The Extra is a Cult Leader

The white sphere floated a few meters above the ground, pulsing at regular intervals like an artificial heart. When Ethan approached, it emitted a soft hum and projected a translucent image into the air, a woman wearing the formal Guild mantle, her hair in a tight bun, round glasses, and a stern expression.

"Sylfie, Aeris, and Ethan," the projection began with a firm voice. "I see you’re all still alive. The monitoring spell was activated after detecting your mana signatures."

Sylfie crossed her arms. "I should’ve guessed there’d be something like this down here."

Aeris, beside her, watched the sphere cautiously. "At least it means we’re still being monitored. If something happens in here, they’ll know."

Ethan took a step forward. "Not that anything bad will happen."

The projection flickered slightly as the woman adjusted her glasses. "The mana concentration in this location far exceeds what’s considered healthy, and you’ve already been there for quite some time. Please confirm your physical condition."

"We’re fine," Sylfie replied quickly. "No injuries."

The woman’s eyes seemed to look past the projection at something, or someone, off-screen. "Very well. Monitoring will continue from a distance. Reinforcements will not be dispatched unless a formal rescue request is issued."

With that, the sphere slowly descended and hid again among the cracks in the ground.

Ethan let out a soft sigh. "They’re more attentive than I expected."

"This place isn’t just dangerous," said Sylfie. "A lot of reckless idiots come here to train or prove themselves to the world. The Guild doesn’t like losing promising adventurers."