17th Floor, Rear Section.
Under the quiet footsteps, the passage gradually merged into one, and the cavern became very wide, allowing more than ten people to pass through at once.
"Sorry."
In the silence, an apology came from the front.
"This time, I dragged you into this. If it weren't for me, you wouldn't have to take such risks with me."
Eiji walked at the front.
His voice, carried by the swirling winds of the dungeon, reached the ears of the two behind him.
Line couldn't help but show a look of surprise.
He actually apologized?
After spending so many days together, Line's impression of Eiji was that of a handsome boy who liked to make sarcastic remarks, with an unusually thick skin. She never expected him to have such a sentimental side.
"Please stop, Eiji."
Lefiya suddenly spoke up, causing Eiji to halt his steps.
She quickly ran to Eiji's front, placed her hands on his shoulders with a determined expression, and looked at him with a seriousness she had never shown before.
"The familia exists for moments like this!"
"Eiji, haven't you saved me several times too? How could I abandon you in your time of need? In the end, if familia companions can't share both the good and the bad, then there's no meaning to it!"
The familia is family.
Companions are family.
This is what the gods advocate.
The children of the lower world also praise this form of existence, joyfully becoming family and perfectly embodying the will of the gods.
"I think the same way."
Line also chimed in.
Who would have thought that Lefiya, usually so quiet, could be so eloquent at critical moments? She deserved a new level of respect.
"...I understand the reasoning."
Eiji nodded expressionlessly, indicating that he understood.
"But can you take your hands off? My shoulders are hurting a bit."
"Ah! Sorry, sorry, sorry! I got too excited and..."
Lefiya was startled and quickly withdrew her hands, bowing repeatedly to apologize.
"Really..."
Eiji moved his shoulders and grimaced.
Although his physical abilities had improved more than two or three times since the beginning, being slapped with full force by a Level 3 still hurt quite a bit.
"Line, how many potions are left in the bag?"
"Let me see... Two stamina potions, one mental recovery potion, three high-grade recovery potions, and one elixir. That's all."
Line checked the potions in the backpack and answered Eiji's question.
"Give me the mental recovery potion, the high-grade recovery potions, and the elixir."
Eiji's expression was calm, no different from usual.
"That's fine, but what are you planning to do?"
"Just give them to me."
Line took out the remaining potions from the backpack and handed them all to Eiji.
Eiji took the potions.
He placed the mental recovery potion and high-grade recovery potions in his leg pouch and the elixir in his waist pouch.
"Let's go."
***
After walking for another two minutes on the now single, wide path.
A long, massive rock chamber came into view.
It was a very bright chamber, with countless phosphorescent lights scattered across the ceiling and walls, illuminating the space as if it were daytime.
The chamber was about twenty meters high and over two hundred meters long. The walls on the right side were uneven like a cave, while the left wall was completely smooth, like a mirror.
"The Wall of Grief... Thank goodness, the floor boss hasn't been born yet!"
Line observed the smooth wall, about ten meters high, and seeing no monsters in the chamber, she finally breathed a sigh of relief, her face showing clear joy.
"Let's hurry through!"
"Mm!"
Lefiya responded cheerfully.
As long as they reached the 18th floor and found a way to notify the familia, they would be saved.
"You two go ahead."
At this moment, he suddenly spoke up, urging the two to go ahead first, his expression unchanged.
"We go ahead?"
Line looked at Eiji in disbelief, her eyes filled with confusion. "Isn't there no floor boss? Why not go together?"
"Are you scared or something?"
Lefiya looked at Eiji with suspicion, deliberately putting on a mocking expression.
"Sorry, but the one thing I've never learned in my life is how to be scared!"
Eiji raised his head, then waved his hand. "If I tell you to go ahead, then go ahead. Stop wasting time, hurry up!"
"Who does he think he is..."
Lefiya muttered under her breath.
Just moments ago, he was apologizing so emotionally, and now he's being so impatient.
"Then let's go ahead."
Line was also puzzled, but since Eiji didn't seem willing to explain, she didn't press further.
Trusting their companion and family, the two girls held hands and quickly ran toward the narrow, two-meter-high passage at the other end of the chamber.
Eiji turned his head, his gaze fixed on the smooth Wall of Sighs.
"We made it!"
Nothing happened along the way.
Line and Lefiya quickly reached the passage entrance and waved to Eiji from two hundred meters away.
"Go inside the passage!"
Eiji showed no signs of relaxation, shouting across the distance.
The two girls on the other side were confused but followed his instructions, both entering the sloping passage.
"This is good."
Eiji took a long, deep breath.
Under the influence of his strong mental discipline, his rapidly beating heart gradually slowed, restoring his calm, mirror-like composure.
Clear mind, still waters.
Pop~!
Eiji took out the only mental recovery potion from his leg pouch, opened the stopper, and poured the azure-coloured liquid into his mouth, puffing out his cheeks like a hamster.
Tap!
Then, he took a step forward, resolutely walking into the massive rock chamber.
The crisp, rhythmic sound of his footsteps echoed through the silent white chamber.
One step.
Two steps.
Three steps.
One meter.
Ten meters.
Twenty meters.
Gradually approaching one hundred meters.
Eiji reached the center of the chamber.
Lefiya and Line were inside the passage on the other side, turning to look at him. Line shouted for him to hurry up and join them, while Lefiya teased him about his hamster-like cheeks.
In that instant, a moment no one expected—
Crack!
A clear fissure appeared on the Wall of Grief.
The sound and the anomaly were so obvious that even Lefiya and Line clearly saw the crack on the Wall of Sighs gradually expanding downward.
Crash!
In the blink of an eye, the Wall of Grief split along the centerline.
Under the horrified gazes of the two girls, a massive figure emerged from the Wall of Grief.
Then, it raised its enormous hand, several times larger than a palm leaf, and swung it down like swatting a fly, slamming toward Eiji's position.
Eiji looked up, gazing at the descending giant hand, his expression still cold, but his eyes sharpened.
Boom—!!
***
Hey readers!
Want to read ahead? 📖 Join my Patreon for early access to 30+ advance chapters! Your support helps me write more and bring the story to you faster.
🔹patreon.com/aarvan🔹