After several minutes of both men clutching their stomachs and crying out in pain on the floor, Elizabeth confirmed the food wasn't poisoned.

Agatha began stomping them as Elizabeth gave herself a proper portion.

(“I can't believe they bought that explanation. Well, at least I could test the food without having to waste any time thinking of an excuse for why I could eat and not suffer dearly.”)

She banked on the fact her body could handle any poison that would be present.

Agatha, Tina, Lily and all the others present sat at a table and began discussing.

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“Cough cough” He caught his cough with his hand and tried his best to ignore the blood on his hand.

“S-something inside me is broken.” He muttered as he leaned against the wall.

His eyes still provided a path, as much as he wanted it to stop.

The boy leaning against the wall was the white-haired Kevin. He had taken off his armour and what a relief it provided. If only temporarily.

“It's… getting worse.” Thanks to his eyes he never experienced pain this great up to this point in his life. Unfortunately, this had left him quite susceptible to it.

Each moment, the pain would grow worse and his pace would slow down even more.

“Why is it getting worse?”

He had to stop against a wall and punch it a few times, in a vague attempt to feel some relief.

He gritted his teeth and headbutted the wall a few times. With his head starting to bleed, he toughed through the pain and started running. He must have regained some stamina from essentially moving at a snail's pace all this time.

He continued running and soon found himself at a stairway that led to the next floor.

“Do it do it do it.” As these words echoed throughout his mind, as he ran towards them. Then something caught his attention. Someone was walking up the stairs. It looked like a woman.

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“He can stop objects and people? Did you try stopping his magic by releasing your mana?” Elizabeth asked.

“Huh? What's that about?” Agatha asked.

Tina sighed. “What an idio-”

Elizabeth placed a hand on her shoulder. “Now, now, Tina, you wouldn't have even known about it either, unless you bugged me about what Ezekiel's weakness is.”

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Tina quieted down. “I would have figured it out anyway.” She said while pouting.

Elizabeth quickly explained the concept to Agatha and the others at the table.

“Oh, it's similar to how Jake uses his magic,” Nora commented.

“I suppose that is a good analogue. So you all didn't release your mana yet escaped his magic?”

“Pretty much.” The tall one commented.

“I guess so.”

Elizabeth turned her face towards Furor. (“I have no doubt Furor can do that as well. But they mention him escaping at the same time as him. If what they're saying is true then he probably wasted a sizable amount of his mana trying to weaken the boy's magic to no effect.”)

She brought her attention back towards the table.

“So that means we won't have to worry about expelling our mana, Tina.”

“Why?”

Elizabeth explained her thoughts to Tina.

“Damn, so it just ignores the mana around you?”

“It appears so based on what they said.”

It appears the method this magic affects others is more similar to a fireball from Tibaut than Ezekiel's or Furor’s magic.

“Ugh, so he can just stop us?” Lily commented, with her head lying on the table. She ate too much and was fighting off rest.

“I don't see the problem, just don't get in his range,” Nora remarked. “Surely with all of us here, we can force into the defensive by having him block our projectiles from afar.”

“And what'd we use exactly?” Lily asked.

“You have throwing knives, right? Plus I noticed crossbows on the riders earlier so there must be some around here.”

“I mean, you say that but I don't think I've seen a single person use those since we came in here,” Agatha added.

“What?” Nora remarked. “I mean I haven't seen any either since we entered the dungeon but they must be around here somewhere!”

“If we can't find them then I'd be no use considering a plan with them. You all have a map, right?” Elizabeth said.

“Yeah. Wait, lemme check if there's an armoury.”

She walked over to Furor and pulled a map out of his pocket. She briefly read it but her face was more than enough to tell everyone this wasn't the case.

“Ugh, they only labelled offices, rooms like canteens and stairways.”

“Given what we've seen, it's probable the crossbows were unique to the forest guards. And even then, I only recalled about four of them having crossbows when I encountered them. They must be exceptionally rare here.” Elizabeth said, peering over her shoulder.

Agatha accidentally backed into her by accident but Elizabeth paid her no mind.

“I'm not against wasting his mana like that but based on how you described his movement, he'd be somewhere in the range of Furor when it comes to speed. And that's a generous estimate. Other than me, I don't think anyone would be able to outrun him if he targeted one of you.”

“He did slip away pretty quick,” Tina mumbled. “So what are we gonna do?” She asked.

“Overwhelm him. I can't imagine he took advantage of Furor's magic and ran away immediately after as a boast. He has to be somewhat exhausted from this encounter.”

“Huh!?” Lily added. “I mean, if that's the only way bu-”

“Don't worry Lily. It is myself and Tina that will be doing the bulk of the work. You and the others focus on striking when his guard is down.”