I plunged into two layers and kept running without stopping - and the sight I saw was the worst, but not the worst of the bottom.

　The mud giants are holding Theresa captive. The first and foremost priority is - to free her.

'We're going to charge in like this - is there any way we can blow that giant's arms off?
"Burning off all the current magic in one fell swoop, and then charging forward at top speed.
Yeah I'm asking for your help...
"As you wish.

　The mud giant turns toward us - and the wheel floats up and accelerates through the momentary gap that was created.

　◆Current Situation◆
　Alphecca activates Aura Spike.
　Alfeca activates Vanishing Burst... → Speed up... Breaks the limit... Adds Remaining Shadows...
　Alphecca activates the Silver Trajectory and hits the three-sided cursed mud giant.
　Destroy the parts of the three-sided cursed mud giant → The three-sided cursed mud giant drops materials.

　After a blink of an eye, I was in the air.

　Looking back, I saw a silvery light left in the air we flew through.



　The right arm of the mud giant's right arm is shattered - the hand that had caught Theresa loosens and she immediately escapes - but the enemy still has his left arm.

'--Tereziah, aim at that red mask with your sword!

　With normal attacks, it's difficult to aim at masks that are high up - but with this method.

''.........''
Go!

　Current Situation
　Arihito activates 'Support and Control 1' and can guide party members to their targets.
　Theresa activates the Azure Weapon and adds the flame attribute to the Eluminate Razor Sword.
　Theresa activates Double Throw. She throws the Eluminate Razor Sword and Small Dark.

　Theresia's sword, which was given the flame attribute by the power of the "Blue Flame Stone", ran through the air while the sword blade emitted blue light - and stood against the red mask on the mud giant's head.



　Current Situation
　3-Sided Cursed Mud Giant' has a weakness of 2 hits.

　A blow changes the battlefield - the mud giant stumbles, loses his balance and pokes his left hand.

''What are you doing.... you guys have to lose...''
'Silone, you can't do what you want ... we'll never ...!

　Elitia shouts - how much her voice, her fighting spirit, has inspired us.

'--Igarashi-san, Anna!
"Yes!

　Water and lightning - it's not that the skills of the 'Four Seasons' are not understood by the mud giants. It's just that they couldn't respond to the changes in their weaknesses if they didn't have the Flame.

(There's nothing wrong with that. We can definitely get it back...!

　The red mask is crushed and the light in the yellow mask disappears. The attribute that can be understood now is - 'lightning'.

　Current Situation
　Anna activates Thunder Shot and hits the three-sided cursed mud giant.
　Kyoka activates Lightning Rage and hits the three-sided cursed mud giant.
　Lightning Rage's additional attack → Triple hit on the cursed three-sided mud giant. Weak special effects, weak attribute changes, cumulative damage reduction.

　The yellow mask is destroyed by two lightning attacks - and finally, the light blue mask.

''Ugh.........''

　Ryoko, who can attack with the water attribute, is suffering from being trapped inside the mud giant.

　''If I buy another 'Tidal Water Stone' - no, if I can't do that, I'll think of other measures.

''-- Master, what constitutes that giant?''

　Alphecca asks. A giant made of mud - is that a clue to what is going on?

(Mud ... made of mud. An effective attack against mud is....)

'It is not an attack. It is providence. What sucks strength from the mud and grows from it is what it is.

"I am the crown of thorns. "I have a crown of thorns, a chariot of warriors, and the power to control the vine...!
Then..........

　Current Situation
　Aricht activates Vine Chute and hits the three-sided cursed giant.
　Ryoko is bound by the vine grass → released by the mud
　The level of the three-sided cursed mud giant has dropped by 1.

　The material of The Clown of the Vine Grass - the vine grass itself was released from the sling, which was strung with the "living young vine".　

　It thrusts up and dives into the surface of the mud with ease - Alphecca rips Ryoko's body out of the mud's restraints by reeling in the vine grass.

　In that moment, the mud giant is weakened. It had increased in strength by taking in the explorers, and had reached a level of strength that was inappropriate for this labyrinth.

''--Ryoko-san!　Aim for the last mask with a water attack!

　I knew it wasn't something I would let them do instantly after being released - but if I wasn't careful, there was a chance that someone could be caught again.

''Don't........let go of my people.......!

　Current Situation
　Ryoko" activates "Aqua Dolphin".
　Hit the Cursed Mud Giant on three sides.

　The last mask is destroyed - I continue to fire two 'Vine shots, and Alfeca reels it in. Furthermore, the mud giant, whose level dropped by two levels, was reduced to about two-thirds of its initial size.

''Lies.......that's not.......that's not possible......''
I'm not lying.
'--No!

　Syrone shouts - the margin for the mud giants never expecting to lose is finally shattered because they never thought they would lose.

''Elitia ... 'Support!'
Go ahead and bloom ... 'Blossomblade'!

　Current Situation
　Arihito activates 'Support Attack 2' → Support: 'Vine Shoot'
　Elitia activates the Blossom Blade and hits the three-sided cursed mud giant with a twelve-level hit.
　Elitia's additional attack has been triggered, hitting the cursed three-sided mud giant at eight levels.
　Activate Elitia's Unicorn Ribbon special effect → Upon critical hit, a portion of the blow will penetrate the enemy's defense.
Support Attack 2 occurs 20 times → The cursed three-sided mud giant is completely bound by the vine grass.
　Destroy Shirone's Spell of Manipulation → Shirone will receive a reflection of the blows received by the three-sided cursed mud giant.
　Defeat the three-sided cursed mud giant.

　Elitia waved her sword and danced - the vine grass that occurred each time tangled the mud giant and took away its freedom.



　Elitia put her sword away and turned her back on what had been a mud giant. The vine grasses were tangled together to cover the mud, making it look like a giant object.

''--Silonet!

　Elitia's attack should indeed have been fired at the mud giant. However, Silone's cloak was torn off and wounds were all over her body, as if she had received the 'Blossom Blade' in her body. The sheath that housed the twin swords also broke and fell to the ground, but she didn't even have the strength left to pick it up.

''Kuch...!

　She wobbles and uses her skills to regain her strength and runs away. She wanted to go further into the labyrinth, alone.

''........What she did is against the rules of the guild. All the wards will share the information with her and she'll be caught somewhere.

　Elitia says with her eyes down. It's not easy for me to say that I can understand her feelings - but.

''Even with such a high level of explorers, you never know what will happen if you deal with a group of demons. If you can use the 'Scroll of Return' as well and you don't.......
"...I don't know. I don't know what Shirone is thinking. The former wasn't the kind of person who would do something so malicious and deceitful to people like that.

　There's no easy answer to what we should do. The first thing we need to do now is to get everyone in The Four Seasons back to the city.



　Kaede and Ibuki were being cared for by Igarashi and Melissa respectively, but they still seemed to be in a daze. However, they were each able to clasp back the hand of the person who had interceded for them - they were all safe and alive.

'Thank you, Sion-chan... for trying to protect us...'
BOW!

　Sion, who had been stuck in the mud and couldn't move, was also able to move after Ryoko-san poured water on him to wash away the mud - fortunately, he didn't seem to be injured.

''.........''

　Theresia retrieves the sword that was sticking out of the mud giant and comes over to me.

'You did a good job.......Teresia. I'm sorry, guys, too.
'I never imagined I'd be apologizing...I never imagined I'd come home on a silver wheel.

　Elitia says with a chuckle. She's covered in mud too - but it doesn't matter, they're my best friends.

　Everyone is relieved and laughing - but I couldn't have gotten here on my own, and I would have been stuck at the end of my magic.

　I want to thank the 'silver wheel' for guiding me and my friends who believed and waited for me again. Georg from "The North Star" said that even if one of us is missing, we won't be able to walk, and I feel the same way.

　We keep going without losing anything, and we must. I want to continue to keep it the same, that's my vow.

　Seraphina was looking in the direction Shirone was headed, but she's coming this way. First she gave us a word of thanks for our labor.

''I even admire the bond between you guys.
'When Silone used his special skills on me, I didn't see it coming. I have to be more careful, once again, I think I need to be more careful.

　Seraphina nodded and smiled serenely. However, there is still something left to talk about.

Why did she do this when she knew she owed a great deal of karma.......

''Perhaps. Any action that would make a demon go after another seeker will not raise karma unless it is proven... but this time there are many adventurers and physical evidence left over. From my license, I have also contacted the Guild Saber Headquarters. Sirone Kuznoha is being arranged as a target for capture as of now.

　Syrone was no longer able to return to the 'Brigade'. Did she escape the pursuit of the Guild Saber and disappear once to get out of this labyrinth, or--''

''I'm sorry, but what happened to everyone in the 'Four Seasons'? Can you tell me what Sirone did to them?

　I ask Anna, who had escaped the mud giant's capture. She looks at her companions - the maple, who was being cared for by Igarashi-san, barely got up and said.

'Our ... it's our fault.
'Not at all.......we all agreed on that. Sirone didn't think we could defeat that 'Mud Giant' but she kept her promise to tell us about the 'named'. I'm really sorry, Atobe-san. You always helped me out, and caused me trouble again when I was about to go to the sixth ward...

　Tears run down Ryoko's cheeks. Even Ibuki, who was resting his head on Melissa's lap, covered his eyes with his arms - not to show his tears.

'I'm sorry, Sensei ... us, us, and everyone else ... again, together ...'

　There is nothing to apologize for. They worked hard to catch up with us as quickly as possible, to get to the next ward. If you were reckless for that, there was only one thing to say.

'Thank you. You all worked so hard for us to explore with us again... if you feel that way, then we'll do our best.
I think it would be great to have a relationship where we could support each other instead of having to compete with the other parties that we usually have to compete with.

　Igarashi is right. Theresia put her hand on Anna's shoulder, who was crying quietly, and soothed her with a plop - Melissa lent her handkerchief to Ibuki, who was crying like a child, and stroked her to soothe her.

''We are also responsible for Shirone-san's affairs, having accepted the invitation. But.........
''........Elitia. Sirone doesn't just turn bad intentions on the other searchers. If that's the case, does that mean there's a reason for his current actions?
It's...

　Even if I asked Elitia, I know it would be difficult to answer. Still, I could tell from her expression that she was lost - what we should do against Silone, who entered the depths of the labyrinth alone with no weapons, and what we should do about it.

'I ... I know I'm being naive. But we can't just leave them alone. When I was sent to the entrance of the labyrinth, there was definitely anger towards Shilone. But going to the depths of the labyrinth alone I don't think letting it go is the same as making her pay for her sins.
...Alihit.

　I set everyone in the Four Seasons up for a trap, that's a fact, and it's unforgivable.

　But the people of the Four Seasons don't appreciate the fact that they are leaving Cyrone alone. Then I will respect their feelings.

''Well... maybe you have confidence that you can handle it all by yourself, but if you don't have a party together, you won't be able to deal with anything unexpected.

　My companions agreed with Igarashi's words. Theon also gave a small bark, indicating his willingness to accompany me.

''Seraphina-san, may I ask you to take care of everyone in the 'Four Seasons'?
''Understood. Now, I'll leave once with the 'Scroll of Return' to report to Guild Saber Headquarters................................Take care of yourself.


　The maple tree, too, is spilling tears, raggedly - I'm honestly touched by that genuine gratitude, too.

It was such a fierce battle.
''It's because of The Wheel. They made us struggle when we were the enemy, but that power is really reliable when you have it on your side.
'Master is distracted by the star wheel. I will try to contribute more.''
"Weapons and wheels serve different purposes. We can only enhance each other by resonating with each other.

　The embodied Murakumo and the seat on the wheel - Alfeca, who appeared on the palanquin, talked with each other. While looking at the scene, Seraphina said.

''The 'silver wheel' - how far will it go with Atobe-dono and the others on board? I, too, would like to witness it from the side.

　I decide which members of the team will ride in the carseat to follow Syrone. When the three of us are barely able to ride together, Theresia gets on my lap because of her contribution in the battle, and Elitia and Melissa hold onto the back of the carseat and stand on it.

''..........''

　Theresia fought so bravely and now she's behaving on my lap - I'm embarrassed, but I can't let that happen.

''........Master, signal for us to leave.''
Yeah. I'm going after Cyrone we're going, Alfeca.
As you wish.

　The wheels begin to turn slowly. The Four Seasons and Seraphina saw us off, and we headed for the three levels of the "Primary Color Plateau".