"That would be a real problem."
Picturing that scene, Finn couldn't help a sigh. Against Goliath, he'd wanted Tiona, Tione, and Bete to take point. But with spawns increasing, there was no telling if the floor boss would be affected too.
As they were now, Tiona, Tione, and Bete weren't suited to challenge the boss head-on; their stamina was at the limit. Finn knew you needed a perfect state to face a floor boss—go in one-on-one and you'd squeeze out the most "Great Feat," but the risk spiked just as sharply.
So the only choice now was a temporary rest. Finn ran the numbers and landed on the single sensible option: "rest."
"Tsuna, I'm counting on you."
"No problem. Also, heads up—the logistics squad has caught up."
Tsuna pointed toward the entrance. Finn blinked, turned, and saw the supply convoy approaching in the distance.
"A bit faster than I expected. With so many monsters on the way, I thought they'd need more time."
"Maybe the number of corpses on the road tipped them off, so they sped up. It's not usually this many. They probably sensed the 'abnormality' and skipped harvesting to catch us."
Tsuna's reminder clicked immediately for Finn. Raul wasn't a dull commander—spotting the issue and switching orders on the fly fit him.
"Next time, some things should be shared with Raul—especially before an expedition starts."
Muttering that, Finn shifted his attention back to Tsuna.
"Perfect timing then. We can transfer the supplies right away."
That had been the plan anyway. Since logistics had made it in time, they'd move the cargo now.
Tsuna created a "Space Zipper" and set it into the wall beside the 16th-floor exit. With pushcarts and wagons in mind, a random slit wouldn't do; he unzipped a wide, square entry.
Bete, watching from the side, felt his eyes bulge.
"Wh-what… is that?"
His brain burned and trembled—this was beyond anything he could have imagined.
What a fun reaction. Tiona admired Bete's near-meltdown, smiling as she leaned in.
"Never seen it?"
Never. Bete nearly blurted it out—then caught the look on Tiona's face and swallowed it.
"Mind your own business."
He bit back the words, but his eyes kept sneaking toward the portal. His wagging tail betrayed the roaring curiosity.
"This wolf's mouth is way too stiff," Tiona pouted. "Fine, I'll tell you. That's a rest space Tsuna made at our request—mine, Tione's, and Ais's. It's about as big as the Twilight Manor inside. We can live and rest there—and it doubles as storage."
As big as the Twilight Manor? Bete understood the strategic value immediately. Which meant expedition logistics were no longer a problem. Rest during a push—also no longer a problem.
No wonder both Loki and Finn treasured the rookie. He finally grasped the true 'weight' of "a versatile beast created by imagination."
Way overtuned—now he got it. Still, his tail wagged harder. As a teammate, a newcomer with this kind of power was about as good as it got.
Of course, beyond the ridiculous support aspect, one more thing pricked at Bete's mind: "resurrection."
The logistics squad soon reached the 16th-floor exit and linked up with Finn.
"Captain."
Raul and Alicia stood at attention before him.
"Skip the talk for now. Have the transports go in first. Explanations can wait till we're inside."
Finn pointed at the opened space. Raul and Alicia took one look and went briefly breathless, but they'd seen plenty in their time; after tamping down curiosity, they directed the transports through.
The logistics team, all surprise and curiosity, ferried the supplies in. That single operation took nearly half an hour—there were simply too many of them.
"Raul, Alicia—inside. Settle everyone down first."
"Understood."
They hustled through the portal.
"Last is us. Explanations are going to take a while. Folks in there are probably climbing the walls by now."
He complained with his mouth, but smiled with his eyes. For the first time, Finn felt what it was like to have an overpowered support at your side—it made everything lighter. He turned and stepped in.
"Your mouth and your heart don't match, Finn."
"He's always been like that, and you know it."
Riveria knew exactly what Finn was thinking—she felt the same. Only when you possessed a thing did you realize how hard you had it before. Smiling, she followed him in.
Gareth couldn't help a chuckle. After Riveria entered, his fan-sized hand thumped Tsuna's shoulder.
"Fine work."
Tiona and Tione walked up with Ais between them.
"Tsuna, come hang out with us when we rest, okay?"
"When it's rest time, come to us. Let the captain handle the aftermath. You're still a rookie—push what you can onto him. Now's the perfect time to dump problems upward."
Tiona was simple-minded; Tione, more direct, offered the cleanest way to handle what came next. Ais was simpler still—she just gave Tsuna a thumbs-up.
After the three slipped inside, Bete lingered at the end, a little awkward.
"For a rookie… you did well."
Maybe hearing himself sounded too clumsy, he stiffened his face and strode in. The brisk pace only made his embarrassment more obvious.
Not that hard to get along with, actually. Tsuna smiled and followed.
The open seam zipped shut behind them, the metal teeth vanishing once the space sealed.
(End of Chapter)
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