Yumiella turned to Lancer. "We'll address everything later. For now, focus on the battle at hand."
The group faced off against five more basilisks that emerged from the tunnels, surrounding them. The creatures hissed menacingly, their golden eyes gleaming with hostility. Lancer quickly devised a strategy to tip the scales.
He summoned Typhon, who appeared with an eager, confident expression. "Finally, some action!" Typhon said, readying himself for the fight.
Yumiella raised a brow at Typhon's sudden appearance but stayed focused on the enemies ahead.
Lancer addressed the group. "Alright, we'll each take one basilisk. We'll figure out what to do with the last one as we go."
Before he could assign roles, Luna interjected, her calm demeanor unwavering. "Master Lancer, allow me to handle two. I can manage."
Lancer hesitated, but Yumiella spoke up firmly. "Let her. She knows what she's doing."
Reluctantly, Lancer nodded. "Alright, let's do this!"
The team sprang into action. Lancer activated Thought Acceleration, and his perception sharpened as everything seemed to slow. The basilisk before him lunged, but with its movements more predictable, dodging became almost effortless.
It hissed and sprayed venom, but Lancer was unharmed—the system had already analyzed and neutralized its effects after earlier contact. Seizing the opportunity, Lancer summoned his crystal blades and launched them toward the creature. The blades embedded themselves into its hide, glowing faintly with the energy they carried.
The basilisk retaliated with a burst of searing flames, forcing Lancer to dart aside. Determined to end the fight, he activated Atomic Collapse. A focused beam of light struck the basilisk, reducing it to shimmering particles.
As the system updated him on the energy absorbed, Lancer realized his mistake. I needed to keep the body intact for the guild reward!
He quickly reached out to Typhon through their connection. Don't disintegrate the basilisk you're fighting!
"Understood, Master," Typhon replied, adapting his strategy. Using his crystal blades, he landed precise strikes, taking down the basilisk while keeping the body intact.
Yumiella finished her opponent as well. The creature lay motionless at her feet, its head severed cleanly. With practiced ease, she sheathed her blade.
Lancer glanced toward Luna, half expecting her to struggle against two opponents. Instead, she fought with poise and precision. Utilizing her magic, she created shimmering barriers that crushed the basilisks together, leaving them lifeless.
As the dust settled, the air was filled with the faint acrid smell of venom and scorched stone.
Yumiella suggested they get out of the dungeon first. The basilisk she had defeated disappeared as she stretched her hand toward it. Lancer was a bit surprised that someone else had a skill similar to his Dimensional Stowaway, but he supposed it was to be expected in a world he had barely explored. Luna followed suit, causing another basilisk body to vanish. Of course, Lancer thought dejectedly. Why wouldn't they have impressive skills too?
Back on the surface, Yumiella immediately began grilling him on how he had managed to forge a sword on par with dwarf craftsmanship. Lancer shrugged, explaining it wasn't that big of a deal; his magic allowed him to do things like that with ease. Yumiella's sharp gaze remained fixed on him as she stated that she would need to purchase more of the metal from him. Lancer mentioned that most of it had already been sold to the old man at the weapons shop in town, but he produced a few remaining bars, saying it was all he had for now.
Without hesitation, Yumiella signaled to Luna, who brought out a pouch brimming with gold coins. Lancer didn't know the exact amount, but he could tell it was worth far more than the bars he had handed over. He started to protest, saying it was too much, but Yumiella fixed him with a pointed stare and insisted he take it. "Money is of no concern to me," she said curtly, "and besides, I owe you for restoring my sword."
After some half-hearted resistance, Lancer relented, tucking the pouch away. "Well," he said with a small smile, "we should head back to the guild now." Honestly, he wasn't even sure he needed the reward for the basilisks anymore, not with the fortune Yumiella had just handed him.
At the guild, they handed over the proof of their hunt, receiving the reward before leaving. As they exited the building, a hand suddenly landed on Yumiella's and Luna's shoulders from behind. Lancer turned to see a group of thugs—the same ones who had tried to rob him and Davi a while back. The moment the thugs saw Lancer's face, they froze, sweat dripping down their brows.
Lancer put on his usual disarming smile, his voice light and cheerful. "Gentlemen," he said, "is there something you need from these young ladies?"
The thugs stammered incoherently, muttering apologies before scurrying off as quickly as they could. "Glad that's over with," Lancer muttered, turning back to his companions—only to notice something unusual. Yumiella was trembling, but it wasn't fear that made her shake. Her face was red with fury, her eyes blazing.
"How dare they sully my body," she muttered darkly, her hand gripping her sword's hilt as she began unsheathing it. "I'll kill those bastards."
"Lady Yumiella, please calm yourself!" Luna pleaded, grabbing her arm to stop her. "It isn't worth it."
Lancer quickly chimed in, "Yeah, no need to start slicing people in the streets. Let's just let it go, okay? I really don't need to see any decapitated bodies today."
Yumiella hesitated, her grip on the sword tightening for a moment before she let out a frustrated sigh. "Fine," she said coldly, resheathing her weapon. "But only because Luna asked."
Lancer told them he had to head back home soon. Yumiella stopped him, saying, "Wait. I still need more of that metal."
Lancer raised an eyebrow and asked, "Where do you live?"
"The capital, Calydra," she replied matter-of-factly.
Lancer paused, wondering just how far away that was.
[Approximately 1,200 kilometers from Ostia.]
"That far, huh," Lancer mused aloud. He was confident he could get there relatively quickly by flying, but it would still take some time.
Interrupting his thoughts, Yumiella said, "I'll drop by wherever you live to get the metal."
Lancer shrugged. "Alright, fine. I live in Ionia, a small village not far from here," he said, giving her directions.
Yumiella gave a curt nod. "I'll be around for the next few days exploring the dungeon. You're welcome to join us if you like," she said.
Lancer waved them off with a grin. "Maybe. See you around." With a flash of light, he vanished, leaving behind a brief ripple of energy.
Yumiella watched the spot where he had been moments before, a thoughtful expression on her face. "A fast movement skill too? Just what kind of magic is he wielding?" she murmured.
Luna, standing at her side, spoke up. "Lady Yumiella, did you notice how his magic increased during the battle?"
Yumiella nodded slowly. "I did. His magic point count is abnormally high for a human. And then there's that creature he summoned... Is he a summoner as well? That shouldn't even be possible."
Back in Ionia, Lancer landed gracefully near the village's entrance. He barely had time to stretch when Remus approached him.
"Lancer," Remus said with urgency, "there are some people here asking to see you."
Lancer tilted his head in curiosity. "People? What could they want with me?"