"I remember the stairs to the lower level are located in the passage between two caves—just ahead!"
Running Transfiguration at maximum capacity, Hermione worked like a diligent repair worker, patching and filling the fractured stone walls, gathering debris from the ground and transforming it into load-bearing pillars to support the ceiling and prevent the passage from warping.
Meanwhile, Glenn ran his hand along the stone walls, using alchemical transmutation on the entire passage's material, converting it into more durable, earthquake-resistant structures.
With their combined efforts, even when the larger magical creatures squeezed through the passage, the continuously trembling tunnel showed no signs of collapse—remarkably solid work.
"Hmm?"
Glenn, who had been maintaining his enhanced senses to monitor their surroundings, suddenly raised an eyebrow and made a questioning sound. He seemed to have discovered something.
"What is it? Something wrong?"
Hermione took advantage of her breathing space to question Glenn. Her wand continued waving non-stop, and several young magical creature cubs clung to her body.
To prevent trampling accidents, Hermione had simply carried these little ones with her.
In stark contrast, Glenn remained completely creature-free.
It wasn't that Glenn didn't want to help Hermione—the little ones simply refused to come within a meter of him.
"Just now, in the passage connecting the underground space to our floor, at the boundary between where magic can detect and the deeper undetectable areas, many adult magical creatures came rushing up."
"They freed themselves? Did the tremors warp their restraint devices? Or did someone help them?"
Hermione was slightly stunned, then several possibilities flashed through her mind.
This was good news. She'd been worried about arriving too late for a rescue, but it seemed the magical creatures imprisoned below had all escaped on their own.
"I'm not sure... and there's something else. Feng Lian is also heading in our direction—just ahead."
After running a few more steps, Glenn and Hermione spotted Feng Lian's blood-soaked figure in the nearby passage. Despite his condition, he acted as if nothing was wrong, shouldering his heavy halberd. Seeing Glenn and Hermione appear in his field of vision, Feng Lian enthusiastically waved at them.
"I could hear the commotion from your side from way back there. Looks like your battle ended in complete victory too—whoa, what a massive gathering! I've never seen so many magical creatures in my life."
Feng Lian stopped and waved at Glenn and Hermione, then tapped his heavy halberd against the passage extending diagonally upward before him, shouting to them:
"By the way, the exit's up here! This cursed place looks ready to collapse—we need to get out fast!"
"We know!" Hermione shouted back hoarsely.
"But we need to confirm the numbers first!"
"What numbers?"
"The magical creatures' numbers—look, here they come!"
As they spoke, four or five adult magical creatures burst from the passage connecting to the underground space, emerging between Glenn and Hermione on one side and Feng Lian on the other.
Glenn keenly noticed something unusual about these magical creatures that had escaped from the underground space.
"...They've been treated?"
Though the magical creatures were covered in blood, and the bloodstains on their fur or scales showed they had suffered multiple wounds, Glenn couldn't find any actual injuries where the wounds should have been.
The magical creatures hadn't expected to encounter other people on this floor. After a moment of surprise, they became extremely angry and wary, stopping their running and blocking the spaces on both sides. Strange colors began emanating from their bodies as they mobilized their internal magic, preparing to attack Glenn, Hermione, and Feng Lian.
On this floor where they now stood, the magical suppression had completely disappeared, and magical creatures each had their own abilities.
"We mean no harm! We're not with the bad people who imprisoned you!"
Seeing the magical creatures blocking the exit assume an attack posture, Hermione quickly waved her hands in explanation, letting her sacred energy flow out gently, hoping to calm these enraged creatures.
"Awooo! Awooo!"
Just then, the several magical creature cubs clinging to Hermione became excited upon seeing the adult magical creatures, howling joyfully as they released their grip and bounded forward.
The adult magical creatures in combat readiness saw their children running toward them, and half the ferocity in their eyes immediately dissipated. After the little creatures explained the situation with their howling, and sensing Hermione's deliberately released goodwill and the influence of her sacred power, these creatures gradually calmed down. They glanced at Hermione, then at the magical creatures behind her, before each grabbing their cubs in their mouths and racing toward the surface exit.
"Phew, wonderful! All those magical creatures are safe."
Seeing the adult and young magical creatures reunite safely, Hermione felt very happy. But when she felt tugging at her trouser leg, she looked down and her expression grew serious again.
"Glenn, it seems not all the magical creatures escaped. There's still one here... a little Zouwu, looking very anxious. Its parent must still be down there!"
Indeed, while the other little magical creatures had run off to reunite with their parents and siblings, one little Zouwu had been left behind. If Glenn remembered correctly, this little one had been among those who came to Hermione for help earlier.
"Feng Lian, take these magical creatures and leave first. Hermione and I will go down for the rescue."
"Oh, sure thing. After I leave, I'll need to find the team first—won't wait for you, since there's still a battle to fight."
Feng Lian agreed to Glenn's assignment without hesitation, giving Glenn a thumbs up. He showed no concern for Glenn and Hermione's safety, as if he was certain the two could safely escape even if they continued deeper into the collapsing cave.
"Mm, don't worry about us."
With that, Glenn took the lead, moving quickly toward the lower space in the opposite direction of the escaping group.
Hermione followed closely, cradling the little Zouwu in her arms.
"Don't worry, let big brother and sister help you—everything will be fine!"
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