[ Z Tower ]

This was the translation of the text he found at the entrance. Beside this was a symbol that was similar to the symbol he found on the logbook.

It was the symbol of the Prince of the Lonar Alliance, Zacchaeus Zaimphail.

This revelation even made Wallace believe that the Z-Company which was existing for decades was truly closely related to the Prince's remnants...

It may be his followers or perhaps a coincidence. He couldn't tell for sure but he was a bit expectant to learn whatever the truth this building was hiding.

"Wallace! Hurry!"

Yumi called him as he slowly steps back while using his Lightning Break from time to time to ensure that the insects would not follow them.

"Flame Cover!"

Clint cast a wide-scale spell to lessen Wallace's burden so he could back out...

"How do we even close it?!"

Elaine suddenly thought of the problem. They thought of this too but defending a single door was better than defending from all sides.

"I don't know... Find--"

As soon as Yumi planned to instruct them to find a way to close the doorway, a sudden creaking sound was heard as the door was slowly closing after Wallace entered the room. It was as if it was waiting for him to enter.

"Eh?"

The members of their group except for Wallace weren't sure what was happening but whatever it was, it did save them the trouble of fighting such a large number of small creatures.

"Careful... This might be a trap!"

Yumi reminded everyone as they waited for any traps to be activated. They were thinking that the insects were truly meant to bring them here and be trapped inside the room.

'Is this a toxin room trap? or a water trap? Maybe, this place was about to get burned and we'll get cooked alive?'

Hannah was already imagining the worst-case scenario but luckily, nothing like that happened as Wallace opened another path leading down by forcefully lifting up one of the floor mats.

They were truly glad that the man was here since even though they might also find that hidden path, it might take some time.

Ssssss!

The sound of hissing snakes was heard as they entered the dimly lit tunnel that should lead them further down. But after looking around and extending their senses several times, they were unable to find any snakes at all.

They concluded that it was most likely due to the wind's speed causing vibration through the air.

Anyway, based on Wallace's words, this tunnel should be a shortcut so they were actually expecting that they will be entering an elevator shaft or something similar.

"It doesn't feel like we're going downwards. We're just going straight ahead..."

Yumi voiced out her thoughts. She was not doubting Wallace's decision but she wanted to confirm that her sense of direction was still alright. Who knows whether she was affected by a spell or poison that was making her unable to properly sense her surroundings...

"It's alright... We're on the right track..."

Wallace assured the group as if it wasn't his first time here.

***

Dr. Mao was one of the subordinates of the Grand Arcanist and was partly working as a doctor within the Cloud Hawk Manor.

Unlike Charles Mavis who studied all the paths of Mage Doctor and achieved the possible peak of it, he was only focused on the Enhancement Path and only having a few knowledge in the Alteration Path and others.

"To think that I'll get separated with Sir Slaine..."

The old man muttered as he was trying to find his way to meet with the remaining members of their group.

Their expedition that was supposedly over after finding one of the components needed for Sir Elaine's Arcana was extended because of the Celestial Being's encouraging words to meet a mysterious man hiding deep within this tower full of maze.

All the clues they found pointed that the man they were referring to was Aeolia Schien, a legendary existence recognize within the whole Southern Continent.

"Oh? Life force? There were even four of them..."

The doctor was suddenly excited to meet other people here since he has been traveling alone in this creepy tower for several days already.

He was alone fighting chimeras, beasts, and even living plants within this place and it was slowly taxing his body.

If he could cooperate with them to find a way out of here, it would lessen a lot of burdens when fighting against the monsters roaming here.

He tried to get closer with them but he suddenly realized that there was actually another person in their midst...

"Five people? How come I've missed sensing this guy just now?"

The doctor was partly amazed by whatever trick the man had used to hide within his senses but since they were already getting closer, he then decided to wait for them in his current position and ask him directly.

He already realized that the five was actually moving very fast as if they were trying run away from a predator...

"Let me help them a bit..."

The doctor was already living within this place for several days and he already encountered many unusual things. He was confident that he would be able to help them as long as he saw what kind of problem they are facing...

Baam!

The five people suddenly jump as the earth trembled due to a sudden attack that even the Doctor didn't saw coming their way.

"What happened?!"

The group was only 150 meters away and still getting closer to him so he was previously confident that nothing would be missed... Unfortunately, the attack they encountered was something he never experienced before.

Baam!

Another attack from an invisible opponent came as the Doctor tries to understand what was happening.

He now had a vision of the group and realized that they had also seen him. He was hoping that he'll be recognized as a friend by exposing a bit of his mana.

'Hmm... They don't look like someone within our group... Are they natives here? Wait, that's impossible... Their clothes were products made in the south... Are they adventurers hired to explore this cursed tower?'

This was the guess he could come up in just a few moments.

Soon he noticed that one of them suddenly disappeared in their midst and appeared somewhere else. However, as soon as the man appeared, he has already skewered a large chimera similar to chameleon mixed with various amphibious beasts.

"What was that?!"

He had never seen such movement speed before. Disappearing almost without any mana fluctuations.

It was probably the strongest assassination skill he had ever seen.

Dr. Mao couldn't properly explain the trick behind the move that the other person just made. He couldn't guess whether it was a mana spell similar to a movement enhancement spell, or it was actually a powerful spell from a unique mana artifact...

Anyway, there was no way it can be easily done like that. So he concluded that the man either possess a Sealed Mana Artifact or its a Secret Art he was unaware of.

"Oh! I recognize you! You are the 5th apprentice that Sir Slaine accepted!"

That's right, it was Wallace's group that has been finding a way to rescue his headmaster in this tower that was suspected to be a hideout of a small group from the terrorist organization.