"Found it."
A god's aura was simply too conspicuous. Bell quickly locked onto Thanatos's presence—and also noticed that the other god who had been traveling with the group had already slipped away, rushing at high speed toward Thanatos's location.
"Looks like only chaos can bring two gods together this quickly."
That was a good thing.
Bell's lips curved slightly as he stepped forward in the direction where the two gods were converging.
This time he didn't bother concealing his presence. Instead, he walked forward in an ordinary state, carefully controlling his footsteps as he advanced.
...
"Eyes up front! Spirit Soldiers incoming!"
Finn directed the battlefield, his sharp gaze immediately locking onto the 'Spirit Soldiers' rushing toward them.
Behind him, Lefiya had already completed her chant.
"Fusillade Fallarica!"
A massive storm of flaming arrows burst from Lefiya's wand, unleashed in a "zero-zero-three" formation, firing in a wide, almost indiscriminate spread.
Explosions erupted in rapid succession, bursting a cloud of dust into the air.
But this time, unlike the earlier human bombs, things weren't so simple. From within the dust, pairs of eerie, cold-glinting eyes stared back.
Three shadows scattered and shot toward Lefiya simultaneously.
Seeing this, Lefiya bit down hard. The enormous drain on her magic power left her breath painfully dry and burning in her throat.
But she didn't retreat like an ordinary mage. Instead, she lifted her wand and shifted sideways while beginning a new chant.
"In the name of Wishe, I make my wish—ancestors of the forest, noble kin. Hear my voice and descend upon the plains."
A peculiar halo flared around Lefiya, enveloping her.
At the same time, the three Spirit Soldiers closed in with frightening speed.
'So fast!'
Lefiya felt a jolt of fear, but her reaction was immediate. Her hand shot into her pouch, pulled out her 'Exclusive Enhancement' rune stone, and crushed it.
Radiance burst across her body, instantly elevating her speed by an entire tier.
Thanks to that boost, she dodged the Spirit Soldiers before they could reach her.
Her eyes tracked their movements as she shifted positions rapidly, all while continuing her chant.
"Bond of fellowship, pact of revelry. Circle and dance—come, ring of fairies, lend me your strength!"
An elven ring manifested around her, moving with her steps.
This ring granted her a special right: under specific conditions, she could use the magic of other elves.
So Lefiya continued.
"Harbinger of the end, pure white snow. At the edge of dusk, stir the raging winds.
"Sealed light, frozen earth. Let snowstorm fall—third winter's chill."
This was Riveria's magic. And Lefiya was now nearing the end of its chant.
A massive surge of magic poured into her wand. In the center of the amplifying magic crystal, a magic circle began to spin.
"Whoosh!"
The three Spirit Soldiers instantly changed formation, attacking from three different angles.
Lefiya wasn't surprised.
She knew this magic had a fixed direction. Fast enemies like these were the hardest to hit with directional magic.
Even if she managed to strike one by luck, the remaining two would kill her.
So she had only one option—hit all three at once.
Which meant her attack could only aim in one place.
Lefiya pointed her wand at the ground.
"My name is Alf!"
"Wynn Fimbulvetr!"
A torrent of frigid wind erupted from the wand's magic crystal, instantly freezing the ground beneath Lefiya into a layer of ice as the spreading magic surged outward.
The three Spirit Soldiers had already accelerated too close to her—and because of that, they suffered the full force of the freezing spell.
The expanding cold flash-froze the three Spirit Soldiers right in front of her.
Three lifelike ice sculptures took form, displaying just how terrifying Lefiya's magic truly was.
This moment alone proved the overwhelming strength Lefiya now possessed.
Unlike the old her—who only held devastating magic but lacked courage and practical experience—today she was not only a mage but a proper warrior.
Three Level 5 Spirit Soldiers had been frozen solid by just two rounds of magical bombardment.
Such Excelia would undoubtedly push Lefiya's level forward…
Multiple volleys of magic, combined with the 'Exclusive Enhancement,' had drawn out every drop of her training's results.
But even with such success, Lefiya was completely spent.
Massive magic depletion, severe physical strain, and a parched, burning throat left her unable to make a sound. She could only remain standing in the posture she'd cast her spell in.
"Ha… ha…"
Each breath felt like tearing pain, yet she needed to inhale desperately to recover from the overwhelming strain.
The wild extraction of magic had left her mentally exhausted.
This was the first time she had willingly—and recklessly—overdrawn her magic power.
She had pushed herself past her limits.
Earlier, when the suicide soldiers swarmed in, she was the one who faced their charge.
Now, without even a moment of rest, three powerful Spirit Soldiers had rushed her at once. It was enough to kill anyone. Without overdrawing, she would have died the instant those three closed in.
Riveria watched Lefiya's hard-earned feat with a relieved smile.
She approached with an Elixir, lifted Lefiya's chin gently, and helped her drink.
"Gulp… gulp…"
Lefiya drained the entire vial quickly. With the Elixir's healing effects, the dryness and cracks in her throat vanished, and even her nearly exhausted spirit recovered slightly.
"Riveria… I… I really did grow… right…?"
Lefiya asked weakly, her voice still hoarse.
Riveria placed a hand on her head, her voice filled with sincere admiration.
"Yes. You've grown—far beyond what I imagined."
"Lefiya, you worked so hard."
"Mhm…"
Lefiya smiled in joy, tears welling up.
Those tears held no regret for her former weakness—only happiness at her own growth.