The guards and hunters who had been captured were freed.
A large number of Dark Elves rushed in. The Serval Cat spirit transformed into a long sword and equipment. The guards pierced the enemies’ throats with their swords before their feet could touch the ground. From behind them, Taiga, riding the Tiger spirit, leaped into action.
The Dark Elves fell like dominoes, falling into a panic.
“Hey, isn’t it dangerous to suddenly appear from behind!”
“I couldn’t hear you. Your voice was too quiet. Alright, Kiba, lead your team of big men to the surface.”
The guards and hunters had such bad relationships even at a time like this. But well, thanks to them, the path seemed to have opened up. The Dark Elves who had descended hesitated at the sight of the Tiger spirit and retreated.
“I’ll lead the way. You’re looking for someone called Nigpyura, right?”
Kiba, riding a wolf, galloped nimbly over the fallen enemies. On the ground floor, a gathering of Dark Elves awaited them.
“Damn it, we’re being held back. It’ll take time to defeat all of them.”
As Kiba said, even with the spirits of a tiger and a wolf, breaking through such a large number of enemies would take time. Then, a mountain of quills wriggled out from behind them. Could it be the one they had saved from being captured, wearing the skin of a porcupine?
“W-we’ll handle it somehow. I-it’s scary, but I don’t want to just be captured like this.”
“That’s right! We all owe them a debt!”
Emerging with renewed energy was Iron Tooth. It seemed all the spirits had returned as well.
“Charge!!”
At their master’s command, the Beaver spirits leaped at the faces of the Dark Elves. Hummingbird Harpies, who had ascended the stairs, joined the battle one after another with their spirits.
“Hey, this way.”
Faintly glimpsed in the corner of his vision was the light of a guiding firefly. A night watch boy peeked out from the corner.
“I met your older brother. He brought me this far.”
“I’m sorry for leaving you behind. I thought you were a bad person. More importantly, I know your companions are captured.”
Veronica, huh? He had run away leaving her behind, but would she be alright?
“I was curious because they had the same black color as me.”
“Can you guide us there? We need her power.”
With that, the night watch boy moved away from the corner and started running. He conveyed to Kiba that he wanted to save his companion.
“What? There’s no other way, guide us to her.”
The night watch boy had already disappeared. Instead, a single firefly seemed to be guiding them.
“I see, a Star Guidance Officer, a member of the night watch tribe.”
“He showed us the way here. Along with his older brother.”
“Night’s Eye, what happened to them?”
It was explained that Night’s Eye had sacrificed himself to allow them passage underground. Ahead, the dark corridor flashed yellow for a moment. As they passed by, they saw burnt Dark Elves lying on the ground. It seemed they were clearing the path ahead.
The firefly stopped in front of a small room located after several corridor turns. The door was secured with an old padlock.
“She must be in here. Alright, destroy the door.”
“Huh? Can you really do that?”
While he was contemplating what to do, one of her hunter companions, who was also her comrade, thrust his sword into the door’s handle and ripped it off. The door was old and the paint was peeling, but it was still quite a display of strength. Incidentally, he had a good build for a Hummingbird Har, just like Taiga.
Inside, it was dark and dusty. A faint smell of blood tickled his nose.
“Veronica, are you there?”
The clinking sound of chains moving could be heard. The light from the open door illuminated Veronica’s figure, leaning against the wall. Her cheek was swollen, likely from being hit several times, and blood was caked on it.
“Older Sister, hold on.”
“You’re finally here. *cough* I’ve been waiting for ages.”
She was chained to the wall with her hands. Karubene tried to pull the chains to somehow remove them.
“We have to do something about this.”
“I’ll get them off now. Brother, help me too.”
He and Karubene pulled on the stake embedded in the wall. Kiba and his hunter companions also lent a hand. Adorably, the Wolf spirit was also holding onto it with its mouth and pulling.
Suddenly, the light shining from the doorway was blocked.
“What are you doing! Hey, they’re trying to escape!”
“Bad! Brother, we need to get this off quickly!”
He understood that, but even with everyone pulling, it wasn’t coming off easily. A Dark Elf entered the room with a sword in one hand. He swung it directly at him.
“Honestly, too impatient.”
Veronica, who had been sitting until now, suddenly stood up, grabbed the Dark Elf’s hand, and slammed his face against the wall with her other hand.
“*Gof*!”
With a dull thud, the Dark Elf warrior fell to the ground. Seeing this, another enemy fled to call for reinforcements.
“Pull the chains again.”
“Understood! Let’s go, together!”
This time, with Veronica’s strength added, they pulled with all their might. A crack appeared in the hard wall with a dull sound, and finally, the chains came loose from their embedded base.
“S-see, that guy, that ferocious Dark Harpy is trying to escape.”
“Unfortunately, I am already escaping.”
“Hh!”
She still had chains on both arms, but a bit of a handicap was fine. By the time the fleeing Dark Elf returned, Veronica had already broken free from the wall she was chained to.
