The dungeon's 37th floor, dubbed the White Palace by adventurers, was named for its terrain resembling an ancient palace.
A vast expanse of white greeted the eye.
Emerging from the 36th floor's passage, a massive wall loomed—the outermost barrier of the White Palace.
The floor featured five concentric ring-shaped walls, numbered 1 to 5 from the innermost outward.
The areas between them were called rooms: the Throne Room inside the 1st wall, then the Knight's Room, Warrior's Room, Soldier's Room, and Beast's Room.
The passage to the next floor lay in the Throne Room.
"This way," Lefiya said, holding a map.
Protected by Roy and Ais, she guided them.
Though Ais had visited this floor during Loki Familia expeditions, she wasn't deeply familiar, as they rarely lingered.
Now, even Ais relied on Lefiya's map.
The map was incomplete, covering only part of the floor.
The lower floors were vast, the 37th surpassing Orario's size.
Despite thousands of years of exploration, many areas remained uncharted, especially deeper down.
Guild standards required Level 4 teams of five or more for safe routes here, and few familias in Orario had such strength.
Exploring the entire floor was near impossible.
"Where are we?" Roy asked, casually slaying monsters rushing them.
No other adventurers were in sight in this deep floor—just monsters, the weakest being elite Level 3s.
Deeper in, Level 4 monsters appeared in groups.
"We're in the Warrior's Room."
"This route leads to...."
"The Colosseum," Lefiya said.
They reached a long staircase, endless in sight.
As they climbed, monsters vanished, but the eerie silence felt suffocating, like ascending to a gallows.
"We're here," Lefiya whispered, gripping the map tightly as they reached a vast platform.
Ahead lay a massive hall, distinct from prior areas.
A cross-shaped viaduct spanned it, with a forest of stone spikes below—death for any adventurer who fell.
At the viaduct's center stood a dark, ominous building.
"That's the Colosseum, where monsters spawn endlessly," Lefiya trembled.
Shadows of monsters swayed at its edge, their roars echoing.
"I wanted to check it out before, but Riveria and Finn never allowed it," Ais said, staring at the building.
"Should we turn back?" Lefiya asked, her courage faltering.
She'd followed out of loyalty to Ais and curiosity, thinking their combined strength—her mage status and Roy and Ais's prowess—could handle it.
But seeing the Colosseum, she realized her naivety.
Even its edge teemed with Level 4 monsters, and inside, thousands could swarm.
A Level 5 could handle one easily, but hundreds at once threatened even first-class adventurers.
The Colosseum's constant monster spawn made it a deadly trap, akin to the floor master, Udaeus, in the Throne Room.
"We're here?" Roy asked.
"Yeah, we're here," Ais echoed, eager.
"Fine, but we can't go deep. If we get trapped, we're done."
"I've got an escape plan," Roy said, glancing at Ais, who nodded.
The floor's monsters were ground-based, with minor throwing skills at best.
Flying high avoided them, and the ceiling was too lofty to hit.
Curious about Roy's escape method since Ais didn't object, Lefiya watched as Roy pulled a robe from his space.
He draped it over her. "It stinks!" Lefiya protested, trying to toss it.
"Don't. If a fight starts, we might not have time to protect a rookie," Roy said.
Last night, he'd researched dungeon tactics.
This robe confused monsters' senses, reducing attacks.
Orario sold Camouflage Clothes, but Lefiya hadn't bought any, so this was the substitute.
"I'm the rookie?" Lefiya's eyes widened, then she slumped. She was the weakest link.
"I can support with magic," she said, defiant.
"Then you need to watch the fight and time your spells. Can you cast endlessly?" Roy asked, glancing at her.
Lefiya couldn't argue.
Grudgingly, she wrapped herself in the smelly robe, her face twisting at the odor.
Camouflaged, the trio crossed the viaduct to the Colosseum's edge, glimpsing its bowl-shaped structure, like Orario's arena.
Six tiered levels formed steps around ten circular spaces at the bottom, resembling an auditorium and fighting pit.
"Aoooh!" Monsters packed the Colosseum, not waiting for adventurers but battling each other.
Eliminated ones lingered on the steps.
Roy and Ais placed Lefiya in a safe corner, then dropped their stealth, unleashing their presence.
The Colosseum's roars paused, then erupted louder.
Monsters, previously fighting each other, surged toward them.
Like tigers among sheep, Roy and Ais slaughtered the horde.
The Colosseum's monsters were no match individually, but their numbers—hundreds—tried to overwhelm them.
"They're so strong," Lefiya whispered from her corner, awed.
Any monster here would panic her, but Roy and Ais cut them down effortlessly.
The fallen were replaced instantly, yet both seemed at ease.
Roy, while fighting, kept an eye on Ais and Lefiya.
He'd brought them here; he'd ensure their safety. Lefiya stayed put, safe, as all monsters targeted him and Ais.
Noticing Ais's frenzied state, Roy frowned. "Too many thoughts, too much force," he said, nearing her while fighting.
Ais came to learn swordsmanship, risking the deep floors against her familia's rules.
Roy wouldn't let her down.
Her ears perked at his words.
"Ais, you'll burn out . You're a first-class adventurer, but future monsters—Level 5 and up—are tougher."
Ais nodded. "They're strong."
"Not just strength," Roy said, shattering a monster's magic stone. "Middle and lower-floor monsters act on instinct, charging fearlessly like beasts, not dodging."
"But these monsters have some rationality."
They dodged attacks and used tactics...
"So, against these, don't overexert. Use seven parts strength, save three," Roy said.
His lightsaber struck lightly, precisely. Sharing Ais's monster load, he eased her pressure, letting her focus on his lesson and swordplay.
"Your swordsmanship is your own style. Don't mimic me," Roy noticed her attempts to copy him.
"Then what?" Ais asked, frustrated.
"I'll mimic yours and show you the next step," Roy sighed.
His replicated sword talent let him replicate Ais's style and elevate it.
Ais watched as Roy's style shifted.
If not for his gender, she'd think it was her fighting.
But subtle differences emerged—his sword was nimbler, more lethal.
Where she needed three strikes to break a monster's defense and hit its magic stone, Roy needed one, despite using less effort.
Read advance chapters at:
200 Stones = 1 chapter
400 Stones = 2 chapter