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After satisfying their curiosity by trying out the telescope and playing with the long-distance view from the mountaintop, the four members of Loki Familia finally decided to head back. The sun had begun to sink, and the mountain wind was slowly turning colder.
The journey down felt more relaxed than the climb up. Tiona still occasionally chattered about the things she had seen, while Lefiya chimed in now and then, though she still felt shy remembering what had happened earlier.
Aiz walked beside them, silent as usual, her steps light.
Before long, the gates of Orario became visible again in the distance.
As soon as they entered the city, the atmosphere changed drastically—lively, bustling, and full of activity. The sounds of merchants, the footsteps of adventurers, and the clamor of the streets welcomed them back to their routine.
At one intersection, Shirou stopped in his tracks.
"I'll leave you here," he said.
The three girls turned to look at him.
"I need to go to the Dian Cecht Familia pharmacy," he continued, lifting the unicorn horn he was carrying slightly. "To hand this over."
Lefiya nodded quickly. "Oh, that's right... That's part of the quest."
Tiona grinned. "Don't lose it on the way, okay? That thing's really expensive."
Aiz merely glanced at him for a moment, then said briefly, "Take care."
Shirou smiled faintly.
"I will."
They exchanged a few light words—promises to meet again at the manor, small comments about the day's journey—before finally parting ways.
Shirou headed toward the district where the pharmacy was located.
The three girls returned to the Loki Familia headquarters.
After walking through the busy streets of Orario for a while, Shirou finally arrived at his destination. Before him stood a large building with elegant architecture—the main pharmacy of the Dian Cecht Familia.
Even from the outside, the impression was already different.
Once he stepped inside, the difference became even more apparent. The room was spacious, bright, and neatly arranged with shelves displaying various potions. Glass bottles containing shimmering liquids were arranged like works of art, not mere merchandise.
Far more luxurious than the Miach Familia pharmacy he usually visited.
Shirou walked slowly, looking around. Nearly everything on display looked like high-end goods—high-tier healing potions, rare antidotes, and medical equipment that appeared expensive.
"Welcome."
A gentle voice greeted him from the front.
A girl stood behind the reception desk. Her long silver hair was neatly combed, reaching down to her back, with clear purple eyes. Her face was delicate, almost doll-like, and she wore a long-sleeved white uniform with gold accents, complemented by a matching nurse's cap.
Shirou approached.
"I'd like to meet with Airmid," he said directly.
The girl tilted her head slightly, then smiled faintly.
"In that case, you've already met the right person," she answered softly. "I am Airmid Teasanare."
Shirou was momentarily speechless. He hadn't expected the famous captain of the Dian Cecht Familia to also serve as the receptionist.
"This is your first time visiting here, isn't it?" she continued in a friendly yet professional tone.
And from the way she spoke, it was clear she was no ordinary receptionist.
Shirou nodded slowly. "Yes, this is my first time," he said, then opened the small bag he was carrying. Carefully, he took out the unicorn horn they had obtained earlier.
The soft glow from its surface immediately drew attention.
Airmid was slightly surprised.
Her calm eyes widened a fraction as she received the horn, examining it carefully. Her fingers touched its surface slowly, as if verifying its authenticity.
"This is... a unicorn horn," she murmured. "And the quality is very good..."
She lifted her gaze back to Shirou.
"This is part of the Loki Familia's quest, isn't it?"
Shirou confirmed it. "Yes. I'm a new member... just a supporter."
His tone was casual, without any attempt to elevate himself.
Airmid nodded, understanding. "I see."
She looked at the horn for a moment longer, then explained in a professional tone.
"The Dian Cecht Familia is indeed often the main supplier for Loki Familia, especially during their major expeditions. So items like this are usually handled directly here."
Shirou listened without interrupting.
Airmid didn't immediately continue the process. She closed her eyes for a moment, as if considering something, then opened them again with a decision already made.
"Even so," she said softly, "to ensure everything follows proper procedure... allow me to call our patron god, Dian Cecht, to examine it directly."
Her tone remained polite. Clearly, she didn't want to take even the smallest risk with such a valuable item.
Airmid carried the unicorn horn carefully to the back room, her steps light but measured. The small door behind the reception desk closed softly, leaving Shirou alone in the main room.
Shirou let out a small sigh, then began looking around. The shelves filled with high-grade potions caught his attention; some even looked like something he had rarely seen in Loki familia's expedition.
"Really a different class..." he murmured.
He stopped in front of one shelf, glancing at the price tags that made his eyebrows rise slightly. Even by top-class adventurer standards, it was clearly not cheap.
Before long, the sound of the door opening was heard again.
Airmid emerged from the back room, this time accompanied by someone.
An elderly man with a neat appearance—his white hair was perfectly combed back, his mustache and beard impeccably groomed. He wore a white robe with gold accents, radiating an aura that was clearly different from that of ordinary humans.
A god.
He stepped out with a light laugh.
"Haha! I didn't expect you all to actually complete that quest," he said with a satisfied tone.
Shirou immediately recognized who stood before him.
Dian Cecht.
As the old man approached, Shirou caught a familiar scent.
A faint but distinctive divine fragrance—like a mixture of various medicines, herbs, and healing ingredients. That scent reminded him of someone.
"...Similar," Shirou thought to himself.
The god Miach.
Although the nuances were different, both shared a similarity that was hard to explain—a calming scent, yet also sharp to the senses.
Dian Cecht stopped in front of Shirou. His eyes assessed him quickly.
"So, you're the one who managed to get that horn?" he asked casually.
Shirou shook his head slowly, not taking the praise.
"Not me," he answered honestly. "I was just delivering it. The one who cut the unicorn's horn was Riveria."
Dian Cecht laughed again, his voice light but carrying a hint of condescension.
"Haha! Of course. There's no way you—or even those rough girls from Loki Familia—could do that," he said, waving his hand. "Except for a High Elf like Riveria. They've been trained since childhood to care for and maintain unicorns."
Shirou wasn't offended.
Instead, he was intrigued.
"Why is that?" he asked calmly.
Dian Cecht raised an eyebrow, then explained in a casual tone, as if this were basic knowledge.
"Unicorns are creatures that are very sensitive to 'intent,'" he said. "Not just actions. Even a hint of aggression in a person's heart—fear, excessive wariness—can make them keep their distance."
He raised a finger, emphasizing his point.
"Only a truly pure heart can make them feel at ease. It's not about virginity like those foolish fairy tales."
Shirou nodded slowly, recalling what had happened earlier.
"No wonder..." he murmured. "Lefiya, Aiz, and Tiona couldn't get close."
Dian Cecht snorted softly.
"Of course not. Those girls are too harsh," he said without hesitation. Then he suddenly grinned widely and patted Airmid's shoulder beside him. "But my pride, Airmid, could definitely do it."
Airmid immediately stiffened slightly.
Gracefully, she released the god's hand from her shoulder.
"I'm... just a healer," she said calmly, though with a hint of awkwardness. "I'm not used to facing monsters directly."
Her tone remained gentle, but it clearly refused excessive praise.
Dian Cecht just laughed heartily again, not making an issue of it.
Meanwhile, Shirou silently thought about something.
Airmid took over the conversation again with her professional demeanor. She held the unicorn horn for a moment before storing it carefully.
"The extraction and potion-making process will take some time," she explained calmly. "Estimated... a few days. Once it's finished, you can return to pick it up."
Shirou nodded. "Alright. I look forward to seeing the results."
He turned to both of them—the god and his follower—then bowed slightly as a sign of respect.
"Thank you for your help."
Dian Cecht merely waved his hand casually, while Airmid returned with a slight nod.
Shirou then turned and left the pharmacy.
The outside air felt slightly different after being in that sterile room. But that wasn't what occupied his mind.
Dian Cecht's words lingered.
About the heart.
About intent.
About how monsters could feel something invisible.
"...So it wasn't just a coincidence," he murmured.
His approach all this time—talking, trying to understand, even when it looked ridiculous in other people's eyes—hadn't been entirely wrong.
That thought made his steps feel lighter.
He walked along Orario's streets, passing through the crowds that were growing busier as evening approached. Until, without meaning to, his gaze was drawn to a corner hidden by the crowd.
There, he saw two familiar small figures.
Lili and Finn.
They sat facing each other at a small table outside a tavern. Several dishes were laid out on the table, and Finn appeared to be enjoying his food heartily.
"Finn, don't eat it all at once!" Lili scolded. Her tone sounded half-panicked.
Finn, with his mouth full, merely raised his hand slightly, giving a casual signal, clearly enjoying the attention Lili was showering on him.
"Mm—it's fine," he answered vaguely.
Lili massaged her forehead, clearly used to this, yet still unable to just let it slide.
Shirou paused for a moment.
Then averted his gaze.
"...I didn't see anything."
He continued on his way without greeting them, choosing not to disturb that little scandal.
***
The next morning, the dining hall of Twilight Manor felt as usual—lively, warm, and filled with the chatter of familia members. The aroma of breakfast filled the room, and several adventurers were already seated, enjoying their meals.
At one table, Shirou sat with Aiz, Lefiya, Tiona, and Tione.
They had just started eating when a cheerful—and slightly dangerous—voice was heard approaching.
"So~ how was the unicorn quest yesterday?" Loki asked with a wide grin, sitting down uninvited.
Tiona immediately let out a long sigh.
"What was up with that?" she complained, resting her chin on her hand. "That was clearly a prank! No way we could complete that. Why didn't you just send Riveria from the start?"
Loki burst out laughing.
"Hahaha! Well, you virgins are just incompetent!" she mocked relentlessly.
"Lo-LOKI!" Lefiya immediately protested. "Even though we didn't succeed... Shirou managed to ride it!"
All attention immediately shifted to Shirou.
Loki narrowed her eyes, then looked him up and down with a suspicious expression.
"Hah?" she said. "How come? Did the unicorn fall for your Playboy charm?"
Shirou shrugged, slightly awkward.
"Not really," he answered casually. "I was just... being friendly."
"'Just being friendly,' he says..." Loki scoffed.
However, before she could continue, a soft voice came from beside her.
"...and Shirou isn't a virgin."
Silence.
Aiz had said it, seemingly completely unaware of the effect her words would have.
A few seconds—
Then an explosion.
"HAH?!"
Loki immediately stood up from her chair. The table trembled slightly. "SERIOUSLY?!"
The entire dining hall turned to look.
"Watch out, you girls!" she said in a loud voice. "If you let your guard down even a little, you might get 'ridden' by this playboy too!"
"LOKI!!" Lefiya immediately shrieked in embarrassment.
Tione laughed loudly, while several other members reacted in various ways—some amused, some confused.
Shirou just massaged his temples.
A noisy... morning.
After the boisterous breakfast ended, Shirou didn't waste any time. He stood up from his chair, ignoring Loki's voice that still occasionally teased him, and left the dining hall with a purpose he had set since yesterday.
His steps led him toward the Hostess of Fertility's waitress dormitory.
The morning air was still fresh when he arrived at the dormitory gate. Without hesitation, he pushed it open slowly.
Creek...
The gate opened.
What he found wasn't the hustle and bustle he had imagined.
Just a quiet courtyard.
A large tree in the middle of the field stood still; leaves swayed gently in the wind. There were no voices of conversation, no footsteps. The atmosphere felt deserted, almost as if the place was empty.
Shirou frowned slightly.
"Quiet..."
He stepped inside, his eyes sweeping around.
Usually... at this hour—
Ryuu would be training.
That thought crossed his mind effortlessly.
However, before he could step further, someone appeared from the opposite direction. A girl with black hair and cat ears, already wearing the green uniform of a waitress.
"Yo," she greeted casually, her tail swaying gently.
Shirou stopped in his tracks.
"Chloe," he said. "Have you seen Ryuu?"
Chloe tilted her head slightly, as if thinking.
"Hmm... Ryuu, huh?" she murmured. "I think she's in her room. She said she was going to the Dungeon. She has already taken leave from work."
Shirou nodded slowly.
"I see... thank you."
Chloe waved her hand casually.
"Ah, no problem," she said with a mischievous grin. "If you want, you could sneak in, you know."
Shirou just let out a small sigh, half-unsure whether that was really a joke or not.
Shirou stopped in front of one of the room doors, then knocked softly.
Knock knock
"Come in," a voice sounded from inside, brief and without suspicion.
He opened the door and stepped inside.
"Shirou?!" Ryuu immediately turned, slightly surprised. "I thought it was Anya or someone else..."
She stood in the middle of the room, already fully prepared. Practical shorts, a sleeveless shirt that showed off her arm muscles, and her signature green cloak hanging lightly on her shoulders. In her hand, a wooden sword—clearly, she was ready to go on an adventure.
Shirou observed for a moment, then raised an eyebrow.
"You're going to the Dungeon?"
Ryuu nodded.
Shirou immediately continued, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
"I want to come."
Ryuu let out a short sigh. "I knew you were going to say that," she replied flatly.
Shirou smiled faintly, then raised his hand.
"Trace... on."
A faint blue light appeared, forming equipment on his body. Light armor adjusted to his frame, a short sword sheathed at his waist, and a black hooded cloak fell to cover part of his figure.
In an instant—
He was ready.
Ryuu stared at him for a moment, then shook her head slightly.
"Quick as always..."
They left the dormitory together. Their steps took them across the still-quiet courtyard. Ryuu walked ahead, then paused briefly to pull up her green mask, covering part of her face—her habit when about to be active in the dungeon.
Without many words.
Shirou walked beside her, then glanced at her.
"Where are we going?" he asked.
Ryuu answered without looking. "Floor 10. There's an area I managed to translate from the Rudra Familia's secret documents."
Shirou felt puzzled.
"An area... not a specific spot like before?"
Ryuu nodded briefly.
"Yes. The information indicates a wider area. So we'll have to do some exploring."
Shirou was silent for a moment, then unconsciously kicked a small pebble on the road.
Tok...
His tone changed slightly.
"I'm curious... why didn't you ask me to come from the start?" he said, sounding a bit annoyed. "You were even ready to go alone."
Ryuu glanced at him briefly; her expression didn't change—as if she had already predicted that reaction. "Because you've already handled the previous ones," she answered calmly. "Now it's your turn to rest."
Shirou rolled his eyes.
"Rest?" he repeated. "Who's the one who's exhausted? Me, or you who fell asleep while sweeping because you spent too much time translating those documents?"
Ryuu paused for a moment.
Then—
Thud!
A small punch landed on Shirou's arm.
"Annoying," she said simply.
Shirou just chuckled, not really trying to dodge.
They arrived in front of Babel, then, without much talk, descended the spiral staircase leading to the Dungeon. The light from above slowly faded, replaced by the faint glow of the dungeon walls reflecting an eerie light typical of the place.
As soon as they entered the upper floors, the atmosphere changed immediately. The air felt more humid, and the sound of their footsteps mixed with echoes from other adventurers' activities.
On the 3rd floor, several kobolds emerged from a narrow passage.
"On the right," Ryuu said briefly.
Shirou was already moving first.
Slash—
His short sword cut quickly, multiple times. One pack of kobolds fell. Ryuu followed with clean movements, without unnecessary noise.
A few seconds later, only dust and magic stones remained.
Shirou squatted down, beginning to collect the magic stones one by one. His hands moved automatically, like a habit he had long developed.
At that moment, Ryuu, standing beside him, suddenly asked, her voice calm.
"By the way... why did you suddenly come to my dorm again?"
Shirou didn't answer immediately. He put the magic stones into his small pouch, then said briefly, "I got some new information."
Ryuu turned slightly.
"What information?"
Shirou stood up, staring straight ahead.
"There's one member of Rudra Familia who escaped when we raided their headquarters."
Ryuu blinked.
That was all.
No significant change in expression—no anger, no explosive hatred like Shirou had imagined.
He continued in the same tone.
"His name is Isama. A Dark Elf... silver hair."
A few seconds of silence passed.
Ryuu stepped forward again, as if the conversation wasn't that important to her.
"I don't know him," she answered briefly. "Probably a new member."
Her tone remained calm, as if it wasn't meaningful. That made Shirou feel a little strange.
Shirou quickened his pace, catching up to Ryuu, who had already walked ahead. Something was nagging at his mind, something he couldn't just ignore, no matter how much he tried. His thoughts kept spinning, searching for a way to express it without breaking the fragile balance between them.
"If that's the case..." he said finally, his tone sounding sharper than usual, almost without realizing it himself. "What are we going to do about the remaining Rudra Familia's member?"
Ryuu paused—only a fraction of a second—before resuming her steps as before. "We'll just wait for the next information," she answered calmly. "If he managed to escape once, it means he's smart enough to hide."
That answer was rational, even too reasonable. But that was precisely what made Shirou's chest feel hot, as if something inside him refused to accept that calmness so easily.
The story from Rudra's memories resurfaced in his mind—a harpy girl, tortured, violated, and the perpetrator... was still alive.
His teeth clenched quietly.
He couldn't tell Ryuu everything, not now, not without adding more burden to the elf girl's shoulders by making her worry. However, his emotions still pressed to get out, looking for any small gap to escape. "So..." Shirou continued, this time in a tone that unconsciously turned sarcastic. "That means all your revenge business is finished?"
Ryuu's steps stopped.
She turned around. Her eyes met Shirou's directly. "Revenge?" she repeated softly, as if testing the word on her tongue. Then, without hesitation, she answered, "Yes. It's all finished."
And then her tone rose, firmer, louder than before. "There's no point in being trapped in that hatred anymore! Rudra is dead. Jura... there's nothing left, his body was already eaten by monsters." The words came out without pause, without visible regret, only a decision that had been made and accepted.
But behind that firmness, there was still something held back, something that hadn't completely disappeared.
"Ryuu..." Shirou called softly.
He didn't continue his sentence, but it was enough to make Ryuu's steps halt again, as if there was still something not quite finished between them.
Ryuu didn't move immediately. Her back was still facing Shirou, as if she needed distance to hold back something that was about to overflow. When her voice finally came out, her tone was soft, restrained, like words forced through a heavy burden. "And all the consequences... you're the one bearing them," she said quietly.
She turned slowly. Her blue eyes, usually calm and clear, now seemed unsteady, trembling with emotions she couldn't completely hide. "That was my revenge. My sin." Her breath hitched slightly, as if each word carried wounds that hadn't healed. "Why are you so stupid, Shirou...?"
There was no anger there, no rejection either. What remained was only despair—something deeper, quieter, and long suppressed until it was almost invisible.
Shirou understood. This wasn't about Isama, not about the current situation. It was about that night—about the choices made, about the god he had killed, about a future that, if Rudra's words were true, would drag him into something far worse than death. And Ryuu was still thinking about it, still carrying it, still blaming herself.
He stepped closer, then placed his hand lightly on Ryuu's shoulder, a simple touch but enough to bridge the distance between them. "Yeah... I really am an idiot," he said casually, as if something that big wasn't worth thinking about too deeply. He let out a short sigh, then continued in a tone that remained light, though there was honesty hidden behind it. "There must have been another way besides killing Rudra. A better, cleaner way... I just didn't see it. Too careless to look for other options."
He smiled faintly, as if trying to soften the weight of those words with a casual attitude.
"So you don't need to blame yourself, either."
His tone was too light for such a heavy topic, almost feeling like a forced joke, but that was precisely where his sincerity lay—he truly didn't want Ryuu to carry that burden with him.
Ryuu snorted softly, and although her eyes were no longer as sharp as before, something remained there—emotions that hadn't fully subsided. "You..." she murmured. "You've given me a debt I won't be able to repay for the rest of my life." She looked down slightly, her voice softening. "At least... let me repay a little of it."
Shirou withdrew his hand, then turned around, walking casually past Ryuu as if the conversation didn't need to drag on. He didn't want the atmosphere to freeze for too long. "Whatever you say," he said lightly. "If that's the case, later you can go into the hidden area yourself. I'll sit back, take a look around." He even raised one hand, as if it were just a simple decision that didn't need further thought.
However, behind his casual demeanor, something was off.
Ryuu stared at his back, noticing steps that were too light for someone who had just said something like that. She let out a soft sigh, as if understanding more than was said. "Liar..." she whispered.
Even so, she still stepped forward, following Shirou without hesitation.
***
It didn't take long for them to reach the tenth floor. The air there felt different—more humid, with a thin mist hanging like a light haze along the stone corridors. Every step produced a soft sound from the slightly wet surface, as if the Dungeon itself was breathing slowly beneath their feet.
Ryuu walked in front, her sharp eyes tracing the path she recognized. "This way," she said briefly, following the direction she had memorized from the Rudra Familia's secret documents. Shirou followed behind, observing his surroundings warily. Uniform walls, quiet corridors—everything felt too familiar, like a pattern repeating without variation.
"A place like this again..." he murmured. "Quiet, rarely traveled by adventurers."
Ryuu nodded without looking back. "Right. Same pattern as the spots in the previous documents." They continued walking until they reached a narrow corner, where the stone walls rose closer, and the mist felt thicker, blowing slowly like an invisible breath.
Silence.
But only for a moment.
"GROOOAAAH!!"
A roar suddenly shattered the silence, shaking the air around them. From behind the mist, large shadows began to emerge—one, two, then more. A pack of silverbacks stepped forward, their massive bodies hunched with tensed muscles, red glowing eyes locked onto the prey before them. The vibration of their footsteps spread through the ground, heavy and threatening.
Shirou let out a short sigh. "There's always a welcome party..." he said calmly. Beside him, Ryuu had already drawn her wooden sword; her body lowered into a ready stance. No signal was needed—they moved at the same time.
DASH!
Shirou dashed forward, his sword appearing in one clean motion. Shk! The first slash cut through the air and struck one silverback's shoulder before the creature could react. On the other side, Ryuu moved in with light, nearly silent steps. Tak! Duk! Two quick strikes hit vital points, bringing down one monster with a heavy thud.
The remaining silverbacks roared and charged, but they were too slow to keep up with the rhythm of the fight that had already formed.
Blade flashes repeatedly cut through the narrow space.
One by one, the massive bodies collapsed, turning into Dungeon dust that disappeared with time, leaving behind glittering magic stones on the wet floor. Within seconds, the battle was over as quickly as it had begun.
Shirou stood upright, his breathing still stable, while Ryuu beside him didn't even show signs of fatigue. The area fell silent again, as if the monster pack had never truly existed—just a fleeting shadow erased without a trace.
Ryuu observed the area. Her eyes swept over every corner of the mist-covered walls. She walked slowly, stopping at several points as if feeling something invisible, then resumed moving with a measured rhythm. The atmosphere around them returned to silence, filled only by the sound of light footsteps and the occasional drip of water falling from the stone walls.
"This is... a dead end," she murmured finally, her voice low but certain.
Shirou stood in the middle of the area, glancing around with alert eyes. Stone walls rose without gaps, the damp floor reflected the dim light, and there was no clear continuation of any path. "At the previous spots," he said, recalling, "there was usually something hidden. A small cave, or a trap door."
Ryuu nodded slowly, as if confirming that thought in her own mind. "If that's the case..." She took a shallow breath, then began moving more actively. Her hands felt the wall surfaces, pressing on certain spots with high precision, while her blue eyes glinted sharply, searching for something invisible to ordinary people. "I'll search. You sit back as you said earlier."
Her tone was reminding, but there was a subtle sarcasm hidden behind it.
Shirou just snorted softly. "Yeah, sure," he replied lightly, as if he truly intended to obey. But those words never fully reflected his actions.
Instead of sitting still, he began to move.
He squatted down, picking up the remaining magic stones from the earlier battle, then examined the floor more thoroughly. His fingers tapped several sections of stone, trying to feel differences in texture or sound that might be hidden beneath the uniform-looking surface. Tok... tok... the small sound echoed softly, repeated, becoming its own rhythm in the midst of silence.
It wasn't a carefully thought-out decision—more like a habit, a reflex already embedded in him. He couldn't stay still while his companion was working, no matter how small his contribution.
Ryuu glanced briefly in his direction, only a fraction of a second, but enough to understand what was happening.
Just as she had expected.
A small smile appeared on her face—thin, almost invisible, but enough to change her usually cold expression into something slightly brighter. "Typical Shirou..." she murmured, more to herself than anyone else.
And without stopping her search, she continued moving, now with a heart that felt slightly lighter, as if the atmosphere around her had also changed, following a slowly warming rhythm.
Time passed unnoticed, lost in the silence filled only by breathing and the sound of hands on stone surfaces. Ryuu traced the walls with near-obsessive precision, pressing, tapping, even feeling for airflow that might escape through hidden gaps. On the other side, Shirou moved from one point to another, crouching on the damp floor, inspecting every section that looked identical but held different possibilities.
"Nothing suspicious..." Ryuu murmured. Her voice was almost drowned in the silence.
Shirou didn't answer. His focus had completely submerged, disconnected from the outside world. He activated structural analysis repeatedly, dissecting the stone floor's structure in his mind—layer by layer, micro-cracks, material density arranged neatly like a complex map he continued to trace. But the results were always the same.
Empty.
No mechanisms. No cavities. Nothing that could be called an anomaly. He stood, moved a few steps, then crouched again; his hand touched the floor once more. Tok... tok... the small sound echoed repeatedly, but still provided no answers.
Doubt began to creep in, slowly but surely.
"Is there really nothing here...?" he murmured. "Or... am I just unable to detect it?"
He stopped, took a deep breath, letting his mind spin, searching for gaps that might have been missed. All this time, the structural analysis he had been using was too focused on surface details—accurate, sharp, but limited. If something was hidden deeper, beyond just the physical structure that could be precisely mapped...
Then that method would never be enough.
Shirou slowly sat on the floor, his palms pressing against the cold stone. His eyes closed, his breathing regulated, and then prana began to flow through his magic circuits—not to dissect, but to spread.
Like waves.
Like sonar resonating through silence.
That energy penetrated the stone layers, sinking into the depths without regard for small details. He released the precision that had been his strength, replacing it with a wide range, letting his instincts guide the direction of his search.
Seconds passed in deepening silence.
Then something was felt.
Strange.
Unnatural.
In the depths, dozens of points were detected—irregularly embedded, but clearly not part of the Dungeon's natural structure.
Shirou's eyes opened.
"Got it."
That voice came out spontaneously, without thinking.
"Got what?"
Ryuu's voice suddenly sounded right behind him.
Shirou flinched; his shoulders tensed slightly. He turned quickly, almost not expecting Ryuu to be standing that close.
"Eh— since when were you there?"
Ryuu crossed her arms. Her eyes narrowed, but clearly implied displeasure. "Since you pretended to sit back," she answered without hesitation.
Shirou raised his hands high, then patted the floor beneath him. "I am sitting."
"Yes," Ryuu answered quickly, "but not relaxing."
For a moment, silence hung between them.
Then a small laugh broke out, light and unburdened, melting the tension that had been building due to the long, fruitless search. The stiff atmosphere slowly softened, making room for more relieved breaths.
Shirou took a breath, then his expression turned serious again. He tapped the floor beneath him, his focus narrowing again. "There's something under here," he said softly. "Not on the surface. Deeper."
Ryuu immediately adjusted her stance, her eyes sharp again. "What do you mean?"
"I don't know for sure," Shirou answered honestly, "but there are a lot of them. Dozens... maybe more. They feel like man-made objects." His tone was confident, even though he didn't have complete answers.
Ryuu stared at the floor, her eyes slightly narrowing, her mind working quickly. "If this is from the Rudra Familia..." she murmured, "...it's probably not something simple." She paused for a moment before continuing, "It could be gold bars... or other precious metals. They might have stored them for something—to fund chaos."
Shirou nodded slowly. "Makes sense."
He raised his hand, and in an instant, blue light appeared, forming two heavy tools in his hands—a pair of pickaxes with sharp blades and sturdy handles, strong enough to penetrate Dungeon stone. Without much talk, he tossed one toward Ryuu. "Seems like there's only one way to find out."
Ryuu caught it with one hand, testing its weight for a moment before nodding slightly. "...Alright."
The elf then raised her pickaxe and glanced at Shirou with a challenging look. "How about we see... who finds one of those mysterious objects first?" she said lightly, though the seriousness behind it couldn't be hidden.
Shirou grinned slightly. "Challenge accepted."
Without any signal, both moved almost simultaneously.
CLANG!
The pickaxe struck the stone floor hard, the sound of impact echoing through the narrow corridor. The rhythm of their swings was fast, racing each other without words, only focus remaining. Stone began to crack, chips flew, thud after thud filled the previously silent space.
Clang! Tak! Krak!
Time passed unnoticed. Slowly, a large hole began to form between them; stones piled up around them, while thin dust floated in the humid air. Ryuu worked on the right side with sharp, precise swings. Every movement was efficient, without waste.
Then—
Thud.
Her pickaxe hit something.
Not stone.
That object felt different—hard, dense, but foreign to the Dungeon's natural structure. A dark sphere was embedded within the soil layer, hidden beneath the surface they had just excavated.
Ryuu stopped for a moment, then a flash of satisfaction appeared on her face.
"I win," she said simply. There was an unusual hint of triumph in her voice.
She raised her pickaxe again, preparing to strike to fully extract it.
But in a fraction of a second—
Something inside Shirou screamed.
Mind's Eye activated.
His instincts shrieked.
Danger.
"RYUU, WATCH OUT!"
Without thinking, Shirou lunged. His hand grabbed Ryuu's body and pulled her back forcefully before the girl could react. Ryuu's body was lifted effortlessly; her balance was lost in one pull.
A fraction of a second later—
BOOOOM!!!
A massive explosion erupted from within the ground, fire bursting out with brutal pressure. The blast shook the corridor, stone fragments flying in all directions, and a wave of heat swept through the narrow space without mercy.
Flames licked, nearly touching them.
Shirou landed hard, his body shielding Ryuu in his embrace, positioning himself between the girl and the source of the explosion. Dust filled the air, heat still stinging on his skin, and the echo of the blast slowly faded, leaving behind a heavy silence.
For a few seconds, there was no sound.
Only the lingering vibrations are slowly disappearing.
Shirou breathed raggedly, his eyes still alert, his hands still gripping Ryuu tightly to ensure she was safe. However, something felt wrong.
Ryuu wasn't moving.
Shirou looked at her.
Those blue eyes were open—but empty, unfocused, as if no longer seeing the world before her. Her body was rigid in Shirou's embrace, her breathing irregular, and her consciousness... wasn't fully here.
In her eyes, the dungeon was no longer reflected.
Instead, memories.
Explosion.
Fire.
Screams.
The Rudra Familia's bomb.
And something far more terrifying—a creature that emerged from that destruction, a figure that slaughtered ruthlessly, snatching everything away in an instant.
Juggernaut.
Her friends.
Her family.
All of it vanished within that memory.
"Ryuu..." Shirou's voice was soft, trying to reach her, but it didn't arrive immediately.
Because Ryuu was still trapped in the past.