Upon reaching the eighth floor, Akira encountered a new breed of monster—needle rabbits.
On their own, they were nothing special. Their combat power was low, and even adventurers with modest stats at Level 1 could take one down—as long as they kept an eye on the rabbit's terrifying agility.
These creatures earned their spot on the eighth floor not through individual strength, but through numbers. They always appeared in swarms—anywhere from seven or eight to over a dozen at once.
If you get surrounded, things can get out of hand quickly. Worse yet, they have a habit of attracting other nearby monsters.
A cluster of needle rabbits surged out from the tunnel like a furry tidal wave, their sharp horns gleaming ominously. A single hit from one of those could easily punch a bleeding hole through flesh.
Akira dashed forward without flinching. With a flick of his one-handed sword, enhanced by a gust of wind, four rabbit heads flew clean off, their bodies collapsing in a spray of blood behind him.
The next few rabbits lunged.
Akira swung his sword with practiced precision, taking down several more—until a sharp pain in his leg made him stumble.
It turns out a horn had pierced through his right thigh.
"Tch—I was careless."
Clenching his teeth, Akira summoned a fire shield with his left hand, the blazing magic incinerating the needle rabbit in an instant.
He yanked the horn out with a wince, blood staining his pants.
"Damn... That actually hurt."
Pouring an elixir directly onto the wound, Akira sat down to rest. While his leg was regenerating, he collected magic stones and dropped materials.
Any monster that dared approach him were repelled by bursts of magic.
Once healed, he rose again and resumed his exploration of the eighth floor.
He had learned something important. Relying solely on a one-handed sword could be dangerous.
There were moments where his body couldn't keep up with rapid attacks. His armor was scratched, and his arms bore numerous shallow cuts.
Still, after hours of cautious advance and relentless combat, he finally reached the staircase leading to the ninth floor.
Speaking of the ninth floor, the Purple Moth dominated this floor. These winged monsters fluttered gracefully through the air, shedding clouds of poisonous powder wherever they flew.
Inhaling a little wouldn't kill you, but over time, it would induce a toxic state. Their fragile bodies made them easy to kill, and upon dying, there was a chance they would drop Purple Moth Wings.
Before diving deeper, Akira put on a protective mask to block the poisonous powder. Skin contact with the poisonous powder wasn't a problem—just don't breathe it in.
These moths were fragile and slow. As long as he could reach them, eliminating them wouldn't be a big issue.
Akira planned walk around the ninth floor for a while before heading back.
Without a detailed map or more info on the tenth floor, advancing would be reckless as it would be easy to get lost.
Besides, the tenth floor was infamous for Monster Parties—a deadly phenomenon where adventurers risk being swarmed by monsters en masse.
But as fate would have it, Akira couldn't go forward with his plan.
The ground began to tremble. Rubble bounced around Akira's feet. Roars echoed from deeper within.
He narrowed his eyes as the oppressive thuds of countless feet approached.
Monsters. A horde of them.
"Ah... crap." Akira muttered, eyes sharpening.
"Looks like I've stumbled into a Monster Party. Just my luck. What should I do? Run away?"
Then he remembered what Kaguya had taught him.
Monster baiting—a disgraceful tactic used by unscrupulous adventurers.
When escaping, they'd drag the monsters after them and lead them straight into someone else, forcing the monsters to switch targets.
It was an unspoken crime, one that often led to the deaths of innocent adventurers.
These bastards used it as a way to loot gear, materials, and relics from the fallen. If the victim team got wiped out, everything they carried was up for grabs. It was common practice among dark factions.
And in this lawless environment called the Dungeon, might made right. No laws. No mercy.
This didn't just apply to battles between humans and monsters but also to the fight between humans.
The moment you stepped into this abyss, you forfeited your right to kindness.
Since these adventurers have embarked on an evil path, they will naturally not show mercy. In the same way, there is no need to grant any of them mercy as well.
"Let's go check out the situation. Maybe some adventurers have encountered monsters and need help. As a member of the Astraea familia, I can't just sit there and watch them die."
Stowing the one-handed sword, he took out his staff. Elemental energy crackled, condensing into a cannon in his hand. With a burst of wind, he soared toward the chaos.
When he arrived at the source of the tremors, Akira saw hell unleashed.
Monsters from the tenth floor had overflowed upward—imps, Bad bats that screeched with sonic waves, and towering Orcs, their pig-like faces snarling as they rampaged with brute strength.
In the midst of the carnage, a group of battered adventurers were being pushed to the brink. Their weapons trembled, their wounds bled freely, and hopelessness flickered in their eyes.
"It seems that they aren't the culprits but victims."
Without hesitating any longer, he donned his hood and raised his staff.
BOOM!
An explosion sounded in the center of the group of imps, and then teleported directly into the circle of exhausted adventurers.
"Who are you?!" A mage in the backline asked nervously.
"Just a passing adventurer. Don't worry about my name."
Akira waved casually, even as magic swirled around him. Three fire shields appeared before him, flaring brighter with each pulse of his will.
The orcs charged.
The shields shot forward like blazing discs, plowing into the monsters with explosive impact.
Several imps were instantly reduced to ash. Orcs howled in pain, their charred flesh stinking. The winged Bad bats tried to dodge midair, unleashing sonic pulses to disorient Akira.
But he was already moving. A gust of wind formed in his right palm, enhanced with fire until it shimmered with volatile energy.
The Elemental Shell was ready.
He fired it into the crowd. Simultaneously, a magic circle bloomed at his feet, and an ice wall erupted in front of the adventurers, shielding them from the incoming wave of debris, blood, and monster corpses.
The wall shattered a heartbeat later, revealing a grisly scene.
The monsters were gone. Their remains were obliterated. Hardly a single magic stone or material had survived.
Only a few stragglers were left—injured imps trembling at the edge of the blast zone.
Akira didn't bother handing them over to the adventurers. A few magic spheres darted from his fingers, ending their lives instantly.
"Phew..."
He exhaled slowly, then turned to face the stunned party.
"Are you all okay? Anyone seriously injured?"