Party kara Tsuihou sareta Sono Chiyushi, Jitsu wa Saikyou ni Tsuki

With a new swordsman beside him, Margulus stubbornly tries to slay the hydra again. The Blades of Lightning members slowly make progress against the monster, but by the time Laust arrives on the scene, the hydra has undergone a terrifying transformation.

Laust starts to suspect that something ominous is happening involving monsters in the labyrinth and in Mardat. He asks Hanzum, the current head of the Guild, to take action. Hanzum refuses and tells Laust that if he is scared he should "get out of town."

Laust and his companions enter the labyrinth on their quest to battle the phoenix and earn the bounty from the Guild. They quickly track the phoenix down and engage it, but the instant they start causing damage to the fiery creature, it begins to mutate.

Now that they can afford it, Narsena suggests to Laust that it might be more practical to get a house and move in together—an invitation that is also a thinly-veiled expression of Narsena's love. Unfortunately, Laust's response is less than enthusiastic.