The Great Escape
Whoosh! Ligret gripped the Ice-White Cross Spear at its full, original length rather than the indoor-adjusted size. At the same time Chrome hurled Attribute Stones of water and ice attributes around them like scattering seeds, Ligret leaped high into the air with the same technique used in pole vaulting. As she swung the spear mid-air with exquisite timing, the cold aura from both the weapon and the stones fused together, forming a massive wall of ice.
The students suddenly trapped inside the hastily erected barrier looked bewildered, but their eyes widened the moment they recognized the two figures who had appeared.
"Chrome Midas!"
"You guys are safe!"
Chrome asked, dumbfounded. "Wait, why are you all still here when things have gone this far?"
The students answered, "Obviously because we were trying to save you!"
"Abandoning our comrades? Did you really think we were that heartless, Midas? That's too much!"
"Don't underestimate a noble's honor."
Chrome turned his gaze straight to Pino. Why are these guys acting like this? Did they take some weird drug?
Pino, a veteran party member who had been through this sort of thing several times, instantly read his intent from his eyes alone and mouthed her reply. Istal.
Ah. So while they were hesitating, unsure whether to run and risk getting killed by the professor, they got dragged into this mess. At this point Chrome was starting to wonder whether Istal von Lebenstein was an academy professor or some walking calamity in human form, but for him it wasn't necessarily a bad thing.
No matter how strong Ligret was, there was a limit to what she could accomplish alone. Even if she didn't show it, the aftereffects of fighting underground must have been considerable. Having comrades around wasn't a disadvantage. Besides, regardless of the circumstances, it was true that these students had been put in danger because of him. Expressing honest gratitude was sometimes important too.
"You guys…! You cared about me that much! Thank you so much! I won't forget this debt!"
"……."
A brief silence fell among the students.
"I just got chills down my spine."
"There's no way the infamous Midas would thank someone so honestly! What's your angle?"
"Maybe he's a golem? One that perfectly mimics his appearance!"
Even when he tried to match the mood, these guys were impossible. Chrome decided to take the fastest route.
"Oh, here's the magic sword I was planning to put in a Cube…"
One student who had been looking pitifully at his own weapon—whose blade had melted after cutting through a vine worm—flinched.
"Whoops, and here's a staff that can shoot ten low-grade fire orbs!"
A magic department student who had been glancing around nervously after burning through all his mana with flashy mid-tier spells earlier also flinched.
"Hmm, this is just a potion. Since a single healing spell can replace it, I guess there's no need for it."
A support department student whose face was haggard from spamming heals everywhere shook their head violently from side to side.
"But then again, since we can't even confirm whether you're the real deal or not, we can't exactly trust and use these—"
"What are you saying, Midas! There's no way we wouldn't recognize our own friends!"
"How much! I'll pay you later, so just hand over the sword first!"
"The staff! Give me the staff!"
"Is there no shield!?"
"I'll use a potion!"
"Alright, alright, we don't have time to line up and sign… Anyway, I remember all your faces, so just take what you need! Before the ice wall melts!"
Watching the students quickly finish rearming and recovering, Chrome thought, There's no way we can win by fighting.
Golems that endlessly respawned from the facility and vine worms whose numbers were impossible to guess. In the past, Barhart's army had simply crushed them head-on with overwhelming force, but here they only had about ten students. No matter how much their skills had improved through various experiences, the fundamental difference in numbers was insurmountable. It would be different if they were all elite members under Chrome like during the fight with the southern army, but this expedition team mostly consisted of ordinary students, for better or worse.
In the first place, Istal had never once said anything like "fight" or "defeat them." She had only told them to investigate.
"Everyone! We're breaking for the entrance! We'll be fighting for a while, so pace yourselves!"
"Damn it, easy for you to say!"
Considering how long it had taken them to reach this facility from the entrance, this was also an enormous ordeal, but even while grumbling, none of the students argued or objected. It was far better than trying to wipe out that endless horde.
Unable to withstand the pressure coming from all sides, the ice wall collapsed at the same moment the students threw themselves forward. Their desperate escape had begun.
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-■■■■!
Facing a monster that looked like a vine-covered worm yet could let out a proper roar, Pino once again performed the same motion she had repeated countless times today. She nocked an arrow created by the tiered spell Mid-tier Ice Arrow onto the custom magic bow Forest Keeper's Bow and took aim. The moment Pino released the string, the vine worm's head was cleanly pierced and it froze solid.
The power was several times greater than a normal mid-tier spell, and the accuracy was terrifying enough to impress even a professional marksman. Yet Pino herself had no time to leisurely admire her own shot. A golem that had drawn sharp blades from both arms was already charging at her, having apparently switched from being a rock to a bird of prey.
Pino had no choice but to roll across the floor. The arrow she had prepared for her next target was instead used to send the golem that had swung and missed above her head flying.
"Sorry! One got through!"
Though Pino was inwardly fuming that the warning had come too late, she at least had enough self-control not to voice it.
"It's fine, just be more careful next time!"
There was no reply. All she caught was a glimpse of a back blocking a pincer attack from two golems with a shield.
The retreat wasn't easy. Unlike the golems that attacked both students and vine worms equally, the worms were clearly prioritizing the students—and everyone understood the reason without needing it explained. Pino, who had no intention of becoming an unidentified grotesque creature's meal, desperately drew her bow. The other students fought desperately as well, but their movement speed kept slowing down.
"Eight Hands! Don't fall too far behind!"
"Huff, huff, that's, easier, said than done!"
They repeated the same cycle of combat against the endless swarm pouring in from every direction while sprinting for dozens of minutes. Unlike the martial arts students who still seemed to have stamina to spare—perhaps thanks to their usual brutal training—the magic and support department students were already so exhausted that even moving was difficult. The only reason they could still move at all was because they were reinforcing their bodies with mana or using movement-assistance spells. Without those, they would have collapsed long ago.
Pino pulled out the bottle hanging from her waist and downed the remaining liquid in one go. Along with a refreshing cool sensation, her limbs that had felt like lead grew noticeably lighter. The effect of the potions Chrome had generously distributed to the students beforehand was certain. Judging by his warning that the second bottle had severe side effects and to save one, the contents probably weren't very pleasant, but right now she was simply grateful that something like this existed.
The biggest reason this precarious escape was still continuing without a single dropout was the individual struggles of the students, but if she had to name two other factors, one was Chrome, who had freely distributed equipment and potions beforehand to maximize their overall combat power. The other was Ligret, who was currently rampaging in all directions and literally grinding down the enemies blocking their path.
With a blunt weapon in one hand she sent golems flying, and with the spear in her other hand she froze the worms solid. Her performance was downright terrifying.
How long has it been since she fought the Second Prince? In that short time she got even stronger again……?
At this point Pino was genuinely frightened, but the truth was that anyone who could shoot arrows while running and still evaluate others would look like a monster to everyone else as well. Of course, the person in question had no self-awareness of that fact.
"Everyone, hang in there a little longer! We're almost there!"
"Ooooooh!"
At Chrome's shout the students gritted their teeth and squeezed out every last bit of strength. So Pino, instead of pointing out that this was already the third time she'd heard that line, answered by firing another arrow.
Ah, her mana was depleted.
Just as Pino was wondering whether a bow or a few arrows might come flying out if she rummaged through Chrome's bag—
-■■■■■■■!
A roar similar to the ones they had been hearing, yet dozens or hundreds of times louder, echoed through the air. The moment they realized it had come from a massive nine-headed vine worm that had somehow gotten terrifyingly close, all nine heads simultaneously spewed dissolving liquid.
They could see Chrome shouting something and Ligret swinging her white cross spear to block the attack, but Pino instinctively knew. That wouldn't be enough. No, it might save a few people, but not everyone.
Like dragon's breath from a story, the green breath that melted everything it touched rained down toward Pino's head.
There was no pain. Only—
"Yes! Everyone has successfully returned within the time limit. You all pass. I'm delighted to have such excellent students as my disciples!"
—an inappropriately calm voice that didn't match the situation rang out. Watching the massive red slash that split the green breath in reverse, Pino and the other students escaped to the outside of the otherworld.