"Sali, wait up!"

Meg's voice echoed behind me as I rushed into the room after Gavin.

"I'm fine!"

Gavin had fallen into a pitfall, but I wasn't that foolish.

I'd seen the pitfall wasn't that big, so I jumped right over it and landed inside the room.

There was a treasure chest in the room, but when I approached it, it was just a painting. It was a strangely realistic painting, so it would fool you from outside the door.

When I examined the room further, I saw a staircase at the back of the room.

I could hear something from below the stairs, like a lot of people, or maybe even a beast roaring?

I descended two or three steps, bent my body, and peered into the lower floor. There were a lot of people there. No, not people, it was a horde of Ogres!

And then, I saw Ryu and Gavin among them.

When did Ryu get in there?

Then I realized, Gavin had shoved Ryu and escaped on his own!

He seemed to notice me at some point and changed direction, running towards me. Gavin reached the stairs, pushed me aside, and ran up the stairs.

Leaving Ryu behind? What the hell, man...

I was annoyed by Gavin's actions, but that was the least of my worries right now. I had to save Ryu!

But, Ogres. They are B-rank monsters, and this many of them would be a difficult challenge even for an A-rank adventurer.

Thinking rationally, there was no way I could save Ryu even if I jumped down there! I'm still a novice adventurer.

But if I could somehow go back and call for Reinard, there was a chance Ryu could be saved. Reinard was once known as a Sword Saint, so even an ogre horde would be nothing to him.

But I couldn't.

I couldn't climb the stairs.

Actually, just hearing the Ogres roar made my legs go weak. Pathetic, I know!

But if I stayed here, I would be killed too! Gavin ran away, so the Ogres would be coming after us...

...But for some reason, they didn't follow.

The next thing I saw was Ryu knocking an ogre flying.

To be honest, it was an unbelievable sight.

Ryu was taking down each ogre that charged at him with a single blow, one after another, effortlessly.

What kind of strength is that?!

Gavin had been saying Ryu was useless, but that's completely wrong!

I was a little disappointed when I heard Ryu was "classless," but...

Just a little bit!

Before I knew it, Meg and Naomi had descended the stairs as well, speechless at Ryu's performance.

The ogre horde was completely KO'd before our very eyes.

Ryu stood alone in the center.

Even without a class, if he was that strong, it wouldn't be a problem. Actually, that wasn't the strength of an F-rank, was it?

Rank-wise, would he be A-rank? No, he could take down a whole ogre horde on his own, maybe he's S-rank level?!

Ryu walked towards us, weaving between the fallen Ogres.

The Ogres weren't dead, but they were all knocked out, and they didn't seem to be chasing us.

Whatever happened, Ryu was safe. I'll settle with that Gavin jerk later...

Gavin, who had escaped from the room, was running at full speed, almost like he would run out of the dungeon. However, he was caught by Reinard who grabbed him by the neck. Even though they were close to the exit, it was dangerous to travel alone.

After Ryu returned, everyone gathered, and the group escaped the dungeon safely.

After exiting the dungeon, they took a break, and at Sali's urging, Gavin came to Ryu and apologized. Of course, it was about his actions of pushing Ryu aside and running away for his own safety.

Gavin was on his knees with a pale face.

Sali and the others accused him, saying he should be tried for murder.

Once again, Ryu was left behind, but as Gavin's actions weren't planned and were a result of his fear (Ryu could see this with his Divine Eye), he wasn't entirely malicious. It was a borderline case of an emergency escape.

Ryu warned Gavin that if he did something like that intentionally, he would be punished for murder, but he decided to forgive him.

There are times when leaving a companion behind is a necessary decision. It's better than everyone dying, or if there are reasons they can't all die.

But, of course, someone who abandons their companion loses their trust, and the person who did it will be plagued with guilt.

(Yolma and the former guild master, Daniel, were numb to guilt, but that was a special case.)

Adventurers' work is always a dangerous undertaking. Many people lose companions.

Those veterans who survive these experiences become cautious. They act cautiously because they prioritize everyone's survival.

Careless actions put not only themselves but also their companion's lives at risk, so they must be avoided at all costs. Ryu hoped that Gavin learned something from this experience, and that was good enough for him.

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The dungeon is messed up because of Ryujin?!

Stay tuned!