In the underground city, generally speaking, the further down you go, the larger the floor area becomes.
According to joint statistics from the guild and numerous familias, the area of the 5th floor of the underground city is already comparable to the central plaza in front of Babel Tower, while the area of the 40th floor is equivalent to the entire expanse of the city of Orario, incredibly spacious.
It is precisely because of this that a town appears on a safe floor like the 18th level.
If the area were insufficient, a town would not be established; it is because the underground city is spacious enough, grand enough, that all sorts of miracles happen successively.
Of course, before the 18th floor, no matter how spacious each floor may be, the area is still limited and cannot accommodate too many people.
At the very least, for an expedition force like the Loki Familia that moves out with dozens of people, squeezing into the corridors of the maze would make it difficult to even move, let alone fight monsters.
Especially since the underground city doesnât belong solely to the Loki Familia; many other adventurers also enter here to explore. During an expedition, allowing the entire army to move freely on the upper floors would certainly cause problems.
Therefore, on expeditions, itâs unclear what other large factions do, but the Loki Familia divides the main force into two or three groups, progressing separately, starting at staggered times, and reconvening after reaching the 18th floor to reorganize and continue further downward.
This time, the Loki Familia was divided into two squads.
The first squad serves as the vanguard, led by Finn, with Reiger, Ais, Revilia, Theona, Theone, and Bert, all top-tier adventurers, joining in, concentrating the main combat power of the squad.
The second squad is the backup force, led by Grace, with Rephia, Raul, Angel, and the core strength of the second army, as well as the Advanced Forgers from the Hephaestos Clan led by Chun. Though their combat power may not be as strong as the first squad, they have more members.
The division is such because in the underground city, one never knows what abnormal situations may occur, so the vanguard that departs first is required to concentrate more power, responsible for handling any potential incidents along the route.
This way, the backup force responsible for transporting supplies can advance safely without worrying about suddenly encountering abnormal situations that could damage and consume the vital supplies.
Thatâs the plan, but itâs just for the sake of safety.
"At least I donât think weâll encounter any abnormal situations that even we canât handle on the upper floors!"
Walking in front, Theona seemed somewhat impatient as she twirled her large double-edged blade and smiled back at everyone, leaving them rather helpless.
At this moment, the vanguard of the expedition force was walking through the maze passages of the 7th floor of the underground city.
In this floor, the monsters that appeared included killer ants that made Reiger quite nostalgic, always appearing in swarms. If a novice adventurer at Lv.1 were to appear here and witness this scene, they would probably turn pale with fright, right?
Back then, when Reiger was a rookie adventurer, he had come to this floor with Rephia, wreaking havoc among the killer ants.
Now, however, no matter how many more of these monsters appear in tens or hundreds or thousands, they canât stir up any trouble.
No way, as the vanguard here comprised the key high-end combat power of the Loki Familia, led by seven top-tier adventurers.
In front of these adventurers at Lv.5 and above, the mere Lv.1 killer ants, despite their size, seem no different from ordinary ants, easily crushed underfoot.
Thanks to this, even though the vanguard party led by Finn set out first to clear the way for the backup force, the adventurers appeared quite relaxed, as if they were on a leisurely outing in the countryside.
With the strength of this squad, not to mention there being no abnormal situations, even if there were any, they would be childâs play.
Of course, Bert, who was leading the way and kicking apart a pouncing killer ant, couldnât help but mock Theona.
"Stupid Amazon, even if you keep swinging that enormous chunk of scrap metal around, hacking everything in sight, it wonât get you to Lv.6."
Bertâs taunt made Theona immediately turn her head, sticking out her tongue at him.
"Mind your own business; I want to slash everything, no matter what monster comes, Iâll take them all down. If I canât reach Lv.6 that way, then the one eating dust behind me, which is you, definitely wonât either!"
At Theonaâs teasing, the sneer on Bertâs face briefly froze, and he immediately flared up.
"Who are you calling eating dust behind you?" Bert bared his fangs menacingly, "If I get serious, you, a stupid Amazon dragging that heavy piece of scrap metal, would only be eating my dust! Stupid Amazon!"
"What did you say!?"
Theona immediately raised her large double-edged blade, looking like she wanted to go on a rampage.
"Alright." Revilia frowned, scolding, "Both of you quiet down a bit, even as familia executives, your mouths keep spewing foul language, cut it out!"
Indeed, to a pure and fastidious elf, constantly mentioning butts is quite vulgar and unpleasant to hear.
If it werenât for Alicia and the other elves who support the royal family not being here, Bert and Theona would surely be criticized for cursing in front of the royals like this.
"You all, thereâs no need to be so impatient." Finn walked behind, carrying a long spear, shaking his head and chuckling, "Weâre only at the seventh level, thereâs no need to rush from here. Leave the monsters for those who need to accumulate experience points, the deeper areas are your main battlefield."
"The captain is right." Theone obediently followed Finn, advising her sister, "Theona, stop arguing with Bert. Even if you win, it wonât give you much sense of achievement."
"Yeah, Theone is right." Theona nodded solemnly, sheathed her large double blades, returned, and said to Bert, "Iâll let you off this time, stinky wolf."
"Whoâs letting who off?" Bertâs forehead pulsed, he said angrily, "You sisters just wait, Iâll kick you both someday."
The group continued to move forward while bantering, with only Reiger and Ais trailing behind and not participating in the conversation.
However, the two of them were also talking, not staying silent.
"With the scale and strength of the expedition team, it shouldnât be a problem until we reach the fiftieth level; the question is whether the bosses of each floor have revived."
Reiger and Ais discussed such matters.
"When we came last time, the Goliath hadnât revived."
Ais remembered when she and Reiger, along with Rephia, entered the underground city for training before the expedition.
At that time, they often moved to the eighteenth level and almost daily passed through the seventeenth levelâs boss room.
For eight consecutive days, the floor boss, Goliath, didnât appear, and even when Reiger and Ais went to the twenty-fourth level, it didnât show up.
"The Goliath should be coming soon." Reiger thoughtfully said, "The production interval for the seventeenth level floor boss is about two weeks. Even if it was defeated before we went to the twenty-fourth level last time, it should reappear in a few more days."
"The production interval for Udaeus is three months, so it probably wonât appear this time."
Reiger glanced at Ais, making this swordswoman who single-handedly defeated Udaeus over a month ago feel uneasy.
At this moment, Revilia, walking a bit ahead of the two, chimed in.
"You guys should pay some attention to the information Raul and the others have gathered at the guild." Revilia looked at this golden couple of swordsmen, seemingly reproaching, "Raul and the others have already confirmed at the guild, during our expedition, none of the four major floor bosses will appear."
"Well, thatâs only natural, right?" Finn smiled, saying, "During our last expedition, we practically defeated all the floor bosses. Itâs only been less than two months now. Whether itâs Udaeus, which Ais defeated single-handedly, the floor boss Balrog on the forty-ninth level, or even Amphisbena on the twenty-seventh level, itâs not yet their production time."
"The only possible one to pass the production interval is the seventeenth level floor boss, Goliath, but itâs already confirmed. It was defeated more than a week ago."
"Of course, thatâs the normal situation. The production intervals for floor bosses are roughly around those times, but not necessarily punctual; they may appear earlier or later."
"Wasnât there an anomaly when Ais fought last time?"
Hearing this, everyone nodded in agreement.
Over a month ago, the Loki Familia had already defeated the thirty-seventh level floor boss, Udaeus. Logically, it should be reborn after three months, but when Ais went to the thirty-seventh level a month ago, Udaeus broke through the ground of the underground city right as it was produced, which was undoubtedly an anomaly.
"Thatâs the underground city; itâs not a dead thing, but a living magic cave." Revilia said meaningfully, "If it sees you alone, it will definitely strike when youâre down."
At that time, Ais had gone alone to Udaeusâs room in a state of exhaustion, giving the underground city every reason to strike when she was down, even going as far as to give birth to a floor boss early, just to deal with Ais.
"We need to guard against such situations, understand? Theona?"
Finn threw his words at the Amazon sister who had just boasted.
"Got it~!"
Theona replied nonchalantly, causing the others to laugh.
"Hmm?"
Suddenly, Reiger stopped walking.
A flash of transparent light in his eyes, his heart stirred.
"Is it coming?"