Published: March 21, 2026
I can confidently say I'm the most surprised that this has gone on for 200 chapters.
"Alright, what's the next material?"
Since we couldn't fight while carrying several huge antlers that took both hands to hold, we decided to return to the base to regroup.
We ran into a demonic beast on the way — unavoidable in this forest.
If anything, it's not surprising that our presence might be disrupting the forest's ecosystem.
On the wide table where everyone would gather for dinner, Zeal's special map of the area around the forest was spread out, the same one we'd seen before.
Kyousuke read aloud the list of required materials that Noah had handed him.
"Next is the Ogre's innards. Innards — does that mean any organ will do?"
I turned my face toward the entrance.
Noah had intentionally cut her presence and was leaning against the wall with her arms crossed.
She shook her head.
"No, I don't know what your world's 'innards' refer to, but here 'innards' mean the Demon Stone."
She chuckled. Many demonic beasts can't even exist without a Demon Stone.
I vaguely remembered in the labyrinth that when someone pulled out a Demon Stone from an enemy that hadn't been fully defeated, the monster died. At the time I thought it was coincidence — the timing just happened to match — but apparently it wasn't.
"So that means this Ogre could be powerful enough to cross the continent?" Kyousuke asked, frowning.
Indeed, the note only said "one Ogre innard." Would one be enough?
Amaryllis and Amelia entered through another door, chatting calmly. It seemed they got along.
Hearing that Amaryllis had been with the abducted Elves and used the meager medicinal herbs available to heal their injuries and illnesses, Amelia was moved and very grateful. I never thought they'd be incompatible, but the better they got along, the better.
"The Ogre's innard, the Demon Stone, is said to be the largest Demon Stone in this world. But there's just one flaw," Noah said, then paused.
"The Ogre never stays in one place. It’s constantly moving. Catching its movement will be nearly impossible. Even I have only encountered it once."
She went into the adjacent room and returned carrying something large.
Wasn't that room where Noah kept storage things?
"Is that... a Demon Stone?" the hero murmured in disbelief.
I widened my eyes and looked up at it.
Noah gently set a Demon Stone larger than my height on the floor.
"This is the only Ogre innard I own. But I obtained it quite some time ago, so this stone alone wouldn't let you cross the continent."
Noah said this was a smaller one, and I understood. A Demon Stone of that size might allow crossing the continent if it were larger.
"The problem is that it never stays put," she continued.
If it doesn't linger in one place, finding it will be a real pain.
But sending this group out to split up would be tough, considering the demonic beasts living in this forest. And blind searching wouldn't work either.
As I worried over what to do, I felt someone glide closer.
I looked up and Amaryllis was staring intently at my hand.
"Ah— is something wrong?"
I realized I rarely spoke directly with Amaryllis, though I often saw her talking with Ria and Amelia. What did she want?
When I had pulled Amaryllis out of that cold place and before we joined Amelia's group, I asked her whether she'd come with us. Staying had been her choice, but I took her by my selfishness.
I wanted to save everyone, including Amaryllis.
She said she had to atone for creating the enhancement drug. So I gave her choices: live in shame, die, or come with us and develop an antidote for the enhancement drug.
After thinking, Amaryllis had answered with the same determined light in her eyes that she'd shown when she decided to die in that cell: she would surely make an antidote.
Fortunately, the necessary herbs grew in this forest — closer to the Demon Clan territory even though it's within the Beastmen territory — so that night we went to collect them.
Since then we've only had routine business talk. More than that, there hadn't been time to watch Crow's behavior closely.