LGHTNOVELBOOK Chapter 154: Raids on the 15th Dark Pillar
***
City Safehouse 15th Floor.
Sara continued to walk back and forth with an anxious look plastered on her face. Today it was 10pm. An hour had passed since the 15th-floor Dark Pillar raid opened.
The sky began to darken with beautiful stars adorning the sky roof, bright and cloudless. The situation in the city was becoming more conducive, and it seemed that Tris could not breach the city due to Salsabilla's strong defense.
Karen and Mona saw Sara's concern; she had been standing in the front yard of the safe house for two hours, worried about Arthur's condition.
Miki walked down from the house's second floor, seeing Sara outside while Karen and Mona stayed in the living room.
"What are we doing? Didn't Arthur's plan say we were supposed to go on a raid?" asked Miki, annoyed at the long wait.
"That's right. Still, that decision can only be decided by Sara alone."
"Let me talk to her," Miki explained.
Karen got up from her seat and walked over to the woman. She wanted Sara to be left alone for now, her mind frantic at the thought of Arthur's safety.
Miki saw Karen clasping her hands tightly. She turned her head briefly and asked her to let go of her hand. The kitsune woman sighed softly, then cleared her throat in agreement with Karen's wish.
"As you wish. If she doesn't make up her mind in an hour, I'll force her to join the raid at once!" declared Miki.
The woman returned to the second floor to wait in Arthur's bedroom. Karen agreed as she would try to talk to Sara, perhaps Sara would listen to what she had to say.
The 15th Night Liberators members who originally stood guard at the safe house began to withdraw back to their base one by one. Karen and Sara saw that moment, bringing relief to their hearts.
"What? The big city on the 10th floor was destroyed in one attack?"
"That's right. I was told by my squad leader. It is said that Aaron did it."
"Aaron? The fugitive? Did he really destroy it? That feels impossible to me."
Sara heard their words from members of the Night Liberators who were about to return to the base. Her heart was beating more and more erratically, her eyes kept being glued to the stars in the sky —only the projection of the fake stars of Dark Pillar Tower.
'Did Aaron really do that? Then what is his condition now?' Sara said.
It was not without reason that Sara felt worried.
The city on the 10th floor was one of the four great cities that had been established by the Dark Pillar adventurers.
There would be many great mages from the three major groups or other groups there, as well as help from the guild office and the city cathedral —Knight Templar.
To some people, it sounded difficult or even impossible to happen. Still, Sara, who saw Aaron's abilities firsthand, thought there was a possibility the man could do it. Even so, the stakes were definitely high. Either his life was critical, or he was hit by a specific curse.
Karen and Mona continued to watch Sara, standing on the grass of the front yard of the safe house alone as she watched the sky.
Karen noticed something about Sara's demeanor. The woman seemed to have feelings for him that went beyond a friend's.
'Does she have feelings for Arthur too?' asked Karen, confused.
An hour passed, and no sign of Arthur emerged from the dimensional rift. Miki ran out of patience, so she strode over to Sara and the others to ask them to start the Dark Pillar raid.
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"Even though he hasn't come yet, we must follow his orders. We must raid the dark pillar and wait outside the boss room!" said Miki.
Sara started to look back when a woman said so firmly. Miki and the others were stunned. Sara's eyes were puffy, with the area around her pupils reddened as if she had been crying bitterly in silence.
"Sara," Karen said softly.
"I'm fine. I'm sorry for making you worry."
She stepped closer to Miki as she knew Miki's strength was much greater than the three women's —Miki was not as great as Arthur.
Sara's two hands touched the kitsune's hands, asking her for help to assist the 13th squad through this raid.
Miki sighed, pushing Sara's hands away because she didn't consider Sara and the 13th squad as friends yet. Miki did this solely because Thalenia asked her to; Thalenia obeyed Arthur's words.
"I did it because Thalenia wanted it. Otherwise, I wouldn't have gone on the raid with you guys!" Miki asserted, showing both a fierce and caring side at the same time.
Sara nodded in relief. After completing all the preparations, Sara invited them to leave the city towards the Dark Pillar gate. They all nodded yes, including Miki.
Along the way to the Dark Pillar gate, they always passed by members of the Night Liberators. Many were talking about the 10th-floor city, one of which was about the city's destruction.
When Karen and Mona heard that, their minds and hearts went straight to Arthur. It was because he was going there to save his friend; they knew what Arthur's relationship with the Night Liberators was like.
'Did Arthur destroy the city? But it was a big city filled with skilled mages. Andrew, Ernest, and the Great Elder wouldn't have allowed the city to be destroyed,' Karen explained, finding it impossible to happen, even though she knew Arthur could do so.
Miki chose to be ignorant. She knew Arthur was back on the 10th floor, but she didn't care about the city being destroyed. All she wanted was for her friend to return safely.
Arriving outside the Dark Pillar gate, Sara and the others saw no one. It's not that they didn't go through the raid, but there were two possibilities: they were already inside or didn't go through the raid due to the war between the two groups.
[ANNOUNCEMENT!]
[Dark Pillar Tower]
[Fifteenth Floor]
[Monster: Lv 100-103]
[Monster Boss: ?]
[Countdown for Closed Gate:]
[00:11:59:59]
After passing through one of the doors, they stepped inside and looked through the map Arthur had given them earlier.
Sara activated the map and displayed the navigation panel that appeared before her, with green arrows guiding them towards the floor boss room.
[Map used]
[Dark Pillar floor: 15]
[Number of intersections: 60]
[Number of monsters: 80]
[Area: 500x500m]
Karen and the others looked in the same direction, precisely at the map's details. In line with the displayed green path leading to the floor boss room, they had to pass at least five intersections ahead.
Of the five intersection paths, one path had at least two monsters with levels between 100-103. There are 10 monsters they have to face before arriving in front of the floor boss room. Miki says level 103 monsters are easy to overcome.
"It's as easy as stealing candy from a baby," said Miki, stepping ahead to guide the 13th squad.
Karen and Mona followed, but Sara was still silent. She glanced back once, precisely towards the entrance to Dark Pillar 15th. Sara still hoped that Arthur would be okay there.
"Arthur... are you alright?"