Clang!
Steel clashed against steel, and a fierce wind howled between them as the black blade slowly pressed down toward Ais.
Even with Ariel's wind surrounding me, we're only evenly matched? No! We're not even evenly matched—I'm being overwhelmed!
Ais used all her strength to hold back the approaching blade. Under her opponent's terrifying power, the ground beneath her feet began to crack and sink.
"Hmph!"
With a powerful swing, the red-haired woman knocked Ais's sword aside, raised her left leg, and kicked her hard in the stomach.
Boom!
Ais was sent flying. She hurtled a hundred meters before crashing through a stone pillar, which finally stopped her.
"That wind of yours sure comes in handy, Aria."
The red-haired woman leaped to a spot near Ais and watched her calmly.
"Where did you hear that name?"
"What do you think?"
Across from her, Ais saw that her opponent had no intention of answering. She returned the Despair Sword to its sheath, and the wind swirling around her grew increasingly violent.
"What's wrong, Aria? Giving up?"
"Tell me where you heard that name. Otherwise, I promise my next attack will leave you alive!"
Ais spoke with unusual seriousness, her normally expressionless face turning stern.
"Heh! You think you can kill me? Go ahead and try."
At Ais's words, the red-haired woman seemed to hear a joke. A mocking smile tugged at her lips.
Seeing that her opponent still refused to answer, Ais's expression slowly faded. The wind around her began to gather along the blade, its aura growing ever sharper.
!!! What is Aria doing?!
Sensing the complete change in Ais's aura, the red-haired woman dropped her dismissive attitude and raised her long blade. Her body became a shadow as she charged toward Ais.
She didn't know what Ais was planning, but she knew she had to stop her. She absolutely couldn't let Ais succeed!
"Wind, wrap yourself around my blade!"
Ais's soft whisper rang out. She slowly closed her eyes and gripped the hilt with her left hand.
Just as the red-haired woman's blade was about to touch Ais's neck, Ais suddenly opened her eyes and drew her sword in an instant.
Draw Sword Strike!
A solid-looking arc of blue light flashed. To the red-haired woman's shock, the long blade in her hands was sliced apart like paper. The instant the sword-light struck her in midair, she twisted her body with all her might, avoiding the Magic Stone in her chest.
Whoosh!
The sword-light flashed past, and blood sprayed through the air.
Thud! Thud!
The red-haired woman's body was split in two. After flying some distance, both halves fell to the ground as bright red blood poured from the wound.
"Cough, cough. What kind of move was that?"
Propping up her upper body with her remaining arms, the red-haired woman stared at Ais in disbelief. A moment ago, Ais had been completely overpowered. How could she have killed her in an instant?
"Draw Sword Strike."
Ais calmly sheathed the Despair Sword and walked toward the red-haired woman's upper half.
"Draw Sword Strike?"
The red-haired woman glanced at her lower half in the distance, then looked up at Ais as she approached.
"Aria, next time we meet, I'll surpass you!"
"What did you say?"
Ais looked at the enemy, who was now only an upper body. Was she still trying to escape?
The ground beneath the red-haired woman collapsed. A Man-eating Flower Monster emerged and swallowed both halves of her body in one gulp, then disappeared underground.
Ais watched her enemy escape and stood there dazed for a moment. Then she turned to look toward the entrance to the 59th Floor for a few seconds before setting off toward Finn and the others.
Next time, she would capture that woman and find out why she knew the name of Ais's mother, who had disappeared.
Standing atop the Giant Flower's main body, Lu Qiming wielded Divine Judgment, repeatedly severing the vines that lashed at him. But the severed vines regrew even faster, and an even greater number surged toward him.
"Tch!"
Lu Qiming dodged aside. If his stamina and Magic Power had recovered by now, he would have dealt with this weakling long ago. Instead, he'd spent all this time trying to reach its main body, only to be blocked by a ceaseless stream of vines.
"Qiming, come back!"
Below, Finn had also noticed Lu Qiming's movements. They had only just finished clearing the monsters from the 58th Floor. Even though Lu Qiming had taken a top-grade potion, just a few minutes wasn't nearly enough to restore much of his Magic Power or stamina.
"On my way!"
Lu Qiming saw the group gathered below and caught sight of the vines closing in again from the corner of his eye. He stomped hard on the Giant Flower's body and launched himself toward Finn and the others.
Thud!
Lu Qiming landed in front of the group and noticed Ais among those who had returned.
"Ais, what happened to the red-haired woman?"
"She got away, but next time I'll definitely catch her."
Ais tightened her grip on her sword and spoke with determination. She would catch that woman and get answers!
"Mm."
Lu Qiming nodded. Ais had learned Draw Sword Strike and had even defeated the Lone King Udaios on her own, but her status hadn't been updated yet. She was still only a Lv5 adventurer. Once the expedition was over and her status had been updated again—
That red-haired woman would eventually fall into Ais's hands.
"Roar! Roar! Roar!"
The Giant Flower and the Man-eating Flowers nearby began to roar furiously, pressing toward the group.
"Looks like they don't intend to let us leave so easily."
Finn watched the rampaging monsters, realizing they were being riled up by the woman who had escaped after Ais wounded her.
"Everyone, move! Hold them off and buy Riveria and Lefiya time to chant!"
Lu Qiming still hadn't recovered, and he needed to save his strength for the battle on the 59th Floor. They had no choice but to rely on Riveria and Lefiya's magic to clear the field.
In an instant, everyone except Ais and Raul charged toward the monsters. Ais stayed behind to protect Riveria and Lefiya as they focused on chanting.
As for Raul, he would only get in the way if he joined the fight. The others would have to look after him.
"A Magician's duty is to cast powerful magic and decide the course of battle. When you chant, it means you trust the companions fighting beside you to protect you."
Riveria stepped forward and stood in front of Lefiya, speaking calmly.
Nearby, Lefiya had been trembling with fear. She looked at Riveria, then at the others fighting the monsters and Ais and Raul guarding them. Finally, she lowered her head and looked at the staff in her hands.
"Trust my companions. I understand, Riveria!"
Seeing that Lefiya was ready, Riveria closed her eyes, raised her staff high, and began to chant.
"The prelude to the end, the endless white snow, swept up by the wind at dusk.
"Light is shut away, the earth frozen over, a blizzard fills the skies—threefold winter.
"The end draws near; flames are about to erupt."
As the two chanted, a vast Magic Circle, like a field of ice crystals, appeared on the ground. Then it began to turn crimson.
"Burn bright, flames of the crimson lotus, merciless inferno.
"You are the incarnation of purgatorial fire.
"Scour away all that stands in your way, and raise the curtain on the final battle.
"Burn everything to ashes, Sword of Surtr!
"My name is Alf!"
Before you continue