Under the dim crystal glow, sparks scattered as the sword tip scraped against the ground.
Seeing the path come to an end, Bell tossed aside the long sword he had picked up. The crooked trail ahead looked like a scar leading to the far edge he couldn't reach—where Ais lay collapsed in a pool of blood.
"?!"
Lefiya's eyes widened at the despairing sight, her face draining of color. She had to help Ais-san… but the enemy's strength was far above Lv4. If she acted now—never mind her own life—Bell Cranel would certainly die…
Lefiya held her wand close in front of her, both hands shaking uncontrollably.
What should I do…
Chant a spell while she's distracted? I'll never make it in time…
Bell spoke quietly.
"Lefiya-san, hurry back and contact Finn-san."
"You're the one who should go back. I'll handle this…"
But Lefiya's voice grew weaker and weaker. Even with her heart burning in panic, she couldn't think of any way to help Ais-san.
While Lefiya was still struggling to decide, the boy had already dashed forward.
"Idiot—"
Lefiya didn't dare raise her voice, terrified the red-haired woman would notice. Frowning, she whispered her chant under her breath. If he gets hit, he's dead! I have to pull her attention!
Under Lefiya's anxious gaze, Bell charged straight toward the red-haired woman.
!
The sudden attack stunned the red-haired woman for a moment. She had wondered how these people—who had never interacted with her—had discovered the truth about her skin-stripping. The sight of the white-haired boy made her recall the moment their eyes met in the plaza.
It was definitely him.
He had memorized her position and equipment in an instant while perfectly suppressing his killing intent and strength with stealth. She hadn't sensed even a hint of a strong opponent, which was why she'd relaxed her guard.
But now, faced with the pitch-black dagger lunging straight for her—
Startled by the ferocity behind the attack, she instinctively misjudged his strength. If he'd reached this floor, then he must have been hiding his true power! Charging in like that… could he be Lv6 as well?!
She stepped back to the side.
Right then—
"Firebolt!"
Thunder cracked and flames exploded right before her eyes. A spell without chant?!
Sparks burst in front of her vision, forcing her to retreat another step.
But the next second, the seamless assault came to an abrupt halt.
No… that power…
The red-haired woman realized all at once—he was bluffing.
She raised her greatsword with a vicious swing, unleashing her counterattack. At that distance, there was no way he could escape her grasp.
But what she hadn't expected was this:
As if he had planned the route from the start, the boy scooped up the blonde girl and sprinted straight off the cliff.
"!"
"..."
A cold wind swept across the edge. That head of white hair vanished from sight in an instant.
The red-haired woman started toward the cliff to check their fate when a straight beam of light shot down, illuminating the ground as it rushed toward her face.
"Trying the same trick twice?!"
The red-haired woman raised her right hand in anger, catching the beam directly with her bare hand.
"...?!"
Lefiya was momentarily speechless. Beneath the redhead's twisted, fury-warped expression, her jet-black gauntlet shattered, yet her slender arm remained completely unharmed. With nothing but sheer, jaw-dropping brute strength, the red-haired woman stopped the light arrow and forced it off its path, redirecting it straight toward the source of the spell.
The beam hit like artillery.
Lefiya had no time to dodge. At the very last moment, a figure lunged forward. A spear struck into the light arrow, and with a deafening boom, it exploded apart.
"Lefiya-san, go check on the boy and Ais. I'll handle this."
Finn had sprinted along the sword marks carved into the ground to reach the scene. A pool of blood and a fleeting spark of fire were all he needed to grasp what had happened.
"Alright… understood!"
Lefiya clutched her wand and hurried toward the cliff's edge.
The red-haired woman swung her greatsword violently, but the spear's tip intercepted it with perfect precision.
"Sorry, but I'm your opponent now."
Finn stood between them, his expression filled with a chilling anger. Above the bloodstained ground, spear and sword clashed once more.
Clang!
At the cliffside, Lefiya peered anxiously downward. There was no sign of the boy or Ais anywhere on the sheer rock face. A small grove blocked part of her view, and beyond that lay a wide lake. Faintly on its surface, she could make out yellow-green tentacles.
!
They're here too…
There was no time to hesitate. Holding her staff close, Lefiya took a deep breath and leapt off the cliff.
Wind roared past her as her blonde hair spread out behind her. Strands of light shone down from the crystal sky. Dawn had come at last, as though sweeping away the long night.
...
"Bell Cranel!"
"Bell Cranel..."
Darkness swallowed his vision, the sweet metallic taste of blood filling his mouth. His body felt numb, the pain distant and dull.
"You… please, wake up…"
"The potion works, it'll save you… I know it will…"
"Why won't you drink it?!"
The voice clung to his ears, muffled and trembling.
Who was calling him?
Why did they sound so sad—so close to crying?
"Bell Cranel..."
"Please… drink it..."
"Wuu…."
The voice suddenly drew nearer. As if it were right against his face.
Then a new scent overtook the smell of blood—bitter, yet soothing in its own warmth. That gentle heat pressed over his lips, holding the cool liquid in place and guiding it into his mouth, letting it flow down his throat.
Again and again.
Gradually, the warmth on his lips grew clearer.
And so did the voice.
"Bell Cranel..."
It was Lefiya.
Bell recognized the voice and slowly opened his eyes. The crystal sky above was blindingly bright. Beneath the dim shadows of the trees, Lefiya was crying nonstop.
"Stop crying, you idiot."
Bell pushed himself up, his body in surprisingly good condition. It seemed she had used a very expensive potion on him.
"You're finally awake…" Lefiya hurriedly wiped her tears, then corrected herself, "You're the idiot! How could a Level 1 jump from that height!"
"I aimed for the tree. Didn't expect the cushioning to be so bad." Bell replied with a joking tone. "What about Ais-san?"
"She was seriously hurt, but she's a high-level adventurer. With the potion working, she should recover in a few minutes." Lefiya answered honestly.
"So that means we just have to hold out for a few minutes…"
Bell glanced toward the edge of the forest, where several Violas rose above the treetops.
"You… do you have any ideas?"
Lefiya quickly snatched up the wand lying beside her. The Violas had emerged from the lake, and the spot they were in was a shallow strip of shore backed by a cliff. If they wanted to escape, they would have to swim into the lake.
Lefiya had no solution. All she could do was pray Finn would reach them soon.
Bell scanned the surrounding terrain and began to settle on a plan. He turned toward Lefiya, ready to speak—
when he suddenly realized something.
Lefiya's face was streaked with tears, and a faint trace of blood colored her thin lips.
That soft red tint added an unexpected, rosy beauty to the yellow-blonde elf's features.
...
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