At the same moment.

The tenth level of the Great Mythic Realm, Dragon Forest.

"Linda, where are you? Come out quickly!"

"It's me! Stop hiding and come out!"

A girl with a dusty face, disheveled red hair covered in grass blades, carrying a crimson greatsword, called out weakly.

The sky above was obscured by the dense canopy of trees, with only a ray of sunlight managing to penetrate the gaps and fall on my face.

The pride and spirit in the girl's eyes were gradually replaced by exhaustion.

Her little face was ashen, her right arm was wrapped in a bandage, and blood was seeping from the wound.

After fighting Nacho and two other Star-Ranked fighters, Lia suffered serious injuries.

The basic healing potion and hemostatic bandage in the ring alone are not enough to fully heal the injury.

This is the first time that Leah has truly gone on an adventure alone.

In the past, there were Linda, Eko, and at the very least, there was Phyllis, an outstanding graduate of the Adventurers' University.

She doesn't need to prepare supplies or strategies; she just needs to focus on defeating monsters.

It wasn't until she had no one to help her that Leah realized she wasn't very smart.

The supplies in the ring were pitifully scarce. There were only three bottles of basic recovery potion, and no food was prepared at all. There were only a few strawberry cakes that she had secretly hidden away, and she had just eaten two of them.

As for water... not a single bottle.

Leah had absolutely no idea how to find water in this vast forest. Since the Great Rift closed, even the most common Mondel fruit had disappeared; she only remembered reading in the book that morning dew could be collected.

The problem is, she's so thirsty she's practically parched, and she can't wait until tomorrow morning!

After fleeing Nacho and the others, Lia ran wildly and completely lost her sense of direction. The compass in her ring also became useless in the Dragon Forest.

She searched for Linda while looking for a way back to the public area.

But as time went on, Leah's heart grew colder and colder. No matter where she went, it was always the same, the familiar Mondel tree.

The surrounding environment was always exactly the same, to the point that she couldn't help but wonder if she was going in circles.

The adventurers seemed to have vanished into thin air, while the number of monsters increased.

Her fighting spirit was gradually depleted, and she could clearly feel her wrist protesting as she swung her greatsword.

This feeling of helplessness and loneliness made Leah's mood worse.

Then, a thought suddenly popped into my head: Could it be that Linda has already left Dragon Forest and returned to White Dove City, and I'm the only one still foolishly looking for him?

Lulu and Monica have both gone back, as have Aiko and the others. They're currently gathered together, drinking ale to celebrate, completely forgetting that she's the captain of the Snow Goose team...

No, I don't want that kind of thing!

Leah's face grew paler and paler.

"No, they're not that kind of people. If I don't go back, they'll definitely worry!"

Leah gritted her teeth and continued on her way. Banishing those awful thoughts, she angrily took the last delicate little strawberry cake from her ring and wolfed it down with the ferocity she'd shown when fighting monsters, as if she were imagining herself forgetting Linda and the others who were currently reveling in their party.

Try to stay optimistic and think positively—that's what Leah plans to do.

But fate had other plans.

A soft, mature female voice rang in her mind.

That was the announcement from the World Tree Goddess.

[Attention adventurers! This level 10 Greater Rift will close in ten minutes. Please use the teleportation stone to return in time.]

"Ten minutes left?"

Leah doesn't have a magic wristwatch and doesn't know the exact time.

Upon hearing the voice of the World Tree Goddess, my heart sank to the bottom.

She ran forward frantically, as if possessed.

He was betting that his area was just outside the Dragon Forest, and that he might be able to break out in the next ten minutes.

"Linda and Lulu are both very smart, they must have already gone out, leaving me alone in the forest!"

Leah was never a magnanimous adventurer, and the terrible thoughts she had managed to suppress resurfaced. She began to hallucinate, seemingly seeing Linda and Eko embracing and whispering sweet nothings to each other.

Ai Ke took over her position as captain of Xueyan and said with a smile, "It's so much quieter without that red-haired dwarf."

Linda nodded in agreement, saying, "Yes, I've disliked her for a long time. She should stay in Dragon Forest and never come back."

Waaaaah!

As Leah thought about it, her eyes stung, feeling like tiny pearls were about to fall out.

There are about a hundred seconds left before the Greater Rift closes.

She looked up ahead and saw that the trees were still so dense, like ants, that she couldn't see the end of them at all.

Could I have run in the wrong direction? Am I not on the outer perimeter at all, but running headlong into the depths?

Leah stopped, her expression blank. Surrounding her were towering trees, as tall as city walls, so even at midday, the sunlight was dim, mirroring her mood.

I suddenly felt like crying.

I cried out to heaven but received no response, and cried out to earth but received no help.

Is it really that rare to go on an adventure alone?

Looking around, one sees Mondel trees, dozens of meters tall, with canopies so dense they resemble large mushroom caps.

There are 30 seconds left before the tenth floor closes.

Leah mustered all her strength and lifted her foot.

Forest, forest, as far as the eye can see, there is still forest.

It's like a huge maze; you can't find your way out.

Finally, it ended in the last second.

Lia still couldn't leave the Dragon Forest.

She took the Firebird Feather Sword from behind her back and held it in her arms.

Despite the sweltering midday heat, I felt a chill that seeped into my very bones.

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!