Chapter 734

"Lei, how is it? Do you know the reason why monsters are piling up?"

On the 24th floor of the Labyrinth, a figure fell from the sky, and the red Lizardman hiding inside the cave asked.

"The Food Storage has been sealed off. Some strengthened species monsters broke in. I saw those guys Fels mentioned up in the sky, and they dealt with the strengthened species monsters that broke in."

The Siren, a monster woman like a harpy, shared the information she had scouted with her companions.

"So that means it's related to those poachers who've been secretly hunting our companions. I'm going to kill them!"

A gray Stone Dragon grinned open its mouth full of ferocious fangs, preparing to leave this concealed cave hidden on the cliff face and head toward the Food Storage.

"Gulos, don't be impulsive. The strange ones connected to the poachers aren't that easy to deal with. What we should do now is contact Fels and Uranus and the others."

Lizardman Reed hurriedly stepped out to stop him, and just then, a monster resembling an Arachne walked over to this side.

"The Adventurers approaching this side have already been scared off by us. No one died, but then again, no one would be grateful to us monsters who scared them off either."

"Don't say that, Lani. I believe that one day, we Heretics will be able to engage in peaceful, friendly exchange with humans."

Reed's words made the Stone Dragon Gulos at his side snort coldly; clearly the other party didn't agree with those words much, but still didn't say anything.

"Uranus, a communication from the Heretics' side..."

At the Guild Headquarters Underground Altar, the Great Sage hidden beneath a black robe soon held a Transmission Crystal Stone in communication state, found the Guild Main God Uranus, and reported the abnormal situation appearing on the 24th floor of the Dungeon to him.

"The Foul Fairy Spirit located deep in the Dungeon, is she manipulating her retinue on the 24th floor of the Labyrinth to hatch some scheme..."

"Reed and the others pretended to be mindless monsters, triggering a controllable monster riot, scaring off those Adventurers exploring the 24th floor Labyrinth, avoiding a situation of massive Adventurer casualties. But this matter involves a possible scheme by the Foul Fairy Spirit; we must investigate the situation here as soon as possible."

"Can we have the Heretics help investigate?"

"I'm afraid that won't work. Heretics find it difficult to leave the Dungeon to survive in the Outside World, and the Foul Fairy Spirit's strange retinue can move across floors inside the Dungeon. Once they attract the Foul Fairy Spirit's attention, the Heretics' survival situation will become difficult."

"Hmm, indeed we must consider the Heretics' situation. Fels, what do you think?"

The Guild Main God sitting on the altar looked down at the black-robed Sage below with an inquiring gaze.

"First, we need to figure out what the Foul Fairy Spirit is doing over there on the 24th floor. We can perhaps commission a Familia skilled in intelligence investigation to help us."

"Hermes, huh..." Uranus pondered for a moment, then shook his head. "His wavering neutral divine will, I cannot fully trust him."

"No need to inform the other party's Main God of the truth. Just pay sufficient compensation and hire their Familia to help."

"Then, Fels, I'll leave this to you to handle."

The black-robed Sage took his leave and departed.

On the night street, Lulune came out of the Tavern. On the road back to the Familia Residence, she keenly sensed a presence appearing behind her. At a corner, she hid herself, and just as the person tailing her came over, she gripped her dagger and suddenly jumped in front of them.

"Who are you? Why are you secretly tailing me?"

The dog-girl's whole body emitted an unapproachable aura as she vigilantly questioned the black-robed person who had followed her, who felt somewhat familiar.

"It's me. The person who previously commissioned you to take something out of the Dungeon."

Fels's words made the dog-girl's expression stiffen somewhat.

"Ah, you didn't say the thing you commissioned me to help take out was actually such a dangerous item. It nearly got me killed in that commission...

Hmm, mission failed. The thing is gone now. I can't hand it over to you. But this can't be blamed on me. At most, I'll return the deposit you gave me."

Someone else gave a high-reward commission and even paid a substantial deposit in advance. Result: mission failed, and now she's been tracked down. It made Lulune feel extremely guilty.

"I'm not here to ask for a refund."

The black-robed person shook their head. Their voice was neutral, impossible to tell if male or female.

"Uh, then what are you looking for me for?"

"A new commission..."

"Lulune, you mean you encountered a mysterious black-robed person on your way back from drinking, and the other party wants to issue a commission to investigate the cause of the monster riot on the 24th floor of the Labyrinth to our entire Hermes Familia's intelligence personnel through you?"

"Yes, Lady Asfi..."

Seeing Lulune shrink her neck and answer her question, Asfi, the Hermes Familia's top workhorse captain known as the Omnipotent, raised a hand and rubbed her somewhat throbbing temples: "This matter is obviously related to those special monsters that broke into the City during the Monster Festival. And you also learned how powerful they were in the previous mission. How did you dare accept it?"

"The other party offered a very high reward..."

The dog-girl said in a small voice, and was glared at by the glasses-girl captain.

"Also, that person seems to know about our Familia lying about our strength and member levels to the Guild.

And the other party said if we refuse this mission, they'll go to the Guild and expose our concealment of information. At that time, our Familia will likely face extremely heavy Guild fines."

Hearing this, the Omnipotent was somewhat speechless. This was indeed a huge threat. If it were truly exposed, the fines their Familia would face would certainly be severe.

"Wait, how did the other party know you're from the Hermes Familia?"

Suddenly, Asfi noticed a blind spot and hurriedly asked.

"Ah, this..."

Lulune wanted to evade the question, but under her own captain's stern scrutinizing gaze, she could only obediently confess the truth.

"That's probably because when I was drinking at the tavern in Rivira, I got drunk and bragged about it..."

Adventurers always have a mountain of faults. Boasting about oneself at the drinking table is probably one of them.

Actually, this isn't really considered a major fault.

Lulune can always obtain the latest Adventurer intelligence from the drinking table precisely because she boasts about herself there, allowing her to hit it off with some Adventurers.

However, situations like the current one have also appeared — being tracked down by a troublesome mysterious person, issued a commission that makes one feel troubled yet difficult to refuse.

But fortunately, although that mysterious person used a method similar to a threat to make their Familia accept the commission, the commission price offered was indeed not low.

Even if it were a normal commission without using the threat of exposing their Familia's concealed information, Asfi felt she would still have a very high possibility of accepting this high-reward commission.

"Lady Asfi, are we going to refuse this commission?"

"What do you think?"

On one side is the Guild's exposed punishment, on the other a commission with unknown risks but high reward — anyone would know how to choose.

Of course, before that, she had to clarify the commission's responsibilities with that mysterious guy who gave Lulune the commission.

"Give me the Transmission Crystal Stone the other party gave you."

"We are merely intelligence personnel; accepting your commission to investigate the monster rampage on the 24th floor of the Labyrinth is fine, but if during that period we encounter something we ourselves cannot handle, we will not, for the sake of the investigation quest, go risk dangers beyond our capacity to handle."

"No problem, I just want you to go help investigate and clarify the situation; I never thought of letting you go die."

Fels agreed with Aphias's words, and the investigation commission was established.

"Ah, Broly, your parameter growth this time is actually this huge?"

The Saiyan boy, having already finished eating and returned to the Faction Residence, was currently lying prone on the soft bedding, and the Loli Goddess was sitting on his butt, updating the parameter panel on his back.

And when the second parameter panel was activated by Divine Blood and began to show variable numbers, Hestia cried out in surprise.

Liliruca hurriedly leaned in to look; although she couldn't understand the Holy Scripture on the boy's back, she could still understand the simple numbers.

The Pallum girl saw that on Broly's second parameter panel, four of the five basic abilities already had values breaking ten thousand, and the remaining one that hadn't broken ten thousand was also a four-digit number starting with 9.

Broly's basic ability values, originally in the 5s, after the Death Colosseum's crazy monster-grinding behavior, obtained a massive increase.

After being updated by Hestia, they directly reached 11s values, even though the Magic Power stat dragged things down.

"Lady Hestia, what level does Broly-san count as now?"

Looking at the report of the Saiyan boy's back, where the second parameter panel with its extremely exaggerated values had been translated, Liliruca couldn't help but ask the Loli Goddess.

"This, I don't know either."

To this, Hestia shook her head and answered.

"Eh?"

Seeing the Pallum girl's confused expression, Hestia began to explain: "The parameter panel brought by the Gods' Blessing has a level sublimation effect upon leveling up.

This makes each point of basic ability value at the current level higher in quality than each point of basic ability value at the previous level.

But besides Broly and Bell, my Familia has no other high-level Familia children; without a reference, how would I know what level he is at now.

Of course, the specific level is unknown, but roughly speaking, our Broly is definitely number one under heaven!"

As Hestia spoke she pounced and hugged him; the Loli Goddess directly rubbed the Saiyan boy's head into her soft and broad chest.

"I know that kind of thing of course; what I want to know is whether Broly-san now represents the highest parameter level of Orario Adventurers, and is even more powerful than that Mighty One of the Freya Familia?"

"Mighty One?"

Broly wriggled out of the Loli Goddess's embrace, looking at the Pallum girl with some curiosity.

"The Mighty One Ottar is praised as Orario's highest wall; many years ago he was this City's only Lv. 7 Adventurer, and rumors say he may have already reached the Lv. 8 Realm."

Liliruca introduced this, saying such information is quite widely circulated among Orario's Adventurers.

"Whether he is Lv. 7 or Lv. 8, Broly will sooner or later be able to use the basic values accumulated on his Lv. 1 parameter panel to completely surpass the other in terms of hard strength."

Hestia spoke like this, then suddenly thought of something and corrected herself: "Oh no, wait, this is the second parameter panel; if he levels up now and removes the Super Heavy Training Skill's effect, Dega's original strength should be able to directly surpass that Mighty One, right, Broly?!"

Facing the Loli Goddess's smiling inquiry, Broly nodded; although he didn't know that Mighty One's strength level, he knew the absolute strength difference existing between his current self and his self before activating Super Heavy Training.

Of course, one relies mostly on Qi Combat Power, the other mostly on pure physical Combat Power, and his current physical body should be stronger than his previous self.

"Broly, you promised to go on an expedition with the Loki Familia later; for safety's sake, do you want me to help you level up the second parameter panel, unlocking that Super Heavy Training Skill's effect?"

Hestia asked.

"Ah, that won't be necessary."

Hearing this, Broly hurriedly refused; the Unknown Floors Finn wants to expedition-explore are the 59th Floor, and he has been there.

Recalling now, it was just a trembling, talking plant-type monster that left a bit of an impression on him.

As for saying there is danger going there, needing Hestia's help to unlock the Super Heavy Training Skill, Broly felt it was still unnecessary.

The basic gains from seriously grinding monsters this week are quite good, and this should be the effect brought by the 【Battle Race】 Skill.

【Battle Race】

Effect ①: Fighting makes you stronger; the more intense the battle, the more it can transform into nourishment for your own strength; you are a born warrior.

Effect ②: When falling into a near-death severe injury yet not dying, you can break through the current level's physical limits (transcend the Boundary Value); this effect has been activated for the current level, lasting until the current level rises.

According to the Skill's literal description, if I level up once, I'll probably have to face the issue of being stuck at the Lv. 2 parameter Boundary Value again.

It's not like I can go near-death severely injured again to activate the 【Battle Race】 Skill's second effect.

Broly explained his reasons for not leveling up the second panel to Hestia, and this Loli Goddess immediately came out with: "Then in that case, Broly, you don't have to go to the Dungeon anymore?"

Looking at Hestia, who was gazing at him with some deep affection and expectation, Broly suddenly realized she wasn't talking about whether to level up or not, but hoping he wouldn't go to the Dungeon; a week of absence must have made this Goddess feel lonely.

"But, Lady Hestia, I still want to let myself continue becoming stronger."

Although without a parameter panel Broly can also continue becoming stronger, the efficiency of becoming stronger with Super Heavy Training active is still better.

Because without the Super Heavy Training Skill, the vast Qi really affects his physical tempering too much, but now it's different; he only needs to go to the Dungeon and freely fight monsters to continuously gain combat experience, thereby raising all basic abilities.

"Uh..."

Hestia didn't expect the boy to say this, but thinking about it, she felt it was right; if he had no desire to become stronger, how could Broly's Combat Skill be this high, and even form two Combat Skill-type Skills.

"So, Broly, you don't want to grow together with us because you're worried doing it too early will affect physical development?"

Hestia suddenly asked.

"Eh?!"

Broly froze for a moment, not expecting Hestia would actually think in this direction.

"Not entirely because of this reason, but this is indeed part of the reason."

Broly hesitated a bit, then nodded acknowledging part of it.

"Ah, so it's because of this reason; I thought Broly-san refused to grow together with me and Lady Hestia because you want to save your first time for Miss Ais and the others!"

Hearing this, the Pallum girl showed a relieved expression.

"Uh, no, it's not Miss Ais and the others……"

Just as Broly hesitated, wanting to be honest with the one goddess and one person about his promise with others, Hestia took the initiative to say: "No wonder I felt like this child was avoiding us. Sorry, the request Lil and I made before must have put you in a very difficult spot."

"Uh, yeah."

Broly, distracted, subconsciously nodded.

"From now on, I won't make things difficult for you, but for the existing problems, you still need me and Lili to help solve them, right?"

Hestia asked.

"Yeah."

After receiving Broly's affirmative reply, she and the Pallum girl made eye contact, then tacitly began helping solve the existing problems.

After the problems were solved and he lay on the bed to sleep, Broly only then felt his whole person relax.

Hestia-sama and Liliruca's stance meant he no longer had to face the pressure of possibly breaking his promise with Sister Fujimura.

However, once the pressure was gone, the boy sleeping while holding the Pallum girl from behind soon felt himself become energetic again.

Liliruca felt it, didn't speak, and silently slipped under the quilt to help.

After being helped again, once more facing the Pallum girl sleeping on her side with her back to him.

Broly felt this wouldn't work, so he turned over to face the Loli Goddess behind him.

But judging by the result, it was merely going from facing the Gougu to facing the Yougu.

The Saiyan boy tossed and turned somewhat; even sleeping facing forward didn't work, because whether it was Hestia-sama or Liliruca, when they held him to sleep, they would subconsciously hook their legs over him.

In the end, Broly only found the correct stable sleeping posture: sleeping prone. Although the tail behind him would also be hooked by the legs draped over his body, at least it wasn't as sensitive as the front tail.

The night passed without a word, until daybreak the next day……

"Mr. Broly, this time diving the Dungeon was still pretty tiring, right?"

Ryu, who had come for morning training, asked upon seeing the boy come out.

"Not that tired."

"Then why did you sleep in?"

"Uh, actually, still a bit tired."

(Chapter End)