Orange-red flames engulfed Andares. Amid its shrill, agonized screeching, a long-haired female swordswoman strode out of the blaze, a one-handed sword in her right hand. Her crimson high ponytail swayed within the fire, and her confidence and brightness were written so plainly across her face that anyone could guess her personality at a glance.
And the dancing flames were no mere metaphor—her entire body was wreathed in fire. Whatever skill she was using, the flames did her no harm at all. If anything, they only lent her an even more commanding, martial aura.
"Wind of Light!"
As the fire gradually died down, it was replaced by a rain of green-glowing projectiles that poured from above, slamming into Andares and driving the monster back into the dust before it had fully crawled out of the flames.
"Alise! You're moving too fast!"
A clear voice tinged with exasperation rang out as a blonde elf leapt down into the cavern as well, landing beside the red-haired swordswoman with a complaint.
"Sorry, sorry—but my sense of justice told me someone down here needed help. More importantly, those two over there probably need you to heal them, Ryuu. I'll keep that monster occupied."
The woman named Alise flashed a bright grin, utterly unmoved by the elf's irritation.
"Those two… isn't that Letsa from the Artemis Familia? Where are the others? And who is that child?"
Ryuu swept her gaze toward the direction Alise was pointing and cried out in surprise.
"How would I know? But they're in bad shape. Go treat them first. Take my potions too."
Alise pulled two stamina potions from the pouch at her waist and shoved them into Ryuu's hands before spinning her sword and charging straight at the monster.
"…Honestly."
Ryuu let out a quiet sigh, but she had no intention of arguing further. Saving lives came first, and after all these years, if Alise were the type to heed warnings, she would have changed long ago. Ryuu knew her companion too well for that.
"May the song of the distant forest, the hymn of life long past, bestow the mercy of healing upon the one who seeks it. Noah Heal."
The first person Ryuu reached was Duncan. She wasted no time, immediately chanting her magic in a low voice. Moments later, a crystal-clear green light enveloped him.
"Are you alright?"
Once she confirmed that the spell had taken effect, Ryuu uncorked a recovery potion from her pouch and carefully poured it into Duncan's mouth. Her healing magic might have been more effective overall than a potion, but when it came to speed of recovery, it was still slightly inferior.
The numb body that had all but lost sensation began visibly repairing itself. After he swallowed the potion, his utterly exhausted frame revived with astonishing speed, like parched earth drinking in a spring rain.
"That was brewed by Amid herself. Effective, isn't it?"
Seeing the astonishment in Duncan's eyes, Ryuu gave a faint smile.
"Pah—who are you people?"
Spitting out the foul blood lingering in his mouth, Duncan looked at the blonde elf standing before him.
"We're from the Astraea Familia. The Guild sent us an emergency request to reinforce you. Didn't the letter tell you to suspend the search for the time being…? You're Level 3?"
Ryuu had started out half-chiding him, but when she realized his level while healing him, her eyes widened in shock.
"My fault. You can blame me as much as you want after this is over. Right now, please help Letsa. Also, Lady Artemis and the others should still be buried under the rubble. I'm going to assist that woman over there."
Duncan pulled himself free from the rock wall he had been embedded in, retrieved his fallen spear, and tested its weight. The weapon, like his battered body, had been damaged in multiple places, but the moment his fingers closed around it, power still flowed through the shaft.
"Don't be ridiculous. You're not fully healed yet. Alise is Level 4—she doesn't need your help for now. I'll go treat Letsa. Don't move."
Perhaps because Duncan still looked so young, the proud elf—normally cold toward men—had visibly softened somewhat. His being a Level 3 at such an age had already shocked her enough, and what he had just said stirred a complicated feeling of resistance in her. Still, she suppressed it and hurried toward Letsa.
The healing magic was still taking effect, and just as Ryuu had said, Alise alone was handling Andares with ease for the moment. Granted, Duncan and Letsa had already worn the monster down, but the disparity in raw physical ability between a Level 4 and a Level 3 was still unmistakable.
Her movements were faster, more fluid. Her control over her own strength was leagues above what either Duncan or Letsa could manage. And above all, her flaming attacks hit with tremendous force—every blow that landed on Andares burst into explosive fire. Judging by how untroubled Alise looked, either her command over her own power far exceeded Duncan's, or the skill or magic she was using consumed very little mental energy.
But advantage had yet to turn into victory. Though Andares was being suppressed by Alise's flames, its terrifying regenerative ability meant that even if its limbs were completely severed, they regenerated almost immediately. Worse, the crimson magic-vein patterns that Duncan had nearly depleted earlier were gradually reappearing.
Even without the pipeline-like tendrils that had once been connected to its body, this thing was still drawing magic from the underground.
At that realization, Duncan could no longer afford to worry about his physical state. Once he confirmed that he could move—barely—he gripped his spear and rushed back into the battle.
"This thing is such a damned cheat!"
After severing Andares's tail yet again, even the ever-cheerful Alise couldn't help but complain aloud. Since arriving, she had already cut off over a dozen of its limbs, yet they kept regenerating as though there were no end to them. As an adventurer, she could tell by instinct that the red magic-vein lines covering the monster were deeply troublesome—but with Ryuu busy healing the wounded, Alise couldn't afford to cut loose recklessly.
"Sorry for the wait. Its weak point is the raised section of its upper body—there's a blue crystal inside, like a magic stone. If we destroy that, it should die. But the defense around that area is absurdly strong, and it can gather all its magic there to reinforce it. Even if I cut off its flow of magic, unless you hit it with the power of a top-tier adventurer, breaking through its defense is going to be hard."
Duncan came up beside Alise and gave the information in a rapid rush.
"Oh! Kid, you've recovered already?!"
"Not that fast. But if we drag this out any longer, it'll get worse. It can absorb magic from underground. The longer this goes on, the more dangerous it becomes. It can manipulate gravity over a wide area, and it has that earth-spike attack that can completely reshape the battlefield. A drawn-out fight is the last thing we—"
"So all we need is power on the level of a first-class adventurer to smash that upper body, right?"
Alise cut straight across Duncan's tactical analysis and asked the question that mattered most.
"…Yes."
"Good. Then you cut off its magic, and I'll smash that nasty body of its to pieces."
Alise showed no curiosity whatsoever about the exact nature of Duncan's ability. The moment he offered his analysis, she was already ready to act.
"…I can only cut it off for ten seconds."
"That's enough."
....
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