The fragile body of the human drew an arc in mid-air, fell into the water with a thud, and was swept up by the seemingly calm but actually surging undercurrent, and quickly floated out.

It was a fatal blow, but the man who was hit solidly did not die.

Some kind of protection that hasn't yet failed negates some of the power. The demon could still feel the faint force of life—the heartbeat, the breath, the flow of blood...... And, the elemental elf, which would disappear with the death of the summoner, continued to carry out its useless attacks.

The demon grabbed the small wind element in his hand, shook it hard, and sent it back to his own world.

As he stepped to catch up with the human priest, he suddenly felt another force—a pure and powerful force—rapidly approaching him.

That's a force he doesn't want to face right now.

The demon took a step back and disappeared into thin air without a sound.

Before he could break out of the ground, the priest would have been dragged up and torn apart by the monsters by the stream, if not drowned—the demon thought with some regret.

He could have had more fun...... But he had more important things to do.

A moment later, another helplessly long voice echoed in the empty cavern: "...... I think we're late. ”.

"It's 'too late again'. Iss corrected angrily, "The second time!"

“...... Thanks for the reminder. Nia rubbed her nose, "But I'm not in the wrong place!—a second time!"

Isis gave him a disdainful look and jumped straight from the height.

“...... He was so much cuter when he was a kid. Nia said to Naria a little sadly. "Really, he never rolled his eyes at me when he was a kid, and always looked at me with a look of adoration......"

Naria shrugged at him with an unwarranted apology. Then I jumped down. Isis caught her steadily, taking her hand and looking around at the rare sight in the cave.

"Mock is going to love this place. She whispered.

Iss didn't like the dwarves - he suspected that the dwarves wouldn't like the place either. There's a strong, otherworldly smell that humans may not be aware of, but elves and dwarves are much more sensitive to it...... But he just tugged at the corners of his mouth and didn't say anything.

"Look and see if there's anyone!" Alan shouted as he looked down at them, "The footprints are gone here!"

As they searched for it, they found human footprints on the ground—the kind of square-toed boots used to be worn by hunters in nearby villages. It still looks new, and there is no blood around. Probably some curious hunter had gotten in, and most of the monsters had already poured out of the cave in the night.

"If he's lucky, he's probably still alive. Alan said with a sigh.

"He's dead if he's lucky. Nia whispered.

Alan glanced at him. I didn't say anything, but my heart was extremely heavy.

He knew there was little hope...... But even if he can save one more person's life, it can make him feel a lot more comforted.

Until now, he couldn't forget the tragic situation in the Arden woodland half a month ago - the blood of the originally sparse Arden people was probably completely cut off.

The Black Gate will only appear in places where the sun can't reach, underground. Deep in the cave. Even in the waters of the dark river. By the time they found their way into the bed of the Dark River, which crisscrossed the Arden Woods, the Black Gate had already left, and the monster that came out of it was impossible for Scott to leave Ston Butch for a long time, and it took him nearly ten days to get rid of it by turning to Brooke Xiu'an, borrowing the priests of the Temple of Water, and no one could say if there were any fish that slipped through the net.

Thankfully, the Arden Woodland was remote enough not to cause panic.

"It doesn't like crowded places. The power there is usually filthy and chaotic" -- that is a blessing in the midst of misfortune.

"It's impossible to keep it hidden. Scott told them frankly, "I thought this could happen...... or worse before fixing it out. But now. People must be warned...... I have to at least inform the temples. ”

"Then tell them. Nia graciously said, "I can give them my map! ”

Scott looked at the map that he couldn't understand for a long time, and then looked at Niya, who was smiling a little sneering, for a long time, and finally shook his head helplessly and admitted: "They can't deal with this...... I'll go with you next time. ”

But Kurimon apparently jumped to another world. After three days of circling back and forth between several possible locations in vain, Scott had to abandon his operation with them - because Ante Bofford's unburied body was missing.

The death of the king brought a series of troubles, the most troublesome of which were probably the tears of the queen and the sudden and inexplicable hostility of the soon-to-be-crowned prince Frederick towards Scott.

Scott, who is involved in it, looks more exhausted than facing thousands of troops and demons in hell, but no one can help him.

"Beautiful women are always the biggest trouble. Nia, who was deeply sympathetic to him, said this thoughtfully at the table.

Alan and Scott looked at each other, wondering if he remembered Lydia, whom he had kept silent, or Manissa, who was "as hot as her body and temper". Both women were apparently "beautiful and troublesome...... The latter is not even human at all.

In the whirlpool of countless past and future troubles, Scott, who was too busy to take care of himself, replaced Naria, who was stubbornly determined to follow them. They continued their increasingly tedious search, and it was only today that they found the Black Gate again—and yesterday it was not here.

It stands to reason that it should still be here.

“...... Something is wrong!" After turning around the cave and finding nothing, Is, looking up at them and shouting, "There is still plenty of power here...... Why did it run away so quickly, as if it knew we were looking for it?--it was just a 'door', wasn't it?!"

"Uh-huh......" Nia looked dumbfounded, dragging out her voice meaninglessly.

“...... Nia Meyer. Alan pulled his face, "Is there anything else you haven't told us?" ”

“...... I just don't think my luck should be that bad. Nia muttered quietly, "I'll tell you...... But we'll have to go to another place as soon as possible. If that's what I think it is...... Things are going to get worse, I might ...... Take a trip back. ”

Eren glared at him in silence for a few moments before beckoning to the people below.

"Is, Naria!" he shouted, "let's get out of here!"

Naria hesitated.

"Aren't you looking for that person?" she asked, "and he probably went over there...... There could also be another exit from where we could get out. ”

She pointed to a corner of the cave, the outlet of the water.

A pale face poked out from there, and with a small scream from Is's icy stare, it shrank back.

They lack intelligence, but they instinctively know how to retreat before powerful magical creatures like dragons.

Alan grimaced, thinking about the possibility of survival for the overly curious hunter, shook his head tiredly.

"He's dead if he's lucky. He said, "Let's go...... We don't have time to find another exit, and we'll have to tell Scott to find someone to clean up the mess. ”

Naria glanced back. She felt that this was wrong, she had a strange feeling, as if she had missed something, as if she should continue to look for it......

But Alan was right - "if you're lucky, he's dead."

She'd faced those pale monsters...... Even Sesyana almost died, and an ordinary hunter could never escape, and the only thing he could pray for was to die a happy death.

She suppressed the guilt and anxiety in her heart, turned and ran towards Is. The ice dragon spread its wings in human form and flew back to its companions with her in its arms.

The icy water enveloped Ed, blocking his breathing, causing his heart to beat slower and heavier, causing his blood to freeze almost to ice......

But the water won't hurt him.

In his hazy consciousness, Ed stretched out his limbs in peace and let the water carry him away.

Because the water will not hurt him.

He thought his neck must be broken—he heard it break in mid-air...... Maybe a few ribs. But the cold, gentle water seemed to take away the pain, and he didn't feel anything at all

Maybe he should heal himself, but he can't concentrate at all right now.

But it doesn't matter, the water will heal him.

His eyes were half-open and half-closed, dazed, and he didn't know whether he was dreaming or waking up, and he felt that he could see the monsters on both sides through the water. They huddled together, screaming and reaching out their sharp front paws at him, but they couldn't touch him, and when they tried to enter the water, the water burned them like fire.

He also saw the black "wild boar", which glared at him, screamed angrily, and ran around the shore...... But it couldn't touch him, and no one could hurt him.

The water will protect him.

He couldn't help but feel a little smug.

In the blink of an eye, darkness turned to light, and the water swept him out of the ground. Under the gray winter sky, he floated on his back in the water, lazily with his eyes half-open, until someone reached out, grabbed him, and rudely dragged him ashore.

Suddenly, my body was unusually heavy, and all the pain swept over me.

That's not right—Ed struggled powerlessly in a daze. That's not right...... He should go back to the water, and the water will heal him.

A familiar face swept over his hazy vision, and someone spoke to him softly.

"Ed ...... Don't worry, Ed, you're okay, I'll protect you...... Because you're my friend. ”

Friend...... That's a reassuring word.

When darkness fell, Ed didn't feel fear - he knew he had friends by his side.

(To be continued......)