Coming up to the 50th floor, Cirrus could hear a familiar running sound.

“What’s that sound?” said Tiona.

“It sounds like running?” said Raul.

“Someone is running towards us.” Said Bete.

“… Let me go in front.” Cirrus said going up first.

When they reached the 50th floor, they could see a white figure quickly weaving between the trees.

“Another enemy!?” said Raul.

Cirrus walked up and placed his spear in the ground. He extends his arms, gets into a steady stance with his hands out and tensed his body.

“This is gonna hurt.”

“What is?” said Tione.

“This.”

The figure reaches them and yells out.

“Cirrus!!!”

Baaam!!

“Gah!!!”

She headbutts into him. The whole party could hear the sound of meat being hit. She wraps her arms around him in a hug.

“So how did it go?” Ai asks, looking up at him. Tail wagging.

“Good, but you really need to stop with this habit of yours, Ai.” He said, lowering his stance and grabbing his spear.

She lets go and looks at the party.

“Hello, Riveria! Finn! And Gareth!" She happily waved at them. "Oh, even Ais! You grew up so big!” she said, walking over to them. “Raul! You’ve grown up as well!”

“Ai you came as well!” said Riveria, happy to see a familiar face after so long. “I figured you would be nearby if he came.”

“Of course!" She nods. "But a bunch of monsters were attacking the camp when we came by, so I stayed to help.”

Running up to them were Aki and Line, exhausted with sweat beading down.

“Huff! Huff! W-wait! Y-your so Huff! huff! fast!” said Line.

“Huff! Are you alright captain!” Aki said.

“More or less, are the others getting the potions ready?” Finn responded.

“They are, but um… I don’t think we have enough for them?” she said, looking at Cirrus and Ai.

“Oh, don’t worry, we got ourselves covered!” said Ai as she pulls out a deep blue Potion.

“Why is it so blue?” asked Ais.

“Because it’s specially made Magic Potion.” Said Cirrus getting it from Ai. “We didn’t come up with a name for it, but I called it Full Mind.” He drinks it down whole. “Ahhh!!! It’s so fucking bitter!!! (Exousía, Adorn).”

The gleaming armor dons itself onto Cirrus, and the wounds began to heal a bit quicker.

‘Still taking a while to heal… Is that the price for the ability aside from the massive drain on my mana? I wanted to see if they would come and attack if they saw me looking weak but I guess they don't have eyes in the Dungeon. But we can't not rule it out just yet.'

“Oooh…” they said, looking at the armor's radiance before it fades away.

“Ahh!! Better!” Cirrus moves his body with even more vigor.

“See, we can take care of ourselves.”

Returning to the camp, they could see several mounds of ash and monster drops. The Familia came and tended to their wounds. Cirrus reunites with Eupheme.

"Cirrus!" Eupheme came up to Cirrus and hugged him.

"Eupheme! It has been a long time!" Cirrus hugged her back, happy to see a old friend.

"My!" She took a few steps to study and adult Cirrus. "You certainly have grown since I last saw you," She then patted him to check on his build. "Very good, seems you have been more or less keeping up with smithing huh?"

"Sometimes, I have been busy with other stuff, we have so much to tell you."

Her, Cirrus, and Ai caught up with one another.

 

Nighttime in the meeting’s tent.

“So now that we're all healed and rested.” Said Finn. “Why did you return and come down to save us?”

Finn was thankful for Cirrus' help but his timing was suspiciously too good.

“I returned simply to fulfill a promise to Ais of a duel when she reached level 6 and when I got here, I learned of various things that happened in the city like there being fragments of Evilus.”

His words carried with them utter animosity and hatred; they could feel a chill run down their spine. For Finn, Riveria, and Gareth they fully sympathize with his feelings on them.

“And why did you come to save us?” asked Riveria.

“Saving you was a positive bonus; I came here on orders high on up.”

“High on up? You mean—“

“Nope.” Cirrus interrupted Riveria's guess. “Higher.”

“Ouranos…” Finn said, "He is the only one who would have some understanding of what has been happing."

“Yup, he was simply going to watch, but given how odd the Dungeon has been, he felt the need to send me, and it wasn’t an easy order. I mean, you try running down 50 floors in two days.”

“Must have been hard, given that you said you were out of shape.” Said Gareth.

“Yes, but I would say I’m still the fastest in the city.” He said with a smirk.

“Well, no one could argue with you about that.” Said Finn. “So… what are your thoughts on that thing on the 59th floor?”

“Lord Ouranos has said it was a Corrupted Spirit but… the thing I fought was I would say a more dangerous threat.”

“Yes.” Said Circe, having stayed quite by Cirrus' side for the right moment to enter the conversation. “That thing was an abomination against its very own existence but… it was far purer than I would have imagined and its strength… it’s still far from complete, a Demi-Spirit if you will.”

“So we have Corrupted Spirits and now Demi-Spirits now huh?” said Gareth letting out a deep sigh. “Haa… Seems it’s lucky you are here now.” He was relived that Cirrus has returned, him being in the city already relived some worry off him.

“Maybe… so when are you going to head back up?” Cirrus said.

“Two days. We wish to recover a bit longer before we head back,” Riveria said.

“That gives me plenty of time.” Cirrus said, standing up.

“For what?” said Finn.

“Getting back in shape. Circe.”

Circe turns into a bird and lands on his shoulder as he leaves.

 

While walking back to the tent, he sees Ai talking with the other girls. She noticed Cirrus and came up to him.

“Are you done with the meeting, Cirrus?”

“Hm, they’ll be going back in 2 days.”

“Then we can spend two days here!”

“Yup.”

"Hey should we set up our tent where we had our first time~" She said quietly with a soft blush on her face.

"If you want." Cirrus looked around. "But I think it's already taken more or less? The area has changed somewhat from battle."

Coming up to them a bit nervously was Ais.

“U-um, can I still have that duel?” She said as confidently as she could.

“Well su—“

“Sure I will!” Ai said interjecting. "I would love to duel you!"

“Hm?”

They both said, surprised.

“I wanted to see how strong you gotten, Ais!” she said with her usual upbeat smile that made this night brighter. “Plus, if you can’t beat me.” her eyes, under the light of the stones above, glinted off her indigo eyes like a blade. “You can’t beat Cirrus.”

The others could feel her pressure. It was almost as intimidating as Cirrus, but far more honed in.

“Fine,” Ais said with a steeled resolve. “I’ll fight you.”

“Great! We’ll do it tomorrow bright and early! See ya!” she said, dragging Cirrus away with her arms linked in between his. "Come on lets set up our tent!"

“See ya.” Cirrus waved goodbye being as he was getting dragged away.

Ais slowly waved as they left.

“W-who does that Renard thinks she is!” said Lefiya in a haughty manner coming up to Ais' side. “Ais, I’m sure you will beat her tomorrow!”

“… I’m not so sure,” Ais said.

“You sure, Ais?” said Tiona. “You are a level 6?”

“But she’s also a level 6.” Said Riveria coming up to them.

“W-what!? she’s also a first-class adventurer!” said Lefiya.

“Yes, a very powerful one at that, even with the same level’s I’m sure her stats are far stronger than you, but of course, even with equal stats, it would still not be easy. I’m sure you still remember her from 7 years ago, The Silence.”

Ais gripped her sword tightly.

“Yes… she was the one who cut her.”