[140] Homecoming

The girls looked at me, their eyes wide with a mixture of shock and admiration. Kuroko was the first to break the silence.

"Wow, I knew you were strong, Master," she said, her voice filled with awe. "But I didn't realize you were that strong."

Sera, who had been silently nursing Aurelia back to health, looked up and gave a small smile. "That was... incredibly reckless," she said. But the twinkle in her eyes betrayed her impressed tone.

Lila, who had been standing at a distance, watching everything unfold with silent wonder, walked over to me. "Master... that was amazing," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Aurelia, now regaining her consciousness, looked at me with renewed respect. "I... thank you," she said, her voice hoarse but genuine.

It was clear to see, the girls were in awe of my abilities. Not just as a master, but also as a warrior. They looked at me not just as a leader, but as their protector. And that was a role I was more than ready to fill.

"You girls have done a great job throughout this journey as well." I replied, my voice filled with warmth and pride. I gave them a small smile before turning towards the path that would take us back home.

"Alright, let's head home now," I announced, already taking a few steps in that direction.

"But Master," Sera piped up, her eyes still fixed on the next descending staircase with clear curiosity. "Shouldn't we go down to the next floor?"

"No, Sera." I turned to her, my voice taking a more serious tone. "Nobody has ever made it out alive from the next floor. Not even L tier adventurers. It's too dangerous."

"But..." Sera tried to protest, her eyes still filled with curiosity and a hint of rebellion.

"Maybe one day, we will explore it. But for now, it's best that we return home." I cut her off gently, not wanting to argue further. There was a moment of silence as everyone let my words sink in before finally nodding in agreement, understanding the gravity of the situation.

Without wasting another moment, we moved towards the giant gaiko that was nestled on the side of the pathway, dutifully carrying our gear. We each reached into one of the secure pockets, pulling out a delicate, inscribed parchment - an escape scroll.

I knelt in front of the creature, giving it a gentle pat to calm it. With precision, I placed an extra scroll onto the gaiko's forehead, carefully adhering it to its cool skin. The eight-legged gecko looked back at me with trusting eyes.

"Okay, everyone ready?" I asked, glancing at the girls who had now gathered around, their scrolls clutched tightly in their hands.

After confirming that everyone was ready, I looked at the gaiko one last time. "Let's go home, buddy."

With that, I swiftly activated my escape scroll. The world spun as I felt a rush of wind whip past me. The icy dungeon was immediately replaced with the familiar sights and smells of the surface town, the transition so abrupt it was momentarily disorientating.

A moment later, the gaiko appeared next to us, still looking as calm as before. We had successfully returned home.

Q: Have you watched Spiderman home coming?