The female-shaped monster had lost sight of Ais. Gareth stood like an unbreakable wall, raising his massive axe to hack down the Viola's thrashing tendrils again and again. But he had no way to push forward.
All the surging Violas became fuel for the female-type monster, turning the fight into a battle of endurance. Realizing this, everyone rushed to block the Viola from advancing.
"You bastards, if you don't wanna die, hold the damn line!" Bors shouted at the adventurers.
The Rivira Town adventurers formed into eight-man squads, using ranged attacks to pin down one monster each, barely holding the right flank together.
Tione, twin blades in hand, slipped past the Viola's strikes. When the female-type appeared, she couldn't help blurting out a curse, but she quickly regained her cool and steadily cleared out the monsters on the southern side.
Unlike her sister, Tiona dove straight into the monster-filled tide ahead. Staring at the terrifying wave of creatures, she remembered a story she'd once heard. A lone boy facing down an endless sea of monsters to save a young Healer. Just like the heroic tales she loved.
Seeing that distant story unfold before her eyes gave Tiona a strange sense of déjà vu. Books she had read who-knows-how-many times surfaced in her mind—yellowed paper, a nostalgic smell, words that shook the heart. Carrying that thrill inside her, Tiona charged through the monster tide with a bright, carefree smile.
On the left side of the square, Bete clicked his tongue.
"Don't get full of yourself!"
The Viola's skin was tough enough that the werewolf's trademark kicks barely did anything. He'd taken a small hit back in the sewers because of that, and Tiona had been mocking him ever since.
After the boy appeared, all of Bete's pent-up irritation exploded, and he hurled insults at him nonstop. To make matters worse, even Ais took the kid's side. Grinding his teeth in fury, Bete could only vent his anger on the dungeon monsters.
What annoyed him most was seeing the kid reach the tenth floor—and doing it like it was nothing. Bete was curious about the boy's Skills, but Finn's actions made him drop the idea. All that lingered in his chest now was anger and disgust. And every bit of it was aimed at himself.
Weakling? That brat's stupidly strong! He really protected that woman! Doesn't that make me look like a total clown?!
Damn it!
Bete knocked back a Viola with a kick, then drew the dagger he'd prepared and crushed the monster's Magic Stone with his teeth. As if furious at his own helplessness, the Werewolf turned into a raging beast on the battlefield, tearing through the Viola without restraint.
...
In the center of the square, Riveria sensed the boy had already left, and the crowd had pulled away from the female-shaped monster. Though she was worried about his safety, she decided to leave him to Lefiya. Riveria had her own duties to handle.
She lowered her longbow and stared coldly at the colossal monster, then began chanting her Magic.
Finn caught sight of this. The female-shaped monster's tentacles were far too many. The mass of tightly packed Viola spun and crashed around its body, forming a massive vortex. Getting close to its center seemed impossible, even for him.
If he could just destroy the Magic Stone in its upper body from a distance…
Finn scanned the wrecked shop nearby and picked up a short spear that had fallen to the ground. He tightened his grip and hurled it toward the female-shaped monster's upper torso. The spear tore through the air, its sharp point thrusting straight ahead, but a wall of tentacles intercepted it. Several Violas fell to the ground, yet the female form remained unscathed.
He had no choice but to leave it to Riveria...
Because of the enhanced strain's suicide assault, Finn had caught sight of the red-haired woman, but he hadn't been able to pursue her immediately. She was clearly heading straight for Ais. Judging by the speed they had moved before, the two of them likely hadn't made it out of the town yet.
Finn's plan had been to quickly take down this massive monster, then have the Loki Familia split up to search for them. But after attempting long-range attacks, he realized only Riveria's Magic could break this stalemate.
He hadn't expected Ais to chase after them on her own. Even if he was injured, he should have followed them immediately…
There was no time for regret. Finn sprinted toward the place Ais had last been. A deep sword mark carved into the street stretched onward without interruption, pointing the way forward like a guide.
Finn instantly knew who had left it. Such cleverness was exactly that boy's style.
Without hesitation, he followed the trail.
...
The red-haired woman ran through the ruined streets, vaulted over the city wall, and sprinted down the slope. Even in the open clearing west of town, traces of the Viola's destruction remained.
Ais followed close behind, wind swirling around her. She had no intention of letting the woman escape, not after she had spoken that forbidden name.
"Aria… How do you know that name?!"
It was rare for Ais to show her emotions this openly. She thrust her slender sword while glaring intensely at the woman, as though boundless black haze clouded her heart.
Her fierce, relentless sword light was blocked by a massive greatsword.
"Hmph, who knows."
The red-haired woman replied almost casually, using her terrifying brute strength to meet the blow. She wasn't in good shape. Even with the Violas covering her, she had taken several wounds while clashing head-on with Finn, a Level 6. Shallow cuts leaked bright crimson, the blood merging with her hair and amplifying her bloodthirsty appearance.
"..."
Ais answered with steel instead of words. In the blink of an eye, she unleashed a violent storm of thrusts. The red-haired woman met her without yielding. Blades clashed, carving shallow trails of blood across both their skin.
In the dim crystal light, sparks burst as metal collided again and again.
Ais was being pushed back. Against that monstrous strength, even with her Magic-boosted abilities, she was completely overpowered. The greatsword repeatedly tore through her Wind Armor, leaving fresh wounds across her body.
Fighting as they advanced, the two finally reached the end of the path. Ahead of them was a sheer natural cliff.
Ais's battle fervor only grew stronger. If this woman knew the name Aria, then she was tied to Ais's deepest vow. There was no way she could let her escape.
Ais's heart roared like a storm-tossed sea. With her resolve burning, the wind around her grew fiercer and faster. Every strike she unleashed was worthy of the title Sword Princess.
The red-haired woman, already injured, frowned as she faced this overwhelming momentum.
The next moment.
Without the slightest warning, a sharp cracking sound echoed out.
The slender sword in Ais's hand snapped like an overstretched string. When the blades collided, the makeshift weapon burst into countless shards.
Ais froze for an instant. She had forgotten that this slender blade wasn't her own Desperate. Under the combined strain of her wind and repeated impacts, of course it couldn't endure.
The cloud of fragments scattered like starving beasts, greedily drinking the flowing crimson. Their once-clear edges grew cloudy.
In that last surviving glint of cold light, the red-haired woman curled her lips into a sinister smile.
...
For more chapters, feel free to follow me on P@treon.
(70 Chapters Ahead)
[email protected]/PinkSnake