In this chaotic world, it all started when they found an elf girl

Chapter 245 The Benefits of Playing Mahjong at an Advanced Level

　The group hid in a corner of the ruins.

　"Captain, what should I do?"

　Ryu, Tione, Tiona, and the others focused their gazes on Roy. They clenched their small fists tightly, suppressing their anger and not letting their emotions interfere with Roy's judgment.

　Roy lowered his head in thought. Who was trying to get them? Several targets came to mind, but he ruled out Freya's Familia first; there was no need for them to resort to such petty tricks. Then, Roy shook his head inwardly. The enemy was already upon them; there was no point in thinking about these things anymore.

　Roy's mind raced. He slightly raised his head, his gaze fixed on the passage to the thirty-sixth floor in the distance. His intuition sensed a faint sense of danger. What was about to happen wasn't a battle between humans and monsters, but a battle between humans themselves.

　They want to return to the upper level.

　The enemy also knew they were going to return to the upper levels.

　Humans are intelligent, and Roy must think faster than his opponent to gain the upper hand.

　While they were exploring the thirty-seventh level, the enemy had likely prepared a lot of good stuff on the thirty-sixth level. Going up now would be like jumping into a fire pit. A flood of intelligence rushed through Roy's mind, and he quickly made a judgment: "We're going back to the third circular wall!"

　"what?"

　Not only Tione and Daphne, but even Lily and Liu couldn't keep up with Roy's train of thought. Their eyes were blank. They didn't have many options left. They could only fight the other party or be worn down in the depths.

　Roy took out the hide of the skeletal sheep from his spatial ring and tossed it to Ryu, Tione, and the others in turn.

　The skeletal sheep's hide has the effect of concealing one's presence and granting partial invisibility; wearing it can help one avoid most monsters, as Ryu and the others knew. The group donned the skeletal sheep's hide and, following the route they had explored, returned to the third circular wall.

　The girls trusted Roy unconditionally, even though they didn't understand the meaning of the order.

　Even if they don't ask, Roy will still tell them.

　"first!"

　Roy whispered, "Someone is targeting us and wants to kill us. There are traps they've prepared on the 36th floor. We can't go up there rashly."

　Roy wasn't afraid of the other side, but he didn't know their background or any intelligence. He couldn't be so foolish as to charge in headfirst. Roy said, "The most serious problem now is that the enemy is in the dark while we are in the light. We need to turn this situation around."

　The group nodded. They had no idea how many traps the enemy had prepared or how they planned to ambush them.

　Ryu asked, "What do you mean?"

　Roy said, "Find a safe place to hide for a few days. If those people can't find our trail, they will naturally slip up. That will be our chance." The girls suddenly realized that it made sense. The enemy had set up a large ambush on the 36th floor, but this was an underground city with countless people coming and going every day. Even though this was a deep level, there were still adventurers here.

　The opponent's traps are easily discovered by other adventurers, and they cannot afford to wait it out, nor can the opponent.

　But here comes a new problem.

　Where is the safe zone on the 37th floor?

　The next safe floor is the thirty-ninth floor, with thirty-eight floors in between. They believed the enemy would also think of this, and there must be a trap on the thirty-eighth floor. The girls looked puzzled.

　Roy smiled slightly, "Yes, there is. The only safe zone on the thirty-seventh floor has plenty of fresh water and edible plants. With the supplies we brought, we can stay there for two months without any problem."

　A safe zone on the 37th floor? And fresh water and food too? That sounds amazing!

　The girls looked at each other in bewilderment. None of the information provided by Eina mentioned this. As everyone knows, the thirty-seventh floor is the gateway to the deeper levels, teeming with monsters. Once you enter, you'll be constantly fighting.

　They still chose to believe Roy.

　The group draped themselves in the hides of the skeletal sheep, suppressing their auras to the limit, and stealthily moved along the shadowy edges of the walls, avoiding the monsters. The enemy's traps were clearly on the 36th and 38th floors; this floor only had the recent explosion.

　The group quickly returned to the pure white third circular wall, and led by Roy, headed towards the inner second circular wall. Soon, a massive Roman Colosseum came into view.

　"Is that the arena?"

　Ryu, Lily, and the others were taken aback.

　Their current location is the "Warriors' Hall" between the second and third circular walls, and it is the easternmost part of it, the infamous "Arena," one of the most dangerous areas on the thirty-seventh floor. Even level 5 adventurers who enter will find themselves in a fierce battle.

　“Let’s go!” Roy took a firm step.

　The girls exchanged glances, their resolve to die hard, and followed closely behind Roy.

　The arena has entrances in all four directions: east, west, south, and north. The southern exit connects to the main route, which is how they entered the arena. As soon as the group stepped inside, two monsters appeared before them: a lizardman elite and a cunning wolf.

　The former is a high-level lizardman that appears in the 24th floor of the "Great Tree Maze". Its abilities have been greatly enhanced. Its blue scales are as hard as armor, and it wields two white rock axes that look like bones with agility.

　The latter, standing at 120 centimeters tall, is a medium-sized creature with a beast-headed human body. At first glance, it might be mistaken for a high-level "Earth Spirit," but its head is not that of a "dog" but rather a "wolf."

　There are differences between the two types of monsters, and the guild sets their threat level at Lv.3 to Lv.4.

　Most importantly, both are melee-focused monsters with higher strength and agility attributes. They can skillfully use natural weapons and possess superb skills that rival those of adventurers, making them extremely difficult to deal with.

　"Roar!"

　The elite lizardman, Cunning Wolf, roared and launched an attack, wielding an axe and stone sword, each strike deadly. Unlike the savagery of ordinary monsters, both creatures could dodge each other's attacks, their skill and tactics astonishing Roy, Tione, and the others. In a very short time, they exchanged dozens of blows, with Cunning Wolf ultimately emerging victorious, cleaving the elite lizardman in two at the waist with a single sword strike, revealing the magic stone on its chest.

　"Gulu!"

　The cunning wolf opened its gaping maw and swallowed the magic stone of the lizardman elite. Its body shimmered with an eerie purple light, and its attributes were enhanced. This scene greatly shocked Tione, Tiona, Daphne, Cassandra, and Lily.

　Clang! Clang! Clang!

　Upon closer inspection, the vast arena was filled with monsters locked in fierce combat, the clanging of stone weapons like the clear, resonant sound of a piano. Enhanced monsters, extremely rare in the middle and lower levels, were swarming throughout this arena.

　Monsters spawn endlessly within the arena, unstoppable even by destroying the walls, and all of them possess the special ability to consume magic stones to enhance themselves. Even level 5 adventurers are unwilling to come here.

　Even though they already knew this information through Ryu and Eina, seeing it with their own eyes was a different story; the scene was like raising a venomous insect.

　But in reality, it's not that exaggerated.

　Roy's gaze swept across the arena. Indeed, enhanced monsters were everywhere, but monsters that had consumed too many magic stones had more energy contained in their own magic stones, which would attract attacks from other monsters and eventually lead to their death.

　Repeatedly, in an endless cycle.

　As a result, monsters of level 5 or higher will almost never spawn in the arena.

　These monsters adhere to one principle.

　I fear both that my brothers are suffering and that they're driving Range Rovers. If any of my brothers (monsters) is about to level up, they'll be immediately surrounded and killed by the other monsters. Two fists can't fight four hands; it's the same everywhere.

　Roy led them on their continued stealth journey.

　The girls held their breath, moving with extreme caution. Sometimes the monsters were less than a meter away from them, almost brushing past them – a truly thrilling experience. They successfully avoided monsters such as obsidian soldiers, lizardman elites, and giant orcs.

　But the cunning wolves, with their keen sense of smell, seemed to have sensed something and began to surround them.

　A dozen or so cunning wolves quickly gathered around.

　Roy narrowed his eyes. These monsters were stronger than those outside and might be able to see through the skeleton sheepskin. He made a quick decision and gave Liu and the others a look. "Burning Heaven!"

　Roy peeled back the sheepskin hide, drew the elven holy sword, and sensed the elven king's blood within him. The sword activated, gleaming with a sharp edge. Activating its special effect, it instantly drained the surrounding magical energy, almost solidifying it, and channeled it into the sword's blade, unleashing a torrent of flames. Boom!

　Roy swung his holy sword heavily, and crimson flames erupted, transforming into a giant fiery dragon that swept across the battlefield. Monsters that came into contact with this flame were all reduced to ashes, along with the magic stones.

　Monsters with lower stats than Roy, unless they have specialized defense or magic resistance like the Obsidian Soldiers, can be easily wiped out by the Blazing Inferno. The power of the Elven Holy Sword far exceeds expectations.

　It requires at least LV.7 to unleash its full power, and Roy hasn't reached that level yet. He can't use any of the four special effects: Eternity, Heavenly Incineration, Giant Slayer, and Celestial Essence. He can't use the last one, Celestial Essence.

　The power of the Blazing Flame increases with his level, making it a powerful tool for clearing out mobs.

　A passageway leading directly into the stadium appeared ahead.

　"Charge! Head to the center of the arena!" Roy whispered, charging ahead, followed closely by the rest of the team, with the strongest, Ryu, bringing up the rear. Roar! Roar! Roar!

　The sudden burst of flames immediately attracted the attention of all the monsters in the arena. Countless eerie eyes stared at the intruders, and all the monsters abandoned their own targets and turned towards them.

　The arena was as big as a football field that could hold 100,000 people. Tens of thousands of LV.3 and LV.4 monsters charged in from all directions, and the ground trembled, just like a scene from a movie where zombies attacked.

　The fearless monsters jostled and pushed, causing thousands of casualties from trampling alone.

　"Gather, breath of the earth—I am Alfre, my destiny rests in dreams!" Roy casually cast a spell, and colorful light robes appeared on everyone's bodies, greatly enhancing their physical and magical defense.

　Its main purpose is to protect Cassandra and Lily.

　The action was sudden enough that Roy and his group arrived at the center of the arena before the monsters even reached them.

　The group stood back to back.

　Faced with the surging monsters, Daphne, Cassandra, and Lily turned deathly pale, while Tione, Tiona, and Ryu's eyes were filled with deep sorrow. But even in this desperate situation, their trust in Roy remained unwavering.

　They even went to the point of being blind, otherwise who would dare to come to this terrifying arena?

　Then Roy will not let this trust down!

　Rumble!

　Roy pulled the Earth Demon Sword from his spatial ring and planted it in the ground. Manipulating the terrain, with a roar, the earth split open, revealing a deep fissure. Deep within the fissure, a dim passage appeared before them, its depths shimmering with blue light.

　Roy said in a deep voice, "Jump!"

　Lily, Cassandra, and Daphne, the lower-ranking members, entered first, followed by Tione and Tiona, and finally Ryu and Roy. Roy once again used the Earth Demon Sword to manipulate the terrain, closing the previously separated land.

　The grotesque monsters on the ground were helpless.

　Tiony and Tiona cleared away the monsters that had followed them in, and the cave gradually quieted down, leaving only the faint sound of flowing water. A crystal-clear stream appeared before them, surrounded by flowers and grass. The air was fresh, there were no monsters, and it was peaceful and serene. It was hard to imagine that such a place existed on the terrifying Thirty-Seventh Floor.

　"So there really is a safe zone on the thirty-seventh floor?" The girls looked around at their surroundings, their faces filled with surprise, completely forgetting the danger they had just experienced. Even Liu, who had explored the thirty-seventh floor many times, was no exception, her little face filled with disbelief.

　Normal people would avoid the "arena," let alone expect there to be a safe zone underground. This cave is free of monsters and has remained undiscovered for three thousand years! Even if their expedition is not completed, this information alone is enough to satisfy the guild.

　"Commander, you're amazing!"

　"Lord Roy is omnipotent!"

　Tiony, Daphne, Lily, and the others looked at Roy with nothing but admiration and respect.

　A hint of complexity appeared in Liu's eyes; he truly lived up to his reputation as a boy who had repeatedly brought about miracles.

　Roy laughed, "Let's rest here for a bit and see what we do with those bastards!"

　"Hahahaha!" The girls all laughed. Who would have thought they were hiding here? So what if the enemy blocked the 36th and 38th floors? There was water and food here. Let's see who can outlast whom!

　The group had a clear division of labor: setting up tents, starting fires, and preparing food. They ran the place like a paradise, relaxed and carefree. They could never have imagined that they would be so comfortable in the depths before coming down.

　"Captain, what are you doing?" Tiona saw Roy fiddling with something by the wall and ran over excitedly, bending over to ask curiously.

　“We’ll be here for at least seven or eight days. I’m worried you’ll get bored, so I’ll get you some small toys.” Roy used his elven holy sword to cut a piece of stone into evenly sized cubes and then carefully carved them.

　With his top-tier Dexterity stat at LV.4, crafting all sorts of things by hand is naturally a piece of cake.

　Roy was wielding the elven holy sword like this; if the fire fairies saw this, they'd probably be filled with murderous intent and grind Roy to dust. In the blink of an eye, a set of mahjong tiles made of dungeon stone was freshly made, engraved with exquisite patterns. Roy's craftsmanship was superb; if he had time, he might have crafted this set of mahjong tiles to equipment standards, and could casually smash a monster to death with a single blow.

　There are also two stone tables and seven stone benches.

　During dinner, Roy taught everyone how to play mahjong and the rules. These were all quick-witted adventurers; Roy only needed to explain it once to them to remember it. Orario also had mahjong parlors, but the girls present clearly wouldn't go to such places.

　It was their first time encountering something like this, and Roy was the one leading them. The girls were all very interested, and after dinner, they all rushed to sit at the table. Liu Subai rested her smooth forehead on her small hand. Why did they seem like they were on a leisurely trip? When did the Deep Expedition become like this? Thinking back to the arduous battles she and Alisha had fought together, she felt a mix of emotions.

　It's all Roy's fault!

　A bitter smile appeared on Liu's beautiful lips.

　Seeing the girls scrambling to get on the table, Roy laughed and said, "Don't rush. Since it's a game, there has to be a prize. The loser has to take off a piece of clothing, or I can take a small loss and get a kiss on the lips. I don't mind."

　"The commander is so mean!"

　Upon hearing this, apart from the two unrestrained Amazon sisters, the girls present blushed and subconsciously tightened their clothes, giving Roy a reproachful look. The frivolous leader was back online. No wonder he spent several hours making mahjong; it turned out he was playing this crooked game.

　The innocent elven girl walked away silently, while the timid Cassandra didn't dare to raise her head.

　Finally, Roy, Tiony, Daphne, and Lily sat down at the table and gathered around the stone table.

　"Lord Tione, you should wear more clothes!" Lily draped all the skeleton sheepskins over Tione, otherwise the two pieces of cloth covering his body would be gone in no time.

　Roy glared at the little girl; this little Lily was clueless at a crucial moment!

　"Captain, do you want to see? I'll secretly show you tonight after everyone's asleep." Tione chuckled softly, her exquisitely slender waist shifting towards Roy as she whispered in his ear, her voice full of allure.

　Roy's eyes lit up.

　"Lady Tione, we are the righteous Astrea Familia, and we will not tolerate such impure things!" Lily stamped her feet anxiously. Compared to the well-developed Tione, her figure was comparable to Tiona's. Seeing Roy's soul being completely captivated by Tione, Lily couldn't help but be anxious.

　"It's a draw, should we take it off or kiss?"

　Compared to the complete novices, Roy was a force to be reckoned with. In no time, the three girls were left only in their underwear. Tiony was completely naked, while Daphne and Lily trembled and regretted coming to the table.

　Springtime beauty suddenly appeared inside the cave, a sight to behold.

　Ryu, Cassandra, and Tiona sat at the children's table, playing a board game that Roy had made, but they would occasionally glance at Roy and glare at him. While Roy and the others were having a great time, ten days quickly passed.

　Inside a cave on the thirty-sixth level, no monsters spawn after the stone walls are broken. Compared to the deeper levels, the lower level is more like a children's playground. A group of people are gathered there, their expressions not very pleasant.

　If Roy and the others were present, they would immediately recognize them as remnants of the Ikeros Familia. Since Dix Perdix's death, these people have been living a miserable life, their days getting worse and worse.

　Accept employment from the Ishtar Familia.

　I finally landed a big job and was looking to make a fortune, but things don't seem to be going smoothly.