The Absolute Godspeed of Infinite Worlds

Tsubaki was a rather peculiar woman.

I still remember our first meeting on the 18th floor. While all the other blacksmiths were utterly captivated by Eiji's charm, unable to snap out of it for the longest time, Tsubaki's attention was swiftly stolen by the Bling Blade.

Her love for weapons far surpassed everything else—much like a swordsman's devotion to their blade.

'If you put it that way, I'm actually quite tempted.'

Eiji muttered inwardly.

"I must decline. I'm not that kind of man!"

Yet, he still refused Tsubaki with righteous indignation.

Sure, it's impressive, and if you'd approached me privately, I might've hesitated longer. But what's the idea of saying this in front of Ais?

"Not even a little?"

Tsubaki pouted, clearly dissatisfied.

I want it so badly!

She was practically itching with impatience—without it, tonight would feel utterly meaningless!

"It's not that I don't want to give it to you. It's just that my sword is rather shy!"

Eiji reached behind his back and produced a sleek silver katana.

"...Where did you pull that from?"

Tsubaki blinked, glancing left and right but failing to spot any hidden pockets on him.

"That's not the point. Look."

Eiji smoothly sidestepped the question and placed the Bling Blade into Tsubaki's hands.

Her eyes lit up as she eagerly accepted it.

But her smile quickly faded.

The moment the Bling Blade touched her palms, it dissolved into particles of light, vanishing without a trace.

If not for the lingering sensation of holding it, she might've thought she'd fallen victim to an illusion spell.

"See? I told you—my sword is shy. It won't let anyone but me hold it."

Eiji explained with a perfectly straight face.

"...Is that... even possible?"

Tsubaki stared blankly at her empty hands, struggling to process what had just happened.

"Is this some kind of magic? Or a magic tool? Why did it disappear...?"

But soon, her eyes sparkled with excitement as she tugged at Eiji's sleeve, bombarding him with questions.

"This is amazing! Can you lend it to me to study—wait, no, I guess I can't study it, huh?"

Before Eiji could even refuse, she came to the realization herself.

"Never mind then... Ugh..."

A weapon that gets shy? She'd never seen anything like it!

Her curiosity was thoroughly piqued, but since she couldn't examine it, her enthusiasm deflated like a popped balloon—as if she'd just gone through a breakup.

With a dejected sigh, she trudged away.

Hey, don't leave so soon! I could let you chat with my sword a bit more!

Sure, it's shy, but with enough effort, we could probably coax it out of its shell!

Eiji was tempted to call out after her.

But in the end, he decided against it.

This was the Dungeon, after all—hardly the place for such antics.

If they'd been on the surface, he probably would've ended up in Tsubaki's bed by tonight.

"Eiji, what does 'fling' mean?"

After Tsubaki left, Ais tilted her head slightly, her expression tinged with confusion.

"Nothing much. Just playing..."

Eiji waved a hand dismissively, clearly brushing her off.

If he actually gave her a detailed explanation, Riveria would definitely come after him later.

A slight frown creased Ais' delicate brows. Eiji's evasive attitude made her feel like she was being toyed with.

She might not be good with words, but that didn't mean she couldn't think for herself.

...

The phosphorescent glow from the ceiling gradually dimmed.

But within the rocky camp, portable magic stone lamps flickered to life, casting their warm light.

The Dungeon is alive—this was an adventurer's consensus. It actively nurtured life and mimicked the natural cycles of the outside world, using phosphorescent lights and crystal glows to simulate day and night.

Now, as night fell, the surroundings plunged into darkness without light sources, making it difficult for adventurers to discern the scenery even a few kilometers away.

"Dinner's ready!"

At the shout from the cooking team, around forty members of the Loki Familia and Hephaestus Familia set aside their tasks and emerged from their tents, chatting and laughing as they gathered at the center of the camp.

A large pot sat over the fire, simmering with a hearty stew.

"Wow, meat tonight?"

"After pushing this far, we deserve to treat ourselves!"

"Don't be silly, this is for the captains."

Amid the scattered chatter, Eiji and Ais arrived and sat cross-legged around the fire.

"Here you go!"

Line approached with a smile, handing them each a white porcelain bowl.

"Thanks, Line."

Eiji expressed his gratitude before accepting the bowl and utensils.

The meal consisted mostly of fruits gathered from the surrounding forest and dried meat brought from the surface, supplemented by the hot stew from the pot—a rare luxury during an expedition.

"You'll be entering unexplored territory soon, so make sure to replenish your energy."

Line's smile remained as gentle as ever.

Back when Eiji was Level 1, she was already Level 2. Now that he had reached Level 5, she was still Level 2, joining this expedition once again as a healer.

"Alright, let's go over the final plan."

Finn, seated atop a crate at the head of the group, took a sip of stew to clear his throat before speaking, drawing everyone's attention.

Including Eiji, all expressions turned serious.

"As previously communicated, we haven't taken on any adventurer requests this time—all to conserve our strength and unleash it on the monsters below!"

"Starting from the 51st floor, we'll form an elite strike team with designated members. The rest will remain at camp with the Hephaestus Familia to secure our position."

Eiji glanced toward the distant, flattened cavern passage.

From here onward, even a first-class adventurer venturing alone could end up torn to shreds. Thus, they had to assemble a more compact squad, advancing in small, specialized units.

Even supporters needed considerable skill.

"The strike team will consist of me, Riveria, Gareth…"

Finn listed the names of all eight executives, including Eiji.

To tread into unexplored territory, they had to give their all—every executive was indispensable.

"As for supporters, we have Raul Nord, Alicia, Narvi, Cruz, Lefiya… five in total."

The first four were executive candidates, each at Level 4, responsible for carrying weapons, potions, and other supplies. Lefiya, as Riveria's successor, was a formidable artillery mage.

Seated not far away, Lefiya tensed at the mention of her name.

But with everyone focused on Finn's speech, no one noticed the shift in her expression.

"Anakitty will stay behind to command the camp. We've brought thirty magic swords this time—the assault team will take fifteen, and the remaining fifteen will stay at the camp. If those new caterpillar-type monsters appear again, use the magic swords to fight them off."

"Understood!"

The long black-haired catgirl nodded with resolute determination.

"My only demand for you tonight is to rest well and build up your fighting spirit. I won't tolerate anyone showing up tomorrow morning sleep-deprived or in poor condition!"

"Got it."

The members of the assault team all nodded in agreement.

***

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