Bianca wasn't sure what she could say to Alan. The words stuck in her throat as she looked at him, her chest still heaving from the recent battle.
He had just saved her life. There was no mistaking it. If he hadn't rushed in when he did, she would have been finished.
The goblin's sword had been poised for the killing blow, and she'd been too exhausted to dodge, too drained to fight back.
But Alan had been there, cutting through the tension of the moment like a lifeline.
Her mind kept drifting back to the conversation she'd overheard earlier — the one where Alan's feelings for her had been revealed.
At the time, it had felt like just another piece of gossip.
But now, standing so close to him, his breath heavy from the battle, his brow furrowed with determination, she couldn't deny that maybe there was more to it than she had originally thought.
Bianca couldn't help but steal a glance at him, now that the threat had passed for the moment, but she quickly looked away.
He didn't seem all that bad. In fact, if she were being honest, he was kind of… well, she wasn't sure.
There was something about him — his confidence, the way he carried himself — but then there was that badge on his uniform, the one that marked him as a D-rank.
That badge. The very symbol of his limitations.
It was a disheartening reminder, a clear difference between their skill levels, their potential.
She was an B-rank, and even if she didn't hold herself in the highest regard, she knew that the difference between them was vast.
It was hard not to feel it, especially after seeing how much she had struggled in the battle. He had saved her, yes, but the reality of their strength disparity was hard to ignore.
Still, for now, she was grateful. He had been there when it counted.
Bianca tried to rise to her feet, but her legs refused to cooperate. They were too shaky, too weak from the battle.
Every muscle in her body screamed in protest, and for a moment, she wondered if she'd even be able to stand again. The armor she had summoned around herself dissipated like smoke, the Shadow Beast that had been lending her its strength retreating back into the orb on her waistband.
She had completely exhausted her mana.
Her vision was blurry, and the room felt hazy as she looked around, seeing the two goblins that loomed ominously over them.
William was on the far side of the room, coordinating with the others, doing his best to keep the situation under control.
The others had their hands full on other goblins that were a serious threat. She couldn't rely on them. Not yet. Not when every ounce of her energy had been drained.
Alan, on the other hand, was still standing strong. He was facing the goblins, his legs trembling slightly beneath him.
She could see it, the fear hidden in his stance, but his sword was still crackling with that pulsating dark energy.
His grip was firm, his jaw set with resolve. There was a quiet confidence in his movements. She had to admit, despite his rank, despite his limitations, there was something admirable about his determination.
Bianca reached into her pocket, fingers trembling as she pulled out her Escape Crystal. She glanced at it for a moment, the translucent green gem catching the dim light.
It was her only chance to survive this time. She was running out of options.
Her fingers curled around the crystal, but before she could activate it, she reached into her pocket again.
She needed something more. The dense mana in the air was making it hard to escape, she could feel it pressing down on her chest. It was thick, almost suffocating, but it wasn't impossible to bypass.
The trick was in the mana. She needed to pour mana into it, but it had to be just as dense, or else it wouldn't work.
Bianca pulled out a mana potion, the last one she had left. It was her lifeline — her last attempt at turning the tables.
She uncorked it, and in one swift motion, she drank it down. The bitter liquid burned as it went down her throat, but she didn't flinch. As soon as it hit her stomach, she could feel the mana beginning to return, coursing through her body like a wave.
It was enough to lift the fog in her mind and steady her hands.
Alan was moving now. His body surged forward, charging at the goblins once more. His sword met the goblin's with a resounding clang, the dark energy that surrounded him shimmering as it collided with the enemy's weapon.
Bianca's gaze followed him for a brief moment, watching as he fought with everything he had. But she couldn't afford to wait any longer.
She pressed her palm tightly against the Escape Crystal.
"I can't die today," she muttered, her pulse quickening as the familiar hum of the crystal filled her senses. "I won't die."
The green gem in her hand began to glow, faint at first, then brighter as her mana poured into it. The light expanded, bathing the entire room in a warm, green hue, even though the thick crimson magic in the air tried to push it back.
But the crystal's energy was stronger. With one final push, Bianca could feel the density of the mana in the air bending, just enough to allow her escape.
The glow intensified, and before she could even register what was happening, she vanished into thin air. The world around her blurred into nothingness as she was transported out of the dungeon, her form flickering out of existence like a ghost.
Bianca's body collided with the cool, fresh air of the outside world in a heartbeat. She was free.
But the moment she landed, the exhaustion hit her like a tidal wave. She fell to her knees, her vision spinning as her chest heaved for breath.
The mana potion had given her just enough energy to escape, but it had drained the last of her reserves.
She could feel the weight of what had just happened pressing down on her, but there was no time to dwell on it.
Not yet. She had escaped, yes, but her heart ached knowing that Alan and the others were still trapped inside, still fighting.
"I'll be back," she whispered to herself, her voice barely audible over the wind. "I'll go and get help now,"