(Pov change: Ryuu Lion)
"That adventurer has a really good voice, and the song has a really deep verse as well." I was observing the adventurer, unable to see his face as he was wearing the cloak.
"It's the first time I've seen someone fighting while singing, " Neze said while looking at his figure as he walked towards the entry of the 7th floor.
"It was a beautiful song." Filvis, the newest member of our familia, said.
"Maybe he's just lost it," Kaguya scoffed, folding her arms with that ever-present smirk. "Wouldn't be the first lunatic we've met in the dungeon."
"Kaguya," I said with a sigh. "That's an unfair assumption. We don't know anything about him. Why must you always ridicule someone?"
"And did you switch from defending justice to defending mysterious singing weirdos now?"
I decided to ignore her snarky remark as I noticed Alise frowning and holding her chin, which is a habit of hers when she is remembering or thinking about something.
"Alise, is something the matter?"
"Hmm, no, it's just his voice seems Familiar somehow," she said and went back in her thoughts, now she won't stop doing it until she remembers it. Just as I had that thought, the next moment her eyes widened.
"Ah! I remembered now." She hit her palm with her fist. "He is the new member of the Loki familia. Arin Kael!"
"You mean the High Human that you met yesterday?" Lyra asked in confirmation.
A High Human. To be honest, at first I did not believe the rumor that spread around the city yesterday. As High Humans have already left this world thousands of years ago.
But hearing from Alise herself, I had no choice but to believe it.
"Yup, maybe we should say hello next time we meet, after all, he is a potential powerhouse, and most of all a member of our allied familia," Lyra commented.
"Yeah, I agree. He might be the kind of person we will have to cooperate with in the future," I agreed with her sentiment.
"If he doesn't sing us to sleep first," Kaguya muttered, always being pessimistic.
Alise chuckled. "Regardless, for now, we should go back and report to Astraea-sama about our findings of the weird behaviour of monsters."
Everyone gave a nod as we started walking back to the surface. I looked back for a moment before long turning back to my comrades. Arin Kael, I will remember that name.
(Back to Arin Pov)
Unaware of the discussion between the Astraea familia members. I made my way to the 7th floor, which was not that different from the previous one.
"Ahhhh!!!!!"
"GUAAA!!!"
I heard a scream of pain and a roar of a monster, a little deeper in the floor. Without thinking much about it, I ran in that direction.
.
.
.
Before long, I was there and saw a group of 5 adventurers. 3 who looked like warriors, and 1 was a mage, while 1 was wearing a gauntlet, most likely a monk. One of the warriors was severely injured, His hand broken.
The scream I heard was most likely his.
And they were facing a monster that should not be on this floor, an Infant dragon. Normally, it has a height of around 150 centimeters and is more than four meters long. It is a rare monster and considered the boss of the Upper Floors, where a Monster Rex doesn't appear. And most importantly of all, it is estimated to be Level 2.
But this dragon is a lot bigger than that, standing at 250 centimeters. An enhanced species?
All this information went through my head in a split second. And the next second, the infant dragon raised its claw and brought it down to finish the injured warrior.
But before the attack could connect, I jumped in between them.
Clang! My sword met its claw; it was heavy as hell, I was barely able to parry it before the weight of the monster started to crush me.
"Get out of here!" I yelled at the party behind me. As the injured warrior friends quickly pick him up despite being hurt themselves, they started running. The dragon swiped its tail like a whip in my direction. I rolled to the side as its tail attack made a crater in the place I had just been.
"And call for help!" I hurriedly added to their retreating figures because there is no way I can take this lizard on by myself.
When I looked back at it again, I noticed a strange jewel embedded in its neck. Yeah, like the one Jura used to tame monsters. But it should not be possible. They should not have had this at this time– clang. My thoughts were interrupted by another attack, and I deflected it claw again.
"Sh*t, at least give me some time to complete my monologue, you damm lizard." I cursed at the dragon, as the battle raged on.
I rolled again, diving below, its jaw that came to bite me.
Its strength was far superior to mine.
The infant dragon tried to ram me at full speed. I used its neck as a pole, climbing on its neck. Raising my sword to strike down, which ultimately failed as the dragon stood on its back leg, throwing me off balance. I was just thankful the infant dragon didn't have fire breath as an attack.
I don't even have any magic in my arsenal that I can use. Trigger-san, now is the time if you want to grant me magic.
Because other than that. I only have one card up my sleeve.
We had several exchanges like that, or rather, I was just rolling around the floor. To avoid its attack.
If this goes on too long, my stamina will take a hit.
I rolled again to dodge its tail attack.
Where's that damn backup? Did those idiots die on the way? Or what? I thought as I dodged to the left.
"I have no choice now." Seeing the battle was unfavorable to me, I decided to use my only trump card.
I took several steps back to ready my attack. Sheathing my blade in the scabbard, leaning down a little, focusing only on my target. As the dragon came in range, I drew my sword.
"Matataki(Blink)!!!" I shouted the name in respect to the creator of this technique, as my blade traveled through the air, intending to cut the dragon's neck. Maybe the dragon sensed the danger as it raised its leg or hands to protect itself.
SHRRK!
My blade successfully cuts its legs, but was unable to cut the neck of the dragon, SNAP-CHKK! As my blade shattered under the strain, my shoulder dislocated as well.
"Kuh…! DAMN IT!!" The pain hit me like a tsunami as I suppressed my bodily reaction.
"GUOOOOOOHHHHHHH!!" The infant dragon also backed up in shock and pain. But damm, I knew I did not master that technique, but still, I was expecting more than that. Man, I should have paid attention in the swordsmanship lessons.
The infant dragon raged; it seemed to recover from that shock and pain and sprinted towards me.
I drew my knife, which I kep as a backup weapon, with my left arm. Let's have a round two, you lizard!
"You have done well. I will take it from here." Just when I thought I would be entering a battle to the death, I heard the familiar voice, which I had heard a hundred times before, but heard it in this world for the first time.
There was a person who stood before me with their back turned. She was wearing a green flower-shaped hood, a strand of her blond hair peeking out. Yeah, it was Ryuu Lion who came to my rescue.
Oh man, I did not want her first impression of me to be in this pathetic state that I am in.
"Here, let me heal you. Lion will take care of this monster." A girl, or rather a member of her familia, came after her. Signifying that Ryuu must have run ahead of her party.
I stared in pure awe as Ryuu took care of the monster that I was having so much trouble with, so much ease.
"Yo! Arin, looks like we met earlier than expected."
"Alise? Yeah, I was not expecting to meet you so early as well, at least not like this."
I looked up to see Alise with her cheerful voice booming even when a battle raged on.
"What was that sloppy Iai move you used?" A cynical voice came from behind her. I looked to find Kaguya with her eyes, studying me.
"Are you okay?" I was not able to answer her as Ryuu called out, coming closer, after killing the dragon.