Chapter 72: Return

Another extra chapter from TM and SA. Thanks for the support!

“Something is approaching.”

Ryo was the first to notice it.

Hearing his words, the Crimson Sword and Advisor Arthur stopped collecting magic stones and prepared for battle once again.

“It’s humans. It doesn’t feel like monsters, but … it feels like a good number of people …”

Three minutes after Ryo said so, Abel and his group also saw them.

“They … aren’t they City of Rune adventurers?”

“Yeah. They seem like adventurers. But there are also adventurers from other cities.”

Abel and Rihya noticed that the approaching group had many D-rank adventurers from the City of Rune.

“They are probably the adventurers that Clive and his team hired in this city. They were likely securing the passage from the surface to the 11th floor.”

Adviser Arthur was familiar with ​​those adventurers.

Some of them came from the royal capital as guards for the investigation team of the Kingdom Central University.

“So it wasn’t just the people on the 10th and 11th floor that were transported …”

Then Abel stood up and raised his hand.

When the approaching adventurers recognized him, they screamed ‘Oh ~!’.

It seemed that while there was no battle until they reached there, they were probably anxious because they were suddenly transferred to an unknown location.

It was a cry that blew away that anxiety.

With the help of about 100 adventurers who joined, the party collected the magic stones of the Devils and the keepsakes of the Kingdom Central University investigation team and was finally able to begin their trip home.

About three hours had passed since Ryo rushed into the dungeon.

“I think it’s better to check if there are any other adventurers who were transported to this floor …”

Abel muttered and looked towards Rin.

However, in response to that gaze, Rin shook her head.

“Sorry, I can’t cast without a little rest.”

“Then, I’ll check with Water Magic. It’s a little difficult to use, but it should probably work out.”

“Sorry and thanks.”

Abel nodded to Ryo’s offer.

““

Ryo’s 『Ping』 was transmitted across the water molecules in the air of the 40th floor.

After a while, the 『Ping』 reached the wall of the 40th floor and rebounded back.

“Nothing. Everyone is here.”

(But … the strange reaction on the stairs of the 39th floor … Did it die? Did it stop working? It’s completely different from the reaction I received when I detected it with Active Sonar just now … Hmm, well, there’s no use voicing it out. I should just take a look at it with everyone.)

Ryo decided not to mention the change.

“Okay, let’s set off.”

With Abel’s command, the party began to walk toward the surface.

At the staircase that led up from the 40th floor to the 39th floor.

There was a black crystal ball that was the size of a human head … but it had a crack on it.

In relation to that, there seemed to be a lump of sand beside it as if something had shattered.

“This is the first time I’ve seen such an item. What is this?”

The words of Advisor Arthur expressed everything.

No one there could understand what it was.

Judging by the reaction of the 『Residual magical power detector』 that was transported along with them when they were transferred from the 10th floor, there was concrete evidence that it was emitting magical power until just now.

“Well, the barrier is gone, so the readings just now would probably be sent to the surface.”

Then Arthur put the black crystal-like object in a bag.

Ryo wondered if he should so easily put something he didn’t know in a bag and even bring it back to the surface …

“This is a barrier bag. It isolates magical power. As for bringing it back to the surface … well, it is kind of the sole proof.”

And he covered it up with an extremely feeble reason.

After that, the group focused on advancing toward the surface in the dungeon without monsters.

When they ascended the stairs from the 12th floor and reached the 11th floor, they found the Guild Master, Hugh, and 20 C-rank adventurers who accepted his request.

“Abel-san! Welcome back!”

The one who called out the loudest was Ra, the Swordsman who looked up to Abel as his teacher.

“O-oh. Ra, I’m sorry, but could you please help to carry the Court Magic Group’s luggage.”

“Of course! Leave it to us!”

With that said, Ra and his party 『Switchback』 walked over to help the group of people in the Court Magic Group who had the most pieces of luggage.

After adding in the 20 C-rank adventurers, the party continued advancing toward the surface.

Meanwhile, Abel walked up beside Ryo, who was walking near the head of the group.

“Ryo, you really saved us this time. Thank you.”

Abel whispered in a soft voice to Ryo.

“Abel … that again, didn’t we settle this with a week’s worth of dinner?”

Ryo replied as he shook his head slowly.

“Yeah, I know but …”

“If you know then you just have to do that. Oh yeah, if you’re really grateful, give me this information that’s very important to me.”

“Oh, as long as it is something within my means …”

Abel felt anxious about Ryo’s sudden request.

“Kyradea, we stopped by before returning to the City of Rune. Didn’t we have curry there?”

“Curry … Oh, curry? I remember.” (TLN: Same as during that chapter. Ryo pronounces it as Japanese do, ‘ca-ray’, while it is known to Abel as the English pronunciation ‘Curry’)

It was an amazingly beautiful pronunciation of the word after all.

“Abel mentioned that there is a delicious curry shop in the City of Rune. Please teach me where that shop is!”

“Th-that an easy request if you’re okay with just that. I’ll take you there when I treat you.”

“Oh ~! Really? It’s a promise? If you break that promise, you’ll be sliced up more than the Devil just now!”

“That’s not funny …”

Abel’s cheeks cramped, imagining the Devil Prince that was shaved into fragments.

“It’s fine as long as you don’t break your promise.”

Ryo replied and nodded to himself.

Seeing that, Abel smiled a little.

At the entrance to the dungeon, the influential members, including Guild Master Hugh and Professor Christopher of the Magic University, were waiting for the party to return.

In fact, the moment Ryo defeated the Devil Prince, the barrier that covered the 40th floor was broken, and information from the residual magic detector reached the surface.

As a result, it was confirmed that the party was safe and was moving to the surface.

“Everyone, good work returning home. For the time being, I have prepared drinks and food. Please take your time. I will ask for a detailed report at a later date.”

Hugh’s voice projected well to reach everyone.

But in his heart, he wasn’t so calm.

(Phew, really, truly, Abel, I’m glad you came back … Seriously, yeah, this time I thought I might be in trouble! Missing, why do you go missing so often? Last time it was a smuggling ship, this time it was a dungeon … I wonder if I can deny him from entering the dungeon ever again? Yeah, he already has plenty of experience as a B-rank so he can just take on surface requests. I’ll permit it!)

Hugh’s heart was perturbed.

And then, Hugh found Ryo. He approached in an instant and placed his hands firmly on his shoulders.

“Ryo. Why did you break through the gatekeeper’s blockade and dive into the dungeon …”

“Uh … I’m sorry …”

That was a fact, so Ryo couldn’t argue at all.

“Hugh, don’t say that. We could survive and return thanks to Ryo’s timely aid. Could you overlook it?”

Advisor Arthur threw a lifeline.

“Eh? Oh, was that so … Well, that was … well done … no, but I don’t think it’s possible to completely exempt the punishment … but …”

“Okay, I’ll give you a detailed report. Hugh, let’s go to the tent for a moment. So you can let Ryo go now?”

“No, oh, ah … Ryo, I-I’ll still follow-up with a verdict later but … Yeah, thank you for helping them, thank you.”

While saying that, Hugh was pulled to the tent in the back by Advisor Arthur.

“I’m glad Arthur-san put in a word for me …”

Ryo was thankful to Arthur for helping him not get caught up in additional small talk.

Ryo, who decided that it would be okay if he left, immediately started walking toward the Adventurer’s Guild.