Fiona remained unconscious, her ragged breathing growing more labored by the second.
He had tried administering a potion along the way, but it had no effect whatsoever. Under normal circumstances, he would have stopped to check her condition, but the encroaching fire and lava wouldn't allow it. It was as if the flames and lava were hunting Fiona specifically.
Ren stumbled occasionally as he ran, his mind racing with desperation.
There’s only one place left...
He hesitated, wondering if he should actually head for the hidden map he had planned to use. Since it was located deep within the mountain range, they would both die if the lava and fire reached it.
Still, there was no time for indecision. Faced with the raging inferno, he was certain there was nowhere else to go. He could only pray that the hidden area wasn't already submerged in lava.
Fortunately, the entrance wasn't far.
Ren squeezed out the last of his strength, frantically searching for the path through the unrecognizable, terraformed landscape. He pushed his legs to their limit, gasping for air.
"Nngh... Adven...turer... san..."
Fiona called out in a raspy whisper. Despite his own heavy breathing, Ren tried to encourage her.
"We’ll be out of the mountains soon."
"...I’m... sorry."
Fiona repeated her apologies painfully. Her voice, which had drifted off into a delirious mumble, finally went silent as she lost consciousness once more.
I will save her.
As if to mock Ren’s resolve, a supernatural phenomenon occurred.
『 ──── 』
A stabbing headache flared as a sound resembling a voice echoed in his mind. Immediately after, the Necklace of Warding around Fiona’s neck shattered. With its suppression gone, the immense mana within her began to manifest behind Ren.
He couldn't tell if the voice was male or female. He couldn't even make out the words. Ren gritted his teeth and forced his legs to move, enduring the mental agony while clinging to Fiona.
『 ──── , ──── 』
When the voice spoke again, a headache far worse than the first struck him. It felt as if the voice was rejoicing that Fiona’s mana had finally been unleashed.
Suddenly, a crimson gale swept Fiona from Ren's back, lifting her into the air. The red wind immediately ignited into flames, enveloping Fiona and carrying her further ahead.
"Dammit... what is this?!"
Ren reached out, but his hand grasped only thin air. As Fiona moved further away, the headache began to subside. Just before the approaching lava flow reached his feet, Ren bolted. He sprinted after her, desperate to reclaim her.
This path...
The path Ren followed led straight to his intended hidden map. Further ahead, the massive boulder that usually blocked the way had been smashed to pieces. The entrance was already exposed.
Back in the game, a player would interact with that boulder to proceed. A prompt would appear: Something lies beyond. Destroy it? Yes/No. Most players would destroy it without a second thought, only to be stunned by the vast space hidden behind it.
"Did the flames head in there...?" Ren muttered, taking in a sight identical to his memories of the game.
At the center of a massive hollow leading into the mountain’s interior, stone stairs reminiscent of ancient ruins descended into the depths. The stairs were wide enough for five people to walk abreast. Stone handrails lined the sides, but beyond them lay only a void.
Originally, it should have been filled with a bottomless darkness. Now, however, flames writhed throughout the cavern. Fire rising from the lowest level danced through the air like arches or serpents. Lava flows poured from the distant walls, pulled down by gravity.
Ren didn't hesitate. The thought of abandoning Fiona to save himself never even crossed his mind.
"Let's go."
He sprinted down the stairs. He would find a way out of the Baldur Mountains with her, no matter the cost.
Eventually, the path opened into a cave that revealed a breathtakingly fantastical sight. Strangely, the fire and lava hadn't reached this area yet; the scenery remained exactly as he remembered it.
Every time his boots hit the ground, the sound echoed endlessly, and the minerals embedded in the cave walls sparkled like ripples of water. Occasionally, streaks of light shot across the ceiling like comets. He was struck by the sheer beauty of the shifting blues, purples, and deep crimsons.
This was the Star Agate Underground Path—a cave defined by its striped chalcedony and a glittering brilliance that mimicked a star-filled sky.
If it weren't for the game's item limits, making money here would have been a breeze.
Star Agate wasn't a gemstone with magical properties, but it was highly prized for its aesthetic value. Its formation was so rare it was a major subject of study for scholars, yet here it covered the floor, walls, and ceiling.
Ren didn't stop to admire the view. He had no time to look for treasure; his only priority was Fiona’s safety.
Beyond the path lay a cavern even more massive than the one containing the stairs. It was large enough to house his entire home village. Looking up, the ceiling was twice as high as the Great Rift in the East Forest. Everything here was also covered in Star Agate, creating the illusion that he had stepped out of the world and into the cosmos.
Unlike the path he had just traversed, however, this cavern contained something bizarre.
"...What is that?"
At the very center of the floor stood something Ren didn't recognize from the game.
A massive crimson cluster sat at the center, towering several times higher than Ren and Fiona combined. Fiona, who had been snatched away by the wind, lay unconscious inside the crystal.
The Star Agate floor beneath the crystal glowed with a deep red light—just one part of the eerie scene. The flames that had been raging outside were now pouring down from the ceiling of this massive vault.
The fire is raining onto the floor and turning the Star Agate red...?
That crimson light was being siphoned into the cluster, filling it with energy. Every time the light surged, Fiona’s face contorted in pain. The only relief was that she didn't appear to have any visible burns or injuries.
At this point, Ren was certain a legendary entity was involved. He felt foolish for not considering the possibility sooner.
『...Kuruuu.』
A monster’s cry echoed from his right. Ren remembered that a Steel-Eating Gargoyle always spawned in this hidden map. This one was smaller than the pair he had fought before—likely a juvenile.
Something was wrong with it. Its metallic skin looked melted and scorched, and it lay weak on the ground, watching Ren with fading strength. It had likely been caught in the fire raining from the ceiling.
『Kuru... ruu...!』
As the creature tried to threaten him with failing breath, Ren felt a pang of pity. It was a pathetic, painful sight. Seeing the gargoyle shivering in a pool of its own fluids, Ren silently leveled his Iron Magic Sword at the creature.
The Steel-Eating Gargoyle let out a sharp "Gah!" for a moment.
"...I know. You're scared, aren't you?"
Upon hearing Ren's gentle tone, the monster's eyes slumped, and it finally looked away.