Facing the Demi-Spirit that towered even over the Goliath, none of the executives of the Loki Familia showed even the slightest hint of fear or panic.
Years of plunging into the dungeon's depths had forged them into veterans who did not falter in the face of the unknown.
No matter how sudden or abnormal the situation, they had long since learned how to steady their minds, assess the threat, and adapt with ruthless efficiency.
This time was no different.
As the colossal monster rampaged in the front yard of their own home, the Loki Familia moved with clear intent... containing it within this area at all costs.
Allowing it to roam freely would spell disaster for Orario and its civilians, and that was something they simply would not permit.
"All units... full assault. We bring it down here. No matter what."
Finn was the first to act.
He raised his spear, blue eyes burning with resolve as he stepped forward.
"Formation Delta!"
His voice sliced cleanly through the chaos.
At once, the Loki Familia responded without hesitation.
Years of fighting side by side turned his command into pure instinct... as they moved into position even before conscious thought caught up.
In terms of raw combat power, the Freya Familia might stand above them.
But when it came to dungeon exploration, large-scale monster suppression, and coordinated extermination, even Hedin would have to admit the truth.
In this field, no one surpassed the Loki Familia.
Ais shot forward in a flash of gold, Ariel roaring violently around her body.
Her blade danced as she carved through the Demi-Spirit's advancing vines, each swing leaving behind streaks of emerald light.
Thick tendrils were severed one after another, green ichor spraying into the air as they fell... only to twitch and writhe, attempting to regenerate.
From the opposite flank, Bete mirrored her assault.
Still in his beastified state, his fur bristling under the moonlight, he tore through the forest of vines with wild, relentless slashes.
His dual swords howled as they cut, shredding anything that dared approach.
"This just never ends!"
Bete clicked his tongue in irritation, increasing the ferocity of his swings as more vines surged toward him.
Behind the front lines, Finn observed everything with sharp, calculating eyes.
"There," he muttered.
His gaze locked onto the upper half of the Demi-Spirit's massive body.
"The magic stone should be embedded in its upper body. That's our target."
He turned his head slightly.
"Riveria. We'll be counting on you."
Riveria met his gaze and gave a firm nod.
Closing her eyes, she raised her staff, the air around her beginning to tremble as she gathered her mind towards her staff.
A radiant magic circle bloomed beneath Riveria's feet, bathing the battlefield in an ethereal glow that made the high elf appear almost otherworldly... regal, distant, and untouchable.
"Harbinger of the end, the white snow. Blow with the wind before the twilight."
Her chant flowed with calm precision.
Sensitive to the surge of magic, the Demi-Spirit's attention snapped toward her.
Its twisted face contorted as it released a piercing screech, the sound reverberating through the air like tearing metal.
It had sensed it.
Sensing the imminent threat posed by Riveria's spell, the monster abandoned all other targets.
Its massive frame twisted as countless vines erupted from its body, surging upward in a violent torrent that nearly blotted out the sky... each tendril thicker than a man's torso, casting enormous shadows as they descended.
Yet even as the overwhelming barrage raced toward her, Riveria did not move.
She did not flinch.
She did not break her chant.
Because she had already judged it unnecessary.
"The cavalry is here!"
An excited feminine voice rang out as two figures burst into the battlefield like meteors.
Tiona and Tione descended in a blur of motion, their weapons flashing as they tore through the incoming vines.
Steel met flesh in a storm of slashes, severing thick tendrils one after another before they could reach their target.
"Sister, what took you so long?"
Tiona asked.
"Taking care of those things wasn't easy, alright?"
Tione replied, turning her head toward Finn.
"Captain! The moment I saw that giant monster, I rushed here as fast as I could!"
Tione spoke as she and her sister landed firmly on the ground.
The severed vines crashed down in heavy thuds, shaking the earth as green fluid sprayed all over.
The Demi-Spirit shrieked in agony, its cry filled with fury.
Enraged, it ground its teeth together and lunged forward, its massive body charging ahead and causing the ground to quake beneath its weight.
"Oi! We're still here, you know?"
Before the monster could advance any further, Gareth leapt.
His massive frame cut through the air as he appeared directly in front of the Demi-Spirit, axe raised high.
"Ora!"
With a thunderous shout, he brought the weapon down.
The impact sent a violent shockwave rippling outward, the air itself screaming as the Demi-Spirit was forced back... its colossal body actually staggering under the sheer force of the blow.
ROAR!
The monster screeched in pain once more.
As the dust and smoke were blown away, a deep gash was revealed across its upper body.
At the center of the wound, a faint but unmistakable glow pulsed for a brief instant.
'The magic stone!'
With their enhanced vision, every executive present saw it clearly.
But the Demi-Spirit did not remain still.
Letting out a guttural roar, it swung its massive arm toward Gareth, who was still airborne.
Gareth reacted instantly, twisting his body mid-air and turning the flat of his axe into a shield.
The blow collided with tremendous force... enough to send him flying like a cannonball.
He crashed into the ground moments later, the impact carving a deep crater into the stone as debris exploded outward.
"Good job, Gareth!"
Finn's voice rang out clearly across the battlefield, sharp with approval.
Thanks to the dwarf's perfectly timed strike, the Demi-Spirit had been forced to halt... granting them the opening they desperately needed.
And Riveria did not waste it.
"Closing light, the freezing land. Blizzard, the three severe winters—my name is Alf."
Her voice echoed like a solemn decree, layered with power that made the very air tremble.
"Wynn Fimbulvetr!"
The spell was unleashed.
In an instant, the temperature across the area plummeted.
Frost raced along the ground in jagged patterns.
A deafening crack rang out as thick ice surged upward, completely encasing the Demi-Spirit's lower body and rooting it firmly in place.
The monster screeched, thrashing violently as its movements slowed, frost crawling up its limbs.
"Tempest!"
Ais moved the moment the opening appeared.
She launched herself forward at blinding speed, her chant overlapping seamlessly with Riveria's spell.
"Lil Rafaga!"
Emerald winds spiraled violently around her blade, condensing into a razor-sharp vortex as she became a streak of green light.
With every ounce of strength she had, Ais drove forward... her target clear.
Straight for the magic stone.
But the Demi-Spirit refused to fall so easily.
With a furious roar, it tore one arm free from the ice, shards exploding outward as it lunged desperately toward her, massive fingers stretching to seize her mid-air.
Ais twisted instinctively, preparing to evade...
SHING!
A sharp, piercing sound cut through the air.
A spear flew past her in a silver blur and slammed into the monster's hand, pinning it in place.
Having hurled his weapon like a javelin, the pallum captain met the Demi-Spirit's gaze head-on, a confident smile tugging at his lips.
"Now."
Ais did not hesitate.
"Haap!"
She surged forward.
The wind-wreathed blade pierced deep, the sound of tearing flesh echoing as a massive hole was carved straight through the Demi-Spirit's upper body.
At its center, the magic stone cracked... then shattered completely, exploding into countless fragments of light.
The Demi-Spirit let out one final, hollow roar.
Its colossal body collapsed, crashing into the ground with a thunderous impact that sent dust and debris billowing outward.
"It's finally over."
Finn exhaled deeply, fatigue evident in his voice as he watched the last traces of the monster fade away, crumbling into ash.
(A/N): I've seen a few questions about where Alfia, Freya Familia, and the other major factions were during this battle, so I want to clarify a few things.
First, the Evilus attack happened suddenly, in the middle of the night. It was a complete surprise attack, giving no time for large factions to immediately respond.
Second, from the moment the fighting started, only a couple of minutes have actually passed. Adventurers at the first-class level move so fast that events may feel drawn out to the reader, but in-universe, everything is happening really quickly.
Lastly, in a future chapter (already written and available on my Patreon), it will be explained that the monster rampage brought by Evilus was contained to the northern section of the city. This was achieved through the combined efforts of the Ganesha Familia and members of the Loki Familia who were dispatched earlier by Finn, as mentioned a few chapters ago.
For additional clarity, the Abandoned Church, where Alfia and Belle live, is located on the western side of Orario. Meanwhile, Folkvangr sits on the complete opposite end of the city from the Twilight Manor.
Because the fighting was contained elsewhere, the chaos never reached these places.
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