[CH200+ Continued] Dungeon Diver: Stealing A Monster's Power

Chapter 321

The dust settles, and Abby restores everyone including herself back to her best ability. It's clear there is still some leftover mental and physical fatigue; all four team members are moving slowly with sore muscles and aching bones.

Lydia, approaching, previously restored by Abby after being freed from the cuffs, has her eyes wide, and an expression of pure shock and awe is plastered across her face.

"W-What happened to all of you? This..."

Her voice trails off as she looks at the ice sculptures before her and the burned town off in the distance. Streaks of red energy cover both of them, reminiscent of the aura that was engulfing all of the fighters moments ago.

Abby replies, "It's a long story, we'll fill you in on the way back."

She turns around, making eye contact with every member of the group.

"Before we do anything else, we need to find out what happened to Jay."

Arie points a hand toward the ashes of a burned abandoned city. "I have a hunch if anywhere, that's where we'll find some clues."

Everyone shares a few thin smiles, and a few hugs with Lydia, but quickly make it to the blackened and demolished village. Everyone's excited to have successfully saved Lydia, but there's a much more important matter to focus on.

Once everyone is safe and accounted for, then the team can finally relax.

"Over here!"

Abby finds the crash site first using her earth magic. After a few minutes of searching, the hot morning sun has started melting Maria's Ice, but the light breeze is still pushing cold refreshing air over to the burn site.

Fisher and Arie walk over together while Abby continues to catch Lydia up to speed. Although the white-haired mage is saved, she looks awfully on edge, still looking over her shoulder at every crunch or crackle from the fallen burnt debris of the town left behind.

On the way to the town, a loud crash from up above on the cliffside followed by a rumbling buzzing noise for a few seconds makes everyone's head turn for a moment. However, it's just the observatory's top floor collapsing down to the first due to the severe damage done before the battle. This only makes the white-haired mage's paranoia worse.

Abby's voice rings out again as she stands over the briefcase and item drops next to the shattered uniquely black-colored armor.

"I found the soul stones... and the leftover gold... this is everything left in Jay's inventory..."

Arie comments on the odd metal scraps. "He never wore armor like that."

Lydia peers around a charred woodpile, and her eyes open wide at the sight of the gear. "That's- That's the Sector Two Leader's Armor, I'm positive."

Tons of theories are thrown out as all five of the remaining members debate what could have happened. The red aura and the contents of the briefcase are even brought up, and the pile of silver numbered pins that specifically represent ranks within the organization look just like the ones on the Sector 4 Leader they fought.

Fisher breaks the tiptoeing conversation with the truth of the matter. "Whatever way we look at this, there are two things that are clear. Jay isn't here, and neither is the Sector 2 Leader. It looks like one of them must have used a self-destruct-type move. That's the only way a battle like this could have ended."

Everyone looks around, seeing the craters and flame marks along with an unmistakable red aura staining the air.

There are a few gulps that fill the silence.