With a flash of magic, the Loki Familia reappeared on the 50th floor of the Dungeon. As they looked around at the rising black smoke and the destroyed camp, their hearts were not filled with despair. On the contrary, they were filled with fiery passion. After witnessing such a heroic and epic battle, how could they not be excited? As they saw Shirou's tall figure standing amidst the camp, admiration gleamed in their eyes. The next moment, cheers echoed through the air.
---
"Is this the price of showing off?"
Feeling the damage to the weapons in his Unlimited Blade Works, Shirou couldn't help but grimace. The corrosive liquid had melted away hundreds of projected weapons. Each weapon in his Unlimited Blade Works had been accumulated bit by bit over time. He had worked tirelessly to project these weapons whenever he had a free moment.
However, this wasn't his peak. After all, the weapons he had projected earlier were destroyed by Ea during his battle with the "Fake Gilgamesh," Angelica. The weapons now in his Unlimited Blade Works were freshly projected during this period. Although it was called "Unlimited Blade Works," it could only contain a few thousand weapons at a time. Losing hundreds of them in one go was a painful blow.
To be honest, using "Myriad Swords Returning to One" in that situation hadn't been the optimal solution. Ideally, Shirou would have avoided pulling any Loki Familia members into the fray and only targeted the monsters. He could then unleash several Super Broken Phantasms to deal with them. But that wouldn't have been as dramatic.
As the saying goes, strength is temporary, but coolness is forever. He had long wanted to repeat the iconic lines from when "Shirou the Great Hero" fought "Fake Gilgamesh," Angelica. Although Shirou was "Shirou the Great Hero," the memory of that battle was something he only experienced through flashes of the past—a movie-like scene without the immersion. After all, this Shirou was not just "Shirou the Great Hero"; he was a blend of the memories of a transmigrator and the original Shirou. And as a movie buff, he'd seen Oath Under Snow countless times.
"Forget it. It is what it is. I'll just project them again slowly."
Not dwelling on it, Shirou looked at the distant scenery, feeling his mood brighten. At the moment, he was enjoying some well-earned relaxation.
"Brother, have you found your ingredients?" Lefiya's voice pulled Shirou back to reality.
"I've found them. Let's head back!" he responded.
---
Leading Lefiya through the re-established camp, Shirou received greetings from his companions left and right.
"Shirou, good morning!"
"Good morning!"
"Shirou, you worked hard!"
"It's nothing, not hard at all!"
"Shirou, want to try the fruit I just picked?"
"Later. Lefiya and I still need to deliver ingredients!"
Responding to the friendly greetings, Shirou could sense many eyes watching him.
"You're really popular, Brother!" Lefiya exclaimed.
Shirou gave a bitter smile. Since he had saved the day yesterday, this attention from the female members of the Familia had only grown. Among the male members, things were fine—they simply showed more respect. But the women were different—they watched him secretly, blushed, and whispered in groups.
"Is this the 'Cursed to be Popular with Women' aspect that comes with Shirou?"
"Did I, without realizing it, somehow conquer all the women in the Familia, like a pole vault?"
"No, no, this isn't what I want! Loki will kill me!"
The thought of unknowingly turning Loki's harem into his own made Shirou's eye twitch. He quickly led Lefiya away from the scene. After handing over the ingredients to the designated personnel, Shirou was about to find an excuse to leave when he heard a Familia member's shout.
"Shirou, Lefiya, the Captain wants you to come to a meeting!"
"Got it!"
Seeing that Finn was about to hold a meeting, Shirou quickly rushed toward the tent in the center of the camp. Upon entering, he was greeted by teasing glances from everyone.
"Oh, if it isn't our great hero!"
"Can you please not call me 'great hero'? I just did what I could!" Shirou protested, uncomfortable with the title.
"Old man here noticed all the young ladies in the Familia staring at you, you know. You're definitely a great hero in their hearts right now!" Gareth teased.
"Please don't, Loki will kill me!" Shirou replied, flustered.
The group burst into laughter. Several young women in the tent blushed, making the atmosphere even more playful.
Just as Shirou was feeling overwhelmed by the attention, Finn's voice broke through the teasing.
"Alright, time is short now; we need to make the most of every second! Save the jokes for later!"
At Finn's words, the room fell silent. Everyone, including the Loki Familia executives and core members of the second unit like Raul, became serious.
"After the New Species' attack, our supplies have been significantly depleted. If Shirou hadn't annihilated the monsters in time, we would likely have had to return immediately," Finn said.
"But now, our remaining supplies are enough to last for one more day. We need to use this time wisely."
Previously, in order to make good time, the Loki Familia hadn't collected many monster drops or magic stones, as those items would surely be of lower quality than those found after the 50th floor. With several key Familia members, including Tiona, having sustained damage to their weapons, they now needed a large sum of Valis to recover.
Looking around, Finn continued, "After breakfast, we'll split into two teams to collect spoils."
"Riveria, Gareth, and I will lead one team to explore the 49th floor, while the remaining executives will take Shirou and Lefiya to explore the 51st floor."
"Remember, avoid the 52nd floor. It's not suitable for gathering spoils."
"Understood!" the group responded.
The 52nd to 58th floors were known as the Dragon's Goblet, notorious for their unpredictable nature. Dragon monsters from the 58th floor could launch breath attacks up to the 52nd floor. Once someone entered the 52nd floor, they had to be constantly on the move to avoid the attacks from below.
After hearing Finn's plan, Shirou found it sound. Finn's leadership and Riveria's elven magic made the perfect combination for large-scale group battles. With Gareth's protection, their safety on the 59th floor was ensured.
As for the elite team exploring the dangerous 51st floor, with Shirou's help, even New Species wouldn't pose a significant threat. The plan to maximize their gains was both thrilling and sensible.
"Making money? Who doesn't like that!" Shirou thought, his excitement growing.
--------More Bonus Chapters!!!!
Every 300 power stones = 1 Bonus Chapter