"Natsume!"

Tsubasa immediately approaches him with huge urgency. Seeing him coughing blood, amy immediately scurrying for the emergency box she prepared in her bag. Meanwhile, Natsume pushing Tsubasa away- while warning him not to tell Ruka.

Finally found the item, she immediately walks towards them.

"Tsubasa-senpai, don't worry, I will do some emergency aid first. But you need to keep what you see here as a secret."

"Alright, I will, but how are you going to help?"

"I'm going to use my Alice. And no but from you Natsume. First thing first, when does it started to worsen?" knowing that arguing with amy won't change anything, he reluctantly replies,

"Less than a year ago..."

"Hmm, that's good then. The onset has delayed. Anyway, lay down first"

Such deduction truly puzzled Tsubasa - how does less than a year is a good thing but decided to wait until the treatment finish. Natsume slowly lay down on a spread blanket. Amy took the chained Alice stone that she gave him around 2 months ago. Analyzing the stones, it seems that Alice already used them up. Amy face obviously hardened- for the Alice stone to already used up in 2 months- just how hard did they make him work. She held back her sigh and put a new set of chains in Natsume's hand.

"Natsume, here's the new chain. Keep this one on you at all time. And take this painkiller and go to sleep. I will start the treatment soon." As soon as she gives both to him, she took out two cubic- one placed above his head, and another placed below his feet. After a while, Natsume slowly dozed off and went to sleep. She then switches on the cubic by channelling her Alice on both of them, and a barrier conjured, covering Natsume from head to toe.

"Urghh" An intense wave of headache swarms Amy causing her to lose sight for a moment. She slowly massages her temple, hoping to reduce the pain. Alert by the sudden change, Tsubasa asked,

"Are you alright amy?" he helps amy to slowly lean against a tree. Amy just smile and reply,

"Thanks, senpai. I'm alright. It's just using my Alice is a bit tiring." Even with the assurance, Tsubasa still wore a stern face. He can't help but worry. What if amy also experience the same condition as Natsume? Avoiding the questioning eyes from Tsubasa, Amy just focuses on the current task at hand. After finally settled the preparation, Amy then started to explain the cubic device.

"You know senpai, that cubic thing is Hotaru's creation. It's an amplification device. As you can see, using that device amplifies and project my Alice to a specific area. In this case, a rejuvenating barrier- solely focus on revitalizing body and strengthen it."

"I see... does this mean you're a dual Alice user?"

"Nope, I've always have been using 1 Alice this whole time. A barrier Alice. Only that I have good control and understanding in my Alice." Then amy proceeds to explain more to Tsubasa - just the important ones though.

Because, sooner or later, he too will be involved with the whole mess. A heads up to him will be nice.

--

Later that night, after ensuring the others already asleep, she took out another painkiller, and this time, it's for herself. After swallowing it, she could feel the intense headache reduced- albeit so slightly. Then, she leans back to the tree, as she mutter,

'I can do this...wait for us, Sophie, Hotaru. We will definitely get the medicine' ever so quietly, assuring that she can still withstand it. At least, until the mission is over.

And then, she went back to sleep.

--

Mikan woke up, stretching her arms to the air as she looked around. Natsume was already up and ready and may currently distinguish the fire camp. Realising that she's already up, amy asked her to help her to wake Tsubasa up. After cleaning up the area for a bit and another bread for breakfast (Tsubasa still curious as to how Amy could fit it all in her bag), they decided to head towards the place that still retains traces of gunpowder.

Guided by the animal, they finally arrived at what seems to be a small creak between huge boulders. A portal situated in between- perhaps the one that will lead straight to the lion's den. Perhaps as a form of payback from the fuss caused earlier by Tsubasa- wanting to carry both Amy and Natsume as he was worried they will faint- with a nod of agreement, they immediately pushed Tsubasa in.

"Senpai!!" Mikan shocked at the sudden turn of the event only to realised a bit later a hand over her shoulder. Looking to her side, with a devilish grin, Amy said,

"C'mon, we're next" and immediately pulled Mikan in. Only an echo sound of Mikan screaming Amy's name trailed behind. Soon after, both Natsume and Ruka jumped in and after what seems to be a blink of an eye, they finally arrived- directly dropped into the lake.

Thankfully the lake was shallow. Unfortunately, all of them were soaked wet (except for Amy as she quickly cast a barrier around her). With the help of Natsume's fire, they dried out their clothes for a bit while Amy examines around.

"It's not an active volcano- that's for sure" Amy confidently said as she concludes from her observation.

"A-amy?!! Why did you have wings behind you?? And there's a tiger too? Wait, since when Ruka change into a rabbit suit- though that's cute though Natsume, you still look weird with that cat ear" Amy just snickered at Mikan last remarks meanwhile Natsume, irked by the nonsense spout by Mikan, immediately knocked some sense into Mikan in which she just cries for the unjust treatment. Amy then just handed a clean cloth to her and said,

"Cover your nose, it seems there's a hallucinogen in the air" at her remarks, everyone covers their nose. Finally grasping the whole situation, Tsubasa declared,

"I see, then the smoke from that volcano exit is probably the entrance then- let's go" Tsubasa immediately conclude the situation and he leads the way towards the entrance. At the entrance, they could clearly see a gradual slope that slowly leads to somewhere. Without hesitation, they slowly descend, relying on the protruding stones and naturally formulated steps to help them down.

Finally arrived at what seems to be an entrance- Amy immediately held Mikan's hand. As if predicting the whole thing, Amy protectively hugs Mikan as the floor gradually turn into sands.

"Don't worry about us and stay safe!" were her last words before she was swallowed by the dungeon together with Mikan. Natsume, Ruka and Tsubasa could only helplessly watched as they missed their timing to grab the girls hand before they completely disappear...