"In that case, only Lefiya is left!"
"Indeed. It all comes down to Lefiya."
"Then let Lefiya deliver the final blow."
With just a few words, the strategy was finalized.
Listening to the discussion, Lefiya froze.
"...Huh?"
"It's decided just like that? Isn't this a little too fast?!"
The weight of responsibility dropped squarely onto her shoulders, and panic immediately surged up.
Noticing her unease, Shirou placed a hand on her shoulder.
His voice was steady.
"Don't be nervous, Lefiya. Remember our training."
"Wasn't all that painful, exhausting training meant for moments like this?"
"In a desperate situation, annihilating the enemy and saving your companions through magic..."
"...Isn't that the romance of a mage?"
"...The romance of a mage."
Repeating his words softly, Lefiya felt her racing heart gradually settle.
Her eyes steadied.
In truth, she was no longer the timid girl she once was. This panic came only from bearing such responsibility for the first time.
With Shirou's words anchoring her, her confidence returned quickly.
"I understand."
"I will annihilate them."
Hearing her firm declaration, Finn and the others couldn't help but smile.
Riveria's judgment had been correct.
This child would become a pillar of the Loki Familia.
But before they could act-
"They're appearing ahead too!"
"They've blocked the front!"
"Everyone, turn right! Into the side passage!"
Shirou and the group immediately changed direction, entering a narrower corridor.
Sensing the danger escalating, Finn quickly asked,
"Tione, report. Weapon condition and item reserves!"
"No problem, Captain. Hardly anything's been used-except for Tiona's great twin blades!"
"Please don't remind me about my great twin blades!"
Hearing this, Shirou remembered something.
Their weapons.
Most of them had been melted in the previous battle.
"Captain," Shirou said immediately, "use mine. The backup weapons aren't reliable."
Before anyone could object-
"Projection Start!"
Magic surged.
Weapon structures formed.
Several familiar weapons materialized in midair and dropped neatly before Finn and the others.
"This feeling..."
Finn's eyes widened slightly.
It was unmistakably familiar.
Shirou only smiled, offering no explanation.
He had analyzed the weapons of the Loki Familia's executives long ago.
"And yours too, Tiona."
Another massive pair of great twin blades appeared and flew toward her.
"No need to worry about wear and tear. I specialize in forging."
The moment the weapons landed in their hands, a sense of reliability washed over the group.
"Ugh... my great twin blades are back!"
Hearing Tiona's tearful voice, Shirou understood completely.
After all, that was one hundred and twenty million Valis.
Just as he was about to say something-
His expression changed.
"Finn. It's a dead end."
Finn's face hardened instantly.
"Everyone, prepare for battle!"
"Lefiya, start chanting!"
"Priority is protecting Lefiya!"
"Yes!"
But the Dungeon was alive.
As they retreated into the dead end, the walls on the remaining three sides suddenly collapsed.
From within the crumbling stone-
Dozens of Black Rhinos emerged.
Monster Feast.
This was the Dungeon's answer to desperation.
A perfectly timed trap.
Without hesitation, Finn issued commands.
"Gareth, Bete, Tiona, Tione!"
"You four protect Lefiya and handle the monsters!"
"Ais, Shirou, and I will block the new species!"
"Yes!"
Everyone moved instantly, taking their positions.
"Ais!"
"I know."
She tightened her grip on her sword.
"Awaken."
"Ariel."
A gentle wind manifested.
It wrapped around her body and blade, accelerating her movements and amplifying her strikes.
Ais's magic-Ariel.
Yet instead of charging, she stepped forward and handed her sword to Finn.
"...Indestructible?"
Finn gave a wry smile as he took it.
"I wonder if it'll work against that corrosive liquid."
"Maybe."
Seeing the exchange, Shirou suddenly reacted.
That sword-
The Despair Sword.
He could project it.
"Wait, Finn. Try this."
"Projection Start!"
Two Despair Swords formed and were thrown directly to Finn.
Finn caught them instinctively.
"...Why didn't you bring these out earlier?"
"I forgot."
"..."
Alright.
This guy wasn't completely reliable after all.
The chanting voice rose from behind.
Lefiya had begun.
"It looks like we can't fall behind either."
Finn gripped the swords and charged.
Ais followed.
Wrapped in wind, she entered the monster group even faster than Finn.
Against the new species that corroded and melted matter, Ais showed no hesitation.
Her Despair Sword cut cleanly.
One after another, the monsters were sliced apart.
The corrosive liquid splashed outward-but stopped short.
Wind.
The light wind shielded her completely.
Finn fought nearby.
The indestructible blades worked, just as expected.
But without wind protecting him, he had to constantly dodge and adjust, avoiding the splashing liquid as he fought.
Unlike them, Shirou stayed back.
His basic stats didn't allow reckless charges.
So he drew his bow.
But his arrows weren't mere support.
With Clairvoyance and Mind's Eye guiding him, he had already pinpointed the monsters' magic stones.
Their strength lay in corrosion, not durability.
One arrow.
One kill.
No excess movement.
No wasted shots.
Still-
There were too many.
The passage was too narrow.
Even with three of them fighting continuously, the line was pushed closer and closer.
"Projection Start!"
"Full Replication Continuous Projection!"
With Shirou's shout, dozens of Despair Swords were projected at once.
They shot forward like a storm.
The advancing monsters were halted.
Only for a moment.
But that moment was enough.
"Everyone, retreat!"
Finn's command rang out.
The group pulled back instantly, regrouping around Lefiya.
And at that exact instant-
Her chant finished.
"Volley Fire Javelin."
Fire rained down.
Countless arrow-shaped flames streaked through the air, crashing into the ground with roaring force.
The corridor was engulfed.
Everything vanished.
When the flames faded, only scorched earth and scattered magic stones remained.
Proof of what had once been there.
Lefiya exhaled softly.
Her legs trembled slightly.
But she was standing.
"...I succeeded."
She had not betrayed anyone's trust.
--------More Bonus Chapters!!!!
Every 300 power stones = 1 Bonus Chapter