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

We'll be leaving later, so everyone get ready!

No, no!

Stop her, Kaguya, Lyra!

No one is allowed to go!

Ryu's shouts were in vain. Alexie turned her back to her and walked out of the room.

The other members of the [Family] group, as well as Ryu from the dream, followed suit.

Only Ryu's consciousness was left alone in place.

--Wait for me.

Slowly, the scenery of the headquarters melted away, engulfed by the white light.

All that remained were the backs of the girls in front of me.

The figure turned away and walked forward without looking back.

Heading towards the light, towards the other side of brightness.

They abandoned Ryu, who was motionless like a statue.

--Wait for me.

—Kaguya, Laila, Noin, Niz.

—Astème, Leyana, Celty, Iska, Maru.

Even when you call out to your companions by name, they cannot hear you.

Everyone left Liu.

Only Ryu was abandoned by them.

When she came to her senses, she realized that Ryu had desperately reached out her hand towards the red-haired girl's back.

—Alyssa

The girl's back was visible in the light, but he refused to turn around and look at her even once.

○

"Alicie..."

A few words escaped from her cherry-like mouth.

I overheard the soft murmur of the ground falling silently.

In the cave where the bodies of his companions lie buried.

As Miss Ryu instructed, I first destroyed the four walls. I used the Goddess's Blade to stab, slice, and dig into the walls again and again. Now the cave won't spawn monsters. I also retrieved Miss Ryu's katana and the White Illusion.

Just as I finished all my homework and sat down next to Ms. Ryu, I overheard her muttering to herself.

I shut my mouth and secretly peeked at her face.

I secretly watched her meet someone in her dream, her profile seemingly filled with inner sorrow.

"..."

I turned my gaze forward.

There was a breath and a sound. Upon closer inspection, the "White Bone Mask" was floating in the darkness of the entrance.

The dead sheep, greedily devouring death, reappeared in the cave. No, perhaps a herd was lurking nearby.

There's only one. ...That's feasible.

"...If you dare come any closer, I'll shoot you."

I raised my right arm and stretched it out straight.

Refining my mental energy, which had slightly recovered after rest, I concentrated my "magic power" in my right hand.

I wouldn't let it see my fatigue. I maintained my sitting posture, but tried to bluff and appear defiant.

The "skeleton sheep" stared at me with its empty eye sockets as I set up the cannon, then retreated and disappeared into the darkness. It probably saw my "magic" as a threat.

If it were the "upper" or "middle" layer, the monsters would instinctively charge at you without hesitation; only in this moment, I am grateful for the high level of intelligence possessed by the "deep" monsters. Although they are extremely troublesome in normal combat, at least this "psychological tactic" seems to be effective.

I let out a heavy sigh, lowered my hand, and turned my gaze back to her sleeping body beside me.

(...This is probably the first time I've ever seen Miss Ryu so unguarded...)

Her eyelids were closed, her body utterly exhausted. Perhaps it was because of the moment that her face, stained with blood and dust, possessed an ethereal beauty, like a wounded fairy slumbering by a spring under the moonlight.

I had to stand guard next to her, so we were very close.

The warmth emanating from her shoulder, which I could have touched with just a slight deviation, made me feel incredibly tender towards her, even though the situation didn't allow it...

How come her shoulders are so thin and slender, yet she has been fighting all this time?

Covered in blood, feared by all as "Gale," he throws himself into fierce battle.

"Alicie..."

She murmured someone's name again. It was a name I didn't recognize.

She called out like a child.

She's usually so heroic and stronger than me, but now she's so frail.

I can't figure out which one is the real Miss Ryu.

But... I want to protect her.

I want to protect this girl who never shows weakness in front of me.

I feel that just this sentiment alone is enough to fill me with strength right now.

"...Alicie...wait for me..."

Five minutes have passed.

However, just one more time will do.

Just one more touch and everything will be fine.

So I didn't wake her and continued standing guard.

So that she could deliver her words to those she dreamed of.

○

A moment later, Miss Liu woke up.

When she opened her eyes, she was still her usual spirited and dignified sprite, and I didn't mention a word about what she had seen while she was asleep.

Perhaps because she, like me, has somewhat relieved her fatigue, her complexion is much better than it was not long ago.

Next, it's time to take action.

"[Grant healing to those who seek you]...[Noah heals]."

The warm light emanating from her hands enveloped Miss Ryu's right foot.

Although her leg, which was braced with a dagger sheath, had not fully healed, it was slowly improving. Miss Ryu looked at the situation with a hint of dissatisfaction.

Since my mental strength had recovered a little, we immediately used Miss Ryu's "healing magic." At this point, I finally managed to persuade her, who insisted on not healing herself.

At least my fractured right leg needs to be healed, otherwise helping you move will exhaust me. After much pleading, Miss Liu finally got herself treated.

Seeing that she always puts me first makes me realize that she is also a very stubborn person.

In short, although she can't move quickly, Miss Ryu is now able to walk on her own.

"First, let's confirm the current situation."

"OK."

Ms. Liu and I knelt on one knee, knee to knee, gazing at each other.

While keeping a close watch on the monster's attack and the entrances and exits of the cave, we talked in hushed tones.

"Our current location is unknown; we have no idea where we are on the 37th floor. We're all injured and exhausted. The situation is very close to despair."

Upon hearing Ms. Liu explain that the future situation was unpredictable, I nodded heavily in response.

Needless to say, being unable to determine one's location within a maze is a matter of life and death. Wandering aimlessly in the dungeon without knowing whether to go forward or backward is essentially a shortcut to death.

Although we've had some rest, the worst situation remains unchanged: we've consumed far too many resources to deal with the monsters in the "deep layers." If I could, I'd love to immediately soak in a whole bathtub full of elixir and then go to bed.

"The treatment can't be perfect either. I can only make do with my 'magic'."

The "Recovery Magic" has already been used on Miss Ryu's right leg and cannot be used again for the time being.

Incidentally, we opted not to treat my left arm, which was the most severely injured part.

After arguing about whether to heal the right leg or the left arm, Miss Liu insisted on unwrapping the scarf from her left arm and couldn't help but gasp—her left arm below the elbow was a pile of mud. It was a mess of bone and flesh, so bad that even she couldn't bear to look at it.

But it can still move.

As long as you can still move, there's always a way.

Although it was excruciatingly painful, I was constantly sweating profusely.

I might have to replace my arm with a prosthetic after I get back to Earth.

...It's not funny at all.

"Our equipment isn't complete enough, and frankly, exploring the 'deep layers' is too risky. We also don't have enough items."

As Ms. Liu touched her tattered handbag that hadn't been melted by the strong acid, she listed out the pessimistic factors.

The weapons include the Goddess's Blade and the White Illusion, as well as the pair of katanas carried by Miss Ryu.

Next, there's the "Goliath Scarf," which might also count. Although it's used to replace bandages to wrap around the left arm, it's unlikely to serve any function beyond armor.

The armor was not only damaged by the vandals' "claws," but also melted by the ominous (Lemton) acid, rendering it useless.

The equipment was so lightweight that it made me dizzy. Ms. Ryu then went on to describe the current situation:

"It's best not to have any expectations for outside help. Even if your team—Miss Erd and the others—has tracked us down, they can't possibly get to the 'Deep Layer'."

Moving from the 27th floor to the 37th floor. No adventurer could have foreseen such an "abnormal situation".

If we want to hold onto any hope, we can only place it on the mermaid (Mari) who is watching the entire battle. But even if she can make contact with Lily and the others or other adventurers, we don't know how long we'll have to wait before a rescue team that can reach the "deep layers" comes to save us.

A few days? No, a week?

As for the possibility that other adventurers are also exploring the "deeper"... let's not even think about it.

Such optimistic speculation, which can hardly be called hope, will only become a poison that destroys one's spirit.

Glancing at my colleagues who had turned to bones, I etched a sense of acceptance into my heart.

(I wonder if Lily and the others are alright...)

Suddenly, I remembered my companions. They were on the 25th floor, so they shouldn't have been caught up in the monster's rampage, but...

The more I thought about it, the bigger the uneasy sprout grew. I decided to cut it off now.

First, we need to survive here; otherwise, we can't even confirm everyone's safety.

"Given the current situation... our best course of action is to take the passageway leading to the 36th floor as our destination."

After identifying most of the sources of anxiety, Ms. Ryu mentioned her future plans.

"Take refuge in the 'lower levels'? But even if we could get there..."

"Yes, that doesn't guarantee safety. We'll still need to explore the 'lower levels' later."

The first safe floor in the deep zone is the 39th floor, from which you have to walk two floors.

Needless to say, the dungeons become increasingly spacious as you go down to the lower levels. Level 37, for example, is generally considered large enough to encompass the entire area of ​​the labyrinth city (Oario). It's also said that returning to the "lower level" is less strenuous than descending a level from the "deeper level." Therefore, the desperate gamble of the past—advancing to the next level with a safe destination as the objective—is no longer feasible.

To be honest, it was only possible because of the labyrinthine structure of the "vertical caves".

"However, the chances of survival are much higher if we do this than if we stay in the 'deep layers.' The 'lower layers' have nuts or fruit trees that we can eat... that is, the resources we can gather in the labyrinth (dungeon). In terms of water and food, it's much better than here."

I see. I understand Ms. Ryu's perspective.

At least we don't have to worry about nutrition. Furthermore, the quality and quantity of monsters will also decrease.

In other words, compared to the "deep layer," the "lower layer" is actually quite kind.