"Finn Doria!"
Diana couldn't help but cry out in shock at Finn's sudden appearance. Her wide eyes remained fixed on the boy, her lips parted in disbelief. She looked up, taking in the sight of his striking figure, and it was plain to see the admiration welling in her gaze.
A moment later, her entire face flushed scarlet. This was the very first time she had ever felt such admiration for another young Adventurer. Her heart pounded violently in her chest, as if it were about to burst free.
She had clearly witnessed how Finn dispatched the strange creature she had been struggling against for so long. With a single sweep of his wide sword, he reduced the monster to nothing but ash.
As the creature vanished, Finn dashed forward with several others, charging at the remaining abominations.
Diana's gaze remained locked on him as he cut down the other monsters, one after another. It was an extraordinary sight. She couldn't tear her eyes away as she watched him fight, her pupils sparkling brilliantly.
In this world, it was common for women to easily admire—and fall for—men who were courageous and strong. Right now, she was no exception.
Her life had been in mortal danger only moments before. Yet thanks to Finn's intervention, she was still alive.
Several more deafening explosions shook the air before the battlefield finally fell silent and calm. Barely a few minutes had passed since Finn's group arrived, yet all of the strange creatures lay slain. And nearly all of that was thanks to Finn himself. With only his remarkable sword and sheer physical strength, he had decimated them effortlessly.
As the last of the monsters turned to ash, most of the exhausted young adventurers collapsed to the ground, their limbs numb and heavy with fatigue. Some of them lost consciousness outright, though the expressions frozen on their faces were ones of pure relief.
They had survived. And who wouldn't rejoice at that?
Only moments earlier, they had been on the brink of despair, overwhelmed by enemies stronger than any of them. But with Finn's arrival, they had been pulled back from the jaws of death.
At last, everyone could breathe freely. They could finally rest.
Finn and the others swiftly returned their weapons to their interspatial rings. Those who remained conscious hurried to feed recovery pills to their unconscious companions.
Soon, each faction regrouped. The members of the Soaring Seven gathered at Finn's side, talking amongst themselves in hushed voices.
A short distance away, Diana continued to stare fixedly at Finn. Even when the two princes approached her, she didn't so much as glance at them. It was as if no one else existed in her world—only that silver-haired youth.
Theo's expression grew darker and darker as he witnessed the princess' behavior. He clenched his fists and glared at Finn with eyes full of murderous envy.
"Finn, thank you for your help," Ezekias said awkwardly.
Finn nodded with a faint smile. "Hm. I'm just glad to see that all the members of the Soaring Seven are alive and well."
"We were lucky to find each other," Juvia said. "Besides, the terrain here is flat, so it was easier for us to regroup."
"I'm sure Sect Master Noah and Elder Marcus will be delighted if all seven of us make it back alive," Finn commented. "And you've all improved your levels, which is no small accomplishment."
Everyone smiled, except Ashe, who was still lost in thought. She couldn't stop thinking about the strange creatures they had faced. It was the first time she had seen anything like them.
She was familiar with countless types of Vicious Beasts and knew in her gut those things hadn't been beasts at all.
Nor had she ever heard of creatures that vanished into ash the instant they died. Even so, their terrifying auras and eerie appearances were carved into her memory.
The oppressive malice she had felt from them was far worse than any vicious beast she'd encountered. A vague sense of dread refused to leave her chest.
Her companions eventually noticed her silence and exchanged puzzled glances.
"Is something wrong?" Finn asked gently.
Ashe took a deep breath and bowed her head. "What were those things…? Do creatures like that really exist in this world?" she murmured.
Everyone's expressions turned serious. Finn watched Ashe intently before answering in a calm voice.
"You already know how vast this world is. It's not only humans who inhabit it. There are all manner of beings across the continents."
Lore looked bewildered. That much was true—countless races existed. But still… What exactly were those?
"The only ones I know of are humans, vicious beasts, beastmen, merfolk, elves…" Lore's eyes suddenly widened in realization. "Could they have been demons?!"
Finn shook his head with a sigh. His gaze swept over the group before he spoke again.
"Unlikely. Demons are much like humans. They can speak and communicate. The main differences are their horns and the colors of their skin."
"Then what were those things?" Ashe pressed.
"I don't know," Finn replied, utterly unruffled.
Ashe eyed him suspiciously. But when she saw no flicker of deceit in his face, she simply looked away and fell silent.
In truth, a theory had formed in Finn's mind when he first saw them. The system had provided him with extensive knowledge about creatures in this world. While the description of the monsters had similarities to that of beings called devils, there were still discrepancies he couldn't ignore.
According to the system, devils were far worse than demons—creatures of inherent destruction. They did not absorb natural energy but instead fed on dark energy and death energy, the most violent and terrifying forces in the Adventurer's world. Dark energy gathered in lifeless places; death energy came from beings that had died.
Finn himself had uses for death energy, which would be crucial to him in the future.
But something about these creatures felt different. He'd sensed traces of soulforce in them—something no devil should have. They had seemed mindless, driven by nothing but violence. True devils, by contrast, were intelligent and capable of speech. And when devils died, they left behind a "Devil Seed," a dark core that stored their energy.
Finn's thoughts were interrupted as three figures approached—a young woman and two young men. Though the two princes were in poor condition, all three wore shining golden uniforms, so Finn immediately recognized them.
They were none other than Diana and the two princes.
"Thank you for saving my life," Diana said earnestly, her bright eyes fixed on him. "Don't worry—once I return to the palace, I will report your bravery to Father."
"It was nothing. I was only helping my companions in the Soaring Seven," Finn replied with a calm smile. "And thank you as well, Princess Diana. Because of you, Ezekias, Lan, and Juvia survived."
He turned toward Ezekias. "It looks like you fought those creatures for a long time. Tell me—how many attacked you?"
Ezekias opened his mouth to answer, but Diana cut in before he could speak.
"There were twelve in total. Before your group arrived, we managed to kill three, but five of our comrades lost their lives. We've been fighting them for nearly a day. I have no idea what they were or where they came from. There is no record of such beings in any of the palace's libraries," she explained quickly.
Everyone stared in surprise at Diana's tone. Ezekias stood frozen, mouth agape. Finn had asked him the question, hadn't he?
"I…see," Finn said, a little awkwardly.
Even he was startled by how energetic Diana sounded. Only moments ago, she'd been near collapse, yet now she was bright-eyed and lively.
"There are many who were badly injured," Finn said after a pause. "I recommend everyone rests here. The sun will set soon, and this area isn't safe. The flat terrain makes it easy for Vicious Beasts—or those creatures—to track us down. We'll have to cooperate if we want to survive the next seven days."
Diana nodded eagerly, like an obedient lamb before her shepherd.
Beside her, Theo's face darkened, while the Eighth Prince smiled faintly. Theo hated being ordered around by Finn. He was a prince, and other than the king, Helbram, and a handful of influential siblings, no one had the right to command him. But the cold, sharp look Diana sent his way made him hold his tongue.
Even though Theo was older, Diana's status in the palace was higher because of her remarkable talent. She was the king's clear favorite, and he could only grit his teeth and comply.
"Eighth Prince. Tenth Prince," Diana ordered, her voice hard. "Inform everyone of Sir Finn's suggestion. We need to rest and prepare ourselves. If we work together, more of us will survive."
The way she spoke to her brothers was starkly different from her tone with Finn—cold and commanding versus warm and admiring.
Everyone around them noticed. It was obvious there was something unusual in how Diana regarded Finn…as if she already harbored feelings for him.
It was no wonder. In this world, a man with strength and talent like Finn's was bound to captivate hearts. And beyond his skills, his looks were hardly ordinary—what girl wouldn't be drawn to him?
"Well then…everything is settled," Finn said neutrally.
His gaze drifted over the gathered Adventurers. He paused briefly on Tiffanya before moving on. But then, something struck him.
Brien wasn't among them.
Could it be that arrogant boy had met his end here after all? The thought passed through Finn's mind, but he didn't dwell on it. Brien's fate meant nothing to him. What mattered was that the Soaring Seven were all alive.
Once everyone had said their farewells, the factions regrouped around their own campfires.
--
"I'm sure Sect Master Noah and Master will be astonished when they learn we all survived," Leo said eagerly.
The Soaring Seven couldn't help but smile. If they all returned alive, it would be a moment for the history books—and the Cloud Soaring Sect would be the envy of every other faction and even the Royal Clan.
Never before had an entire group escaped the Mystic Treasure Realm unscathed. Usually, most perished inside.
As the seven of them sat by the fire, they were unable to hide the joy and anticipation on their faces.
"If we all make it out of here alive," Ezekias said with a soft smile, "each of us will go far. Even in this world of hardship, we've learned many lessons. No one can survive if they remain arrogant and selfish."
He was right. Every trial they had faced had made them stronger. Now they truly understood how cruel this world could be. You never knew when something would strike you down.
"With all the treasures we've gathered, we'll only grow stronger," Lan said, a little embarrassed.
Leo, Lore, Ezekias, and Juvia nodded. They had all collected precious things—rare herbs, weapons, the bodies of high-grade vicious beasts, and their magic crystals. Who knew what heights of power they would reach once they used them?
They continued chatting happily. Even Ashe had joined in, much more approachable than before. It made the others smile in relief to see her finally open up.
Time slipped by until night fell.
"It's late," Finn said at last. "We should rest. Even if we don't sleep, you need to restore your strength. Focus on recovering—I'll keep watch."
Before any of the others could agree, Ashe spoke up, her voice cutting through the quiet.
"…How about you cook for us again, Finn Doria? Shouldn't we have something to celebrate? Besides…I want to taste your cooking once more."
Her words instantly caught everyone's attention—and piqued their interest.