ASCC-Chapter 138 Facing Monster Rex

17th Floor, final section.

With quiet footsteps, the passageways gradually merged into one. The cavern widened considerably, broad enough for over a dozen people to pass through side by side.

"Sorry."

Amid the silence, an apology came from the front.

"This time, I dragged you all into this. If it weren't for me, you wouldn't have had to take such a risk."

Ryoji was walking in front as he spoke. His voice traveled on the wind flowing through the Dungeon, reaching the ears of the two people behind him.

Line couldn't help but show a startled look.

'He's actually apologizing?'

After all these days together, Line's impression of Ryoji was that he was a pretty boy who liked to spout nonsense, someone with a face as thick as a wall. She didn't expect that he actually had this sentimental side.

"Please stop, Ryoji San." Lefiya suddenly spoke, halting Ryoji in his tracks.

She dashed to stand in front of him, stretched out both hands, and with a surprisingly imposing manner, clapped them down on his shoulders, her expression more serious than ever before.

"Familia exists for moments like this! Didn't Ryoji San save me several times, too? How could I just abandon you now? In the end, if companions in a Familia can't share joy and hardship together, then what's the point?"

Familia means family.

Companions are family.

That's the ideal the gods promoted.

And the children of the Lower World rejoiced in this kind of bond, happily becoming family, perfectly embodying the gods' will.

"I feel the same way," Line chimed in as well.

Didn't expect Lefiya to be this talkative when it counts. Looks like she's more impressive than I thought.

"…I get it." Ryoji nodded expressionlessly, indicating that he understood. "But could you take your hands off? My shoulders hurt a bit."

"Ah! Sorry, sorry, sorry! I got a bit too excited…" Lefiya was startled and quickly withdrew her hands, bowing repeatedly in apology.

"Seriously…" Ryoji rolled his shoulders, baring his teeth in pain.

Even though his physical abilities had improved by two to three times since they started, taking a full-force slap from a Level 3 like that still hurt quite a bit.

"Line, how many potions are left in the bag?"

"Let me check… Two stamina recovery potions, one MP recovery potion, three high-grade recovery potions, and one elixir. That's all."

Line checked the potions in the backpack and replied to Ryoji's question.

"Give me the MP recovery potion, the high-grade ones, and the elixir." Ryoji looked completely calm, as if nothing were unusual.

"Sure, but what are you planning to do?"

"Just give them to me, and it'll be fine."

Line took out the last few potions and handed them all to Ryoji.

He accepted them.

He stored the MP recovery potion and the high-grade recovery potions in his thigh pouch and placed the elixir in the pouch on his waist.

"Let's go."

They continued walking for another two minutes along the last remaining wide path.

And then, a long, massive cavern came into view.

This was a brightly lit chamber, with countless glowing stones covering the ceiling and walls, illuminating the space like broad daylight.

The chamber was about 20 meters high, more than 200 meters long, with the right wall rough like a rocky cave. The left wall, however, was perfectly smooth, shiny like a mirror.

"The Big Wall of Grief… Good, the Floor Boss hasn't spawned yet!" Line looked at the 10-meter-tall smooth wall and, seeing no sign of any monsters in the chamber, finally breathed a sigh of relief, her face lighting up with joy.

"Let's hurry across!"

"Yeah!" Lefiya responded cheerfully.

As long as they reached the 18th Floor, and found a way to contact their Familia, they'd be safe.

"You two go ahead."

Only Ryoji. At that moment, he suddenly spoke, urging the two of them to go ahead, his expression completely unchanged.

"We go first?" Line looked at Ryoji in disbelief, her eyes full of confusion.

"Isn't the Floor Boss not here? Why aren't we going together?"

"Don't tell me… you're scared?"

Lefiya gave Ryoji a suspicious look, purposefully putting on a disdainful expression.

"Excuse me, fear is the one thing I don't do!" Ryoji lifted his chin proudly, then waved his hand dismissively.

"I told you to go first, so go! Why all the nonsense? Get moving!"

"What's with the attitude…"

Lefiya muttered under her breath.

He was just getting all sentimental and apologetic earlier, and now he's back to being grumpy again…

"Then let's go first."

Line still looked puzzled, but seeing that Ryoji didn't intend to explain, she didn't press the issue.

Trusting in their comrade and family members, the two girls clasped hands and ran quickly toward the narrow passage about two meters high on the opposite side of the cavern.

Ryoji turned his head, his gaze locked tightly onto the smooth surface of the Big Wall of Grief.

"We're across!"

Nothing had happened.

Line and Lefiya soon reached the entrance of the passageway. From 200 meters away, they waved toward Ryoji.

"Get inside the tunnel!" Ryoji's expression showed not a hint of relaxation. He shouted loudly across the space at the two girls.

The two on the opposite side were completely confused, but still followed his instructions and both entered the sloping passage inside the tunnel.

"Good."

Ryoji took a long, deep breath.

Thanks to his powerful mental discipline, his rapidly beating heart slowly steadied, returning him to a state of perfect calm.

Like a clear mirror, like still water.

"Pop~!"

Ryoji took out the only mind/energy recovery potion from his thigh pouch. He uncorked it and poured the dark blue liquid into his mouth, puffing his cheeks out like a hamster.

"Tap!"

Then, he stepped forward, resolutely walking into the massive cavern.

His crisp, rhythmic footsteps echoed throughout the silent, white cavern.

One step.

Two steps.

Three steps.

One meter.

Ten meters.

Twenty meters.

He gradually approached the 100-meter mark.

Ryoji arrived at the center of the chamber.

Lefiya and Line stood in the passage across the way, turning back to look at him. Line shouted for him to hurry up, telling him to run. Lefiya laughed at his hamster-like cheeks.

And then, in an instant, before anyone could react, 

"Crack!"

A sharp cracking sound came from the Big Wall of Grief.

The sound and the change were so striking that even Lefiya and Line clearly saw a crack expanding downward from the wall's surface.

"Craack!"

In the blink of an eye, the Big Wall of Grief shattered along its center.

Under the horrified gazes of the two girls, an enormous figure stepped out from within the wall.

Then, it raised a gigantic hand, several times larger than a fan, and, like swatting a fly, brought it crashing down toward Ryoji's position.

Ryoji lifted his head, staring up at the descending hand. His expression remained icy calm, only his gaze sharpened.

"BOOM----!!"

(End of this chapter.)

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