"Then that leaves only Lefia!"
"As expected, we still have to rely on Lefia!"
"Then let Lefia deliver the final blow!"
In just a few words, the strategy for defeating the New Species had already been decided. Listening to everyone's discussion, Lefia felt utterly bewildered.
"Wait, it's decided just like that? Isn't this a little too hasty?"
With such a heavy responsibility suddenly placed on her shoulders, Lefia panicked.
Noticing something was wrong with Lefia, Shirou Emiya placed a hand on her shoulder and said seriously, "Don't be nervous, Lefia. Think back to our training. Wasn't all that difficult training for this very moment?"
"At the critical moment, wiping out all the enemies with magic and saving your teammates—isn't that the romance of being a mage?"
"The romance of being a mage?"
Hearing Shirou Emiya's reassurance, Lefia's nervousness gradually eased.
Her eyes also grew more and more resolute.
In fact, she was no longer the weak girl she had once been. She was only nervous because this was her first time experiencing the feeling of shouldering such a heavy responsibility.
However, with Shirou Emiya's reassurance, she quickly regained her confidence.
"I understand. I'll annihilate the enemies!"
Hearing the determination in Lefia's voice, Finn and the others could not help smiling in satisfaction.
Riveria's judgment had indeed been excellent. This child would definitely become one of the pillars of the Loki Familia's future.
Just as Lefia made up her mind, the members of the elite squad suddenly discovered that New Species had also appeared ahead in their passage.
"They're appearing up ahead too!"
"Everyone, quickly enter the branch passage on the right!"
Shirou Emiya's group changed direction and entered an even narrower passage. Sensing the danger that was about to arrive, Finn hurriedly asked Tione,
"Tione, how are your weapons and item supplies?"
"Don't worry, Captain. We've hardly used anything at all, except for Tiona's Great Double Blades!"
"Please, don't bring up my Great Double Blades anymore!"
Hearing Finn's question and seeing that Finn and the others were unarmed, Shirou Emiya finally remembered that their weapons had melted during the previous battle.
"Captain, use my weapons. The backup weapons really aren't very useful."
As he spoke, Shirou Emiya activated his Projection Magecraft.
"Projection start!"
As magical power surged and the structures of the weapons took shape, several weapons appeared before Finn and the others.
"What's this?"
Feeling the extremely familiar grip, Finn could not help being surprised.
Shirou Emiya merely smiled without offering much explanation. He had analyzed every weapon used by the higher-ups of the Loki Familia long ago.
"And your weapon too, Tiona!"
As he spoke, Shirou Emiya projected another pair of Great Double Blades and tossed them to Tiona.
"Don't worry about the weapons wearing out. I'm an expert at forging weapons!"
Looking at the weapons Shirou Emiya had created, Finn and the others all felt an extraordinary sense of reliability.
"Ugh, my Great Double Blades are back!"
Hearing Tiona's tearful voice beside him, Shirou Emiya understood her completely. After all, they had cost one hundred and twenty million Valis!
Just as Shirou Emiya was about to comfort her, his expression suddenly changed.
"Finn, it's a dead end up ahead."
Hearing Shirou Emiya shout, Finn's expression also changed.
"Everyone, prepare for battle!"
"Lefia, prepare to chant!"
"Everyone, prioritize protecting Lefia!"
"Yes!"
But unexpected things often happened. As everyone knew, the Dungeon was alive.
When Shirou Emiya's group retreated into the dead end, the walls on the other three sides suddenly began to collapse.
Then, dozens of Black Rhinoceroses emerged from the walls.
A Monster Feast!
This was the fatal blow the Dungeon dealt them when they found themselves in a crisis.
Everything seemed to have been planned. The Dungeon always created unreasonable traps.
Facing the sudden danger, Finn immediately gave his orders: "Gareth, Bete, Tiona, Tione! The four of you protect Lefia while dealing with those monsters. Ais, Shirou, and I will hold back the New Species!"
"Yes!"
Hearing Finn's deployment, everyone immediately took their positions and faced their respective enemies.
"Ais!"
"I know!"
Clutching the Despair Sword in her hand, Ais said calmly,
"[Awaken!]"
"[Gale Dash!]"
A light, nimble wind sprang into being. Swift wind wrapped around Ais's body and weapon, supporting her attacks.
This was Ais's magic, Gale Dash!
The wind-wreathed girl did not attack immediately. Instead, she handed her sword to Finn.
"An Indestructible Property?"
Looking at the sword in Ais's hand, Finn said with a bitter smile, "I wonder if it'll be useful against that liquid?"
"Maybe it will!"
Seeing the two of them preparing to exchange swords, Shirou Emiya suddenly realized that he seemed to have a Projection of Ais's Despair Sword as well.
"Wait, Finn. Try using this!"
As he spoke, Shirou Emiya projected two Despair Swords and tossed them to Finn.
Looking at the two Despair Swords Shirou Emiya had thrown over, Finn said helplessly, "Why didn't you take them out earlier?"
"I forgot!"
"..."
All right, this person wasn't exactly reliable either!
[O proud warrior, O archer of the forest.]
When everyone had finished preparing, Lefia's chanting came from behind them.
"Looks like we can't fall behind either!"
Finn, wielding two Longswords, charged toward the monsters ahead as he spoke.
[The advancing marauders are before you; take up your bows.]
Ais charged forward as well. Wrapped in wind, she flashed into the monster horde at a speed even faster than Finn's.
Facing the New Species that could corrode and melt matter, she swung her Despair Sword without mercy.
Against Ais with her magic fully unleashed, the New Species before her could not resist at all and were cut in half. Corrosive liquid splashed toward Ais's side, yet could no longer advance any farther.
Wind!
The light, nimble wind protected Ais from the corrosive liquid's attacks.
[Answer the voice of your kin; nock your arrows.]
Finn was also slaughtering his way through the monster horde. The Despair Sword's Indestructible Property truly made it effective.
However, he was not as relaxed and graceful as Ais.
He had no wind to protect him, so during the battle, he had to constantly watch for corrosive liquid attacks from the surrounding New Species.
[Set the flames ablaze, lantern of the forest.]
Unlike Finn and Ais, who charged into the enemy ranks, Shirou Emiya did not rush in. His basic attributes simply did not allow him to take such a risk.
Therefore, all he could do was shoot arrows from behind.
But his arrows were not powerless attacks that could only provide support.
Through watching Ais and Finn fight, Shirou Emiya had already confirmed the locations of the monsters' Magic Stones with the two observation-type divine skills, Clairvoyance and Mind's Eye.
Moreover, the New Species' strength lay in their corrosive abilities. Their durability itself was not particularly high.
Thus, relying on his precise archery, Shirou Emiya still killed one monster with every arrow, even without dazzling magic.
[I command you to loose your arrows, elf's flaming shafts.]
But there were simply too many New Species. Combined with the cramped passage, even though Shirou Emiya, Finn, and Ais kept fighting nonstop, the battle line was still pushed right up to them.
"Projection start!"
"Full Copy Continuous Projection!"
With Shirou Emiya's furious roar, dozens of Despair Swords were continuously projected and shot toward the New Species.
The surging force of the swords instantly halted the New Species' advance.
Although it lasted only for that moment!
It was already enough!
[As rain pours down, burn the savage tribes.]
"Everyone, retreat!"
At Finn's roar, the members of the Loki Familia swiftly withdrew to Lefia's side.
At that moment, Lefia had finished chanting her magic.
[Volley Fire Javelin]
An indescribable rain of fire came pouring down in volleys. Arrow-shaped magic projectiles wreathed in roaring flames traced arcs through the air before finally crashing into the ground.
Amid the sounds of flames burning and wind splitting, thousands upon thousands of flaming arrows annihilated everything before them.
Only the crater-riddled ground and Magic Stones remained, proving that anything had ever happened there.
Looking at the results before her, Lefia gently exhaled after finishing her chant.
In the end, she had not failed everyone's trust.
"I... succeeded!"
Before you continue