Chapter 157
The 18th floor of the dungeon was a breathtaking spectacle for newcomers.
Vast forests and shimmering lakes spread across the landscape, illuminated by blue crystals of various sizes.
These crystals cast a soft, pale blue glow that bathed the surroundings in an otherworldly light.
The most striking feature was the high ceiling adorned with brilliant, sparkling crystals of two distinct colour’s.
At the center, a massive white crystal radiated light similar to that of the sun, surrounded by smaller blue crystals that twinkled like stars.
The intensity of light varied with the time of day, creating a natural day-night cycle that added to the floor's charm.
On the eastern side of a small island facing the lake lay the adventurer city of Rivira, perched on a cliff above the water.
This enchanting setting was known as the Under Resort, a name that perfectly encapsulated its beauty.
"Alright, that’s enough. We have work to do," Draco called out, snapping everyone from their reverie.
He understood their captivation; he had been equally mesmerized when he scouted the area weeks earlier.
Seeing it in person was quite different from watching it, in an anime.
“It’s just like I imagined it would be! Can I take some of those crystals back home?” Vasiliki exclaimed, her excitement bubbling over.
“I would love one too,” Eleni chimed in, nodding eagerly.
Clair agreed with a smile.
“Why would you three want some ordinary crystals that probably has no value?” Michalis interjected, looking perplexed.
“How do you know they have absolutely no value?” Eleni shot back.
“Well, if they were valuable, adventurers would have mined most of them by now, wouldn’t they, silly?” Michalis replied, raising an eyebrow.
“Guh.” Eleni gritted her teeth in annoyance, momentarily at a loss for words.
‘Can’t believe I let Michalis of all people call me stupid,’ she thought indignantly.
“While you make a fair point regarding its monetary value, it still doesn’t prove they have no value. Maybe it just hasn’t been discovered yet,” Eleni countered, trying to regain her footing in the argument.
“That’s true, but the dungeon has existed for over a thousand years. I doubt extensive research hasn’t been done on this particular floor’s resources,” Michalis responded confidently.
“Tsk, this is the problem with boys, they can’t understand sentimental value” Eleni muttered, clicking her tongue in frustration as she walked away.
She had various points of argument in mind, but decided to walk away reasoning that there was nothing productive from wasting time arguing with Michalis.
As she walked away, Vasiliki ran up beside her.
“Cant believe that you lost a reasoning argument against Michalis,” Vasiliki teased, a statement that irritated Eleni to the core.
However, she decided to ignore Vasiliki, knowing that by showing reaction, she would lose.
“Why did she include us? We didn’t say anything,” Vasileios whispered to Nikolaos.
“I don’t know, maybe because…” Nikolaos trailed off, unsure of how to finish his thought.
“What are you all doing? Hurry up!” Draco called, having already walked a little ahead.
Quickly regrouping, the familia moved forward till Clair noticed something strange.
“Aren’t we entering the city?” Clair asked, noticing that Draco was leading them in a different direction from it.
“No, perhaps in the future, but not today,” Draco replied firmly.
He had no intentions of entering the city just yet.
The fewer people who knew about the Bahamut familia’s arrival on the 18th floor, the better.
So, with his cloak over his head to lower recognition, he directed his familia straight to the entrance of the 19th floor.
Some members felt disappointed that they wouldn’t get to explore the beauty of the 18th floor, but they followed his lead nonetheless.
As they approached the entrance of the 19th floor, a new wave of wonder washed over the group.
The 19th floor, along with the subsequent floors up to the 24th, was known as the Large Tree Labyrinth.
The walls, ceiling, and ground were made of wood, giving the impression that they were inside a gigantic tree.
The floor was alive with vibrant plants and colourful fauna, creating a feast for the eyes.
Instead of the usual crystal lighting, luminescent blue moss illuminated the area, casting an eerie contrast against the colourful plants.
“Are we really inside the dungeon?” Dimitra murmured in disbelief, her eyes darting around in wonder.
The previous floor had already left them in awe, and now this one was even more spectacular.
“Don’t let your guard down; you might die without even knowing how,” Draco warned seriously, snapping everyone back to reality.
“Remember what we discussed before coming here. Stay alert and close,” he commanded, and everyone nodded in agreement, falling into their designated formation.
The Tree Labyrinth was particularly dangerous for most members of the Bahamut Familia.
The floors contained a wide variety of poisonous insects and plant-type monsters.
This is why the Abnormal Resistance skill was crucial; those without it required a healer or at least a healing skill.
Moreover, there were monsters lurking within the labyrinth whose base potential exceeded that of a Minotaur, meaning they were above regular level 2.
Most members of the Bahamut Familia lacked either poison resistance or a reliable healing skill, with Draco being the notable exception.
Luckily, he was capable of performing the roles of healer, scout, and various other positions, and he possessed enough strength to navigate the floors with relative ease.
Draco had scouted the area a few weeks prior in order to identify the perfect spots for his familia members to farm monsters and grow in strength.
Despite the dangers, the Tree Labyrinth also held the potential for great rewards.
Many unexplored paths lay hidden within the labyrinth, reducing the likelihood of running into other adventurers.
In addition to the poisonous and powerful monsters, the labyrinth offered a wealth of plants that served as materials for healing items, which was particularly ironic given the prevalence of toxicity in the environment.
As everyone refocused, Draco immediately released a pulse of energy to scan the area for both monsters and other adventurers.
Once he confirmed the location of everything within his range, Draco began guiding his familia towards the location he had chosen for them to farm.
Having assessed the strength of most of the monsters on floors 19 to 23, Draco had decided which ones they would farm daily until they were used to the intensity of the floor.
Despite its chaotic appearance, there was actually a method to the madness of the tree labyrinth.
Draco had spent a considerable amount of time searching for and confirming certain places where only one or two types of monsters spawned on each floor.
This was because it was one of the few effective ways for his familia to safely farm monsters in the tree labyrinth.
Without poison resistance, fighting against only one or two types of monsters was their best option as it wouldn't require complicated strategies and excessive caution.
The tree labyrinth contained too many diverse types of monsters for their small group to handle all at once.