Awakening to a Special-Grade Explorer
Vol. 4 - Ch. 215 - Mallorca's Finale

The four reeled back in startle almost reflexively as they heard a strange cry.

The Mister, however, showed no hesitation in contrast to the obvious reactions of students and trekked inside.

"Since you're here, come in. The barrier isn't that all-purpose to keep the noise inside only."

"Barrier?"

"It apparently dampen the sound to some extent. Now, I am no specialist in them so don't ask me much about it. Anyway, step in."

" " "Alright. " " "

"Fine."

Pyne and team were still curious about 'how such huge cries weren't making out to outside' or 'what was the reason behind lemonade uncle to stay here,' but they put it on shelf for now. The lemonade uncle seemed like he wanted to talk about something, so it was clear what they needed to do. They four entered the apartment.

Meanwhile, the anguished cries continue to echo from the inside.

Harbouring the question about the inexplicable situation and slight dread, they stepped in.

The Mister closed the door from behind and moved in quickly to go past the students and stopped in front of a certain door. Maybe the answer to their questions lies behind that door, the student intuited.

But before opening the door, Mister turned to the four students.

"I want you to promise one thing."

"Promise?"

"No matter what's behind the door, just don't touch it, don't approach it."

"And I presume it's better we......don't ask what it is, huh?"

"I only know you will die if you touch it. As I said, I'm not a specialist about the explorer stuff. Though you can ask me anything about the lemonade."

"......Hmm-mmm, fine. I promise."

"Just don't regret."

It was only a moment after they understood the meaning of Mister's word.

He opened the wooden door, and behind it---a young man, with his whole body caught in fire like a fireball, was thrashing around in pain inside a pale blue translucent barrier.

An invisible force was working on to press his body on the floor as crimson flames spurted out from all over his body. The eyeballs were burning back and forth, completely turning into dregs before being regenerated again, the skin bore the sight of inflammation, the hairs burned down and the fire spewed out from his mouth like a fire breath of a dragon in games. Yet, they would regenerate again and the cycle continues.

"Eeeeek......."

Cheowon's expression turned paper pale unwittingly as he looked at the horrifying sight.

It was a scene akin to torture, extreme. They were the elite students even in the world of explorers, but the sight before them appeared just too eerie for them. ...Maybe, even professional explorers wouldn't be able to calmly stomach the scene.

But, at the same time, they had a reason to show that reaction. The moment it turned out the tormented person was none other than their acquaintance, the shock between them was bound to spread.

"Tenji!?"

Pyne took her steps and moved in to jump inside the room. She kicked open the door completely and tried to enter inside when a woman appeared from the shadow of the door and hurriedly tackled Pyne to stop her impromptu movement, pinning her down.

"What are you doing!? Didn't you hear what he said earlier?"

With a huff, the woman---Mui Kujira rebuked Pyne.

She may appear dainty but she was still a holder of first-grade calling and former explorer. Pinning down a student was as easy as flipping a hand for her.

The sudden appearance of a stranger and her hollering slightly startled Pyne who immediately tried to squeeze out of her hold.

"Who the hell are you?! Get off of me!"

"A professor in the Mallorca Escuela."

"Professor!?"

Pyne's eyes widened in shock, realising the one she almost hurled swear on was an explorer. It was a natural reaction when she had never heard about her.

"Kind of, I guess. I am mostly holed up in my laboratory. Anyway, as a student of Mallorca Escuela, you should know why not to approach Tenji now, right? Now be a good kid and don't be reckless."

"......Yes, I'm sorry, teach."

Learning that Mui Kujira was a teacher, Pyne finally regained a bit of her calmness. Nevertheless, the three girls couldn't hide their perplexment as they saw a fellow student suffering before them.

"Teach......"

"You should return for now. I will take care of the matter here."

"B-But......"

"Aren't ya a first-year still? Then don't pry much and leave for now."

As the students showed a reluctant stance to leave, Kujira and Mister turned to block their way. It was their duty as adults to keep the tormented appearance of Tenji out of their sight, blocking their view.

"Return now, y'all. Tenji wouldn't want other students to see this side of him either."

"He's right. If you still insist on learning more, then first inform yourself about the explorer world more and become strong."

They both quipped as Mister left Mui Kujira in the room while he escorted the students outside of the apartment. As the four students harbour an intrinsic expression, seemingly wanting to say something but couldn’t find the words, Mister made a final statement.

"I don't think you need to worry about it."

"You think we can after seeing that?"

Asuka, who had uttered not a single word in all this, rebutted with a stronger tone.

The Mister indeed had no words when refuted by an explorer, but he was also someone who knew Tenji's situation better than anyone else.

"This is what he said himself. Even though he wasn't in any state to do anything, he came to me and said I will be waiting for your tasty lemonade afterward."

"What's that even supposed to mean?"

"Who knows, I didn't ask the details. Either way, hurry up and go back, also make sure to keep this a secret, alright? He wanted to stay here while going through that. Alright, enough chit-chat. Go back now."

With this, Mister forced Pyne and the team to leave.

They had not a single inkling what was happening to Tenji. But at the least, he wasn't going through his battle alone, it wasn't much but this fact slightly loosened her worry about him.

The four then returned back to the surface while praying for him to see in his usual cheerful-self soon. As Mister had asked from them, they didn't reveal anything, respecting Tenji's wish.

　†　†　†

A huge number of people could be seen scuttling in front of Mallorca Dungeon.

The temporary tent beside the gate was engulfed in an air hecticness, the commands and doubts dominating the situation.

"How much longer till the collapse!?"

"According to the simulation, we have only15 minutes!"

Following the question of Luise, a government member who had been in charge of commanding the search teams, a woman replied in a flustered tone as she stared at the graphs or something on the screen of her PC.

Right then, Illonica, President Limey's secretary, come to visit Luise.

"Any news about him, Luise?"

"I apologise but not yet."

"I see......only a few moments left huh. Have you confirmed the number of people inside the dungeon?"

"We have confirmed the exit of the search team. As of now, there's only five people left, which are on the missing person list. The two among them had some not-so-good news floating around, so maybe they slipped out following the commotion......"

"Understood. In any case, I would be in front of the gate. Take care of here."

"Yes, however there's only a few minutes left so please be careful."

"Thanks, Luise."

Illonica flashed a soft smile at Luise and left for the gate with unhurried steps. Luise's gaze lingered on her back until she could no longer be seen.

The next 10 minutes passed away in the blink of an eye.

The speaker installed beside the gate delivered the final announcement.

<5 minutes until the closing of the gate. Starting the final count. Please do not loiter around in the 100m victini of the gate. I repeat--->

The final count till closure had begun. The displayed setup around showed the running timer in seconds. 30 seconds in, the announcement was also cut off. The explorers or army personnel moved in succession to leave the area around the gate.

A plethora of explorers, the search team or the professional explorers who had went through the battle along with Tenji had gathered around to witness the historical moment with their own eyes.

The place was devoid of any journalist or paparazzi. President Limey was keeping a tight leash over the situation, making sure not even a rat managed to pass through.

Soon, the countdown turned to display the remaining two minutes.

<Two minutes until the closure. I repeat. Two minutes until closure.>

As the timer continued to fall, a few explorers crossed the established line and almost unconsciously learned forward their body.

Leon grabbed them by their scruff and pulled them back.

"Chisato, Fuyuki. You will end in the aftermath if you move past this."

Fuyuki's expression was seeping with an intense regret. Chisato bites on her lips, seemingly cursing her own lack of strength.

They had forsaken even their sleep all this while to seek for any trail of Tenji, but they didn't even manage to catch a whiff. They failed in saving their friend, their disciple.

As the time ticks in to signify the approaching end, they were both regretful to no end.

They believed Tenji would make it in time all this while. He would return as if nothing had happened, greeting them with his usual smile, but the reality was too harsh.

Timer ticks past <60s>.

<60 seconds left until the closure of Mallorca Dungeon.>

This time, the announcement echoed only around the gate but throughout the whole nation.

The whole world's gaze was fixated here at this moment. To see the end of the dungeon.

A mere 30 seconds had left---when a light flashed from the gate abruptly.

It was a person, panting heavily as they ran toward the gate. It was Mui Kujira, one of the mission person on the list. Her white robe was slightly streaked with blood.

The people stirred. Hurry up and leave that place, the voice echoed.

However Mui Kujira didn't leave the place immediately. She kept her gaze at the gap of the door behind her.

A moment later, two more people passed through the gate. They're a middle-aged person, who specialises in making Lemonade, and a young man. The young man was wearing tattered attire, his steps shaky as he slowly walked.

"Holy crap, we barely made it in time."

"I'm sorry, Mister."

"Don't think it will end with just a simple apology!"

The man seemed to be scolding the young man, a blue vein throbbing on his head to show his anger. The young man just faintly chuckled.

It was then a person, covered in purplish-red spirals, arrived in front of the three people.

"You barely made it in time, Tenji."

It was Leon, who might grumble all day long but would still come to save the day at the end. Tenji, who knows that side of him, replied with a bright smile in response.

"Yes, I'm sorry to keep you waiting."

"You know, your life really loves to keep you at the edge."

"Truly, there's no word to say.....ah, huh........."

Perhaps seeing Leon had untangled the tout tension, strength leaves Tenji's body as he stumbles forward, almost in falling motion. The middle-aged man hurriedly stepped in, but he couldn't completely offset the fall of the young man.

Leon suddenly stepped forward.

"You've worked hard enough, let's return to Japan for now."

Leon held the young man by his shoulder, stopping his fall as he hugged him to his chest and chuckled in appreciation.

Tenji quietly nodded.

And like this, the curtain closed on the short history of Mallorca. Along with it, a snippet of Tenji's life in the Mallorca Escuela, for study abroad, also came to an end.

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