I Was a Loner, but My Class Got Summoned to Another World…

Logan woke up the next day feeling refreshed, the sweet scent of Lisa's hair lingering beside him. He was slowly getting used to waking up with her by his side, though he couldn't help but feel a pang of disappointment that Rubina wasn't there as well this time. Still, he enjoyed his moments with Lisa and appreciated the calm before the storm.

He knew he had only a few days left to plan for the journey to the furthest country on his list—Eta. There, he intended to seek out the great thunderbirds that resided in the region, as well as hunt for mantises to train under Voltar. Voltar's fighting style had even inspired the creation of a special dojo within the soldiers' ranks, turning them into his temporary students.

For now, Logan pushed thoughts of travel and battle aside. He turned toward Lisa, her sleeping face peaceful and serene. She seemed exhausted, so he decided to let her rest undisturbed. Just as he settled back, a knock at the door broke the tranquility.

[Liz, I hate to wake you, but could you use your ring to conceal yourself?] Logan communicated through their link as he rose to answer the door.

He assumed it would be Ruri bringing fresh clothes, so he made his way to greet her. However, before he could reach the door, it swung open unexpectedly, revealing Silvia. She stood there, silently appraising him with her sharp gaze, her eyes scanning him up and down.

"Hey Logan, glad you're back safe. Sorry to interrupt your rest, but we need to head out to the cave. I've got a few things that need your help, and it wouldn't hurt to check on Serana—she's been wanting to see you," Silvia said, her eyes betraying a momentary distraction as they lingered on Logan's partially open robe, revealing his abs and muscles.

Logan smirked, casually running a hand through his hair. "Sure, I'll meet you downstairs in ten," he replied, briefly considering a joke but deciding against it, knowing Silvia would likely respond with her usual dry tone.

"Sure. I'll wait for you, so do get changed…" Silvia coughed lightly before turning to leave.

[Don't you think you enjoyed that a little too much?] Lisa teased through their link, yawning as she deactivated her invisibility ring.

"Well, it was at least a little cute. I caught a hint of embarrassment from her, so at least she's not made of stone," Logan chuckled while getting dressed. Even though Ruri hadn't arrived with fresh clothes, he had more than enough stored away to manage.

"Well, I'll see you later. Do enjoy yourself today," Lisa said as Logan leaned in, giving her a passionate kiss that left him momentarily tempted to linger. But with a timer ticking in his mind, he pulled away and hurried to get ready.

"With the new games Marie made, I think I'll relax in my room for a while. She sure was a nerd to keep so much in her mind," Lisa said, pulling the blanket over herself.

A few minutes later, Logan was downstairs, curious about why he had been summoned. He greeted everyone he passed along the way. He noticed Ruri heading upstairs, which made him wonder if Lisa had already left. Leonard had also been informed about Logan's plans for the morning.

"There you are. How about we leave now?" Logan approached Silvia, who was standing nearby, typing something on her terminal.

"9 minutes and 45 seconds—you almost didn't make it," Silvia remarked, taking his hand.

Within moments, they warped to the teleportation array that connected the city to the crystal mine. As soon as they arrived, Logan felt the overwhelming concentration of mana emanating from the crystals and the many monsters cultivating them.

The large fungi in the cavern had grown even bigger, though they hadn't evolved. They moved with deliberate care, using tendrils of pure mana to nurture the crystals that required growth.

Logan surveyed the vast cavern, impressed by its progress. The mana content here surpassed even that of the mine in Elris, though the crystals themselves were smaller.

"I see that the crystals have grown and even improved in quality, but I'm guessing that's not the reason you brought me here, right?" Logan asked, his steps trailing just behind Silvia as she led him out of the crystal mine toward the site where the laboratory once stood.

"I didn't ask for permission, but I cleaned this place along with Serana and her minions," Silvia said. "By the way, she's added another to her ranks—one of the bats that demonstrated extreme loyalty toward her. You can ask her about that later. What I wanted to show you is the lab we're building alongside Marie. It's shaping up to be one of the most advanced in the world, as we're incorporating Earth's technology as the foundation."

Silvia guided Logan through a newly constructed area. The space had been transformed—cleansed of its previous gloom—with the old metal repurposed to form a sleek corridor. The eerie atmosphere had vanished, replaced with an immaculate design reminiscent of a high-security governmental facility. Even the doors opened automatically as they moved deeper inside.

"There are four main parts right now," Silvia began. "The first is the autonomous section that Marie is working on. She's experimenting with golems and crystals to see if she can create stone warriors capable of aiding in the upcoming fight.

The second section is Serana's lab. She's focused on using the undead to contribute to the fight as well, but it's not progressing as smoothly as the golems. Her hesitation to use certain members of her kin has slowed the process, but those she has given life to are stronger, faster, and able to think independently—unlike the golems." Silvia gestured toward a red-colored door.

"Now then…" Silvia continued, "The next section belongs to Kryst. She's occupied with training her slimes to handle and cultivate crystals. She's grown strong enough to imitate a human almost perfectly, although her skin remains blue. What I want you to do is… help calm her down. She's trying too hard to perfect herself—to look completely human. I think that's impossible for now." Silvia paused outside the room, waiting.