I kept watching the silver-haired boy shiver and mutter nonsense to himself for a while. He seemed to be more terrified by the fact his wine bottle was missing than by the fact he was trapped in a prison that stank of rot and blood and was nestled deep within enemy territory.
Why?
Since I couldn't understand the bizarre behavior, I looked away because I did not have enough time to concern myself with someone like him.
I turned to the side where a tiny screen hovered, displaying the time for me:
[01:38 a.m.]
'Less than five hours, huh?'
I sighed and leaned my head back on the bamboo wall.
'Aika?'~
A few seconds passed before she replied, her voice incredibly weak.
'Yes?'~~
'Can you manifest your weapon form?'~
After a moment of silence, she replied defeatedly: 'No.'~~
I sighed again then tapped my head back on the bamboo wall.
Truth be told, I already suspected that. After all, bonds were magical beings, and if this prison was interfering with magic, then it made sense that she couldn't manifest.
But this realization only increased my urgency, because that same reason was why her voice sounded weak. She couldn't stay in this anti-magic zone for much longer. We had to leave now!
I grew deeper into desperate thoughts, trying to find a way out. My gaze alternated from my map to the prison, then back to the map.
But no matter how long or hard I thought, I couldn't come up with any plan. With our hands bound and no weapons, even escaping this cell alone was impossible.
I looked to the vines bounding the cell door, and then my gaze moved to the cell next to us, which housed bones of creatures I couldn't recognize at the moment.
I then scooted over to the bamboo wall, ignoring the stares of the two girls, and tried to reach out and grab the bones. If I could grab one, I could at least sharpen it to tear the vines binding my arms and the cell doors.
But… the bones were too far away and I couldn't reach them no matter how hard I tried.
After several desperate attempts, straining with both my hands and feet to reach the bones, I was forced to give up. I leaned back heavily on the bamboo wall, clutching the side of my ribs, which now ached from the physical stress.
While I still catching my breath, Aika's voice suddenly echoed, faint and strained.
'D-don't we… have anything in our inventory… that could help us?'
Hearing that, I immediately turned to the side where a long inventory list popped up upon command, and my eyes began to desperately scan through it.
Then, a few seconds passed, and my eyes fell on an object. It was something that could very well get us out of these binding vines and even break us free from the cell.
'Oil lamps!'
A smile broke out on my face. I realized I could use these to burn the vines binding us and the ones securing the cell door.
However, just as I was about to reach out into my inventory to grab it, a sudden realization hit me. The smile that had formed on my face instantly vanished, and I froze.
My gaze snapped to one of the screens hovering around me, precisely, the one displaying the map and I could see that three Goat-Headed Ghouls were standing at the far end of the path, right by the entrance to this underground cave.
These creatures were known to have a really good sense of smell, and so, if I burned these vines, the stench and smoke would undoubtedly draw them here. And since we were all defenseless, the attempt would just get us killed.
I couldn't risk that, not until I figured out a way to get past them.
'Aisssh… bummer.'
I sighed, let my hands drop, and the inventory screen disappeared.
I then began to think of a way I could get past those guards. After all, there would be no point in leaving this cell if we could not get past them.
A few minutes passed, and then a crucial question suddenly popped into my mind.
I immediately snapped my gaze to the runes on the floor.
'Anti-magic barriers like this disrupt the flow of mana, right? That's why we can't use magic… but what about bonded abilities?'
I looked to the side. 'Gamer Privileges?'
[Activating Gamer Privileges…]
'Can my ability Chrysalis be used in this prison?'
[There is enough Karma points available. The bonded ability Chrysalis can be activated.]
That's right!
…those didn't need mana as they could be used as long as one paid their costs.
Of course, I couldn't use my bonded ability to get past the three ghouls, but… what about the other cadets in the cell with me?
I suddenly got curious.
Why weren't they using their bonded abilities?
Did none of them have a bonded ability that could help us escape, or at least deal with the ghouls guarding this prison?
I snapped my gaze to the black-haired girl by the corner, hugging her knees and crying.
'Gamer Privileges… pull up her stats.'
[Retrieving Character Information...]
~~~~~~ Character Profile ~~~~~~
Character name: [Evelyn Marcus]
Age: [17]
Level: [14 —> 6]
Grade: [2 —> 1]
Bond: [Julius Salvador —> Deceased]
EXP: [200/10,000]
~~~~~~ ============= ~~~~~~
'What?!'
My eyes widened at the profile in disbelief.
'She lost her bond?'
For some reason, a wave of cold dread washed over me, and I subconsciously rubbed the tattoo on my right arm.
Losing a bond, especially in this realm meant you were as good as dead.
This girl right here, was as good as dead.
I raised a hand and rubbed my cold face. Though I felt pity for her, since there was nothing I could do, I forced myself to move on.
My and Aika's safety was the absolute priority.
My gaze shifted to the silver haired boy who was currently muttering something to himself.
'Pull up his stats.'
[Retrieving Character information.]
~~~~~~ Character Profile ~~~~~~
Character Name: [Dion Athamas]
Age: [17]
Level: [14]
Grade: [2]
Element: [Air]
Class: [Rogue]
Class Attribute: [Swashbuckler]
Bond Name: [Ino]
Bonded Ability: [Maenad's ecstasy]
Exclusive Skills: [Lock & Pull - Lv7] —> [Can't be used], [Lock & Push - Lv7] —> [Can't be used]
EXP: [9,000/10,000]
~~~~~~ ============== ~~~~~~
'…Mmm? Maenads ecstasy?'
I had no clue what this ability did.
I shifted my gaze from the screen back to Dion who was still talking to himself, or rather his… bond?
Though his voice was really low and muffled, I could still hear what he was saying.
"…ha, don't panic? What do you mean don't panic?! Can't you see they've taken our haversack which had all our alcohol."
When I heard that, I took a quick look around. That was when I noticed that none of the cadets had their haversacks.
My attention snapped back to Dion, and his next words made my eyes widen slightly.
"You know, without that alcohol, we can't get out of here, and since I'm sober, I can't use our ability."
'Huh?'
He scratched his head frantically in a panic. "We are going to die, Ino. We are going to die!"
'His cost is that he needs to be drunk?'
My gaze returned to the screen.
He said that without his alcohol, he can't get out of here. Then… does that mean that if he gets alcohol, he would be able to leave?
'Just what sort of ability is this?'
Suddenly, I began to feel a slight sliver of hope. If he could leave if he had alcohol, then I definitely needed to use him to get out of here.
However, there was one last person I needed to check.
I looked to Celeste, who sat alone, gnawing at her fingernails with a frenzied, rapid motion.
'Gamer Privileges. Pull up her stats.'
[Retrieving Character information…]