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

　"A single-minded pursuit of adventure..."

　Ryu murmured, activating the Synchronization Contract. She too could use this developmental ability to empathize with the other person and perceive their true thoughts. In a sense, they were the people who understood each other best in the world, without exception.

　Free yourself from the constraints of the body, and make contact with your soul.

　She didn't want to see Roy die! Liu took out a rubber band from her pocket and tied her long golden hair into a single ponytail, making her look clean and refreshing. Her bright eyes were as dazzling as sky-blue gemstones.

　After drinking the potion Roy gave her, Ryu drew her Elf Radiant Dragon Staff and rushed out.

　After slaying countless monsters from the 37th floor, Ryu arrived beside Roy. The two stood back to back, facing Zagnat and the nearby monsters from deeper levels. Amidst the fierce battle, they exchanged a few words.

　"I want to fight too!"

　Ryu firmly declared that she would no longer run away. She would overcome her inner obstacles, slay the ferocious beast before her, hailed as a calamity, and avenge Alyssa and the others. Roy desperately wanted Ryu to join the battle, but he feigned concern, saying, "Don't force yourself. That's not a monster you can handle." Ryu's reaction surprised him.

　"Don't try that provocative tactic. I'm perfectly calm right now!" Liu said irritably, tears streaming down her beautiful face, but her sky-blue eyes were incredibly firm, showing no sign of hesitation.

　Her face remained calm, and she transformed back into the seemingly cold but warm-hearted elven girl she once was.

　Roy was taken aback for a moment, then a slight smile appeared on his lips. "Can you keep up? Otherwise, I won't let you have Zagnat's head!" "Who do you think you're talking to? I'm LV.5!" Ryu displayed skills no less than Roy's, both taught by the same master (Asteria).

　The Elf Flowing Light Dragon Staff unleashed countless afterimages, slaying monsters; more than a dozen level 4 monsters were pulverized.

　Surrounded by Zagnat and hundreds of level 37 monsters, the two fought with increasing ferocity, their hearts filled with boundless pride, as if they had found some kind of resonance. Ryu felt her back growing increasingly hot.

　A bright, dazzling golden light shone on her snow-white back, and a new string of text appeared in the skills section of the ability panel: Inheritance of Justice: Weapon Power Resonance. Within a certain range of the activator, familiars with the same divine bloodline receive amplified skill effects, increased magic power (mental power), and are granted resistance to mental corruption.

　When Liu awakened her new skill—Inheritance of Justice—Roy clearly felt that his condition had improved significantly, and his mind was clear.

　The succession of justice has three effects.

　Skill effects are amplified!

　Magic power (mental power) increased!

　It provides resistance to mental pollution!

　The most important effect for Roy is naturally the first one: the enhancement of his skills, which takes his "adventure" development ability to the next level, making the improvement even more exaggerated.

　Secondly, it's about enhancing mental strength.

　Summoning Zagnat with the Earth Demon Sword consumed a significant amount of his mental energy; the excruciating pain of his head being torn apart and the dizziness forced him to recover his mental strength. It also helped him resist mental pollution; the roars of the deep-level monsters were incredibly intimidating.

　The sudden increase in power caused a flicker of surprise in Roy's eyes. He glanced at Liu without leaving a trace; he hadn't done anything, so it could only be the other party. With the crisis looming, Roy didn't delve into the matter further.

　Burn the heavens!

　With ample mental support, Roy no longer hesitated. He connected his mind to the elven holy sword, and the crimson flames erupted once more, sweeping away the surrounding monsters. The extremely high-temperature flames reduced the monsters to ashes, leaving behind a scorched, reddish-brown expanse of land.

　The monsters on the 37th floor are not allied with Zagnat; they will attack each other.

　The monsters in the deeper layers are significantly more ferocious than those in the middle and lower layers. Even if they are not born in the arena, they will attack each other. For example, with a single volley of fine needles, Peruda can wipe out a large number of monsters. Among the monsters, he is definitely a traitor and a war criminal.

　The number of monsters around them decreased sharply, but Roy and Ryu's sense of urgency remained undiminished. The crisis wasn't over until Zagnat was defeated. Before disappearing, the puppet Ota, with its relentless ferocity, inflicted considerable damage on Zagnat; its LV.7 combat power was undeniable. Zagnat opened its blood-red maw and swallowed skeleton sheep, elite lizardmen, cunning wolves, and Peruda, among other monsters, to enhance its power. This was one of Zagnat's characteristics.

　Despite its limbs being damaged, it can replenish its strength by chewing on the bodies of other monsters, making a crisp "crunching" sound. However, the magic stones mixed with those of other monsters have significantly reduced its stats, which is why Roy has been able to hold out against this monster until now!

　Having absorbed the magic stone from Peruda, Zagnat's body sprouted identical poisonous needles, which he instantly launched, raining down like a torrential downpour. "Dance together, air spirits, masters of light! I have made a pact with the guardian spirit of the forest, may the song of the earth envelop us! Protect us—I beg you to transform into a colossal wall of forest light to protect us—My name is Alf!"

　Dimension·Interruption!

　Roy said in a deep voice, and as the incantation ended, a semi-circular light shield appeared before them, enveloping him and Liu. The thin shield was extremely hard, and all the falling poison needles were deflected.

　"Regarding Zagnat, do you remember the information I told you before?" Roy asked.

　A glint of light flashed in Liu's eyes, and she nodded slightly. How could she forget? The deep-seated hatred and fear filled every corner of her heart, and she wished she could remember everything about this monster.

　"Now! This is the chance to test that tactic. I'll cooperate with you!" Roy tried his best to keep his voice calm and steady. If they failed, they probably wouldn't have a second chance.

　The only outcome is death!

　Bang!

　Zagnat's figure moved with lightning speed, arriving in an instant like a whirlwind. A massive shadow loomed over Roy and Liu, as if darkness itself were about to devour them. The claw gleamed with a cold, bluish-purple light, its momentum, fueled by its supersonic speed, unstoppable, piercing through Roy's magical shield. The claw was less than ten centimeters from Roy's eyes.

　Since Roy learned this magic from Riveria, this is the first monster in Zagnat to break the "Dimensional Barrier" barrier. Those cold, scarlet eyes silently watched Roy and Ryu, their brutality and ruthlessness sending shivers down their spines and making them feel deeply suffocated.

　Roy stared coldly at the monster.

　"call!"

　Liu took a deep breath, raised the Elven Radiant Dragon Staff high, pointed it at Zagnat above, and said in a deep voice, "Monster, today is your end!"

　"Do it!" Roy shouted, dispelling the spell.

　The instant the light shield dissipated, Roy and Ryu charged towards Zagnat from the left and right respectively. Upon closer inspection, Ryu, who was of a higher level, was actually a step behind. Roar!

　Zagnat was the first to confront Roy, unleashing a deafening roar, but thanks to the mental pollution resistance granted by the inheritance of justice and adventure, the roar had little effect on Roy.

　Seeing that his roar was ineffective, Zagnat opened his massive jaws, filled with sharp teeth, once again and lunged at Roy!

　Synchronization Contract!

　Ryu's stats, development potential, and skills, when combined with Roy's, reach level 5, with all stats roughly at B-rank. It's a pity Ryu is injured; otherwise, this improvement would have been even greater.

　Roy activated his Intuition skill, entering "Precognition," and predicted Zagnat's attack trajectory.

　In that instant, Roy moved with incredible speed, catching Zagnat off guard. With a sliding tackle, Roy slid past Zagnat's chin, and the elven holy sword slashed across the corner of his mouth, the wound extending to his lower abdomen.

　"Roar!"

　Zagnat hadn't expected that this "ant," which it had suppressed from beginning to end, would suddenly gain such power and injure it, which undoubtedly enraged it. Just as it was about to pursue Roy...

　Ryu arrived late and had already charged forward, forcing Zagnat to turn back.

　This time, the Synchronization Contract is superimposed on Ryu.

　"The forest and sky have now vanished. The endless night sky is studded with countless stars!"

　Liu simultaneously handled attack, movement, and chanting... The Elven Radiant Dragon Staff in her hand was drawn, its blade drawing an extremely thin, extremely bright, and seemingly time-freezing line in the dim light, stabbing with perfect precision towards the gap in the armor on Zagnat's neck!

　"Ding!"

　A sharp sound, like an awl piercing stubborn iron! The sharp edge only left a white mark on the Zagnat armor, with a few sparks flying! The Elven Stream of Light also has the effect of a staff, but its physical damage is relatively less than other weapons of the same level.

　But that was enough to enrage Zagnat.

　Seeing that Zagnat was about to attack, Roy took the opportunity to strike him from behind again.

　Roy and Ryu had perfected the Synchro Contract's effect; whichever of them engaged Zagnat would have the contract activated. This ensured that the person with the higher stats always faced Zagnat head-on, while the other could step back, catch their breath, and observe the situation. It was a near-perfect teamwork.

　This is the ultimate tactic that the two of them developed.

　They can even confront someone who is a whole level stronger than them head-on.

　Normally, at least twenty adventurers of the same level would need to join forces to contend with a higher-level being, but Roy and Ryu only needed two! Any adventurer witnessing this would be utterly astonished; only those with perfect understanding and complete trust could achieve such coordination. "Respond to my foolish voice, grant me the blessing of starlight once more." With the tide turning, a confident glint appeared on Ryu's face. Her figure moved as light as a cloud, spinning rapidly. This time, she changed her target, avoiding the hard armor, and severed Zagnat's arm.

　"Hiss!"

　Zagnat, in pain, let out a furious roar, its ferocity fully unleashed. Its massive body twisted violently like a mudslide, crashing through several thick stone pillars with overwhelming force, its thick tail sweeping down with the force of a landslide!

　"Come forth, you who have abandoned me, be merciful and bright, wandering wind, lost traveler."

　Like a willow catkin, Liu swayed in the raging storm. Her figure weaved and flashed through the complex terrain, narrowly avoiding attacks that could split rocks and tail blows that could cut a person in half.

　Clang! Clang! Clang!

　Roy seized the opportunity to attack relentlessly, countless sword shadows flashing, leaving Zagnat with hideous wounds.

　Unlike ordinary monsters, Zagnat's entire body is considered a massive magic stone, from which its extraordinary strength and agility originate. Therefore, it does not bleed.

　The wounds inflicted by Roy and Ryu's attacks resulted in a large number of magic stone fragments falling down.

　However, as everyone knows, magic stones are the monster's fatal weakness, and magic stones are extremely fragile.

　Therefore, Zagnat's durability is significantly low, making it a monster with high attack and low defense!

　A full-force attack from a LV.4 adventurer can break through its defenses, but it relies on its extremely high agility to dodge most attacks. Even a LV.6 attack from Roy requires him to shatter the opponent's last line of defense for Ryu—the head armor that can counter magic.

　Because his entire body is made of magic stone, Zagnat has no specific fatal parts. Even if he loses his head or his chest is pierced, he can still continue to move. To kill his opponent, you must completely destroy his entire body!

　Only magic can achieve this!

　Opportunity strikes in the blink of an eye!

　Zagnat's tail swept across, carrying a terrifying power capable of shattering everything. Roy did not retreat but advanced, and was struck in the chest by the tail. Even with the protection of the epic-level Demon King Armor, Roy's internal organs still trembled, and he spat out a mouthful of blood.

　Roy clung tightly to his tail and wasn't flung away.

　Blood for blood, tenfold retribution!

　Intentionally taking the hit from Zagnat to accumulate damage, Roy's lips curled into a maniacal smile, his eyes burning with the flames of vengeance. From his wound, countless bright red veins of blood seemed to gush, frantically surging into the elven holy sword.

　The blade erupted with a surging and sharp light.

　Rumble!

　Roy's strength suddenly increased, and with a powerful thrust of his legs, a dull thud resounded. Centered on him, the ground within a radius of several hundred meters suddenly sank, and cracks appeared in the ground like a spider web.

　The sword light rose again! This time, there was no piercing whistle, only an intense killing intent! The longsword transformed into a pure rainbow of light that pierced through life and death! Roy thrust out this sword fiercely.

　The cold, crimson sword light was unstoppable, instantly piercing Zagnat's tail. Countless fragments of magic stones flew everywhere, heading straight for the armor on Zagnat's head. Zagnat was dumbfounded. It tried to sweep Roy away, but the opponent took the hit head-on, amplifying the damage tenfold and returning it to its original form! The madness in Roy's bones made the monster, known as a calamity, instinctively tremble with fear.

　"Heh!" Roy sneered, as if to say, "Watch closely, this is the real counterattack!"

　Bang!

　A dull yet crisp collision sound rang out.

　The sharp tip of the elven holy sword, with its resolute penetrating power and tenfold increased damage, shattered Zagnat's tail and chest, until it precisely pierced into the hard scales on its head.

　The terrifying power shattered the chip instantly!

　Roy twisted and turned his wrist sharply!

　"Ow!!!"

　Zagnat's head exploded with a deafening scream that echoed throughout the entire floor! The sound was like a torn soul, filled with unimaginable pain and violent despair.

　"Miss Ryu, catch!"

　Having done all this, Roy's mission was complete. He stepped back and tossed the elven holy sword over.

　Liu caught the elven holy sword. The Synchronization Contract granted her the skill "Elven Royal Authority," which also activated the holy sword. Mysterious runes appeared on the slender blade, and its sharp edge far surpassed that of her weapon.

　A hint of surprise flashed in Liu's eyes.

　Simply wielding this elven holy sword seemed to transform her into an invincible blade, nothing in the world could withstand her sharpness. It could easily pierce through Zagnat's defenses!

　"Soaring through the skies, galloping across the wilderness, moving at a speed surpassing all things. Conquering enemies with the brilliance of the stars."

　A golden figure moved swiftly, attacking the heavily wounded Zagnat while chanting the final part of a magical incantation. Her twin swords created countless afterimages. Zagnat, severely injured by Roy, was almost powerless to resist, screaming in agony as Ryu's precise slashes severed his arms, legs, and torso. In a mere minute, the mountain-sized Zagnat was completely dismembered by Ryu.

　To tear him to pieces, to vent my anger!

　Even after being hacked to pieces, Zagnat was not dead. His remains were not covered in blood, but instead consisted of chunks of blue-purple magic stones that kept writhing, trying to reassemble and devour other monsters to be reborn.

　Upon seeing this, Ryu's small face revealed intense disgust and hatred. Although they weren't the same one, they were of the same kind. It was this kind of monster that had killed Alisha, Kaguya, Laila, Niz, Noin, Asterisk, Leana, Celty, Iska, Maru...

　"The Wind of Light I!"

　As the chant ended, the elven girl's clear, melodious voice rang out, carrying an aura of sorrow, resolve, and determination, as if bidding farewell to her past self. Boom! Boom! Boom!!

　Hundreds of emerald green orbs of light appeared around her, like countless dazzling stars swirling around her, making her appear as holy as a goddess. The radiance illuminated the dimly lit floor.

　Emerald green orbs of light fell like rain.

　The explosion engulfed a large area, flames blazed, and Zagnat's remains were reduced to ashes in the violent explosion. The earth-shattering roar echoed throughout the white palace, becoming the final swan song of this battle!

　The calamity beast, Zagnat, has been successfully defeated!

Chapter 251 The Shy Elf

　"Success!"

　Seeing Zagnat's remains completely disappear in the explosion, Ryu raised her head, her bright sky-blue eyes gazing up at the ceiling, her whole being enveloped in a quiet, pure, and gentle atmosphere.

　Her anxious heart found peace, and two lines of clear tears slid down her flawless face, a pitiful sight, revealing a sense of relief. At this moment, she could finally comfort her fallen kin.

　It was as if some kind of shackle had been removed from her.

　"Cough! Cough! Stop posing, show some concern for your teammates!" A discordant voice broke the atmosphere. Roy had no choice; he wanted to pay respects to his former clan members, and there was plenty of time to return to the eighteenth level and the surface. At this moment, they were still in danger.

　This is the deepest, most terrifying place!

　Although they had defeated Zagnat, it didn't mean they were safe. Everyone knew how unpredictable the dungeons were; they never failed to surprise people.