"If the battle against the Spirit drags on, we'll be at a crushing disadvantage."
"Haruhime's Uchide no Kozuchi only lasts for ten minutes."
"Our Rune Stones won't hold out for more than five."
"If our confrontation with the Spirit exceeds that time limit, the ten-minute window for level boosts will end, and we'll lose all means to fight it."
The final battle would be brief—only ten minutes.
But that was exactly the time Finn had firmly decided on.
Once those ten minutes passed, their trump cards would become useless, and they'd lose the power to resist the Spirit.
That's why they had to end it within ten minutes—no matter what.
"According to Cassandra's intel, the Spirit can use magic. That's practically a nightmare for us."
"Even if the Spirit has been devoured or corrupted, it's still not a monster. It's still a Spirit."
"When facing the Spirit's magic, what we need isn't defense—but a full-on assault."
Finn made the decision to abandon defense altogether.
"You're cutting off our only retreat?"
Riveria muttered, but she still agreed with the plan.
"It's a necessary call. The Spirit has a massive advantage in magic. It can cast all sorts of spells and has destructive power beyond reason."
"Trying to defend against an opponent that vastly outmatches us is no different from suicide."
Defensive strategies only make sense when both sides are evenly matched.
If you're clearly outclassed and still choose a conservative defense, you're just handing the initiative over to the enemy.
Now that they knew the Spirit could use magic, clinging to a defensive plan would be outright foolish.
"When facing a powerful enemy, the right move is to abandon everything and go all in."
Riveria made her stance clear.
"Exactly. Choosing a drawn-out battle against something that outclasses us is a mistake. Since the Spirit can use magic, all we need to do is attack relentlessly so it doesn't get a chance to cast."
Gareth was thinking the same thing.
"Didn't think we'd all be on the same page at a time like this."
Finn let out a breath, then his tone turned serious.
"Ais, you'll land the final blow on the Spirit."
"You're the best suited for it right now."
A regular warrior wouldn't be enough to bring down the Spirit. Compared to magic users, their destructive power was lacking.
But Riveria and Lefiya couldn't take on that role either. They had the magical firepower to hurt the Spirit—but not the opportunity.
The time needed to chant a spell would give the Spirit enough chances to kill them several times over.
Only Ais, with her powerful yet fast-casting magic, could take the lead.
Her spell, Ariel, was a short-chant, high-impact magic. And as a warrior herself, Ais was far more suited to deal with the Spirit than Riveria or Lefiya.
"I understand."
Ais gave a slight nod, her expression unwavering as she calmly accepted her task.
With the main attacker settled, it was time to assign the rest.
"Raul, you'll be protecting Riveria and Lefiya."
"Captain, what about Haruhime?"
Raul readily accepted his role, but when Finn didn't mention Haruhime after a moment, he thought perhaps it had slipped the captain's mind—so he brought it up.
But Finn shook his head slightly.
"Haruhime's safety isn't something to worry about."
"I've already spoken to Bell-kun about it. He's set up a camp on the 50th floor as the trigger location for her 'Substitute Straw Doll.' As long as Haruhime is fatally attacked right after casting her magic, the doll will activate and keep her safe."
Haruhime's safety had always been Finn's top concern. Her magic was one-of-a-kind—whether or not there would ever be another like it, Finn doubted it.
So whether it was to preserve Loki Familia's remaining strength or to help them grow stronger, Haruhime's safety had to be assured.
Fortunately, Bell hadn't been overly strict about this, which lightened Finn's burden significantly.
"Bete, Tiona, Tione, Gareth, and I will clear the path ahead. No matter what it takes, we'll get Ais in front of the Spirit."
Finn's resolve was unmistakable.
This battle against the Spirit gave them only one chance. No matter the cost, they had to take it down.
"Everyone has one of those, so make sure you die properly if it comes to that."
"Broken arms and legs will only hinder your combat ability. If you can't escape, choose to die once."
Finn made the call without hesitation.
Thanks to the 'Substitute Straw Doll,' one death could be nullified. Instead of risking serious injury, it was better to use that safeguard when it really mattered.
Under normal circumstances, Finn would never make such a choice. The value of the 'Substitute Straw Doll' was obvious. But the situation this time was far too grave.
There was no point in hoarding treasure if you couldn't use it when it mattered most.
"Bete, you need to prepare yourself."
"Me?"
"Cassandra saw you using magic in her dream."
"!?"
Bete's face instantly twisted in discomfort.
That magic was his greatest wound—something he had refused to use, refused even to look at.
The chant itself felt like a cruel mockery.
But Finn's words couldn't be ignored. Cassandra's prophetic dreams revealed glimpses of the future.
Finn understood Bete's pain and knew why he rejected magic. But his power was essential to push forward.
"Bete..."
"I know. It's a special situation."
Bete clenched his teeth. He didn't want to chant that spell, but he knew—this might be something he couldn't escape.
That hated magic was one of the keys to moving forward. No matter how much he resented it, he had to accept it.
Coming to terms with it wouldn't happen overnight—but there wasn't much time left.
"Finn, I'll need the time and a chance."
Seeing Bete accept it, Finn gave a small nod.
"I understand. I'll make that chance for you."