After a long while, Rhein broke the silence. "I'll go in."
Everyone understood that when Rhein said "go in," he did not mean remaining in the passageway at the outskirts of the ruins. He meant truly entering the ruins themselves.
The Tree Spirit was the first to react. His brows drew tightly together. "We still haven't fully grasped the situation inside the ruins. Going in now is not a good time."
Rhein said, "I understand your concerns. Before, we could proceed step by step, but now that Angel has fallen into the ruins, we need to adapt accordingly."
"No matter what, the matter of the ruins must be resolved. We would have to enter them eventually. If we go in now, perhaps we can still find Angel."
"Even so, we must be cautious. Even if you insist on entering, we need to make thorough preparations." The Tree Spirit also understood Angel's importance, but upon learning that the ruins might contain creatures equal to Rhein—or even stronger—he still hoped Rhein would be more prudent.
Rhein shook his head. "No preparations are needed. I have 'it' with me. At worst, I'll return to the wizard tower severely injured. I intend to go in immediately. It has already been three hours since Angel disappeared; the sooner we enter, the better."
The outer passageway alone was fraught with danger. Rhein was certain that the dangers within the ruins would be even greater. Angel could encounter a fatal threat at any moment inside the ruins. The sooner they entered, the greater Angel's chance of survival.
Everyone fell somewhat silent. They all wanted to refute Rhein's hasty decision, but from a rational standpoint, it was indeed a relatively acceptable strategy.
Just as Rhein himself had said, he had that item with him. Even if he encountered