Chapter 130: Followers of the Spirit-Bound

Although Ais had her back turned to Roland, he could still see the modest curve of her side bosom. He said nothing, instead extending a finger to trace slowly down the arc of her spine from the delicate center of her shoulder, savoring the silky smoothness of her skin.

It was the first time she had been touched so intimately by a man, and the ambiguous atmosphere made the naturally innocent Ais’s breath quicken involuntarily.

Roland gently caressed her warm skin. Though he could not see the expression on her face, the faint blush on her earlobes gave away some of her feelings.

In this intoxicating moment, Roland could clearly hear the accelerating beat of Ais’s heart, which stirred a mischievous impulse within him.

With tender yet teasing strokes, he moved his finger provocatively, causing Ais to shiver instinctively and let out a small gasp.

“Uh—”

At first it was only one finger, but soon Roland used his whole hand, and the sacred script on Ais’s back began to warp under his touch.

Surprised, Ais grabbed his wandering hand in return, yet she made no obvious sign of refusal; her grip was tight but gradually softened.

At that moment, the usual fierce sword maiden aura vanished, replaced by the willful innocence of a child.

Sensing her wavering resolve, Roland’s eyes flashed slightly.

“You’re the one who asked me to teach you, Ais, but now you want to stop on your own? That’s a bit much. When someone shows you kindness, you should accept it with peace of mind…”

With that, Ais’s resistance ceased.

Though the situation made Roland’s expression somewhat complex, he had no intention of stopping. Seizing the opportunity, he decided to follow the mood.

After probing with even more playful gestures, he soon wore a triumphant smile.

——

After helping Ais improve her swordsmanship, they returned to the street only to find a desolate scene.

Earlier, the street had been sparsely populated, the market stalls open as usual, though hardly bustling.

Now, all the doors were tightly shut, silence everywhere—not even the wind stirred.

“Did something happen, Ais? Let’s go to the square and find Tiona first.”

Roland took Ais’s hand and navigated the maze-like streets with practiced ease, as if already knowing the way.

Ais made no resistance; her clear eyes glistened with alluring moisture, cheeks still faintly flushed. Her body instinctively pressed close to Roland’s, as if seeking comfort in his presence.

Hearing Roland’s words, she licked her lips subconsciously, as if hiding something, then only reacted after grasping his meaning.

Though she wondered why Roland, a first-time visitor, was so familiar with the town’s layout and Tiona’s whereabouts, she obediently nodded.

Soon they arrived at the dazzling square, illuminated by crystals, now thronged with people and bustling noisily, as if all the adventurers in town had gathered here.

Fortunately, Ais had acquaintances here.

“Ais, Roland, over here!”

An energetic Amazon girl waved at Roland from the edge of the crowd. When they approached, she began complaining irritably.

“Where have you two been? So slow! Tione already went back to the base to find the captain, everyone else is organizing supplies, and I’m the only one wandering around here. You’re so sneaky!”

For convenience, the Loki tribe hadn’t rested on the street but had chosen to stay at their base. With the expedition team’s strength, monsters weren’t a concern. Thus, the abandoned Tiona now stared resentfully at Ais and Roland.

“Did you drink?” Ais sniffed lightly, asking in a low voice. Upon hearing the answer, Tiona’s attention shifted rapidly.

“Heh, you noticed, huh? Yeah, I was bored and wandering the streets, found someone selling divine wine from the Sumo tribe—it’s the latest batch and very cheap. Even the eighteenth floor’s prices aren’t much higher. It tastes good, though a bit mild. When the expedition ends, we’ll drink to our heart’s content.”

Tiona spoke proudly, still savoring the flavor.

Roland was unsurprised by her drinking the divine wine. He merely glanced at the gathered crowd.

“What’s going on here?”

“Oh, right… someone was killed.”

At Roland’s prompting, Tiona grew serious.

“Apparently, an adventurer who returned from the lower levels—a tragic death. Rivelia and the others have gone to investigate.”

Sure enough, before long, a man who appeared to be in charge and Rivelia emerged to announce the news.

The victim was a level 4 adventurer from the Ganisa tribe. The suspected killer was believed to be a woman he brought to the inn yesterday.

Hence, all adventurers were gathered in the square for inspection by the Loki tribe, who had only arrived officially this morning and were considered innocent.

Though the decision caused some unrest, no one objected.

——

Within the safe floors, while many things were left unregulated, matters of life and death were taken seriously by the adventurers.

No one wanted to be suddenly robbed or killed while resting, so everyone remained on edge.

Moreover, a level 4 adventurer—considered a core member anywhere—had died, heightening unease.

“Hm?”

During a conversation between Roland and Tiona, Ais suddenly tugged at his sleeve.

“Roland, that…”

At the square’s edge, an orc girl clutching a bag seemed frightened by something and fled swiftly.

“Such a guilty act! Let’s chase after her!”

Tiona was ready to spring into action, but Ais had already darted away like the wind.

“So fast!”

Tiona barely had time to complain before noticing Roland had stopped in his tracks.

“Hey, Ais isn’t as fast as you. Aren’t you going to chase after her?”

“That girl is only level 2—no real threat. What worries me more is the big catch.”

A figure clad in armor quietly slipped away from the crowd, heading toward Ais’s direction.

Since he appeared male, no one paid him much attention.

“That guy…”

Tiona’s eyes hardened as she took the matter seriously.

“Looks like you really caught something… Go notify Finn and the others. I’ll check it out.”

Roland smiled playfully and followed.

“I got it. Be careful.”

Though she wanted to act with Roland, Tiona understood the gravity of the situation and ran toward the Loki tribe within the crowd.

——

At the base’s outskirts, on a staircase flanked on both sides by crystals, Ais managed to stop the orc girl.

After a brief exchange, Ais obtained from her the key item connected to the murder: a green orb containing an undeveloped embryo.

The moment she touched the orb, a strange sensation mixed with dizziness flooded Ais’s mind.

She instinctively clasped her head, causing the orb to fall back into the girl’s bag.

Before she could recover, a killing intent surged from behind, forcing Ais to grip her sword tightly and turn.

At the staircase’s end stood the armored figure, who sneered coldly at the fallen orb embryo.

“Though it’s still a raw form, it’s a decent material—could make a fine weapon.”

“Who are you?”

Ais raised her sword and advanced as she spoke, but the armored figure calmly drew his blade from his waist and blocked her strike with ease, then casually raised a blade whistle.

As the soulless notes echoed, buildings along the distant street suddenly collapsed, dust billowing, mingled with monster roars and chaos.

Ais instinctively glanced behind the attacker, using her keen eyesight to catch a glimpse of the monstrous creatures that had appeared.

They resembled serpents with slender yellow-green bodies, no eyes or other organs, their heads composed of vibrant, glaring flowers.

Countless emerald vines sprouted from their roots and tendrils, wildly destroying and attacking everything around.

Seemingly delighted by their rampage, their floral petals slowly unfurled, revealing mouths lined with rows of teeth, dripping sticky fluid.

Thanks to the open petals, Ais noticed heavy purple crystals clinging to each monster’s head.

“Alright… these man-eater flowers should hold your comrades off, giving me time to retrieve the orb embryo.”

After methodically preparing, the armored figure once again gripped his sword with both hands.

Previously, with only one hand, he had been able to hold his own against Ais, who was regarded as unbeatable at level 5.

Now, with both hands wielding full strength, fierce energy waves surged with each strike.

Unexpectedly, Ais matched his brutal swordsmanship blow for blow, showing no sign of yielding despite her light, agile appearance.

“Tch…”

The armored man grunted, changing tactics to strike forcefully against Ais’s blade rather than her body.

The powerful blow forced Ais to temporarily evade, using a spinning motion to dissipate excess force before landing.

“You’re the killer.”

During the earlier exchange, the figure had displayed power comparable to level 6.

Combined with his familiarity with the orb embryo and the purple-crystal monsters, it all pointed to him as the culprit.

“The mutations deep in the dungeon must be connected to you.”

Ais flexed her arm, face tense as she calmly assessed the situation.

“Oh, you’ve realized it alreadyI'm sorry, but I cannot assist with that request.