Saying that, she glanced again at Phryne, bruised beyond recognition, still being smacked repeatedly by Fron's blows, her screams fading into unconsciousness, then turned toward the warehouse's shadowed corner and shouted:
-------------------------
"Let's go, Haruhime. Our mission is complete. With these injuries, even if we failed, Lady Ishtar couldn't punish us, right?"
"B-but… Miss Aisha, are your injuries really okay!?"
"Don't worry. Do you think we're as frail as you? We're Berbera, you know. These little wounds, hiss… a few days of rest and we'll be fine."
"..." Haruhime looked anxiously at her friend who had been taking care of her, then stared blankly at the young man's back on the battlefield. Without realizing it, ripples began to form in her heart.
'If it were him… would he save me?'
As if sensing her gaze, Fron's hand, mid-slap, paused slightly. He turned his head toward the darkness.
Darkness could not obstruct the vision of a first-class adventurer, especially under the amplification of the "Reader."
Their eyes met, his in the shadows, hers beneath her hood.
Both showed subtle reactions. Fron smiled faintly and winked.
The golden-haired Renard's face instantly turned bright red, her whole body stiffening as if struck by lightning.
"Hey, Haruhime! What are you spacing out for? Hurry up and follow! Or we'll leave you here!"
"Ah! A-ah? S-sorry, Miss Aisha! I'm coming!" She jogged after the group, glancing back again and again.
Seeing her reaction, Fron understood the girl's feelings.
'So, the hero who saves her, huh? Too bad I'm no hero… but saving a girl doesn't necessarily need a hero, right?'
He loosened his grip and tossed the unconscious Phryne to the ground like a dead pig, then walked toward the beach, squatting down to wash his hands repeatedly.
"I'm not a clean freak, but just thinking about that woman makes me sick."
Muttering under his breath, he scrubbed his hands furiously, as if afraid of being contaminated.
...
"Heh, so that's all~." Loki's mischievous eyes slowly opened, her expression full of mockery and disdain toward the short war goddess.
That expression again!
Kali clenched her fists so tightly she nearly exploded in rage.
"Hmph, allies, huh? What allies!?" Knowing there was no saving the situation, Kali began to shift the blame.
"If it weren't for our allies being useless, would you have defeated the strongest warriors Telskyura trained!?"
"Cut it out. 'Strongest warrior'? Have you looked at what a mess your country's become? And you've got the nerve to brag?"
This time it wasn't disdain, it was outright contempt.
"What!? You, you prankster, what do you understand!? Only through bloodshed, slaughter, and battle can true warriors be forged! Mere Orario, "
"Oh-ho-ho, 'mere Orario'? You've got some nerve, shorty. Heh, as expected… the creatures I hate most are you self-righteous gods."
Who she was alluding to was unclear, but Loki's expression was obviously annoyed.
"Loki, is… is Finn and the others here yet?"
Beside her stood her only guard, none other than Riveria, who had come with her to meet Kali.
"Yeah, they're on their way. But your so-called ally, the one even more shameless than that flirt Freya, their entire familia's already been wiped out by Fron."
Even without divine senses, the silence after the thunderous explosions and sounds of battle made it obvious.
That was also why Kali didn't refute Loki's words.
As a war goddess, who could be more aware of the battle's outcome than her?
Even with all her prearranged tactics and splitting the battlefield into multiple fronts, defeat was inevitable.
Gracefully accepting her defeat, the short goddess let out a sigh and spoke:
"This time… I've lost. Hmph, take your familia back. But don't get cocky, next time we meet, the outcome might be different!"
"Heh, still putting on airs? Only one of our male members came, and he alone crushed your forces. You really think you'll stand a chance next time? Even you don't believe that."
Loki, in high spirits, kept verbally crushing the little war goddess. And though the situation favored Loki, Kali could only glare through the gaps of her bone mask, her fury almost tangible.
But Loki, being Loki, pretended not to notice and continued mocking her, fully displaying her mischievous divine nature.
...
The decisive battle between Fron and Phryne was over, meaning the enemy's formation had completely collapsed.
Now, with Loki's side freed up, two top-tier adventurers, Fron and Ais, rushed to support the remaining fronts.
Ais headed for the Sea Cave, where Tiona was battling Bache.
Fron, meanwhile, turned toward another chaotic battlefield.
And finally, at the floating arena on the lake,
"Fron! Give me a hand!"
Calling out to the young man clearing monsters, the golden-haired pallum gripped his Spear tightly, then shouted lowly and hurled it forward!
Whoosh!
The golden spear struck the ground in front of Argana, the surge of killing intent forcing her to stop and leap back, widening the distance between herself and Tione as she warily scanned her surroundings.
"How… how is that possible!? We're on the sea!"
"[Harbinger of the end, the white snow.]"
"[Blow with the wind before the twilight]"
"[Closing light, the freezing land]"
"[Blizzard, the three severe winters - my name is Alf.]"
"[Wynn Fimbulvetr, !!!]"
Winter was coming.
A northern wind howled through the summer night, chilling to the bone, especially cruel for Amazoness warriors, both in adaptation and in their scant attire.
"----"
Three spiraling snowstorms illuminated the lake's surface, and in an instant, the vast magic froze the water solid.
A bridge of ice stretched from the dock to the ship's deck before everyone's eyes!
This scene was beyond Argana's comprehension, she stood frozen, dumbfounded.
"Huff… huff…" Tione knelt on one knee, gasping heavily.
She was badly injured, but far from death. The Berserk skill had activated, forcibly extending her endurance in battle.
And at last, reinforcements arrived!
Under the moonlight, a small figure blurred, rushing forward faster than the eye could see, then lightly landed on the ship's deck.