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

　It is far too weak compared to Zagnat.

　call out!call out!call out!

　The monster's back emitted a dense barrage of needles, raining down on Tione and the others. Its roar immediately alerted the girls. Turning around, based on Ryu and Professor Eina's knowledge and the monster's distinctive features, they recognized it and their expressions changed drastically. Tione exclaimed, "Peruda?!"

　At first glance, the monster looks like a lizard, but its species is the recognized "dragon". The sharp needles it fires are sharp enough to pierce through stone, and what's even more terrifying is that they are highly poisonous, killing even level 4 and level 5 adventurers!

　The sharp needles fell like rain.

　Clang! Clang! Clang!

　Tiona spun the Great Twin Blades, Ulga, with both hands like a rapidly spinning windmill, deflecting all the needles that attacked her. The two created a sound like steel clashing, and she was forced back continuously.

　Tione grabbed the Goliath Cloak and draped it over himself, Ryu, and Lily, using Lily's large backpack as a buffer to block the sharp needles. The Goliath Cloak's defensive capabilities were undeniable; that was the only thing this floor master could boast about.

　After a while, everything calmed down.

　When Dione lifted Goliath's cloak, all she saw was an empty space and fragments of magic stones.

　Peruda's needles are a wide-range attack that indiscriminately kills both friend and foe, along with the monsters around him.

　"How is it going?" Lily asked.

　It's too quiet; it feels like someone's missing.

　Tiony, Tiona, and Lily's eyes trembled as they vaguely realized something. They turned their heads and, sure enough, Daphne and Cassandra were lying on the ground with a sharp needle stuck in their legs.

　The equipment they were wearing was insufficient to protect their entire bodies.

　Peruda's poison quickly spread to the two girls' entire bodies, causing their skin to turn purple and swell. Even Daphne, who possessed exceptional resistance and extremely high durability, could not withstand Peruda's deadly poison and screamed in agony.

　Cassandra, needless to say, was quickly plunged into darkness, a bitter smile appearing on her lips. So this was what a "premonition dream" in complete darkness was like.

　Both of them lost their lives.

　Tiony, Tiona, and Lily gasped for breath, their thin, delicate bodies swaying slightly, unsteady on their feet, as if a gust of wind would cause them to collapse completely. They knew that casualties were normal during the exploration of Haixia City, and they were mentally prepared for it.

　But when it actually happened, it still tore their hearts apart. It happened too fast, in the blink of an eye, without even a final word or farewell. Memories of the two of them flooded back, as if a bloody gash had been ripped open in their hearts, bleeding incessantly. There's a reason why family-style clans are so rare in Orario; maintaining a distance and limiting relationships to mere drinking buddies is also a way of protecting themselves.

　Exploring Haixia City is a high-risk, high-reward profession that puts your life on the line.

　A true friend you forge today might die in Haixia City tomorrow; such a violent shock would be devastating, causing unbearable grief. There's also an unspoken rule among guild members: even as advisors, avoid getting too involved with adventurers. The more emotional investment you make, the more painful it will be when that person dies in Haixia City.

　"I kill you!"

　The smile vanished from Tiona's face, her eyes narrowed, and she leaped up, furiously slashing her Great Twin Blades, Ulga, at Peruda. Boom!

　Tiona channeled her terrifying power into the twin blades, the sharp edges cleaving Peruda's body in two, leaving deep fissures even in the large dais. But killing Peruda could not quell their pain, sorrow, and rage.

　"Aaaaaaahh ...

　When Tiony and Tiona arrived in Orario, Daphne and Cassandra showed them around, introduced them to delicious food, and explained all sorts of strange and wonderful things.

　Despite their lower rank, Tiony and Tiona genuinely respected them as their seniors.

　Almost at the same moment.

　Roy and Zagnat clashed.

　Facing this calamity-inducing beast, Roy dared not be careless in the slightest. His mission was to stall until Tione and the others reached the thirty-eighth floor. Surprisingly, Roy closed his eyes.

　Zagnat's speed was as fast as a ghost, and Roy could only see a phantom flash before his eyes. So he closed his eyes to reduce the impact of vision. Sanquan trusted his "intuition" skill.

　call out!

　A strong sense of danger arose spontaneously. Roy had only entered a state of "precognition," and the trajectory of Zagnat's attack flashed through his mind. But seeing it and being able to react to it are two different things.

　A chilling glint flashed, and Roy raised his elven holy sword to parry. The blade and Zagnath's claws sparked violently, and the powerful force sent Roy staggering backward, nearly falling over.

　A trickle of blood appeared on the left side of his neck, and a faint smell of blood filled the air. He felt a stinging pain, and the hairs on Roy's body stood on end. If his reaction and movements were even a fraction slower, he would be beheaded.

　Using intuition, one can constantly maneuver with the other party.

　Roy's wounds were piling up, and this was the limit of what production capacity could achieve.

　At that moment, upon hearing Tiona's hysterical voice, Roy opened his eyes and turned his head slightly.

　This momentary lapse in concentration was noticed by Zagnat, whose eyes blazed with blood-red light, surging forward with a fierce, fervent light.

　Blood for blood, three times the return!

　Roy's expression changed slightly, and he activated his skill without hesitation. The damage accumulated in the battle turned into wisps of blood that flowed into the elven holy sword.

　The slender sword blade became bloodstained.

　Roy took a step forward, swords drawn, and slashed fiercely at Zagnat, the earth-shattering sword light seeming to slice through the entire world. However, Zagnat's speed far surpassed that of Roy, and he dodged the sword with a ghostly, elusive grace.

　boom!

　The elven holy sword, shrouded in crimson light, missed its mark, striking the surface of the first circular wall. A terrifying force emanated from it, tearing a crack in the wall. Roy's expression was not grim.

　Zagnat realized that Roy was not to be trifled with, and decided to pick on the weakest link. Successfully breaking through Roy's defenses, it headed straight for Tione and the others. Roy followed closely behind.

　"Come here, monster!" Tiony and Tiona shouted angrily as they changed their heads.

　Zagnat swept past like a whirlwind, its extremely sharp claws slicing Tiony and Lily in half at the waist. Blood and entrails sprayed through the air, leaving the two stunned.

　"Tione I!"

　Tiona's eyes were bloodshot as she raised her large twin blades and slashed at Zagnat with all her might.

　Zagnat's eyes were indifferent and ruthless, displaying only cruelty and coldness that could annihilate intruders. With a flick of its tail, it sent Tiona, who was attacking from behind, flying. Boom!

　Tiona was sent flying backward, crashing heavily into the stone wall. The terrifying force caused her entire body to cave in, and the sound of bones shattering echoed throughout her body. "Pfft!" Tiona spat out a mouthful of blood, unable to move a single finger, and slowly closed her eyes.

　thump!

　At the critical moment, Tione used her last bit of strength to throw the unconscious Ryu out.

　As Tiony and Lily did all this, everything went black before their eyes, and their life force quietly drained away. Their cloudy eyes saw Roy rushing towards them, and a faint smile appeared on their bloodless lips.

　That smile eventually settled on his face.

　Liu landed on a secluded hill not far away, rolled around a few times, and with difficulty opened her eyes, her sky-blue pupils gradually regaining a glimmer of light. Her vision went from blurry to slowly clear.

　Then she saw a scene that nearly drove her to the brink of collapse, and Ryu's pupils instantly shrank to their smallest size.

　Daphne and Cassandra were covered in deadly poison, Tiony and Lily were cut in half at the waist, and Tiona was embedded in the wall, but without exception, they all lost their life force.

　What made her even more desperate was the familiar and terrifying calamity beast—Zagnat.

　All her teammates were dead. For over a year, this recurring nightmare had haunted her dreams, preventing her from sleeping soundly. And now, it was right in front of her!

　For Ryu, who had just woken up, the impact of this scene was undoubtedly extremely shocking.

　PTSD syndrome can erupt suddenly.

　"Well"

　Liu wanted to scream in terror, but when she opened her mouth wide, not a sound came out. She covered her mouth, trying to suppress the urge to vomit. She was on the verge of a mental breakdown.

　The only thing that comforted her was that Roy was still there, even though the situation was not optimistic.

　Clang!

　Roy and Zagnat clashed fiercely in the sky, dust billowing and sparks flying from the depths of the clouds with each contact. Roy was clearly at a disadvantage.

　He was completely suppressed by Zagnat and could only barely hold on thanks to his "Intuition" skill, which has an extremely high potential.

　Roy's face was grim. He wanted to collect the bodies of Tione and the others, put them in his Shikon Jewel ring, and then use the Shikon Jewel to revive them.

　Unfortunately, Zagnat pressed on relentlessly, giving him no chance to catch his breath, let alone collect the corpses.

　"Roy!"

　Ryu's shouts caught Roy's attention.

　Seeing the elven girl regain consciousness, Roy's eyes flashed with joy. He leaned forward, dodging Zagnat's attack at an incredible distance, and tossed her a bottle of elixir. "Miss Liu, gather up the bodies of Tione and the others. Use this sword to create a rift and hide there while you wait for me!"

　call out!

　Zagnat lashed out with its tail, shattering the elixir, the liquid sparkling in the air.

　But the panacea only distracted Zagnat, and Roy seized the opportunity to throw out the Demon Sword of the Earth. When it comes to cunning, monsters are no match for humans. The Demon Sword traced a beautiful parabola through the air, and Ryu caught it. Instinctively following Roy's orders, despite being a LV.5 adventurer, she forced herself to continue collecting the corpses of Tione and the others.

　Rumble!

　Ryu used the Earth Demon Sword to carve a crack in the wall, so narrow that it was only wide enough for two people to pass side by side; Zagnat's size would be obscured.

　The fissure stretched for a kilometer, all the way to Roy, who quickly disappeared into it.

　"Hoo! Hoo!"

　Roy was panting heavily, his whole body drenched in sweat, his physical and mental strength nearing its limit. He quickly opened the IV drip and poured seven or eight bottles down her throat. "How are you?" Roy went to Liu's side and tossed her several bottles of IV fluid as well.

　call out!

　Roy Daiki casually waved his hand, collecting the corpses of Tione and the others. There was no point in resurrecting them now; it was simply to let Zagnat kill them again. Ryu's face was deathly pale, devoid of any color. Her alabaster skin was covered in dust, and her long golden hair had dimmed considerably. A thick bandage was wrapped around her abdomen. (The remaining text appears to be unrelated and possibly machine-generated gibberish.)

Chapter 250 Successful Defeat of Zagnat

　"You won't die, will you?"

　These words reveal Ryu's deepest vulnerability and fear. At this moment, her only remaining familia companion, Roy, is the string in her heart that has been stretched to its limit.

　Once Roy is also killed by Zagnat, experiencing two total annihilations, her mental state will completely collapse.

　Roy was more reliable than she had imagined.

　Burn the heavens!

　Roy raised the elven holy sword and walked towards the monsters thrown in by Zagnat. The blade pointed forward, activating a special effect that drew in surrounding magic energy. Strands of magic energy, almost tangible, surged wildly into the long blade, erupting in crimson flames that illuminated the entire dark rift. The warmth surrounding the crimson flames dispelled the darkness and chill of the air, making everyone feel comforted.

　The Blazing Inferno is ineffective against Zagnat, as it can reflect any ranged magic formed from magic essence, including the Demon Sword. However, it is a powerful weapon against other monsters!

　boom!

　The crimson flames seemed to transform into a giant dragon, roaring and devouring countless monsters. The shadows deep within the flames wailed in agony, turning to ashes along with the magic stones.

　Ryu stared blankly at the scene, and even the magical flames of Alisha felt so warm.

　Roy walked out of the crack.

　With a severely injured Ryu, it would be impossible for them to enter the thirty-eighth floor, as the monsters in the "Throne Hall" would catch up with them instantly.

　Approaching LV.7 speed is the opponent's specialty.

　He was going to slay that calamity beast—Zagnat! Not only for survival, but also for the elf behind him. Roy glanced back.

　"Will someone be able to save me someday?"

　"That day won't be too far away!"

　That was a conversation that took place after their first expedition ended, with Roy wanting to keep his promise.

　The effects of the panacea gradually manifested in his body, with bursts of colorful light emanating from his skin, and his wounds, spirit, and physical strength were fully restored. Now that Ryu had awakened, Roy released the Synchronization Contract, regaining his full strength, and a powerful surge of energy welled up within him.

　adventure!

　This wasn't a simulation; it was a real activation, granting him the power to break through his limits and challenge formidable enemies in dire situations, significantly boosting his stats. If Roy had time to check his stats, he would be surprised to find the "LV. 4" on his stat sheet distorted, subtly shifting towards LV. 5, about to be replaced. With the ability to break through his limits at LV. 4, combined with the fully activated "Adventure," the effect was akin to the fox-girl's magic—a level-up! It forcibly raised him by one level!

　Roy burst out of the rift and faced Zagnat head-on. In front of the throne room, they clashed in close combat, each chipping away at the other's life in a desperate fight to the death.

　The intense clashes firmly captured the audience's attention.

　Watching Roy and Zagnat fight to the death, in Ryu's eyes, that figure gradually overlapped with Alexie's. No! It was the hero Alexie had once described, challenging the impossible.

　"I see!"

　Crystal-clear tears streamed from Ryu's eyes, falling down her smooth, beautiful cheeks. How many times had she seen this before? But she always subconsciously chose to avoid it, unwilling to look directly at it.

　Roy dislikes fussy, sentimental talk and doesn't offer comforting words.

　Roy will prove with his actions that nothing in the world can stop him, not even calamity!

　Zagnat's attacks grew increasingly fierce. Roy, relying on his "Intuition" skill, used all his strength to barely hold his own against the opponent, and his wounds continued to increase.

　From the floor master Udeus, to the LV.6 Phryne, and now the calamity "Zagnat," Roy has been fighting continuously and is not in good condition. His body has long been on the verge of its limit.

　Without the ability to "take risks" and develop, this fierce battle would end in the blink of an eye.

　"No matter what you think, I will continue to fight!" Ryu finally understood those words.

　In his fierce battle with Zagnat, his resolute face was completely focused, sweat mingled with blood splattering, as if telling her, "Stand up, fight!" His actions were the best encouragement.

　"So cunning, always using this method!" Liu's tears fell like pearls, forcing her into a corner and leaving her no choice. At this moment, the elven girl seemed to possess the eyes of a god who could see into souls, peeling back layers of cloak to reveal that beneath Roy's turbid, dark soul radiated the purest light in the world.