Volume 2 Chapter 143: The Crystal Tamer And The Warp Crystal

Ayame stared at the broken piece of iron lying on the floor.

For several seconds, she simply couldn't believe what she was seeing. Her wrists were still surrounded by the remaining sections of the cuffs, and the stone restraints still held most of her body against the cage. Yet the Moonstone Mice had finally chewed through enough of the metal to create a narrow opening.

It wasn't enough to free her completely.

But it was enough to prove that she could escape.

More importantly, the mice were still working.

Their tiny moonstone bodies moved around her restraints, their faint silver-blue glow almost impossible to notice beneath the dim yellow lights. Their tiny teeth continued biting into the weakened metal with relentless determination.

Ayame lowered her head slightly, allowing her hair to fall across part of her face.

She couldn't let Matilda see how relieved she was.

The purple-haired healer was still kneeling beside Ramos, surrounded by medical equipment and several glass containers. Her attention appeared to remain completely focused on the unconscious NPC as she checked his condition and continued the final stages of the blood extraction.

Ayame watched her from the corner of her eye.

Just a little longer.

She didn't know what would happen once she escaped. She didn't know whether she could defeat Matilda, and she certainly didn't know whether Fayzan could fight properly with the enormous number of restraints wrapped around him.

But she knew one thing.

She couldn't attack yet.

If she moved too early, Matilda would notice.

If Matilda noticed the mice, the entire plan would collapse.

And if the plan collapsed, Ramos might never leave this bunker alive.

So Ayame remained perfectly still.

She continued pretending that the stone still completely restrained her body. She kept her wrists positioned as though the cuffs were still holding them tightly behind her back. She even forced herself to maintain the same frightened expression she had worn ever since waking up.

Inside, however, she was counting every second.

Come on.

Free Fayzan first.

Then we'll move.

A tiny metallic click sounded behind her.

Ayame's heart jumped.

The Moonstone Mice had finished chewing through another section of the restraint.

She resisted the urge to turn around.

Instead, she silently issued another command through their connection.

Fayzan.

The mice immediately understood.

One by one, they slipped away from Ayame's cage.

Their tiny paws carried them across the floor while they remained hidden beneath the shadows cast by the cages, crates, and medical equipment. Ayame watched them through the smallest movement of her eyes.

The first mouse reached the bars of Fayzan's cage.

Then another.

Then another.

They squeezed through the narrow gaps and climbed onto the chains wrapped around his body.

Fayzan noticed them.

His expression changed almost imperceptibly.

Their eyes met for a brief moment.

Neither of them spoke.

They didn't need to.

Fayzan understood.

The first Moonstone Mouse began nibbling at one of the chains.

Then the second joined it.

Then the third.

The sound was almost impossible to hear beneath the distant rumbling of the bunker.

Nibble.

Nibble.

Nibble.

Fayzan lowered his head, pretending to look exhausted and defeated.

But Ayame could see the determination in his eyes.

They had a chance.

A tiny one.

But it was still a chance.

Then Matilda spoke.

"You there."

Ayame froze.

The Moonstone Mice froze as well.

Matilda's voice had been directed toward her.

Ayame slowly raised her head.

The purple-haired healer was no longer looking at Ramos.

She was looking directly at Ayame.

Ayame's heart sank.

Did she notice?

Her thoughts raced.

Did she see the mice?

Did she realize the cuffs were already damaged?

Ayame forced herself to remain calm.

"What?"

Matilda adjusted her glasses.

"Tamer girl."

Ayame frowned.

"...What does it matter to you?"

Matilda stared at her for several seconds.

Then her gaze shifted toward Ramos.

"The blood extraction is complete."

Ayame's eyes widened slightly.

Matilda calmly reached toward the medical equipment beside her.

"Once you're done escaping, heal this one for me."

She pointed toward Ramos.

"I have no reason to keep him here anymore."

Ayame blinked.

For a moment, she thought she had misunderstood.

Then she looked toward Ramos.

Then back at Matilda.

"...What?"

Matilda sighed.

"I said the extraction is complete."

She carefully removed the needle from Ramos and sealed the container containing his blood.

"I've taken everything I need."

Ayame's expression slowly changed.

Matilda continued.

"I don't need to keep him alive for the mission anymore."

The words sent a chill through Ayame.

She finally understood.

Matilda knew.

She had known.

The entire time.

The damaged cuffs.

The strange movements behind the cage.

The Moonstone Mice.

Even Ayame's deliberate attempts to conceal what was happening.

Matilda had noticed all of it.

And yet—

she hadn't stopped them.

Ayame stared at her in disbelief.

"You..."

Her voice lowered.

"You knew?"

Matilda nodded.

"I did."

Ayame's eyes widened.

"Then why didn't you stop me?"

Matilda shrugged.

"Because I don't care."

The answer was so blunt that Ayame couldn't immediately respond.

Matilda stood and carefully placed the blood containers into her inventory.

"I've completed my part of the mission."

She looked toward the damaged wall.

"And I'm not interested in fighting a tamer, a swordsman, and an NPC simply because the others decided they wanted to."

Ayame stared at her.

There was something deeply unsettling about Matilda's indifference.

She wasn't being merciful.

She wasn't suddenly taking their side.

She simply didn't care enough to stop them.

Before Ayame could ask anything else, a violent tremor passed through the bunker.

THOOOOOM!

The entire chamber shook.

Dust fell from the ceiling, and the lamps hanging overhead swung from side to side.

Ayame immediately looked toward the door.

Another explosion followed.

BOOOOOOOM!

The stone walls groaned.

Somewhere far away, something enormous had struck the bunker.

Ayame's expression changed.

Ryota.

Matilda looked toward the ceiling.

"It seems Falco has engaged White Hair."

Another distant explosion reverberated through the stone.

Matilda calmly adjusted her glasses.

"Regardless of who wins between those two, it isn't my concern."

Ayame stared at her.

Matilda glanced at the system interface hovering in front of her vision.

"Based on the distance and the rate of the explosions..."

She paused briefly.

"...that fight won't last fifteen minutes."

Ayame's eyes widened.

"You mean we have fifteen minutes?"

Matilda nodded.

"Approximately."

She looked directly at Ayame.

"You have roughly that much time before someone reaches this room."

Ayame stared at her in confusion.

"So you're just going to let us go?"

Matilda didn't answer immediately.

Ayame narrowed her eyes.

"Aren't they your comrades?"

"They are."

Matilda's voice remained completely indifferent.

"But the mission comes before all else."

She looked down at the blood containers inside her inventory.

"That mission is complete."

Then she looked toward Ramos.

"I've obtained what I needed."

Her gaze returned to Ayame.

"I have no intention of getting my hands dirty over something that is no longer relevant to me."

Ayame continued staring at her.

There had to be a trick.

There had to be some hidden condition.

People like this didn't simply release captured enemies.

Especially not after spending so much effort kidnapping them.

But Matilda wasn't behaving like someone setting a trap.

She was already finished with her work.

She simply wanted to leave.

Matilda walked toward the center of the chamber.

Then she opened her inventory.

A small blue crystal appeared in her hand.

Ayame's eyes immediately widened.

She recognized it.

"No way..."

Matilda dropped the crystal onto the stone floor.

The moment it touched the ground—

FLASH!

A circular blue magic formation spread across the stone.

Ancient symbols appeared around its outer edge, glowing brightly as lines of blue energy traveled between them.

The air inside the circle distorted.

Space itself began twisting.

Then the center of the formation opened.

A deep blue vortex formed in the middle of the room.

Wind rushed toward it.

Ayame stared in disbelief.

"A Warp Crystal..."

Matilda glanced back at her.

"You know what it is?"

Ayame nodded slowly.

Of course she did.

Every experienced player knew about Warp Crystals.

They were among the most valuable transportation items available in Evermount.

Unlike ordinary Teleportation Crystals, which could transport players toward predetermined destinations under much more restrictive conditions, a Warp Crystal created a temporary space-bridge between two locations.

It wasn't designed for just one person.

There was no strict player limit.

Ten players could enter.

A hundred could enter.

Even more could pass through as long as they reached the portal before it expired.

There was only one major restriction.

Three minutes.

That was the maximum amount of time the portal would remain open.

After those three minutes ended, the space-bridge would collapse.

And unlike ordinary Teleportation Crystals, Warp Crystals were extremely expensive.

A standard Teleportation Crystal could currently be purchased for around ten copper coins.

A Warp Crystal cost roughly one silver coin.

One hundred copper coins.

Ayame stared at the swirling portal.

One hundred copper coins.

That was an enormous amount of money.

Even established guilds couldn't casually throw around resources like that.

Ayame remembered how difficult it had been for Eternity Lions to maintain their limited supply.

They could barely afford to keep three Warp Crystals available for emergencies.

Three.

And Epsilon Dawn had apparently used one simply to provide an escape route for a single mission team.

Ayame's expression slowly changed.

She finally understood something she hadn't fully considered before.

Epsilon Dawn's strength wasn't simply the result of powerful players.

Of course, they had monsters.

Sarrow.

Corvina.

Falco.

Lyra.

Each one possessed abilities that could make ordinary players hesitate before engaging them.

But every major guild had powerful players.

Eternity Lions had its own elite members.

Crowned Era had Rio and Ryota.

Other major guilds had their own monsters.

That alone couldn't explain Epsilon Dawn's confidence.

It was the infrastructure behind them.

Their resources.

Their equipment.

Their ability to spend enormous amounts of money without hesitation.

Ayame stared at the Warp Crystal.

How much money does Epsilon Dawn have?

Was a major company backing them?

A wealthy investor?

A corporation?

Some hidden organization?

Or was there something even larger operating behind the guild?

Ayame didn't know.

And somehow, that uncertainty frightened her more than Falco's strength.

Matilda stepped toward the portal.

Before entering, she glanced back.

"Feel free to exit the cage."

Ayame blinked.

Matilda walked into the blue vortex.

Her body disappeared into the swirling light.

A moment later, she was gone.

Ayame didn't waste another second.

The instant Matilda disappeared, she pulled against the weakened stone restraints.

CRACK!

The remaining earth broke apart.

Ayame's arms finally came free.

She dropped to her knees and immediately rolled her shoulders.

Pain shot through her wrists.

They were red and bruised from the restraints.

Ayame ignored the discomfort.

"Fayzan!"

The swordsman looked up.

"I'm ready."

Ayame rushed toward his cage.

The Moonstone Mice had already weakened several of the chains.

Ayame opened her skill menu.

Her fingers moved quickly.

"Tamer Skill."

A system window appeared before her.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

[Tamer Skill: Lapis Lion]

Summon

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

Blue light erupted beside her.

The light gathered into the shape of a massive creature.

Deep-blue crystal began forming piece by piece.

Four powerful legs emerged first.

Then a muscular body.

A thick mane formed around its head from layers of dark lapis lazuli.

Finally, two glowing blue eyes opened.

The Lapis Lion lowered its enormous head and looked toward Ayame.

Ayame immediately pointed toward Fayzan.

"Destroy his restraints!"

The lion roared.

It charged.

CRAAAAASH!

Its massive paw slammed into the chains wrapped around Fayzan.

The first chain shattered.

Then another.

The impact sent fragments of metal scattering across the floor.

The Lapis Lion struck again.

CRACK!

The restraints around Fayzan's torso broke apart.

Another swing destroyed the chains around his legs.

Finally, the heavy cuffs around his wrists fractured.

Fayzan pulled his arms free.

The remaining pieces of chain dropped to the ground with a heavy metallic clatter.

He stood slowly.

Then rolled his shoulders.

The movement made several joints crack.

"That feels much better."

Ayame smiled.

"Good."

The Moonstone Mice gathered near her feet.

Ayame looked down at them.

"You did great."

She crouched slightly and held out her hand.

"Come back."

The tiny creatures immediately dissolved into particles of pale silver-blue light.

They vanished into her skill interface.

Their job was done.

Ayame immediately turned toward Ramos.

She rushed to his side and knelt beside him.

The NPC remained unconscious.

His face was pale.

Far too pale.

Ayame placed both hands against his chest.

Green light appeared around her palms.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

[Tamer Skill: Healing Bond]

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

A warm green glow spread through Ramos's body.

The faint light traveled along his arms, chest, and neck.

His breathing became slightly steadier.

But Ayame's expression remained worried.

He had lost too much blood.

Far too much.

Healing could repair wounds.

It could stabilize damage.

But it couldn't instantly replace everything his body had lost.

Ramos needed proper medical treatment.

He needed a hospital.

A clinic.

Somewhere safe.

Somewhere outside this bunker.

"Fayzan!"

Ayame looked over her shoulder.

"We have to get out of here."

Fayzan nodded.

"I know."

"We need to get Ramos to a hospital or clinic as quickly as possible."

Fayzan immediately moved toward Ramos.

"How do we carry him?"

Ayame looked toward the Lapis Lion.

The creature had already lowered itself onto the floor.

Its massive body rested against the stone, apparently waiting for another command.

Ayame blinked.

"...It's offering to carry us."

Fayzan looked at the lion.

Then nodded.

"Good."

Together, they carefully lifted Ramos.

His body was heavier than Ayame expected.

Fayzan supported most of his weight while Ayame carefully held his head and shoulders.

They placed Ramos across the Lapis Lion's back.

The crystal creature remained perfectly still until Ayame secured him.

Once Ramos was stable, Ayame climbed onto the lion as well.

Then she looked toward her skill menu.

There was still one more thing she needed.

Protection.

They couldn't simply run through the bunker carrying an unconscious NPC while surrounded by enemies.

Ayame activated another skill.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

[Tamer Skill: Topaz Tiger]

Summon

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

Golden light appeared beside them.

Crystalline structures rapidly formed within the glowing aura.

Four powerful legs took shape.

Then a muscular body.

A long tail.

Finally, the head of a large tiger emerged.

The creature's body was composed entirely of brilliant topaz crystals. Golden-orange facets covered its muscles, while razor-sharp crystalline claws extended from its paws.

Its eyes glowed brightly as it turned toward Ayame.

Ayame looked directly at it.

"Could you please protect us while we rush out of the bunker?"

The Topaz Tiger stared at her.

For a moment, it didn't move.

Then it lowered its head.

A quiet growl escaped its throat.

Ayame's eyes widened slightly.

"Thank you."

The tiger moved toward the entrance.

At the same time, Fayzan walked toward the damaged door.

He raised one hand.

Flames immediately gathered around his palm.

The fire grew brighter.

Hotter.

More concentrated.

His expression became serious.

"We don't have time to find another way."

He thrust his burning hand forward.

BOOOOOOM!

The door exploded apart.

Fragments of metal and stone scattered into the corridor as smoke filled the entrance.

Fayzan stepped through the opening.

He immediately looked in both directions.

The bunker was still shaking.

Distant explosions continued echoing through the stone halls.

The sound of collapsing walls followed each impact.

Falco and Ryota were still fighting.

Lyra was somewhere nearby.

And every second they remained inside increased the chance that another enemy would discover them.

Fayzan turned back.

"Ayame."

She looked toward him.

"Take Ramos out of here."

Ayame frowned.

"What about you?"

Fayzan tightened his fist.

"I'm going to help Ryota."

Ayame immediately shook her head.

"Fayzan—"

"I know."

His voice was calm.

"I know I'm not going to beat someone like that."

He glanced toward the distant explosions.

"But I can at least try to keep Lyra distracted."

Ayame's expression changed.

Fayzan continued.

"If she's controlling the bunker, then Ryota is fighting inside her battlefield."

Ayame understood immediately.

As long as Lyra remained focused, she could continue manipulating the bunker around Ryota.

Walls could shift.

Corridors could change.

Entrances could disappear.

The very environment could be turned against him.

Ryota wasn't simply fighting Falco.

He was fighting Falco while trapped inside Lyra's domain.

Fayzan needed to interfere.

Even if he couldn't defeat Lyra.

Even if he couldn't defeat Falco.

He could create an opening.

Fayzan reached into his inventory.

Then pulled out a small crystal.

Ayame immediately recognized it.

Her eyes widened.

"That's..."

An Emergency Crystal.

She stared at it.

"Eternity Lions doesn't have one."

Fayzan shook his head.

"This isn't ours."

He held it toward her.

"It belongs to Ramos."

Ayame looked at him.

"I found it earlier when we were following his tracks."

He placed the crystal into her hand.

"If anything happens, break it."

Ayame looked down at the small object.

"Does it still work?"

Fayzan nodded.

"Rio or someone from Crowned Era must have given it to him for emergencies."

He paused.

"I have no idea what Crowned Era coded into that Emergency Crystal."

"But whatever it is..."

His eyes met hers.

"It should be connected to their emergency network."

Ayame slowly closed her fingers around it.

"I understand."

Fayzan stepped back.

Then he looked toward the Lapis Lion.

"Get him somewhere safe."

Ayame nodded.

"I will."

Fayzan turned toward the corridor.

Then he started running.

Ayame watched him disappear into the darkness.

He was heading deeper into the bunker.

Toward Ryota.

Toward Lyra.

Toward the chaos.

For a brief moment, Ayame wanted to call him back.

She wanted to tell him that he didn't have to do this.

That they could escape together.

But she knew better.

Everyone had a role now.

Fayzan needed to help Ryota.

She needed to save Ramos.

Ayame tightened her grip around the Emergency Crystal.

Then she looked toward the Topaz Tiger.

"Let's go."

The tiger immediately moved.

The Lapis Lion followed, carrying Ramos securely across its back.

Their footsteps thundered through the bunker.

Stone trembled around them.

Distant explosions continued echoing through the corridors.

Ayame held tightly onto Ramos while continuing to heal him, green light flowing from her hands into his body.

His breathing remained weak.

But he was alive.

That was enough.

For now.

Behind them, Fayzan disappeared deeper into the darkness.

Ahead of them, the bunker stretched endlessly toward freedom.

Somewhere inside that maze of shifting stone, Ryota was still fighting Falco.

And Lyra was already moving to stop him.

The fifteen-minute window had begun.

Every second was disappearing.

And Ayame knew that if they wanted to escape this bunker alive, they couldn't afford to waste even one of them.