No one's POV

Lefiya had fallen towards the Dragons den. They awaited her as she sliced through the air, her bangs whipped back and forth as she plunged in a free fall down that massive hole. Other monsters caught in the blast fell too, tumbling around her as she froze in fear.

Lefiya(mind): There's something scarier than smashing into the ground waiting for me.

She couldn't move. Not even a single finger. She was overcome with a primeval fear as one of the valgang dragons below open its massive jaws. It was going to destroy her in one massive flare.

Tiona and Tione: LEFIYA!!!

Lefiya: ?!

In that instant. She heard her name breaking into the impossibly long stretch of frozen seconds. Looking up, she saw them practically throwing themselves over the side of the hole.

Bete: Don't weight us down, slowpoke!!

It was, Tiona, Tione and Bete. They launched themselves off the side of the tunnel walls, speeding down towards her. The sight of the first tiers racing to save her made her eyes filled with tears, warping her vision.

Riveria: Veil Breath!!

Asuna: Aqua shield!!

The translucent, ringing name of Riveria and Asuna's spell came from the 52nd floor less than a second later.

The four of them, including the one that stayed behind, were quickly surrounded in warm blue and green gowns of light. It was Riveria and Asuna's protection spell that would safeguard them against all incoming attacks. Armed with the blessing of two Orario's strongest magic users, Tiona, Tione and Bete raced down the wall to make it to Lefiya's side. Just as the massive fireball, boasting a diameter of over 5 meters, Tiona leaped from the wall with her Giant sword in hand.

Tiona: You bastaaaaard!!

In a swipe that utilized her entire body, she gripped her Durandal sword in both hands and aimed it at the incoming fireball. The explosion that followed was astronomical. In a crushing blast, the inferno came to a screeching halt in front of Lefiya's eyes.

Lefiya: Miss Tiona...!

Tiona: Hot Hot Hot Hot Hot Hot!! How dare you do this to me!!

Tiona was alright, her body was enveloped by a green and blue light of gown. It was Riveria and Asuna's protection spell, Veil Breath and Aqua shield.

Tiona: Tione, Bete, the wyverns are coming!!

It wasn't just the valgang dragons that are from the 58th floor. But wyverns that are from the 56 and 57th floor all started coming out from the vertical holes and was aiming towards Lefiya.

Bete: Tione! Protect that slowpoke!

With the speed that seemed to ignore the fact that he was falling down, Bete kicked the walls to use it as a momentum and dodge every incoming fireball attacks from the wyverns as he sliced one of the wyverns head with his twin sword and kicked its body to its other wyverns friends.

Bete: ORAAAAAAA!!!

Tremendous explosion. Plummeting monsters. The painfully loud cries of howling dragons. The out-of-this world spectacle taking place before her made Lefiya shake so hard she couldn't stop.

Lefiya: Ah...ah...

Tione: Breath in!

Lefiya: !!

Tione: Don't get scared! We'll protect you!

That cause a flutter in Lefiya's chest. She thought back to the night before and the time they'd shared in her tent. Now surrounded in Riveria and Asuna's protection spell and touched by the indomitable mettle of the first tiers refusing to allow this predicament to play out, she let out a grunt to banish the fear from her body. Nodding in Tione's direction, she tighten the grip on her staff. She stared down into that infernal abyss at the monstrous red dragon lying in wait, her hair whipping wildly in the wind.

Finn: Don't go, Aiz!!

Meanwhile at the 52nd floor. Finn commanded Aiz to hold back as she prepared to follow Tione and the others into the great hole.

Finn: We can't protect everyone if Raul and the others also fall into a vertical hole! We'll head to the 58th floor following the proper route. We need you in order to get past the new species as fast as we can!

Aiz:...!

Her lips curved into a tormenting frown, her feet still poised on the edge of the hole, but she did what she was told. Even if Lefiya and the others did land somewhere midway down the tunnel, there was no guarantee they'd be able to find them in the complex labyrinth of the dungeon. If they could all just made it to the 58th floor, which compromised nothing but a single grand hall, they'd be able to reconvene without troubling themselves.

Finn: I'll leave Bete and the others to the both of you, Gareth, Asuna!!

Gareth: Roger that!

Asuna: Got it!

Already armed with their battle axe and rapier, Asuna and Gareth took off after Lefiya and the others in Aiz instead. Finn quickly set forth reorganizing the rest of the party, not even waiting for Gareth and Asuna to leap into the hole before ushering them onward.

Raul: Because of me, Lefiya was...

Riveria: Don't worry. We'll punish you more than enough once everything's finished. Braced yourself for now so don't lower your guard.

The thought of Riveria's punishment sucked the color right out of Raul's face, leaving him no room for self-reproached. Even the remaining three supporters could do nothing but send him looks of pity. With Aiz now in the front line, the party sped its way through the passageway of the 52nd floor.

Tsubaki: 😅 Ahaha~ It seems I've come to an unbelievable place.

One party had become two. The two parties followed two separates routes, racing their ways to the 58th floor.

(Elsewhere)

Tiona continued her assault on the wyverns amid the barrage of valgang dragons fire from below. The walls, the floors, the very neck of the 'Dragons Crucible' itself grew increasingly more damaged with each of the mighty fireballs, and the adventurers in the airborne skirmish, both adventurers and their 20 monsters enemies were dyed a deep red as the flurry of attacks continued.

Tiona: Hey! There's a fast one!

Bete: Tch! It's a strengthening species!

Jumping from walls to walls, Tiona and the others waged a splendid fight worthy of their statuses, but even they had their limits. They couldn't fly. The wyverns spread its wings as it sped of towards them and was readying its massive fireball attack.

Lefiya: Miss Tione, toss me!!

Tione: !!

Tione respond by grabbing Lefiya's hand and flinging the newly fearless girl in the directions of the wall.

Lefiya(mind): I've been protected until now. Again and again and again. However, I can't stand seeing people getting injured because of me anymore! A will! A strong will! Don't be afraid!

Generously bending her knees, Lefiya mimicked what she'd seen from the first tiers and somehow managed to successfully landing before running down along the wall's surface.

Lefiya: Unleashed streaks of lights, bow limbs of the holy tree. You are an expert of the bow.

Lefiya began, weaving her spell as she fought against the pummeling pressure of the wind.

Tiona: No way, Lefiya?!

Bete:...

Tione: Concurrent chanting...!

Tiona and Tione were flabbergasted at the sight of the magic user moving and dodging, never breaking her chant. Even Bete was in shock, his lips curling upwards in a laugh.

Lefiya: Shoot, snipers of the fairies. Pierced through, arrows of absolute accuracy!

The wyverns noticed her chant and aimed their stones of flames towards her. She kicked of the iron wall, narrowly avoiding the rain of fire while doing everything possible to keep from releasing her net of magic. She raced, her voice ringing loud and sonorous as she thought back to her training with Aiz, Asuna and Filvis.

Lefiya(mind): Not behind them, but not beside them either. I don't care if it's just a single step, I'll move forwards too!

She could do it too. She wasn't afraid. Her heart trembling, she pointed her staff, and a magic circle lit up with a glimmer.

Lefiya: Arcs Ray!!

The maximum power arrows of light blasted out in a brilliant flash. The enormous, needlelike flash of magic careened straight towards the flock of dragons. But she only had one target in sight. The bloodshot eyes of the enhanced wyvern widened as the light of arrows veered towards it. Beating its wings, it attempted to escaped the incoming bolt.

Lefiya: TUUURN!!!

Lefiya roars causing the arrows trajectory to warp.

What was once a straight path became curved, the auto-follow properties of projectiles spell sending it chasing after the dumbfounded dragon until it finally connected. Killing the wyverns. Tiona gave Lefiya a fist pump of victory, and Bete threw her a momentary smile before the two of them returned to their attacks on the other wyverns. Her body instilled with a fiery passion, Lefiya moved immediately to her next chant.

Tione: I can't let myself fall behind!!

Tione licked herself with a smile for the young mage. She ran along with walls as she once more let loose with her throwing knives. One of her blade impaled the eyes of the wyverns, sending it careening to the ground with a scream of anguish as she flourished the halberd on the other hand.

Tione: You're such a nuisance!!

She'd already been having a hard time smothering the fire and sparks in her belly at witnessing Bell and Sora's adventurer on the 9th floor. This new predicament was only throwing kindling on the fire and sparks and she liked it.

Tione: This is pretty useful.

The Durandal weapon that she used to propel the wyverns attacks.

Tione: I thought you were dealing with those fireballs, Tiona!!

Tiona: There's only one of me you know!!!

Bete: Hey! Just one'll do!! Do something about those fireballs!!

Tiona: WHAT?! I'll have you know that it hurts to blocked those things!!

Bete: Shut up and do it! Let's go!!

Tiona: You'll pay for this!!

Bete barked back as he took two small magic knives from his back pocket to prepare for the incoming fireballs attacks where Tiona leaped forwards and blocked them with everything she's got.

Tiona: Here I go!!

The explosion was massive. Using Tiona's assistant, Bete landed on the back of the wall. Then he bolted forwards in burst of speed. He aimed for those tiny gaps, gauntlets singeing as he broke through the incoming wall of fire. Drawing a path of light behind him, he sped along the walls and came at the dragon like a supercharged bolt of lightning.

Bete: Die!

It exploded. The heel of his Frosvirts dug into the valgang dragons face as the resulting flash lit the tunnel on fire. It was massive. The attack power of the magic dagger together with his Frosvirst combined to formed an electric kick that instantly disintegrated the dragons heads and landed on the ground. His gaze turning upwards as the other dragons howled in concussion.

Bete: I've come back, you crappy dragons!

Tiona: I'm second!

The 58th floor is the deepest floor that the Loki Familia has ever reached. In the past, when faced by the multiple floor bombardment, Bete and the others had lost all their stamina, items, and equipment, forcing them to give up on the expedition.

Lefiya: Falling like rain, burn away the savage...

Tione: Run you guys!

Bete and Tiona: ?!

From above their heads come a majestic call of a chant, followed by a sudden shout of warning. Bete and Tiona looked up just in time to see Tione and Lefiya appear through the hole in the ceiling, the former fending off an attack from a wyvern while the latter pointed her staff towards the floor. Bete and Tiona clear the area immediately, ignoring incoming attacks from the surrounding monsters as the midair spell reached its culmination.

Lefiya: Fusillade Fallarica!!

A torrential deluge of fire arrow rained down on the 58th floor. Agonizing screams swelled amid the storm of magic. While the red scales of the valgang dragons seemed to smiply absorb the legion of fire arrows, the other monsters weren't so lucky. Tens if not hundreds of monsters turned into ash around them.

Tiona: Lefiya! Tione!

Lefiya: 😨 I-I'm alive...

Tione: That's what you have to say after that magic you just used?

But their happiness was short lived. As over 30 dragons spawned.

Tiona: Aww, they spawned again...

Bete: We need to make sure to kill these dragons. We can't let them attack Aiz and the others that stayed behind.

Tione: I agree, I won't let them attack the captain and the others. Make sure you rest, Lefiya/

Lefiya: Y-Yes!

She quickly grabbed a high magic potion and elixir and drink it to recover her lost stamina and mana.

Lefiya: B-But are you able to defeat 30 of them?

Bete: If we can't we die, don't make me say it.

Tiona: I guess you're right.

The ominous red dragons practically radiated enmity; the wyverns circled overhead, their great wings flapping; and the myriad other monsters still lurked about the floor- even larger group of caterpillar monsters were coming at them. As Lefiya looked over them, she found herself more than a little overwhelmed. Bete and Tiona too, despite their casual responses, knew there was no room for error.

Tiona: How long do you think we'll still have Riveria and Asuna's protection spell?

Bete: Their spells usually last about an hour... so maybe two or three more fights?

Once the protection spell truly disappeared, they'll be completely defenseless and just one of those fireball could incinerate them. So they need to finish this fast.

Tione: Here they come!

The monsters all moved almost simultaneously, and Tiona, Tione, Bete and Lefiya readied themselves before taking off at a running dash. Only then a shadow appeared from overhead, flying down and instantly shattering the head of the Valgang dragons.

Everyone then came to a halt. Silence filled the room.

Gareth: Are you young ones still alives?

Tiona: Gareths?!

Bete: Old man!

Lefiya: Mr Gareth, look out!

Lefiya shouted as everyone else also did once they saw one of the valgang dragons were swiping its tail towards Gareths and landed a huge hit. It cause a shockwaves that cover the others eyes, but once they saw what's really happened they froze. Gareth had caught its tail red handed. When he suddenly started using his strength and lift the dragon up shocking the rest.

Lefiya: Hu-Huh?!

Tione: Are you kidding me?!

Tiona: This is bad!

Bete: Get down!

Everyone get down on their knees as Gareth started spinning the dragons. And with each spin, his speed increased along with his destructive potential, knocking back any monsters that tried to approached.

First class adventurer Gareth Landrock. He's a contender for having highest strength and endurance in Orario. He's a super vanguard type that smashes everything in his path and doesn't succumb to any attack. The Alias that the Gods gave him is [Elgram].

Gareth: Go flying!

After all that spinning and building up strength, he threw the valgang dragon towards the others.

Gareth: Phew. I'd like to drink a lot of dwarven fire ale right now.

Tiona: N-No way...

Gareth: What are you all doing? They're still coming, hurry and get up!

Lefiya: Mister G-Gareth, aren't you enough?

Gareth: Don't be ridiculous. There's no way I could do that multiple times. But maybe she can...

Tiona, Tione, Bete and Lefiya: Huh?

Just as they were about to ask, they all sense a huge magical power radiating above them as they all look up and saw an elven figure descending.

Asuna: Flow like the raining sea. True essence of the flow of the water...

Lefiya: Miss Asuna!

Asuna: Splash into the abyss- Lake of Wisdom: My name is Wishe: True Aqueous Geyser: Yamata no Orochi!!

Just as Asuna appear through the hole in the ceiling, the former fending off an attack from a wyvern while the latter pointed her staff towards the floor. Everyone clear the area immediately, ignoring incoming attacks from the surrounding monsters as the midair spell reached its culmination.

A torrential deluge of Water Dragon with eight-headed and eight-tailed rained down on the 58th floor. Agonizing screams swelled amid the storm of magic. While the red scales of the valgang dragons seemed to smiply absorb the massive water dragons, the other monsters weren't so lucky. Tens if not hundreds of monsters turned into ash around them. Completely enveloped them all causing the entire floor to be flooded by water.

Asuna: Phew... I really shouldn't use this types of spell too much. It really drains me down...

Tiona: Mwah... that's super crazy...

Lefiya: Its even stronger that Lady Riveria's Rea Levantine.

Bete: Tch! Why did you never used that spell on our previous expedition you elf?!

Asuna: Huh?! As if I could used that kind of spell with many people surrounding me! I could hit you all!!

Gareth: Enough! We still have those new species to deal with!

In the northern staircase leading to the 57th floor. Repulsive shadow after shadow gushed from the entryway, and both Gareth and Asuna narrowed their eyed at the sight of their unsettlingly vibrant yellow-green screen.

Lefiya: The path to the 57th floor...

Gareth: Completely plugged up, yeah?

Asuna: If it's not one thing, it's another... Let's go!

Tiona, Tione, Bete, and Lefiya: Yeah!

While the terrors of the uttermost depths nearly robbed them of their breath itself, the first tiers adventurers had no choice but to follow along after their two leaders, Gareth and Asuna.