Sasuke stepped back, his Sharingan fading as he turned to face the group of women, his expression growing more peculiar. The air around them was thick with the scent of blood and dust. When Sasuke's eyes fell on Kaguya's missing arm, a flicker of something crossed his usually impassive face—seeing her missing limb evoked prophetic abilities, giving him a feeling that he might also lose his hand. Sasuke decided to prepare in advance for this type of future to avoid this.
"You're not in any condition to continue fighting," Sasuke observed, his tone as direct as ever. "But I can stop the bleeding and give you a chance to make it out of here alive."
Sasuke retrieved a small pouch filled with healing potions. Each one contained a shimmering liquid, the colors ranging from green to deep green. He selected one of the green potions and handed it to Kaguya, who hesitated for a moment before accepting it.
"It will stop the bleeding and stabilize you enough to move," Sasuke said.
Kaguya nodded, uncorking the vial and drinking the potion in one gulp. Almost immediately, she felt a cooling sensation, her shoulder dulled, and the flow of blood slowed to a mere trickle.
Sasuke then moved to Lyra, who was still blinded from the earlier attack. "Drink this. It will ease your pain and give you the strength to move, but don't expect miracles."
Lyra accepted the potion with trembling hands. After taking it, her breathing steadied, and some color returned to her pale face.
Sasuke did the same with Alise. After some time, her wounds were bandaged and her strength was partially restored by the potion. She nodded in agreement. "Thank you." Alise knelt beside Ryuu, who was still recovering from the shock. After rubbing her head, she let her stand up.
After collecting the bodies of her friends with the help of Sasuke, Alise stated, "We need to move. With our weakened condition, the Dungeon will send more monsters our way." With that, the group began their trek through the Dungeon, Alise leading the way.
As they cautiously made their way up through the Dungeon, every step echoed through the vast, dimly lit corridors. Despite their exhaustion, they pressed on, always trying to avoid fights. Just as they were approaching the 20th floor, Alise, leading the group, raised her hand, signaling everyone to stop.
"We're on the 20th floor now," she whispered, her voice tense. "This is Hellhound territory."
As if on cue, a low growl echoed through the trees, followed by the sound of something large moving through the underbrush. The ground shook slightly as a pack of Hellhounds emerged from the shadows, their eyes glowing with an intense red light. Flames flickered from their mouths, and the heat emanating from them made the air shimmer.
Sasuke stepped forward. "I'll take care of them," he said calmly, his hand already forming a seal. The Hellhounds wasted no time, charging at the group with terrifying speed. Their fiery breath scorched the ground as they ran, leaving trails of burning embers in their wake.
Despite her exhaustion and injuries, Alise drew her sword, standing firm in front of her companions, ready to defend them. As the Hellhounds closed in, Sasuke stepped forward. With a swift hand seal, he unleashed a fireball from his mouth.
The blazing sphere shot through the air, growing in intensity as it raced towards the Hellhounds. Their pained howls were cut short as they were reduced to ash, leaving nothing but smoldering embers in their wake.
Sasuke lowered his hand, the flames dying down as quickly as they had appeared. "Let's keep moving," he said. As they continued, another group of Hellhounds appeared in front of them.
"They're blocking our path," Alise muttered.
"Just keep moving forward. I'll clear the way," Sasuke replied. Without hesitation, Sasuke launched himself at the Hellhounds, his katana swiftly cutting through them.
Alise, unwilling to stay idle, joined the fight. Together, they fought off the Hellhounds, one by one, until the last of them was reduced to nothing more than ash and smoke.
Sasuke sheathed his katana and glanced back at the others. "Let's keep moving. Once we reach the safe zone, at least we can cook."
With the path now clear, the group continued their ascent, finally reaching the Safe Zone on the 18th floor. The Safe Zone was a welcome sight, with its wide, open space and the faint glow of the luminescent crystals embedded in the walls.
They took a moment to catch their breath, their relief palpable.
"Let's buy some supplies, then have a rest before continuing our journey to the surface," Alise suggested, though her voice carried the fatigue of their recent battles.
"Let's just find a good spot. I already have enough supplies," Sasuke said.
The group agreed. After a short while, they found a decent place, and Sasuke took out a portable magical tent. After putting both Lyra and Kaguya on beds to let them rest, Sasuke and Alise started preparing food, while Ryuu took care of the injured ones.
After two days of rest, the climb from the 18th floor to the surface sped up. Sasuke created two shadow clones to carry both Kaguya and Lyra. If not for worrying about damaging the Dungeon on the way back, Sasuke would have just used to blast everything on the way back.
But even without those cannons, their journey became easier as all three of them were able to fight off monsters along the way.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, they emerged from the Dungeon, the city of Orario greeting them with the cool night air and the distant glow of the moon. The sight of the city brought a sense of relief, knowing they had made it out alive.
The Astraea Familia's home was a welcome sight. Once inside, they carefully laid down the bodies of their fallen comrades, the weight of their losses heavy on their hearts. Alise knelt beside them, her hand trembling as the grief of losing her friends finally struck her, now that she was out of the intense situation where she couldn't think about her emotions.
Sasuke stood off to the side, watching silently. The bond between these women was a reminder of the connections he had once had.
After a few moments of silence, Alise stood and addressed the group. "We need to rest and recover," she said, her voice firm despite the grief weighing on her. "Tomorrow, we'll honor our friends and wait for Goddess Astraea."
As Sasuke turned to leave, Alise called out to him.
"Sasuke," she said, her voice softer than before. "Thank you. For everything."
He paused, then gave a small nod. "Rest while you can," he replied. "I'll be waiting for your decision."
With that, he left the room, his thoughts turning to a plan to acquire Ryuu, as he was impressed by her resolve to seek revenge. The only thing in the original story he didn't like was how broken she was after that. This is also the reason he was taking slow revenge on the Hidden Leaf Village instead of just killing everyone in an instant because it allows him to have a continuous goal.