At the point where even Evileye couldn't discern someone's true strength, there were only two possible explanations.
One was that the person's power far exceeded her own—so much so that it lay beyond the limits of her perception.
The other was that they were using some form of concealment ability, deliberately hiding their stats and skills.
Of course, whether it was the rest of Blue Rose or Evileye herself, everyone leaned toward the second possibility.
After all, she alone understood just how impossible the first scenario truly was for an ordinary human.
Among all the humans Evileye had encountered, Lakyus and the others were already among the strongest. As for herself… she wasn't even human to begin with, but a vampire who had lived for over two centuries—the infamous "Landfall" princess.
Even the Kingdom's strongest warrior, Gazef Stronoff, was, in her eyes, merely decent. Though he had stepped into the so-called "Hero Realm," he still wouldn't stand a chance against her.
To be honest, before seeing Yuri, Evileye had never imagined that any "human"—aside from those rumored descendants of gods—could reach such a level.
"Wait, seriously? Someone on par with Evileye? You've got to be kidding me… Then why are they just Copper-ranked adventurers?"
Gagaran, along with Tia and Tina, couldn't hide their shock upon hearing Evileye's assessment.
Lakyus, too, quickly composed herself. Her expression turned solemn as she looked at the two of them—and then, without hesitation, bowed her head in apology.
"I sincerely apologize for underestimating you earlier. Having assistance of your caliber is something both I and the rest of Blue Rose are grateful for.
"However… I must still say this. Even with your strength, coming here without supplies was reckless."
Lakyus understood that anyone acknowledged by Evileye couldn't possibly be weak. They had every right to their confidence.
And yet… this wasn't just any ruin.
This was a relic left behind by the legendary Thirteen Heroes from two centuries ago.
Blue Rose had already ventured inside three times—and failed every single time.
Though each attempt had taken them deeper than the last, the ruins stretched far beyond their expectations. No one knew where the end lay. And now, their supplies were completely exhausted.
Worse still, the deeper they went, the stronger the monsters guarding each section became.
Even with two additional fighters on par with Evileye, Lakyus couldn't find much confidence in their chances without proper provisions.
And according to Evileye's earlier analysis, they were running out of time.
Counting today, they only had three days left.
If they failed again… then this ruin—and everything left behind by the Thirteen Heroes—would be lost to them forever.
"In any case, why don't we give it a shot?" Ren Kuroda said lightly, a faint smile on his lips.
"Going back to E-Rantel for supplies isn't an option at this point. And aside from us… you don't really have any other choices, do you?
"As for healing magic—I'm not exactly a specialist, but I know enough to be useful."
In the end, Lakyus accepted Ren's proposal and decided to attempt another assault on the Thirteen Heroes' ruin.
Because, just as Ren had said—they had no better options.
And now, with two additional high-level fighters joining them, perhaps this time… they might finally clear it.
—
Standing before the massive ruins, the group took a moment to introduce themselves—their classes, specialties, and combat roles—so they could coordinate more effectively once inside.
Naturally, when they learned that Ren—who carried a katana at his waist—was a magic caster, and that Yuri—the elegant, mature beauty—was actually a monk, the members of Blue Rose were thoroughly stunned.
After all, in their minds, female monks were supposed to look more like Gagaran—big, muscular, and built like a fortress.
"I am a magic caster," Ren said with a shrug. "That said, if we're short on frontliners, I can step in when needed. I'm no master swordsman, but I've had some training. This blade isn't just for show."
To prove his point, Ren casually cast another third-tier spell in an instant—once again demonstrating both his class and his overwhelming ability.
As for his claim about being able to fight on the front lines, the members of Blue Rose didn't take it too seriously.
After all, they found it hard to believe that someone could excel simultaneously as both a top-tier magic caster and a capable melee fighter.
Still, after witnessing the sheer power of Ren's spell—far surpassing that of a typical third-tier caster—they couldn't help but feel a bit more reassured.
With strength like that, he would undoubtedly be a valuable asset.
—
As they arrived at the entrance of the massive ruin, Lakyus took out the heirloom passed down through her family.
In response, a massive teleportation gate slowly materialized before them.
As for the so-called Thirteen Heroes, Ren already knew a fair amount.
They were a group of powerful figures who had appeared over two hundred years ago during the Demon God War. The thirteen most renowned among them came to be known as the "Thirteen Heroes."
In truth… they were most likely players from YGGDRASIL, just like Ren and the others.
They had appeared suddenly, changed the course of history—and then vanished just as mysteriously.
Which meant that this ruin before them… was very likely a former guild base they had established after arriving in this world.
Ren didn't know all the details about the Thirteen Heroes—but he knew enough to be intrigued.
This ancient ruin… might hold answers.
"Once we pass through this gate," Lakyus began, turning to Ren and Yuri, "we'll arrive in the first layer of the ruins.
"At the beginning, you'll only encounter low-level monsters—goblins, ogres, that sort of thing.
"But as we go deeper, we'll start seeing shadow wolves, trolls… and by the end of the first layer, the strongest creature is a giant lizard with both poison and petrification abilities."
She paused briefly before continuing, her tone growing more serious.
"The real problem lies in the second layer.
"Right from the start, you'll face armored spiders—creatures with shells hard enough to withstand our weapons. Their webbing abilities are troublesome, and they can summon additional minions.
"After the ironclad spiders, there are silver-armored paladins. Evileye believes they're artificial constructs—likely alchemical creations.
"They have extremely high resistance to magic… and that's where we were forced to retreat last time."
Having explained the situation, Lakyus looked at Ren and Yuri one last time—making sure they fully understood what lay ahead before stepping into the unknown.
The air around the teleportation gate shimmered faintly, as if beckoning them forward.
Beyond it awaited danger, mystery… and perhaps, the legacy of legends.