A massive magic circle formed, almost covering the entire floor.
"O crimson cliffs and roaring wildfire! Fueled by sudden gusts of wind…"
The chanting echoed in everyone's ears, and they froze, staring in disbelief at the enormous figure in front of them.
Even Finn couldn't help but narrow his eyes at the sight.
His right thumb trembled uncontrollably—a sign of the terrible power that was approaching.
"Are you kidding me? What kind of monster is chanting this?!"
"And it's a super long chant too. This is bad!"
The seasoned main force of the Loki Familia immediately recognized the gravity of the situation.
It was no exaggeration to say the expedition team was in dire straits.
"Damn it, everyone stop advancing! Fall back to Riveria's side!"
"Riveria, raise the barrier and prepare to withstand the incoming magic!"
Finn's command rang out, his voice frayed with tension.
Without hesitation, everyone rushed toward Riveria, their expressions tinged with panic.
There was no helping it—magic with such a prolonged chant was beyond their ability to withstand.
If they delayed even a little, they might only be able to gather what remained of their bodies.
"Ais, let's hurry back!"
Tiona grabbed Ais by the arm, dragging her forcefully back to the group.
But even then, Ais's gaze remained fixed on the monster.
Her golden eyes quivered slightly, a look of horror appearing on her face as her trembling lips slowly parted.
She finally grasped the nature of this monster.
"A spirit…!?"
"What?"
Ais's soft murmur was instantly caught by those around her.
They looked from the giant figure in the distance to the entity that contradicted everything they knew. It was hard to believe what they were seeing.
"Ais, you must be mistaken. How could something so monstrous possibly be a spirit?!"
Hearing Ais's words, Bete shouted in disbelief at the grotesque creature before him.
The creature was indeed a contradiction.
Its lower half was hideous and filled with malevolence, but its upper half was stunningly beautiful, clothed in vibrant robes that radiated a sinister holiness.
The juxtaposition of beauty and ugliness was unsettling, leaving them all at a loss.
"Now's not the time to discuss this!"
"Riveria, are you ready?!"
Finn's voice was laced with urgency as he cut off the conversation.
But Riveria was too focused to respond.
As soon as she heard the fallen Spirit's chant, she had interrupted her previous chant and switched to defensive magic.
Despite her swift reaction, she found herself lagging behind.
The usually composed 'Nine Hell Princess' was now sweating slightly.
Meanwhile, in the underground temple of the Adventurer's Guild far above ground, the events on the fifty-ninth floor were visible through the 'eyes' attached to Ais's waistband.
"Oraunos-sama!"
Fels's alarmed cry immediately caught Oraunos's attention.
Gazing at the scene reflected in the crystal, Oraunos, seated on his throne, narrowed his eyes.
"Is that really what she said?"
"In ancient times, spirits were divine weapons, aiding heroes in battle and accompanying them into the dungeon."
"So, is this creature one of those that fell long ago?"
"Yes. And it was likely consumed by a monster, yet retained some self-awareness, merging with the creature and reversing its very existence."
After hearing Oraunos's answer, Fels took a deep breath, speculating on the state of the so-called 'Spirit' before them.
"And it can no longer be called a Spirit!"
"Perhaps 'corrupted Spirit' is a more fitting name!"
Oraunos's tone reflected his sorrow, but also a resolute understanding.
The scene shifted back to the dungeon.
"Roaring inferno! Crimson cliffs! Flames of fury!
Seal the world with the power of sudden winds! Burn the sky, the earth, the seas, and the mountains. Burn all life to ash!
Abandon the trumpets of wrath and lament the loss of my beloved hero!"
"Let us dance, Spirit of the Air, Master of Light.
I have made a pact with the guardian spirit of the forest. Let us sing the song of the earth to protect us!"
The corrupted Spirit and Riveria chanted simultaneously.
However, the ominous chanting from the corrupted Spirit made everyone uneasy.
Even Yami was awed.
It should be said that Spirits are indeed the darlings of the gods!
Despite being corrupted, their instincts remained powerful, surpassing even Orario's strongest mage.
"In the name of the agent, the name given to me is the fire spirit, the embodiment of fire, the queen of flames—"
"Firestorm!"
As the chant concluded, the world turned crimson.
The entire floor was immediately engulfed in intense heat, turning nearby plants to ash that drifted into the sky and vanished.
The terrifying flame magic surged forward.
At that moment, Riveria finished her chant.
"———Transform into a mighty wall of forest light and protect us——My name is Alf!"
In an instant, the emerald magic circle beneath Riveria's feet radiated brightly, forming a dome-shaped green barrier that enveloped the adventurers.
'Dimension Interdiction,' also known as 'Bilu Sylheim,' was legendary defensive magic capable of withstanding all physical and magical attacks.
In some respects, Riveria was indeed a genius mage, possessing nine types of magic after receiving a blessing.
But now, even her talent paled in comparison to the corrupted Spirit.
A flame storm like a tsunami swept across the floor, crashing against the barrier.
Riveria groaned under the pressure.
The intense attack caused a backlash in her mental energy, and she suffered immense pain.
A trickle of blood ran from the corner of her mouth, leaving the strongest mage looking haggard.
Crack, crack, crack!!!
The sound of cracking filled the air, and everyone looked up in horror as numerous fissures began to appear in the barrier.
At this rate, it wouldn't be long before it shattered.
Even the first-level adventurers felt their hearts race as they stared at the sea of flames outside.
"Damn it, I can't hold it!"
Riveria forced herself to endure the sharp pain in her head and shouted to the others behind her: "Gareth, Finn, protect Ais, Lefiya, and the others!"
Almost as soon as she spoke, Gareth sprang into action.
They saw him rushing forward, holding up two massive shields, with no regard for his own safety.
He had no intention of following Riveria's command to protect the newer members of the Familia. If he did, Riveria, who was at the forefront, would suffer severe harm.
It was almost inevitable what kind of situation the expedition team would face without their magical support.
If it came down to it, he was willing to sacrifice himself.
So, Gareth raised his two enormous shields and desperately charged in front of Riveria.
However, before he could reach her, the barrier, strained under immense pressure, shattered in an instant. The sea of flames surged forward, unstoppable.
In an instant, the entire floor was transformed into a world of fire.
"Damn it, I'm too late… Riveria…"
Seeing this, Gareth's eyes filled with bloodshot determination, but he had no choice but to stop and raise his shields, positioning himself to protect the remaining members.
As for Riveria, it was now up to her own fortune.
"Riveria!!!"
Ais and Lefiya cried out simultaneously, their view of the situation completely blocked.
But against this overwhelming storm of flames, all they could do was rely on the protection of others. They had no time to worry about anyone else.
In less than a second, the fiery torrent, like a crimson lotus, engulfed everything in its path.
Riveria, who was closest to the onslaught, had no time to react. The scorching heat was unbearable, and everything in her vision turned red.
There was no doubt about it.
If she were caught by the blazing storm, even if she survived, she would be gravely injured and unable to provide any further support.
"It's all up to you now, Finn!"
With this thought in her heart, Riveria slowly closed her eyes.
But the expected pain and searing heat never came. Instead, a voice reached her ears.
"Don't give up so easily, Riveria."
"The Loki Familia still needs your magic. It's too soon for you to rest."
The familiar voice made Riveria open her eyes again.
A strong figure stood before her, slightly turned, with a faint smile on his face. The sight of him made Riveria, who had just escaped disaster, feel deeply relieved.
"Yami…"
"Yeah, it's me. Were you scared?"
Riveria's confusion brought a look of appreciation to Yami's face.
As strong as someone might be, everyone has their vulnerable moments. The stark contrast was hard to resist!
"I was a little scared, considering the kind of magic we were facing…"
Riveria subconsciously voiced her true feelings.
The next moment, realizing what she had just admitted, her cheeks flushed slightly, and she looked noticeably uneasy.
"By the way, what about Ais and the others?"
"Don't worry, I've saved everyone."
Appreciating the change in Riveria's demeanor, Yami responded promptly.
"Eh?"
Hearing this, Riveria instinctively looked around.
The terrifying flame storm had been completely blocked, as if hitting an invisible barrier, and was now flowing harmlessly to the sides.
All the adventurers were safely protected within this invisible force.
"What is this…?"
"Spatial magic."
"I isolated all the flames outside, so no one got hurt. Don't worry; this level of fire magic can't penetrate my spatial barrier."
His casual tone made it seem like a trivial matter, but to Riveria, the elf princess and one of the most powerful wizards, it was both humbling and impressive.
"Riveria, I'm so glad you're okay!"
Ais's voice called out, and the girl rushed to Riveria, inspecting her anxiously.
Seeing no visible injuries and sensing her steady breathing, Ais let out a sigh of relief.
Riveria, for her part, was touched by how much the child she had raised cared for her.
"Don't worry, I'm fine—thanks to Yami's timely rescue."
"That's good. Thank you, Master!"
Ais expressed her gratitude to Yami again.
To her, the members of the Familia were like family, and she couldn't bear the thought of any of them getting seriously hurt.
"There's no need to be so formal. It's too distant."
Yami chuckled as he reached out and gently ruffled Ais's hair.
The girl didn't resist, accepting the gesture quietly. From the way her eyes slightly closed, it was clear she enjoyed the warmth of this simple interaction—it brought a rare sense of peace.
"Everyone, let's set aside the chit-chat for now. The crisis isn't over!"
Another voice interrupted, and Yami slowly looked down.
Finn stood with a serious expression, gazing at the swirling flames around them. His face was solemn, and there was a hint of awe in his eyes when he looked at Yami.
This was Orario—a place where the strong were always respected.
"What's the plan, Finn?"
Having been his companion for many years, Riveria could probably guess what Finn was thinking.
"The 'Spirit' is more formidable than we expected. For safety's sake, I suggest we temporarily retreat, regroup, and make a long-term plan before trying to subdue it."
After a moment of thought, Finn gave his answer.
Though retreating like this left a bitter taste, as the leader of the expedition and the Captain of the Loki Familia, he had to consider the bigger picture.
The members had placed their trust in him, and he needed to do everything in his power to bring them back safely.
Unlike Bell who has a protagonist aura, Finn wasn't one to take unnecessary risks.
As one of the Twin Kings of Orario, the Loki Familia excelled at gathering information and then executing a well-planned, safe attack. They were, after all, known for their cautious approach.
Thus, retreating now was undoubtedly the safest option.
After all, if even Riveria's strongest defensive magic couldn't withstand the 'Spirit's' magic, defeating it would be extremely difficult.
Hearing this, Riveria fell silent.
She understood exactly what Finn meant, and it was indeed the wisest course of action at this moment.
Just as she was about to agree, Yami suddenly interrupted their conversation.
"Excuse me for a moment, both of you. Could you hold off on that decision?"
"I don't intend to pass up such an excellent training opportunity. Besides, Ais still needs the great feats required for her upgrade, right? Isn't this the perfect chance?"
Yami's sudden suggestion left Riveria and Finn momentarily stunned.
Then, realizing what Yami meant, they both almost immediately shook their heads in refusal.
"No, I don't agree. This is far too dangerous!"
Riveria's voice was firm, and her gaze at Yami was full of concern.
She knew well that Ais wouldn't pass up such a 'golden opportunity.'
After all, this was a girl who had dared to enter the dungeon alone at a young age.
"If Ais wants to achieve greatness, she can challenge Udaeus under our supervision. It only takes a little over a month for it to respawn. There's no need to take such a reckless risk."
"And the opponent is a former Spirit, now merged with a monster. Ais has no chance against it!"
Hearing this, Ais's eyes dimmed with disappointment.
Being dismissed so completely was a bitter feeling.
But in the next moment, her eyes lit up again.
"No, Riveria, you underestimate Ais."
"I believe my student won't lose to this creature."