Seeing Revis' body crumble to ash before she could even reach the ground, Judas exhaled slowly and flew back up to the 24th floor.
The pantry was still collapsing around him, shuddering violently as chunks of the ceiling continued to rain down without pause.
"Judas, let's get out of here!"
Alise shouted urgently.
Since the others had already evacuated, the ones remaining were Alise, Kaguya, and Bete... the ones who had stayed behind to chase down Revis.
Now that the enemy had been dealt with...
They didn't hesitate.
They ran.
A massive boulder crashed down exactly where they had been standing just a second earlier.
The ground beneath their feet cracked and buckled, massive slabs of stone splitting apart.
The walls began caving inward, the entire structure collapsing in on itself at a terrifying pace.
"Don't look back... just keep moving!"
The walls on both sides pressed inward, the passage narrowing with every passing second.
Dust filled the air so thick it was nearly impossible to see more than a few meters ahead.
"Dammit! The exit is closing!"
Bete shouted as he saw the ceiling above the entrance beginning to collapse.
"Everyone, get down!"
Judas shot forward and thrust both palms upward.
『Telekinesis』
Using his power, Judas held the collapsing frame in place just long enough to keep it open.
One by one... they rushed through.
The moment they crossed the threshold...
The entire pantry collapsed.
The sound was deafening.
A thunderous crash shook the floor beneath their feet and sent a violent wave of dust and debris blasting through the passageway, knocking several people off their feet.
Then silence.
Everyone lay or sat where they had ended up, gasping for breath, coated in dust and blood and barely held together.
"Is everyone alright?"
Asfi asked, her voice laced with genuine concern. Alise responded with a tired thumbs up.
Lulune lay flat on her back, staring up at the dungeon ceiling with her chest heaving.
"...We made it."
She wheezed.
Nobody responded for a while.
They were either spread out on the ground breathing hard or too drained to form words as the adrenaline slowly left their bodies.
...
And so, the mission was complete.
After a brief rest, they made their way back to the surface.
By the time they reached the 18th floor, the Hermes Familia had decided to part ways.
"Captain... I'm sorry. We weren't able to recover Keaks' body."
Lulune said quietly as she approached Asfi, her expression downcast.
Judas and the others turned to see members of the Hermes Familia carefully carrying the bodies of their fallen comrades, covering each one with a tarp.
The mood grew heavy without a word being said.
"Judas... is there anything you can do?"
Alise couldn't help but ask.
Judas shook his head.
He had managed to pull someone back from death's door once before, but what he had done for Alfia was something he couldn't simply replicate here.
Too much time had passed. Their souls had already moved on.
'If their souls were still tethered to their bodies, maybe... but it's too late for that now.'
"There's no need to feel responsible."
Asfi spoke calmly as she stepped forward.
"They were adventurers. Every one of them understood the risks when they chose this life."
"We'll lay them to rest on the surface... so please, bring flowers if you can."
Being an adventurer meant walking a thin line between life and death.
This wasn't the first time any of them had lost comrades.
But that didn't mean they had grown numb to such a thing.
They had simply learned how to carry that weight.
Judas could see it clearly.
The grief tucked quietly behind their eyes.
"Judas Spade... everyone... thank you for avenging them."
Those were Asfi's final words before she turned and walked away with her familia.
...
The journey back to the surface didn't take long.
"I guess this is where we part ways."
Alise said, basking in the warmth of the sunlight.
"I'll be reporting everything that happened to Lord Dionysus."
Filvis added calmly.
Compared to before, when she usually carried an unapproachable aura, Judas noticed that she had opened up more... especially toward Lefiya.
'I guess going through hardship together really does bring people closer...'
"Alright. Take care."
Judas said simply. They exchanged nods.
"Miss Filvis... let's meet again."
Lefiya said with a warm smile. Filvis returned it with one of her own, small but genuine.
After that, Filvis, Alise, and Kaguya went their separate ways.
Judas, Bete, and Lefiya returned to the Twilight Manor, ready to finally rest after such an exhausting ordeal.
But first...
They went to Finn's office to report everything.
"I see... Olivas Act and Revis are no more."
Finn muttered from behind his desk.
Beside him, Ais listened quietly... though her eyes trembled slightly.
Judas noticed... but chose not to speak on it.
"It's a shame you couldn't secure the jewel fetus... but regardless, you all did well."
Finn said with a measured smile.
With Evilus losing two first-class combatants in a single day, it was a massive blow to their forces... good news for Orario as a whole.
"But that transformation Olivas went through... what could have done that to him?"
Riveria wondered aloud, resting her fingers against her chin.
Judas said nothing.
He had his own suspicions...
But kept them to himself.
...
After the meeting concluded, Judas took a bath before heading up to the roof to watch the sunset.
'It was faint... but that was definitely mana. There's no mistaking it...'
He thought, clenching his fist.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, the sound of footsteps reached his ears.
He turned his head.
Ais sat down beside him.
"It seems like something is on your mind."
She said quietly, her gaze fixed on the horizon.
"I guess... but I could say the same about you, Ais."
After that, neither of them spoke.
They simply sat there...
Sharing the silence.
Watching the last light of day fade into night.
When the sky had fully darkened, Judas finally spoke again.
"Are you upset? I know there were things you wanted to ask Revis... about your mother."
Ais turned her head, her golden eyes meeting his.
"I don't care about that anymore. What's done is done..."
She placed a hand over her chest.
"No matter what... the memories I have of my parents will stay with me."
Then she looked at him.
"What about you... what's on your mind?"
Their eyes remained locked.
Then Judas shifted his gaze and looked up at the night sky.
"I think..."
A brief pause.
"...my past is starting to catch up to me."
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