The weekend arrives, and Sona, Kasandra, and Rain head to the guild to form a party and inform them of their new quest. Afterward, they visit the marketplace to gather the resources they need. With their preparations complete, they're ready to begin their mission.
Arriving at the dungeon entrance, they approach the two guards standing watch. The guards block their path with their spears, but the trio shows their guild cards to gain permission to enter.
On the first floor, they encounter weak monsters. Rain easily takes them down, laughing maniacally with each kill. Sona and Kasandra exchange uneasy glances, both unsettled by his bloodlust.
Once the monsters are defeated, Rain is still unsatisfied. "I want something tougher. This was too easy," he mutters, his eyes gleaming with excitement. Sona and Kasandra stare at him, awkwardly.
"By the way, to complete the quest, we need to reach the 20th floor, right?" Sona asks, trying to change the subject.
"Yes, that's the goal. We need to investigate the disappearance of the previous exploration team," Kasandra confirms.
Rain looks distant for a moment, then mutters, "I don't trust the prince... I've heard rumors."
"Rumors?" Sona asks, raising an eyebrow.
"Yeah. The word is, His Highness will do anything to gain power—even resorting to dark means. But that's a problem for later. For now, we need to stay focused on our mission. We don't know what happened to the previous team," Rain explains.
Sona nods, but a strange feeling of déjà vu nags at her. She can't shake the memory of her time in the ruins of Ashra's temple.
Hours pass as they defeat monsters and bosses, with Rain's S-rank skills making quick work of most obstacles. Finally, they reach the 5th floor, where they decide to set up camp. Kasandra sets up a barrier, Sona builds a bonfire, and Rain pitches the tent.
Once dinner is ready, Sona calls them over. The sight and smell of the food take them by surprise. Kasandra and Rain hesitantly take a bite, and their faces light up in amazement.
"This is delicious!" they both shout, unable to contain their excitement.
"I didn't know you were such a good cook! From now on, you're in charge of meals," Kasandra exclaims, grinning.
Sona laughs, grateful for the compliment. Rain, ever curious, asks, "Wait, how did you know to add herbs to this? I'm guessing it wasn't just random?"
Sona shrugs. "I don't really know... it just... came to me."
Kasandra and Rain exchange stunned looks. They both now think of Sona as a natural genius.
"That's incredible," Rain says, still in awe.
Sona smiles but isn't quite sure where the knowledge came from. She wonders if Ultra, the automation that gave her powers during her battle against Zargon, might be responsible for this newfound knowledge. Perhaps it didn't just give her combat skills but something else—like cooking.
Kasandra raises an eyebrow. "So... how do you cast spells so quickly? Without any incantations?"
"Oh, that's my blessing: Instant Cast," Sona explains casually.
Rain and Kasandra's eyes widen.
"That's a divine blessing!" Rain exclaims, shocked.
Sona looks uncomfortable under their gaze. "Yeah, I know... But I trust you both. So... don't worry. I'm not hiding anything from you."
"We get it, Sona," Kasandra reassures her, smiling. "You don't have to be afraid. We won't tell anyone."
"Yeah, we're friends," Rain adds with a grin. "Sharing secrets and having each other's backs is what friends do."
Sona's eyes fill with tears of gratitude. "Thank you both... I mean it."
As they relax and talk, a shadowy figure watches them from afar. Rain's instincts flare, and he spins around, but there's nothing there.
Sona looks at him, concerned. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing. Just my imagination," Rain lies, trying to brush it off.
That night, as they sleep, a dagger suddenly flies toward them, bypassing the barrier Kasandra set. But Rain's reflexes are too fast; he intercepts the attack with his sword, deflecting it just in time.
"What's going on?" Kasandra asks, alert.
"There's no time to explain," Rain says urgently. "We need to catch whoever did that."
The attacker turns and runs, and Rain immediately pursues. Just as he's about to strike, the assailant vanishes, leaving Rain staring in confusion.
"They're after you, Sona," Rain says, his voice tense.
Kasandra suddenly faces a new enemy. The opponent pulls out a scroll and tosses it at her. A magic circle forms above it, about to activate. In a split-second decision, Sona shoves Kasandra out of the way.
"Please protect my sister... I'll be fine," Sona says with a smile, just as a brilliant light fills the area. When the light fades, Sona is gone.
"Sona!" Kasandra and Rain shout in unison, their voices filled with desperation.
Meanwhile, back at Sona's home, Dema is humming as she prepares a meal. Greg is washing the dishes when the door suddenly bursts open, revealing the prince, accompanied by his men and a commander.
Greg immediately senses something is wrong and pulls Dema behind him.
"What is the meaning of this, Prince?" Greg demands, his voice firm.
"It's none of your business. Hand her over," the prince commands coldly.
"No chance!" Greg says, not backing down. He draws his bow and shoots an arrow that creates a powerful cyclone as it speeds toward the prince. But the commander steps in and blocks the attack with his shield.
Greg doesn't hesitate. He pulls out a smoke bomb, creating a thick cloud of smoke to cover their escape, pulling Dema along as they flee. When the smoke clears, the prince orders his men to find Dema alive, no matter the cost, and to eliminate anyone in their way.
Greg and Dema hide on a rooftop, trying to catch their breath. Greg comforts Dema, noticing how shaken she is. He promises to protect her no matter what. Dema blushes and thanks him, her voice trembling.
Suddenly, the voices of the prince's soldiers break the silence. Greg signals for Dema to stay still and quiet. They peek over the edge of the rooftop, seeing soldiers ransacking houses, dragging innocent villagers into the street, and beating them.
"This is insane..." Greg mutters, grinding his teeth.
Before they can make a move, a soldier spots them. The chase begins. A fireball shoots toward them, but Greg intercepts it with another arrow. The explosion knocks both him and Dema to the ground. They're surrounded by soldiers, and the prince steps forward, a wicked smile on his face.
"I must admit, I'm impressed. But now... hand her over!" the prince demands once again.
Greg, bruised but resolute, shakes his head. "Not happening."
The prince's patience runs out. "Kill him," he orders.
Just then, a group of adventurers and townsfolk burst onto the scene, blocking the soldiers' path.
"It's an honor to stand against you, Prince," the village chief says, glaring at him. "But we won't let you harm this town any longer."
The prince's smile turns dark. "Rebels should be eliminated."
Meanwhile, back in the dungeon, Rain and Kasandra, having learned that Dema is in danger, rush back to the village. The loss of Sona still weighs heavily on their minds.
"Whatever happens, the prince must pay for this," Rain says, determination in his voice.
With their magic map guiding them, they fight their way through the dungeon, eager to save Dema and put an end to the prince's tyranny.
At the same time, on the 20th floor of the dungeon, Sona opens her eyes to find herself in a dark, eerie hallway. She hesitates, then cautiously begins walking forward. Somewhere, an automation stirs, its glowing eyes watching her every move.
At the end of the hallway, Sona sees a familiar gate, marked with an unmistakable symbol.
"This is... another ruin of Ashra's temple!" she exclaims, her voice filled with both awe and fear.