Danmachi: Strongest Familia

"The next safe level is the 50th floor. There's a high chance that the Floor Master on the 49th floor, Balor, hasn't been defeated. We may have to confront it ourselves," Riveria warned.

From the start, the goal of this expedition had been to reach the 48th floor, but conquering Balor on the 49th would be an even greater achievement. Adjustments to the plan could be made as needed.

Before her recent level-up, Sol's Familia had already made it to the 40th floor, but with Riveria's current strength at Level 7, her courage had grown; she now felt far less concerned about safety.

As the team delved deeper, the monsters grew larger and their abilities more varied. Poisons, abnormal conditions, and a range of complex afflictions became routine. The potent medicines they'd brought along finally began to prove their worth, as basic potions could no longer counter the effects of these high-level monsters.

Reaching the 44th floor, they entered a volcanic region, where the very air felt stiflingly hot, making heat-insulating gear essential. Even so, the volcanic ash hung thick in the air, making it hard to breathe—especially for the lower-ranking members, who had to push through the discomfort, enduring battles that were now even more exhausting.

As the expedition's pace slowed, half a month passed unnoticed by the team, who were focused solely on reaching the 50th floor, where they could finally rest.

Camping on a common floor was less than ideal—sleep was interrupted by the ever-present threat of monster attacks. Unlike the Loki Familia, which could field a large support team for sentry duty, the small size of Sol's Familia left them stretched thin.

Riveria grew wary of assigning watch duty to unpredictable personalities like Kled or Gnar. If they were distracted by something, would they bring monsters back with them? Despite these worries, she pressed on, confident they'd soon reach their goal.

Finally, they arrived at the entrance to the 49th floor. Even from outside, the roar of the Floor Master, Balor, reverberated with life and fury.

"Rest here!" Riveria commanded, choosing a defensible position. She raised her staff and conjured a barrier, allowing her team a much-needed reprieve.

"Balor isn't easy to handle—stay sharp!" she warned.

Alfia had provided them with key intel: Balor, as the Floor Master of the 49th level, was a formidable LV7 opponent. For a mage like Riveria, who relied on her team for close defense, this would be a challenging battle. She had the firepower to take down Balor, but close combat was perilous.

No one in the current team had the resilience to serve as a proper frontline against Balor. The younger adventurers would need time to grow into such roles.

Riveria's expression steeled. "Lan, you'll lead a team to cover my flank. The rest will guard the entrance to the 49th floor!"

Bringing low-level adventurers against Balor would be a death sentence. Their levels were too low to even scratch Balor's defenses, so Riveria tasked them with holding the passage and avoiding danger.

As her companions regained their strength, Riveria took a deep breath, instructed them to check their weapons, and led her team into the 49th floor.

---

The 49th floor, known as the Great Wilderness, felt like an entirely new world compared to the earlier levels. Sensing intruders in its domain, Balor let out a deafening roar.

Moments later, a colossal figure emerged from the ground—a towering beast with a head as large as five Riverias. Its ferocious presence sent a shudder through the weaker members at the back of the formation.

"Fall back!" Riveria commanded, raising her staff, the Magna Alfs, and swinging it heavily toward Balor's head. Though she was a mage, the power of her Level 7 strike forced Balor to retreat, disrupting its advance.

Riveria's staff, inlaid with nine top-tier magic gems, maximized the potency of her spells. Constructed from rare "refined metal" and "holy emperor ore," it was as sturdy as a long-handled weapon. Yet even with Alfia's training, the impact left her wrist aching, almost causing her to lose her grip.

In the distance, Balor recovered quickly, raising its massive hand and sweeping it downward with tremendous force.

"Tch, no chance to catch my breath!" Riveria muttered. Since the initial strike, Balor had seized control of the encounter, leaving her no time to cast.

Balor seemed almost aware of who posed the greatest threat; after its first failed attack, it focused solely on Riveria. This wasn't the mindless behavior of a typical monster.