We return to the "Beach of the Falling Sun" again. Other explorers have been banned from infiltrating and passing through, but we, who had engaged the demons that were on alert, were not stopped when we tried to enter.

''Everyone, please be careful and do your best........!
'Yeah, thanks for coming to see me off. Take care of yourself when you get back to your quarters, Madoka.
Yes, you'll be fine.

　Everyone gathered around her to see Madoka, who was a little tearful. They each shouted encouragement to her and told her again that she would return safely.

'Captain Seraphina herself is going to dive into the labyrinth.......if we can help, too, if it's true.......'
''No you could be penalized if you join the party in person, with the restrictions on entry laid down like this one. Don't worry about me, I want you all here to fulfill your duties.
'Yes, sir. Please come back with a big heart. Regardless of what the higher-ups decide, we're proud of our captain.
'Yes. I'm really sorry for not being able to set up a seat at the table with everyone else as well,

　It was clear from their interactions that Serafina-san was well-liked in the unit.

'Rear, do you think that if Seraphina-san was your boss, you would have felt comfortable working with her...?'
'No, no, not that much... I'm sorry to say that I've asked you to join the strategy meeting, but I've been thinking for a bit about whether it's really a good idea.
'I know the Guild Savers would love for you to stay, Seraphina but she's been a part of our party. For that, we should be grateful.
''Yes. And the saber ticket was really going to be collected immediately, but he said 'when the mission is successfully completed'...

　How can I repay her for what she has done for me? Thinking about that is also something I should do after I return safely.

　And then I notice - one of the guild saber squad members is unable to speak to me while trying to say something to Seraphina-san.

'Um, excuse me. How can I help you?
Ah, um..... There is one thing I would like to report to the captain....
Report...?

　Serafina-san notices and comes over to us as well. The female member of the squad straightened her back and spoke to me as well as Serafina-san.

''I just received a call.......Considering the urgency of the situation, it has been decided that a 'Third Lieutenant Santo Ryuui' will be dispatched from the Guild Saber Headquarters. He's scheduled to arrive after his mission in the sixth district, but we're expecting it to take a few days.
To go out against a Level 8 'named', is he still taking the stagnation of the Seventh District itself very seriously?
We've heard it's been a problem for some time, so I think this is probably an opportunity to intervene.

　The problem in the seventh district - from the word "stagnation", I'm guessing it's about the number of searchers who have given up on going up to the sixth district.

　The time limit is about ten hours away - there is no choice but to wait until the last minute in the hope that 'Third Class Dragon Lieutenant' will arrive significantly earlier than expected.

''Well thank you for the report. Is there anything else you'd like me to tell you?''
''Yes, yes actually it seems that some of you have entered the labyrinth before we fully put in place the traffic restrictions. My apologies.
All right, then. As soon as we encounter you in the labyrinth, I advise you to escape. You haven't seen what it looks like.

Did you come back to the labyrinth right after you spoke in the "Green House"?　(To get back at us.)

'Didn't that mean they were headed to the labyrinth as a group?
'Ha, yes I heard there was only one of them. He entered from the opposite side, where we hadn't yet been deployed, and was about to disappear into the entrance of the labyrinth when the troops noticed him.

　A squad member answers Elitia's question. He somehow escaped the pursuit of a high level guild saber and entered the labyrinth - after all, I can't think of anyone else who would go that far.

''It won't be easy to find them even if we look for them.......we have to be vigilant.
''Yeah. If they do anything after we win, I'm not going to be distracted after we defeat the 'giant crab'.
I don't know if I'd be reckless enough to do anything in this situation... no, I would if it were him.
''There are Guild Saber people outside, so you can't get away with doing something bad, can you?　And we'll have Mr. Seraphina at the party.

　I think Misaki is right too, but it's possible that they could use a method that doesn't raise karma like Bergen and the others - and I can't just get ready for it.

''.........Atobe-dono, do you have any idea who the intruder is?
'I can't say for sure, but I think it's possible. It's a situation where one of our 'allies' doesn't think too well of us.
Well I have something to say to that person. I'd like to think you wouldn't do anything unthinking.

　Gray had completely lost the will to fight in the face of the 'Merciless Decapitation'. It's hard to imagine him daring to go out to the beach and try to drag us along.

''........Surely he can't pass through that rock wall path. He must know that the demon spirits hunted on the sandy beach hate him the most.

　If Suzuna, who can sense the presence of spirits, says so, then her opinion is reliable. If Gray has a conscience, he would understand that what he did was also a factor in the appearance of the 'merciless decapitation'.

'Either way, we're going to do what we can. Let's all take care of ourselves.
""Yes!"

　As we began to walk, the ranks naturally formed. Seraphina-san, who is going to the front of the line, paid a little attention to the back just as she was about to enter the labyrinth - when I turned around, I saw that the squad members who were on guard were all together in salute.

''Not at all I'm telling you not to do that kind of thing outside of duty, sir.

　That's what Seraphina said, but she was smiling. Everyone seems to have tightened up as well, and each of them had a good look on their faces - none of them are afraid to move on.

　◆ ◇◆

　The time inside the labyrinth is out of sync with the time outside - what we saw was the sky and the plains that were tinted with the colors of sunset.

　First, we checked the safety of our surroundings and prepared to use 'morale release'. It would take a maximum of forty-five minutes, but since the morale had been raised throughout the first infiltration, the morale of the entire party could be raised to 100 in thirty minutes.

''Alright this is the last time. Everyone ready?

　Current Situation

　Arihito activates 'Support Elevation 1' and the party's morale increases by 10.

''Every time you say a word to Lord Atobe, morale... I've heard that cheering-up skills can be possessed by professionals...''
When your brother cheers you on, your energy is strangely high and your motivation is 110%!　That's about as far as it gets.
''Misaki-chan, that only seems to add up to a bit...''

　The benefit you get with high morale is great, so it's always better to keep it at 100 - but if you use support uplift in the same place without interrupting the battle, the morale increase seems to be reduced. The equipment compensation should have raised it by 12, but in the end it only raised it by 10.

　In any case, I'm now ready to go. I summoned "Demi-harpy" and asked her to carry me, Misaki, and Suzuna - they pinned our bodies between their legs, but despite their slender appearance, they were as strong as an eagle or something, holding us firmly in place.

''To train (tame) a demi-harpy and turn it into a fighting force like this... The diversity of tactics used by Atobe-dono's party is something that other parties will want to take a look at as well.
'Demons are hard to level up and expensive to keep, so only a party with enough funds would train (tame) humanoid demons.
'Capturing them without knocking them down is also very difficult. Even if you use a skill to stun it, you can still strike a blow at the same time and take it down.

　I remember when I fell with Demiharpy and was caught by Theon - and Ashtarte, Theon's mother dog. Without her threats, they would not have been able to capture Demiharpy.

''But........Rear-kun, it looks like a girl with feathers is crabbing you with her feet.......''
'We're like that too, so I promise not to say that! And please tell me it's not a crab, but an eagle now.
'It's before the crab fight... hmm. It's nice to have Misaki around and not have to be nervous.

　Elitia was like a taut thread to the point that her morale rose, but her shoulders seemed to relax moderately.

　Melissa straddles the Sion with the "Fobidoun Sais" on her back and makes a final check of the arrangements before entering.

''It's also conceivable that they will be targeted with the 'Bubble Laser' right after they enter.
'Then I'll 'blink step' and...'
'There's a chance that a pure magic attack won't be subject to the 'blink step' evasion. I think I would be able to react to being shot at...
'No. Given the performance of the new shield, you can leave it to me.

　The fighting spirit seems to rise from Seraphina's entire body - if she says she's okay, I can trust her to take care of it.

　Beyond the pathway between the rock walls, the backlighting makes it impossible to see. If Serafina-san can reliably receive the enemy's attacks, we can avoid being blindsided and shot down right after the raid.

''I'll apply my 'fear' avoidance skill. 'Brave Mist'!
"Thank you, Kyouka-dono........then I'll go.......

　Current Situation

　Aricht activates 'Support and Defense 1' → Target: Seraphina
　Kyoka activates Brave Mist.
　Seraphina activates the defensive stance.
　Seraphina activates "Rage Rage Forward" and her movement speed increases during defense.

"--Haah!

　With a shield bigger than her own body at the ready, Seraphina-san marches forward at an unbelievable speed - and ahead of her, a huge figure suddenly emerges like a ghost.

　The demon she encountered ◆.

　The Merciless Decapitation Level 8 Resistance Variation Terrain Effect: Fear Drop?

I'll take... my shield...!

　Current Situation

　Seraphina activates Provoke → Ruthless Decapitation's hostility to Seraphina increases.

　Seraphina's body was enveloped in a pale light. Using all the skills she had, and at the moment of exiting the narrow path, the giant crab spewed out a high-pressure stream of water with the power to gouge the rock wall, as if to intercept the intruder.

''..........Gwalla la la la la.......!

　Current Situation

　Seraphina activates "Aura Shield".
　Great Shield of Mirrored Armor's special effect is activated.
　Seraphina activates the "Defense Force".
　Ruthless Decapitation activates the Bubble Laser → Seraphina is hit for no damage.

　Seraphina-san's shield seemed to grow larger for a moment - the attack that had decimated Roland-san's party was stifled by her shield, and the splashed water poured down like rain.

''--Let's go, guys!
What...!
....!

　Elitia, Igarashi-san, and Theresia run through - Seraphina-san continues to advance with more 'raging advances' and maintains her position in the vanguard.

'We're going too........! Himiko, please!
Please, Asuka!
Let's go, Yayoi-chan!
We're going to...
Whoa!

　The demi-harpies flap their wings with all their might and fly out into the sky above the sandy beach at the same time as Zion runs on the ground in the pouring drizzle.

　-- a view that takes your breath away for a moment. If I hadn't come here in battle, I would have stared at it wordlessly.

　A vast white sandy beach, separated from the plain by a high rock wall. Bathed in the setting sun as it set on the horizon, The Merciless Decapitator held up a huge pair of scissors.