Is it wrong to try to meet someone in a dungeon?

"Oh no!!"

Perth and the other adventurers quickly escaped from the shadows.

Then, after a moment of stunned silence, Rabbi reacted by pushing all the dumbfounded members of the "Third Squad" away from behind the crystal cluster.

The next moment, the dragon shot out an incredibly dazzling "Aurora Vortex" from its mouth.

"──────────!!"

The aurora beam was so bright that it was almost blinding.

The vortex that was suddenly launched immediately engulfed the crystal cluster where Nina and the others had been just a second ago. A sound was heard, and the cluster was corroded.

“Eh!?”

"The crystal melted!? Was it... was it the hot wire!?"

"No! That's magical 'breath'!! The beam of light that dragon fires can cause a whole host of 'abnormal statuses' such as poisoning and paralysis!"

Iglin and Chris gasped in surprise, while Perth, still on the run, excitedly explained loudly.

That aurora borealis, so beautiful that you want to look at it a few more times, is actually a cruel "light erosion" that uses various "abnormal states" to cause the target to disintegrate on the spot.

It shares an unusual breath with the floor master "Amphispina," which can generate red mist, a characteristic shared by the monsters of the "Water City."

The mysterious and deadly poison that emerged from the underground city left Nina and the others speechless with shock.

"Hiss! Aa ...

The "Blue Dragon" flying high in the sky can do whatever it wants.

It continuously fires breath from a height of over 20 meters above the ground, sniping down at its prey and enjoying their fleeing panic.

Not only were the crystals blasted into dissolution, but the water surface also turned a strange color and emitted foul-smelling smoke.

"Quick, run! Staying at the waterfall pool will only lead to being sniped from all sides! Get back into the passage first!!"

"No!! We have to clean it up here!"

“Eh!?”

Rabbi, who had dodged the vortex, offered a suggestion, but Perth flatly rejected it.

"That dragon's body is so long and slender! Unlike the floor master (Amphispina), it can squeeze into even the narrowest passages!"

"...!"

"Being attacked continuously with this kind of breath attack inside the passage would be far more terrifying! Fighting it here is relatively safer!"

After refuting Rabbi, who possessed knowledge but lacked combat experience, Perth, along with the residents of the inn town (Rivera Town), gave a thumbs-up:

"So, I'll leave the rest to you!"

"Huh!? You...aren't you all going to fight together!?"

"Because we didn't bring a bow and arrow or a magic sword."

"And this goes beyond the scope of an adventurer's request! The rest is up to you, client!"

"No way!?"

Perth and his group deftly and swiftly shifted the blame, even taking advantage of the chaos to flee to a safe area near the entrance of the passage, prompting Rabbi to exclaim in disbelief.

During this period, the aurora continued to shower down, forcing the rabbi to keep dodging left and right.

(It doesn't seem to have any intention of lowering its height to close the distance...! Even if I jump up by wall-jumping, I can't hit it. It seems I can only use "magic" to counterattack...!)

Perth and his team were absolutely right. Melee weapons were completely ineffective against the "Blue Dragon" flying high in the sky; only long-range attacks such as arrows or magic could defeat it.

Since Perse and the others already knew Rabi's "true identity," their request for him to quickly unleash Flame Lightning was not unreasonable at all.

(However, this will allow Nina and the others to find out who I am...!)

The rabbi hesitated for a moment, recalling the agreement he had made with Baldr and the others, but quickly put it out of his mind.

He stretched out his right hand and locked his target on the long dragon.

"Burn, [Burn away completely, the deeds of external laws]!"

While feigning a death throes chant, he then unleashed a spear of fire.

Unfortunately, the crimson lightning missed its target and failed to hit the long body.

(...!! It's faster than the Songbird (Silen) and the half-human, half-bird (Happy)!)

Rabi launched a series of spells, but his opponent dodged them one after another.

The enemy is, after all, the "Dragon Clan," hailed as the strongest race among monsters. Their potential and flight abilities are far superior to those of winged species of the same rank.

The key point is that the opponent was outside of Bale's preferred attack range.

So far in the dungeon, Bell has been using [Flame Lightning] to suppress opponents at close range during the chaos of battle, with the furthest range being only "mid range." Therefore, "long range" is arguably his weakest area. Once the target moves rapidly in the air, the difficulty of shooting will naturally increase significantly.

Replacing Hedin's "super-precise sniping" with "quick-fire magic" is too difficult for Bell, who is neither a mage nor a magic swordsman.

And yet, at this very moment, I find the challenge I must overcome!

Bell was so frustrated that he couldn't help but curse himself in his heart.

"Ughh ...

"—!? Iglin!"

The aurora of death rapidly approached the dwarves who had no time to escape.

The rabbi shoved his burly companion away with a powerful shove as he shattered the crystal floor—but that was the end of it.

He was unable to escape the vast attack range and was engulfed by "light erosion".

"Hmm──────!?"

Rabbi crossed his arms in defense.

The short sword in his hand was melted in the blink of an eye.

Terrified, he tried to escape immediately, only to find that the ground had begun to rot.

(…!? It's like standing in mud!)

Aurora, having caught its prey, rapidly increases its output power, quickly corroding Rabi and the surrounding terrain.

Rabbi frowned as his feet sank into the ground and he lost his footing.

(My body... can still hold up...! The problem is... my equipment...!)

The bodies of first-level adventurers possess a renowned and powerful "abnormality resistance," remaining unshaken even under the "light erosion," which even aroused the dragon's agitation. At most, it felt a burning, tingling sensation on the surface of its skin. However, putting aside the other short sword, even Rabi's combat suit was gradually tearing apart as if it were being eaten by insects.

He found himself struggling in the "lower levels".

No matter how high their level, the "unknown" in the dungeon can still pose a threat to adventurers (such as Bell).

"Lavi-kun!?"

On the other hand, Nina watched as the figure (Rabi) was swallowed by a dazzling vortex that was too bright to look at directly, and she couldn't help but scream in alarm.

When Iglin collapsed to the ground, Rachel and Chris were terrified and turned pale. Nina was about to rush forward, but was pulled back by a huge hand.

"Wait! Don't go over there! White Rabbit... Rabi is alright!"

"How could he be alright! Let me go! Please, let me go!"

Perth and the others grabbed Nina and shielded Iglin and the others behind them.

The scoundrels, who felt they had to at least uphold their mission of "protecting the students," struggled to subdue the struggling girl.

Perth and the others have already figured it out.

The "Level 1 Adventurer" plans to have an "endurance race" with the enemy.

But Nina didn't realize it, which was understandable, because she had no idea that the person she cared about was a "Level 1 Adventurer" who had already been recognized by Perth and the others.

She only knew the kind-hearted tea-haired boy who had guided her here, like a younger brother and an older brother.

"--【Lullaby of the Wind, Cradle of Flowers】."

Therefore, Nina opened her mouth and sang.

"...!! Little girl! What do you want to do!?"

She glanced at the astonished Perth and the others, and began to sing her own noble song.

"[The past splendor, the former grandeur. The white capital that guards its mother, the hills where a hundred flowers bloom]."

The half-elf closed her eyes to concentrate her magic, and the origins of her being surfaced in her mind.

That was the girl's hometown, with fresh air, and small flowers swaying in the wind, their pure white petals dancing between heaven and earth, located on a remote plateau without city walls.

It is also the hometown that Nina misses whenever she encounters setbacks after leaving home. However, because she has not yet achieved anything, she can only lament that she cannot go back. It is because her homesickness turns into tears that she learned to go back and soak her bedding. It is a stain on Nina's character and also her origin.

"Flowers, bloom in my place (the seed) that cannot sprout. Light, sing praises to illuminate the noble traveler."

Unable to imagine her own future, the girl felt both envious and longing towards each dreamer, and thus hoped that their future would be bright, and offered her prayers.

In order not to betray the noble bloodline that flows in their veins, they are willing to sacrifice themselves to benefit others.

Because the girl couldn't find her dream, she unknowingly projected her unfulfilled deep desires onto others, singing this gentle yet almost foolish elven song.

"[Endless sky, pure white, please let the crown of flowers that purify the miasma descend upon this place]."

Despite her foolishness and folly, she kept sacrificing herself until she finally met the boy.

I met this young man who said that even though she couldn't become a dream chaser, everything she had done so far was neither foolish nor stupid, but rather admirable.

(I learned so much from my fellow rabbi!)

The boy said he had received Nina's help many times, but that was not true; quite the opposite.

Nina felt that the boy had always been the one saving her.

(I still haven't repaid my rabbi!)

So Nina made up her mind to help the boy from now on.

I want to stay by the boy's side, teach him more, and receive more guidance from him.

This is Nina's current wish.

"Ugh!?"

"Nina!?"

Because of the increasing magic power—fearing it might cause a magical explosion—Perse quickly let go of Nina's hand.

Chris gasped as he watched the girl raise her staff and display an unprecedented display of bravery.

The next instant, Nina began to run forward.

"Bloom proudly, Second Spirit Peak!"

She used the "parallel chanting" technique she had just learned to run towards the aurora that was eroding the boy.

He embarks on an "adventure" solely to "save" the person in front of him.

The moment she rushed into the vortex of light, Nina shouted out the last verse.

"—My name is Alfre!!"

That tuft of emerald-green hair contained a "magical" light, and instantly released "magic".

"[Lagrell Kulisheim]!!"

The "White Flower Realm" dispels the aurora of calamities.

Before the bewildered Long Long, the girl shielded the equally astonished boy behind her, creating a field of light that resembled pure white feathers or petals fluttering in the air.

"W-what's that!?"

"It's 'purification magic'! A barrier that only Nina knows! It can dispel all abnormal statuses!"

Perth was shocked, and Chris and the others leaned out to explain.

[Lagrell Kulisheim].

This is a rare magic that Nina, a healer, has learned.

As Chris and the others said, it can "purify various abnormal states".

The "Elven Sanctuary" created by this magic is a medium-sized barrier that can block and heal not only all "abnormal statuses," including poisoning or paralysis, but also curses and mental attacks.