Chapter 237: Rescue (2)

Louis and Erica met late in the afternoon. By the time Erica recovered from an hour-long faint, a thick sunset had already settled over the landscape.

Pfft!

Louis and Erica materialized in mid-air.

“Is this it?” Louis asked.

“U-uh? Th-that…”

Experiencing space movement for the first time, Erica shook her dizzy head. Then, she scanned the surrounding terrain and her eyes widened.

“Th-there it is!”

Erica’s expression betrayed her utter disbelief at the situation.

Oh my god!

While recounting her ordeal, she had provided a rough description of the location and distance. Yet she never imagined that this meager information could lead to such precise pinpointing of her whereabouts.

On top of that, an immense power that allowed them to traverse distances requiring a month by carriage in an instant.

Is space movement… always like this?

If so, I’ll dedicate myself to researching space movement artifacts from now on.

While Erica was making this resolution, Louis slowly descended to the ground.

Erica, who had belatedly followed Louis, nodded vigorously.

“I’m sure of it! This is the place!”

Though there was nothing around them, how could she ever forget?

The situation from the day her friends were kidnapped and she barely escaped herself.

The events of that day remained vividly imprinted in her mind, making it easy for her to recognize the surrounding terrain.

Still, Erica asked with worried eyes, “What… what should we do now?”

Even if they wanted to track them, they needed some kind of clue, no matter how small.

From the day of his escape, a torrential downpour persisted for three consecutive days.

Even under normal circumstances, tracing someone after three days would be challenging. The storm had completely erased all traces, leaving pursuers with no clues to follow.

Louis showed no reaction to Erica’s worried inquiries. Instead, he casually raised his hand.

A dark, crimson energy flowed from his fingertips like liquid.

Drip. Drip.

A single drop, then another.

The black and red fluid mixed on the ground, creating a powerful ripple effect.

The shockwave emanating from Louis radiated outward in all directions.

Instantly, the entire 200-meter radius surrounding Louis and Erica turned a sinister crimson hue.

The earth was stained crimson.

Clap.

Louis snapped his fingers lightly.

This time, a pure white energy surged outward in all directions.

As the faint clapping echoed, the sword-reddened ground churned. Then, when the pristine energy touched it, a transformation began.

Tssssh—

“Uh…?”

Erica’s eyes widened as she watched Louis’s actions with curiosity.

A carriage entered the crimson domain that dominated the surroundings. What made it unusual was its entirely gray color.

And the one driving the carriage was none other than Douglas.

He too was gray, and soon two figures emerged from the carriage: Floria and…

Me… is that me?

It was herself.

After alighting from the carriage, the group exchanged what appeared to be words before promptly preparing camp.

Erica stood gaping, her jaw slack as she stared at the scene unfolding before her.

This is…

How could Erica fail to recognize it?

That day!

She realized she was witnessing the events of that fateful day.

While she stood frozen in shock, Louis snapped his fingers.

Click.

With the sharp sound of finger against finger, the scene before her began to rush forward, as if someone had sped up the playback speed of a video.

Soon, the replay reached the moment when the intruders struck and the battle erupted.

Watching the battle unfold from a third-person perspective right before her eyes, Erica found herself unable to even blink.

Based on what she had witnessed, Erica could declare with certainty:

This was truly a miracle.

While Erica remained entranced, Louis looked on with satisfaction.

Thank goodness. It was a close call.

The miracle Louis had performed was none other than summoning memories preserved within space itself.

Spatial Attribute, Time Attribute, and Mental Attribute—a Sacred Scripture derived from the unnatural fusion of these three fundamental forces. Only Louis could wield such power.

It was a truly miraculous ability, but it had its drawbacks.

In addition to the immense attribute power required, the duration of memories that could be retrieved depended on environmental conditions. Experimental results showed that even under optimal circumstances, the maximum duration was only about a week.

Therefore, if Louis had met Erica even a little later, finding the kidnapped individuals might have become an extremely complex and troublesome task.

As Louis pondered, the memory playing out reached the scene of Erica’s escape.

The replay ended with the intruders losing Erica and moving Douglas and Floria away.

Erica shouted excitedly, “They went that way! They went that way!”

“I know. I saw it too.”

The intruders’ movement direction was northwest.

The distance they could have covered is no more than four days’ travel.

These two conditions were sufficient.

A wicked grin spread across Louis’s lips.

“I’ll find them within ten minutes.”

No sooner had he spoken than two figures shot across the sky at breakneck speed.

The sunset-stained sky had turned blood-red, as if foreshadowing someone’s fate.

Grrr- ROAR!

A low, thunderous roar reverberated in Douglas’s ears.

BANG!

The violent crash shook him awake. He sat up, his face contorting in annoyance.

“That goddamned bastard is making a racket again today!”

A faint voice drifted from one side.

“You’re awake, Douglas?”

Douglas turned to see Floria, eyes closed and leaning against the wall, her Mana Restraining Ring gleaming.

She’d been captured by the intruders and lost her artificial eye.

“Even when I want to sleep, that damn troll keeps making so much noise I can’t get a wink!”

Douglas’s grumbling mirrored Floria’s plight. He too had been attacked by the intruders, his prosthetic arm stolen, dragged to this unknown cave, and fitted with the Mana Restraining Ring.

His already weakened body deteriorated rapidly as his mana was restricted.

Ahem—cough!

Floria asked worriedly at his rough cough, “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine… I can endure it…”

Just then, the sound came again.

Thump—!

Roaaaar!

The thunderous roar crumpled Douglas’s face once more. “Does that damned troll never sleep?!”

The troll’s howls had been echoing through the cave since his first day in captivity. He had no idea why a troll was lurking beneath the earth, but its incessant roars and earth-shaking tremors were more than enough to fray his already strained nerves.

He wouldn’t have been surprised if it turned out to be their newest torture method.

While Douglas grumbled, Floria’s voice echoed through the cave.

”…How many days has it been?”

Douglas’s expression turned pensive.

“Hmm. Three or four, I’d guess…”

In the sunless underground, time flowed indistinguishably. They could only roughly estimate its passage based on the meager meals their captors provided.

“Erica… She made it, right?”

“That birdbrain? She’d have arrived safely. For all her faults, she’s got running away down to an art.”

“Still, I worry. Even if it’s just Erica, she needs to be safe.”

“She hasn’t been dragged back here yet, so she must be fine. Maybe she’s already reached the Labyrinth safely.”

I sent Erica to fetch support troops, but I wasn’t holding out much hope.

The distance from here to Syron was at least a month’s journey.

Even if Erica returned with a rescue party, there was no guarantee we’d still be alive or even here by then.

Besides…

I might not even be alive by then.

Douglas gave a self-deprecating smile.

Well, my days were numbered anyway…

But Floria was different.

She had a bright future ahead of her, and I couldn’t let her die in this place.

I had to save her, no matter what.

The problem was how to get Floria out safely, now that she had lost her sight again.

“Ugh…”

As Douglas groaned in pain,

Clang-

The iron door rattling, Douglas thought it might be mealtime, but he was wrong. The door swung open to reveal a man with a cold, stern expression—the very leader of the thugs who had captured them. Douglas’s face contorted into another furious frown at the sight of him.

“You again?” Douglas spat.

“Did you have a restful night?”

“How am I supposed to know night from day when we’re sealed up like this? And that damned troll keeps bellowing! Go shut his foul mouth and make him quiet!”

“I see.”

The leader gave a perfunctory nod, seemingly unfazed by Douglas’s outburst. His expression held only a hint of mockery. With a sly smile, he inquired:

“Rather than that, have you considered our proposal?”

“Hmph!”

Douglas scoffed.

The man’s proposal, made on the very first day Douglas was held captive here, was nothing less than a demand for information about Grade 1 Transcendent techniques.

“You must have heard some nonsense from somewhere,” Douglas snapped. “There’s no such thing as a Grade 1 Transcendent technique in this world!”

“If you continue to be uncooperative, it won’t be good for either of you.”

“What kind of fool would cooperate with the bastards who kidnapped his own people?”

A tense stare-down ensued between Douglas and the man.

This same confrontation had repeated itself every day for the past three days.

The man relentlessly pursued information, while Douglas stubbornly resisted.

Each time, the standoff ended with the man backing down.

But today was different.

“There’s a condition,” Douglas said, his voice slightly more subdued.

A flicker of interest crossed the man’s eyes. “What is it?”

“Send Floria to me. If you do, I’ll do whatever you ask, no questions asked.”

“Douglas!” Floria screamed, her voice cracking like a whip at his sudden proposal.

Douglas ignored her outburst, his gaze fixed solely on the man.

“Hmm…” The man, arms crossed, seemed to consider the offer briefly before shaking his head. “Unfortunately, that’s a condition I can’t accept.”

“Then I have nothing more to say to you.” Douglas closed his eyes, as if there truly was no further discussion to be had.

The man smiled at this.

“Did you know…?”

”…”

“You ordered me to shut the troll’s mouth because it was being too loud, didn’t you? Do you know why that creature is screeching like that?”

”…”

“It’s hungry. Ever since we captured it and brought it here, we haven’t fed it once.”

The man’s smile began to exude a sinister aura.

“It would probably quiet down if we put something in its mouth. Especially since I heard that elves are considered a delicacy by monsters—more so than humans.”

“You son of a bitch…”

Douglas opened his eyes and glared at the man.

Knowing how much he wanted to save Floria, the man had immediately shifted his tactics and was now using her as leverage.

Douglas growled at the man, who wore a bitter smile.

“You son of a bitch…”

“Consider carefully. I can’t give you much time. Our troll has been particularly irritable lately, likely due to hunger. We might have to give it an elf arm or leg to chew on.”

It was a threat to sever Floria’s limbs if he didn’t decide quickly.

Douglas sighed heavily, the constant threats weighing him down. He had tried to negotiate with conditions, but had only given the man more leverage for his blackmail.

“Douglas, I’m fine. Don’t worry about me so much!”

Floria declared boldly in a clear voice.

The man replied with a mocking tone, “Lady Floria may be alright, but Sir Douglas seems to be struggling. He’s already trembling with fear of losing Lady Floria? Such admirable brotherly affection!”

“This brat, trembling? What the—?” Douglas, enraged by the man’s taunt, tried to shout back but then realized his entire body was indeed shaking uncontrollably, causing him to panic.

“W-Why is this happening?!”

His hands and arms were shaking like aspen leaves.

Desperate to explain, Douglas shouted, “I-It’s just c-cold!”

“Haha, of course. I understand perfectly. I’ll be sure to fetch you a blanket. Hahaha!”

Just as the man, brimming with mockery, was about to leave the prison…

Rumble… Rumble…

The underground dungeon they were in began to shake violently.

The sudden tremor took the man completely by surprise.

Earthquake? he wondered. If the intensity grew, the dungeon walls might collapse. Should I move them?

As he hesitated, the shaking intensified.

He remained unaware of the earthquake’s true nature. What he believed to be a natural disaster was in fact an even more terrifying catastrophe looming above him.

Thud… Thud… Thud…

Crumble…

The walls shuddered violently, sending showers of stone dust raining down.

Then…

Crack…

A deep fissure split across the wall’s surface.

“I-It’s collapsing!”

Those in the cave thought the earthquake would collapse their hideout.

But the situation unfolded in the exact opposite way.

Rumble…

Cracks spread across the walls.

“Huh?”

“Wh-what’s happening?!”

The ceiling was rising.

Creeak…

An unknown, immense force was tearing the cave’s ceiling apart.

As the massive ceiling was wrenched away, the cave transformed into a basin.

All those hiding underground found themselves dumbfounded, suddenly staring up at the dusky, night sky.

Meanwhile, a white comet descended from above.

Crash!

Louis landed between Douglas and the man.

He gripped the man’s neck and lifted him off the ground.

“Guh!”

Startled by the hand tightening around his throat, the man struggled to break free, but the thin arm remained as unyielding as steel, refusing to budge.

“Urk!”

Through his desperate struggles, the man’s gaze met emotionless, violet eyes staring back at him.

Wh-what kind of look is that?!

It was the look one might give an insignificant insect.

The moment he locked eyes with those jewel-like pupils, his heart froze and his mind went blank.

Then, a cold voice drifted into his ear.

“Don’t worry about the troll. I’ll feed it until it’s so full it won’t want to eat for days.”

“Ugh!”

“So, before we serve the main course…”

“Cough! Cough!”

“…we should probably start with an appetizer, don’t you think?”

Before the words had even left his lips…

Crack.

The arm gripping the man’s throat snapped clean off.