The night grew colder, the biting wind sweeping across the desolate wasteland carrying a bone-chilling frost.
Even while cradled securely in the Boss’s massive palm, Ifrit still curled her small body slightly, shivering against the elements.
The Boss keenly noticed her discomfort.
The ambient red glow surrounding his armored form deepened, radiating a more stable, gentle heat to ward off the freezing air.
Under the dual influence of this reassuring warmth and her own absolute exhaustion, Ifrit’s curled body gradually relaxed.
Her breathing became increasingly steady, falling into a deep rhythm.
The Boss carefully pulled his arm inward, allowing the little girl to be completely shielded by his towering bulk, effectively blocking out the harsh winds of Terra.
He remained silent, keeping his heavy footsteps as steady as possible while moving further away from the massive Mobile City crouching like a steel behemoth on the horizon behind him.
He did not know exactly how far he had walked.
The ground beneath his boots gradually transitioned from the shattered terrain crushed by heavy tank treads to a more primitive, untouched wasteland.
At the edge of the sky, the darkness began to yield to a pale, fish-belly white.
The Boss finally stopped.
He scanned the perimeter, confirmed that the surroundings were absolutely safe, and let his thoughts stir.
‘Go Home.’ The next moment, the desolate scenery vanished, instantly replaced by the secure, familiar space of the Vitality Hall.
No.
2, No.
3, and No.
4, who had been waiting anxiously in the lobby, immediately crowded around him.
Their faces were full of eagerness and burning curiosity.
The Boss immediately raised a single armored finger in a silent shushing gesture, his burning pupils signaling toward the sleeping girl resting in his palm.
The three of them understood immediately.
Their movements instantly softened, and they even subconsciously held their breath to avoid making a sound.
Only then did the Boss slowly and gently place the calcified crystal platform carrying Ifrit onto the smooth floor.
The group immediately crowded around on tiptoe, leaning down to curiously examine the little girl their eldest brother had just picked up from the battlefield.
The mental chat group instantly flared to life, though everyone subconsciously lowered the volume of their thoughts out of pure instinct.
“Boss: Keep it down, do not wake her up…” “No.
2: Such a small child…” “No.
4: Woohoo!
It is a super tiny Ifrit!
She is real!
She is even smaller than she looks in the game!” “No.
3: She looks a bit cold.
The ambient temperature here might be too low for her.
Let us move her somewhere warmer and more comfortable.” No.
3’s suggestion was immediately met with unanimous agreement.
No.
4 rolled his eyes in thought and pointed toward a specific corner of the Vitality Hall.
Over there sat several huge, plush cushions that looked incredibly soft and inviting, a spot where a certain Ranger usually liked to loiter.
They reached a quick consensus through eye contact, signaling the Boss to move Ifrit over there.
The Boss gently lifted the crystal platform once more, walked over to the cushions, and prepared to transfer her.
However, a new logistical problem arose.
Who was going to actually hold her?
It was not like Ifrit could just keep sleeping on a slab of hard crystal, nor could the Boss safely use his massive, lava-infused hands to maneuver her fragile body.
No.
4 volunteered immediately, an eager expression plastered across his face as he prepared to step forward.
However, another figure moved much faster than him.
It was No.
2.
No.
4’s face was instantly filled with invisible question marks, and he shouted silently in the mental link.
“No.
4: Hey!
No.
2!
Did you not just say we could not have direct contact with her?!” “No.
2: With your clumsy nature, what if you scare her awake or accidentally hurt her?
I will do it.” No.
2 glared at No.
4 expressionlessly before bending down.
She carefully observed Ifrit’s sleeping posture, treating the child as if she were made of the most fragile glass.
One hand carefully slipped under the bend of Ifrit’s knees, while the other securely supported her small back.
With fluid grace, she slowly lifted the girl from the crystal platform.
Being moved, Ifrit frowned slightly in her sleep, seemingly sensing the sudden change in her environment.
She subconsciously rubbed her little head against No.
2’s sturdy arms, blindly searching for a more comfortable position.
Her soft cheek eventually pressed right against No.
2’s chest.
No.
2’s entire body stiffened for a fraction of a second, a visible crack appearing in her usual cold calmness.
She quickly steadied her breathing and continued with gentle, measured movements, successfully placing Ifrit down onto the soft cushions.
Just as she was about to pull her hands away, Ifrit seemed to feel the departure of the comforting heat source.
The sleeping girl’s little hand grabbed at the empty air unconsciously, her tiny fingers just happening to catch onto one of No.
2’s fingers that had not been fully retracted yet.
No.
2 froze.
She tried to pull away gently, but Ifrit was holding on with surprising strength.
No.
2 remained silent for a long moment, ultimately choosing not to break free by force.
Instead, she sat down beside the cushions, letting Ifrit hold onto her finger.
Her other hand clumsily but gently patted Ifrit’s back, awkwardly imitating the soothing motions of comforting a child drawn from her distant memories.
The Boss, No.
3, and No.
4 watched this scene unfold with bated breath, their shared eye contact filled with absolute disbelief.
“No.
4: You guys might not believe it, but…
I actually just saw the holy radiance of maternal instinct shining from No.
2!” “Boss: You might not believe it, but…
I saw it too.” “No.
3: You might not believe it, but…” “No.
2: Shut up!!!” The three men immediately mimed zipping their mouths shut.
The Vitality Hall fell silent once more, leaving only the rhythmic sound of Ifrit’s steady breathing echoing in the open space.
This strange sanctuary, belonging to visitors from another world, was filled with a warm and peaceful atmosphere for the very first time.
It finally carried the faint scent of a real home, all because of the arrival of a single Terra child.
Right in the middle of this rare, tranquil atmosphere, a loud, rumbling growl echoed from the sleeping Ifrit’s stomach.
The group gathered around her froze simultaneously, exchanging blank looks.
“Boss: Is this…
hunger?” “No.
2: It is perfectly normal to be hungry.
She has been through an entire night of terrifying turmoil; the poor child probably has not eaten a single thing since yesterday.” “No.
3: Speaking of which…
do you guys feel hungry at all?
I do not feel the need to eat whatsoever.” “No.
4: Is that really the point right now?!
The point is we need to find food for her immediately!
Where would there be normal human food in the Vitality Hall?!” “Boss: Is there nothing edible in the Nursery?
I remember you planted quite a lot of things out there.” “No.
2: Those are all magical plants with special effects, meant for unlocking talents.
Our resources are nowhere near wealthy enough to waste them as ordinary food consumption.” “No.
4: Oh right, most of the things I planted are permanent buff plants anyway…” “No.
3: The topic has drifted again.
We need to find actual food right now.” No.
2 glared sharply at No.
4, who always managed to lead their crucial conversations astray.
She gently withdrew her trapped finger from Ifrit’s grasp and carefully pulled a soft blanket over the sleeping girl’s shoulders.
She signaled the others to follow her, and the group tiptoed away toward the Nursery.
“No.
2: What now?
Is there really nothing here that can temporarily satisfy a child’s hunger?” “No.
4: I remember…
there seems to be a kitchen-like area tucked in the corner of the second floor of the Vitality Hall.
Shall I go check up there?” “Boss: We can try that, but we cannot rely solely on it.
How about I go back out?
I can return to the wilderness from before and see if there are any edible beasts or wild fruits to forage.” “No.
2: That works.
It is a good opportunity to understand the ecological environment of this world’s wilderness and gather some preliminary intelligence.” “No.
3: Then I will head out as well.
The blizzard over in my area should have stopped by now.
I will go see if there are any local specialties out on the snowfield.” “No.
2: I also need to go out to confirm my own situation, at least to determine if the desolate wasteland I am currently in is actually Kazdel.” The group quickly finalized their objectives.
The Boss, No.
2, and No.
3 would leave the Vitality Hall separately, returning to their respective external spawn points to scavenge for food and gather vital intelligence.
No.
4 would stay behind, tasked with the critical mission of taking care of Ifrit and scouring the Hall for any hidden rations.
The figures of the three departing members vanished one after another in faint, shimmering lights.
Left alone, No.
4 tiptoed across the center of the Hall and quietly walked up the stairs to the second floor.
He rummaged through the kitchen area, tearing through cupboards and shelves.
However, apart from finding a dispenser of purified water that could be drunk directly, he did not see a single shadow of anything edible.
“Ah…
as expected, absolutely nothing,” No.
4 sighed, feeling a wave of dejection wash over him.
As he turned to leave, his gaze inadvertently landed on a machine placed just outside the kitchen.
It was one of the built-in recreational functions of the Vitality Hall—a retro-style arcade game cabinet, its screen glowing with inviting pixel art.
No.
4 paused.
His footsteps stopped completely against his own will.
He looked around the empty second floor, confirmed that he was the only one up there, and listened to ensure the little girl downstairs was still sleeping soundly.
A highly tempting thought popped into his gamer mind.
‘How about…
I just play for a little while?’ Just as No.
4 became deeply immersed in the flashing pixel world of the arcade game, Ifrit quietly woke up on the first floor.
“Ugh…” She sat up groggily, clutching her gurgling stomach in deep discomfort.
She pressed her little hand down to support herself, but instead of the freezing, hard crystal she expected, she felt soft, incredibly comfortable fabric beneath her fingers.
She looked around blankly, her amber pupils instantly widening in deep shock.
This was a vast, mysterious space she had never seen before.
The high dome above emitted a soft, warm light from an unknown source, perfectly illuminating the entire hall.
Beneath her bare feet was a smooth floor that reflected like a mirror.
Around the perimeter of the Hall were several strangely shaped tunnel entrances, where one could vaguely glimpse entirely different environments and climates.
The entire space was terrifyingly quiet, permeated with a heavy sense of surreal detachment.
“Wh-where is this?” Ifrit whispered, looking around nervously as her heart began to pound against her ribs.
What made her feel even more uneasy was that the huge, glowing monster who had saved her was nowhere to be seen.
“…Have I been abandoned again?” Ifrit’s mood, which had just relaxed from the warmth of her sleep, plummeted straight back into the abyss.
A suffocating tide of loneliness and fear surged through her small chest.
A loud growl sounded from her stomach again, accompanied by a sharp, hard-to-ignore cramping pain that caused her to curl up in misery….
Ifrit uneasily clamped her legs together, her little face flushing a deep shade of red.
When she had been carried down from the high wall by that giant earlier, she had already felt the pressing urge, but the situation had been far too critical and terrifying for her to embarrassingly ask for a bathroom break.
She anxiously scanned her surroundings, but she did not see any facilities that remotely resembled a toilet.
Her nervous gaze turned to the dark passages on both sides of the Hall.
Those unknown entrances seemed to hide lurking dangers, making her shrink back in fear.
Finally, her attention was drawn to the center of the room.
An oval-shaped light gate—the Dungeon entrance—was slowly rotating, emitting a soft, pulsing light.
That glow was not dazzling or aggressive; instead, it gave off a strange, hypnotic sense of security, almost as if it were gently calling out to her.
‘Is it an exit?
Can I go back to a familiar place?’ With a desperate hint of anticipation, Ifrit cautiously approached the swirling light gate.
She tentatively reached out a single finger to touch the surface.
“Wah!” At the exact moment of contact, a powerful suction force grabbed her.
Ifrit only had time to let out a short, startled exclamation before she was violently sucked inside, vanishing completely from the Vitality Hall.
Upstairs, No.
4, who was right in the middle of a high-score run, vaguely heard a sharp sound echo from downstairs.
“Hmm?
Is she awake already?” He put down the arcade control stick in confusion and walked down the stairs to the main lobby.
“Little Fire Dragon?
Ifrit?” No one responded to his calls.
He looked over at the plush cushions where Ifrit had been sleeping just moments earlier.
They were completely empty, leaving only a small blanket cast carelessly aside.
No.
4’s heart violently skipped a beat.
He immediately rushed over to the Nursery, throwing the door open, but inside there were only strange magical plants growing quietly in the dirt.
No people.
He sprinted into the workshop next, but there was nothing there except cold machinery and empty forging tables.
No people.
He ran frantically down the stairs to the underground corridor and peered into the darkness; the deep passage was dead silent.
As his frantic search of one room after another came up completely empty, more and more cold sweat beaded on No.
4’s forehead.
His face began to turn a ghastly shade of pale.
He slowly returned to the center of the empty hall, his wide eyes locking onto the Dungeon portal that was still slowly, innocently rotating.
A block of pure ice rushed from the soles of his feet straight to the top of his head.
Just then, a faint shimmer flashed through the room.
No.
2’s figure materialized back in the Hall.
She casually brushed the wasteland dust off her dark clothes, her tone carrying a heavy hint of exhaustion.
“Phew…
the air quality outside is far too poor.
It is nothing but a barren wasteland out there; it really does not look like there is any decent food to be found.” She looked up.
“No.
4, did you find anything on your end?” No.
4 turned around stiffly, his body moving like a rusted machine.
He squeezed out a trembling smile that looked infinitely worse than crying.
“Family, do you think…
I can still survive this?” No.
2 paused, an ominous premonition instantly enveloping her.
[Rhodes’s Note: Enjoying the operation so far, Doctor?
(This daily grind literally pays the landship’s rent!
to use the links!)