That's good.
Eiji let out a sigh of relief.
"Still, I didn't expect that corrupted spirit could grant magic too."
Eiji stared solemnly at the minotaur monster.
That sudden sense of danger earlier was likely due to this lightning-releasing magic.
Grant-type magic typically lacks the sheer destructive power of attack magic, but far surpasses it in versatility.
Ais's "Ariel" is a grant-type magic, capable of defense, offense, evasion, gliding, and more—its applications are endless.
Moreover, the most notable feature of such magic is its extremely short chant—often completed with just one verse—making it nearly impossible to guard against.
Whether it was the standby magic last time or this grant-type magic now, this Demi-Spirit always keeps a hidden card to lure opponents in for the kill.
Her combat intelligence is truly not to be underestimated!
"ROOOOAR!"
A deafening roar suddenly erupted.
The minotaur monster yanked its head from the wall, bellowing in fury.
"AAAAH!"
The female upper body of the monster suddenly screamed.
It seemed two wills coexisted within that creature.
Then abruptly—
The minotaur raised its hooves.
CRACKLE!
Violent lightning surged across its entire body, and terrifying heat concentrated in its two forelimbs.
Bad!
Eiji's expression tightened.
"Jump!"
Just as he prepared to move, Ais's sharp command came from beside him.
BOOM!
Stomp!
Stomp again!
Relentless stomping!
The minotaur continuously raised its hooves and slammed them down, again and again!
ZZZZZAP—!
Countless bolts of lightning erupted from its legs, flooding the entire chamber, transforming it into a sea of electricity.
The floor collapsed under the relentless impacts, while lightning engulfed the surroundings.
Raging winds and blinding arcs of electricity tore through the floor, walls, and ceiling! Metal, being the perfect conductor, turned the entire room into a death trap!
"Terrifying!"
Eiji hissed through his teeth.
Wind gathered beneath his feet, suspending him midair.
Ais hovered beside him, struggling to maintain the wind's stability.
If a Level 5's endurance tried to withstand that lightning storm, they'd be lucky to escape with anything less than severe injuries!
"Ahahaha!"
The Demi-Spirit's gaze locked onto the two floating in midair, her face suddenly breaking into a delighted smile.
"—Charge forth, spear of thunder! In the name of the proxy, I decree myself the Spirit of Thunder, the Avatar of Thunder, the Queen of Thunder!"
The minotaur gradually stilled.
But the upper body's woman began chanting a long-form spell!
"This bitch—she deliberately forced us into the air!"
Eiji's expression darkened dangerously.
"Dangerous!"
Ais's face paled as well.
What now?
In that instant, Eiji's mind raced, countless thoughts flashing through it.
The ground was a sea of lightning—landing meant certain death.
Yet keeping both of them airborne while moving swiftly was already straining Ais's limits. Given the Demi-Spirit's chanting speed, a full barrage of spells would be unavoidable. They'd witnessed firsthand just how devastating her magic could be back on the 59th floor!
At this distance, using Lightning Flash would be a joke, especially with her Thunder Armor and double tail defenses!
So strong!
This Ganesha doppelganger's power was almost on par with the Death Flower from the 59th floor!
But back then, it took the combined strength of the entire Loki Familia to barely defeat it. Now, it was just him and Ais.
A massive magic circle formed mid-air, its center aimed directly at the two floating figures.
No, no time to think!
The perilous situation left Eiji no room for contemplation—his instincts screamed wildly in his mind.
He discarded his twin blades and instantly manifested two cruciform greatswords.
Ais's eyes widened slightly.
This stance was—
"——Infinite Spiral Acceleration!"
Hesitation meant defeat!
In the blink of an eye, Eiji channeled all his strength and hurled both swords forward.
A flash erupted.
The twin streaks of light resembled binary stars passing through the night sky.
A deafening roar, far louder than before, echoed through half the artificial dungeon.
The air split like tidal waves, the surging currents transforming into a hurricane that ravaged the chamber, forcing Ais to brace herself with a full-powered wind barrier.
On the opposite side, the fallen spirit's upper body had vanished, the Minotaur monster crumbling to ashes inch by inch.
Two overlapping chasms gaped on the floor, plunging into unknown depths below.
An utterly terrifying finishing blow!
Ais unconsciously held her breath.
No matter how many times she witnessed it, this technique never failed to send shivers down her spine.
But at least the crisis was finally over.
Turning around, she lifted the unconscious boy onto her back and sprinted out of the chamber.
***
Meanwhile.
In the control room.
Both humans and gods stood frozen in dreadful silence.
Thanatos, Kali, Ishtar, Barca, and unexpectedly returned figures like Revis and Argana all stared dumbfounded at the largest water screen.
"...Hahaha, why did the Heavenly Bull lose to a mere Level 5? This makes no sense!"
Thanatos covered his face, manic laughter seeping through his fingers.
"At least send a few Level 6s!"
Losing to a single Level 5—didn't that make their prepared "merchandise" seem utterly pathetic?
"Tch!"
Argana and Bache simultaneously gasped, their eyes filled with terror.
"..."
Revis silently rubbed her arms, covered in goosebumps.
"My apologies, Ishtar. You had to witness such an embarrassing display."
Thanatos heaved a long sigh.
With this, their sponsorship was undoubtedly ruined. The Evilus would need to tighten their belts for a while.
"Embarrassing? What are you talking about?"
But Ishtar shot him a puzzled look, completely failing to grasp his meaning.
"Haven't we just discovered something extraordinarily beautiful?"
The dark-skinned goddess raised her head.
Her gaze burned with intensity, as if she'd stumbled upon a peerless treasure.
And at the end of her line of sight—
Was precisely the figure being carried by the Sword Princess.
"That boy—he's fascinating!"
...
"Ugh..."
A splitting headache pierced through his grogginess.
Eiji groaned, wanting to sink back into sleep, but the image of the artificial dungeon flashed through his mind, forcing his heavy eyelids open.
"You're awake?"
"That's wonderful!"
The moment he regained consciousness, two voices filled with joy and relief reached his ears.
Eiji glanced around.
This place resembled a hospital, and he was currently lying on a bed draped with white curtains.
By his bedside stood Ais, visibly relaxed, and Tiona, who was crying tears of happiness.
"Is this the Dian Cecht Familia?"
Eiji slowly pieced things together. "Wait, what about the battle?"
"It's already over," Ais replied softly.
"You've been unconscious for a whole day since Ais brought you out!" Tiona quickly added.
"What about everyone? The casualties?"
The moment he asked, both Ais and Tiona fell silent.
"Most of the injured have been treated. Finn's curse was lifted by Airmid too. As for the dead... there were four."