, he knew. Most adventurers only ventured into floors 13 and beyond in well-formed groups. But he wasn't most. His unique abilities, his growth armor, and his new power base gave him a confidence bordering on calculated arrogance.
He equipped himself in silence. Aspháleia, the bluish-black armor, felt lighter, more responsive. In his hands, the black sword with green stripes he had forged from the remains of the irregular Wyvern appeared – the "Wyvern Blade," as he mentally called it. It was a weapon worthy of a Level 2. He left Aqua sleeping (she would probably celebrate his success later, in her own way) and departed.
Orario's streets were still almost empty in the faint pre-dawn light. He reached Babel quickly, the city still asleep, and plunged into the Dungeon's darkness. The upper floors were a formality. Goblins and Kobolds on the first levels were like annoying flies, dispatched with a single indifferent blow from the Wyvern Blade before they could even react. War Shadows and Killer Toads on the sixth floor didn't last more than a few seconds each. Silverbacks and Orcs on the eighth and ninth floors, which previously required caution, now fell like wheat under the scythe. In his focused descent, he even encountered a stray Infant Dragon on the tenth floor – the same species that had once nearly killed him and given him the title "Dragon Slayer." This time, there was no fight. A single strike from the Wyvern Blade, imbued with a fraction of his mana and perhaps an echo of his "Savage Determination," destroyed the Level 2 creature instantly, its magic stone flying from its exploding body. The power of a Level 2 was, indeed, another dimension.
Finally, after a swift and brutally efficient descent, he reached the entrance to the thirteenth floor, the so-called "Front Line" of the Middle Floors. He took a deep breath, checking his equipment one last time. The air here was different. The light emanating from the Dungeon ceiling, previously bluish or greenish, now resembled a dense, pale morning mist, reducing visibility. The walls, floor, and ceiling were no longer smooth rock but rough, irregular stone, forming a true Cave Labyrinth. The air was damp, heavy with the smell of wet earth and something else, a wild, unfamiliar odor. Corridors intertwined on multiple levels, with upper and lower tunnels, and occasional vertical shafts that he knew could lead to even deeper floors – or a fatal fall.
Hachiman entered the labyrinth cautiously, Wyvern Blade in hand. For a minute, there was only the sound of his footsteps and the distant dripping of water. Then, the sounds of the Dungeon's wildlife began. Guttural roars of hungry wolves echoed off the stone walls, mixed with the rapid rustling and sharp screeches of rabbits.
They came. Ten monsters in total. Half were Hellhounds – dark-furred infernal dogs with glowing red eyes and dripping fangs, agile and fierce. The other half, Almirajs – large, human-shaped rabbits carrying stone axes, surprisingly fast and aggressive, leaping from walls and ceilings.
'Finally!' Hachiman felt a pang of excitement. His first real fight in the Middle Floors. He charged. The Almirajs were the first to attack, leaping towards him with axes pointed. With a fluid movement, he dodged two, the Wyvern Blade slicing through the air and decapitating a third mid-jump. A Hellhound tried to bite his leg, but a quick spin and a downward strike from the sword silenced the creature. The remaining monsters, perhaps realizing he wasn't an easy prey, instinctively grouped together.
'Perfect,' thought Hachiman. He raised the Wyvern Blade, imbuing it with a moderate amount of his Level 2 mana. With a swift horizontal slash towards the group, a blade of dark green fire – the awakened energy of the irregular Wyvern's stone – leaped from the sword and swept through the remaining monsters, incinerating them instantly.
He quickly collected the magic stones, larger and of better quality than those from the upper floors. He had barely finished when more monsters emerged from the shadows and side tunnels. This time, there were fifteen. Hellhounds and Almirajs again, but now accompanied by Dungeon Worms – gigantic worms with segmented carapaces and mouths full of teeth emerging from the ground – and Bad Bats, larger and more aggressive bats than those on the upper floors, known to appear down to the fifteenth floor.
'I can't stay put here,' Hachiman realized. The constant flow of monsters was a characteristic of the Middle Floors. He began to move through the complex layouts of the thirteenth floor, using the tunnels and chambers to his advantage, eliminating monsters as they appeared, always wary of ambushes or the dangerous vertical shafts.
But as time went on, it seemed the more monsters he killed, the more appeared. The density was relentless. Soon, he found himself surrounded by a horde of nearly thirty creatures – snarling Hellhounds, leaping Almirajs, emerging Dungeon Worms, and diving Bad Bats. The situation was starting to get dangerous, not because of the monsters' individual strength, but because of the sheer numbers and variety of attacks.
Resolving to end it quickly, Hachiman felt his 'Savage Determination' begin to surface, a cold, lethal focus taking over. He held the Wyvern Blade firmly. 'Time to test Single Strike.' He didn't channel a massive amount of mana, not wanting to exhaust himself so early, but concentrated a significant portion, feeling the magical energy flow from his body into the sword, making the green lines on the blade glow intensely. Then, with a powerful, precise movement, he spun his body, delivering a full circular strike.
A ring of crackling, dark green fire exploded from the Wyvern Blade, rapidly expanding in all directions. It was much larger, much more powerful and volatile than the simple fire slash he had used before. The ring of flames swept through the horde of monsters, incinerating everything in its path with devastating force. Screams and screeches were abruptly silenced. When the fire subsided, only ashes and magic stones scattered on the floor remained. Hachiman stood for a moment, appreciating the rare moment of peace and the destructive power of his new magic.
He began collecting the magic stones, but soon his adventurer's backpack, already a good size, was completely full. Many stones, especially the smaller ones from the Almirajs and Bad Bats, had to be left behind. 'I need a storage solution,' he thought. 'The amount of drops here is much larger.' With his backpack full and feeling he had tested enough for one day, Hachiman decided to end his first foray into the Middle Floors.
Arriving at the Guild a few hours later, he went straight to Misha's counter. The semi-elf receptionist looked up from her papers and examined the pile of high-quality magic stones he deposited. There were stones from Hellhounds, Dungeon Worms, Bad Bats... and the quality was unmistakable.
"Hachiman-sama," Misha said, her voice professional but with a new tone of surprise. "These stones... are from the Middle Floors, aren't they? Thirteenth floor, perhaps?"
Hachiman nodded. "Yes. My first time there."
Misha's eyes widened slightly. "Alone?" she asked, concern evident in her voice. "Hachiman-sama, the Middle Floors are extremely dangerous for a solo adventurer, even a newly promoted Level 2. The monster density, the complex layouts... I strongly recommend you form or join a party before venturing there again."
"I understand your concerns, Misha-san, and I appreciate the advice," Hachiman replied diplomatically, agreeing outwardly. Inwardly, however, he trusted his capabilities. Today's fight, though challenging in numbers, had been manageable. And he still hadn't met anyone in Orario (besides Aqua, Hephaestus, and Tsubaki, for obvious reasons) whom he considered qualified or trustworthy enough to be his companion, let alone a new member for the Aqua Familia. 'I need people who can keep up with my pace and who won't be a burden or a potential traitor.'
Bidding Misha farewell with his Valis (a very significant amount, even for an incomplete day), Hachiman headed home. The sun was already beginning to set. He was tired but satisfied. 'I need to ask Aqua to update my value. I want to see how much I've grown in just one day in the Middle Floors.' The quest for strength was an endless cycle, and he was just beginning to scratch the surface of his potential as a Level 2.