"126: Lefiya’s Solemn Vow"

"Who exactly are you?" Bete couldn't help but ask.

When had such an unfamiliar face suddenly appeared among Orario's top adventurers? He had absolutely no recollection of seeing or hearing about this man before. But if this person wasn't a first-class adventurer and had somehow wandered this deep into the dungeon by sheer coincidence as a weakling—well, Bete couldn't believe that for a second.

The difference between the strong and the weak could be seen just by looking into their eyes. Bete was very self-aware of the kind of intimidation his fierce gaze typically instilled in others; most ordinary adventurers would shrink away in fear upon meeting his eyes. Yet, this man stood calmly, his expression perfectly composed.

Even as he exchanged simple greetings, his gaze didn't seem to fully register Bete, as if his attention was focused on something far beyond, on some distant, unreachable horizon. That kind of look was rare. It even stirred in Bete a faint sense of unease, a feeling reminiscent of standing before the Guild's god, Ouranos.

And that was saying something.

While exploring the surrounding area, Bete realized something unusual: he hadn't encountered a single monster. It was highly likely that all the monsters in the vicinity had already been cleared out by the man standing before him.

"Me?" Su Mo responded casually to the question, "I'm just a regular adventurer passing through."

Without any intention of lingering, he turned to proceed toward the next floor. But before he could leave, a cheerful voice called out from behind Bete. "Bete, why are you so surprised? Did you run into a monster you couldn't handle?"

Bounding forward was a lively girl with deep brown skin, dressed in typical Amazonian fashion, casually carrying a massive weapon taller than herself. She leapt out from the nearby woods, assuming her vanguard partner had encountered some kind of trouble. But as soon as she laid eyes on Su Mo standing in front of Bete, she let out a loud, drawn-out gasp.

"Wahhh!!" she exclaimed, quickly closing the distance to Su Mo, her face filled with curiosity as she inspected him up close. "A solo adventurer? And on the forty-plus floors? We've bumped into a real big shot!"

Her lively voice was much louder than Bete's, and even more penetrating. Within seconds, the rest of Loki Familia's adventurers rushed over. At first, they thought Tiona and Bete had encountered a monster, but after catching the tail end of Tiona's words, they were even more shocked than if it had been a monster attack.

To find a solo adventurer this deep into the dungeon—on the forty-plus floors—was far more shocking than any monster sighting. Having confirmed his previous theory, Su Mo was in no rush to go any deeper and remained quite relaxed. Still, he had no plans to chat with this group either. After offering a polite greeting, he was ready to leave.

That's when a slightly familiar voice called out behind him. "Mr. Su Mo?!"

Arriving slightly late, Lefiya stared at him in disbelief, her wide eyes filled with shock. Standing beside her, another slender girl was equally stunned.

....

....

A minute earlier—on the forty-third floor, not far from the entrance—the members of Loki Familia were conducting a routine expedition. This time, there wasn't any specific objective; they were simply here to subdue a floor boss that only respawned every few months. Clearing out such troublesome monsters in advance made future expeditions much easier, allowing them to carry fewer supplies and avoid unnecessary risks.

However, upon entering the forty-third floor, they noticed something odd—there were far fewer monsters than usual. Sensing something amiss, their captain Finn quickly dispatched Bete and Tiona, both Level 5 adventurers, to investigate.

With no monsters around, the remaining top-tier members found themselves enjoying a rare moment of peace. Taking advantage of the lull, Lefiya approached her long-time idol, the Sword Princess Ais. She had noticed that Ais had been visibly troubled the past few days.

Ever since Ais had been rejected by the adventurer named Su Mo, she had been carrying a heavy mood. As her self-proclaimed little admirer, Lefiya saw this as the perfect opportunity to offer some comfort. "Ais, are you still upset about being rejected?" Lefiya asked softly.

Ais looked at her and nodded. "Yes. Even though he said his method of getting stronger isn't suitable for me, I still want to give it a try." Given the astonishing speed at which Su Mo had grown stronger, even if she could only replicate a fraction of it, it would still represent an incredible rate of progress.

Despite being rejected, Ais remained deeply intrigued by his method of growth. However, after being refused a second time, she had followed Riveria's advice and stopped bothering him, though the thought still lingered in her mind—like a child staring longingly at toys in a shop window they couldn't afford.

Seeing this, Lefiya quickly delivered the comforting words she had prepared. "You don't need to be so fixated, Ais. Su Mo may have grown quickly, but he's still just a new adventurer. What works for a beginner might not work for someone like you who's already at the top." She continued gently, "New adventurers grow quickly because they start from a lower foundation. But for someone like you, who's already built a strong foundation, further improvement naturally becomes more difficult."

These words weren't entirely Lefiya's own; she had consulted Riveria, Finn, and the others before carefully assembling this argument, intending to gently lower Ais's expectations regarding Su Mo's methods. She specifically targeted her explanation to fit Ais's situation, offering a perspective that was both thoughtful and reassuring.

As expected, her words worked remarkably well. Ais blinked blankly for a moment. "That… makes sense." She understood perfectly. After all, she had advanced from Level 1 to Level 2 within a year, breaking Orario's record, but each level beyond that had taken progressively longer. Upon reaching Level 5, she'd been stuck for quite some time, growing increasingly anxious.

Lefiya's explanation rang true. Newcomers indeed advanced faster than veterans, but even so, Ais couldn't help but remain curious about Su Mo's unique path to strength. Just as Ais was about to voice her lingering thoughts, Lefiya pressed on.

"I know you've been stuck at Level 5 for a long time, and you're eager to break through. But that's exactly why you should focus on how other top-tier adventurers grow, not on how beginners grow. The challenges are entirely different. Instead of worrying about Su Mo, maybe you should seek advice from someone stronger than you!"

Ais fell silent. What Lefiya said was undeniably logical. Though she still felt some lingering attachment to Su Mo's methods, studying how high-level adventurers advanced would certainly benefit her more. "But… I've already consulted Riveria, Finn, and Gareth," Ais replied. "I've learned everything they could teach me."

As fellow members of the Familia, these three were her best teachers, and she had already sought their guidance long ago. If their advice had been enough, she wouldn't still be so hung up on Su Mo.

"Ah..." Lefiya froze, unsure of what to say next. After all, where could she possibly find a Level 6 adventurer to teach Ais? At that moment, Tiona's distant voice rang out from ahead: "A solo adventurer? And on the forty-plus floors? We've bumped into a real big shot!"

The entire party was instantly thrown into a commotion—except for Lefiya, whose eyes suddenly lit up.

To be able to venture alone in a place teeming with level four monsters, his strength had to be at least at level five. And if he sought true safety while traveling solo, he was most likely already level six.

It was like a pillow being offered just when sleep came — a perfect opportunity. This man might very well be the ideal teacher for Ais. Whether or not he was willing to actually teach her was something that couldn't be forced, but at the very least, this could help shift Ais' attention away from Su Mo. That would certainly help curb the rumors floating around, with people saying she was in low spirits because she'd been rejected and was heartbroken.

With that thought, Lefiya grabbed Ais' sleeve, her face full of excitement. "Ais! Anyone capable of traveling alone at this floor must be an extraordinary powerhouse. Even if he doesn't have any secret techniques to offer, he surely possesses valuable experience. Since you're so eager to find new ways to grow stronger, why don't we try asking him? Even if he's not very approachable, that still seems more promising than hoping Su Mo changes his mind, right?"