Futsunomitama.
A powerful heavy gravity magic that affects a given area.
Despite the owner being only a level 2, this was a magic that is capable of trapping even Monster Rexes in place.
The moment Mikoto's voice rang out...
The air shuddered.
An invisible pressure pressed down on the battlefield, heavy and overwhelming, as if the very heavens had turned their gaze upon them.
From the blazing purple magic circle, a massive spectral blade made of light descended.
"—!!"
The plant monster shrieked in terror as the divine sword pierced straight through its massive body, pinning it to the street below.
BOOM!
The impact shattered the ground, cracks spiderwebbing outward as a shockwave blasted through the area.
Loose debris was flung skyward, and the surrounding adventurers were forced to shield their faces as dust and splinters filled the air.
The monster convulsed violently.
Its vines thrashed wildly, tearing up stone and snapping wooden stalls apart as it struggled to get back up.
"Kill it!"
"But make sure not to get caught up in the spell's effect range!"
Mikoto shouted, her voice strained.
"I won't be able to hold it for long!"
She was held in place, positioning her right palm over her left as she tried to maintain her spell.
"Let's go!"
Seeing this opportunity, the adventurers immediately raised their weapons and threw them toward the creature.
Axes, swords, spears, halberds, and hammers were thrown into the air.
Some bounced off the creature, while others pierced through its skin as it shouted in agony.
There were some adventurers who had begun chanting their attack magic, words flowing through the air.
The moment they finished their chanting, they unleashed their spells, creating colorful explosions that lit up the area.
The plant creature tried fighting back by lashing out with its vines; however, the adventurers, having been hit by the same attack before, figured out the vines' attack range and stayed out of reach.
"Keep attacking until that thing is dead!"
An adventurer shouted.
They continued to bombard it with attacks for a couple of seconds until the creature's cries started dying down.
Chunks of its flesh had been blown off, and its green skin was turning black.
Because of Mikoto's gravity magic, it could not move... which was why, despite being attacked from all sides, its gaze never left Mikoto.
It was then that the plant creature did something unexpected.
It grabbed a piece of debris using its vines and threw it toward Mikoto.
"!"
No one expected this situation to occur, and before anyone noticed it, the debris slammed into Mikoto with a loud crash.
Mikoto puked a mouthful of blood, her concentration faltering as her spell was undone.
The purple magic circle slowly disintegrated, and as if to celebrate its newfound freedom, the plant creature roared loudly, making sure everyone in the vicinity heard its cry.
The surrounding adventurers froze, their faces pale, too terrified to move.
"Shit!"
They cursed in their minds as beads of sweat fell from their faces.
A sliver of despair crept into their hearts, even though they were aware that the creature was injured and most likely weakened.
But the sudden momentum shift caused them to become too shaken to move their bodies.
All except for one.
The sound of footsteps was heard.
As the only adventurer who didn't give in to despair, Belle didn't hesitate.
She sprinted forward.
Her entire world narrowed to the struggling monster before her.
'Magic stone... where is it?'
Her eyes darted over its writhing form.
Then she saw it.
A faint, pulsating glow deep within the stalk... partially exposed from all the damage the adventurers had inflicted.
'There!'
Belle shouted in her mind.
'Inside the stalk!'
She leapt.
Using the monster's convulsing vines as footholds, Belle ran straight up its body, each step taken on instinct alone.
It was only a matter of time before she closed the distance.
The monster, seeing this, let out a threatening growl.
A vine whipped toward Belle, moving so fast that her reaction time couldn't keep up.
'I lost.'
Belle instinctively realized it was an attack that would instantly knock her out.
Just as she realized her defeat...
A miracle occurred.
A compressed wave of air tore through the space before her.
BOOM!
The vine exploded midair, green juices splattering across Belle's face.
"...Huh?"
Her confusion lasted less than a heartbeat.
She seized the chance and surged forward.
The plant creature's eyes widened in disbelief, and Belle met its gaze without flinching.
Belle twisted midair, drawing back the Hestia Knife with everything she had left.
"Haaaa!"
She plunged the blade down.
At that moment, to the plant monster, those red-colored eyes felt like the eyes of death itself.
The Hestia Knife pierced the glowing core cleanly.
For a heartbeat...
Silence.
Then...
CRACK!
Light exploded outward as the magic stone shattered, the monster's entire body freezing mid-motion before crumbling into ash.
Belle landed on the ground and knelt.
She stared at the pile of ash where the monster had stood, her chest rising and falling as exhaustion finally crashed down on her.
They had won.
"We did it!"
Someone among the adventurers shouted as everyone who had participated in the battle erupted in cheers.
"Belle! You did it!"
Hestia ran toward her with a happy smile.
"Hehe..."
In response, Belle let out a tired laugh, her voice hoarse.
At the corner of her eye, Belle saw the Takemikazuchi Familia walking toward her.
"We can't thank you enough for what you've done."
Ouka and the others said as they bowed deeply, their tone filled with gratitude.
The citizens who had been hiding inside their homes and buildings finally came outside and started clapping.
"Amazing!"
"Little Hero!"
Although the battle had mostly been a group effort, in the eyes of the citizens... and even the adventurers alike... her display of bravery as she dealt the final blow filled them with awe.
"Can you tell us your name, little hero?"
Someone in the crowd asked.
Hearing this, Belle hesitated for a moment, then shifted her gaze to stare Hestia in the eyes.
"This is your time in the spotlight... go for it."
Hestia said with a proud grin.
Hearing her goddess' words, Belle nodded and then spoke.
"My name is Belle... Belle Cranel."
It was on this day that the name Belle Cranel began to slowly spread in Orario.
"Hmph... looks like she's having fun."
From a random rooftop some distance away, Alfia watched everything unfold.
"Deducting forty points because I had to interfere... I'll give you a total score of sixty points."
Alfia muttered under her breath as she looked down and saw the corpses of plant monsters piled into a small hill.
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