The strongest presence here was Ottar from Freya Familia, the only Level 7 adventurer present.
The rest, like Finn and the others, were Level 6.
Most of the remaining fighters were Levels 4 and 5, with magicians being at least Level 3 or above. Nobody below Level 2 had come.
Not only would they be completely useless in a fight, they'd just get in the way.
That's why the only Level 3 adventurers present were magicians. Even at that level, a magician who had mastered their spells and could attack from a distance could contribute more than a warrior.
However, just as Alice had said, without a way to suppress the Black Dragon's regeneration, it didn't matter that all of Orario's top adventurers were gathered here.
There was simply no method to defeat the Black Dragon. The level disparity was just that severe.
As for relentlessly attacking to stack new injuries before the old ones could heal—that wasn't a particularly good plan either.
At the very least, Alice didn't believe attacks from magicians below Level 4 would have any effect on the Black Dragon.
Her own Magical Convergence Cannon definitely possessed power on par with Lefiya's full volley of Fire Javelins.
But even such a powerful blast was, to the Black Dragon, little more than dripping water trying to wear away stone.
If it couldn't even break through its defenses, then inflicting real injury was out of the question.
Moreover, Alice seriously doubted that the regenerative ability the Black Dragon had shown so far was its full, concerted effort.
When a creature is pushed to the brink of death, its potential will erupt.
As a veteran adventurer, Finn had gleaned much information from watching Alice's fight with the dragon, so he had also been considering the issues she raised.
"Don't worry, we aren't lacking in firepower," Finn said, his eyes shining with a serious light. "The most troublesome thing for us is the Black Dragon's flight capability. If it stays in the air, fewer than ten people here can even reach it."
"But if we can cripple its ability to fly, then we can engage it on the ground and bring it down."
Looking at Alice, a smile touched Finn's face. "Thanks to your gravity magic circle, Miss Alice, we now have a means to counter its flight. And you bought us so much precious time. We've made thorough preparations. Now, please leave the next phase of the battle to us."
With that, Finn turned away. Now that Alice had disengaged, it fell to the Level 6 adventurers to guard against any sudden assault from the dragon.
"Alice, you should rest properly," Riveria said, her gaze firm.
"Your condition is poor. Injuries to the spirit are notoriously difficult to heal, so you must protect yourself. Leave the Black Dragon to us. Standing against the dragon and protecting Orario isn't your burden to bear alone."
"That's right!" Tiona chimed in, her face brimming with confidence. "The Black Dragon is strong, but we're not weak either! Every top adventurer in Orario is here! So just watch us, Alice!"
Alice took a moment to seriously study the expressions of those around her. While grim and determined, they all held that same undercurrent of confidence.
Perhaps it was because even Alice had managed to stall the dragon, sever one of its claws, and destroy one of its eyes. Her actions must have given them this confidence.
Faced with their optimism, Alice remained silent.
To be honest, she had been fighting for her life earlier. Especially those final three thrown lances—their power was definitely not inferior to Finn's attacks, perhaps even rivaling Ottar's, the Level 7.
And how had the Black Dragon responded to such an assault?
It had been utterly indifferent. And when the dragon attacked, Alice hadn't even been capable of evading.
Not to mention, even if the dragon stood upon the earth, a single one of its breath attacks would likely be more than most present could withstand.
So, Alice did not share their confidence in the slightest.
And deep in her heart, that sense of foreboding that had lingered since the dragon's first appearance hadn't faded one bit.
But... confidence and hope were still better than despair.
At least now, these confident adventurers could fight at their full strength. If that confidence shattered, it would be an utter disaster.
"Riveria," Alice said, looking at the elf princess earnestly. "Later, don't focus on attacking. If the Black Dragon strikes, you absolutely must have your defensive magic ready."
"No. Don't wait for its attack. The dragon is fast. If you only start preparing after it moves, it will be too late. You should begin preparing your defensive spells now."
"As for Tiona..." Alice hesitated for a moment. "Tiona, you must be extremely careful. The Black Dragon's offensive power is immense—far greater than Finn's attacks, at the very least."
Finn was Level 6, but he didn't possess the kind of power that could deplete a barrier's magic reserves by more than half in a single blow.
"I understand," Riveria readily agreed to Alice's suggestion.
Seeing Alice's curious look, Riveria gave a slight smile. "We discussed this earlier. When facing the Black Dragon, even my first priority must be defense."
"So, there's no need to worry."
"Is that so." Alice nodded quietly.
Just then, the magician corps in the distance, under Lefiya's command, finished deploying the gravity magic circle.
"Gravity magic circle construction complete! Initiating target lock now!" Lefiya shouted.
At her command, Alice could see the magicians of the corps all raise their staffs high. Mana shimmered into existence, flowing continuously towards the gravity circle.
Soon, the ground around Lefiya's position began to glow with a blue light.
It was clear the gravity circle Lefiya had set up was highly effective.
"Lefiya has done quite well," Riveria remarked. "It seems we can restrain this Black Dragon. As long as it cannot take flight, that is the best news we could ask for."
Alice sighed inwardly.
'Let's hope so...'
A worry gnawed at her: What if all the adventurers here combined still weren't enough to defeat the Black Dragon?
If they were truly wiped out, what would become of this city?
Alice let out a silent, weary sigh.
She closed her eyes, preparing to start mending the injuries within her body. The time was short, but any recovery, no matter how small, was better than none.
If her sixth sense wasn't mistaken, she would be facing the Black Dragon again very soon.
--+--
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