As promised, we looked around, and the startled Potas disappeared into the pond without saying goodbye.

Above the clear autumn sky without a single cloud, I could see grayish smoke rising.

I remembered the dispatch alarm I had momentarily forgotten. That area nearby was H-6 sector where otherworld monsters had appeared.

What kind of monster had appeared?

But more than that question, I felt strongly that I shouldn’t stay here long.

No matter how much I had changed my appearance, I was Yerena who was believed to be dead. I needed to avoid the unfortunate situation of meeting Center people.

“You should head back quickly too, darling.”

The Guildmaster seemed to have the same thought as me.

“I was thinking the same thing.”

“I’ll order my subordinates to handle the unconscious poachers and the Potas corpses. I’ll go get my subordinate I left at the potato field, so please wait here for a moment.”

“Ah, no! I’ll go back alone. My residence isn’t far from here!”

But the Guildmaster spoke firmly.

“No. Did you forget what I said earlier? You must move with me, no exceptions.”

“….”

“If you’re not here when I return, I’ll withdraw my investment in Jinjijo Transportation.”

“What?! Is there any need to be this harsh?”

“I’m only being firm about not letting you go alone.”

“….”

“You’ll stay put, right?”

His resolve was as solid as iron. I decided to obey the Guildmaster’s words.

“Yes…”

Of course, I knew it was safer to move with the Guildmaster.

The reason I insisted on going alone was that I didn’t want to rely on him anymore.

I had already caused him to worry by coming to this dangerous place alone, and I didn’t want to be his burden.

As a master of an organization, I wanted to handle all situations well on my own.

“It’s not that I don’t trust you, it’s that I’m worried about you.”

Could he read my mind?

He ruffled my hair lightly, just as he had stroked the Potas’s head.

“So hide nearby.”

“Okay.”

After receiving my confirmation, the Guildmaster left. He walked so quickly that his figure disappeared in the blink of an eye.

After waiting for him behind a large tree for a few minutes, I heard rustling sounds. I thought it might be the Guildmaster, but somehow the presence felt strangely different.

My heart suddenly started beating faster, and my skin crawled.

The emotion these sensations pointed to was ‘anxiety.’

I crouched down further to completely hide myself. My bad feelings had never been wrong, so I felt something was about to happen.

Even Bless in my robe seemed to sense the anxiety, staying still and curled up inside.

I held my breath and quietly watched the direction the sound came from.

The presence grew stronger, and I could even hear footsteps crushing leaves. Soon, a large figure emerged from the forest.

When I confirmed the face of that figure, my eyes felt like they would pop out.

An intimidating large build, dark skin well-tanned by the sun, and blood-red eyes.

‘…La, Lambert!’

Why had he walked all the way here when he should be on the battlefield?

My heart was beating so fast that I worried he might hear it. I clenched my sweat-soaked hands.

‘Hu, hurry and pass by. Please!’

At that moment, another shocking thing happened.

Lambert’s body, which had been standing still, swayed.

His body, which had stood firm like a deeply rooted tree through many battlefields, collapsed to the ground with a thud.

“Huk…”

His raw groan reached where I was hiding.

As I narrowed my eyes to look closer, I could see why he had collapsed.

There was a large wound on Lambert’s abdomen.

He was clutching his abdomen with both hands, seemingly trying to stop the blood that was gushing out from the open wound.

‘Goodness. Was the S-rank monster that appeared today that strong?’

No matter how strong it was, if he was wounded, why did he come all the way here to collapse instead of getting treatment from a Guide or healing Esper at the battlefield?

And of all places, right where I was hiding!

Lambert, who had been letting out intermittent groans, went quiet. There was no movement from him as his eyes remained tightly shut. He appeared to have lost consciousness.

Meanwhile, blood continued to flow from his abdomen.

If left like this, he would be in serious trouble from excessive blood loss.

He seemed to be in such a critical state that he couldn’t even use his self-healing ability…

I rubbed my face as though I were washing it.

How… what should I do? If I provided guidance, his wavelength would stabilize and the bleeding would stop.

After that, his self-healing ability would naturally activate.

I was torn between letting Lambert die, secretly providing guidance while he was unconscious, or waiting longer for the Guildmaster.

Although he had caused me a lot of trouble, I didn’t wish for Lambert’s death.

While I’m not exactly a humanitarian, I’m not cold-blooded enough to watch someone die before my eyes.

‘Honey. Please come quickly. I want to handle this crisis alone, but I really don’t know what to do.’

I desperately wished for the Guildmaster who wasn’t here.

At that moment, I heard what sounded like sleep-talking from the unconscious Lambert.

“Yerena…”

***

In H-6 sector of Pandora Forest, a lizard-type monster called ‘Komodo’ with a long green body and red tongue appeared.

Though the Komodo had no wings or fire breath, it was a difficult monster to kill due to its dragon-like appearance, tough body, and excellent regenerative abilities.

Even Baron and Lambert, who had deployed early, were struggling.

Even when Lambert continuously cut off its limbs with his greatsword, they regenerated in the blink of an eye.

The regenerating tail was especially problematic.

Every time it was cut off, the newly regenerated tail would sweep away multiple Espers and Guides.

It was happening now too. The huge tail drew a large arc as it swept through where the Guides were positioned.

Guides who couldn’t dodge in time were thrown far away.

“Arghh!”

“Damn it!”

Baron, cursing as usual, used his psychokinesis to create air pressure behind the flying Guides.

Thanks to that, some Guides survived, but those who didn’t receive the air pressure suffered critical injuries from hitting the ground hard.

The situation wasn’t much different for the Espers.

While there weren’t many injuries, most Espers were exhausted from dealing with the Komodo’s constantly regenerating body.

Even Lambert, who had been relentlessly cutting the Komodo’s limbs, was getting tired.

“Huff, hah.”

Lambert, standing beside Baron, let out rough breaths.

“Hey, Lambert. Can’t you properly cut up that disgusting green snake? Isn’t there a weak point or something? Just stab it!”

“Hah. Why don’t you try it yourself, Baron?”

“I’m not strictly an attack type, you know? And I’m really busy managing the people falling backward because you can’t kill this green snake quickly enough.”

“Where’s Benjamin?”

“How should I know where that creep, who’s more disgusting than the green snake, is! Damn him. He never shows up quickly when we need him.”

Though Lambert didn’t want to rely on Benjamin either, he hoped he would come before more casualties occurred.

Since Benjamin had the ability to see through opponents’ weaknesses, he could often take down difficult monsters in one strike.

A weak point that could instantly defeat the Komodo with its excellent regeneration. Lambert was curious about that too.

The head? Eyes? Heart? Should he try stabbing them one by one?

The conversation didn’t last long. The Komodo opened its hideous mouth and swung its tail mercilessly.

The tail was aimed at where Lambert and Baron were standing.

“Haap!”

Lambert swung his greatsword to cut the Komodo’s tail, but there was another problem.

The Komodo broke several trees with its vicious mouth and hurled them.

Baron dodged the flying trees using his psychokinesis. Lambert, however, failed to dodge one tree due to fatigue.

The sharp end of a branch pierced Lambert’s abdomen.