Forge and Steel

**Underground Dungeon Floor 38**

"Tsubaki, to your left!"

Pyrion's warning echoed in the air, cutting through the sound of their footsteps in the darkness. Tsubaki, wielding an imposing black sword, reacted instantly, trusting her partner's instinct completely. With a swift maneuver, she launched herself sideways, just a second before a massive sword crashed to the ground where she had been standing.

**BOOM!**

The colossal weapon impacted with brutal force, shattering the ground in a five-meter radius. Fragments of rock and debris flew through the air, a cloud of dust enveloping the scene like a curtain of smoke.

"Thanks, Pyrion!" Tsubaki shouted, breathing heavily as she adjusted her grip on her sword.

"Don't get distracted! This monster won't give you another chance," Pyrion replied firmly, his eyes analyzing the enemy before them.

The enormous floor boss, Udaios, a colossus over twenty meters tall that looked like a torso torn from the very ground, loomed before them. Despite lacking the lower half of his body, his presence was imposing, and his gaze was threatening.

"Let's go, Tsubaki!" Pyrion shouted, adjusting his stance as he gripped his spear tightly. His entire body was tense, muscles primed to launch an attack at any moment.

"Ahhhh!" Gathering her courage, Tsubaki let out a fierce roar and bravely charged at Udaios, her sword pointing forward, ready to cut.

**GROOOAAAAAAARRRRRR!**

Udaios, seeing the challenge from the small woman, roared with rage, and his powerful body lunged forward.

Despite his immense size and weight, he moved with incredible speed, resembling a massive avalanche rushing down upon them.

**CRASH!**

Both swords collided violently, the small longsword and the gigantic sword facing off, struggling for dominance.

Tsubaki gritted her teeth as she felt the colossal pressure of Udaios's sword against her own. Her arms trembled with effort, but her eyes displayed unbreakable determination. Around her, the ground cracked under the force of the clash, sending shockwaves that shook the walls of the dungeon.

Unfortunately, Tsubaki's powerful strength was not enough to match Udaios's terrifying force, and she was soon sent flying backward by the overwhelming power.

"Ahhggg!" With a roar, Tsubaki drove her great sword into the ground, stopping herself.

Tsubaki landed heavily, her breath ragged as she used her sword as an anchor to halt her momentum. Though her arms burned with pain, she maintained her composure and the fire in her eyes. "Damn it… you're stronger than you look."

"I thought your great size and weight were enough to give you an idea of your strength, but it seems you still wanted to find out for yourself," Pyrion said with a hint of mockery, keeping a watchful eye on Udaios.

Tsubaki let out a rough laugh despite the pain in her arms. "You know I like to learn things the hard way," she replied with a defiant smile. Then, a bitter expression crossed her face as she reflected on her situation. "By the way, can you remind me how I ended up in this situation?"

Pyrion chuckled quietly, never taking his eyes off Udaios. "Oh, let me think for a moment…" he replied, pretending to ponder. "Someone told me that the monsters in the dungeon were no longer a threat and to find her some stronger ones."

"HA HA, me and my big mouth!" Tsubaki burst into laughter, promising herself that next time she wouldn't talk so much.

"Come on, Tsubaki, you have to keep going. I'll be watching Udaios's movements; at least I won't let him kill you," Pyrion said with an encouraging smile.

Tsubaki took a deep breath, feeling adrenaline coursing through her veins. With renewed determination, she stood up and pulled her sword from the ground. "Alright! I can't let this monster defeat me so easily. I'll show you what I'm capable of, Udaios!"

**GROOOAAAAAAARRRRRR!**

With a loud roar, Udaios didn't give Tsubaki time to plan her next move. Like a massive avalanche, he charged at Tsubaki again.

"Come here!" Raising her weapon once more, Tsubaki prepared for the impact.

As Udaios lunged toward her, her mind raced, analyzing the trajectory of the blow and searching for an opening.

The monster, seeing the determination in the blacksmith's eyes, let out another roar of challenge. With his sword raised high, he descended with devastating force, creating a shockwave that resonated throughout the dungeon.

Tsubaki dodged just in time, feeling the hot air of the attack graze her face. With an agile twist, she positioned herself beside Udaios and launched into an offensive strike, delivering a powerful cut to Udaios's ribs.

Tsubaki dodged just in time, feeling the hot air of the attack graze her face. With an agile twist, she positioned herself beside Udaios and launched into an offensive strike, delivering a powerful cut to the monster's ribs. The black sword gleamed with determination, and its edge found its mark.

**CLANK!**

The sound of metal clashing against the monster's tough skin reverberated in the dungeon.

**GROOOAAARRRGHHH!**

A shrill scream filled with pain erupted from Udaios's mouth as a large portion of his ribcage shattered, filled with agony and rage at the powerful monster.

With a violent movement, Udaios raised his enormous sword, which glowed with a deadly threat, charging at Tsubaki with the force of a storm.

"Tsubaki, block!" Yelling urgently, Pyrion was about to leap toward Udaios, but when he was about to move, he saw Tsubaki block the blow.

Bending slightly backward, Tsubaki raised her sword in defense, putting it in front of her.

**CRASH!**

The sound of the impact reverberated in the dungeon, echoing like thunder. The force of the attack sent Tsubaki violently crashing to the ground.

"GAH!" The strong impact made Tsubaki spit blood; although she managed to absorb much of the blow, she still slammed against the ground with great force.

Tsubaki struggled to stay conscious, feeling adrenaline flooding her body as she tried to rise. Her arms burned from exertion, but the fire in her eyes never went out. "No… I won't give up!" she muttered through gritted teeth, preparing for the next attack from the colossal monster.

**GROOOAAAAAAARRRRRR!**

Unwilling to let the small woman go, Udaios raised his sword against Tsubaki again.

Looking at the gigantic sword barreling down on her, Tsubaki hesitated for not even a second. With renewed determination, she used her leg strength to propel herself sideways, moving away from the impact site just in time.

**BOOM!**

The ground trembled under the powerful force of the blow, sending debris and dust flying everywhere.

**GROOOAAAAAAARRRRRR!**

With smoke obscuring his vision, Udaios couldn't see the small woman. Frustrated, he slammed his sword into the ground, hoping to strike the human who had dared to challenge him.

"I'm right here, bastard!"

Tsubaki's shout echoed in the dungeon, shaking the dense and dusty air. Her voice was like a ray of defiance, and Udaios, taken aback, abruptly turned his gaze, searching for his opponent.

That's when he saw her: Tsubaki was charging at him at high speed, her black sword shining even in the dim light. With an agile turn, she soared above the monster's head, utilizing her speed and the momentum of her attack.

"Take this!" she shouted, unleashing a downward cut aimed directly at the top of Udaios's head.

**SWISH!**

**CRASH!**

The powerful impact resonated in the dungeon, as if the very ground trembled at the force of the collision. Udaios, unable to defend himself in time, took the blow directly to his head. The tremendous force of Tsubaki sent the enormous monster flying several meters away, his body crashing against the dungeon walls, causing debris to fall around him.

Udaios rose, swaying for a moment, while a grunt of pain echoed from his throat. Rage consumed him, and his eyes burned with uncontrollable fury. "GROOOAAAAARRRRR!" His roar of challenge resonated, filling the dungeon with tension.

Great cracks spread across Udaios's skull, making it clear that he had not emerged unscathed from the impact either.

The monster's fury was palpable; his gaze blazed with uncontrollable anger. Without giving Tsubaki a moment to breathe, Udaios lunged at her with an unprecedented ferocity, wielding his powerful sword with a force that made the air tremble in its wake.

The sword, an extension of his will, aimed toward Tsubaki like a lightning bolt, promising unimaginable devastation.

Tsubaki felt the wind swirling around her, sweeping away any trace of calm. Without thinking, she used all her strength to dodge the attack.

**BOOOM!**

Although she managed to evade the sword, the powerful impact still sent her flying across the room.

"GAH!" A cry of pain escaped her lips as she felt her internal organs shift from the mighty blow. The pressure forced her to spit a large mouthful of blood, staining the dungeon floor.

Landing heavily, the burning sensation coursed through her body as she struggled to rise. Her vision was constantly darkening, and strength seemed to escape from her body.

"COME ON, GET UP!" Tsubaki shouted mentally, doing everything she could to make her body respond.

With titanic effort, she began to push herself up, using her sword for support. Sand and dust rose around her, her sight was soaked in blood, and her head felt like it weighed a ton, yet with sheer willpower, Tsubaki managed to stand.

Just as Tsubaki was preparing to use all her strength to move, she suddenly felt a warm hand touch her shoulder. A voice filled with pride and warmth resonated in her ear.

"You did amazing, you are a proud warrior."

Even with her gaze slightly clouded by exhaustion, Tsubaki managed to distinguish those bright silver eyes and that heroic smile that always gave her confidence. "Pyrion... I—"

"It's time for you to rest; you can leave the rest to me." That voice, brimming with confidence, dispelled all of Tsubaki's worries like fog before the sun.

"Hehe, then I'll leave the—" she began to say, but before she could finish her words, her vision darkened completely. The last thread of consciousness flickered out, and the world around her faded into darkness.

Gently picking Tsubaki up, Pyrion carefully laid her down on the ground.

ROOOOAAARRRRR!

Udaios, who had been trying to recover from Tsubaki's previous devastating blow, roared in rage upon seeing a new human appear in his sight.

"My dear sister is hurt, so I can't waste much time with you." With a relaxed smile on his face, Pyrion glanced briefly at Udaios and then firmly grasped his spear.

"This is over." With those final words, Pyrion tilted his body slightly, his gaze fixed on the monster that had ravaged the dungeon. In one swift motion, he applied immense force to his spear, which glowed with a dangerous brightness under the dim light of the underground.

Swishhh!

The sound of the spear slicing through the air resonated like a whisper of death itself, a deadly chant that pierced the tense silence of the battle.

At a speed impossible for the human eye to see, the spear reached Udaios in an instant.

Udaios, who had recovered from Tsubaki's devastating blow, felt a desperate sense of danger. It was as if time had stopped; the air became thick, and the echo of his roar was choked in his throat. Instinctively, he turned his head, searching for the source of his impending doom, but his reaction was too slow.

BOOM!

The impact was devastating. The spear pierced the air with supersonic speed, creating a shockwave that shook the dungeon floor. With almost supernatural ease, the spear penetrated Udaios's massive chest, piercing his magic stone in the process. An explosion of intense light erupted from his chest, as if the very heart of the monster had surrendered to Pyrion's power.

Udaios's eyes widened in a moment of disbelief, his imposing figure flickering like a flame being extinguished. Time seemed to slow down as the spear pierced his magic stone.

BAMM!

With a great explosion, the life of the floor boss came to an end, his body exploding into countless particles, creating a beautiful sight, as if winter had arrived on the 38th floor of the Orario dungeon.

With an indifferent gaze, Pyrion briefly looked at the place where the imposing floor boss had once stood.

"Well, even though we didn't recover the magic stone, Tsubaki had a great fight; maybe this is enough for her to have her great feat to advance to level 6, which is a big gain." Looking at his dear sister, Pyrion smiled.

From the beginning, he hadn't expected Tsubaki to win; after all, she was currently just a level 5 adventurer, defeating Udaios, who had the strength of a veteran level 6, was extremely difficult.

After all, not everyone in this world is like the cheater Ais Wallenstein.

"Hehe, the family is about to take off." With a happy smile, Pyrion picked up Tsubaki and headed toward the 37th floor, ready to go home and share the good news with his Goddess.