Ais leaped forward, wind gathering beneath her feet as she charged Udaios. The others quickly followed, keeping a certain distance from Udaios.
With everyone ready to support Ais at any moment, they let her try to defeat the opponent herself.
Roar—!!
The skeletal Giant Beast, taller than a building, roared at them. Its enormous bony claw reached for the charging Ais, but she lightly jumped up and stepped onto the back of its hand.
"Yah!"
A slash, then a thrust.
The first strike severed one of Udaios's regenerating ribs, exposing the heart-like Magic Stone.
The second sword was wrapped in a gale that compressed before bursting free in an instant. The moment its tip struck the hard Magic Stone, the erupting whirlwind forcibly shaved off a chunk.
"Uuuuuugh..."
Udaios nearly went berserk. The immense pain made it smash both arms down at Ais.
The ghostly flames in its eye sockets suddenly turned blood-red. The terrifying killing intent stiffened Ais's body.
Its speed surged. The thick bony arm descended like the collapse of a skyscraper's support pillar, its shadow swallowing the golden-haired Sword Princess.
"Ais!?"
Her companions all prepared to act, but Ritsuka was faster.
Her outfit silently changed into black battle attire. The shameful, bodysuit-like clothing brought a dramatic increase in magical effectiveness.
Its mithril framework enhanced magical conduction. Ritsuka caught the purple lightning descending from the sky with Dragon Flash, then raging thunder wrapped around her entire body as she vanished from the spot like a true flash of lightning.
In the blink of an eye, the fleeting figure caught Ais.
"Thousand Thunder Cluster, descend!"
One of the techniques Ritsuka had painstakingly devised over several days was unleashed.
In the snowy night beneath a crescent moon, rushing thunder gathered and became several fine bolts of lightning that fell from