Venti: "If he was part of the dungeon... then perhaps finishing it is enough."
"But if he were something else..."
"And if he can go wherever he wants."
He raised his head, looking at each of his companions in turn.
Venti: "Then he could still be watching us."
"Even after we leave."
FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFfffffffffffffffffffffffffffff
The blue seal pulsed a little harder, as if urging them on.
The group understood that the dungeon was giving them one last choice: leave now, or stay longer at the risk of triggering something unknown.
Kael took a deep breath.
Kael: "We'll talk about it once we're outside."
"But let's keep this in mind."
"Nothing in this dungeon was normal."
The five adventurers exchanged one last look, torn between relief and worry, before turning their attention back to the blue seal, aware that leaving the dungeon might not mean the end of all the answers.
The five adventurers entered the magic circle together.
FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY
The instant their feet crossed the seal's boundary, the blue light suddenly intensified, engulfing their silhouettes.
FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFffffffffffffffffffffffffff
The air began to vibrate, as if the world itself were collapsing around them.
A sensation of falling without movement washed over them, followed by a cold breath… then nothing.
The next instant, they were hurled out of the dungeon.
BBBBBBZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Foush
The ground beneath their feet was soft, covered in tall grass that rippled gently in the wind.
Venti: " ..... "
The sky stretched as far as the eye could see, a clear blue dotted with slow-moving, peaceful clouds.
The contrast with the icy darkness of the dungeon was stark.
A vast plain opened before them, punctuated by a few rocks, wildflowers, and gentle hills on the horizon.
Lyra blinked several times, still dazzled by the natural light.
Lyra: "...We're out?"
"Really out?"
Eron knelt briefly, placing a hand on the ground as if to make sure it was all real.
Eron: "No hostile mana flow."
"No echo from the dungeon."
"Yes... we're outside."
Venti took a deep breath.
FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFfffffffffffffffffffff
The wind immediately caressed his face, familiar, free, alive.
He felt the Anemo energy responding to his call without resistance, as if the world were welcoming him back.
Venti: "The air is different outside… lighter."
Kael scanned the surroundings, still on his guard, but without spotting any immediate threat.
Kael: "Clear terrain."
"No monsters in sight."
"We got lucky at the exit point."
It was then that Bram froze for a moment, intently observing the horizon.
Bram: "..."
His gaze followed the line of the hills, then settled on a very particular rock formation.
Bram: "Hehe."
A tired, but sincere, smile spread across his face.
Bram: "...I recognize this place."
The others turned to look at him.
Bram: "This plain."
"It's the one not far from Rillmont."
"A day's walk away, maybe less if we follow the old trade route."
Lyra sighed with relief.
Lyra: "Rillmont... A real town."
"Beds."
"Hot food."
Eron nodded, clearly relieved to be in familiar territory.
Eron: "If we're near Rillmont, then we're officially out of danger."
"If we meet any merchants or travelers along the way, maybe they'll agree to help us."
Venti calmly observed the landscape, but his mind remained alert.
The memory of the dungeon, the knight, and the Abyss wouldn't fade so easily.
Venti: "We survived... but I have a feeling that dungeon was just a warning."
Kael sheathed his daggers, casting a final glance at the now-empty point from which they had emerged.
Kael: "Perhaps."
"But for now, we've won."
"And we're alive."
"That's already a lot."
The five adventurers stood motionless for a few seconds in the middle of the plain, letting the wind, the sun, and the silence replace the chaos of the dungeon.
Before them stretched the dirt road to Rillmont... and with it, the promise of a well-deserved rest, even though each of them knew, deep down, that their adventure was far from over.
Ten minutes later:
The adventurers set off leisurely along the dirt path leading to Rillmont.
The road wound its way across the plain, bordered by tall grass and small wildflowers, still damp with morning dew.
After the tension of the dungeon, everyone was gradually finding their rhythm again, even though fatigue was still etched on their faces.
All of them… except Venti.
While everyone else was walking, he had decided to train his Flight skill to level it up.
But things didn't go as planned because, since the skill was only at level 2, Venti was simply floating in the sky. With nothing to hold him up, Bram had to grab his ankle with a rope to prevent him from flying too high.
Venti: "With this mess, I hope my skill level reaches at least 3 or 4."
At the other end, Bram calmly pulled, the rope looped around his forearm as if he were leading a rather enthusiastic mount.
Bram: "Well... at least you're flying."
"Sort of."
Venti swayed gently, unable to climb higher than two or three meters, his erratic movements creating small, uncontrolled gusts.
Venti: "It's not supposed to be like this..."
Eron watched the scene, torn between concern and amusement.
Eron: "Technically, you're using your skill."
"But as for effectiveness... let's just say it leaves something to be desired."
Initially, the other members of the group might have thought that Venti was only a support member.
So, in the end, they decided not to ask him how they managed to float in the air, given all the times they'd been caught off guard.
Kael, walking without even looking back, let out a resigned sigh.
Kael: "As long as he doesn't kill himself and doesn't slow us down too much..."
Lyra, on the other hand, was struggling to suppress a smile.
Lyra: "At least you're progressing safely."
"Think of Bram as your... anchor point."
Bram tugged gently on the rope to keep Venti from drifting too far to the side of the path.
Bram: "Consider it assisted training."
"And besides, if you fall, I'll take the fall."
Venti looked up at the sky, a little frustrated, but also genuinely happy.
Despite his clumsiness, he could feel the wind responding to his call, however faintly.
Every second spent in the air counted.
Venti: "…One day, I'll fly without a rope."
The group continued on their way to Rillmont:
Four adventurers walking with tired but confident steps, and a fifth floating awkwardly above the ground, pulled by a rope, under the open sky—an almost absurd, yet strangely peaceful scene, marking the end of a battle… and the beginning of a new chapter.
A few hours later:
Venti: "... ".
Bram: "... ".
Kael: "... ".
Eron: "... ".
Lyra: "... ".
In the end, the return journey turned out to be much shorter than expected.
Where they had mentally prepared themselves for a long day of walking, punctuated by breaks and accumulated fatigue, only a few hours had passed.
But they were rather perplexed to think that returning to the city
The path seemed almost to have guided them, as if the keep, or perhaps the plain itself, was finally granting them respite after the ordeal they had endured.
When the group reached the top of a cliff overlooking the region, they instinctively stopped.
Before them, the landscape opened up abruptly, revealing the city of Rillmont in all its grandeur.
Below, the pale stone ramparts encircled the city, still bathed in the daylight.
The slate and tile roofs formed an orderly cluster of red rooftops, punctuated by watchtowers, bell towers, and chimneys from which wisps of smoke rose.
The main streets were visible like long, paved veins leading to the large central square, where the constant bustle of city life could be sensed.
Bram placed his hands on his hips, letting out a sigh of relief.
Bram: "Rillmont..."
"We're almost there."
Kael surveyed the city with a watchful eye, already noting the gates, guard posts, and access roads.
Kael: "From here, everything looks calm."
"Let's hope it really is."
Lyra approached the edge, her gaze lost in the rooftops and bustling streets, as if the mere sight of civilization was enough to release all the tension that had built up in the dungeon.
Lyra: "It's strange... after everything we've been through, seeing such a peaceful city seems almost unreal."
Eron nodded gently, clutching his bag of potions.
Eron: "But it's reassuring."
"It means we made it back alive."
Venti, still gently lifted by a breeze he habitually cultivated, looked at the city with a mixture of curiosity and reflection:
- The ramparts
- The guards
- The gates...
All of this reminded him of the questions that had haunted him since the dungeon.
Venti: "...Rillmont."
He knew that once he reached the bottom, the mission would officially be over.
But deep down, he sensed that some answers still awaited him behind those walls.
The group remained silent for a few moments, taking in the view and the certainty that they were finally out of danger.
Then, without another word, they resumed their walk, descending the cliff along the narrow path, toward the town that marked the end of their journey… and perhaps the beginning of new revelations.
After about ten minutes of walking down the path towards Rillmont, fatigue began to slowly set in.
Meanwhile, Venti had descended due to exhaustion, but his skill level hadn't yet increased.
But it would certainly increase when he was alone.
The boss fights, the long emotional recovery after the dungeon, and the hours of travel were finally taking their toll.
Eron slowed his pace slightly, adjusting the strap of his pack filled with nearly empty vials.
His breathing remained controlled, but his shoulders were gradually slumping.
Eron: "...I didn't think it would hit me so soon."
"My legs are starting to ache."
Kael, right in front of him, nodded without pausing.
His posture remained straight, but the tension in his stance betrayed the effort.
Kael: "Same here."
"Between fighting and walking, it's starting to add up."
Bram, true to form, still seemed strong, even though he occasionally glanced behind him to make sure no one was falling behind.
Lyra, on the other hand, walked in silence, focused on her breathing and the steady rhythm of her steps.
Venti, who had been observing the group for a few moments, immediately noticed this change.
He slowed down to position himself between Eron and Kael, looking at them both thoughtfully.
Venti: "You're starting to get tired, aren't you?"
Eron gave a slight smile.
Eron: "A little, yes."
"Nothing dramatic, but I wouldn't say no to a helping hand."
Venti then looked down at his hand, feeling the energy flow through him almost instinctively.
He still remembered his stats, his skills… and the one he rarely used consciously.
Venti: "In that case… I'll try something."
He closed his eyes for a brief moment and concentrated.
Anemo energy began to vibrate gently around him, almost imperceptible at first.
Then, a light breeze moved through the air, like a warm and reassuring breeze.
FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFffffffffffffffffffffff
Mass Increase/Decrease
The Mass Increase/Decrease skill activated without a spectacular burst of energy, but with subtle precision.
A strange sensation immediately enveloped Eron and Kael.
It wasn't a surge of strength, nor a disappearance of fatigue, but rather a feeling of sudden lightness, as if their bodies weighed less on the ground.
Kael blinked and took a step… then another.
Kael: "…That's weird."
"I feel like my boots are barely touching the ground anymore."
Eron lifted a leg in surprise, then lowered it with a quiet laugh.
Eron: "Yeah, that's it. The fatigue is still there, but it weighs less… literally."
Lyra turned to Venti, intrigued, watching the subtle ripples of air around them.
Lyra: "You just altered their mass, didn't you?"
Venti opened his eyes again, slightly focused but satisfied.
Venti: "Exactly."
"Nothing extreme, just enough to lighten their movements."
"That should make walking more bearable."
Bram gave Venti an approving look.
Bram: "Pretty neat, your trick."
"If only you could do the same for everyone, we'd practically fly all the way to the city."
Venti smiled, a little embarrassed.
Venti: "Maybe someday… for now, I'd rather avoid emptying myself completely before we get to Rillmont."
The group resumed their walk, this time with a more fluid step.
Eron and Kael moved forward with greater ease, their movements more supple, almost silent.
The road suddenly seemed shorter, and the atmosphere more relaxed.
In the distance, the silhouette of Rillmont slowly drew closer, while the wind carried with it a new feeling: that of a more serene return, carried as much by magic as by the renewed trust among the five adventurers.
A few minutes later:
As they finally arrived at the great gate of Rillmont, the five adventurers instinctively slowed their pace.
Lyra: "The gates really do look bigger..."
"Or maybe I've just been out too long."
The heavy, reinforced wooden gates stood before them, framed by the same pale stone ramparts they had encountered at each of their previous entrances.
The two guards stood at their posts, halberds in hand, absentmindedly observing the comings and goings.
But this time, something was amiss.
Venti felt a strange sensation cross his mind, like a memory resurfacing at the worst possible moment.
His gaze fell upon the guards… then drifted away, suddenly realizing this unsettling detail.
Venti: "…You noticed?"
Bram frowned.
Bram: "What?"
Venti paused briefly, searching for the right words.
Venti: "Every time we've entered the city... they've never checked us."
"Never asked for our papers."
"Never checked our crystals."
Kael stopped abruptly, then turned slowly toward the portal.
His eyes analyzed the scene more intently than before.
Kael: "That's right... Normally, the check is systematic."
"Especially for adventurers coming out of a dungeon."
Eron tightened his grip on his bag, suddenly looking more serious.
Eron: "They can even search us to make sure we're not carrying dangerous items."
"But they can also ask their dog to help find illegal or dangerous chemicals."
"Right now... nothing."
Lyra crossed her arms, watching the guards converse amongst themselves without paying them any attention.
Lyra: "As if they don't see us."
"Or as if they have no reason to distrust us."
A heavy silence fell over the group.
Everyone was thinking about the Abyss Herald's words, the infiltrated knight, the confidential photos, the information the Abyss seemed to possess far too easily.
Venti: "If a member of the Abyss could impersonate a knight... then manipulating a security protocol at the city's entrance wouldn't be impossible."
Bram gritted his teeth.
Bram: "Or someone gave the order to let us through without asking any questions."
"And that's even more worrying."
Kael nodded slowly.
Kael: "In both cases, it means one thing":
"We've been watched from the start."
Eron glanced one last time at the gates, then at the guards, who still hadn't moved.
Eron: "The question isn't why they aren't checking us anymore... but how far this is going."
Venti took a deep breath, a calm but strained smile on his lips.
Venti: "Let's carry on as if nothing's wrong."
"For now, getting out of the dungeon alive and back into town without alerting anyone is in our favor."
"But from now on... we'll have to be even more careful."
Without drawing attention, the five adventurers resumed their walk and passed through the gate.
The guards didn't react.
Not a single glance, not a word, not the slightest check.
And as Rillmont opened up before them once more, one certainty dawned on each of them:
The real danger might no longer lie within the dungeons… but already inside the city walls.
Chapter 45: Outside the dungeon
The End