The two of them—one leaning heavily on a greatsword, the other propping herself up with a katana—gasped for air. The way they looked at Lynn was as if they were staring at a human-shaped monster.
The sight of those three spectral wolves vanishing moments ago had completely upended their understanding of reality.
The burly man wiped the blood and grime from his face, his eyes as wide as saucers, his tone a mix of disbelief and the raw relief of having cheated death. The black-haired girl, however, was far more composed. She took a deep breath to steady her racing heart before stepping forward. With a practiced motion, she sheathed her katana and bowed deeply toward Lynn.
"I am Yamato Mikoto. This is Kashima Ouka. Lord Lynn... no, Benefactor, we shall never forget this debt of life-saving grace for as long as we live."
Her demeanor carried the distinct, crisp etiquette and spirit of the Far East, which earned a silent nod of respect from Lynn. He waved his hand dismissively; he wasn't one for formal pleasantries.
"Drop the 'benefactor' stuff. I just got screwed over by a transporter trap and was heading up anyway. It was on the way."
"A transporter trap?" Mikoto blinked, then came to a sudden realization. Are there traps like that in the Dungeon? Even so, the way she looked at him remained full of curiosity. To her, anyone willing to help against such a swarm must be a hero of high moral character.
Ouka's booming voice rang out again. "Lord Lynn, was it? I've got your name carved in my head! Those wolves of yours... what kind of magic was that? I've never heard of an adventurer summoning things like that!"
He was a straightforward man who wore his heart on his sleeve, blurting out whatever questions crossed his mind. Lynn shrugged, preparing to recycle his "My God, Hidetaka Miyazaki" excuse to handwave the explanation.
But before he could speak, Mikoto's face paled. She seemed to recall something of dire importance and looked around frantically. "Oh no! Chigusa!"
This cry snapped Ouka out of his curiosity. He slapped his forehead in frustration. "Dammit, I got so caught up in the fight! I don't know where they took her to hide!"
Their brief moment of relief vanished, replaced by a thick cloud of worry.
"Is your companion injured?" Lynn asked.
"Yes," Mikoto said, her voice heavy. "A Hellhound slashed Chigusa across the abdomen. The wound is deep. We have to find her immediately!"
They prepared to move, but not before Mikoto bowed once more. "Lord Lynn, we must find our companion. We shall repay this debt another day!"
"Wait," Lynn called out. "I'm heading to the upper floors anyway. We might as well travel together. There's safety in numbers."
Mikoto and Ouka shared a look of joy. With a powerhouse of unfathomable strength like him along, the path ahead would undoubtedly be infinitely safer.
"Then... we're in your care!" Mikoto said gratefully.
Ouka was even more direct, flashing a wide, toothy grin. "Haha! With you around, kid, I feel like we could take on a Floor Boss!"
"Let's not get ahead of ourselves," Lynn muttered, his lip twitching.
The three didn't delay, following the subtle markers left by their companions through the winding cavern tunnels. After rounding two corners, a faint light and the sound of voices drifted from a narrow crevice ahead.
"Arong!" Ouka yelled, charging in first.
The space behind the crevice was small. A young male adventurer was nervously cradling an unconscious girl. She wore light leather armor, and her chestnut hair was matted to her face with sweat and blood. This was Chigusa.
"Captain! Miss Mikoto!"
Arong, the supporter, cried out in relief, but his expression quickly darkened. "You're back... thank gods... but Chigusa..."
Mikoto and Ouka rushed forward. When they saw Chigusa's condition, their hearts sank. A wound so deep it nearly showed bone was slashed across her abdomen. Despite the emergency bandages, blood continued to seep through, staining a small patch of the ground beneath her. Her breathing was shallow, and her face was as white as parchment.
"How can this be? What about the recovery potion I gave you?" Ouka asked urgently.
Arong's voice cracked. "I used it, but it didn't work! The wound is too deep; the bleeding won't stop! Chigusa... she's not going to make it!"
Mikoto knelt down, her hand trembling as she checked Chigusa's breath and forehead. The cold touch made her heart tighten.
"We have to get back to the surface immediately! Otherwise, she'll bleed out!" Mikoto's voice was firm, but the panic underneath was unmistakable.
From here to the surface, even with a clear path, would take at least two to three hours. Looking at Chigusa, she wouldn't last thirty minutes. A heavy air of despair settled over the party.
Lynn stood to the side, brow furrowed as he watched the scene. He wasn't some self-sacrificing saint, but it wasn't his style to stand by and watch a life flicker out before his eyes. Besides, the spirit of "Alexander the Iron Fist" was all about helping those in trouble.
He silently opened the system shop in his mind. The Twin Maiden Husks manifested before him, though he confirmed that the others remained oblivious, unable to see the spectral hags. He quickly scrolled through the inventory.
While there wasn't much high-tier gear, he immediately zeroed in on an item he usually never had a use for.
Warm Stone: 300 Runes
"There, this will work." Once the payment was made, the item manifested in his hand. He kept his movements subtle, reaching into his waist pouch as if rummaging for something.
"Hey... I might have something that can help."
His voice wasn't loud, but it instantly drew every eye. Ouka whipped his head around. "You have a way?"
Under their gaze—a mix of desperate hope and skepticism—Lynn slowly withdrew a smooth, yellowish-brown stone about the size of a fist. It looked unremarkable, but it possessed a strange, radiating warmth.
"What is that?" Mikoto asked, puzzled.
"It's a Warm Stone," Lynn lied smoothly. "A sort of talisman from my homeland. It's said to bring a spark of life in dire moments."
Warm Stone? Mikoto and Ouka racked their brains, but they had never heard of such a thing. In Orario, healing was strictly the domain of potions and high-tier spells.
But they were out of options. They had to treat a dead horse as if it were alive. "Please... you must try!" Mikoto pleaded.
Lynn nodded. He knelt down and carefully placed the Warm Stone on a clean spot next to the wound on Chigusa's abdomen.
The moment the stone touched the girl's body, a miracle occurred.
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Danmachi: My Primary God is Hidetaka Miyazaki? (Simulpub – Ongoing)
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