"Please hurry and prepare your emergency escape devices. Abyss Descent lasts only five minutes. Touching the Sacred Tree's trunk will trigger the entrance teleportation."
Listening to Ogiwara Senkichi repeat those words through a megaphone, Luo Shu turned toward Chisato Nishikigi and Takina Inoue, who were carrying silver Metal Boxes.
"Is everything ready?"
"The 'lock' is already hidden."
Chisato Nishikigi nodded at his question, but could not help complaining.
"Still, these emergency escape devices aren't safe enough. We have to hide the locks beforehand, and put them somewhere open, too. If someone finds a lock and takes it a kilometer away from the entrance, we won't be able to come back."
"Seriously, couldn't the Research Department make something more convenient?"
"All right, Chisato, stop complaining. Having an escape device is better than not having one."
After chiding Chisato Nishikigi, Takina Inoue turned to look toward the Sacred Tree.
When she saw Kuesu Jinguuji disappear immediately after touching the Sacred Tree's trunk, her gaze grew a little more solemn, and she said to Luo Shu:
"Luo Shu, this Abyss isn't the kind we can enter as a group, like the entrance last time."
Hearing Takina Inoue say that, Luo Shu recalled the Abyss where Kisara had been sealed.
That had been a sealing ground specifically meant to seal Kisara, opening only at certain times. But because its conditions were so strict, they could actually pass through freely without using emergency escape devices.
"Even if we enter at the same time, we might get separated afterward. Just in case, hide your Signal Devices on you, and wear these, too."
As he spoke, Luo Shu handed Chisato Nishikigi and Takina Inoue a silver bracelet each.
"Huh? A courtesy bracelet?"
"A new Signal Device?"
Chisato Nishikigi and Takina Inoue each voiced a question.
At that,