*BOOM!*
Amid the shockwave and thunderous blast within the green, flesh-like passage, dust surged upward like fire behind the horde of man-eating flower monsters, forming what looked like a small mushroom cloud.
In the midst of that earth-shaking explosion, two figures burst out from the rising smoke—one wielding a thin crystal sword, apparently in pursuit of the other, who held a battered greatsword while being flung backward, trying to escape the assault as both of them shot through the dust, locked in combat even in midair.
Naturally, their sudden appearance not only drew the attention of the monsters but also that of every adventurer present.
"Riezel!"
Ais called out as she saw the two figures soaring through the air—the one in front was Riezel himself.
Having just charged into the monster horde, Riezel had somehow bypassed them entirely and struck at someone standing behind them.
Now, that person was clearly caught off guard, forced into a desperate clash against his relentless offensive.
*Clang!* *Cling!* *Clang!* *Cling!*
A sharp series of metallic clashes rang out when the two figures—one attacking, one defending—traded blows as they flew over the monsters.
Blades flashed, steel met steel, and the sound of rushing wind and exploding sparks filled the air.
Every adventurer watching could see the dazzling spectacle of swordlight scattering through the smoky battlefield.
"Who's that?"
Guarded closely by the members of Hermes Familia, Asfi sliced through several lunging tendrils with her fine dagger, while in her other hand, she clutched a strange bottle like a grenade, turning her sharp gaze toward the sky.
Asfi tried to get a clear look at the enemy fighting Riezel, but because the enemy's strength was astonishing, even though pushed back by his fierce onslaught, they still managed to retreat swiftly through the air—the dazzling flashes of swordlight around them obscured their form completely, leaving even her, a Level 4 Second-Class Adventurer, unable to catch their face.
Even Ais, acting on instinct, could not see the enemy's features clearly, but she knew one thing for sure: the enemy was no ordinary fighter.
Why?
Mainly because anyone capable of deflecting Riezel's fierce attacks and trading evenly in such swordplay had to be a First-Class Adventurer.
"First-Class Adventurer...?"
Ais made this judgment aloud, preparing to charge forward and assist Riezel.
Among everyone present, only the city's strongest swordswoman had the ability to intervene in such a battle, after all.
Unfortunately, the monsters would not allow it.
*SCREEECH!*
With a deafening screech, the man-eating flower monsters suddenly turned as if receiving an unseen command, abandoning the members of the Hermes Familia and swarming straight toward Ais.
"What the—!"
"They're charging at the Sword Princess?!"
"Watch out!"
Seeing the monsters converging on Ais, the members of the Hermes Familia froze for a second before shouting in alarm.
"STOP THEM!"
Asfi barked an order while hurling the bottle she held, which shattered against one of the monsters' heads.
*BOOM!*
In the next instant, the bottle exploded, releasing a wave of searing flames that engulfed the monster, making it shriek in agony.
It was one of the many magic items crafted by Perseus herself, called 'Burst Oil'—an explosive weapon made by refining a volcanic plant from the northern volcanic crater to the north of Orario—its power was similar to that of the magic shells used by the Oasis Knights in Sinielle.
Burst Oil, which only Asfi could create, was lethal even in small amounts, capable of killing mid-level monsters outright—and when adding her other exclusive high-powered magic items, Asfi, though only Level 4, could sometimes display a threat level rivaling a First-Class Adventurer.
In battle, she was often more troublesome than many of them.
Now, facing a horde of monsters, she unleashed her full strength as Perseus, wielding her magic items with deadly precision.
"HOLD THEM BACK!"
""HAAAHHH—!""
At Asfi's order, the members of the Hermes Familia rushed forward—some slashing with blades, others raising shields to block the monsters' charge.
Thanks to them, Ais, though surrounded and assailed by countless tendrils, continued darting across the ground and through the air, her golden eyes sharp and calm.
Her silver sword drew arcs of cold light as she severed tendrils and heads alike, cutting down the monsters one by one.
*BOOM!*
At the same time, the enemy pursued by Riezel was finally forced to stop, crashing hard against a green, flesh-like wall.
"Tch!"
Right after clicking their tongue sharply, the enemy swung their greatsword forward in defiance—a strike heavy and fast enough to crush anything in its path.
However, instead of retreating, Riezel stepped in boldly.
*DING!*
Fool flashed, deflecting the battered greatsword aside—sparks flew as wind gusted past, ruffling Riezel's bangs, yet nothing could hide the cold, piercing focus in his eyes, sharp enough to seem as though it could penetrate flesh itself.
*BANG!*
In one fluid motion, Riezel twisted his body and kicked, landing a perfect spinning blow squarely on his enemy's face and sending them flying.
"Maximize Magic - Fireball."
Riezel pointed a finger toward the airborne enemy and cast offensive magic without hesitation.
A massive fireball, even larger than the one that had earlier blown apart the flesh wall blocking the passage—larger than Riezel himself—formed at his fingertip.
*Whoosh!*
Like a burning meteor, the fireball shot forward, trailing a blazing tail across the air—the sight resembled a falling star descending from the heavens—bright, fiery, and utterly destructive.
Facing the incoming fireball, the enemy's voice rang out, filled with rage.
"DON'T UNDERESTIMATE ME!"
Snarling, the enemy threw away their greatsword and drove a fist straight into the oncoming fireball.
*BOOM!*
A deafening explosion shook the air as fire surged and spread outward in waves, the blast radius shockingly vast.
*SCREEEEEECH—!!!*
Several nearby man-eating flower monsters were caught in the explosion, screaming in agony as their bodies burned.
*Hisss!*
Meanwhile, the green flesh-like walls, ceiling, and floor all sizzled as the flames licked them, writhing like living organisms being roasted alive.
Although Fireball was merely a 3rd-Tier Magic, it was a wide-range offensive magic, so even if it fell short of Tactical-Class Magic, its destructive coverage was formidable.
Despite being only Level 5, Riezel's extraordinarily high MAG, combined with the Mage and Magic Chant development abilities and the multiplier effect from Pioneer of the Sun, allowed his Fireball to strike with the attack power of a Level 7.
Had he not deactivated the effects of his many mystical artifacts—including Morgan's Ring—the blast would have been even stronger.
Under the assault of the 'Maximize Magic - Fireball,' not only was the intended target engulfed, but the surrounding monsters and flesh walls were also caught in the inferno, writhing and screaming as they burned.
Riezel landed gracefully, eyes narrowing slightly as he watched the firestorm devour everything before him.
"Come out."
A glint of light flashed across his eyes as Riezel spoke calmly, as though seeing through the flames themselves.
"Such a magic spell wouldn't have killed someone like you. I'd suggest you stop hiding in there."
"Otherwise…"
Riezel raised his finger again.
"I'll make the next one strong enough to see if you can still block it with your fists."
A heavy silence settled over the battlefield.
All the man-eating flower monsters still roared and thrashed, forcing Ais and the members of the Hermes Familia to keep fighting amidst the endless tangle of tendrils.
Meanwhile, the flames seemed to recede, gradually dying out across the quivering flesh-like walls.
Soon, a curvaceous silhouette stepped out from the lingering flames.
"…You seem to know me quite well, abominable adventurer."
A chilling, venomous voice accompanied the appearance of a red-haired woman.
*Spit!*
Right after speaking, she spat out a mouthful of blood and wiped her lips with the back of her hand.
Now, her outfit was torn to shreds, her body covered in burns and soot, making her look utterly battered. Her right hand, the one she had used to punch the fireball, was nothing but mangled flesh.
*Drip—Drip—*
Blood dripped steadily from her mangled hand, staining the ground beneath her feet, yet the red-haired woman didn't flinch.
"I underestimated you."
Speaking coldly, the red-haired woman, who was none other than Revis, had her eyes glowing with a crimson murderous light as she stared at Riezel.
Around her, more man-eating flower monsters began to emerge one after another.
===
[A bonus chapter for every 500 Power Stones.]
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