Atlantis Beneath the Desert
Rohan returned to the temple to find there was nothing left for him to do.
The internal skirmish had just wrapped up.
Over ten beastkin lay dead at the girls' feet.
"Ah! You went off and had all the fun yourself! Not fair!"
Noah spotted Rohan and tossed aside the wild boar beastkin she'd had by the collar.
The tumbling beastkin's face was a bloody pulp. He wasn't breathing.
Did she punch him to death?
"Had all the fun? I was fighting for my life out there."
"Huh?"
Noah tilted her head, as if she couldn't comprehend his words.
Rohan shot back curtly at the sight.
"Why?"
"You're on my side, so of course you enjoyed it, right?"
Noah's clear eyes brimmed with utter conviction.
Rohan couldn't give her a straight answer, but it was the kind of logic he could sort of follow, so he chuckled.
Then he eyed the two approaching girls.
Ichinose and Lete had no major wounds.
But the shallow cuts caught his eye. Noah had them too.
Rohan's hand instinctively went to the Shop, buying potions.
"You two okay?"
"I-I'm fine...!"
"Of course. How about you, Rohan? Whose blood is that on your clothes?"
Rohan answered Ichinose's question with a smile and held up the potions.
"Let's treat everyone first."
"These scratches are nothing! You should save yours... "
"I already used mine. Come here."
"Save it. Potions are too precious for scrapes like this."
Wound size or severity didn't matter.
How could he let his love interests risk even a scar?
His affectionate junior deserved the same.
"Hm..."
After a brief deliberation, Rohan made his call.
"Let's start with the tiger patient."
"Pretty girl!"
"Yeah, yeah. Pretty tiger girl first."
He grabbed Noah—who wouldn't refuse—and got to work.
Once he patched up this tiger girl, the others would likely follow suit.
"Ahaha! That tickles!"
"Don't scratch. It itches as it regenerates."
A few drops on the visible wounds closed them right up.
Noah, who'd moved the most aggressively, had just a handful of shallow gashes on her calves and forearms.
None near vitals. Innate instinct?
"Next, Lete."
"Y-Yes...!"
Second was the junior who'd warmed to the mood and would listen sweetly.
As expected, she had the most wounds.
Her baggy hoodie was torn in spots—it'd need fixing after clearing the dungeon.
"No major injuries, though. Good job."
Lete's cheeks and lips twitched at Rohan's praise.
"Can you take off the hoodie? Would make treatment easier."
"Th-that...! I'll be right back...!"
Lete scurried to a corner.
She faced the wall and whipped off the hoodie.
She had a tank top underneath. But there was no helping the process.
Especially if her lower belly peeked out—that'd be trouble.
Lete was doing her utmost not to flash Rohan her privates.
"How was the fight?"
Rohan started healing as he chatted naturally with Lete.
"Tough... Without you seniors, I'd have been hurt bad for sure."
"Feeling okay?"
Lete stared at her fist, looking puzzled.
"Um, honestly, not sure. Doesn't feel real yet..."
"If you've got worries or issues, tell me anytime. No pressure."
"Got it!"
First time or not, the feel of severing monster versus human life differed—but her resolve seemed genuine.
She looked as bright as ever. Good.
"Ichinose."
"..."
Now for Baby Yui, who wouldn't refuse at this point.
The girl approached, lips pursed, eyes closed.
One grazing slash.
One bruise from blocking.
Ichinose had the fewest wounds—her movements were clean, efficient.
"Not your average thugs, right?"
"Mouths and manners like street punks, but every one skilled in martial arts. Trained in the group, probably."
"Good work."
Treatment done.
Yet Ichinose lingered before Rohan.
"And you? Be honest about your condition."
"Arms and legs attached, no breaks. Fine. You can tell from how I'm moving."
One slip in defense or deflection against Hophnagel, and his bones would've shattered. But he'd pulled off the best outcome.
"Liar."
Ichinose's stern face reached out.
Lifting his shirt revealed his skin covered in massive bruises.
"..."
"Not fine."
She opened her closed eyes, locking gazes with Rohan.
He gave an awkward smile under her piercing stare.
"Potions'll keep it from necrotizing. Boosting regen with mana—I'll be good soon."
"Haa... Fighting something like that and walking away is impressive enough."
Rohan blinked at how smoothly she let it go.
Was that bull's rep lofty enough to convince even Ichinose?
Dumb brute, but tough as hell.
Curiosity won out.
"That impressive, huh?"
"Not something academy cadets should tangle with. You know that."
"You or Noah could've taken him."
Rohan wrapped up and started scanning the temple.
Ichinose followed, continuing the talk.
"Rohan. No fighting till you're recovered. Got it?"
"Yeah."
Lete rushed back into her hoodie and tagged along. Noah yawned her way over to join.
As Rohan circled the temple, tapping walls and floors—
Thud.
A hollow echo from one floor tile.
Different from the rest. Noah's ears perked too.
"Find something?"
"Gotta open it to know. Feels empty below."
Rohan answered, but he knew the truth.
An obvious massive passage in the temple? Closest path to boss.
Heavy rune door needing strength? Second closest.
Hidden like this? Third.
Unlike last temple—not a bust, but no cause for cheers.
...Third prize.
Tough call.
Search other temples for easier paths? Or take this?
Let's check it first.
Clunk!
Prying up the slab revealed descending stairs.
Spiraling down—who knew where but Rohan.
"Senior. Going down?"
"Tch..."
"Isn't this what you were looking for, Rohan?"
"True."
Rohan pondered the stairs.
Time to decide.
The real desert heat gnawed at everyone's condition bit by bit.
Not like Abyss City's mild warmth.
Wandering temples amid rising combat might be unwise.
"We take these stairs. Objections? Speak freely."
Decision made.
"None!"
"Let's go. Might be a Monolith inside."
"Down now! I'm dying to see!"
Rohan chuckled and moved to lead, but Ichinose made him yield to Noah.
•••
•••
Clack. Clack. Clack.
The spiral stairs weren't dark.
Twisting down, nameless glowing stones studded the walls.
How far?
Stairs ended. Wide passage ahead.
Rohan sidled up beside lead Noah.
"Cooler, right?"
"Haa! Finally breathing."
Compared to outside, impossibly refreshing.
But the floor told of desertification's cause. Just no sunlight.
"Weird place. No clue what it is."
"Keep moving. We'll see."
Smooth sailing.
Wall and ceiling luminaries banished shadows like suns.
No sand monsters.
Passage ended at a downslope.
Looking down revealed an unexpected vast vista.
"That's... a city, right...?"
As Lete said, far off: clustered buildings forming living quarters.
Architecture like the temple's stairs.
But lifeless. No bustle.
Mostly half-ruined, vague shapes.
"Gotta go see what's there."
Rohan scanned for boss area.
Ichinose picked up something underfoot, narrowing her eyes.
"Coral? Dried out... And shells here."
"Was this the sea? Sunken city or something."
Ichinose fiddled with dry coral, eyes closed, at Noah's simplistic guess.
"Wanna call it nonsense, but honestly no idea. Dungeons defy common sense anyway."
"Exactly. Keep options open."
Rohan affirmed Noah. He knew the answer.
Abyss City called it fallen Atlantis on entry. Upcoming monsters would prove it.
"Head down?"
"Rohan."
"Yeah?"
"No telling what's there. Rest, replenish mana first?"
Rohan halted.
She was right—city meant monster swarms.
"Good call. Rest up."
"I'm hungry! Food!"
"Yeah, meal time."
Rohan dispensed bottled water from the Shop, then grabbed combat rations.
"Let me cook. You rest, Rohan."
"Nah. Mine taste better. Eat and relax proper—don't worry."
"..."
Rohan headed to a corner.
Squatted, started prepping rations.
Noah plopped beside, sniffing eagerly, listing hopes.
—Rohan. Can't you hurry? Waiting's torture.
—Build some patience.
—Just dump it all and whoosh over fire? Faster, no?
—What's 'whoosh'?
—Y'know, whoosh whoosh.
—...Don't cook anywhere else.
Ichinose sat in her corner with water, quietly eavesdropping on Rohan and Noah's bickering over rations.
Then.
Quiet Lete gulped, approached Ichinose with tense steps.
"Senior. Mind if I sit?"
"Of course."
Lete settled beside her.
Sipping water, Lete stole glances at closed-eyed Ichinose. Mouth working like she had words.
Ichinose sensed the looks and fidgeting clearly.
"Something on your mind?"
"Ah... Sorry..."
"Any discomfort or issues, say so freely."
Given the situation, better clear any grudges.
But Lete's curiosity was elsewhere.
"Do you... like Senior Rohan...?"
"Pfft!"
Baby Yui spat her water.