After the final enemy monster had breathed its last, I and the bladed dino went into an epic battle for our lives...is not what happened. Instead, one of the older-looking Sahuagins jumped off his raptor and said:

"Unknown female, please stay your hand if you do not wish for strife." - Older Sahuagin

Yeah, I didn't get it either. Then I noticed that I was still holding the ghost knight's sword, so I tossed it back into the Storage. That earned me many sighs of relief from the Sahuagins and the raptors.

"And you guys are...?" - Garami

"The proud Sahuagin clan of Gugunda. I am the warrior chief, Wawan Gugunda." - Wawan Gugunda

Strange name. Think I'll just refer to him as "chief".

The chief gave some orders I couldn't hear to his men and had them spread out in two groups. Probably to prevent any other sneak attacks. I tried probing for more info from the chief, seeing as they weren't that desperate to make me into a hunting trophy.

"And why are Sahuagins down here, riding and hunting monsters?" - Garami

"Not monsters. Allies and abominations. In that order." - Wawan Gugunda

"That doesn't answer my question. The question from the girl who just helped scare away the big bad snake." - Garami

"Apologies, female. 19 years ago, we of the proud Gugunda clan were given a divine mission from our great goddess. We were ordered to fight for our homeland." - Wawan Gugunda

"Against who?" - Garami

"...against Glavras." - Wawan Gugunda

---

Under the excuse that it would be too dangerous to be talking out in the open, the chief invited me to their fortress. I wanted to say no, but Gust flew down and agreed before I could say my piece when he overheard the chief mentioning the word "dinner". That bird is gonna be the end of me...

"The great thief Glavras has been siphoning off the power of this mountain to steal all the water of the great land of Velantas, our home," said the chief while talking to Gust on our way to the fortress. Technically, he's speaking to both of us, but I'm only giving him half an ear.

"Wow... How did you find this place?" - Gust

"We didn't. We allowed ourselves to be "stolen" alongside the water of Velantas. Before the thief could notice it, we were already inside this hellhole." - Wawan Gugunda

So they hitch-hiked? Smooth work there.

The chief continued with his stories, which included how his men fought against many D-ranked Glavras monsters as they steadily went down each floor. Turns out that the beasts I saw on the upper floors weren't bosses, but survivors.

The Sahuagins had a great winning streak as they literally "demolished" each floor. They didn't meet the boss snake on the 5th floor though. I bet that guy was hiding in his office while waiting for the fishies to pass.

But then the Sahuagins reached this floor, and it had a twist...

"All the blasted monsters had gathered their forces here! A giant spider from the floor above, the so-called leader of the noble Sliprauses from this floor, and a giant, many-headed turtle from the floor below us! It was hell. Our proud clansmen fell each day, and this joke of a Dungeon managed to one day stop getting tricked by our reinforcements! Oh, what dark days..." - Wawan Gugunda

The chief and the other Sahuagins looked visibly depressed when talking about that part. Then he suddenly lightened up.

"It was then we met these honorable Sliprauses. Great Virt, the warrior here," said the chief and pointed at the huge, bladed dinosaur, "used to be a leader of a group who could not tolerate the tyranny they were under by the order of their tribe leader. When we met, they willingly joined our cause. They are strong and noble, so no one from our tribe had any difficulties with joining forces with them."

The giant, bladed dinosaur gave a happy cry in response to the praises.

Luckily, story-time was cut short as we finally reached the fortress. It looks like someone carved it out from the Dungeon walls. Big, solid, and...rocky. Several Sahuagins, Sliprauses, and what appears to be their D-rank evolved species, were waiting inside, cheering the chief and his squad for their return.

"Rejoice, proud warriors of the Sahuagin and the Sliprauses! The gigantic snake has been reported to have fled this floor!" - Wawan Gugunda

Another cheer rang out. And how does he knows where the giant snake went to? ...oh, now I get it. Those two scouting groups. One of them must have kept an eye on the snake.

"And this female, the demon Garami, is the one with the keen eyes that saw through the snake's illusions and tricks!" - Wawan Gugunda

STOOOOOOP IT!! Don't put me in the spotlight all of a sudden! I've been freaking out from the large crowd of fishies as it is already! This is too much stimulation for someone who's only had a book as a "talking" partner for who knows how long!

Ignoring my inner turmoil, the chief started to throw out orders about a huge banquet...is not what happened. Rather, he's making people ready to move out again while asking someone who looks like his attendant to prepare that dinner he promised "me" (actually, Gust).

"Are you people that busy?" - Gust

If even this birdbrain managed to pick up on that, then these guys are overworked to the max.

"It is as you say. The fight is taking the most out of us. And for some reason, the spiders, most notably, on the enemy's side never seem to run out. Meanwhile, we are gradually losing more and more men. The scouts we sent to the lower floors never returns most of the time. We have so many wounded that we do not have enough medicine for them all..." - Wawan Gugunda

This place is a Dungeon after all. Monsters will spawn all the time, while these guys can only hope for recruits in the form of "rebels" from now on.

"Psst," said Gust with a low voice, "don't you have some fancy medicine in that wonder chamber of yours?"

It's not a "wonder chamber" or whatever that is. It's my [Spatial Storage] skill. And if I'd had that kinda miracle medicine, I'd be using it on myself. All I got is the small potion chest I got as a reward on the 3rd floor, and it only has a dozen of health potions. ...oh, that's right. Maybe these...

"Can you use this?" I asked the chief after taking out the potion barrels that I'd grabbed from the mansion's vault before the whole place collapsed.

"Th-these are-!?" shouted the chief after he opened a barrel and looked at the contains.

"E-everyone! Take these barrels to where the wounded are!" he then shouted to the other Sahuagins, who looked as shocked as he was when they noticed the containments.

...guess the old stuff can be used. And apparently, it's some damn potent medicine. Did I just throw away some sorta treasure without realizing it?

SYSTEM MESSAGE:

Acquired title: [Rescuer]

Acquired skill: [Healing Magic Lv.1].

Hmm? That's...a title that I can live with. But why...?

---

I shouldn't have given them the potion. I was rewarded with dino-drool for it! At least we're in the chief's private office instead of out in the open with the rest of the...*brr*, the masses... Gust seems to like them. He's flying around and having the time of his social life. He must have been starved for proper interaction, as he called it. That stupid, rude bird...

"You have our utmost gratitude, young demon. Thanks to your medicines, our forces have been restored to proper health." - Wawan Gugunda

The chief's thanking me, but that blasted bladed dino beat him to it. That stupid reptile...

"Please excuse the great Virt. His two friends were among the wounded. Having those two out of commission is...was one of the greatest reasons we have been falling behind the Glavrases lately." - Wawan Gugunda

"They're that impressive?" - Garami

"Of course! The great Virt and his two friends, the great Sent and the wise Riri, were so determined to escape their tyrannic rule that they evolved into species from outside the Dungeon." - Wawan Gugunda

So, they didn't become some "Glavras giga-dino", and instead turned into something else? ...not sure how impressive that is, but I'm, well, sorta impressed.

"The Sliprauses' chief is the Glavras Rexus," continued the chief, "and it is a horrible one. The Sliprauses always live in packs of three. It is in their nature. But when one of them grows into the Glavras Rexus, they attack and kill their former family and friends."

"So...a real baddie." - Garami

"Yes, you could say that. And he is the one we wish to defeat the most out of the remaining three commanders on this floor." - Wawan Gugunda

"You got some intel on them?" - Garami

Tell me so I'll be able to keep a distance from them.

"Yes...but only about the Rexus and his many-headed, giant turtle friend." - Wawan Gugunda

That must be the full evolution of that snake-headed turtle. ...hmm?

"That's just two of them if we ignore the giant snake. Who's the last one." - Garami

"That is...a good question. We know only about their race from this," said the chief as he handed me something that looked like a...crystal tablet? The chief did something like pouring his mana into it, which made it light up and show some text.

Quest: Cutting the Water-Knot, Part 7 Quest giver: World System Administration Quest Description:

There is nothing much left to do. Even so, there are still some things that need to be done!

Defeat the "Boss monsters" of the Water-Knot who have been gathering on the 7th floor! Prepare for the invasion!!

Quest Content: Defeat the various C-rank Glavras-type monsters on the 7th floor. Rewards:

Rewards are divided based on the C-rank Glavras-type monster defeated:

Glavras Ophagus: 1 skill level to all skills. Glavras Rexus: 2 skill levels to all skills. Glavras Hydraortress: 3 skill levels to all skills. Glavras Queen Aquarect: 5 skill levels to all skills.

Oh! It's an item that lets you see quests! Just like the Kigal-Note! And this quest is crazy! In so many ways...

"The final beast is the last one on the list." - Wawan Gugunda

The Rexus is the evolution of the raptors, and this "Hydraortress" must be that of the snake turtles. This "Ophagus" must be the boss snake. He must be grayed out because he's not on this floor any longer, or because he never was such a threat from the start. He's got the lowest "bounty" of them all.

Which leaves the last monster as the evolution of those Glavras spiders. I could guess it from the name. And adding with the stories the chief told me...I think it's earned its bounty.