At the Loki Familia's camp on the 50th floor, Ais, Gareth, Tiona, and Tione returned as fast as possible after Lefiya and Roy fell through the floor from the 51st.
Their usual half-hour journey was halved by their breakneck pace.
Back at camp, Gareth reported Roy and Lefiya's fall to Finn, and they devised a plan.
"Take out all remaining recovery potions," Finn ordered, biting his finger.
"Gareth, Tiona, Tione—heal as fast as you can," Finn said, then turned to Riveria.
"Riveria, don't hold back on high magic potions. Restore your mana."
"How many usable weapons remain?" Finn asked a Level 4 female adventurer handling logistics.
She reported the count, and Finn frowned.
"Exploring the 59th floor is on hold. Rescuing Roy and Lefiya is priority."
"With Roy's strength and supplies in his Space, they should hold until we reach them," Finn analyzed.
The 58th floor teemed with monsters, demanding wide-area magic.
Roy's exceptional mage skills made him ideal for survival.
Supporters poured potions on Gareth, Tiona, and Tione like they cost nothing.
Ais and Riveria chugged mind recovery potions to restore mana quickly.
"They're back!" someone shouted, drawing eyes to the 51st-floor cave.
Roy and Lefiya emerged.
"Unexpected," Finn said, smiling with relief.
Their safe return spared Ais and the others a life-risking rescue.
In their current state, reaching the 58th floor would've been deadly.
"Roy!" Tiona, mid-treatment with potions, leapt up despite her injuries and rushed to Roy.
"You two okay?" Ais sped to Roy, voice laced with concern.
"No injuries, thankfully," Roy nodded.
"Lefiya, why're you still clinging to Roy?" Tiona glared at Lefiya, koala-like on Roy's back.
Their floor-blasting ascent kept Lefiya glued to him.
"Ah, sorry!" Lefiya snapped awake, releasing Roy's neck and scrambling down, mortified.
"You didn't hold onto Roy the whole way back, did you?" Tiona's voice dripped with jealousy.
"Th-that…" Lefiya's face flushed under Tiona's scrutiny, aware of how suggestive her grip looked to the Loki Familia.
"How'd you get back?" Riveria approached, curious.
Roy's strength might allow a fight from the 58th to 50th if he knew the route, but the timing seemed too quick.
"Blasted through the floors and flew up," Roy said truthfully.
"With Aeriel, that makes sense," Riveria nodded, unaware Roy could fly, attributing it to Aeriel for short flights using floor walls as footholds.
"Wait, Riveria, you said Aeriel? Isn't that Ais's unique skill?" Bete interjected, surprised.
"Ask Roy yourself," Riveria smiled.
"You old hag!" Bete snorted, unanswered.
"#!" Riveria eyed Bete with a half-smile.
"By elven standard, I'm barely an adult. Next time, don't you dare say that."
"I get it…" Bete's face twitched, replying reluctantly.
"I shared Aeriel with Roy," Ais said.
"Can that be taught?" Bete looked puzzled, but no one clarified.
"Just glad you're safe," Finn smiled.
"Roy, thank you for saving Lefiya."
Roy didn't have to jump to the 58th floor, yet he did.
Lefiya was vital to the Loki Familia. Her loss would've been devastating.
"She's my friend—I couldn't stand by," Roy shook his head.
Confirming their safety, Finn planned the next steps.
The enhanced Virga disrupted everything.
"By the way, the 59th floor isn't a glacier domain—it's a dense jungle," Roy told Finn.
"Lots of new monster types there."
"Kidding?" Bete challenged.
"We reached the 59th and saw it. It's completely different from the guild's records," Lefiya confirmed.
"Different?" Finn frowned.
"The guild's data shouldn't be wrong, but it's old. Years later, such changes are possible."
The 59th floor might not retain its environment yearly.
The new monsters signaled abnormal shifts.
Roy and Lefiya's account confirmed it.
"This expedition ends here. Rest tonight; we return tomorrow," Finn decided.
Read advance chapters at:
200 Stones = 1 chapter
400 Stones = 2 chapter