"Are you alright, Tione?"
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As the young man's voice echoed in Tione's ears, it was as if a silence spell had been cast upon the chaotic passageway, plunging everything into instant stillness.
All gazes were unconsciously drawn to the blond youth, whose faint smile carried a warmth that spread through the space.
Then, one after another, their battered companions emerged from the opening, and the sight of them filled the bloodstained adventurers with sudden joy.
"Reinforcements!"
"Thank the gods! Aside from Fron, even Raul, Aki, Cruz!"
As first-class adventurers, second-class adventurers, and numerous other comrades revealed themselves, the passage burst into noise and energy.
The atmosphere of relief and joy spread rapidly through the group, while the remnants of the Evilus changed color slightly in unease.
"Damn it! The leader got killed by that magic bombardment, what are we supposed to do now!?"
"What else? We pull back for now. The plan was arranged by that one, so report back at once!"
"Wasn't that scourge supposed to be in the opposite direction? Why is he here!?"
"How should I know!?"
Fron's face had already become a nightmare second only to the [Braver] Finn within the ranks of the Evilus.
Now that he had appeared here, how could these men not think of retreat!?
While the adventurers' attention was focused on reuniting with their comrades, the assassins slipped away under the cover of black hoods, cloaks, the dim passage lighting, and nearby monsters.
"Since you're here, you might as well stay. After all, isn't your creed the mission above all else? Dying here shouldn't be a big deal."
A low, cold male voice, like the frigid winds of the far north, whispered past their ears.
The remnants of the Evilus froze instantly.
"Don't worry. My spear is sharp, you won't feel any pain."
Before the voice had even faded, streams of violet light erupted throughout the passage, weaving into a pattern of beauty and bloodshed within both camps' formations.
"Splurt, splurt, splurt, splurt, splurt, !"
In the blur of flying limbs and blood, whether it was a minute or only a handful of seconds, the panicked screams and terrified roars were utterly silenced before anyone could react.
Not only the assassins but also the surrounding monsters were caught in Fron's attack. The blazing trails of his spear and the flames of lightning reduced them to ash with the lightest touch.
Terrifying technique combined with his once-more-enhanced stats made these Level 2 and Level 3 monsters no different from ants beneath his feet.
Even after annihilating every foe, Fron's breathing and expression didn't change in the slightest. For him, killing was no more difficult than drinking water or eating bread.
The wounded adventurers stared, wide-eyed and slack-jawed, at the scene before them.
Was this really the same sinister enemy and horde of monsters that had driven them into such desperation? To be wiped out in an instant, as if they were nothing? Since when had the enemy become so weak? Their battle just moments ago had been nothing like this!
Miss Tione was a Level 6 too, just like Fron. And yet… why was the gap between them so vast?
Even those who had accompanied Fron before, though they had witnessed his strength more than once, couldn't suppress their admiration when he struck again.
"He's too strong. I know it's not the first time I've seen it, but those decisive and ruthless techniques are really something else!"
"Strong? This isn't battle at all, it's slaughter. Pure, one-sided slaughter."
Tione herself stood frozen, still unable to process Fron's sudden arrival and the obliteration of their enemies.
Perhaps the side effects of her skill, triggered by her rage, had left her reactions dulled by more than a beat.
"Tione! Are you alright!?"
Tiona rushed to her sister's side, whose wounds were nearly identical to her own from before, forcing a bitter smile.
There was no way she believed her sister would die from these injuries.
In all of Loki Familia, if anyone could boast the strongest vitality in the face of devastating wounds, it would surely be the Amazoness twins.
Don't be fooled by Gareth's sturdy body and skill boosts, compared to the twins' resilience under pressure, he was far inferior.
Fron walked back calmly to the group. His eyes narrowed as he scanned the various wounds and abnormal states plaguing his comrades.
"Heh, this wave of enemies really went out of their way for you guys… especially you, Tione, "
Supported by her sister as she lay flat on the ground, Tione let out a bitter laugh.
"These bastards aren't Evilus remnants at all. Judging by their combat style and techniques, they were assassins."
"Assassins? Using swarm tactics even against you all? Trading life for life?"
"That's right. These guys are even more despicable than the ones my sister and I ran into on our travels years ago."
Tiona bent down, picking up fragments of shattered cursed tools with a wry smile.
"Not this time, sis. Fron already told us along the way, these Cursed Tools aren't the handiwork of the Assassins. According to Fron, forging cursed tools requires the Development Ability [Mystery]. And to produce them on this scale, the caster's level must be very high. So that means…"
Tione's expression hardened as her eyelids lowered.
"Sis… you mean someone in the Evilus…"
Fron nodded, giving them the confirmation.
"Yes. You should have seen him already, that man named Barca. The gloomy one from the wanted poster we've been chasing. He's the sorcerer behind this, and all these cursed tools are his creations."
"If not for Fron, we'd all be dead by now. It was those sinister cursed tools that nearly killed the captain, and he still hasn't woken up!"
"What!?"
At the news of Finn's condition, Tione ignored her own injuries, nearly going berserk.
"Calm down, Tione! Finn and the others have already had their curses dispelled and their wounds healed by Fron. Don't worry too much. What you need now is to wait for Fron's treatment."
As she spoke, all eyes turned once more to the golden-haired youth.
"You've all worked hard. Let me lift your curses now."
With a gentle smile, Fron flicked his cloak, raised his staff, and spread his arms wide. In an instant, an enormous magic circle unfolded beneath him, covering a vast area. Complex chants rolled off his tongue, and warm light illuminated the entire space.
…
"[Awaken (Tempest)!]"
In a vast and empty chamber, a young girl's solemn and fervent chant rang out, the casting of her one and only magic.
Boom!
A thunderous roar echoed as a heavy slash tore through the wind, crashing down.
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T/N: Now that I think about it, how did they get Barca's wanted poster. I forgot about this question only.
In canon, did the Loki Familia also get their hands on Barca's poster?