Published: July 4, 2025
Continuing from yesterday... today it's just under 7000 words...
When trying to take a breath until a nice stopping point, it ends up like this.
There's nothing I can do about it.
Forty minutes earlier.
Natalie burst out of the Royal Magic Guild's tent set up at the dungeon entrance, heading towards the adventurers' guild.
More precisely, she was heading to the dormitory attached to the adventurers' guild.
For an ordinary person, her speed might not seem impressive, but for Natalie, it was her once-in-a-lifetime, unprecedented, full-throttle speed.
In Natalie's mind, the words Abel had once said echoed repeatedly.
"Natalie, if you ever find yourself in a situation where you desperately need help and we're not around, then rely on Ryo."
Now was that moment.
When Natalie jumped into Dormitory Room 10, only Ryo was inside.
Ryo was conducting alchemy using the magic copper ore that the other three had collected.
And he had successfully created a mid-level potion for the first time.
A potion generated using a Wound Healing Herb as the base and magic copper ore.
When Ryo first saw this recipe, he thought, "Are you mixing ore into something you drink?" However, the magic copper ore was strictly a catalyst, and it had to be removed from the potion at the end... This complexity was part of the reason why adventurers typically didn't make potions themselves.
While Ryo was basking in the afterglow of his success, Natalie suddenly burst in.
"Ryo-san, please help me!"
Her breathless state was evident; after finally managing to say just that, Natalie leaned both hands on her knees, struggling to catch her breath.
"N-Natalie?"
Ryo turned back, surprised, recognizing her as a familiar face he had recently met, and the only water attribute magician he knew apart from himself.
"First, drink a glass of water and then talk."
Saying this, he generated an ice cup filled with water in his right hand and handed it to Natalie.
It was an unusual sight, but at that moment, Natalie had no capacity to appreciate its strangeness.
After downing it in one gulp, she seemed to calm down a bit and was able to take deeper breaths.
"Ryo-san, Abel and the others went missing inside the dungeon. Please help me search for them."
Upon hearing Natalie's words, Ryo immediately stood up, donned his usual robe, equipped the dagger made by Michael, and fastened Murakumo at his waist.
"We'll talk while we move. Let's go."
With that, he quickly exited the dormitory.
Natalie, who had just sprinted from the dungeon entrance, was exhausted, but she couldn't afford to hold Ryo back. Gritting her teeth, she followed him.
However... as they reached the main street, her feet got tangled, and she fell.
"Oh, sorry, you’ve been running the whole way, huh? I didn’t consider that. Get on this. [Cart]"
Ryo said, generating an ice cart about two meters long.
It was the same cart he had once used to carry Abel when he was washed ashore.
As long as the roads in the City of Run were as flat as this, it could be used without issue.
"Uh, um..."
Natalie felt quite flustered.
Above all, it was extremely conspicuous.
Children were watching the cart with sparkling eyes.
Women were gazing at the cart's shimmering surface in admiration.
A cart that reflected light and sparkled.
Getting on it required considerable courage.
But her companion wouldn’t wait.
"You seem like you don’t even have the strength to ride."
With that, Ryo grabbed Natalie by the waist with both hands and lifted her onto the cart.
"Eh..."
It all happened in an instant.
Then Ryo took off running.
Naturally, the cart followed suit, as that was how the magic worked.
"Kyaaaaahhh!"
Surprised by the sudden turn of events, Natalie screamed.
During their movement, her explanations were disorganized.
It was understandable.
She was suddenly put on this [cart] and was being moved at high speed.
But she managed to convey the essential points.
That Abel, alongside a total of 54 members of the red sword and the Royal Magic Guild, had been transported somewhere within the dungeon.
That due to the function of the magic tool, it was highly likely they had been transferred to the 40th floor.