It’s been five days since we entered the forty-fifth floor. We’ve covered half the map, but we haven’t been attacked by any monsters yet.
At this point, I think the hardest part about this floor is how easy it is to not know where to go.
We can tell by the sun when the weather is good, but it’s only been that way in that first morning. After that, the sun has almost always been blocked by clouds.
Sometimes we can see trees, but this place is mostly flat with nothing but snow. There’s nothing we can use as a landmark.
We’d be having a lot of trouble if I didn’t have Map.
“Yes, I don’t think I’ve heard a lot about magic items that can check directions. Your skill is really useful, Sora.”
There’s even a big clan that was here before us, but had to leave with a return stone because they got lost.
“So how did they get through this floor?”
“…I’m pretty sure they refrained from moving when the weather was bad.”
Says Siphon, and the rest of his party nods.
That would take time, but it would be the most reliable method. But aren’t days with good weather rare around here?
And as if denying it, there are two days with good weather after that.
I see. So the idea is to cover a lot of distance at times like these, and preserve your energy on other days.
The sun rises in the direction where the next staircase is, and sets in the direction where we came from.
Luckily for us, it’s here that we find our first frost giants.
At first they keep their distance and fire magic, so we hold our shields, cast Aura Shield, and advance slowly while blocking their attacks.
I don’t know if it’s because we closed the distance or because they’re running out of MP, but at some point, they switch to close quarters combat.
There are five in total. Geitz and I block their attacks, while Siphon and the others take them out one at a time.
Chris, Yuno, and Mia support us, and hinder the frost giants from going on the offensive.
“It doesn’t feel to me like they’re as strong as I heard.”
“They show their true power when it’s snowing.”
Jin says to Siphon.
That could be it, but there’s no reason for us to check.
If we reach the staircase without any issues, I have nothing to complain about.
I put the corpses in the Item Box, and we keep walking until the sun sets. The weather is still good.
“Do you think we’ll fight monsters again?”
“There are some near the staircase, so I think so. Maybe we wouldn’t have to if another party came in.”
We’re currently the only party here.
There’s no reason for parties that have already gone through here to hunt here unless they find something profitable. Like for example frost giant materials being valuable.
Although I’ve heard that their fur has value as materials to be used for equipment to protect against the cold.
◇ ◇ ◇
So basically, when we fight near the staircase, it’s during a blizzard.
It feels like the frost giants’ magic is stronger, but not enough that we can’t handle it with our shields.
The issue is the poor visibility caused by the blizzard, so we take longer to take them down.
The scariest thing during this fight is friendly fire, so we don’t do coordinated attacks. That means the ones with the highest attack power, Siphon, Sera, and Jin, fight by themselves.
Hikari and Rurika look like they’re itching to join them, but they can’t.
When there’s only one left, Chris says she wants to check how her spirit magic does in the middle of a blizzard, so we leave it to her… Yes, it makes sense to consider how to use it.
She uses fire spirit magic, so I was expecting it to be less powerful here, but it’s still really strong.
It blows away the snow around this whole area, and the frost giant is completely erased from this world, not even leaving a hair behind.
Hikari says it was great, while everyone else is too stunned to speak.
Even Chris looks like she wasn’t expecting so much power.
And after that, we’re done with the forty-fifth floor, so we go back to the surface.
The guild employees are surprised to see us return after ten days.
“When are we going back to the dungeon?”
“We need to check the documents that have been updated, and you’re tired too, right?”
I ask Siphon and the others.
“…I guess I do want to rest a bit and check how we’re doing.”
And so, we take a five day break.
But it’s not all about resting. We’re also going to challenge a boss.
Our objective is to get a return stone, but if it doesn’t spawn, we’ll have to buy it. The problem is that not only has their price soared, but they get snatched up right after being put up for sale.
It makes sense, because the further down we go, the more people are inclined to go back after every floor.
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Thanks for the treat.