At the very least, Solari wasn't exaggerating. The party truly was quite competent.
Solari, serving as both the leader and primary tank, positioned himself at the forefront, intercepting incoming attacks while Hax supported him by actively probing for the orc's weak points. Meanwhile, Yvonne and Elise maintained a safe distance, unleashing ranged attacks while simultaneously reinforcing their two frontliners with buffs.
Flint, on the other hand, simply stood there, watching the battle unfold while occasionally yawning. He looked utterly uninterested. Fiona wasn't much different—but only because she had been explicitly told not to intervene.
"Pardon us, Miss Fiona, but for this one… would you mind letting us handle it ourselves? We're concerned that excessive involvement from an S-Rank like you might affect the Contribution Table. Once again, we apologize for our audacity."
That explanation jogged her memory.
The Contribution Table—a panel that manifested only after a Gate had been successfully subdued. It distributed Experience Points to each raid participant. Those points served as a prerequisite for Hunters wishing to apply for the next rank qualification exam, though they were merely the first hurdle. Ultimately, whether one passed or failed was determined by the judges.
And frankly, Fiona couldn't care less. She no longer needed Experience Points, nor did she require real combat experience. She had already obtained nearly everything she needed during the Liberation War.
Besides, it wasn't as if an orc like this could provide any entertainment.
At best, it was only C-rank.
Which was why, when the orc was brought down in a single decisive strike by Flint—who had moved without anyone realizing since when—another rumble reverberated throughout the area.
A near-horde of orcs, similar in size, surged toward them. Their numbers were likely in the dozens—no, perhaps even hundreds.
"A monster swarm…?" Hax swallowed hard.
"Don't panic. Maintain formation, focus on your roles, and we'll be fine."
And they truly were fine.
Every movement flowed smoothly and efficiently. Solari held back five orcs at once without faltering. Elise chanted spells at astonishing speed, releasing multiple massive fireballs simultaneously. Yvonne stayed constantly alert, administering healing whenever someone was injured while amplifying the party's offensive power.
Still, the most striking sight was the coordination between Hax and Flint. The two moved like relentless killing machines, perfectly complementing each other as they alternated between offense and defense. Not a single signal was exchanged, yet their actions were flawlessly synchronized—as if they instinctively understood one another, along with the limits of each other's capabilities.
Watching them stirred a familiar memory in Fiona's mind.
The one who had earned her the title Black Death. The Hunter known as the strongest Mage-class in history—White Ghost, Claudia Heathcliff.
"Good work, everyone," Solari called out, panting.
Hax and Flint dropped to the ground as well, catching their breath. "Damn, that was insane. Does this really happen every time in an A-rank Gate?"
"I didn't expect someone who calls himself 'young' to have such pitiful stamina." Yvonne handed Hax a bottle filled with a stamina recovery potion.
Grinning, Hax accepted it. "I'd have been done for if you hadn't kept healing me back there. So… thanks, Yvonne."
For just a moment, a faint blush crept onto Yvonne's face—but she quickly snorted, snatched the bottle back, and smacked Hax on the head with it. "Look after yourself properly. You're seriously a pain."
Laughter erupted from the group at their exchange.
It was such a warm, ordinary scene.
One that should never have existed in a place like this. "So this is your first raid into an A-rank Gate, Solari?"
"Ah, yes, Miss Fiona. To enter an A-rank Gate, you need at least four A-rank Hunters and one S-rank, correct? And Flint only obtained his A-rank license at the end of last month, so—"
"So you didn't prepare for a situation like this, did you?"
It happened in an instant. A massive shadow descended over them. The Ether pressure it emitted was so crushing that it instantly stripped everyone of their fighting spirit.
And when they finally looked up—bracing themselves as they laid eyes upon its true form—it was already too late.
…Almost.
At the very least, a blade of compressed air hurtled toward Yvonne. She had barely half a second to dodge.
Which meant only one thing: impossible.
However, as an S-rank, Fiona was long accustomed to overcoming the impossible.
Crash!
Thud!
"Arrrrghhkkh."
The resulting dust cloud dwarfed even the one caused by the fallen orc. When it finally settled, everyone stood frozen in shock.
Fiona was seated on the ground, coughing up a horrifying mixture of red and black blood. From her right shoulder down to her lower abdomen, deep, vicious claw marks had torn her body open.
Standing before her was a grotesque monster—a hybrid of a giant rabbit and a rat, its bloated belly swaying as drool dripped from its mouth. Each drop sizzled upon contact, a corrosive liquid capable of melting bone.
As Fiona grimaced, Yvonne rushed toward her, her voice trembling. "I… I'm sorry. I'm truly sorry. Please forgive me. Because of me … you…" She looked on the verge of tears, utterly consumed by despair.
But Fiona merely said, "Give me…"
"Y-Yes, I'll give it to you. All the healing potions we have. I'll pour every last bit of Ether I have into—"
"Amplification buff."
"Huh?"
"Just do it."
Yvonne stared at her in shock—confused, frightened.
Meanwhile, Fiona braced herself with one hand and forced herself upright. Blood—and perhaps strips of torn flesh—dripped onto the ground, making Yvonne tremble even more as Fiona murmured in a low voice, "Every second counts, Yvonne."
"I… I understand. O-Okay, just a moment, um…" Yvonne began chanting the amplification buff, and a faint, divine yellow radiance enveloped Fiona's body.
At the same time, Fiona extended her blood-soaked hand toward Flint. "Weapon."
Flint, who had remained calm and expressionless until now, visibly paled and handed over his sword almost on reflex.
Fiona accepted it and drew the blade.
It wasn't that she didn't need healing magic. It simply didn't matter—not right now. This was tied to her Transfer.
When she had explained it to Cain, she had simplified the process. In more accurate terms, Fiona functioned much like a bank.
A bank possessed several essential functions. First was Deposit—which she had already fulfilled by directly receiving the lethal attack, along with Yvonne's amplification spell.
Next came Storage, where everything she received—attacks, buffs, debuffs—was accumulated indiscriminately.
And then… the final function:
"Transfer."
Her movement surpassed even the speed she had shown when she 'saved' Yvonne earlier. Through the sword in her grasp, Fiona returned the attack and pain she had endured—along with an additional strike of her own. The resulting impact was thunderous, resembling a clash between monsters rather than humans.
And as it happened, the party bore witness to a chilling anomaly.
"Am I imagining things, or…?"
"I think I saw it, too. Miss Fiona… while slaughtering that monster, she's smiling. No—she might actually be laughing."