That power, called Level boost, blossomed!
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"Hahaha, good, very good, excellent, I'm very satisfied, this feeling of being filled with power all over my body!"
A burst of frog-like laughter echoed from the dark warehouse.
"Clang, clang, clang, clang, clang."
A series of earth-shaking footsteps approached from the distance, and finally a towering figure emerged from the darkness, standing before Ais.
"Do it!"
In the next instant, as the female giant, over two meters tall, appeared before Ais, the sharp, commanding voice of a heroine resounded through the air. Then, those black shadows perched atop the surrounding buildings leapt into the sky!
"----- "
Ais drew her sword and held it before her, assuming a battle-ready stance, eyes sharp and wary as she watched the enemies moving to encircle her.
"What!?" However, to her surprise, they didn't charge at her, instead, they rushed toward her nearby companions!
"We absolutely cannot let them attack our Familia members." With that thought, Ais moved.
Her silver rapier flashed with white light; her golden hair fluttered wildly behind her as the girl became one with the wind. In the blink of an eye, she was standing directly in front of the enemy formation.
"Hahaha, don't worry about her! That one's mine, hmhmhm! We've got plenty of old scores to settle!"
"Hmph."
The leader, a woman with a veil covering her face, glanced at the giantess and the Sword Princess, then gave a cold snort and tried to break past Ais interception.
It was at that moment that Ais finally saw the descending enemy forces clearly.
'Though their faces are covered, there's no mistaking it, they're Amazons. Don't tell me... the Kali Familia had an ambush hidden here too?'
Amazoness warriors, the moment Ais saw them, she immediately recalled the enemies her side had been fighting before.
"Let's go!"
"Don't you dare leave!"
"Hahaha, you're mine, Sword Princess!"
A shrill sound tore through the air overhead, a massive single-edged axe, fit for the female giant's size, was swinging down.
Forget a human, even a large-type monster would be cleaved clean in two by such a blow.
"Die! I'll smash that doll face of yours to pieces!"
A huge shadow loomed over Ais from behind, engulfing her entire form, but with extraordinary reflexes and combat experience, she abandoned pursuit of the other enemies and dodged the fatal strike in the nick of time.
With a light tap of her toes and a sidestep, Ais' body seemed almost weightless as she narrowly avoided the giant's deadly swing.
Crash!
The massive axe smashed into the ground, shattering the neatly laid stone pavement of the port as if it were fragile wood. Dust and shards of rock burst into the air; a piercing gust scraped across her cheek as Ais senses blared in alarm.
Taking advantage of the moment when the enemy's old strength had not yet faded and new power hadn't yet gathered, Ais quickly opened the distance, her wrist flicking the sword forward, turning sideways to face her opponent.
It was a textbook military combat stance.
"Hahaha, what's wrong, Sword Princess? You look so timid, not like you at all. Where's that arrogant little girl I remember?"
"Clang, clang, clang…"
The sound of armor grinding echoed alongside tremors that shook the earth. Within the swirling dust, a massive, giant-like figure wavered, its form gradually coming into focus as it approached.
Shock.
In Ais beautiful golden eyes, astonishment flickered as she saw something that shouldn't have appeared here.
The enemy standing directly before her wasn't from the Kali Familia, it was a massive woman over two meters tall, her entire body encased in armor.
The armor she wore gleamed with a nauseating, eerie crimson sheen. Her arms, thicker than Ais thighs, gripped two huge single-bladed battle axes that matched her size.
A full suit of knight's armor, completely sealed from head to toe, with not even a gap at the joints.
Even under the faint moonlight, the refined metallic luster of the armor made it clear that it was incredibly sturdy. With her adventurer's experience, Ais could easily tell it was top-tier equipment, no, if she considered the person's identity, it had to be first-class adventurer-grade gear.
Such luxurious equipment fit her body perfectly, clearly a custom-made set tailored precisely to her immense form.
Either way, that armor had completely fused with its wearer, it was almost an extension of her body.
Looking at the grotesquely fat, muscular, and burly figure before her, along with that unique "hahaha" laughter, Ais was instantly reminded of a clumsy eastern "clay doll" she had once seen in an antique shop while searching for famous swords.
Though the thought felt somewhat rude... she knew this person. In fact, she had encountered her more than once.
"The captain of the Ishtar Familia, the 'Androctonus,' Phryne Jamil!"
And her level, was Lv.5!
Since the captain of the Ishtar Familia herself had appeared here, it was now obvious who the other dark shadows attacking her companions must be.
The Berbera.
This realization filled Ais with quiet anxiety. Dealing with the Kali Familia alone was already troublesome enough, but if a major faction from Orario like the Ishtar Familia was also involved, then... there was no way she could spare any strength to rescue Lefiya or locate Tione and Tiona, whose whereabouts were still unknown.
"Hahahahaha! I didn't think I'd be exposed so soon! I thought I could stay hidden a bit longer. Looks like you've been missing me, huh? You recognized me even in full armor, must be because I'm just too beautiful, right? What a sin!"
"But meeting here like this... you've fallen for my beauty again, haven't you, Sword Princess?"
"..." Beautiful?
Ais tilted her head blankly, her mind flickering through memories, especially recalling Fron's aesthetic standards.
When she compared them to the woman standing before her, Phryne... she couldn't help but feel the contrast was staggering.
But this was not the time to lose focus. Ais delicate face grew stern, her eyes sharp with vigilance as she raised her sword, its tip leveled straight at her foe. Her voice was steady and cold.
"Ishtar Familia, why are you here in Melen Town? Were those Violas your doing? What exactly are you planning? Why are you working with the Kali Familia to attack us?"
At those words, Phryne let out a few booming laughs, then suddenly shifted her tone. With a thunderous step forward, she leaned in, her short neck stretching out. Behind her helmet, her fierce eyes glowed red, and even through the armor, Ais could feel the monstrous Amazon's savage grin spreading wide.