Returning

"N-no way..." Tsubaki muttered as she looked around with widened eyes.

"T-the whole floor changed? She froze everything in an instant?" Riveria also couldn't believe what just happened. Although what Aika and Koneko did earlier was beyond amazing, she couldn't understand it. But as the 'strongest' Mage of Orario, she knew how much magic power Sona required to create such an effect.

A few seconds later, Sona also started to fall backwards and Riveria immediately caught her. Once she turned Sona to her side, however, she saw that her ears, eyes, nose, and mouth were covered in blood, "Sona!?" Riveria turned to one of the supporters and shouted, "Immediately bring me an Elixir!"

"Y-yes!"

However, just as she was about to administer it, Sona stopped her. Although barely conscious, she was still able to speak, "P-please... don't bother... It... won't change... my condition..."

Although Sona was able to cast Serafall's magic, it was only because she was closely related to her and witnessed her magic on multiple occasions. Aside from that, it was also thanks to her Devil magic that she was able to use it after imagining its effect.

Sona didn't have nearly enough Demonic Power or the same understanding of ice magic as Serafall had, thus she could only forcefully use it. Due to this, she damaged her body and quite possibly her brain. And although it was a lot weaker compared to the original magic, it was still the trump card she had prepared and the most effective magic in her arsenal, she wouldn't hesitate to use it, if the call for it arose.

"But...!"

"I... just need some rest..." Although struggling, she looked towards the stairs leading to the 58th floor, "...My attack... I couldn't control it properly and... I was only able to exclude... our spot from the magic..."

The path towards the 58th floor was riddled with frozen monsters and they would have to dig through them to reach the higher floor, "...Please... Hurry up... The ice can't contain them... for long..."

Once he heard this, Finn hurriedly looked towards the corrupted Spirits that were now encased in ice and saw minute cracks appearing on it. He then hurriedly shouted to everyone, "Make a path to the 58th floor! Hurry! We don't have much time!"

With their battered bodies and the lethally cold surroundings, everyone from the Loki Familia and Tsubaki gritted their teeth and started to smash the ice statues. Since they were already very weak, they didn't know if they could still survive the monsters on the upper floors and everyone was anxious. However, this was still a lot better than the 'death sentence' from earlier and they regained their hope.

Riveria softly and carefully laid Sona down on the ground so that she could help clear the path. But after some calculations with their rate of clearing and the rate of ice cracking, she grimaced slightly and called out, "Finn..."

With a heavy expression, Finn replied, "...I know..." He also calculated the time they would need to clear the path and figured that it would be barely enough before the corrupted Spirits break free from their confinement, "Hurry it! Use everything you've left! Stop thinking about the monsters on the upper floors for now! We have to survive this first!"

Everyone understood what Finn was trying to say and became even more desperate in their efforts.

But something unexpected happened as an unknown green magic circle suddenly appeared below everyone, "W-what!? What's this!?" Gareth exclaimed.

"Is someone attacking us!?" One of the supporters cried out and everyone tried to look for the caster but failed to do so.

"Get off the magic circle!" Finn commanded, but someone immediately disagreed with him, "Wait...!" Sona on the ground did her best to shout and successfully gathered everyone's attention, "...Please stay inside the magic circle... It's fine... We're safe..."

Feeling the very familiar Mana from the magic circle, Sona peacefully closed her eyes and shut her consciousness from the world with a gentle smile on her face.

Everyone was startled and confused about why she could still make such a gentle smile. But a moment later, Finn decided to trust her and took his last command back, "We're staying here."

"..."

"I know that you're anxious, but I think we should trust her words. The moment that this magic circle appeared the pain in my left thumb subsided. I ordered to stay away from it because we don't know what sort of magic this is. But since the one who saved our lives said that we should stay..." Finn didn't finish his words and just looked at everyone.

Bete was the first one to react but didn't say anything and directly sat down. He focused his senses around the trio in case some sort of danger will come to them. This was the only thing he could do to return a bit of the massive favor they owed them.

"Captain is right. I think we should trust her." Tione agreed with a smile.

"Hehehe, we can't be sure if we would even survive the upper floors anyway. Let's just see what this magic does and why she trusts it so much for her to have that kind of smile." Tiona chuckled and sat near the trio.

Everyone else sighed and smiled, doing the same as the first three, sitting around the trio to guard them.

A few seconds later, the magic circle suddenly shone brightly. Bracing themselves, they suddenly found themselves in a different location and a familiar sight at that, "T-this is?" Tsubaki muttered as she looked around.

"...The 50th floor." Finn answered with a twitching mouth while looking in the distance where the Loki Familia camp was, "...This is ridiculous."

Everyone else could only remain speechless until Anakitty Autumn, the one in charge of the camp, came running towards them along with the other members of the Loki Familia, "Captain!? How did you appear here!? And your state..." She then turned to the other Loki Familia members which came with her, "Everyone, take the supplies from the camp and tell the others to prepare a few tents for medical procedures!"

Turning back to the party, Anakitty asked in concern, "What happened, Captain?"

"We'll explain all about it later, but for now the treatment of these three will take priority over anything else," Finn replied and pointed at the unconscious girls.

Anakitty was confused but since everyone else from the party agreed, she didn't question it, "Understood! We'll prepare the best beds for them."

On the 59th floor, after the moment the whole party disappeared, the magic circle didn't go away with them but instead, another group appeared on it. "Well, would you look at this. They really pushed themselves this time.", spoke Kisuke, who was dressed in his usual attire and carried his usual cane, as he looked around.

"Whew~. Ice magic... Did she copy this from Serafall?" Yoruichi also commented after seeing the surroundings.

"Will Shirone be fine?" Kuroka asked in concern.

"She'll be fine. As we're speaking, their Sacred Gears are healing their wounds. I didn't tell them about that feature earlier because I don't want them to become too reckless... But I guess it doesn't really matter." Kisuke replied.

"Master, what should we do now?" Medusa asked.

"It's been a while since our last proper dive in the Dungeon and at this rate, those three would overtake us. We'll use this chance to get as much excelia as possible~!"

The cracks on the ice confining the corrupted Spirits then burst open. Although the two monsters were frosted all over, Sona's magic didn't do much damage to them and they were now recovering.

"So here's the rule~! You aren't allowed to use anything other than the Falna and Sacred Gears! So without further ado, let's go have some fun while beating the heck out of these gruesome monsters for hurting our girls!"

" " "Yeah!" " "

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Corner of Betrayal(So melodramatic):

Alexander: Yeah, I feel somehow betrayed by my hero entrance scene. I know that it is important for them to lay low, but I love it way too much to read about the onlookers' reality being screwed by the Urahara family.

Goyya: It's not the time yet. There would be a much better chance later and the appearance of the mysterious Crimson Thieving Group(lol) is enough for now. Besides, Kisuke and Yoruichi already saved them one time. I don't want to repeat it as much as possible.

28th00: It wouldn't be Kisuke without some sorta regeneration failsafe… Just look at his freaking HOT SPRINGS! Time for some payback though~ They're a little angry, I'd say… Wonder if Koneko will finally get laid? Did she? I don't think she did…

Goyya: She won't until she could properly control her transformation or until her body becomes 'normal'.