No one's POV
Currently, Sora was still looking at the black hooded figure who called himself a mage. Sora looked surprised and confused by his request.
Sora: A request, for me?
Mage: Yes. I would like you to investigate a strange monster outbreak on floor 24.
Sora: Why me?
Mage: It is very likely that there is a connection between this occurrence, the red tamer who attacked Rivira and the crystal orb she sought after.
Sora looked surprised.
Mage: The danger is serious. Flashing Strike, please lend us your strength.
Sora looked down and thought for a moment.
Sora(mind): I didn't know there was a monster outbreak going on. But why would he leave the investigation to me? Instead of someone within their own familia? The way he says, I can't sense any evil intention alone.
While Sora was in thought the Mage spoke once again.
Mage: I have sent the Sword Princess and the Berserk Healer there as well.
Sora looked completely shocked and regain his composure and spoke up.
Sora: Very well then.
Sora(mind): This could be a good chance to know why that tamer knows Aria.
Mage: I'm in your debt. If possible I would like you to head over as soon as you can. First head to Rivira. You shall meet with an accomplice at the golden bar.
Sora nodded his head and walked away to the his destination.
(Timeskip)
Sora was currently at the 18 floor and on his way to a tavern.
Sora(mind): I didn't know there was a bar here.
Sora looked at the sign and it says the golden bar and walked in. Sora saw a bunch of people in sitting and talking and saw Aiz and Asuna and Lulune. The three of them saw Sora and greeted him.
Lulune: Flashing Strike!
Asuna: Sora! What a coincidence, meeting you here!
Aiz: What brings you here?
Sora: Just a little pit stop after strolling through the dungeon.
Sora (mind): It says to sit on the chair at the most end.
Sora then sit at the chair and everyone looked surprised and Sora started to order his food.
Lulune: Huh? That seat is...
Sora (mind): When asked what to order, I'm supposed to answer...
Bar tender: What would you like?
Sora: May I please have a fried potato flavored green tea.
Lulune quickly fell off her seat and Asuna and Aiz looked completely shocked.
Asuna: No way?
Aiz: Your kidding?
Sora looked confused and Lulune looked at him surprised.
Lulune: You're the last reinforcement?
Sora looked completely shocked and looked behind him.
Sora: Wait, so the person I'm working with is all the customers here?
Sora was still surprised and Asuna spoke up.
Asuna: You too huh? Got a request from that mage?
Sora: Yes.
Sora then saw one of the Hermes Familia member walking to their side.
???: Are you sure you aren't mistaken about them, Lulune?
Lulune: Asfi.
Sora, Asuna, and Aiz saw a girl with blue hair and white cape walking.
Aiz: This person!
Asuna: The leader of the Hermes Familia!
Sora: Asfi Al Andromeda! Also known as Perseus.
Aiz helped Lulune up her feat and they were still surprised that the customers were the adventurers they had to work with.
Aiz: Did you all accept this request as well?
Lulune: Just a few days ago, that person in the black robe appeared and ask for our help. At first I said "No more" and rejected but, then he threatened to rat me out for lying about my level.
Asfi: In the end we got dragged along.
Asfi started yelling and scolding Lulune for being a fool and instead of ignoring the request they got threatened instead. Sora, Asuna, and Aiz just watched them quarrel with one another and sweat drop.
Sora and Asuna and Aiz: Uhm...
Asfi: Sorry, I showed you a pitiful sight... let me go over the details of the request. Our destination is the pantry on the 24th floor. So our objective are to find out the reason behind the large amount of monsters appearing and eliminate it. Am I mistaken?
Aiz: No!
Asuna: You are correct!
Sora: That's right!
Asfi: Well then let me introduce our member.
Asfi started introducing the member of the Hermes Familia and once they do Sora, Asuna, and Aiz bowed their head and greeted them.
Asfi: And I'm Asfi Al Andromeda, I will be giving orders to everyone from the center guard. My weapon is a short sword and I have a small quantity of Items. Most of our status are at level 3.
Aiz: Loki Familia, Aiz Wallenstien. My weapon is a rapier.
Asuna: I'm also a part of Loki Familia, Asuna Yuuki. My weapon is also a rapier.
Sora: Hestia Familia, Sora Yatagami. My weapon is dual sword.
Asfi then looked at her Familia members.
Asfi: Since it's like this, it can be helped. All members try your hardest toward this request. Especially you Lulune, work as if you were about to die.
Lulune: I got it...
Asfi: I feel more confident since you're with us, Sword Princess, Berserk Healer, and Flashing Strike. However, I think it will be a short party, best regards.
Aiz: It's a pleasure...
Asuna: Of course...
Sora: Looking forward to it...
Asfi then got closer to the three of them and whispered something.
Asfi: However, Please refrain from talking about our secrets.
Aiz: Ah, yes.
Sora and Asuna just nooded their head.
Sora and Asuna and Aiz(mind): Will this party be okay?
(Timeskip)
Sora, Asuna and Aiz and the whole Hermes Familia started making their way to the 24 and currently, they were on the 23rd floor discussing the plan.
Asfi: First, we need to locate the origin of the monster outbreak. We'll have to scour the entire area, but we can start with the closest Pantry first. Anything could happen at this point. Be on guard everyone.
They finally reached the 24th floor and it was a forest like dungeon.
Falgar: This is the right Level, isn't it?
Mery: I'm sure we'll find them swarming around the Pantries...
Asfi: We've no choice but to check inside. Lulune, guid us there.
Lulune: The closest Pantry is to the west.
Aiz: Wait. I think is to the east.
Lulune: There does seems to be another Pantry over there, but...
Sora: Do you sense that, Asuna, Aiz !
Asuna: Yes...
Aiz: It's a horde of monsters...
Asfi: Very well. Let's head where the Sword Princess leads us.
All of them started heading east to the place where Aiz and Asuna and Sora sensed and when they arrived they saw a horde of monsters heading inside a tunnel.
Lulune: EEHHH!
Falgar: Are all those monsters...?
Lulune: I see why they made such a fuss about it.
Asfi: Everyone, prepare for battle.
Sora: Wait.
Everyone looked at Sora confused.
Sora: Aiz, can you take care of it...
Aiz: Alright...
Lulune: Wha-? Sword Princess!
Aiz then jumped down to the horde of monsters and drew her rapier and used her Tempest and within seconds, all of the monsters were eliminated.
All of the Hermes Familia members looked completely shocked and surprised by her speed and strength.
Thane: We could probably just leave them all to her...
Mery: Wanna go home?
Asfi: Now, now, we couldn't just leave her... could she be?
Sora was looking at Aiz and her movement and looked over to Asuna.
Sora: Did she just rank up? Because that's not a movement of a level 5 adventurer.
Asuna just smiled and continued to looked at Aiz.
Asuna: As expected of you Sora. You notice it.
Sora then looked toward the rest of the Hermes Familia members.
Sora: Let's get moving!
Everyone: Right!
Sora and the rest started making their way inside the pantry and they were blocked by a green wall that looked like a giant nest.
Lulune: What is that?
Asfi: The monsters must have faced the same problem we face now.
Sora: Their way to the Pantry is blocked.
Asuna: I see. There wasn't a sudden outbreak of monsters here.
Lulune: They just got backed up because they couldn't get their food.
Aiz: I don't know. But? I don't think is that simple.
Asfi: Let's keep moving. Whatever is going on beyond this mass is where our investigation begins.
Whle the Hermes Familia was trying their best to opened up a path and Sora, Asuna and Aiz sensed something behind those walls.
Sora: Do you guys feel that?
Asuna: Yeah...
Aiz: It's her... that red hair tamer. She seems to be alone!
Sora: No!
Asuna and Aiz looked at Sora confused.
Asuna: What do you mean?
Sora: I sensed someone else behind those walls.
Inside the dome the red hair tamer and someone with white hair and a minotaur mask was watching them from the inside.
Masked: I told you they would come, Revis. Because you decided to neglect the monsters. More trouble. Just what we needed.
The red haired tamer who is known as Revis looked surprised when one of the member was Aiz.
Revis: Aria!
The masked man looked surprised when heard the name Aria.
Masked: What? Aria, you say?
Revis: I'll go. You just make sure you separate Aria from the group. Especially that human who wears black and white and blue eyes. He will be the greatest obstacle to our plan.
Masked: What makes you say that?
Revis: Let's just say, if we want to live. You better not provoke him.
After the Hermes Familia managed to opened up a path, they all started to made their way inside the nest. After all of them managed to get in the path behind them was closed and they all looked completely shocked.
Sora: Be careful everyone, this place seems to have a mind of its own.
Asfi: Then let's keep moving.
They all started to wandered deeper inside the nest and they all saw that it had multiple magic stones lying on the ground.
Lulune: Magic stones? What ere those doing here?
Asuna: My guess is that a few of those monsters managed to stray inside.
Aiz: And something found them here.
Everyone other than Sora, Asuna, Aiz, and Asfi started getting cold feet.
Lulune: L-Let's just hurry up the path.
Sora looked to his side and the walls started moving.
Sora: It's coming.
Everyone saw that it was a plant monsters that appeared and they all started readying their weapon.
Asfi: Everyone attack.
The Hermes Familia started fighting the monsters and Sora looked at Aiz.
Sora: Aiz don't wander all alone. My guess that that red hair tamer is after you.
Aiz: Right...
Sora: Asuna, I want you to play support. Heal everyone as much as you can and try to attack them from afar. The enemy reacts to magic so I want you to be the decoy.
Asuna: Right!
Sora: Asfi and the rest of the Hermes Familia. I want the tanks to form a circle around Asuna. And all mage users started chanting, while the rest of the frontline, form around 5 people per group, you should be able to take out at least 1.
Hermes Familia: On it!
Sora: Aiz your with me. Our job is to take out as many as possibles.
Aiz: Got it!
Everyone did as Sora's says and they managed to push back the enemy and the last remaining monsters Aiz started to ran ahead and cut it in half, but as soon as she did. The walls started moving and trapped Aiz over at the other side and everyone looked completely shocked.
Lulune: Sword Princess! No!
Sora: Focus on the fight at hand!
Lulune: But!
Asuna: She can handle it! She's called the Sword Princess for a reason!
Lulune: Damn it!
Sora (mind): I knew it. They're after Aiz.
On the other side of the walls, Aiz was trying to break the wall to regroup with Sora and the others, but she was stopped by the red haired tamer.
Revis: I didn't think you'd come right to me.
Aiz looked back and was surprised to see Revis. And the two of them stared at one another and drew their swords and prepared to fight.