The Devil's Floor

The floor was different from the get go.

First of all, it didn't look like a labyrinth at all.

The rooms were very tall, about twenty meters. A white rock pillar supported the ceiling, giving off pale white light. Spread across the floor were rocks, looking like a wasteland.

It was a vast space. From what I could see, the wall also shined a dull white.

There was something like a nest in a crack on the pillar, and I caught sight of a monster in it. I also saw monsters prowling along the wall.

"There are Hellhounds…"

Carlos muttered bitterly. Though Ria did treat it like a dog, the boss on the second floor was a small fry here.

It vigorously rushed this way, but it stopped suddenly with a single glare from Ria, showing its belly in submission.

"How much does it fear you, Nee-chan…"

"Even though I love dogs~. Even keeping and feeding them, I like it."

"Although it is possible to make it your familiar, you can't take it out of here."

"That's a shame."

As for what came next, it was a black horse with two horns on its brow.

"It's a bi-cone. Unlike a horse, it is ferocious."

Two headed towards them, so one was left to Carlos and Gig while Ria handled the other.

"Hmph, it's not cute."

Due to some sort of criteria, she gave it up and killed it with a swing.

The other one was also already defeated without any danger. Ria began to dismantle the bicorn.

"Horse meat♪　Horse meat♪"

"N-Nee-chan, don't you like horses?"

Drawn by Serge's question, Ria returned him a cheerful smile.

"Of course I like them. But this one isn't cute."

To begin with, it was different than a unicorn. Bicorns had poison in their horns. It was obviously classified as a monster.

In conclusion, the bicorn was delicious.

 

 

By the third room's exit, it was time for camp.

Ria dug the ground again, making an impromptu bath.

"Even so Nee-chan, your earth magic is your strong point."

"Serge, that's not it. Ria only learned the magic for the sake of making a bath."

"… Well, to each their own huh."

Basically, Ria is good at bestowal magic and reinforcement magic. After that, offensive magic to defeat enemies at long range.

Though she's thought to be a muscle-brain that just leaves everything to her katana, she's learned a variety of methods.

The magicians were mentally exhausted from the day and took a full rest. The two people with keen senses, Ria and Maal, split up taking watch.

While stroking the fur of Maal's head on her lap, Ria's senses sharpened.

(Hmph…)

Something's watching us. No, probing us.

The presences. There wasn't just one.

One was obviously hostile. Not to the point of killing intent, probably because it's a distance away.

And another was curious. It was earnestly indicating its interest this way.

I felt this when we finished the first floor.

(There's one person… can't relax my guard…)

The hostility contained something like a pressure. That was it, not a big deal.

But that other thing, the curious presence, I couldn't feel the bottom of it.

It had probably been watching Ria the whole time. Yet not coming into contact.

(Well, what to do?)

For now, she had no choice but to wait and see.

 

 

They reached the center of the fifth floor the next day, and Ria found the owner of the signs.

"Explorers, you did well coming this far…"

That person spoke with human words.

At a glance you'd even think him a beastkin. However, if you looked closely, you'd find it made of just a single creature.

The legs of an eagle, the body of a bear, the head of a wolf, the horns of a sheep, and wings of a bat.

"Nee-chan, that's a devil. It can use magic at level 75 so be careful. It can blow fire."

Serge warned her with a whisper. Of course, Ria also noticed it wasn't the same as her opponents until now.

Devils and demons were different existences.

Summoned by some means from another world, they generally have high intelligence.

"He's been watching us since yesterday."

"Hmph, my lord took an interest. Of the recent explorers, there haven't been many chewy people. Of those who could be challengers to me, there were none."

And yet around ten percent of explorers still made it to the fifth floor.

"Now then, shall we get started? Don't disappoint me."

The devil produced many arrows of fire around his body.

"Lulu! Use defensive magic! Carlos, defend those three! Gig and I will attack!"

She broke into a run. Ria caught the fire arrow that came toward her with her palm.

Heat Resistance. If it's a flame of that degree, it was only slightly hot.

As for the fire arrow going towards Gig, it disappeared on the way. Seeing the movement of magic power, it was likely Serge's magic influencing the space.

And as expected, Carlos defended the three people with low defenses using his armor and shield.

The devil didn't have a chance to use magic again.

He attacked the rapidly approaching Ria with his claws. However, it was useless.

"Shaaah!"

Though the claws could probably cut through Ria's leather armor, she wasn't hit.

Unsheathing her sword with quick draw, she severed halfway down the claw devil's arm.

"Aaaah-!"

It was probably in pain. Gig brandished his warhammer towards it.

The devil retreated, jumping back to regain its stance. However, Ria's katana flashed again.

One leg was cut off. The devil's expression warped into that of a beast's.

"You bastards…"

In the middle of his sentence, the fireball Ria threw exploded.

When the devil appeared from within the smoke, it didn't appear to have taken any damage. Physical attacks were probably more effective after all.

The moment she thought that.

She felt a surge of unprecedented magic power and looked back reflexively.

She saw Serge, holding the sword in his hand towards the heavens.

"EX-CA-LI-BUUUUUUUUUR—!"

Then, he swung it.

With almost no gap, space was severed.

Since the devil's stance was broken, it wasn't split in two from the front, but one of its wing and arm were severed.

And then, it fell to where Ria ran.

Opening its mouth, the devil breathed fire.

Ria clad the blade of her katana in cold air.

Cutting through the flame, she cut off the devil's head.

 

 

Without leaving a body, the devil turned into black ash and disappeared.

Nothing was left other than a magic stone—no, it's purity was already high enough to be a magic crystal.

"Ah~, I'm tired. I didn't think it'd dodge my long-awaited special."

Serge came over while rotating his arm at his shoulder. Except for Ria, everyone stared at the boy in amazement.

"Though I thought you still had a trump card, I never though it'd be that strong."

"Yu~p, it can't be used at close range since I have to prepare it for a sec, but it's my trump card."

"It was successful because the Devil only paid attention to Ria," Serge said proudly.

"But I'd have to be careful. If I got hit, I'd probably die too."

Kotsun. Ria knocked Serge on the head.

Though space-time magic can cut space, since it is composed of magic and by extension magic power, the resistances held by strong enemies could dampen the effect. But even so, Serge currently held a magic of powerful strength.

"Well then. Next is the sixth floor?"

"Excuse me, Ojou, we aren't going to turn back here?"

Carlos let out a comment while being conservative.

His favorite sword was broken and his shield bore considerable damage as well. That's why I wanted him to bring a spare shield.

"I agree as well. Since our future enemies will be even stronger as we go down, we should get more information."

Maal spoke even more modestly than Carlos.

"Ah~, then me too, I want a cane. From now on I want to avoid spending even a little extra magical power."

"I want to stock up more on magic recovery potions as well."

The two magicians spoke.

Gig was the only one who didn't object, but didn't particularly approve. His style was to leave it all to Anego.

Though Ria was still good to go herself, there was no need to force it either.

"Well, I could still go, but it's more dangerous. Shall we return then?"

Thus, the explorers' first adventure was over.

After they returned, there was an uproar, but that's for the future.