Vanessa’s sigh echoed softly as she spun through the air, her body adjusting to the unexpected aerial journey. Despite understanding the need to conserve mana and energy, she couldn’t help but feel a twinge of exhilaration mixed with a hint of annoyance at being tossed around like a ragdoll. However, her frustration quickly subsided, replaced by a smile of amusement, knowing Terry’s intentions were to teach a valuable lesson.

Meanwhile, Terry’s quick and silent movements left the guards in awe. To them, he was a blur, a mere streak of darkness that vanished from their sight in an instant. His enhanced speed and agility were extraordinary, even among the guild masters, and it seemed like he could traverse any distance effortlessly.

Once again, Terry’s black steel armor and the newly acquired boots allowed him to move with remarkable efficiency. Each step he took seemed to cover an impossible distance, and he soon caught up with Vanessa just as she was about to land near the dungeon’s portal.

In the other world filled with sahuagin, Terry, Vanessa, and Rebecca faced a familiar challenge. The sahuagin in this world were not much stronger than the ones they had encountered in the past, making it relatively easier for them to clear the dungeon multiple times. With each successful completion, they gained more experience and confidence.

However, the true test awaited them when they confronted the overlord. The overlord resided in an underwater city, posing a unique challenge for the trio. They had to be strategic and patient, buying time for Vanessa to concentrate and unleash a powerful lightning bolt on the overlord, who was two hundred meters below the surface.

The plan worked, and the overlord was defeated one hour after sunrise. The underwater city trembled from the impact of their victory, catching the attention of the inhabitants nearby. As they returned through the portal, they found a group of people investigating the commotion, utterly surprised by the sudden appearance of Terry, Vanessa, and Rebecca.

The trio kept the details of their adventure to themselves, not wanting to cause any unnecessary alarm. Instead, they calmly assured the curious onlookers that everything was under control.

"Let’s get going; we will let them reach their own conclusions," Terry declared.

After their successful mission, the journey back home was swift and efficient. With the boots granting them enhanced speed and visibility of the path ahead, the trip that had taken them hours before now only took less than half an hour. Despite the exhaustion from their nonstop efforts throughout the night, they felt a sense of accomplishment and relief as they arrived back at their guild headquarters.

Terry, Vanessa, and Rebecca were indeed tired, but they knew that their work was far from over. They had accomplished their goal for the day and decided it was time to take a well-deserved break. The guild members greeted them warmly, relieved to see their leaders return safely.

As they dispersed to rest and recuperate, Terry found himself reflecting on the events of the day. He appreciated the trust and camaraderie within their guild, which allowed them to work effectively as a team. Even though they faced challenges, the knowledge that they had each other’s backs gave him confidence for the future. 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

"Rebecca, when you wake up, go look for a skill book that will let us use earth magic freely. It doesn’t matter the cost," Terry said. "Try to be as secretive as possible, and don’t reveal anything to anyone."

"Reveal what? Not like you explained anything to me now," Rebecca said and then shrugged.

"We will meet again tonight?" Vanessa asked.

"Yeah, and not to have a fancy dinner, so mind your clothes, will you?" Terry said and then noticed that those two looked a bit depressed. "Although you two didn’t look half bad tonight... actually, never mind."

Terry couldn’t help but sigh as he decided to compliment Rebecca and Vanessa on their excellent performance during the mission. However, the moment he praised them, he noticed their suspicious looks. It seemed like they were wary of receiving compliments from him, probably thinking he had some ulterior motive. He realized that he needed to be careful with his words, as he didn’t want to make things awkward within the group.

The rest of the day was spent resting and recovering from the strenuous mission. Terry took the time to recharge his mana and make sure his armor and weapons were in top condition. He knew that being well-prepared was crucial, especially considering the current situation.

In the evening, the group reunited for dinner. Rebecca had a feeling they wouldn’t be going on another mission that night, so she brought along Chris and Ruth. The two kids were full of energy and excitement, and they pestered Terry incessantly, asking him to create power armor for them as well.

"Here are the skill books; what are we going to do with it?" Rebecca asked when her siblings finally fell asleep.

"We will work hard throughout the night," Terry replied. "I had this idea last night that would make things even more efficient for us to move. Rumors about us leaving in the middle of the night and going back in the morning will spread quickly, so we can’t let anyone see that anymore."

"... I see you are planning to create tunnels and make us leave through secret paths," Vanessa said.

"That is the gist of it; we have some empty rooms that we can use here to start digging; we will make them forbidden for everyone else by saying that they are being used to store materials," Terry explained.

"I feel bad for lying to our guild members," Rebecca said.

"It isn’t lying; it is making sure that they won’t have too much of a burden on their shoulders," Terry shrugged.

The group decided to find a discreet room in the guild headquarters, one that wouldn’t raise any suspicions, and they began practicing the newly acquired Earth Manipulation skill. Vanessa and Rebecca, being skilled magic users, quickly grasped the concept and were able to manipulate the earth with finesse. They transformed massive blocks of soil into small pebbles effortlessly, making the digging process smooth and efficient.