Realizing he had completely forgotten about them, Leo paused, glancing at the portal that had appeared on the other side of the platform after the minatour's death.

As I climbed back up, I stood beside Leo, following his eyes to a small ring with a blood-red gemstone that floated in the air above the minatour's corpse.

With a silver casing and a ruby within, also known as Nike's Loss, the ring immediatly attracted all of Leo's attention.

As an A and nearly S-ranked accessory, the ring allowed the user to build up power, with each hit it delivered to an enemy, and unleash a blood-red slash, in all directions, that would temporarily stun the enemy.

It was really perfect for Leo, just as I had written it.

Shrugging my shoulders, I simply said before walking to the edge of the coliseum.

"All yours."

Immediatly, his gaze shifted to my face, his pupils raising to the top of his eyebrows in suspicion.

"What for?"

Simply nodding my head, I answered while approaching a fragment of the minatour's horn.

"Just remember, you owe me."

He paused, his eyes tracking my body, but I casually walked away, ignoring his gaze with a smile.

As Leo scaled the minatour's body and leaped into the air, grabbing the floating ring with a grin, I gathered up as many minatour horn fragments as I could.

After two minutes, the two of us stood shoulder-to-shoulder before the portal.

As we leaped in, we instantly returned to the exit of the cave, back on the soft sand, prompting me to add.

"I know this should go without saying, but don't mention the dungeon to anyone."

As Leo nodded his head, he turned to face where I had pointed earlier, the direction of the girls, and said.

"Do you know what's going on...with them?"

Shaking my head, I simply pointed at my smarwatch, which read "9:30."

"They're probably back at the manor by now."

Carissa had probably explained the situation to Serena in the time we were gone, and Serena had probably taken the diary for safekeeping.

And with Leo now having the ability to take care of Anna, given the correct conditions, I wasn't as scared of the situation at hand.

As the two of us silently walked side-by-side back on the beach, back to the staircases that led into the city, I suddenly paused.

Two shadowy figures came into sight.

Instantly, Leo broke into a sprint while I confusedly followed after.

Why are they still on the beach?

There, by the base of the staircase, stood Serena and...Carissa?

Arriving, I glanced at Serena, who simply nodded her head before shifting her gaze to Leo.

"Where did you go?"

Narrowing his eyes, Leo immediatly responded.

"You guys ditched me, what are you talking about!?"

Interrupting the two, Carissa simply pointed at the stairs and said.

"We have fifteen minutes..."

...

...

...

Exhausted and panting, I reached the top of the staircase, having fallen way behind my teammates around the halfway mark.

There was a black sedan waiting at the top of the stairs, presumably ordered by Serena, as a star symbol lay atop it.

Serena desperately grabbed at the door handle, trying to slam the door shut while I slowly approached, but thankfully, Leo, like an owner trying to control their cat, swatted away her hand.

"DON'T LET HIM IN! DON'T! THIS IS MY CAR! DRIVE AWAY!"

Limping forward, I managed to dive into the car, much to Serena's dismay, and took the seat between Leo and Carissa, with Serena sitting up front.

As the door finally slammed shut, with Leo letting go, the driver in front said, rather confusedly, to Serena.

"You shouldn't leave your friends be-"

Instantly, a scream erupted.

"HE'S NOT MY FRIEND! JUST GO!"

As the car took off, I fell back in my seat, clutching my already strained stomach and looking up at the star-lit ceiling.

Leo, stopping his admiring of the new ruby ring, asked.

"Are you alright?"

As I nodded my head, Carissa glanced at the two of us, her snow-white pupils shining, before finally asking.

"Do you two...know each other?"

Alternating gazes between me and the ring, Leo responded.

"You could say tha-"

However, before he could finish, Serena's voice sounded from up front.

"Think carefully, Leo, or you'll become an enemy by association."

Was she really that mad I had dragged her into Carissa's dilemma!?

As the silence brought on by Serena's words remained, I gazed out the window, watching as the fleeting white buildings turned into beautiful mountains and trees, marking our entrance into the outskirts.

Eventually, the beautiful, gothic-esque manor came into view, with four massive floors and a set of massive black-marble pillars stretching from the entrance up to the ceiling.

At that moment, I heard a voice from my right ear.

"How did you kno-"

Interrupting the whisper, I simply mouthed back.

"Later."

Yet...though my voice was lower than a whisper, Serena's pissed voice instantly sounded.

"Did you say something, rank 1900? Too scared to speak in a car full of rank 1-"

Immediatly, as the car halted, I leaped out of the door, jumping over Leo's lap, and strolled up the steps into the manor, where the club president stood, smiling while pointing at the watch on his wrist.

"9:58 Congratulations. Here's your key. You'll be sharing with the one behind you."

Nodding my head, I grabbed the key and waited inside as Leo entered a few moments later, the two of us heading to our room on the second floor.

It was similar to a hotel room with a small area for couches, a bathroom, and two twin-sized beds next to a window.

Just as I collapsed on the bed, clutching my stomach, Leo approached me and asked.

"The dungeon; how did you know?"

Waving my hands, I simply rested my head on a pillow and answered.

"You don't always have to know the reason behind something. Just accept it, will you?"

Yet, not even a moment after I closed my eyes, his voice sounded again.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.