Chapter 129: Ais’s Request

The Horse Talisman ranks among the first tier of the many powers Roland possesses.

In terms of manifestation, while it closely resembles healing—and even shares a similar aesthetic to Crazy Diamond—its scope and intensity are far superior. The essence of this divine power is the expulsion of external forces from within the user’s body. Whether it be injuries, physical damage, or even curses, all can be purged; its activation alone carries significant implications.

"Does this crystal possess infectious properties?"

The crystalline powder, beautiful as it appeared, was in reality a lethal poison. This ironic contrast was very much in the style of the Spirit-Bound. Roland raised the sword Ester in his hand, causing a divine light to disperse and incinerate all the dust in the vicinity.

Although the Spirit-Bound remained untraceable, the derivatives generated through the dungeon had already revealed much to Roland. As the Holy Sword of the Demon Slayer, Ester also possessed the power to dispel sorcery and devour curses. It would have been impossible for her to remain unresponsive if the threat were related to those domains; in fact, as an external object, her protective reaction should have preceded the activation of the Horse Talisman.

Thus, Roland had already formed a hypothesis regarding the true nature of the purple crystal.

"A product leaning toward the technological side..."

Just as Roland was deep in thought, a playful voice rang out from behind him.

"That was amazing!"

Tiona’s voice echoed from afar. She shouted with an excited expression, charging toward Roland with the momentum of a raging tide, but another figure proved even swifter.

Ais, with her magnificent, fairy-like hair, approached Roland with light and agile steps. Her clear, water-like eyes gazed quietly at an unscathed Roland, expressing her concern in her own unique way.

"Ah, Ais, that’s cheating!"

Tiona, a step behind Ais, squeezed her way over to Roland as well, peering curiously at him and the Ester in his hand.

"Is this the weapon transformed by the Spirit? It’s so beautiful, and its power is far greater than those magic swords or whatever they are. Roland, what was that move just now..."

With every sentence she spoke, Tiona drew closer to Roland, until finally, the young girl had brazenly hugged his free arm.

Fortunately, Finn and the others had arrived.

"Tiona, calm down. You’ve crossed the line."

Upon hearing Riveria’s warning, Tiona’s cheeks puffed out, but she dared not defy Riveria, who was affectionately nicknamed 'Mother' within the Familia, and reluctantly released her grip.

"It’s fine. Besides, there’s no need to hide Ester’s power," Roland said, unbothered. While prying into an adventurer’s abilities was usually considered taboo, he could sense the goodwill emanating from them. Tiona acted this way simply due to her straightforward personality and a desire to learn more about someone she admired. Furthermore, Ester’s abilities were difficult to conceal; if Roland did not care about consuming magic power, unleashing a sword beam capable of destroying a city would not be a difficult feat.

"That is true. No matter what kind of equipment it is, it couldn't possibly be hostile to a Spirit... However, it is better to be cautious. Aside from those who revere heroes, there are many in this dungeon who wish to drag heroes down from their pedestals."

Seeing Roland so nonchalant, Finn felt a mix of wry amusement and concern, though he kept his various thoughts buried deep, offering only a gentle reminder.

"Is that so?"

Roland raised an eyebrow, looking indifferent, and pivoted to another question.

"Speaking of which, that purple crystal on the Goliath from earlier—have you seen anything similar while in the deeper levels before?"

"That is precisely what I was about to say... I have never seen it on a monster before... But upon returning from the last expedition, I did see similar purple crystals on an injured adventurer. It was not severe, the coverage was much smaller, and compared to the Goliath, the color of the crystals was much darker and murkier. At the time, I assumed it was a peculiar injury caused by some medicine or magic. Now, it seems that the signs of the dungeon’s anomaly had appeared long ago."

"That news is certainly not something to laugh about. It goes without saying that this thing is infectious."

"Yes, we will be careful in how we handle this going forward. It is unclear whether the subsequent floor bosses and monsters will exhibit this condition. It seems we must report to the Guild as soon as possible; something severe must have occurred in the deep levels."

What was expected to be an expedition to investigate anomalies had suddenly turned into the precursor to an unmanageable crisis, causing the face of Finn, who was always smiling, to become clouded with worry.

But as a captain, he quickly composed himself and looked at the magic stone behind Roland.

"How do you intend to handle that? A magic stone dropped by a floor boss is already a significant fortune. Do you plan to drag it back to the Guild to process it, or will you accompany us into the eighteenth floor? While it might be slightly cheaper at the Guild, it would be much more convenient to handle it there."

"Let's head to the eighteenth floor first. I am a bit curious about the current state of the safety floor... As for this thing, I will store it away for now."

Roland waved his hand, allowing dark shadows to spread beneath the magic stone, swallowing it entirely amidst a ripple of space.

"This is..."

Compared to Roland’s strength, witnessing this magic akin to a storage space caused a more visible tremor on Finn’s face, but he ultimately said nothing and smiled, brushing it aside.

"Then, let us prepare to enter the eighteenth floor."

—

After passing through the inclined cavern, the members of the Loki Familia finally relaxed their perpetually tense expressions. Even core members like Tiona breathed a sigh of relief.

"We have arrived. This is the safety floor."

In this terrifying dungeon, aside from the special floors that produce floor bosses, there are so-called safety floors where monsters do not actively spawn. However, this safety is not absolute, as there is always the possibility of monsters breaking in from other floors.

Yet, even so, it remains an indispensable part of Orario’s expeditions.

The further down one goes, the more complex the dungeon’s area and labyrinth become. In the deep levels, a single floor can be larger than the entirety of Orario, with exploration alone consuming a vast amount of time. Without these safety floors to recover physical strength, relax the mind, and replenish necessary supplies, even the strongest individual could not hold out alone.

Consequently, the Guild initially planned to create outposts on these safety floors, but the plan was shelved due to the exorbitant costs incurred by frequent monster attacks. After all, at such depths, at least Level 2 adventurers were needed to serve as security and maintenance, and when combined with the transport of supplies from the surface, it was too extravagant even for the Guild, which made money hand over fist.

However, their plan was not entirely wasted. Building upon the foundation left by the Guild, adventurers spontaneously formed a temporary town. With no clear order or law, and given its unique geographical location as the first trading and resting center in the dungeon, the cost of living here was extremely high. Whether it was basic food or weapons, prices far exceeded those on the surface—calling it a black market would be a compliment. Yet, for this very reason, there were also many illicit goods sold here.

While recalling this information, Roland did not take a step toward the town of the eighteenth floor, but instead gazed at the breathtaking scenery before him.

There were no labyrinths or walls here, only the rock ceiling above, resembling an inverted bowl and embedded with crystals that emitted a warm light like the sun. A sea composed of crystals—this was the unique canopy of the eighteenth floor.

"The sky here adjusts its brightness according to the time, you know. The scenery in the morning, noon, and night is different, so everyone has always treated this place as a small world."

Seeing Roland’s intrigued expression, Tiona enthusiastically explained.

"Indeed, it is truly marvelous."

Since arriving in this world, Roland rarely expressed such admiration, revealing a look of genuine enjoyment.

"After all, if the dungeon weren't so miraculous, it wouldn't be able to attract the gods to descend and create new myths."

Tiona nodded in agreement.

Roland did not respond to Tiona’s words, simply admiring the scene in silence. Rather than calling this dungeon a living thing, it would be more appropriate to describe it as a world in the midst of slow growth. The accumulation of one world was clearly not enough; he was glad he had embarked on this journey.

Compared to a dull reality, among the many incredible worlds, there would always be novel lives capable of providing him with inspiration. As an individual, he had already surpassed many things, and he could increasingly understand why DIO, after regaining his strength and possessing the power to rule the world, still remained holed up in Egypt, seeking encounters and the path to Heaven.

Because at that point, what he truly wanted was no longer to rule the world; that could not satisfy him, nor could it bring him peace. What he wanted to crush, and ultimately transcend, was that unspeakable fate.

Yes, the fundamental purpose of reaching Heaven was to transcend fate, to transcend this world.

"Whisper..."

Roland murmured, a sudden epiphany dawning in his heart.

He looked up and offered a radiant smile to this marvelous world, revealing a touch of true emotion. The depth contained within that smile left Ais, who had been watching Roland, momentarily stunned. Compared to the hero who seemed unreachable—no matter how hard she tried to draw near, she always felt the distance growing—the current Roland gave her a sense of genuine reality.

She could no longer endure the throbbing in her heart and pulled Roland aside.

"Eh, Ais!"

Without even bothering to find an excuse, the blonde girl led Roland toward the town. Because both of their agility stats surpassed Tiona’s, she could only watch their figures disappear into the distance, caught off guard.

"That's enough, Tiona. Even if it's a fair competition, we have to take turns."

Tione hugged her sister, looking at the bold Ais with surprise.

"Ais was the first to form a bond with Roland, after all. It’s rare for that child to be so proactive; let’s give her a chance."

"Ugh..."

Tiona pouted in frustration but eventually abandoned the thought of chasing after them.

Since the town itself had no guards, after a few minutes of walking, Ais quickly led Roland into a secluded alleyway.

"So, what are you planning to do, Ais?"

Roland looked at Ais with some confusion. Upon hearing his words, Ais’s golden eyes flickered slightly. Her face, as exquisite and expressionless as a doll’s, showed a few traces of panic, and the tips of her ears unconsciously flushed a crimson red.

The air fell into a heavy silence. Finally, the girl raised her head and said with a serious expression, "Roland, could you please take off your clothes?"

"?"

Such a direct request left Roland momentarily stunned, but he quickly realized Ais’s true intent.

"You want to see my status, don't you? I can tell you directly."

Roland wore an indescribable expression. Without hesitation, he told her what she wanted to hear.

After listening, Ais’s expression froze completely. She stared blankly at Roland as if she were truly nothing more than a doll, her plain face filled with astonishment.

Roland did not urge her, instead openly admiring Ais’s physique. Her long, vibrant legs, her slender waist, and the delicate collarbones beside the budding warmth of her chest—after a long while, Ais, entirely unaware of her own beauty, slowly regained her senses. She remained somewhat dazed, her exquisite face looking a bit vacant.

She stared at Roland, her expression hesitant, but in the end, she spoke these words:

"How can I become as strong as you?"

"Like me?"

Roland fell into deep thought. To his shame, in terms of hard work, he was no match for Ais.

The simplest method would be to use a cheat; the Key of All Things was the starting point for his current circumstances. However, for Ais, this would be quite difficult unless Roland assisted her. Whether it was the power obtained by forcibly converting through the corruption of the Black Mud, or directly granting her a portion of his demonic energy, he could satisfy her request to become stronger, but this was not the righteous path—at least not yet.

What had supported him until now was surely that, right?

"How about first finding a longing or a desire for which you would give everything? Although I didn't agree with this point in the past, now, I truly believe from the bottom of my heart that the state of one’s spirit and soul is vital."

"Longing?"

"Yes. It doesn't matter if it's a person or a goal. However, leveling up is probably the best path for now."

Roland recognized the convenience and potential of the Falna. Although he hadn't seen the future, he remembered that Ais’s leveling up had been quite smooth...

This answer caused the burning-eyed Ais to subconsciously lower her head slightly, keeping her gaze hidden from Roland, though the blush on her ears had yet to fade.

Finally, she nodded earnestly.

"Thank you. But for now, I cannot find any possibility other than leveling up."

After a simple word of thanks, her eyes widened slightly. As if she had made a firm decision, she slowly turned away, a faint blush spreading across her pretty face.

Wait, this atmosphere?

Roland watched with delayed realization as Ais turned around and skillfully unfastened her light armor and the buttons of her top, letting them slide down her fair, smooth skin.

The girl’s white skin shimmered like jade under the radiance of the crystals. The holy text inscribed upon her back did not detract from this beauty, but instead added a touch of mystery.

"I have hit my limit."

Ais stated her current situation in a calm tone. Her overall attributes had been stagnant for a long time without growth.

"But I want to become stronger, so..."

Then, with a voice that was both shy and serious, the girl made her request to Roland.

"—Please, guide me."