And I'm back with improved Chapter 4.

At least, I hope it's an improvement.

Going over this old but important fight really got me thinking: have I managed to keep Fuzen's strength like, balanced?

Have to go over everything again and see if I didn't somehow BS-ed his power, making his too weak or too strong in some instances.

Anyway, that's about that.

At the rate I'm going over those Chapters, I think I can manage to reach the latest Chapter by mid October 2021.

At least, I hope to manage that.

Kay bye.

Why can't I shake this feeling off? He asked himself as he moved his sword to the side, redirecting another projectile to the side then moving the edge slightly to the left, and another projectile missed him. He continued this pace, and most of the attacks were brushed off.

However, he could only move so fast, and some feathery projectiles from the Harpies surrounding him managed to find their way through his defense. One feather pierced his left forearm, two were stuck on the left side below his chest, one almost took out his eye and four or so pierced his back. Overall, once he reached the 25th Floor half an hour ago, after some battles on the previous Floors which proved difficult but manageable, Fuzen realized that his lack of mastery over some of the Lightning Sword Style Techniques would, most probably, result in his death, for the Monsters here were much faster and stronger than anything before.

I can keep using Deflecting Lighting Arcs to redirect most attacks, but my body is not fast enough to redirect them all. Hmm...What to do? Still, despite his predicament, he kept his calm, even to his own surprise. But, despite being calm, he was not sure how he could get out of this predicament.

Even the 24th Floor had been quite the challenge on his own, but after taking care of a large group of Monsters which had attacked him all at once, his heart managed to get over their level of power. Still, compared to when he first arrived at 24th Floor with the party, it had been hard to defeat his enemies.

Naturally, he could kill them in a single strike, as he did two weeks prior.

But that was not how a disciple of the Lightning Sword Style should ever fight. His strikes at that time were filled with the intention to kill in order to survive. A wrong take on the ideology behind the path he choose to walk. Turning his strikes into acceptable ones had been hard, but he managed in the end.

Well, at least against the Monsters on the 24th Floor.

Right now, his greatest challenge came from the fact that he had little experience in dealing with ranged attacks. Sure, there were some Monsters who used ranged attacks on the previous Floors, but none were like the Harpies before him. Their attacks were fast, precise and had a small surface area. Not unlike arrows, in a way. Obviously, he had trained and practiced his Techniques for deflecting attacks, but without actual experience in using them in battle, all he had to work on was theoretical knowledge.

...I need to come up with something soon. The blood loss is going to dull my movements soon...Also, it hurts.

Besides the new barrage of ranged attacks he had no experience combating, there was also the matter of the pain. So far, Fuzen had never really been this hurt in a fight. He was used to harsh training, and the pain that accompanied it. However, no one, Monster or human alike, managed to draw this much blood from him in a fight to the death until now. The Harpies would have been no exception if Fuzen had decided to cut them all down when he first saw them in the distance, but the reason for this solo expedition of his was not to cut as many Monsters as possible, but to apply his training in real-time combat situations. To honour the ideology and history of the Lightning Sword Style, which he failed to do two weeks prior.

Last time, he had killed many Monsters, but all that had been was a failure. If this time around, he could correctly cut even a single enemy, this dangerous solo expedition would have been worth it. And so far, he had...both cut and not cut the enemies. There had been no killing intend behind his strikes against the foes whom he defeated, like the Trolls from before.

But at the same time, while he upheld the ideology, something felt off.

Like a puzzle: he knew what the end result should look like, and he knew where most pieces had to go. His training until now assured him of that much. However, in the middle of this puzzle was a blank space. By looking at the almost complete puzzle he could roughly imagine what the end picture should look like, but he had no idea what shape the missing pieces had to be in order to correctly finish this puzzle before him.

...There is...one thing. A story from long ago, about a situation close to the one I find myself in, right now…Another projectile found it's way through his guard and into his thigh. The pain was staring to spread all throughout his body from the various wounds he was starting to gain.

He disliked pain...but for now, all he could do was put up with it.

If he had been stronger, then perhaps he would not be in pain like this. Fuzen continued deflecting, all the while trying to remember the story which might help him.

It was said, by his former God no less, that the founder of the Lightning Sword Style once walked over a whole battlefield to get to the enemy commander.

The Founder was a woman who did not actively involve herself in the many wars that had plagued the Far East at the time, instead choosing to continue honing her skills as she forged what would later become the Lightning Sword Style. When she was some fifty years of age, and after forty years of putting together her Sword Style, a sizeable army of a Lord who was the enemy of the Lord of the region she lived in invaded. A great battle happened, and many lives were lost on both sides.

One day, roughly a month into the war between the Lords, when both armies rested at their war camps, the Founder had decided she had enough and walking through the camp of her region's Lord, she told him the war would end today, and then made for the enemy camp.

As the enemy leader saw the middle-aged woman walking among the corpse-filled battlefield, he ordered his archers to shoot. Ten archers drew their long bows, and shot their arrows. Just as fast as the ten arrows got closer to her, once she drew her sword, the arrows vanished from before her.

The enemy Lord turned to his men to ask what just happened, and it was then he saw how the ten archers he tasked with shooting the woman fell down one by one, an arrow impaled in each of their chest.

Another fifty archers were ordered to fire their arrows, and the same thing happened. By the time the Founder made it halfway through the battlefield, a hundred archers were firing their arrows down on her. Nothing had changed, and all one hundred arrows found their way back to the archer's chest that shot it.

...There was no mention of any such technique in the copy of the book left behind by the Founder. Was it part of the original journal, and did it somehow not make it to the copied one…? He continued to deflect the attacks, but two more made it past his guard. Fuzen could no longer continue at this pace. He needed to find a moment of respite to heal his wounds.

However, this was the 25th Floor, known as the Water City. It was barren of any sort of cover he could use. Still, the passages between the many bodies of water took sharp turns every now and then. He could use that and gain some distance between himself and the many Harpies flying and circling him from above.

I'll move forward, quickly tend to my wounds and then engage this large group of Monsters before they decide to attack any other Adventurers here. Still, they got my thigh...No, I'll manage.

Inhale.

Exhale.

Inhale.

Exhale.

Changing his breathing rhythm, Fuzen gathered as much power as he could into his legs. He had one chance to escape, and if he failed and stopped halfway before getting to safety, he might get attacked from behind and that would be it. He could not attack immediately after using the next technique, his young body was not yet sturdy and enduring enough for quick changes like that.

...I've been focusing on training my combat Techniques so much for the past ten months, I neglected the non-combat Techniques...Gosh, so shameful…

There was the slightest delay in-between the waves of attacks as the flying Monsters had to use their wings to keep themselves flying, as well. He continued deflecting the current barrage, and...there it was. The short delay he was waiting for.

"Lightning Drive."

The next barrage of projectiles from the Monsters found their way into the ground below, no trace of the small Adventurer remaining expect for a trail of dust he left behind. By the time the harpies began to look around, confused, the boy was roughly two passages away.

As soon as he stopped, he collapsed onto the ground, shaking uncontrollably as his muscles all contrasted and twitched. Lightning Drive was a Technique which used the power granted to him by the Lightning Sword Style to increase movement speed exponentially for a very short duration, but in placed an incredible burden on the body. If he hadn't been training his breathing during the last two weeks, he might as well have died from his lungs collapsing from the strain just now.

...No time...Got to move quickly…

With a shaking hand, he began to pull out all the projectiles piercing his body, having a hard time doing so on the ones stuck in his back. He reached for the pouch on his belt, taking out two potions. The wounds themselves were pretty bad, however combined with the strain from Lighting Drive, he needed a mid-tier healing potion, as well as a stamina potion.

He felt the effects taking place immediately, and he thanked silently whoever was behind the discovery of potions, as well as his acquaintance from the Dian Cecht Familia. He wasn't back at one hundred percent, obviously, as he had been fighting for a while now, but it was good enough to continue the fight.

"...Much better...Still, I will feel the shame from having to use a Technique used for cutting down a strong enemy for fleeing...Now: what is my next move?"

His wounds taken care off and with a short moment of respite behind him, Fuzen jogged back to where he was fighting the Harpies. He could use the walls to jump up to their height and cut them down...but would that help him in his Quest to improve himself? He already knew he could cut them down that way. He remembered the story about the Founder, and her feat of somehow redirecting arrows back at her enemies. He too, desired to do it.

...Am I being a brat about it…? I am, right?

But then again, how could someone who walked the path of the sword not desire to master new skills and techniques? Could he really be blamed for wanting to take care of the enemy in front of him with a Technique he was uncertain would succeed, even if he already knew the same enemy could certainly be cut down with a different Technique…?

...It doesn't matter. Luckily, I am alone, so I bear full responsibility for my actions. If I were here with someone else, I doubt I could have gotten this far in my training.

But even so, there were no mentions of a redirection technique in the Founder's book. Fuzen knew he was good with a sword, otherwise he would not have made it this far at only ten years of age, but so far he only trained and practiced existing techniques, which he both saw being performed by his betters, as well as read about in theoretical books.

So then, could he just...recreate some Technique he just heard about in a story?

He arrived back at the group of Harpies he engaged earlier. He grabbed the hilt of Ichigeki, and drew the sword as he also pulled back the scabbard at the same time. Frustratingly enough, his arms were too short to draw out anything but a chisa katana without pulling back the scabbard, thus his need for two swords instead of one.

Now...can I do it? Can I really recreate something from a story…?

By now, the Monsters took notice of him, and were already ready to engage him.

No. There is no can or can't. There is only do or don't do. And I…

He took his stance, his mind made up: he would defeat the enemy before him like the exalted Founder he looked up to.

"...will do it. Come."

XXX

I should have known this would happen…A certain Pallum Captain thought as he walked in front of his party.

After leaving Fuzen's room, he and Ais parted ways to gear themselves for going into the Dungeon. Still, he was the Captain, and as such spontaneous actions on his end could lead to great repercussions. With that said, he had to inform the other leaders of his Familia where he was going, for how long, and the estimated time of his return. Besides that, though he told Ais he had finished his work, that was not completely true. Nonetheless, his Familia member's life could very well be at stake, and as Captain nothing else was as important as to protect his Familia. Luckily, both Gareth and Riveria understood, and agreed to take over his share of work.

With his spear and some supplies ready, he headed downstairs to meet Ais. There, he met Bete, and after the werewolf asked him where he was going and getting an explanation from Finn, Bete informed he was just heading to the Dungeon himself, and might as well tag along. Finn simply chuckled. What was the word Loki always used when describing Bete? A tsundere? Well, that certainly fit him.

With Bete following behind him, Finn made it outside the Manor, and there he bumped into Aki and Cruz, who had just returned from a delivery Quest issued by the Guild to Meren.

An explanation later, the Cat girl decided she wanted to tag along, as she wished to help Fuzen like he helped her on their first party-up together. With more of a statement than a question, she also convinced Cruz, another member who recently reached Level 4, to join them. The Chienthrope knew there was little point in trying to argue with women, so he also agreed to help.

The two Level 4 then headed back inside to prepare backpacks and some supplies: as the lowest Level members, they took the roles of Supporters upon themselves. With that said, there were many Familia in Orario whose Captain and strongest member was only Level 2, so just because they took on the roles of Supporters didn't mean they wouldn't be helpful.

They agreed to meet up at the Babel, so Finn, Bete and Ais continued on, their first stop the Dian Cecht shop. It appeared Finn's intuition was right, as Fuzen had indeed visited the shop earlier that day. Earlier meaning he was waiting outside the shop even before they opened for business.

That was six hours ago.

Going by the amount of anti-poison potions he purchased, Fuzen is definitely heading for the 24th Floor. I don't know what, but something happened during his party up with Aki, and that Floor is certainly involved in all of this.

Now certain where their troublemaker swordsman was headed, the group of three made their way towards the Babel, where thy would meet up with the others. Still, as luck would have it, they bumped into yet another group of their members, two Amazons and an Elf mage who were hanging out in the city. Simply hearing that the Captain was heading out, Tione became one with whatever force out there was responsible for the notion of speed, and rushed back to the Manor to grab her weapons, Tiona also following shortly behind.

The Elven mage, Lefiya, was the only one who never left the Manor without her staff, and so the group of three turned to four. Lefiya herself has had little to no interaction with Fuzen, however listening to the Captain's explanation of what happened, she quickly asked to be allowed to join the search party. Well, the fact that a certain golden-haired swordswoman was part of the search mission might have motivated her a bit as well, but she truly wished to be of help if she could.

And that was how a two-man search party turned into a small-scale but high quality expedition force into the Middle Floors.

"All right, listen up!" Finn ordered as he stood in front of the seven Familia members. "If my intuition is right, Fuzen's training has lead him to the 24th Floor. For whatever reason, I do not know. I also do not doubt Fuzen's ability to take care of himself, however...well, call it my intuition, but I have a feeling that I need to find him. Is that clear?"

"Yes." Came the unified response of his Familia.

"Good. We are going to double-time it to Rivira, ask around the town if anyone saw Fuzen, and then we are going to triple-time it to the 24th Floor or depending on what information we get in Rivira, to whatever Floor Fuzen might be on. Let's go!"

Wasting no time, the party of eight rushed down the stairs of the Babel into the Dungeon. It might just as well be unwelcome, given Fuzen's letter and the hidden meaning of Do not follow me behind said letter, but then again, when has that ever stopped Finn or any of the others? After all, no one was left behind to fend for themselves in the Loki Familia.

XXX

Ghaa!

Arghh!

Kyahh!

On one of the many passageways of the 25th Floor, the dying sounds of Harpies echoed all around him. He did not pity them. They should have learned after all, that it would no longer worked. Still, despite everything else, he was grateful towards them.

I understand now, exalted Founder. Better than one thousand hollow movements, is one which opens the way forward.

"You have my thanks." Another projectile came his way, and he moved his sword to intercept it. He no longer moved to deflect it, however, instead choosing to hold his ground. The feathery projectile entered his zone, and his sword moved gently in it's path. Instead of intercepting it with the sword, then applying pressure in order to deflect the attack to his sides, Fuzen realized a much simpler Technique: as the feather made contact with his weapon, he let it slide down it's blade as he moved the sword in a waving motion towards the one who shot the attack, and when the angle was just right enough, Fuzen only made small changes to it's trajectory before sweeping the attack back.

"Projectiles will no longer work against me."

The feather flew off his sword, and pierced the Harpy that shot it with twice the speed and power. "Thanks to your help, I have taken another step towards grasping the heavens. Now all that remains...is the battle of attrition…"

The new lesson and skill he learned did not come to him easily: he had paid a great price in his own blood for it. After all, it had taken him a couple of minutes before he even thought of this new Technique. Until that, he needed to lower the usage of his Deflecting Lightning Arcs, for that technique required it's own breathing rhythm and body movements. In order to recreate the Technique the Founder used in the story, he needed a neutral stance and breathing rhythm, one through which everything else could be achieved.

As he concentrated on trying to figure out the way to redirect projectiles, he allowed most attacks to reach him, deflecting only attacks which targeted his vitals. With that said, he had countless feathers impaled into his body, his form now closer resembling a hedgehog than a human.

Gosh, I'm numb all over...I want to take a bath and meditate...Another attack came his way, but he redirected it perfectly back to the attacker, taking the Monster out with her own feather piercing her throat. Seven more to go. My eyes are going to close any moment now...Is this how it ends? I managed to master a new Technique, but at the cost of my life…?

Perhaps because they sensed his weakness, or because their Monster intelligence was just high enough to understand their feathers no longer worked, either way, one of the Monsters decided to plunge towards him, talons ready to rip apart his flesh.

Was this it? That many years of training and suffering, to be killed by some nameless Monster in the Dungeon? Was this how the Lightning Sword Style would end?

His Mistress could no longer master the path they both walked, so he took it upon himself. He would grasp the heavens with their Sword Style, that is what he declared on the day he departed for the Dungeon.

So then, why was he being so weak-willed?

Was his journey going to end like?

...Oh, hell to the frick no. "Lightning Drive!" A slash to the right, and the talons were cut off. Changing to a reverse grip, he slashed again, and the Harpy was bisected faster than she could react.

He had to keep moving. Lightning Drive would probably make his pass out as soon as he stopped using it, especially in his condition.

One.

Two.

From the ground to the wall, and from the wall to the airborne enemy. In two fast jumps another enemy was within his reach, and with a single strike, it's head came off. Five more enemies to go. They were clustered together. If he could reach one, he could cut them all. But how? He was mid-air, and there were no other walls he could bounce off. The area he was in was called a passageway, but it was still an open area, with only a narrow path down the middle and bodies of water on both the left and right, more like a cave than anything else. So then, how to move forward?

The answer was simple: the Monsters here in the Lower Floors were not as weak as the ones before them, as their Magic Stones were bigger, and so their corpses did not disperse into ash upon being killed. So all he had to do was use the corpse as a stepping stone.

With that thought in mind he placed his foot on the lifeless corpse of the enemy, and pushed himself forward. Life-cheats for the win. The action required a great deal of strength, and he knew that if his strike failed to cut the last of his enemies, he would die.

Strangely enough, he was no longer afraid.

Not like when he first came down on the 20th Floor and fought the Trolls, where his sword arm was shaking. Was it because he had already slayed a large amount of Monsters stronger than what he was used to, or was it because he mastered a new technique and got a step closer to his Sword Style's true potential? He did not know. That was a question for later, anyway.

He neared the group, and noticed he lacked the momentum to get inside the group. His jump must have been weaker than he believed. He would soon begin to fall down, and then he would be an easy kill for the Monsters.

A stroke of luck came in the form of one Harpy plunging towards him. He did not know why it behaved that way, so rash and aggressive, but it was the opening he needed. Like any predatory bird, it tried to use it's powerful talons to grab and rip him apart. He did not let it, and avoiding both of it's legs by twisting his body to allow the attacks to pass by him, stabbed the Monsters through it's chest, avoiding shattering it's Magic Stone. A forward flip later, and he landed with both feet on it's stomach.

A jump later and Fuzen reached the inside of the remaining four Monsters. He was positioned close enough to cut them all with one strike. Grabbing the hilt with both hands, he positioned his sword horizontally on his left side, and then redirected all his stamina left into his core and legs. "Full-Moon Lightning Arc!" It had required a great amount of explosive strength, especially from his core, but it was done. With a single, circular motion he had bisected all the remaining monsters. Their corpses fell down, and he followed soon after.

This is going to hurt, isn't it? Sigh...

And hurt it did.

Lacking any sort of strength and stamina, all Fuzen could do was grit his teeth as his back hit the hard, cold ground, pushing the feathers impaled into his back and shoulder plates even further inside his flesh.

"...Gah!...Curse my small body and it's lack of strength and pain tolerance…" he cursed through sharp breaths, each inhale making his wounds hurt even more. Had he not been Level 2, he might as well have died from the blood loss and pain. "...No time for self-pity...Others will come…"

As hard as it had been, he managed to push himself up in a sitting position, and began to pull out the feathers impaled all throughout his body. The ones on his back had been the hardest by far, as his wounded shoulders lacked the mobility to reach that far in their state. However, he also couldn't consume a healing potion, as the flesh around the feathers would start to heal around the feather itself. Taking the projectiles out was necessary, so all he could do was bite through the pain.

After an excruciating long time, he managed to free himself of the foreign bodies poking him all over, and he drank his mid-tier healing potion. Unfortunately, potions had their limitations, too. Drink too many too often, and their effect begins to decrease. While his wounds were already closing up, well, the pain was still there.

Fuzen let his back hit the ground again, and he grabbed Ichigeki, holding it upwards towards the ceiling. He had come a long way today, even though he entered the Dungeon only eight hours ago. Cutting through the Floors to get to the next one saved him a lot of time, though, so he had been actively fighting for a couple of hours already. He was tired, very tired. Even with his Level 2 status, fighting consecutively for so long, and getting hurt like he had been were taking it's toll on him. But, some light was at the end of the tunnel. His arm no longer shook when he held his blade. It was steady, finally matching his determination.

So then, why was I afraid before? Both during the Quest, and then when facing the Trolls?

It bothered him, that his spirit was not tempered. He pushed himself back up, taking a meditation stance, sword laid on his knees and both his hands over the blades. He felt no enemies nearby, so he closed his eyes. Meditation was as important as physical training and sword practice, after all.

Fuzen emptied his mind of all distractions, and focused his mind solely on the question at hand: what was he lacking?

I have trained for a long time, since I could walk. Discipline...I have not mastered it yet, but I am not lacking it. Physical training...I am training my body every day, however I am limited by my small body. Meditation...the mind and body must be one to cut the path forward. Sword training...Like my body, I train my Sword Style every day. My body and mind are prepared for the strain that comes with their usage. Breathing...the core of my strength, which I train without pause. For as long as I live, I will continue training my breathing. I am aware of the requirements for the Lightning Sword Style. So then, what am I lacking?

He continued to meditate, his eyes closed. The answer was hard to understand, just like the question. For one who fully devotes himself to the path of the sword, what questions are there? Train diligently, trust in your path, patiently walk forward, and have the wisdom to understand you may not reach your goal within one lifetime. He knew what his path required of him, so then...what?

...What?...The word echoed throughout his mind, and Fuzen opened his eyes, looking at the katana on his lap. What am I lacking...might be the wrong question...

If what was the wrong question, then what was the right question?

Where…? No.

When…? Again, no.

Which…? No, no…

Who…? No, wrong again…

Why?

Why…?

...Why…?

...

...Why...am I holding this sword…?

"...Because others cannot."

Why...can others not hold this sword?

"...Because they are weak."

Why...are they weak?

"Because...they do not walk the path of the Lighting Sword Style."

Why...does the Lighting Sword Style symbolize strength?

"...Because of it's core ideology: Borrow Divinity, to enhance Mortality. Use Mortality, to grasp Divinity…"

Why...do you seek to grasp the heavens?

"...B-because...I...wish...to become the strongest…"

...Why do you lie?

"I'm not. I'm not lying."

Why...do you lie?

"I...am not lying. I will become the strongest by grasping the heavens."

Why...do you lie?

"I'm not lying, god damn it! Shut up!"

His scream echoed throughout the large room he was located it, before slowly subduing to a comfortable silence again. Fuzen reached for the scar running along his throat: it always itched and burned when he raised his voice.

A mistake of the past he would carry on for the rest of his life.

The one time he got ahead of himself, and paid the price for it.

Not again.

Not until he grasped the heavens and he would become the strongest. He would honour the Lighting Sword Style. He would achieve his goal using only it, and nothing else. And he would become the strongest.

And then, he would try it again.

I am small. I am weak. I am not tempered. However, if determination is the decisive factor for victory, then I have already conquered the world.

He stood up, and sheathed his sword. By now, the healing potion had dealt with most of the damage he received. It still hurt here and there, but it didn't matter. This had gone on long enough: his self-doubt, his trembling sword arm, everything. He would go deeper in, and prove he could cut the stronger enemies there without letting his sword strike with the intention to kill.

"...I will grasp the heavens. Just watch me."

With a foot in front of the other, he made his way towards the stairs into the next Floor. Cursed be this Dungeon and it's Water City Floors, which he could not cut through.

XXX

"A kid, you say?" The old, rough-looking Adventurer of Rivira rubbed his chin, trying to think of anyone by the description. Then he shook his head. "...Hmm. No, haven't seen anyone like that."

"I see. Thanks." Ais nodded, and thanked the man before moving on. She had already asked a couple of people living in the city within the Dungeon about Fuzen, but none had seen anyone by the boy's description. Time was running out: the Loki Familia was tasked by Finn to spread out and ask all over the city, but they also had to meet up at the city centre again in order to move on. If they couldn't find anything about their missing local swordsman in the city, they would need to spend more time searching for clues on their Familia member's whereabouts.

It's already been twenty minutes...Gotta meet up with the others…

Unfortunately, once the Familia met up again, not one of them was successful in finding anything out about Fuzen having visited the city. He must have avoided the town and moved on.

"Be that as it may be, our goal hasn't changed. We go in deeper, and search for clues on Fuzen's whereabouts. We keep to the main roads, as that is where it's most likely we will find clues. We will also question any other parties we encounter on the way if they saw him. Everything clear?" Finn informed, and once he got a nod from the others, he nodded back. "Good. Now, triple time it."

Without wasting time, the Loki Familia party dashed out of Rivira, and kept to the main road into the 19th Floor. Finn himself led the party from the front, and though he could go much faster, he decided to keep a pace which everyone could match. Still, Lefiya was a mage, and the only Level 2 Adventurer in the party. He could tell she was trying her best to keep up, but nonetheless, she was the last in their formation.

Need to talk to Riveria about training Lefiya some more...Even with everything going on, Finn still managed to think about matters outside of the ones at hand. A Captain's duties never ended, after all.

Within twenty minutes they reached the entrance to the 19th Floor, and Finn had Ais and Bete, the fastest of the party besides himself, go and check the side roads as he and the rest continued on the main road towards the next Floor. Fifteen minutes later, after Finn took care of any Monsters in their path, the main group reached the entrance into the 20th Floor, and five minutes after that, Ais and Bete showed up, too. They had found nothing on the side roads, and thus they moved on.

Finn was certain Fuzen would be on the 24th Floor. The way he trained and behaved, always lost in thought, after his Quest on that Floor was enough evidence for the Captain to make the assumption something of importance to the young swordsman was there. However, he could not skip the Floors before the 24th. After all, while he didn't doubt Fuzen's ability to keep himself safe, anything could happen within the Dungeon. Maybe he had even encountered a large group of Monsters and was injured.

"…! Captain, there!" As they rushed through the 20th Floor, Tione shouted out and the group stopped. They all looked where Tione pointed towards, and sure enough, that was their first clue: dead monsters, Trolls to be exact, in a small clearing of the Floor.

"...Yeah, no doubt about it." Finn stated after a couple of seconds of investigating the area. "From the looks of the wounds on the Monster's bodies, and how cleanly they had been cut, I am sure this was Fuzen's work. We are on the right trail."

"...Say, Aki?" Cruz asked with a twitching eye.

"Hm?"

"Aren't Trolls supposed to be, you know, comparable to high-end Level 2 Adventurers?"

"Hmm...Yes, they are."

"...There's over thirteen of them lying dead on the ground."

"Don't forget the smaller Magic Stones on the ground. There's also a Libellula Wing Item Drop over there, so there must have been some Gun Libellulas as well."

"...Our Familia is filled with monsters like Ais, isn't it?"

"I know how you feel…"

"Captain!" Tiona called out, waving her hand. "Found something over here!"

"Hmm?" Intrigued by this, Finn walked over to the Amazon, and he noticed what she meant: a small hole in the ground.

"Is it normal for this kind of hole to exist in the Dungeon?"

"No…" Finn shook his head, and got on his knees, examining the hole. It was small, no larger than a plate. However, it was not the result of something hitting the ground with brute force. The edges of the hole were cut cleanly, as if by a sword-...

...No, it can't be...right? Finn leaned closer to the ground, peeping through the hole. Sure enough, he could faintly see the 21th Floor down below. That...crazy boy...

"Hahaha...Incredible. Nice going, Fuzen." He laughed as he stood up, shaking his head. That someone would think of this…

"What's wrong, Captain?"

"...He's further down, on the 21th Floor."

"...How could you tell?" Lefiya asked, and he simply pointed a finger at the ground.

"That. The Dungeon must have slowly healed this part, but it was Fuzen who cut through the ground. Probably, he wanted to save time going further down."

"Stop joking around, Finn!" Bete howled, irritated. "I though you were smarter than this." He then proceeded to tap the ground with his foot. "The floor's at least a couple meters thick. No stupid sword can cut through this!"

"And still, that's the only explanation." Finn simply shrugged, and then gestured for the party to move on at the same speed as before. "We're going to the 21th Floor right below where we are now. He must have landed there, so we'll search for further clues once we reach his landing area."

The party nodded and they moved on. One by one, they descended down the following Floors, and everywhere Fuzen had landed from the Floor above, there were lifeless corpses of Monsters and Magic Stones laying around, always within the vicinity of the initial point of landing. Some forty minutes later later, after taking the shortest route down, the group reached the 25th Floor.

It was there, after some half an hour of searching, that they found the area where countless Harpies lay dead, either on the small passageway, or floating on the water surface nearby.

"Strange." Finn muttered as he had a closer look at the Monsters. "A few have been cut down, but most of these Harpies died by being pierced by their feather projectiles…"

Just what have you done, Fuzen…?

"Finn, there's human blood over here." Bete called out as he stood in front of a pool of blood, a sizeable amount of bloodied Feathers nearby on the ground. Thrown to the side were also two empty flasks from a low and a mid-tier healing potion. "The shrimp's been injured."

"Hmm...The Floors here are surrounded by water, so I doubt he could cut through the Floor to go down. This blood trail...looks like he went that way." Finn said as he pointed ahead, at the left curve.

"...That's the way down." Ais stated, and the Captain nodded.

"...We need to hurry."

"Hm?"

"Have you all forgotten?" He asked, and his expression hardened. He was slightly disappointed that they forgot something so important. "Amphisbaena spawned yesterday."

"…!"

"Hurry up. I doubt our little swordsman's that careless, but he might meet up with the Monster Rex. It can travel between the Water City Floors, after all."

"That's the problem with weaklings!" Bete yelled as he kicked a stone nearby flying into the nearby wall, shattering it on impact. "They always get carried away and cause troubles for their betters! Argh, he pisses me off! Let's go!"

Without losing time, the tsundere Werewolf took point as the group of eight rushed past the passageways and towards the next Floor. On the way, they found another trail of blood, some bloodied Feathers, and an empty potion flask. Slowly but surely, they each began to fear to what might have happened to their Familia member.

And then, finally, they heard it. It was distant and faint, but followed by a violent earthquake: the Monster Rex.

Roooar!

"…! Bete, Ais, Tiona, Tione, with me! Double time it!" Finn ordered as he ran past Bete, his speed much more superior as a Level 6. The Supporters and Lefiya would know to follow without him ordering them, and the ones who could keep up with him needed to hurry. If the Monster Rex was involved, even Fuzen would be in complete danger.

Finn ran with all his might, followed by the other high Level Familia members. They had just reached the 26th Floor, when another roar could be heard. "It's coming from the right side!"

He knew the area the roar was coming from: it was the worst possible area to fight the marine Monster Rex. A large room with high ceiling, and only four passageways over the lake which the size and length of the Babel on the surface. Three passageways ran the length from the entrance to the area all the way to the other side, and one passageway cut through all three horizontally. Truly a bad area: mages could not use long-chant spells as the Monster could attack from underwater, and they had to be constantly on the move to avoid being eaten or pushed into the lake. Heavy armour was also not an option, for if one were to fell into the water, they would sink like a stone. Truth be told, Speed-based fighters like Finn himself and Ais were the only ones who could fight somewhere near their usual strength without being hindered too much by the topography.

Be safe, you idiot. "Move it! We are almost there!"

They sped up, and arrived at the area where the roar was coming from. Almost immediately, they stopped in their tracks. In the middle of the room, where the four passageways intersected, one of the Monster Rex's head lay beheaded, half of it's long neck submerged in the water, while the head was spread over the little footing there. It was the blue-eyes head, the one who could use a fire breath attack, whose flames could burn even on water. Sure enough, all around it, the water was on fire.

The lake itself, usually blue and crystal clear, was now tainted with the colour of blood.

Under the surface, though the water was muddied with red, the group could see the form of Amphisbaena: it's long body, reaching some twenty meters of length, swimming around frantically as if trying to shake something off. From the stub which had been it's second head, incredible amounts of blood leaked out, paining even more of the water with it's red colour.

Then, finally, the Monster swam upwards, and like some sort of circus animal, jumped out of the water, it's belly facing upwards. Then, they saw him.

"…! Fuzen!"

"Capt-!" The boy was hanging on the Monster, his sword plunged guard deep on the back of it's long neck. His clothes were in tatters, the left side all burned. His right side, too, had been mostly burned, especially the torso area, and his left arm flung worthlessly at his side, broken and twisted. "GetBackIt'sDangerous-!" Bloop. Bloop. Bloop. The Monster Rex once again submerged itself in the water, and Fuzen inhaled a mouthful of water which cut him off mid-sentence.

"...Right back at you, you stupid shrimp!" Howled the Loki Familia's perpetually angry Werewolf. "After him!" Bete ran forward, side by side with the Captain, as they followed the Monster's movements. Soon enough, the Monster emerged once again, swimming on the surface in a zig-zag pattern in an attempt to shake Fuzen off his body. The Loki Familia ran alongside it, but it was too far away in the distance. Even Ais would have a hard time propelling herself all the way over there. "What the hell are you even doing fighting a Monster Rex, shrimp?!"

"I'm grasping the heavens, obviously!" Fuzen shouted back as he held on with all his might.

"Grasping the heavens my ass you stupid brat, get the frick down from the Monster!"

"No! I'm cutting down this lizard!" Fuzen protested.

"Don't you fricking talk back to me! I'll kick your ass to kingdom come!"

"Nooo-!" Bloop. Bloop. Bloop.

"He went down again! Ais, go in the middle of the room! Be ready to attack when an opportunity arises! Give Bete your wind! Tione, Tiona, be Ais's backup! He's faster than us in this water domain! Cover the whole room!"

Finn and Bete continued on ahead, and the Monster once again emerged on the surface. Luckily, Finn already had a plan. All he needed was Fuzen's cooperation. "Fuzen! Make him come our way!"

Though the Monster roared in pain and the water splashed in all direction as his gigantic body frantically tried to shake the boy off, not one soul in the room failed to hear the loud Tsk coming from Fuzen at the prospect of having help in defeating his so called...lizard.

He Tsked me. Finn blanked out for a single moment, shocked at what had just transpired. He...actually Tsked me.

Though the boy's disapproval had been heard loud and clear, he nonetheless decided to play along. Twisting his sword while inside the Amphisbaena's flesh, he used his body's weight as a pendulum and forced his sword to the right side. The Monster roared again as the side of it's neck was being cut, and the pain brought him to turn to the right side, towards Finn and Bete.

"Bete, direct him towards Ais!"

"Don't gotta tell me twice!" The Werewolf used the Wind Magic he borrowed from Ais and jumped towards the approaching Monster. Once close enough, he pulled his leg back..."DIE!" and kicked the Monster in the face, the power behind his kick forcing the Monster Rex to turn once again, towards the middle of the room.

Ais was ready.

"...Tempest." Activating her Enchant-type magic and enveloping her Rapier in the magical wind, she jumped towards the incoming Monster, and slashed at it's right side, cutting through it's neck and back. Fuzen also used this opportunity to jump off onto the passageway, pulling his sword out of the monster.

The next attack would decide it all.

He watched the Monster submerge itself in the water again. He took care of the head that could attack from range as soon as it attacked him, however he had to use Lightning Drive for the third time in a day, and his stamina failed him, thus his broken arm and burned side. He didn't need to use Lighting Drive to end this, however.

As expected, the Monster Rex was targeting him. Even thought it's intellect was that of a beast, he must have understood that Fuzen caused him the most pain. Naturally, a predatory beast will try to kill whoever and whatever hurt it. He swam in a circle in the water, gaining momentum for it's next attack. He turned, and headed towards Fuzen at twice the speed from before.

"Fuzen, run away!"

As if, Captain. I am the appointed successor of the Lighting Sword Style. My sword is the one which will reach the heavens.

"...COME!" Exactly on point, Amphisbaena launched out of the water, it's mouth wide open and ready to end Fuzen in a single, revenge-hungry bite. The boy waited. It needed to be closer.

Closer.

Closer…

Now!

"Half-Moon Lighting Arc!" As the Monster's mouth had been within a meter away from him, Fuzen stepped a fraction of a step to the side, and brought the sword from behind him forward. From the cheek through the neck and beyond, his sword had severed the Monster's entire left side. He had come with that much force and momentum towards Fuzen, all the boy had to do was hold his blade still and steady, and the Monster killed itself on his sword all on it's own.

It continued to move forward, blood spurting out from the fresh cut, painting Fuzen red from head to toe. For all the force and ferocity it had when it launched itself forward, it now floated motionlessly on the other side of the passageway.

"Fuzen!" The Captain rushed forward, as did the others behind him. From the other side of the room, the other three had just arrived, as well.

Fuzen swung his sword to the side, getting the blood off the blade before fluidly sheathing it. He turned around, and looked the Captain in the eyes. The passageway between them had been destroyed by the plunging attack of the Amphisbaena, and there was some fifteen meters distance between them. "It is done."

"...Yes." Finn nodded as he eyes the dead body of the Monster Rex. It had not transformed into ash yet, so it's Magic Stone must have remained intact. Luckily, this specific Monster Rex had no regenerative abilities. "Yes, indeed...Still, we two are going to have a long chat after we get you patched up."

"...Fair enough." Fuzen nodded. "But just so we are clear: I could…" His expression softened, his eyes reflecting the fatigue he accumulated. Even his legs began to wobble, barely able to remain standing. "I could...have defeated him..on my own…"

Splash.

And then he fell face first into the water.

"We got him Captain!" The Amazon twins wasted no time, diving into the water and pulling Fuzen out of it. They dragged him back on the narrow footing that was the passageway and called Lefiya over. "Can you heal him?"

"O-Of course!" The Thousand Elf nodded, and proceeded to call upon Riveria's healing Magic. Finn and the others also jumped over the damaged pathway, and waited patiently until Fuzen's treatment was done.

Everyone had been amazed. A Level 2 against a Level 6 Monster, and a Monster Rex at that, no less. It wasn't a story you would hear often, or ever. But still, their Familia's foreign swordsman had done it.

Finn, as the one who knew more about Fuzen's Abilities and Skills than anyone present, had been somehow prepared for this. He ran many scenarios in his mind as he rushed over to Fuzen, and in most of them, the boy somehow won. Naturally, he could not win without receiving grave injuries in the process: his broken and twisted arm and burned side were a testimony of this.

However, he won.

With their help, yes, but even if he were alone, by sacrificing a whole arm or leg, Finn could visualize him winning.

Lighting Sword Style, huh? Seems I need to call up on some contacts. Fuzen will probably never tell me about how a single Sword Style could allow a simple Level 2 to defeat a Monster Rex, but someone in the Far East must know…

At the same time that the Pallum Captain was working over how he could get more information on the Sword Style of his Familia Member, the Sword Princess herself gazed upon the small, unconscious form of the boy.

She could not have done this at Level 2.

She doubted anyone could have done it. Maybe a mage with strong Magic, but a fighter like herself and Fuzen…

This boy...is getting stronger...I too...need to get stronger…She felt the flame of determination within her heart burn hotter than ever, simply from having witnessed the boy four years her junior stand firmly against a Monster who had been the death of many other Adventurers before them.

She decided to do it. After they returned to the surface...After he was back to full strength and fully rested…

She had made up her mind.

I will challenge him to fight me.

XXX