"Pupupupupupu"
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The short sword in his hand danced nimbly among the horde of monsters, swirling and flashing with the sound of air being torn apart, shattering and dismembering countless monsters in an instant.
Every strike was precise, sharp, and clean, without the slightest hesitation, as if the sword itself were a spirit, accompanying Fron's graceful and composed movements, naturally becoming the protagonist on this cruel stage of slaughter.
"So… so strong. He can shatter a monster's magic stone with a single strike, without even needing a second hit."
"Uh… but according to the information I got from the Guild, the Night Weaver's original role is supposed to be a rear-guard mage, right?"
Hearing Lante's words, the members of Artemis' Familia groaned speechlessly.
"A mage? Don't joke around! With the skills and experience he's showing right now, I'd believe it if you said he was a warrior!"
"He… he seems to be a Level 5 mage."
"Could it be… has Orario given birth to another new 'Monster'?"
"What a monster. Whether it's that Sword Princess or the Night Weaver, why is it that Loki Familia always produces these outrageous irregulars?"
The Artemis Familia members were completely dumbfounded by now. Having fought outside the city for years, how could they ever compare to someone who slaughtered monsters with such overwhelming ease?
Their highest-level adventurer, Rethusa, was only Level 3. Compared to a Level 5, the gap was far too great.
Fron's arrival was like a wolf entering a flock of sheep, producing a terrifying effect.
Sensing the immense life force within him, the monsters, driven by some primal instinct, instantly abandoned their other opponents and swarmed toward him.
"Just Level 1 monsters… killing you is no different than slaughtering chickens."
As he felt the enemies change formation and encircle his battlefield, Fron narrowed his eyes.
The corner of his lips curved upward into a mocking smile. His slaughter grew even swifter, and at the same time, he revealed one of Orario's highest-level techniques, Concurrent Chanting!
"[O earth, groan, !]"
With one sword strike, he split a charging scorpion in half, and at the same time, began reciting the incantation of magic.
"[Come, O crust of the earth, treasure of black steel, hammer of falling stars, covenant of reversal and creation! Burn the heavens, shatter the earth, raise a bridge between sky and land! Descend, axe of the sky, calamity of destruction! In the name of the executor, accept my will! I am the incarnation of the earth spirit, king of the land, !]"
"..."
Amidst the cold slaughter of the monster horde, Fron finished reciting the super-long incantation of a wide-area annihilation spell in less than ten seconds!
"C-can someone tell me… what the hell is this!?"
At that moment, whether Hermes Familia, Artemis Familia, or even the two deities themselves, they all widened their divine eyes in shock!
The magic array unfolding beneath Fron's feet grew brighter with his movements, and as the adventurers watched, their hearts surged with waves of awe and terror.
Only Ryu, who also possessed top-level concurrent chanting, could remain somewhat calm, though even she was shaken by Fron's overwhelming speed.
"Concurrent Chanting… a high-level mage technique. His mastery of it has reached the absolute peak. In all of Orario, this might not just be top-class, it could very well be the strongest."
"..."
"..."
"..."
Even Hermes and Artemis exchanged looks.
"I'm actually a little jealous of Loki right now…"
"You'd better not be thinking anything you shouldn't."
Artemis warned the male god warily.
"Heh… don't be ridiculous, Artemis. You don't seriously think I'd try something, do you? You may have heard what a miserable end Apollo met, right? I have no intention of becoming the laughingstock of the other gods and ruining my reputation!"
...
Rethusa, Lante, and the others stared wide-eyed, their mouths agape, watching Fron's flawless, breathtaking combat. Their minds briefly shut down.
"Not only concurrent chanting, but the very highest level of it…"
"The problem isn't just concurrent chanting, it's his absurdly fast chanting speed! How can an adventurer even use such a technique? Don't make me laugh!"
As a part-mage herself, Ryu fell silent for a moment before speaking hesitantly.
"As far as I know… that kind of magical technique isn't something mortals can even learn, let alone use."
"Not even the royal elf could do it."
Ryu and Asfi exchanged glances, their delicate faces twisting.
"Jeez… just how strong does this guy intend to become before he's satisfied!? Is this because of the expedition? What on earth happened during this time that let him master such a broken ability?"
Setting aside the surrounding people's shock and trembling, Fron swung his blade downward in a sharp strike, annihilating the enemies around him. Then, with a light tap of his toe, he leapt into the defensive circle.
Immediately, a gigantic dark-purple magic array eight meters in diameter unfolded beneath his feet, swirling with depth.
In that moment, the mana in the air transformed into fluttering spirits, joyfully converging on the man's body. In mere moments, the terrifying magic power had shifted from brewing to bursting!
"Rethusa! Asfi! Get everyone back, this is going to be a super bombardment!"
"Everyone, fall back to the main formation! Hurry!"
"Yes!!"
The adventurers holding the battle lines weren't fools. Seeing the terrifying array Fron had deployed and feeling the shocking surge of magical energy, they immediately retreated the moment their commanders gave the order.
Once everything was ready, the young man's face showed a long-lost smile.
"[Falling Meteors, !!!]"
The fallen spirit's ultra-high-speed chant and wide-area annihilation spell erupted in that place, at that time, with that protagonist, yet in exactly the same form as before!
As his chant reached its climax, a massive fifty-meter-wide magic circle unfolded high in the sky, its dazzling mana echoing with Fron's power on the ground.
"BOOOOOOOOM, !!!"
The next second, a dense rain of meteors composed of magic turned the area where the monster horde stood into a wasteland of doomsday.
The earth quaked, deafening roars assaulted the ears.
The sky was covered by the enormous array, while the ground was drowned beneath blinding clouds of dust.
The vast forest within sight was annihilated in the blink of an eye, transformed into a desolate land of scorched ruin.
Soaked in calamity-like mana, the aftermath was even more thorough than the lifeless gray wastelands left behind by the ancient monster Antares.