Chains and the Maid

As expected!

Ash cheered inwardly. As long as he drew an Operator, it was a victory!

That said, he still looked over the newly released Purple Light Potion first:

"Ruby Essence": A masterpiece of Evil Artificers. They gathered Silver, Gold, Holy Domain, and Legendary Arcanists as materials, then used a Soul Refining Miracle to extract seawater from the Sea of Knowledge, Golden Rain from the Time Continent, dream bubbles from the Distant Void Domain, and rubies from Ruby Mountain. Only after combining them all did they refine this strange secret medicine. Its effects last seven days.

After an ordinary Legendary Arcanist drinks it and explores Ruby Mountain, they can slowly increase their Chromatic Artificery.

After an Operator (Bond Chain) drinks it and explores Ruby Mountain, they can slowly increase their Chromatic Artificery, which also flows to their Bond target through the Bond relationship.

After an Operator (Bond Core) drinks it and explores Ruby Mountain, they can slowly increase their Chromatic Artificery, which also flows to all Bond targets through the Bond relationship.

Ash paused, then immediately realized this was probably their biggest cheat in Ruby Mountain.

If the lockdown hadn't happened, he, Sword Maiden, and the Witch could each drink a bottle of Ruby Essence, then wander around Ruby Mountain together, and their Chromatic Artificery would grow rapidly. There would be no need to fight to the death through the Artificer List.

But right now, only he was in Ruby Mountain.

The Witch went without saying. She wasn't even in Starry Nation, so she definitely couldn't come in.

Sword Maiden should have realized something had gone wrong. As long as she still had her reason, she would definitely know to protect his body, not come in and die with him.

Still, even if only Ash himself drank the "Ruby Essence,"