Katia leaves the safe room with Chris, Clayton, and Very Sullen, separating from Carl and Donut before the hunters are released. Donut is visibly upset by the parting, Mongo reacts mournfully, and Katia warns Carl not to do anything stupid. Afterward, Donut and Mordecai prepare to go into town for supplies because there is no local Desperado Club and Carl still cannot safely use Club Vanquisher. Their main goals are to find a Shield spellbook for Donut and an item with a Golden Throat enchantment so her new bard class will function properly.

Carl explains that Donut’s bard abilities are powerful in theory but badly limited in practice because the songs must be sung in key. Donut can weakly cast support spells such as Standing Ovation, Entourage, and Encore by singing in a flat monotone, but her offensive songs are not usable yet. Donut has also gained a normal spell, Laundry Day, which strips armor from enemies and improves sharply as it levels. Mordecai sets a strict training schedule in the new Magic Workshop, but Carl privately redirects Donut to train Laundry Day instead of her stalled Magic Missile. When Donut worries that Katia might be in danger without them, Carl tells Donut that Katia is probably safer away from Carl for now.

Carl then goes to his new Advanced Bomber’s Studio. The room lets Carl simulate explosions, test virtual bomb designs, and use a specialized bench to analyze or alter real explosives. Carl finally places the unstable Carl’s Doomsday Scenario bomb on the bench, copies it into the simulator for safe study, and puts the real bomb back into inventory because it is still too dangerous to handle further. With 21 hours left before hunter release and only a few hours until full night, Carl returns to practical preparation and starts cutting hobgoblin dynamite into many small pieces.

Later, Mordecai returns from shopping with herbs and supplies but without the two items Donut needed. He sends Carl and Donut out at night to look for a special mushroom that appears at the bases of town trees, warning them not to enter the jungle, alleyways, or risky areas. Mordecai also advises that they may need to take a caravan farther south soon, both to reach a larger settlement where they can build a defensive zone and because the Vengeance of the Daughter production may force them into new events. Carl decides to bring Bomo along despite the danger, while Sledge stays behind.

Outside, in a dark town that smells like rain, Donut asks whether the hunters can cheat by having outside allies watch the show and report Carl’s location. Carl says direct contact is supposedly forbidden but no longer trusts the rules, especially after the previous floor’s lawsuit showed their enemies were watching closely. Because of that, Carl says any real plan must stay secret. Carl has Donut put Mongo away and tells Donut not to sing in town and risk provoking the local mushroom creatures. Then Carl reveals that the herb trip is a cover, apologizes in advance, and orders Bomo to cast a spell that sends them to the stairwell in Zockau immediately.