?Walking out of the dungeon with all the dark elf cores and their lives, Shaman wanted nothing more than to lie down.


    As she was carrying out Elysia, some of the elf guards came over to see if they needed help.


    "Do you need to go to the medical ward?" Having been offered to be taken to a hospital, Shaman shook her head as nobody was injured to the point where they needed to go.


    The guard nodded back and backed away to let them through as from just looking he could tell no one was seriously injured.


    Walking out of the adventurers guild that housed the dungeons, they headed straight back to the inn.


    "Do we want to sell the cores now?" ra however, just remembered they had cores to sell, so she offered to go back to quickly turn in their spoils.


    "We will do that when wee back for the second run or whenever we need the money, so for now hold onto them." Shaman knew there was no rush and they would keep some anyway for their evolution.


    "Speaking of which, how much did you guys level up?" Kiruya was aware of the levelling system and wondered how much they gained during the raid.


    "Hmm here." Shaman opened a system menu of everyone''s information, knowing she was able to let other people see. Allowing Kiruya to see, Shaman put the system screen in front of her.


    [Shaman Shiroi]


    Level: 110 -> 124


    [Elysia Dahlia]


    Level: 106 -> 120


    [Silver Shiroi]


    Level: 103 -> 117


    [ra ????]


    Level: 108 -> 122


    "That''s quite the boost, I believe it''s level 200 you''re trying to get?" Kiruya was rather impressed with how many levels they got.


    "Yes, but I will have to say that the elfmander was probably the bulk of that exp alongside the demon. But since we didn''t kill the demon I don''t think we got any levels for it." Shaman hoped that by defeating the demon they would get some levels, but since it was sealed away it didn''t count as a kill.


    "Nheless once we get to the second floor of the dungeon you should be able to easily get tier 7 in 2 runs." Kiruya was confident that if they didn''t encounter the same elfmander again they would be able to go into the next part which would give them the boost they need.


    "I hope so too! Then we can take on the tier 8 dungeon." Shaman''s goal besides getting the mission done for Freja was to get to tier 8.


    "We will have to see because I think Freja wants you to go to the demonnds." Kiruya would like to also attempt the dungeon as it would be something beneficial for her, but Freja had other nsing up.


    "I guess she wants us to find Himeko as well as figure out what''s up with ra." Shaman looked back to ra who looked rather nervous hearing about going to the demonnds.


    "That''s what I think as well." Kiruya was rather sceptical as Freja could have anything in store for them, but it was most likely the case.


    "I just hope I don''t get recognised if we enter any of the towns." ra was worried about her identity as she had a high status but didn''t know the state of her family name.


    "It should be fine, plus we are not going into the demon capital city as far as we know." Shaman understood her worries as she was the princess of the fox realm.


    "Well Himeko should be in an isted ce from what Freja showed us so hopefully that''s all we have to do." Silver, remembering how Freja showed them the location of Himeko, didn''t think there was any need to worry.


    "True, but let''s not worry about that, I want some sleep." Shaman felt a little overwhelmed with all the things that she would need to do and needed some time to rest.


    "We all do." ra was particrly keen on going to bed and just thinking about it felt like she was falling asleep.


    "Haha, we still have nor to deal with so hopefully it shouldn''t take too long." Shaman now was worrying about nor and her situation.


    "Let''s hurry then." Kiruya figured the quicker the better just to put themselves at ease.


    Picking up the pace, they all went into a light jog back to the inn, hoping nothing went wrong.


    *


    Going up to their door, Shaman knocked to see if nor was in their room.


    ''Hmm, she might be asleep.'' Thinking how exhaustion may have caught up to her, Shaman thought she might be asleep.


    Opening up the door, she saw nobody inside, but it looked like someone had broken in.


    "Oh no." Shaman felt shivers as there was no way of telling how long ago this was.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "ra! Kiruya! Silver!" Calling out their names, Shaman expressed her urgency as nor could be in grave danger.


    Hearing their names, they all rushed to Shaman as it did not sound like good news at all.


    ''What happened!?" ra peered over Shaman''s shoulder and found out the answer herself. Kiruya did the same as well as Silver, all realising that nor had most likely been kidnapped.


    "We need to go now!" Shaman did not want to waste any time, so she quickly put Elysia on the bed and intended to go out.


    "Are you sure?" Kiruya knew they all came back from the dungeon so if they get into a fight it might be a bad idea.


    "I drank one of Freya''s mana potions earlier so I''m all good. If you don''t want toe with then that''spletely fine." Shaman didn''t care who came, but knowing nor''s situation she did not want her to be left alone.


    "I still have half my mana." ra didn''t know if she shoulde as she only had half of her mana and was physically exhausted.


    "I didn''t end up using much so I cane." Silver, who did not do a lot of fighting, still had mana and was rested enough.


    "I wille either way." Kiruya refused to let Shaman go alone as they could be facing someone who is much stronger.


    "Alright, we already have some prime suspects. Silver, do you recall what the nobles looked like?" Shaman knew nor was being chased by nobles and thankfully Silver was there to  encounter them.


    "Well, there was a skinny one, a fat one and I cut off the arm of one. If I see their faces I will be able to recognise them." Silver gave a quick and simple description, which was enough for now since he wasing along and could just identify them.


    "We will go towards the noble district and start looking for anyone that resembles that description." Shaman, having somewhat of a n, began to leave the inn.


    "I''ll stay and look after Elysia, I don''t want to drag you down." ra decided at thest minute to stay as she could imagine Elysia freaking out if she was all alone.


    "Take care." Silver waved and followed Shaman alongside Kiruya.


    ***


    <Noble district in a mansion>


    "Mmmm!" nor was being dragged by the hair into the back of a mansion with her head and mouth covered.


    Going into a basement, the 2 men that had kidnapped nor threw her into a dungeon.


    "Alright now be a good girl and wait until master shows up." The door now locked behind her, nor was trapped inside, stillpletely restrained and unable to see. Tears started to flow from underneath the blindfold as she thought things were finally getting better.


    ''My life just had to be snatched away.'' Seeing her life so close to getting better, only to lose it all almost broke her. It had been years since shest had a ray of hope, and for it to be taken away crushed her.


    nor started to sob, hoping that there might be a small chance someone woulde help.


    ''It''s probably a noble house, they wouldn''t daree here.'' Thinking about the outsiders who helped her, she doubted they would interfere with the nobles as it would make an enemy of the entire elf race.


    This thought alone caused nor to start bashing her head on the ground as the more she thought about it the more she fell to despair.


    ''Why couldn''t they just kill me.'' Thinking she should have just offered up her life as if she knew this would happen she would have rather just given up early.


    However, during this strong emotional turmoil, nor''s hair began to turn green at the roots.


    "Oh my look at how pitiful you are~." An elf with a newly reattached arm walked in and looked at nor through the door window.


    Hearing his voice nor felt her heart sink and her mind descend even further as she instantly recognised who it was.


    ''No, no, no.'' nor knew what was toe and even though it was easier to let him have his way she''d rather die than let that happen.


    "Good~ I can hear and see the fear in you." Unlocking the door the elf walked in, his footsteps echoing back from the walls.


    nor, hearing them get closer, tried to move away, but the closer he got the more panicked she became.


    The green in her hair was bing more prominent with every passing moment.


    "Let''s see that face."


    nor was now up against the wall and no longer able to get away.


    The blindfold was suddenly removed, Letting nor see the elf''s face. That only fed her panic as she tried to scream.


    "MMMMMM!" nor turned her head, wishing for him to just go away, when suddenly a gust of wind pushed him back.