[Portal] is a unique magic that is practiced by only a few schools. In this game, which is replete with all kinds of flags of death, there is no need to talk about how cheating this spell was. An opportunity to return to the city without waiting for the labyrinth to close? This in itself was an invincible means of survival.

However, even here it was not without restrictions.

His counter method was widely known in PvP battles, so it was not easy to use it as a means of salvation during combat. In addition, it accommodated no more than 30 people. That is why expeditions to the upper floors almost always consisted of 30 people.

And more importantly, once a spell is used, the magician will never be able to cast it again.

I note that this was different from what was in the game. Originally, the [Portal] spell could only be used by a mage who had reached the 1st rank, and when used, he died.

However, it has now been 150 years since the events of the game. The six schools that possessed the [Portal] spell formula had worked together to create a method that could be used even by lower-ranking Magi. I didn't know the details, since I wasn't a mage, but I knew that you could only use it once in a lifetime.

There is hardly a mage who would refuse to use portal magic in such a situation...

Then how many of them were in the labyrinth? Apparently, quite a lot. A large clan primarily required a mage who could use portal magic, and schools still encouraged mages who still had a [Portal] to participate in support expeditions.

Even if you gather everyone, there will be no more than 150 of them.

Less than 4500 people will be able to escape from this hell with the help of the [Portal].

These are the official royal knights and the elite of the major clans who will have mages... I suppose you can say that everyone else will be abandoned.

The more specific the numbers became, the more I realized how absurd what they were up to.

These numbers were not the same as during the incident with the Lord of the 3rd Floor. At least tens of thousands of researchers will die.

And yet they made such a decision?!

Brushing off the dizzying feeling, I continued to reason calmly. The most important thing at this moment was why the commander of the royal guard had made such a decision.

Probably, he decided that the path to the 2nd floor was blocked or no different from being blocked.

It was impossible to get out of the 1st floor. No, maybe it was possible, but it would have cost more than just escaping through the portal. Therefore, the commander made such a decision.

It seems that he thought that strategically it would be right to save the troops as much as possible and return to the city.

"I see you're here again.

I turned to look at the man who suddenly appeared behind me and froze in place.

God, what a surprise.

"You said your name is Bjorn Yandel, right?"

I didn't know since when, but the commander of the royal guard was standing right behind me. His name was...

— Marco Albern.

"You have a good memory for a barbarian.

Normally I would have snapped, but then I replied gently:

"Thank you for the compliment."

After all, he was the most influential person in this place. Even if it was short, the opportunity to talk to him alone was a great luck. After a moment's thought, I asked him a question, bluntly, like a barbarian.

"I see you're looking for mages who can do portal magic. Are you planning to escape?

This is the question that should have been asked in the first place.

As soon as he heard the question, Albern's eyes turned cold.

"In that sense, you look like a barbarian. No one else would have thought to ask me directly.

Didn't he notice!? I'm a barbarian.

As I stood his gaze, Alburn asked a question.

"Where did you hear that?"

That was enough. So it was true. I wondered if he had some other plan for this.

"I heard the knight giving instructions to the administrator.

—... He lacks attentiveness. Or he has let his guard down because you are a barbarian.

Seeing those eyes, one could assume that the knight would be punished for this, but it did not concern me. I was just about to get to the point when the commander continued, giving me a strange look.

"Hmm, maybe you're smarter than I thought. In that case, I'll just tell you this. I received information about the composition of your team through the administrator.

— ... Did you make inquiries about me?"

"For some reason, I became interested.

Interesting? Is it a positive variable or vice versa?

As it turned out, both.

"I can take you and the mage if you promise to serve the imperial army for only one year.

He offered me a ticket to the portal. The problem was that it only had two seats.

"And the others?"

— You already know what a necessary choice is.

Damn, so they're not good enough? I thought I had pumped them up well over the past few months.

"So what are you going to do?"

I was at a crossroads.

"I want you to answer me now. I don't have much time.

Was it about my life and that of another teammate? Or gambling with everyone's lives?

"You can... win?"« Don't worry. We will definitely return alive."

A fleeting conversation that I had in the past flashed through my mind.

"I... I replied without hesitation. - I will not abandon my team.

Perhaps my brain also turned into the brain of a barbarian.

***

[The 2nd Lord of Terror is killed].

[The 3rd Lord of Terror has been killed].

[The 4th Lord of Terror is killed].

[The 5th Lord of Terror is killed].

…

***

Time passed. I diligently kept silent about the conversation with the commander.

"Keep the news of the [Portal] to yourself if you value your comrades."

In the end, he even threatened me, but I did not see the need for it.

The news would have spread quickly enough without me. And it did spread.

"Mr. Yandel, did you hear?" About this news.

It was impossible to silence thousands of people, especially if they were not a cohesive group. The plan to escape from the commander's [Portal] was spread by word of mouth, and it didn't take long for it to reach Raven's ears.

— Yes, I know.

—... What are you going to do? Do you think it's just rumors, too, Mr. Yandel?"

Raven's question caught the attention of Mr. Bear and Mike. I guessed that they had already discussed it among themselves before asking me. Perhaps they were the only ones who did not notice the murderous energy enveloping this cave.

"Charon, if you can't even lift this sword, how can you call yourself a man?"

"I can pick him up!" Vide!

"Oh! Then you're half a man!

The barbarians had been playing with one adamantium sword for an hour. Sometimes I envied their carelessness, because they could go forward without doubt.

"Excuse me, Mr. Yandel...?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, I thought about something else for a second.

I tried to smile brightly and patted Raven on the shoulder.

"Don't worry about rumors!" It's going to be all right!

It's going to be all right. I'll take care of it.

I just wanted these guys to keep going without doubting anything. One person who would constantly doubt and worry about the traps and enemies that await him ahead is enough.

"No, why are you so too positive?!"

"That's what it means to be a leader...

"Ugh, okay, stop patting me on the shoulder!"

At this point, I ended the conversation and closed my eyes again, immersed in thought. Lately, I have been thinking about only one thing: how can we all survive and return together?

I repeated these thoughts thousands of times, made countless plans and discarded them, and checked each plan I came up with many times for variables and miscalculations.

Everything has to be perfect.

If plan A doesn't work, then plan B. And if it doesn't work, then plan C.

Whenever I had free time, I ran the simulation from start to finish and assumed the worst we might encounter.

*Oooh!*

As if to sign that the critical point was approaching, a faint vibration rose from the ground.

"It's already the 8th.

This was the 8th Floor Lord summoned. This had been repeating for several days now, so no one, including Raven, showed much concern. This was because they didn't know what would happen when the 9th Floor Lord was defeated.

Perhaps that is why, despite the rumors, there were no protests. Most will think it's just nonsense.

From the point of view of ordinary people, there was no reason for the management to use the [Portal] to escape. They had no information about this event.

"In any case, judging by the screams, it's somewhere nearby...

"He may come here, so be on your guard.

We waited until the Lord of the Floor was defeated, keeping our guard just in case. At that moment, I felt someone approaching from the side of the passage behind.

"Please clear the passage!"

The group moved quickly down the aisle, pushing the researchers aside like an ambulance. Soon, as we pressed against the walls, they swept past us like the wind.

"This is the Eramel Star Clan.

Judging from the way they moved towards the shouts, it was a group from a well-known major clan that was on their way to defeat Lord Floor.

"Since the support group is already on its way, it means that it will soon be dark again.

The 1st Floor Lord could only be caught with 30 rank 7 researchers. With the right strategy, this was possible with a smaller number.

I smiled bitterly.

I don't understand why they continue to hunt Lord Floor if they're going to leave us anyway.

The 1st Floor Lord did not drop any loot or essence, and the by-products obtained through the magic of [Distortion] were not that valuable. The only reward after defeating him was the promotion of the clan to rank 4, where there was a real benefit. Therefore, this guy was used mainly for checking. As a rite of passage upon reaching a certain level, it was a monster that most would only defeat once and move on.

Is it a feeling of guilt? Like: "We tried to the end"?

This thought crossed my mind, but there was probably a more real reason. They needed to seem that they were doing their job to the end, so that people who would be abandoned would not notice.

"Kyaaa!"

About 20 minutes passed, and a loud scream was heard in the distance, after which the red crystals went out. This meant that the Lord of the Floor had been dealt with.

"Tomorrow will be the 5th day, so we need to hold out for another 2 days.

I continued to check my plans, occasionally checking the time.

How much time has passed?

[22:07]

Approximately 2 hours had passed since the 8th Floor Lord had been defeated. No, in other words...

"Damn it!"

... About four hours before hell begins.

"Everybody go inside!" The rumors turned out to be true!

"The royal bastards are running away and abandoning us!" Stop them!

There was a commotion inside the cave.

***

"You bastards!" Get out, get out of the way!

"Stand back, researchers. If you come closer, I'll stab you.

"In any case, I'll die if-...!

*Colic! Blow! Crack!*

At this time, in the center, where the barracks of the royal knights and major clans were located, the explorer's head fell to the ground.

— Are there any other people who want to?

The hesitation caused by the knight's murderous words did not last long.

"What are you doing?!" Push!

"I'm leaving!" I said I'd get out of here!

— Ааа! Моя рука! Моя рука...!

Blinded by the thirst for life, the researchers rushed about like moths. This scene took place simultaneously in all the passages connected to the central area.

"The real enemy is out there somewhere, but you're trying to spill senseless blood.

The commander of the 3rd Royal Guard and the culprit of the situation, Marco Alburn, clicked his tongue and asked his lieutenant:

— What is the current progress?

"A little more than half of them went through the portal.

"Half, right?" It will take much longer than we planned.

If they could immediately use the magic of the [Portal] to escape to the city all at once, then such a commotion would not have happened. However, due to the ability of portal magic to suck up the surrounding mana, the only option was to cast spells in succession.

"Soon it will be our turn. Leave the rest to the remaining knights, Commander.

Alburn followed the lieutenant to the center. Just at this time, a new portal opened, emitting a dazzling light.

*Oooh!*

Albern wiped away all regrets and slowly approached the portal.

"Please take me with you!"

"Ahh!"

With each step, he heard a mixture of emotional screams and weapon sounds.

*Clank, clank*

Alburn stopped in front of the portal, because he suddenly remembered a conversation that had taken place 2 days ago.

"I will not abandon my team."

He was an impressive man in many ways, very much like a barbarian, but at the same time not. It was also a bit disappointing.

"I was mistaken about you. I never thought you would make the wrong choice."

He lost interest in the barbarian. It was originally pure whim that he had made this offer, but he never thought that this man would not jump on such luck.

"Keep the news of the [Portal] to yourself if you value your comrades."

He was about to leave after this threat, but at that moment, the barbarian said strange words.

"It looks like you're feeling guilty." Guilty...?"« Perhaps that's why you're disappointed that I refused."

At first, he could not understand what it was about.

But soon a cold voice pierced his ears.

"You wanted me to convince you of the correctness of your choice, didn't you?"

Alburn couldn't say anything. Even he himself did not realize it, but it seemed to him that it was so.

"Knight, I'm not like you. So don't try to use me to ease your feelings."

At this point, the conversation with the barbarian ended. They will probably never meet face to face again.

"Commander, it's time for us to go.

Alburn raised his head and stared ahead. Unlike this dark labyrinth, a brightly shining city could be seen through the portal. It was the only city in this cursed world, a place they had to truly defend, the last stronghold.

"For Raphdonia."

He went through the portal. It was a choice that had to be made.

***

I closed my eyes for a moment, straightened my breathing, and reminded myself.

In the end, the moment of choice came, so...

Do what you have to do.

I opened my eyes.

"Everyone follows me. We go to the center.

"What?" What are you going to do there?

And what else was left to do? By the time we arrive, all kinds of talents abandoned by various groups will be drowning in despair.

Firstly, you need to correspond to their weight category.

It was necessary to gather strength. It was the first way to survive.