“A Breakthrough Floor. It is the type for the 54th floor.”
The vanguard quickly identified the floor type and relayed it to the expedition.
There were many types of floors, but each had distinct characteristics. Unless it was a type that appeared in the later floors, any decent ranker could identify it.
“A Breakthrough Floor, huh…… There could be variables.”
This 54th floor was a Breakthrough Floor.
The type notorious for having the most variables.
Variables had occurred plenty on previous floors, but excluding the 51st floor where logging out had been temporarily blocked, they had been at a manageable level.
After all, they knew the type, and weren't they moving together with the Empire's elite knights and ranker-origin Possessed?
With that level of force, they could crush minor variables through sheer power.
But such talk didn't apply to a Breakthrough Floor.
“A Breakthrough Floor is a floor where you must break through endlessly appearing instance dungeons. The average number of dungeons one must break through is known to be roughly twenty, but this too is not certain information.”
“Then it doesn't sound so difficult. It seems far easier than the previous Infinite Floor.”
“Thinking only of difficulty, it may or may not be.”
“May not be?”
“Because there are too many variables.”
Based on the explanation so far, it didn't look difficult.
If the Empire's finest troops and ranker-origin Possessed gathered together, what were a mere twenty instances? What reason would they have to fail to break through?
But the Breakthrough Floor was the type most notorious for its variables.
The reason being:
“There is no return gate in a Breakthrough Floor.”
It was called a Breakthrough Floor, after all.
There was no retreat in a Breakthrough Floor. Unlike other floors, once you entered, you could not go back.
The Possessed could log out, but the Empire's knights could not get out again.
“We had no intention of coming out until after the conquest anyway, so that matters little.”
“That is not all.”
If that were all, they wouldn't even call it a variable.
“All personnel who enter the floor are scattered to different locations.”
“……Scattered?”
“Yes. You must break through nearly twenty instances without knowing who you will team up with or how.”
It began the moment of entry.
They couldn't plan the composition of forces, nor prepare for the variables that came with it.
The moment they entered, they would scatter and have to begin breaking through in different spaces—what could they possibly plan or prepare for?
“That is…… truly a floor with many variables.”
“Correct. We had no deaths on the 52nd and 53rd floors with the Empire, but this Breakthrough Floor is different. We must inform the troops and warn them sufficiently.”
Until now, they had been together and planned ahead, so while they might get injured, they weren't driven to death.
But on a Breakthrough Floor, all of that was useless.
What if those with incompatible skills grouped together, or weak knights grouped together without a leader?
Of course, even the weakest knight in the expedition was an elite knight renowned elsewhere, so they were reliable. But the place they were going was the Abyss's space. It was by no means an easy place even for elite knights.
Moreover, hadn't they said they had to break through an average of twenty dungeons per group?
Of course, deaths could occur in sufficient numbers, and it was difficult to guess how great the damage might be.
“Then supplementing with more troops is also a method.”
“That is the only alternative, but they must at least be at a level where they won't be a hindrance or have their minds devoured by the Demonic Realm.”
“That goes without saying.”
A situation where they scattered and started breaking through with unknown combinations.
In such a situation, the optimal countermeasure was likely to increase personnel.
However, they couldn't just add anyone.
If they added ordinary soldiers, they would be consumed by the strange mental pressure of the Abyss space. Even if they were knights, if their martial skill was weak, they would only be a hindrance.
“What is the condition for a successful conquest?”
As befitting veterans who had successfully conquered floors twice with the Empire, it was a fairly skilled question. The Possessed who had been explaining answered.
“First, personnel are formed into separate groups to clear all assigned dungeons. Then a space appears where those who succeeded in breaking through can gather. If you defeat the floor's commander-grade monster together there, the conquest succeeds. If no one succeeds in breaking through within the time limit, or if you fail to defeat the commander-grade monster, it is a failure.”
The rules were simple and clear.
If you succeeded in breaking through to the end, you succeeded.
If you failed, you failed.
“When does the floor's commander-grade monster appear? I suppose we don't have to face it immediately after breaking through?”
“No. The floor will wait until everyone who succeeded has gathered. Entrances where breakthrough failed will close, those still in progress will remain open, and successful entrances will break. Only after all entrances have closed or broken will the boss monster—that is, the commander-grade monster—appear.”
“Until all entrances break or close…… That is rather cruel.”
An entrance closing meant the breakthrough had failed there.
A failed breakthrough meant the members of that dungeon had been wiped out.
“Understood. We shall prepare with that in mind.”
The Abyss 54th Floor expedition, also known as the Demonic Realm Expedition, was composed of slightly more troops than before.
And so the completed expedition advanced toward the gate without a moment's delay.
* * *
He would definitely win.
He would definitely win and even the Supreme Heavenly Demon would be beneath his feet.
This was not an issue that could be dismissed as mere competitive spirit.
The trait of Antipus was the Ruler.
To rule, or to fall. It was an extreme trait, and as such, its effect was certain.
It had now become no different from his identity.
'If even trivial victories cannot be claimed, I grow further from dominion.'
No one must exist above the Ruler.
Antipus was confident.
He was confident that he would surpass even the great Sword Saint Vitalianus and the unidentified ruler of the western sea.
But hadn't he been blocked by a wall first?
A firm wall that had never been overcome since even within the game.
A name endlessly arrogant.
The Supreme Heavenly Demon.
At first, he hadn't known the meaning of the name. He hadn't cared.
He had believed it would soon lie beneath his feet and be forgotten as always.
But a year passed, then two, then three, and the Supreme Heavenly Demon remained above his head as if it were only natural.
By then, it was impossible not to be curious.
What did that incomprehensible name mean?
He recalled the day he first learned the meaning of Supreme Heavenly Demon, and how he had shuddered considerably.
To call oneself the 'Heavenly Demon.'
Was it not an arrogant confidence, as if to reveal that they lived in a different world already?
He hated to admit it, but it was truly a fitting name.
He didn't know how others saw it, but in Antipus's eyes, it was a demon he must surpass.
For it was a demon dwelling in that high sky.
Therefore, Antipus had strived without cease.
To reach the heavens. To ascend there and even rule over the Heavenly Demon.
'……Without fail.'
Thus he resolved that in this Breakthrough Floor too, he would succeed in breaking through faster than him.
Because he himself felt his confidence gradually diminishing.
It was an emotion never permitted to a Ruler. He had to secure even a small victory against the Supreme Heavenly Demon to regain his confidence.
“We enter!”
With that firm resolve, he entered the Abyss's 54th floor.
「You have entered the Abyss - 54th Floor.」
A Breakthrough Floor.
「Moving immediately to the designated area.」
It was a floor where luck was important.
Who you formed a team with and how.
Strategy and speed would obviously differ greatly depending on who was in your location.
As his darkened vision gradually recovered, Antipus opened his eyes wide.
What entered his sight were a total of seven people.
After quickly checking their faces, a faint smile formed on Antipus's lips.
'Good fortune.'
He had to admit it. He was lucky.
Two knights clad in armor.
The remaining five were all Possessed.
And one of them was:
“Silbert.”
“……Antipus?”
A supreme-tier combatant even among the Possessed. The Master of Psychokinesis, Silbert.
The two knights were quite skilled as well, and with more than half being Possessed, they would be able to move quickly according to Antipus's will.
He didn't know about other parties, but with Antipus and Silbert together, it was no different from an excessive concentration of force.
Antipus's smile deepened.
'This time, for sure…….'
He had a good feeling.
Luck was on his side from the very start.
He felt that this time, he could defeat the Supreme Heavenly Demon.
“A total of eight with two knights and six Awakened. And among them, you and I are together…… For now, reaching the common space after a successful breakthrough is practically guaranteed.”
“You speak truth, but do not let your guard down.”
“Naturally.”
As Silbert and the other Possessed said this, even the two knights subtly let out sighs of relief.
The knights too had witnessed Antipus and Silbert's abilities in the Infinite Floor.
What did it mean to have two such powerful individuals in their party?
It meant the probability of survival had risen dramatically.
“I will take the front.”
After sharing their abilities and roughly determining positions, Antipus's party soon stood before the dungeon gate.
The shape of the flickering black gate was identical to the gates to each floor's space, but its size was much smaller—only about the height of a person.
“Breaking through the dungeon is a given, but I have a separate goal.”
Before such a gate, Antipus looked back at his party members including Silbert and spoke.
“To break through as fast and as perfectly as possible. That alone is my goal.”
And with that, he turned and began entering the gate.
“Follow me as you see fit.”
It was the party that began the Breakthrough Floor first.
* * *
「You have entered the Abyss - 54th Floor.」
He closed his eyes at the familiar sensation.
The space of the Abyss he was stepping into again after two months.
Airaitz was not participating in this conquest either.
After completing the 1st Circle, she had been determined to go on conquests together using the portal.
What he had given her was the Tetradia Basic Magic Education textbook.
She had examined the book thoroughly, and the explanations were good, so she would manage well enough on her own.
Back in my day, we didn't have such books and just ignorantly slammed circles into our hearts.
「Moving immediately to the designated area.」
Anyway, now was the time to focus.
A Breakthrough Floor was a floor with many variables.
The start of those enormous variables was right now: the randomly formed party and its members.
Feeling the sensation of the staff held in his hand, Hio slowly opened his eyes.
A room black from floor to wall to ceiling.
In the middle stood a gate roughly his own height. What the Possessed called an instance dungeon.
He had to break through roughly twenty such gates to enter the common space where the boss monster was.
After confirming that, Hio turned his head to the side.
Who had come here with him?
That was the most important thing.
It was all random anyway, but if he had to wish for one thing, it was that no powerhouse like Vitalianus or Antipus had come.
The reason was confidence.
Against Abyss monsters, the “No Violence!” penalty, Hio's greatest weakness, was not applied.
If there were many enemies, he could face them with magic together with Kkingkking.
If the enemy was a small number of strong foes, he could call upon Thunder Emperor and Blue Flame, and if absolutely necessary, even Heaven itself.
So he hoped that strong fighters like Vitalianus would spread out evenly and lead others.
That was his wish, and it had undoubtedly been sincere.
……It had truly been sincere, but…….
“……Really no one?”
As Hio had wished, there was no one around him.
No matter how random it was, wasn't having literally no one too much?
“……Really?”
Did they really expect him to break through twenty dungeons alone?
The gods should all be asleep after Ripyue, so why was a prayer suddenly answered like this?
– Is it not as you wished? Why are you angry, hm? Heh heh.
“……I'm lonely. Still, someone could have come to talk to.”
– I shall do so, so do not worry.
“I don't want you!”
– ……Hm?
What could he do?
It was Purnel's voice that he heard sickeningly every day, but he had to listen to even that.
Since his side was short on personnel, other parties would have their forces reinforced. He would have to take comfort in that.
“Sigh…….”
Just as Hio dragged his feet and turned to enter the gate.
Fwoosh—
A brilliantly surging mass of light.
As the abruptly rising light gradually faded, the shape that appeared was unmistakably that of a person.
“Oh……!”
Someone had been assigned to Hio's party, entering late.
“As expected! No matter what, having none was too much, right?”
No matter how random the assignment was, having to break through twenty dungeons alone—if it weren't Hio, that would basically be telling him to die.
About two people including himself would be just right. Good for small talk, perfectly suitable.
As the light faded and the person's form completed.
They were distinctly smaller than Hio, with a slender build.
The color of the hair that appeared was red.
In short, she was simply:
“Claire?”
It was Claire.
At the same time, Claire's eyes opened wide.
Those red pupils turned toward Hio, and she hesitated as if flustered.
Hio paid no heed and approached Claire, grasping both her hands firmly.
It was because he was so glad to see her.
No matter what anyone said, Claire was the first connection he had made in this world and a precious person who had allowed him to form attachments.
Someone he had lived with under one roof for two years, like family.
Thus Hio welcomed Claire with a bright smile.
“It's the bed-wetter!”
“……Huh?”
Claire, who had been awkwardly avoiding his eyes, immediately reddened at Hio's next words and swung her fist.
“You wet yourself at the training grounds a few days ago, didn't you?”
“Ah! What are you saying, you stupid Hio!”
It was definitely a far nastier punch than before.