Isekai Adventure in the Dimensional Cube

[Lamu] is a protective magic that can enhance "endurance" and "agility," and the effect of the enhancement is proportional to the caster's "Magic Power" parameter.

In other words, the higher the "Magic Power" parameter of the person using this magic, the more pronounced its enhancement effect, and the greater the degree of enhancement.

Especially for "agility," the enhancement effect of this magic is exceedingly high, far surpassing the enhancement of "endurance."

Therefore, when Reiger cast [Lamu], everyone's "agility," including Bert's, increased by at least half a level, causing the entire group's speed to soar, propelling them like a gust of wind into the 52nd floor.

At this moment, Revilia's [Thin Veil Breath] took effect on everyone, emitting a green radiance that illuminated the surroundings.

[Thin Veil Breath] is a pure defensive magic capable of withstanding all enemy attacks. As the raiding party stepped into the "Dragon Lair," Finn naturally couldn't keep this magic hidden, and thus immediately instructed Revilia to expend a large amount of spiritual power to release it, enveloping everyone in protective light garments, as they dashed through the rocky corridors not much different from the 51st floor.

But unlike the monster-infested 51st floor, the 52nd floor had no monsters emerging, creating an unusual silence.

This eerie silence only caused everyone's heartbeat to accelerate rapidly.

Especially Chun and the four Supporters who had little knowledge about the "Dragon Lair"; some felt uneasy and bewildered, while others turned pale, breaking into cold sweat.

"Run!"

Finn didn't waste words and ordered, his voice filled with tension.

"Do not stop! Do not slow down! Follow the vanguard closely!"

"Bert! Lead the way! Follow the standard route!"

"We must reach the 58th floor as quickly as possible!"

Spurred by the urging of the chieftain of the diminutive tribe, everyone dared not dally, maintaining formation as they sprinted forward.

The Lv.4 Supporters were already running with all their might, sweat pouring down their faces.

They had no choice; otherwise, they would never keep up with the first-level adventurers.

"Hmm?"

Running calmly in the middle, shoulder to shoulder with Ais, Reiger heard that sound at a certain moment.

He heard the roar that seemed to originate from the underground, as if coming from the depths of hell.

That was—

"Dragon's roar..."

Ais seemed to hear it too, softly identifying the source of the roar.

It was the roar of the Monster King.

"It's coming!"

Before the keen-eared beastmen could issue a warning, Reiger's voice reached everyone.

In the next moment—

"Boom!!!"

A thunderous explosion echoed.

That was the sound of the ground being blown apart.

In an instant, an explosive flame erupted from underground like a volcanic eruption, first destroying the ground, then continuing to burst upward, forming a red shockwave that illuminated the entire space with firelight.

"Yah!"

Rephia couldn't help but let out a scream, her pointed ears nearly retracting in fright, as she stumbled to the ground.

Bert and Angel, both beastmen, grimaced, their keen hearing almost overwhelmed by the deafening roar, causing a sharp pain in their eardrums.

"It's, it's a sniper from the Cannon Dragon!"

Raul shouted hoarsely, on the verge of tears.

"Run!"

"Run quickly!"

"Don't stop!"

Finn, Revilia, and Grace yelled in succession, making everyone completely ignore the massive explosion behind them, running desperately bathed in the firelight that turned them crimson.

"Boom!!!"

Soon, a second massive explosion struck, like a gigantic landmine bursting where the group had just passed, sending a column of Red Lotus Flames soaring skyward, reaching the ceiling.

Crimson flames swept in all directions.

The ground was gradually consumed by a sea of fire.

Heat waves slammed into the rapidly running adventurers, forcing the Supporters to suppress the screams rising in their throats.

The corridor trembled, temperatures rose, and powerful bombardments from lower floors incessantly pounded the 52nd floor, blasting large holes in the ground, causing rocky patches to collapse with a clatter, and flames to erupt everywhere, soon turning the blasted ground red-hot like magma.

This was...

"The 'Dragon Lair'....!"

Chun, unable to gather monster drop items, wore a rigid expression as she ran swiftly alongside Loki Familia members.

Reiger, however, glanced back at the blown-apart ground, feeling an urge to jump in.

The long-range sniping from the 58th floor was indeed terrifying, but the fact that Cannon Dragon's bombardment could reach the 52nd floor also meant that the large hole blown open in the ground would lead straight to the 58th floor, a direct path without obstructions.

Therefore, if one wished to reach the 58th floor quickly, jumping into that enormous hole was the fastest method, the best shortcut.

Previously, Reiger had done just that.

Every time he entered the "Dragon Lair" from the 52nd to 58th floors, Reiger would deliberately wait for the Cannon Dragon to blast open the ground, then jump in for a direct path to the 58th floor, sometimes even using magic himself to blow open the ground and jump to the 58th floor, all in pursuit of efficiency.

But that was because Reiger had protective magic safeguarding him.

There is a magic called "Fire Attribute Nullification," which, once used, literally renders fire attribute attacks harmless.

Relying on this magic, Reiger dared to jump into the cave.

If it were someone else, they would have been incinerated on the spot by the Cannon Dragon's second bombardment before reaching the 58th floor, with no chance to evade.

For this reason, no one considered jumping into the cave to reach the 58th floor, as no one wants to become a living target.

Moreover, if a person can jump through the big hole to reach the lower floors, naturally, the monsters from the lower floors can also attack through the big hole.

"Roar!"

"Roar!"

Soon after, as the sound of dragon roars echoed, dark shadows flew up from the hole on the floor, which had been burned red.

"Watch out!"

"Wyverns incoming!"

Revilia and Grace, positioned at the rear guard, issued warnings one after another, revealing the true form of those dark shadows to everyone.

They were the winged dragon species known as Evil Wyverns, with bodies each three meters long, including their tails.

The seven floors from the 52nd to the 58th are dubbed the "Dragon's Cradle" because of these blue-purple wyverns (Evil Wyverns), as well as the Cannon Dragons (Valgang Dragons) that constantly unleash ultra-long-range bombings.

Cannon Dragons can sense adventurers' presence from super long distances and use bombardments to break through floors.

The Wyverns, on the other hand, can fly through the opened floors to attack adventurers.

The existence of these two types of dragon monsters is the main reason this place is called the "Dragon's Cradle," and they are the creators of the "floor ignoring" phenomenon.

Imagine if the adventurers' strength was only enough to deal with monsters on the 52nd floor but not the more formidable monsters from deeper floors. When monsters from below come to their floor and initiate long-range sniping, what a desperate situation that would be?

One of the rules of the underground city is that the lower the floor, the stronger the monsters. Thanks to this, the Guild sets recommended levels for each floor, advising adventurers on which floors their strength is suitable to explore.

When powerful monsters from lower floors cross levels to attack the less strong adventurers, if not a nightmare, what else could it be?

This is the primary reason the domain below the 52nd floor is regarded as hell.

Seeing the ever-emerging wyverns from the furnace-red hole, Finn quickly made a decision.

"There are too many of them, and if we engage, we'd be slowed down."

"Once we slow down, the Cannon Dragon's sniping will certainly target us accurately, blowing everyone away."

"So, it's inadvisable to engage."

Thinking this, Finn immediately issued orders.

"Maintain this formation and keep moving, Grace, handle the wyverns, Ais, go support!"

"Bert, Theona, Theone, don't stop, push forward, don't bother eliminating monsters, just knock them away!"

"Reiger, Revilia, start chanting magic!"

Upon hearing Finn's orders, Revilia began chanting magic without hesitation.

Reiger, hearing Revilia's chant, immediately understood which magic she was preparing to use.

Therefore, he cooperated with Revilia, unfolding a magic array at his feet.

"[Soon, the flames will be unleashed.]"

"[The advancing battle flames, the inevitable destruction.]"

"[The horns of war sound loud and clear, surrounding the all-consuming chaos.]"

"[Come forth, Red Lotus Flames, merciless blazing fire.]"

"[Thou art the incarnation of Karmic Fire, sweeping away myriad forces, concluding a massive war.]"

"[Burn everything, Surtur's Sword—I am Alf.]"

The two voices overlapped, chanting solemn and sacred spells, causing the magic power and the Red Lotus Karma Fire behind them to surge and spout upwards toward the ceiling.

"Roar!"

"Roar!"

The wyverns seemed to perceive the danger, roaring as they pounced.

"Too naive!"

Grace, responsible for the rear guard, immediately swung his great battle axe; it crashed heavily against the ground, sending sand and dust flying, obstructing the wyverns' sight.

"Pssh!"

Ais also turned and charged back, piercing a wyvern's head with her sword, penetrating its magic stone, killing it instantly.

The dwarf warrior and the girl's swordsman intercepted the enemies' attacks, protecting Reiger and Revilia, who were chanting magic.

"......"

Suddenly, Reiger's chanting ceased.

"Reiger?"

Finn was the first to sense it, turning his head and frowning at him.

Instead of looking at Finn, Reiger glanced at Ais first, then gazed ahead.

"Looks like, as planned, I have to stay here, Captain."

The calm words startled everyone, while Finn understood something.

His gaze sharpened, glaring straight ahead.

There, a figure slowly appeared.