Sensing Kanae's unwavering resolve, Phaethon nodded through the Bombu plush.
He understood—this girl was prepared to face whatever came her way for the future she had to change.
"In that case, let's move forward."
Phaethon's voice came from Bombu:
"But be careful. The deeper we go, the more unknown dangers lie ahead."
"Yes, Lord Phaethon!"
Kanae gripped her Nichirin blade firmly and followed Bombu toward the entrance to the sixth floor of the Dungeon.
As soon as they stepped inside, the atmosphere changed.
The light grew dimmer, and the air carried a faint scorched scent. The passageways twisted into more complex and shadowy tunnels.
Suddenly, several shadowy figures slithered silently from the crevices in the rocky walls, blocking Kanae's path.
These strange monsters were composed entirely of darkness, with no solid form—only crimson, cross-shaped eyes glowing within blurred head-like silhouettes.
From their wrists extended three razor-sharp claws, gleaming ominously in the dark.
"These are War Shadows, exclusive to the sixth floor,"
Bombu spoke up in time:
"They're fast and cunning, skilled in ambushing from blind spots and shadows. That's why they're nicknamed 'Newbie Killers.'
Most first-time Level 1 adventurers can barely handle them."
But for Kanae Kocho, these so-called newbie killers posed no real threat.
With the divine blessing, her agility and reaction speed had reached a whole new level.
To her, the War Shadows' supposed speed was full of exploitable flaws.
"Swoosh!"
Before the monsters could attack, Kanae moved.
Without even using breathing techniques, she relied solely on her enhanced physique—flashing through the shades like a ghost.
Each flicker of pale pink blade light sliced through a shade's core with pinpoint accuracy.
The monsters didn't even have a chance to fight back before dissipating into black ash, leaving only a few small magic stones behind.
"Handled."
Kanae sheathed her sword, breath steady.
Phaethon stepped forward to collect the magic stones.
"Well done. Let's keep going."
They didn't linger and soon reached the seventh floor.
This time, they didn't face isolated or small clusters of enemies—
But a swarming horde of Killer Ants.
These massive ants, each half the size of a human, had hard shells and grotesque mandibles. There were easily over a hundred of them.
The sound of their marching made one's scalp tingle—a black tide surging forth.
Kanae's eyes sharpened.
She drew in a deep breath and took her stance.
"Breath of Flowers, Sixth Form — Whirling Peach!"
With a graceful shout, Kanae spun like a dancing butterfly.
Using her body as the axis, she unleashed a storm of deadly, petal-shaped slashes in a perfect 360-degree radius.
What appeared to be a blooming cyclone of pink petals was actually a merciless area attack.
The beautiful yet lethal sword light tore through the battlefield.
The killer ants, no matter how hard their exoskeletons or sharp their jaws, were helpless before the exquisite, devastating swordplay.
Limbs, black fluid, and broken shells flew in all directions.
In just a few breaths, over a hundred killer ants lay slain—none survived.
Only a field of magic stones and fast-fading monster ash remained.
"Phew…"
Kanae exhaled softly. Such a large-scale technique came with some stamina drain.
"Beautiful! Wiping out that many monsters at once—you must've earned a massive amount of experience."
Phaethon, through Bombu, was visibly pleased.
The more monsters she killed—and the stronger they were—the greater her stat growth would be.
He quickly gathered the scattered stones into the spatial pocket in Bombu's belly.
Then, he looked up at Kanae with concern.
"How are you holding up? Still have enough energy to continue?"
Kanae smiled gently, wiping the light sweat from her forehead with confidence.
"No problem at all, Lord Phaethon. I've got plenty of strength left."
But then—an abrupt change!
"ROOOAAARRR—!!!"
A deafening, rage-filled howl echoed from the stairway leading to this floor!
It was no upper-level monster's cry—this roar brimmed with brutal force, immediately putting Kanae on high alert.
The next moment, a massive, towering figure crashed through the rocky entrance into the seventh floor.
Over three meters tall, bulging with muscle, and bearing the head of a bull—
It wielded a huge, crude axe, its bloodshot eyes burning with bloodlust.
It was a monster that typically only appeared in the middle levels of the Dungeon—
A Minotaur.
"This is the mid-floor monster Miss Eina told me about?"
Kanae was surprised.
Phaethon narrowed his eyes, the scene feeling oddly familiar—
Wasn't this how the original story began? When Aiz Wallenstein of the Loki Familia chased a monster down from the lower floors?
That Minotaur had rampaged into the upper floors—perhaps this was that very moment.
Looking back to Kanae, Phaethon left the choice to her.
"Kanae, a Minotaur is a monster that only Level 2 adventurers can barely handle.
It's far beyond the War Shadows or Killer Ants.
Do you want to retreat? If I'm right, someone from below might be coming soon to deal with it."
Kanae looked up at the towering creature—nearly twice her height, radiating overwhelming pressure.
But her eyes held no hesitation.
Retreat?
No.
The stronger the monster, the greater the reward.
Why had she come to this world, received the divine blessing, and entered this perilous Dungeon?
To gain the power to change fate.
To grow strong—she could not afford to run now.
"Lord Phaethon…"
Kanae's voice was calm, but resolute:
"I won't back down."
She gripped her Nichirin blade tightly, her eyes sharp as steel, locking onto the roaring Minotaur.
"Let me see just how powerful a monster from the mid-floors really is!"
Before she even finished speaking, her figure vanished into a streak of pink lightning!
Blade in hand, she charged straight at the massive Minotaur!
The battle—was about to begin.