Jan stared at Saveth's figure as it slowly disappeared, obscured by the many notifications that flooded his vision.
At the same time, he felt something pulling him back. He couldn't see who it was, but the voice was unmistakable.
"You did well, Jan. Are you okay?!"
At Erza's question, Jan nodded. The pain was gone—completely erased by the leveling-up effect. Strength returned to his limbs, and he pushed himself back onto his feet.
That's when he saw it.
A massive portal, thirty meters away, loomed just behind Saveth. Its swirling depths pulsed with eerie energy, casting long, twisting shadows over the battlefield.
Saveth stood in place, his face frozen in disbelief.
"I lost...? Kehe… hehehe..." What started as a chuckle quickly grew into maniacal laughter. Then—suddenly—his expression hardened. He took a step forward.
*Clank—* *Clank—* *Rattle—* *Rattle—*
Heavy chains burst from the portal's depths, snapping around his wrists and ankles with brutal force. They yanked him back sharply, the tension pulling his limbs so tight—it looked as if he was about to get quartered.
But that didn't stop Saveth.
He moved forward, pulling against the chains with raw strength. The links groaned under the pressure as meters of iron stretched from the portal, dragged forward by his sheer will.
*Thunk—* *Thunk—*
Jan's stomach dropped. His hands clenched into fists. "He's trying to break free—!"
Erza, already a step ahead, drew her sword.
Saveth exhaled. Now with some slack in the chains, he straightened his posture as if this was nothing more than an inconvenience. He adjusted his hat, his bloodshot eyes flicking toward Jan.
"I never lose, kid."
With a casual motion, he extended his arm toward Jan. A strange, flickering energy coiled around his fingers, snapping to life as he yanked his arm back.
But—nothing happened.
Saveth's smirk flickered. He pulled again—still nothing.
He paused, questioning what happened, and then slowly turned his gaze from Jan to Erza, then to Marcus, who was steadily walking toward them.
Rollo wasn't there yet.
But he could still sense him—rushing toward them from the distance.
His brow furrowed, the arrogance draining from his face as realization dawned.
His gaze then snapped back to Jan, his teeth grinding. "The girl..." he muttered under his breath.
Marcus finally stopped, his voice calm yet firm. "She's far away from here."
Saveth's eye twitched.
"Give up, Saveth," Marcus continued, his glowing eyes unwavering. "It's like Jan said—you lost."
A long silence followed.
And then—Saveth grinned.
"Kehehehe... Fine. You can keep the bottle. But don't forget, kid—I'll be coming back to retrieve what's mine."
His gaze then flickered to the side, and his smirk twisted into amusement.
"Whoops! He's coming back! I have to go!"
The moment the words left his mouth, he casually kicked the chains back into the portal, forcing them to tighten again.
"STOP RIGHT THERE!"
Rollo's voice boomed across the battlefield.
Saveth paused mid-step, glancing over his shoulder as Rollo finally came into view.
Rage burned in his eyes.
"Kehehehe, I can't do that, even if I wanted to. You already know that." Saveth shrugged before flashing a smirk. "But hey, feel free to visit me anytime, friend."
He turned fully toward the portal, lifting a hand in a mocking wave.
"Bye-bye!"
"You cunt!"
Rollo's roar tore through the air as he charged forward.
Erza's eyes widened. "What are you doing?!"
"I'm going after him!" Rollo shouted back.
"STOP! You don't even know where that portal leads!"
"I DON'T CARE!"
With zero hesitation, Rollo leaped forward—straight into the portal.
"You idiot!"
Without thought, Erza dashed after him.
Jan's breath caught in his throat. His head snapped toward Marcus, expecting him to act.
But the wise man merely sighed, and then—he started walking.
Jan stared in disbelief. "You're going after them?!"
Marcus glanced back, then exhaled. "They've left me no choice."
He turned to Jan, his voice calmer now. "Please report everything back to Maria. She'll know what to do."
And with that, Marcus sprinted forward, disappearing into the portal.
Jan stood there—alone. His fingers curled into fists, but there was nothing left to fight.
The battlefield fell silent.
The swirling portal vanished.
Only the echoes of their departure remained.
***
*Boom—*
"Ouch!"
Sophia groaned as she landed hard on the church floor, still dizzy from the sudden teleportation.
"Sophia?!"
Her head snapped up at the familiar voice.
"Maria?!"
Maria rushed toward her, eyes burning with urgency. "Where the hell have you been?! I've been looking for you everywhere!"
Sophia froze, shifting uncomfortably under Maria's sharp gaze. "Eeeh..."
Maria's expression darkened. "…You went to the battlefield, didn't you?"
Sophia winced. "I-I..."
Maria let out a deep, exhausted sigh. "I expected this from you… but Jan followed you too?!" She pinched the bridge of her nose. "You really are a bad influence."
"H-Hey! That's unfair!" Sophia pouted.
Maria crossed her arms. "Where is he now?"
Sophia's face hardened.
Maria's eyes narrowed. "Why are you looking like that?!"
"It's a bit complicated."
Maria took a step closer. "What is it? You're making me worried."
Sophia lowered her voice. "Saveth was there."
"WHAT?!" Maria's face turned pale in an instant. "We need to go—now!"
"N-No, wait! Dad told me to stay here and protect this."
Maria's gaze followed Sophia's hand as she pointed to the sack lying beside her.
Her brow furrowed. "That thing? Why? What's in it?"
Sophia exhaled. "I don't know. But we suffered a lot to take it from Saveth—Jan helped too. Maybe it's something we could use against him."
She reached out and unfastened the sack.
As soon as she peeked inside, her entire body stiffened.
Her eyes widened in shock.
Maria leaned forward. "What? What is it?!"
Sophia slowly looked up. "It's… a girl."
"A girl?!"
Sophia nodded, her voice almost a whisper. "An elfen girl."
Before they could process this, the doors to the church suddenly burst open.
A knight stormed inside, his armor still stained with dust and battle.
"Princess Maria!" He saluted. "The fog has lifted! The sky is clear! It seems the wave has been defeated! I'm still waiting for reports from the battlefield, but from what we can tell—
We've won!"
Silence.
And then—the entire church erupted in cheers.
"YEAHHH!!!!"
Civilians jumped from their seats, shouting in joy, embracing one another, their fears finally easing.
Even Maria and Sophia couldn't hide their relief.
Sophia let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding, turning back to the sack.
The elven girl remained inside—motionless.
Maria's eyes narrowed. "Is she even breathing?"
Sophia hesitated before answering. "I think so, but… she hasn't moved at all."
Maria knelt beside the sack, watching closely. The girl's chest rose and fell, faint but steady. Her skin was still warm—too warm.
"She's breathing, but she's unconscious." Maria frowned.
"Should we be worried?"
Maria hesitated. Something about this felt off. She looked completely fine, but she was still unconscious.
'And when I touched her...'
Sophia, not noticing Maria's concern, shook her head. "Let's get her out of there, at least."
"No, stop," Maria said, glancing over her shoulder. "Let's move her to the inner room first."
Sophia nodded, "Yes, that would be better."
The two swiftly carried the sack and moved back to Marcus' personal room.
It was small, with only a desk and a bed—his own sanctuary inside the church.
Once they closed the door behind them, Sophia gently pulled the girl out.
She looked a few years younger than them—silver-haired, rosy-skinned, her pointed ears twitching slightly as Sophia lifted her.
Her dress was fine silk, decorated with golden embroidery. Even without knowing who she was, her wealth and status were clear.
Sophia carried her to the bed, laying her down carefully.
"She looks completely fine," Maria muttered, but she still felt uneasy.
"Why do you think Saveth kidnapped her?" Sophia asked, brushing a stray lock of hair from the girl's face.
Maria exhaled. "I don't know… but I'm glad she's safe now."
"Anyway, she should be fine here. Let's go meet the others—they should be heading this way."
"Yeah, let's go!"
After closing the door behind them, the two girls stepped out of the church. The knight's report had been true—the town was quiet. The oppressive darkness that had swallowed Valkeries City was gone.
It was now midnight, the darkest hours of the night, but compared to the earlier wave attack, the town felt bright under the moonlight. Fires no longer burned. The sky was open again.
Sophia and Maria exchanged glances. For the first time in hours, they smiled.
Without thinking, they both broke into a sprint.
Laughter mixed with the night air as they raced down the road.
As they approached the gate, Sophia's eyes lit up. "Hey, isn't that Jan?!"
Maria followed her gaze and spotted him stepping out of the gate. "Yeah, it's him!"
Sophia waved excitedly, calling out. "Hey, Jan!"
He lifted his head at the sound of her voice, his expression unreadable.
Sophia skidded to a stop in front of him, hands on her hips, still catching her breath. "Man, I'm glad you're okay! He was beating the crap out of you!"
Jan forced a weak smile. "W-Well… I'm just glad I'm alive."
Sophia grinned, punching his shoulder lightly. "Me too!"
Maria, still panting from the run, whistled. "Jan—why are you alone?" She scanned the area behind him. "Where's Mom and Dad? Are they still on the battlefield?"
Jan stiffened.
Sophia's smile faded. "What's wrong?"
"T-They're gone," Jan said quietly.
"What?!"
***
"Fuck! God damn it!"
Rollo's fist slammed against the nearest stone wall, his breath ragged with frustration.
"Calm down, Rollo!" Erza snapped, turning to Marcus. "Marcus, did you find him?!"
Marcus exhaled slowly, his glowing eyes dimming as he closed them. A heavy silence stretched between them before he finally spoke.
"No. I can't sense him."
Erza's stomach dropped. "Then...?"
Marcus nodded grimly. "Yes. He tricked us."
"But how?!" Erza's voice rose, her hands clenching into fists. "We went through the same portal!"
Marcus rubbed his temple. "I don't know exactly, but it's possible he manipulated the portal from the other side—cutting us off and leading us elsewhere."
A cold realization settled over them.
"Then... where the hell are we now?" Erza muttered.
Marcus glanced around, taking in their surroundings. The walls were unfamiliar, ancient carvings spiraling across their rough surfaces.
"Well... we're inside the tower." He frowned. "But I don't recognize this floor."
"It's the 49th," Rollo said, his voice quieter this time.
Erza froze. "What?!"
Marcus let out a heavy sigh, pressing a hand against his forehead.
The weight of the situation hit instantly.
From floor one to forty-nine was normally a two-year journey. And now, in a single moment, they were so far away from home.
"You idiot!" Erza's temper flared, her voice echoing through the stone halls. "I knew we shouldn't have gone after him!"
"I never asked you to follow me!" Rollo shot back, his own frustration boiling over.
"What did you say?!" Erza took a step forward, eyes blazing.
"Guys! Come on, this isn't the time to fight," Marcus cut in, his voice firm.
Erza turned to him, her jaw tightening. "Marcus, the girls—"
"They'll be fine, for now..."
Erza's expression darkened. "For now?"
Marcus met her gaze. "Now that I know exactly where we are... it's clear why Saveth did this."
A deep silence followed.
And then, realization dawned.
"He's planning to attack again. In two months."
Marcus nodded. "Yes."
"Damn it..." Rollo clenched his fists. His voice dropped to a murmur. "Erza... I'm..."
Erza exhaled sharply, clenching her fists. Then she simply shook her head.
"Forget it. But next time we face him, you better learn to control your damn emotions." Her voice was firm. "You'll never win this way. How many times have I told you that?"
Rollo ground his teeth, his muscles tensing. "I know."
Erza scoffed. "Then act like it." She elbowed him lightly.
Rollo barely reacted.
Erza narrowed her eyes. "Hey, relax."
*Silence—*
"I SAID RELAX!" This time, she struck harder, nearly knocking him off balance.
"Alright, alright! Damn it!" Rollo snapped, staggering back before turning to Marcus. "Man, control your woman!"
Marcus held up his hands. "Hey, keep me out of this!"
For a moment, there was silence.
Then, all three of them laughed.
"Come on, we'll make sure to fix this," Erza said.
"But we'll need a new strategy first," Marcus replied.
"Yeah, well… We'll have plenty of time to come up with one," Rollo sighed deeply.
Erza's lips curled slightly. "Plenty of time? We need to get back quickly!"
Rollo scoffed. "Don't worry. Last time I did the climb, it only took me a year to get here, and I was alone. The only real struggle was those damn mazes."
Marcus chuckled. "Well, with me here, you won't have to worry about those anymore."
Rollo grinned slightly. "Guess you're right."
Erza crossed her arms. "Hmph. Feels like the old days."
Rollo nodded. "Indeed."
A fire lit in Erza's eyes. "Two months then? No. We'll make it back in one."
She turned forward, her stance unwavering.
"Let's go."