Just as Billy had expected, they found the tenth floor after exploring the ninth for around seven days. The damn place was massive, to the point that Billy imagined that some nearby towns were resting right above the dungeon. Still, the most surprising thing was the fact that as soon as they took a peek on the tenth floor, they found the entrance to the Guardian's chamber. That was just too weird...
"This can't be good, right?" Alexander asked.
"It is good since it showed that you are developing some awareness," Billy said.
"Come on, be serious for a change," Alexander said.
"Well, I suppose it can't be something good since it means the guardian has an entire floor for itself," Billy said. "Still, at least we know that the enemy is pretty big."
The door of the chamber was like one hundred meters wide and fifty tall. No wonder they had to go down so much when they left the ninth floor… In any case, Billy decided to call it a day. However, instead of being relieved that they finally found the last room of the dungeon, the members of the other parties looked worried. Everything they knew was informing them that they shouldn't challenge the guardian, but retreating now after coming this far would be…
"I see… the entire tenth floor is the chamber of the guardian," Paule said after they told her what they saw. "This is unexpected."
"By the way, how did you guys know that the dungeon had ten floors?" Billy asked.
"There is a magic tool that can feel the mana of a dungeon and its density. By feeling that, it can tell us how many floors a dungeon has," Paule said.
It was a pretty convenient tool, but it was also the haggler ring that Billy found a while ago. He didn't see many of those being sold around… either those who found it would look for the specific buyers or they were only sold in the black market.
"In any case, I will take more pills to help in the battle against the guardian back home… but before that, we need to decide how we are going to do things here," Billy said while facing the other parties. "I won't deny it, I want to be the guild master of this region, but I also need to warn you that challenging the guardian won't be an easy feat. I am not sure only the three of us can take the guardian either. I would say that we should work together… but we should rest for a week and then decide what we will do."
"That is probably for the best. We are too tired to think clearly right now," Francis said.
That mission was about to end, so Billy will finally have the chance to take some time off… Even though he didn't do much since Jeannette's death a year ago. Still, he couldn't be reckless. He checked his friends' poison Resistance, and he confirmed that they had passed level fifty. They used the poison knives even when they were in the dungeon, after all, but when no one was looking. As for Billy, he had a belt that was always poisoning him, so that skill reached level eighty in the last three weeks.
Upon returning home, as usual, Billy reported things to his wives and then to Jean the next day. Kate and Natalie looked a bit worried like they wanted to help, but they knew that the trip to the chamber in and out would take at least a week… They couldn't leave the kids alone, who still needed their milk. There was always the option that Billy could make a batmobile and then run over the monsters. At the same time, it headed to the guardian, but he also had to consider that the girls were a bit out of shape due to the pregnancy… Even though they have been training lately.
"You don't have to hurry, Billy," Kate said. "Your job was just to help prevent the dungeon break. You don't have to face such a guardian."
"That is right. It is obvious that something is off with this guardian," Natalie added.
"Nah, not finishing things now will leave a bad aftertaste in my mouth," Billy said. "Besides, I want to be the guild master of this new area. A lot of money will come to us if I manage to get my hands on that dungeon."
"I thought you were smarter than someone who would risk their lives for money…" Kate said and then sighed.
"I am. This is a calculated risk," Billy said.
"How can you calculate that when you don't know how strong the guardian is?" Kate asked.
Billy didn't have an answer for that. In the end, he could only stay silent and see Kate sigh. Billy wanted to tell them that he would return no matter what, but he couldn't imagine any other death flag more obvious than that.
"It seems that just words won't be enough to convince you, so how about this: you can motivate me to return with some prize," Billy said.
"... What kind of prize? If it is something perverted…" Kate said.
"It is something perverted… You can tell by his tone," Natalie said.
"It isn't anything too hardcore… How about around with you two at the same time?" Billy asked.
Kate and Natalie sighed… It couldn't be helped that Billy could say such a thing with a straight face, and they knew that he wasn't the type to get embarrassed by saying what it was in his mind. Still, they wished that he had a little more common sense… It was too embarrassing for both of them since they were friends.
"Let's do this… If you, Alexander, and Sarah return without suffering a single scratch, then we can do what you want,``Natalie said.
"Hell yeah! Now I am motivated." Billy raised his fist and then said it.