On the fiftieth floor of the dungeon, everyone gathered at the entrance to the next floor, ready for what lay ahead. They already knew the types of monsters awaiting them below and understood that the upcoming challenge would be a relentless push forward.
There was no time to rest; their objective was clear—to reach the 58th floor in one decisive sprint.
"Prepare yourselves—charge!"
At Finn's command, Ais, Riveria, Gareth, the Amazonian sisters, and the core members of the team surged forward.
As they entered the 51st floor, the air suddenly grew unbearably hot, and scorching heat radiated from the ground beneath their feet.
"Be careful! It's the Valgang dragon's breath!"
Finn shouted a warning, but before his words fully registered, a blazing flame erupted from below, forcing the group to scatter.
When the flames subsided, the team peered through the holes left by the fiery eruption, spotting massive Valgang Dragons roaring menacingly from the depths of the 58th floor.
"Is this the 58th floor already?" Tione asked, glancing at Finn. "Captain, why don't we head straight down from here?"
Her suggestion made sense—the shortest path between two points is always a straight line.
Finn turned to Alexander for his input. As someone who had ventured to these depths before, Alexander's perspective carried weight.
"No problem. Go ahead," Alexander said with a nod.
At his approval, the team wasted no time and leaped into the gaping hole leading to the lower floors.
The drop from the 51st floor to the 58th was nearly 100 meters—equivalent to jumping off a tall skyscraper. For seasoned adventurers with minimum levels of 5, the descent posed no threat.
But for Lefiya, an Lv. 3 mage with a fragile build, the fall was nothing short of a death sentence.
"Wait for me!" Lefiya called out desperately, watching as her companions vanished into the depths.
Alexander sighed and turned to her. "I'll take you down."
"What?! No!" Lefiya protested instinctively. In her mind, Alexander was a rival for Ais's affections, and accepting his help felt humiliating.
Before she could argue further, Alexander scooped her up without hesitation.
"W-What are you doing?!" Lefiya stammered, flustered and embarrassed.
"Hold on," Alexander said simply before leaping into the abyss with her in his arms.
The sensation of free-falling left Lefiya disoriented, and her embarrassment momentarily gave way to pure panic. However, the danger below quickly brought her back to reality.
A massive sakura-colored fire dragon had spotted them and raised its head, preparing to attack. In an instant, a torrent of scorching flames surged upward to intercept them.
"Not good!" Lefiya cried out, instinctively beginning the incantation for a protective spell.
"Ancient warriors, holy spirits,..."
But her chant was too slow. The dragon's flames closed in faster than she could react. Just as the fiery torrent was about to engulf them, Alexander extended his hand.
"Focus on your spell. Leave this to me," he said calmly.
The moment he spoke, a dazzling light erupted from his palm.
Ultra Railgun!
A crackling blue-white beam of thunder shot forth, illuminating the passage. The powerful lightning collided with the dragon's flames, obliterating them in an instant.
Boom!
The overwhelming heat of the dragon's breath was extinguished by the raw power of Alexander's thunder, leaving nothing but dissipating sparks in its wake.
"So strong..." Lefiya murmured in awe, staring at the scene before her. She glanced up at Alexander, holding her protectively.
He was powerful, caring, handsome, and enigmatic—everything one could admire. It was no wonder Ais liked him.
How can I compete with such a rival in love? Lefiya thought, her heart sinking.
What she didn't realize, however, was that Alexander didn't consider her a rival at all.
Because, as he often joked to himself: Although lilies are beautiful, they can never bear fruit.