Turning our attention to the 18th floor. The location of Under Resort, a safe zone for the adventurers who reached the middle floors. Here is where Bell's missing party are located upon as they also were joined by their rescue party that consists of goddess Hestia, God Hermes, Asfi, Ryuu, Ouka, Mikoto, and Chigusa.
Bell is currently with Aiz as he is in a conversation with her.
"I heard that you'll be the first to leave." Bell asked Aiz who nodded.
"we've been assigned to be in the party that is leaving first." Aiz replied. "we're going to defeat the Goliath so that everyone else can get back to the surface much more easier."
"I see." Bell stated with a nod before having a slightly embarrassed smile. "thank you for saving me and my friends! please be careful!"
"yes….you be careful too" Aiz nodded while smiling as Bell nodded back before the Sword Princess left while following behind her allies.
Bell watches Aiz leave with her allies before he heard his name being hollered from a distance which made him turn to see Lili and Welf coming towards him.
"Bell-sama! Come on!" Lili called out. "we need to gather our things before we leave!"
"yeah!" Bell replied before he quickly went to the two.
At the entrance way of the 18th floor that leads to the 17th floor above.
Every member of the Loki Familia expedition team gathered together while looking at their Captain, Finn Deimine who is standing in front of the entrance tunnel while wielding two spears in hand.
"alright everyone! There are a few things that I need to confirm before we head to the 17th floor and exterminate the Goliath!" Finn called out loudly so that every member of his team could hear him. "normally, this would be a good opportunity for the non-elites to gain some experiences, but since we are still recovering from the string of irregulars in the expedition. We'll be having Aiz and the others participate in the get go."
Everyone started to get into the entrance way as they climbed their way to the 17th floor where they could hear the sound of heavy breathing, indicating the Goliath.
"what's the game plan, captain?" Tione asked Finn while readying her two battle daggers.
"you, Tiona, and Bete are on the front line. Focus on the Goliath's legs first." Finn replied before turning to look at Aiz. "the center will be Aiz, you're the backup for offense and defense."
"understood." Aiz replied.
"Raul and the others will be back support for any monsters that might spawn out of the walls. We don't want them to overflow into a large raid." Finn added as a few other members nodded before the Pallum Captain turns to look at Lefiya. "mages start casting your support magic, Lefiya you give them the signal to launch any attack spell."
"yes!" Lefiya responded.
"this should only take us 3 minutes." Finn stated as everyone else nodded and were ready for a fight when they heard the Goliath roaring in pain. "this is?"
The team arrived to the large opening as they find everywhere.
"blood?" Aiz stated before she hears the loud pained roar of the Goliath coming nearby.
"the Goliath!?" Tiona exclaimed while wielding her Urga in a stance.
"there must be adventurers who came here before us." Tione stated as she looks at the blood that were everywhere. "this blood might be…"
"even so! why the fricking hell is that monster just screaming like a bitch?!" Bete asked while looking rather annoyed.
Finn looks around before he spotted something large coming their way.
"ready for battle!" Finn shouted as he spins his two spears and got into a stance.
Everybody else followed in action as they were assuming that it was the Goliath coming for them, but it wasn't in a form that they were expecting.
Roaring and howling in pain, the Goliath came into view as the large black humanoid monster is just covered in its own blood while lost both of its arms.
"it's…hurt?" Lefiya muttered out as the Goliath just roars in pain before something or someone cuts off its legs in a split second.
"the heck was that!?" Tiona exclaimed as everyone sees a pair of arms flying around while holding a large broad sword. "a pair of flying hands?! and they're holding a sword!"
"what on Orario are those things?" Aiz asked as they followed the flying arms that flew straight to the shadows at the edge of the floor that is dark.
The arms and the broad sword disappeared into the darkness where the sound of heavy footsteps is heard.
"don't tell me…" Finn muttered out, thinking that it was a new monster that attacks other monsters to get more strength.
The heavy footsteps started to get louder before they disappeared and was replaced with a loud crash sound.
Finn quickly looks up and his eyes widen to see a large figure came flying in the air before falling straight to the Goliath that was trying to crawl away but had its head impaled with the large broad sword.
The Goliath let out a roar in pain before its head was sliced into two by the figure who pulled the broad sword upwards. A big explosion of black ashes occurred as the Goliath disappeared and a large magic crystal was left in its disappearance.
Finn and the others look in surprise as they had witnessed the Goliath, a floor boss killed and slaughtered so easily like it was just a weak monster.
"who the hell?" Bete asked as he looks up ahead and sees Zag standing above the magic crystal that has his broad sword impaled on its top.
Zag stayed silent as he pulled his sword out of the magic stone before he swung it to the side and then placed it away on his back. The armored man sets his sight on the Loki Familia's team as they were watching him.
Finn and the others didn't speak a word as they look at Zag who jumped down the large magic stone before slowly walking straight to the group.
'Who is this person?' Finn asked himself as his thumb was beating in pain that feels so light. 'my thumb is aching but it's not painful.'
Zag keeps on walking slowly to the group as he went pass Finn and then Bete, Tione, and Tiona without a single word to the anyone.
A few minutes pass as Finn turns to look at Zag who was slowly disappearing into the distance.
"that man…." Finn muttered out.
Zag walks within the passage entrance of the 17th floor as he arrived at the 18th floor and gaze upon the large crystal lighted ceiling that seems comparable with the sky on the surface.
"finally arrived to this place." Said Zag before he started to walk down and head to the nearby camp that was set up by the Loki Familia's expedition team.
The camp was in the middle of packing up their gears and supplies as they were about to leave.
In the midst of the camp is Tsubaki Koburando, half dwarf and a Level 5 Adventurer / blacksmith who is also the captain of the Hephaestus Familia.
Tsubaki is hammering her magic crystal forge hammer on a sword that is heated and placed on an anvil as she just hammers it a few times before dipping it in oil that is instantly set into fire because of the high heat of the sword.
"I can continue on this baby when getting back on the surface" Tsubaki said as she got up from her place near the forge before turning around while clapping her hands in satisfaction before she heard some chatters coming around nearby. "hmm?"
Tsubaki turns and instantly stood frozen when her eye caught sight of Zag who is making his way through the camp and the people standing nearby.
Zag sees that Tsubaki was looking at him as he lifted a hand up and said "Hello" to the Half dwarf who blinked her one eye a few times then her jaws drop.
"HEY!" Tsubaki shouted as her voice was so loud that it made everyone with sensitive hearings nearly faint.
Zag just stayed in his place as Tsubaki lunged straight at him and hugs him.
"it's been a long time, Zag-kichi! It must be like 10 years or something!" Tsubaki exclaimed while having a happy grin. "or maybe 15 years or maybe 20 years!"
"it's only been a decade since I left, Tsubaki" Zag told the half dwarf woman as they separate from the hug. "your sense of time is always messed up just like when you're up in the forge."
"I guess so" Tsubaki replied while snickering a bit before she crosses her arms and smiled. "so? What brings you back in Orario after being gone for a decade? We all thought that you went up and died."
"do you think this armor is made to let its wearer die? You bring shame to your own work, you know?" Zag told Tsubaki while tapping his armor's chest a few times as this made the one eyed half dwarf woman just snicker with a grin and that made the man sigh before continuing. "I got back here because of a promise I made with an old friend of mine. Got to look after her kid till he's 24."
"stuck babysitting, aren't ya?" said Tsubaki while uncrossing her arms and placed one on her hip. "you came looking for someone's kid, but why you came here?"
"I recall a certain one eyed half dwarf woman telling me to come by her shop if I ever come back alive" Zag replied while crossing his arms. "but when I got to her shop, I found out that she had gone somewhere."
"sorry, sorry, there's been a lot going on lately." Tsubaki stated. "the Loki Familia's expedition, the weird monster attacks, I can go on forever with the list."
"yeah, I am not that interested in those stuff." Said Zag while uncrossing his arms. "anyway, you know a boy named Bell Cranel? I heard from the guild that his party went missing and he might come down here since this floor is a safe zone."
"oh! Cra Bellnel! Yeah, I know him!" Tsubaki replied while Zag sweatdrops to hear the name of Bell Cranel being mispronounced in a jumbled fashion. The half eyed dwarf woman then pointed to the center of the dungeon where there is a large crystal imbedded into a cliff. "he and his friends went to that place for some reason. They seemed rush."
"I see." Said Zag while nodding. "thanks, Tsubaki."
"no prob." Tsubaki replied before her face showed some realization hitting her mind. "by the way, you met up with the Loki Familia's team on your way here?"
"yeah, I was killing the Goliath when I met them." Zag replied while crossing back his arms. "the Brat and the others are looking the same while having some members whose faces I don't know. They look surprised and confused when they saw me killing the 17th floor boss."
"can't blame them." Tsubaki replied while tapping her knuckles on Zag's armor a few times. "only me and Hephaestus-sama with a few others know of you wearing this new armor. Unlike your old one."
"yeah, I know." Zagreus stated while nodding. "by the way, still can do with the old contract we have? I don't know how many adventurers you contracted with over the years. But I could really use your help in sharpening some of my weapons. Can't do the same maintenances like you and Hephi did in the past."
"sure I am." Tsubaki replied with a grin while placing a fist to her chest. "as long as you're living and breathing, the contract is stable! Let me take a look at those bad boys of mine, so that I know which one to fix up first!"
"as long as I'm living and breathing, huh?" Zagreus responded while chuckling as he grabs hold of his broad sword's handle and wields it before handing it to Tsubaki who grunted when she holds the weapon as it was heavy. "you sure haven't change, Tsuba-kii."
"n-neither have you! Zag-kichi!" Tsubaki grunted as she carried the large broad sword to anvil nearby and placed it down before she leans up straight and sighs tiredly. "man! I forgot how heavy this one was when I first made him!"
"I did tell you that I wanted this one to be heavy, remember?" Zag told Tsubaki who started to check the sword's blade for any dents.
"yeah.." said Tsubaki as she traced a finger on the blade and feels how smooth its surface was. "..i forgot just how much of a backache I got after making this thing."
"don't forget these." Zag stated as a part of his armor's chest expanded and two red guns separated from it. "their firepower is still good, but their bayonet needs a good sharpening."
Tsubaki went and grab the two guns as she checked their frame and bayonet.
"rather than a good sharpening…" Tsubaki replied while tapping one gun's bayonet on her palm and then pressed it hard but the blade didn't cut her skin. "..these things need a whole lot of sharpening. They can't cut my skin, nor can they even cut a piece of paper. What the heck have you been using them for?"
"can't remember." Zag replied while shrugging his shoulders. "killed lots of monsters, can't remember which one made their blade dull."
"you just added a heaping pile of more stuff on my to do list." Said Tsubaki as she takes the gun and placed them near Zag's broad sword on a nearby table. "I'll be stuck at my shop for weeks thanks to these babies."
"sorry about that." Zag told Tsubaki before the two notices that the light in the crystal sky turned dark for a second and went red. "this is?"
Zag and everyone in the camp looks up as they see the sky turning red and they soon felt the ground just started to shake non stop.
"an earthquake!?" Tsubaki exclaimed while balancing herself by holding onto Zag's left arm.
"not an earthquake." Zag stated as a part of the large crystal hanging in the sky suddenly shatters and a large humanoid monster appeared falling out of it. "the dungeon….is angry."
"the heck was that!?" Tsubaki exclaimed before seeing Zag walking straight to gaze upon the large humanoid monster as it is a larger version of a Goliath that he had just recently killed but it was black and looks even more powerful.
"Tsubaki, go and get every adventurer to evacuate around that monster to a safe spot." Zag told the Hephaestus Familia's captain while grabbing his broad sword that he wields back in his right hand before leaning its blade against his shoulder. "if the Boy is at the place you pointed out. He's going to need help. My help."
"got it." Tsubaki nodded with a firm face. "you sure you can do this? It's way different from any monster that spawned out in years. Remembering the fact that this one came out in a safe zone which is this entire floor!"
"don't start forgetting who I am, Tsuba-kii." Zag replied as he turns his head to show his glowing right eye under his helmet. "I ain't someone to be underestimated in any sort of matter."
Soon, the Black large Goliath let out a roar as it was so loud that the entire Floor started to shake.
"hurry up and evacuate." Zag told Tsubaki before he looks straight and started running towards the direction of the Black Goliath.
"make sure to kill it!" Tsubaki shouted out as Zag runs before he did a high jump into the air and fell straight into the forest where he disappeared.
Tsubaki watches the Black Goliath before she looks at the others and started commanding them to evacuate.
The Black Goliath roars out loudly as the large Floor boss swung its arms down and caused a big explosion of dust and rocks to fly everywhere because of it trying to squash Bell and Welf who had run away in time.
"everyone! Aim for its legs!" Ryuu shouted as she dashes into the battle while wielding her wooden sword.
"right!" Mikoto exclaimed as she and Ouka went for the right leg while Ryuu went for the left one.
The three attacks the Black Goliath's legs but was surprised when their weapons couldn't penetrate through its skin.
'too thick!' 'this is different from a normal Goliath!' 'a level 4…no! a level 5 Goliath!' Ryuu and the others thought before they quickly ran away when the Black Goliath tried to stomp its legs down on them.
This whole situation occurred because of Hestia being kidnaped by a group of jealous adventurers who targeted Bell and this all resulted in a big fight that ended when the kidnap goddess activated her Arcanum and this caused the dungeon to give birth to the Black Goliath.
The Black Goliath roars as it was charging up energy into its large mouth but soon exploded because of Welf's Will o' Wisp magic.
"how you like that!" Welf exclaimed with a grin before that grin of his disappeared when he sees the Black Goliath didn't get any damage from the explosion. "i-it didn't work?!"
"everyone! Fall back!" Asfi shouted while flying in the air as the Black Goliath roars before it brought both arms up and was about to smash them down on the group when a powerful twister came flying out of the forest and hits the large Monster.
"wind?!" Lili stated in surprise.
"its pushing back the Goliath!" Ouka exclaimed as the twister was pushing the Black Goliath to the point it fell down while having shredded skin to parts of its chest and arms.
"could it be…Aiz-san!?" Bell stated, thinking the powerful wind attack came from Aiz who rushed back to help but he was wrong when he caught sight of Zag running into the scene. "who?"
Zag keeps on running as he went pass Bell and the others before going straight to the Black Goliath that was about to get up but was prevented when the armored man jumped and crashed straight at the large creature's head that pushed it down in a big crash.
"he pushed it down!" Lili exclaimed.
"what power…" Mikoto muttered out in surprise.
Bell watches as Zag rises up while wielding his sword that he swung straight at the Black Goliath, cutting its eyes and caused the large monster to roar out in pain.
"nice scream." Said Zag as his eyes glows red under his helmet. "let's hear some more"
Zag lifted his right leg up before stomping it down on the Black Goliath's nose, breaking it and then started to do it again and again to the point that the large monster was revolting while trying to swat the armored man away but he prevented it by pulling back a fist and sends it straight to the monster's face, crushing it and cause a spray of its blood to fly everywhere.
The Black Goliath roars in pain before it let out a louder echoing roar that started to attract every monster that is on the 18th floor.
"the monsters are attracted to its roar!" Asfi exclaimed.
"Cranel-san! You and the others handle the monsters!" Ryuu shouted to Bell. "I and Andromeda will help that adventurer in facing the Goliath!"
"y-yes!" Bell replied before he and the others went on the attack against the monster raid that were coming.
The Black Goliath roars in pain as Zag grabs its upper and lower jaw of its mouth while pulling them apart really hard before he rips them apart from each other, making blood just explode and spray out everywhere on him.
"what disgusting battle style.." Asfi muttered out while looking terrified that Zag keeps on attacking the Black Goliath even with the blood covering his whole armor.
"Asfi!" the God Hermes called out to the Perseus who turns and sees the God calling out to her by a cliff far off. "Asfi! Come here!"
Asfi looks at her god before to Zag who is cutting up the Black Goliath's face that was slowly regenerating but was prevented because of the armored man.
"just what does he want?" Asfi muttered out before she went to Hermes location while leaving Ryuu who is giving support to Zag by attacking its limbs that tried to get it up.
Zag lifted his sword up before he swung it down on the Black Goliath's face as the blade cut through deep but not deep enough.
"not sharp….i should've got them sharpened up by Hephi when I had the chance." Zag muttered out in annoyance while he pushed the blade through the Black Goliath's face deeper and deeper to the point that more and more blood just sprays out everywhere on him. "I'll just make do with what I can do."
Zag's eyes glows under his helmet before he took a deep breath and then exhales powerful twisters of air from the mouth piece of his helmet and barrages the Black Goliath's face, causing blood to just go everywhere.
The Black Goliath revolts its limbs around while seeming in pain but Ryuu prevented it.
Far from the scene of the battle, Hermes watches the Black Goliath getting its face slaughtered by Zag who never stopped unleashing his twisters that barrages it.
"Hermes-sama!" Asfi called out as she went flying near and landed near the god. "what is it that you want? I have to return and help.."
"I think I went a little too far with this one." Hermes spoke out while cupping his chin and looks a big scared. "I never thought that I see him again after a decade or so. He must have his reason to come back."
"Hermes-sama? What are you talking about?" Asfi asked Hermes while looking confused.
"you don't need to help that man against the Goliath at all, Asfi." Hermes told his Familia's captain while pinching the tip of his hat. "you just need to help Bell-kun and the others against the monster raid. That man might accidently kill you while in the midst of his slaughtering."
"what?" Asfi asked while looking even more confused before the land suddenly rumbles loudly. She turns and her eyes widen to see the Black Goliath being thrown around by its hair by Zag who spins it around then throws the large monster away, causing it to crash to a large raid of monsters that were charging by but got squashed instead. "just who is….that man!? To have such strength!"
"that's right…" Hermes replied while sighing. "only a few people left in Orario knows him, mostly some gods and goddess would recognize him if he didn't wear that new armor of his that only a few would know of. But him showing this aggressive side of himself during battle? That just gives away his identity."
"just who is he?" Asfi asked while glancing at Hermes who seems a bit tense and scared before back to the battle as Zag runs his sword through the Black Goliath's right shoulder and then twists it aside really hard to the point that the monster's entire right arm was cut off.
"someone who I pissed off many years ago during the golden age of Zeus and Hera's Familia." Hermes replied while scratching his cheek. "many close friends of his would always call him Zag and adding any other nickname to the back, but his full name? it's a name that many gods and goddess fear."
Hermes watches Zag punches a fist straight through the Black Goliath's neck and then pulled out organs and blood that sprayed everywhere on his armor, Zag's eyes glows under his helmet in the form of a demonic glare
"his real and full name is Zagreus Kaiser, the last remaining member of Hades Familia." Hermes stated with tense eyes. "to be more precise, he's the only member of that Familia."
"only member?" Asfi repeated Hermes' last sentences. "and this Hades Familia….i never heard of such a God or a Familia ever before!"
"that's because Hades was a god of death and he doesn't give a care about anything." Hermes replied while watching Zag torture and slaughter the Black Goliath's body. "Fame? Fortune? Prosperity? Not one of those things can give care to him. Hades' Familia only cares for one thing and just one thing."
"one thing? And that is?" Asfi asked while looking very curious.
"slaughtering." Hermes replied as Asfi nearly gasped. "the Hades Familia is known to many gods and goddess in the past as the Bloodshed Familia. The single Familia who has only one member who enjoys blood slaughter. That is the life code of the Hades Familia."
"B-Bloodshed…Familia." Asfi muttered out before gazing back at the armored man who plunged his sword straight to the Black Goliath's chest and imbedded it through, only to kick the handle of the sword and pierce the weapon's blade through its back. The monster let out a blood gargled scream before Zag jumps and kicks its head, causing it to crash to the ground yet again.
Zag watches the Black Goliath falls as its bloodied and shredded up body is slowly regenerating.
"time…" Zag muttered out before he punches his fists against each other and pulls them apart to reveal electrical static charging in between them. "to end this"
The loud sound of thunder was soon heard as a large scale black thunderstorm clouds started to form upon the very crystal sky of the 18th floor.
"c-crap! He's going to use that technique!" Hermes exclaimed as he looks scared from seeing the thunderstorm in the sky that made him quickly run away. "Asfi! Run! That attack of his is so powerful and uncontrollable! It hits everyone in a 10 mile radius!"
"w-what!?" Asfi stated in pure confusion and shock before she screams in surprise when a lightning bolt strikes the ground near her and nearly zapped her.
The thunderstorm had dozens of lightning strikes and endless loud echoes of thunder that rang loudly. It was as if the coming of a god's rage and anger that is to be smite upon the mortals of the lower world. the electricity upon Zag's armor charges before the armored man grabs his large broad sword's handle and pulls it out of the Goliath then lifts it up into the dark clouded sky.
Bell and the others see and hear the thunderstorm above as it shows lots of lightning bolts flashes and loud echoing thunder.
"what?" Bell asked before Ryuu came and pushed him down to the ground. "agh! R-Ryuu-san!?"
"everyone! Get down! NOW!" Ryuu shouted as the thunderstorm started to have showers of lightning bolts to come down everywhere in the forest area.
"feel the wrath of the gods…" Zag chanted out as his whole armor gets coated in electrical static while his eyes went white and charges with bolts of electricity that crackles everywhere then focuses upon the blade of his sword. The armored man sees the Black Goliath regenerating its mouth as the large monster slowly got up and let out a roar at him before it saw the thunderstorm above. "…and die."
"THOR HAMMER! BREAKER!"
Zag swung down his sword's blade right into the Goliath as the thunderstorm became wild with white static of electricity before rains of powerful lightning bolt came down upon the whole forest and hits every monster in a 10 miles radius around Zag.
Bell and the others with everyone in a 10 miles radius all got down as the bolts of lightning strikes down every monster around them while hitting a few unlucky adventurers who didn't got down in time.
The Black Goliath roars in pain from being hit in the stream of pure lightning as the large monster instantly gets vaporized into nothing. a bright large explosion soon occurred upon the 18th floor as the entire dungeon could be shaking and rumbling after the powerful electrical attack.
It took a few minutes for the rumbling to stop as the area where the Black Goliath was upon is now nothing but a large deep crater of smoke.
Zag stood within the smoking crater as his armor had crackles of electricity dancing around it.
"a Goliath that is unlike a normal one…" Zag muttered out while hot steam came out of the mouthpiece of his helmet. "the dungeon got angry because of a god entering the dungeon, huh?"
Zag then grabs his broad sword that is lying nearby on the ground and then started to walk out of the crater as he left the large magic stone present within the large deep crater.
Bell and the others got up on the ground as they see Zag coming towards them while wielding his broad sword that he leans against his shoulder.
Zag stops in front of the group as he looks around before his sight sets upon Bell.
"are you Bell Cranel?" Zag asked as Bell blinked his eyes twice before slowly nodding. "I expect you to return to Orario's surface alive, alright? You and I have something that we need to talk about soon."
"eh?" Bell responded before Zag started to walk away, leaving the young boy and the others behind.
Zag walks away as he disappeared into the smoking forest that was caused by his attack that burned some of the trees and crushed them down.
'white hair and red eyes…..at least he has your hair, Meteria' Zag thought as he sighs before he just disappears into the burning forest.
That's a wrap!
Bye bye