After advancing a further distance, Neuvillette and his group stopped again.
"Another break," Neuvillette remarked, examining the marks on the ground.
This time, signs of a distant battle were visible, but the trail abruptly vanished. The tracks that should have been present on their side of the break were now missing.
Seeing this, Navia looked thoughtful.
"Do you think it's possible that this place can actually move?"
Neuvillette and Lofan exchanged surprised glances before nodding in agreement.
"Indeed, the gaps we saw earlier must have been the connecting joints," Neuvillette replied.
"If this secret base is roughly circular, different sections could rotate and reconnect. This would allow whoever controls the mechanisms to guide us to wherever they want us to go," Lofan added.
Hearing this, Navia couldn't help but marvel.
"If this theory is true, the technology and effort required to construct such a place are unimaginable."
"What's even more astonishing is that they managed to secretly construct such a massive secret base without our knowledge."
"This dangerous force must be completely eradicated," Neuvillette declared calmly, though his composure was merely a facade masking growing inner anxieties.
"What I don't understand is this: this organization has clearly been deeply entrenched in Fontaine for ages, yet they've only just now made their move—and immediately declared open war on the Fontaine authorities."
"Initially, I thought Vacher might have provoked them into action, but now it seems they never considered him a significant threat." Navia voiced her confusion, glancing at Lofan as if seeking an explanation.
Lofan could only shake his head with a wry smile. "I'm just as puzzled. Perhaps they discovered something?"
"Most likely, some impending event forced them to abandon their original plans and resort to such drastic measures to achieve their goals."
"But now isn't the time for speculation. What's our next move?"
"If this entire platform can rotate, the path ahead could very well be a trap laid out by our enemies."
"Should we press on or force our way through another passage?" Lofan asked.
Hearing Lofan's question, Neuvillette replied, "We should avoid rash actions as much as possible. We don't currently know the Fatui's location."
"Excessive destruction here could endanger them."
"Moreover, aside from them, this place is likely holding innocent people captive."
"It seems we've reached a consensus. Let's move on."
The trio resumed their journey, and before long, they arrived in a new area.
The first thing that struck their eyes was the overwhelming crimson glow.
The air temperature was terrifyingly high. Neuvillette immediately used his Elemental Power to shield them from the external heat.
Only then could they focus on what lay ahead. In the center was a massive depression filled with molten iron, its crimson surface radiating intense heat and light.
A colossal stone pillar stood in the middle of the depression, and a metal cage hung from its peak, seemingly imprisoning someone.
Upon seeing this, Lofan grew visibly agitated.
"Could Miss Vinani be in that cage?"
Lofan called out loudly in that direction, shouting Vinani's name, but there was no response.
Seeing Lofan about to intervene, Navia quickly stopped him.
"Monsieur Henry, please calm down. If we act rashly, we might put the people inside in even greater danger."
Neuvillette narrowed his eyes, studying the iron cage suspended in the air, swaying gently. Just as Navia had feared, this was precisely why he hadn't immediately intervened to rescue whoever was trapped inside.
At that moment, a cold, baritone voice echoed from the wall-mounted loudspeakers.
"Welcome, welcome. Monsieur Neuvillette's return is an honor beyond words. And bringing new guests? Even better! The more players, the more interesting the game becomes!"
Though the voice was slightly different, Neuvillette recognized the tone instantly.
"No. 6," Neuvillette said calmly, though the grip on his cane betrayed the turmoil beneath his composed exterior. "What tricks are you playing this time?"
"Monsieur Neuvillette?"
"Is that Monsieur Neuvillette?!"
A somewhat childlike female voice called out from the cage, her tone tinged with excitement.
"Monsieur Neuvillette, have you come to save me? That's wonderful!"
"It's so hot here... I feel like I'm about to dry up!"
"Don't be afraid. I'll save you."
Neuvillette quickly reassured her, then addressed the loudspeaker again.
"Stop wasting time, No. 6."
"Haven't you been waiting for this moment?"
"Heh heh heh... It seems you're already growing impatient, Neuvillette."
The voice returned, accompanied by a series of gleeful chuckles.
"Then let me briefly explain the rules of this game."
"It's very simple: a one-for-one exchange!"
"As the name suggests, it's one person for another."
"See that metal platform below? Anyone among you can stand there, and the cage will open automatically, freeing the person inside."
Following the instructions, the trio looked down and spotted an inconspicuous metal platform floating on the molten iron, already glowing crimson from the heat.
"You have only one minute to confer. If you haven't made your decision by then, the cage will plunge directly into the boiling iron, and the poor creature inside will meet a fiery end!"
"Hahaha! Of course, you could also try to destroy the cage directly—the rules of the game are quite flexible!"
"Now then, let the game begin!"
As the voice faded, a sudden grinding of gears echoed from above. The iron cage jerked downward, plummeting a considerable distance before halting momentarily, then resuming its slow descent. A piercing scream erupted from within the cage.
The trio finally caught a clear glimpse of the figure inside—it appeared to be a Melusine!
Upon seeing this, Neuvillette tightened his grip on his cane, his expression hardening.
Though the voice had granted them deliberation time, they realistically had no more than half a minute to decide, given the cage's descent speed.
In truth, they had no other choice. Neuvillette was the only one present with any means of self-defense, and with the Melusine trapped in the cage, it was clear this was a plot specifically targeting him.
As for destroying the cage to rescue its occupant, they abandoned that idea the moment their adversary mentioned it.
Clearly, their opponent had some kind of advantage to boldly remind them of this option.
Even if it was just a bluff, they dared not gamble with innocent lives.
"Monsieur Neuvillette! It's so hot! It's burning down here!"
A tearful voice cried out from the cage. Without hesitation, Neuvillette turned to Lofan and Navia.
"I'll go. You two ensure her safe return."
Neuvillette glanced toward the cage, noting that the enemy hadn't prepared any means of transportation. Even if the cage was opened, they would still need to rescue the Melusine themselves.
Navia immediately understood Neuvillette's intention. She nodded solemnly and said,
"Leave this to me. I'll definitely rescue her safely."
"You need to be extremely careful on your end. I suspect they have more tricks up their sleeves!"
Neuvillette nodded silently, then immediately levitated into the air and descended toward the platform below.
As soon as Neuvillette moved, Navia's attention remained fixed on the cage, and she failed to notice the lifelessness that had crept into Lofan's eyes behind her.
A radiant blue hydro light surrounded Neuvillette as he landed gracefully on the scorching red metal platform.
The instant his Hydro Element Barrier touched the platform, a series of hissing sounds erupted, followed by a surge of white steam enveloping him.
The temperature here was indeed extreme, but Neuvillette's formidable strength allowed him to manage it with relative ease.
However, he knew this couldn't be the end of their schemes. Confident in his ability to counter any tactic, he braced himself for the next challenge.
Sure enough, metallic barriers suddenly rose from the platform's edges, completely enclosing Neuvillette. Then, the connections to the surrounding structure snapped, and the platform plummeted toward the molten iron below.
Finally, Neuvillette plunged into the molten iron, and at that very moment, the descending cage sprang open.
Navia's pupils constricted sharply. The opening wasn't on the side of the cage as she'd anticipated, but at the bottom!
The Melusine screamed as she plummeted toward the molten iron below, the searing heat instantly igniting the fur on her body.
Navia reacted swiftly, lunging toward the Melusine without hesitation.
The instant Navia left the ground, the Geo Vision at her waist flared with a bright yellow light, and a Geo pillar rapidly extended toward her.
Then, the Pyro Vision on her other hip also flared to life, dispelling the Pyro Element surrounding the Melusine and extinguishing the flames.
Finally, Navia managed to scoop up the Melusine's tiny body into her arms. The Melusine's eyes were tightly shut, as if she had already lost consciousness.
Strapped to the Melusine was a highly unstable Pneumousia Bomb.
Seeing this, Navia finally understood why her opponents hadn't been worried about them breaking the cage to rescue the Melusine.
"You inhuman bastard!" Navia cursed under her breath. Without a moment to spare, she slashed the leather straps binding the Melusine to the Pneumousia Bomb, letting the explosive plummet toward the molten iron. She then hurled the Melusine in her arms toward Lofan.
"Monsieur Henry, catch her!"
Lofan responded immediately, sprinting to intercept the falling Melusine and catching her effortlessly.
He then glanced anxiously at Navia, who was still plummeting downward. Though she possessed a Pyro Element Vision, the surrounding heat was beyond her limits.
Fortunately, a Geo pillar had extended nearby. Navia grabbed it, instantly ascending. With a final, powerful kick against the massive central stone pillar, she landed cleanly beside Lofan.
"Miss Navia, are you alright?" Lofan asked, his face etched with concern.
Navia, not daring to pause, immediately warned, "I'm fine, but there's a bomb! We have to get out of here!"
Hearing this, Lofan's expression darkened. Clutching the Melusine, he and Navia sprinted toward the tunnel entrance they had come through.
They weren't fast enough. Before they'd taken more than a few steps, an impossibly bright light erupted behind them.
Navia immediately conjured a Geo shield behind them, bracing for the impact. But just then, a massive column of water erupted from the spot where Neuvillette had fallen moments before.
The water column slammed into the Pneumousia Bomb, instantly pushing it farther away. With a deafening boom, the bomb detonated, but the blast had no effect on Navia and Lofan.
The water column then swept horizontally, washing over the molten iron. Sizzling hisses filled the air, accompanied by billowing white steam.
Guided by some unseen force, the steam coalesced into a dense mass, gathering in a corner of the chamber.
Soon, the molten iron had completely cooled, and Neuvillette's figure floated back up to the outer platform.
Having accomplished all this, Neuvillette's expression remained composed, his breathing steady, showing no sign of exertion whatsoever. Witnessing this, Lofan clicked his tongue inwardly in astonishment.
His power is utterly ridiculous.
"Are you alright?"
Hearing Navia's question, Neuvillette calmly nodded. He turned toward the loudspeaker, about to speak, when a remarkably lively voice suddenly cut him off.
"Monsieur Neuvillette, that move you just did was so cool!"
Hearing the pure, innocent tone, Neuvillette's expression softened slightly. He looked at the Melusine he had rescued and asked, "Are you hurt?"
The Melusine shook her head gently. "Monsieur Neuvillette," she said, "I want to try that move too!"
Neuvillette gazed into the Melusine's hopeful eyes, his gaze becoming tender.
Suddenly, Neuvillette realized the Melusine looked familiar. Though he didn't recognize her personally, he was certain he had seen her somewhere recently.
"Monsieur Neuvillette, is it like this?"
A fleeting image flashed through his mind—a vision he had seen when he drank the Primordial Sea Water.
Neuvillette's heart clenched. When he regained his senses, he saw the Melusine with her hands on her stomach, mouth slightly agape. A pale blue jet of water shot directly from her mouth, aimed straight at Navia!
Primordial Sea Water!
Navia had been marveling at Neuvillette's handiwork when she sensed something amiss. Reacting instinctively, she raised her claymore to block, but the blade proved insufficient to completely deflect the Primordial Sea Water.
Neuvillette tried to intervene, but caught off guard while lost in thought, he was too late. He could only watch helplessly as the pillar of Primordial Sea Water surged toward Navia's claymore.
Just then, a figure darted to Navia's side, forcefully yanking her away and shielding her with their own body.
Though most of the Primordial Sea Water surged past them, a portion struck the figure's arm.
Both figures collapsed to the ground almost simultaneously. Regaining her senses, Navia immediately looked at the other figure, Lofan, whose arm was rapidly dissolving, eyes tightly shut, face deathly pale, a wave of suffocating panic washing over her.
With a flash of sword light, Lofan decisively severed the arm tainted by the Primordial Sea Water, unleashing a torrent of blood.
Witnessing this harrowing scene, Navia finally snapped out of her brief daze and immediately moved to staunch the bleeding.
Forced to improvise with no better materials at hand, Navia spoke urgently, "Monsieur Henry, bear with it!"
Without waiting for a response, Navia immediately used her Fire Elemental Power to cauterize the wound. With a muffled groan from Lofan, the bleeding finally stopped.
Meanwhile, Neuvillette remained stunned by the sudden turn of events, until a voice identical to the earlier innocent one echoed from behind.
"Monsieur Neuvillette, look! I did it!"
"Doesn't it look exactly the same? Almost identical, right?"
"I can even spray water now!"
"Hehe, this is so much fun!"
Neuvillette took a deep breath and, with a flick of his wrist, used Hydro Elemental Power to lift the Melusine's body into the air.
"Monsieur Neuvillette, what are you doing?"
"It hurts! This really hurts!"
"I can't breathe!"
Neuvillette's gaze turned icy, and he tightened his grip, making it clear he had no intention of relenting.
"Tch, how boring."
The Melusine's expression shifted abruptly, revealing a hint of displeasure at not eliciting the reaction she had hoped for from Neuvillette.
Then, with a thunderous boom, the Melusine exploded. It turned out she had not only filled her belly with Primordial Sea Water, but also concealed a Pneumousia Bomb!
Neuvillette swiftly channeled his power again, confining the blast's impact to a tiny radius, before rushing to Lofan and Navia's side.
Neuvillette was about to ask Navia about Lofan's condition when he noticed Lofan's missing arm. The words froze in his throat.
"I'm sorry... I should have realized sooner that the Melusine was suspicious. It's my fault," Lofan said, barely managing to open his eyes, his voice filled with guilt. But his words only intensified the shock in their hearts.
Especially Neuvillette, who remembered how he had injured Lofan earlier, unable to control his emotions. If it weren't for those injuries, this accident might never have happened, he thought, his guilt intensifying.