Published: July 4, 2025
"0072" has turned out to be a bit long, so I split it into two parts.
In the tent.
"Arthur, please tell me in detail what happened on the fortieth floor."
Hugh poured water into their cups and handed it over before sitting down.
"Well then, let's start from when we were transferred."
Arthur took a sip of water and began his story.
"We were suddenly transferred to the fortieth floor. At the same time, Clive and the others, who were working on the eleventh floor, were also transferred. Moreover, Clive and the others ended up in front of a group of devils."
Arthur reported the situation in short sentences, almost like bullet points.
"Devils? Those devils? The ones mentioned in the temple stories?"
"That's right, those devils."
Hugh was astonished.
It was only natural.
For the past two hundred years, there have been no reported encounters with devils in the Central Nations.
Two hundred years is eight generations ago.
It was during the time of his grandfather's grandfather's grandfather's grandfather... a time so distant it felt like a dream.
Stories from such an era are mostly considered legends.
He barely knew of the name "devil" because it appeared in the 'tales' spread by the temple, but that was the extent of his understanding.
"Moreover, there were fifty of them, and three of them were particularly strong. To top it off, there was a demon prince among them."
"A demon prince…? One who is destined to become a demon king? How did you encounter such a being and live to tell the tale…? I apologize. It must be because you and Abel were there."
Hugh shook his head, thinking it would be impossible for anyone else.
However, Arthur, the advisor, also shook his head in denial.
"Well... Abel was indeed incredible. As expected of him. If it weren't for him, we would have been wiped out quickly. However, even Abel was on the verge of being killed by the demon prince..."
"Eh...? And how did that happen...? No way..."
"Yes, that's when Ryo appeared."
The scene of Ryo breaking through the ceiling of the fortieth floor and descending from the sky left even Arthur in shock.
First of all, he had never heard of someone breaking through the floor of a dungeon.
Later, he learned that Ryo had descended all the way down to the fortieth floor using that method...
Ridiculous!
It was truly ridiculous.
Among Arthur's acquaintances, there were top-tier water attribute mages. There were several.
Yet, none of them could likely break through a dungeon floor.
Not with fire attribute, not with wind attribute.
In fact, even earth attribute couldn't do it... He had witnessed the failures in the past to know for sure.
While it was possible to chip away a little, it would eventually regenerate after a while.
Dungeon floors and walls are just like that.
For someone to perform such an unheard-of and unseen feat using water attribute magic... was beyond comprehension.
"Hugh, what in the world is that young man Ryo...?"
This question had lingered in Arthur's mind throughout the battle with the devils.
However, of course, he couldn't find a satisfying answer.
"As for what he is... he is the one who brought Abel back from the south of the mountain of demons..."
With that, Hugh shared the story of Abel's return with Arthur the advisor.
"I see, so that's Abel's friend..."
"Yes, they certainly seem to get along well."
For Arthur, who had known Abel since he was young, the fact that Abel had made a 'friend' after becoming independent was something very special.
At the same time, it also made him somewhat happy.
For Abel, Rhea, Lin, and Warren are, of course, his most important companions.
They are irreplaceable comrades.
However, they are still not 'friends.'
Perhaps there is a romantic relationship, but they are not friends in that sense.
Friendship must be an equal relationship.
Unfortunately, those three know too many circumstances to have an equal relationship with Abel, nor would they want to.
And aside from those three, there is no one in the City of Run who could build an equal relationship with Abel...
There are a few in the royal capital... but even they, how much can they truly be called 'friends'...?