"Although it still has some flaws, it's a good improvement."
Satisfied, Blake nodded before turning his gaze to Bete, who was staring at him intently.
"A strong person isn't defined by raw power alone. If you think strength is the only measure of someone's worth, you're mistaken."
Bete clicked his tongue in frustration but didn't argue. He had lost. That was the undeniable truth.
Lefiya, who had been watching from the sidelines, found her opinion of Blake shifting.
"Alright, that's enough."
Finn finally stepped forward, walking up to Blake before bowing slightly.
"I apologize for the trouble caused by my unruly familia member."
"Captain Finn, it's nothing. Though his attitude could use some work, he didn't have any real intent to kill me."
Blake responded with a light smile.
Hearing this, Finn's impression of Blake improved even further. Not only was he incredibly strong, but he was also level-headed and reasonable—someone who could even teach Ais was bound to be exceptional.
"Bete, don't be so reckless in the future."
Finn's tone grew stern as he turned to the werewolf.
"Tch, yeah, yeah, I get it."
Bete, who had just pulled himself out of the wall, muttered under his breath. He hadn't taken any serious injuries, but the direct clash with Blake had left him feeling drained and disoriented.
"Captain, weren't you supposed to be stationed on the 18th floor? Why come up here?"
Now that the tension had settled, Tiona, always one for curiosity, tilted her head and asked.
Her question immediately drew the attention of the others.
"The Hephaestus Familia members and some of our own haven't arrived yet. The floor boss on the 18th floor is about to respawn, so I came up here to deal with it before it causes unnecessary casualties."
Finn explained with a small smile.
"The floor boss, huh..."
Tiona paused for a moment before glancing at Ais and Tione—then, almost in unison, the three of them turned to look at Blake.
They knew exactly why he had come to the Dungeon. His goal was to take down the floor boss, hoping to achieve a great feat and advance to the next level.
"Captain Finn, I have a request."
Blake spoke up after a brief moment of thought.
Finn looked at him, slightly intrigued.
"Actually, Blake wants to challenge the floor boss solo to level up. That's the whole reason he came down here."
Before Blake could say another word, Ais beat him to it, her golden eyes fixed on Finn, her expression eager.
Blake shook his head. This girl really doesn't hold back.
Meanwhile, aside from Bete—who still looked grumpy—Lefiya seemed conflicted, and Lili was outright pouting. The rest of the group exchanged knowing glances, their eyes shifting between Ais and Blake. Even Tiona grinned mischievously.
"I see. Alright, I'll let you have it."
Finn smiled lightly before nodding. Originally, he had planned to use this battle to train Lefiya, but since both Blake and Ais requested it, he didn't mind stepping aside. There would be plenty of other opportunities to train her on their expedition.
Blake sincerely expressed his gratitude before shifting his gaze toward the wall to his right.
A sharp cracking sound echoed through the chamber.
The members of the Loki Familia immediately tensed, their eyes snapping toward the source of the noise.
Crack... crack, crack...
The massive, smooth wall—resembling ice—began to split from top to bottom as if something was carving through it from the inside, creating a deep, jagged fissure.
The sound grew louder, the entire chamber trembling slightly as the ground beneath their feet vibrated.
With a deafening explosion, the wall shattered, massive chunks of rock collapsing to the floor like crumbling ice. A cloud of dust surged outward, momentarily obscuring their vision.
And then, through the haze, they saw it.
A massive figure emerged from the rubble.
It was humanoid, with grayish-brown skin and long, black hair that barely reached its shoulders. Standing between seven and eight meters tall, it was an overwhelming presence.
Its eyes snapped open—pitch black, with only white sclera—giving it the eerie, demonic visage of a true monster.
A guttural roar erupted from its mouth, sending a shockwave through the chamber, stirring the air with sheer force.
This was the floor boss of the 17th floor.
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