Gale-force winds raged as hostility collided.
A battle with no way out was unfolding before Bell's eyes.
Wrapped in the storm, the Desperate Sword danced in a dazzling blur of silver light. In just a few seconds, Ais's wind, filled with towering hatred, unleashed countless slashes.
Yet even against the blonde girl's all-out assault, Juggernaut did not fall behind in the slightest.
Chime.
A bell suddenly rang out.
Bitter frost shrouded the vast, glossy-black room, and the sonorous chime echoed on and on.
"Fall back to the right wall. If any new monsters appear, eliminate them immediately."
Bell calmly gave his orders.
[Argonaut] had only just begun to charge, and it did not require much Mind yet. Much like parallel charging, Bell could spare part of his focus to direct the others.
"I understand…"
Alicia knew she would only get in the way, so she bit her lip and answered.
The battle unfolding before her was no longer something a single Level 4 adventurer like her could influence.
Both Ais and Juggernaut had abandoned defense. Every collision between claws and rapier unleashed a violent shockwave that made it impossible to approach.
Alicia could not follow that swift sword dance at all. Covering Ais with Magic was out of the question, and she could not even support her by passing over a potion.
Of everyone present, only Riveria could assist Ais.
"Assemble, breath of the land, my name is Alf!"
Riveria chanted Magic without pause.
A defensive garment of light to repel attacks.
Healing Magic to mend wounds.
With those two forms of support, Ais was able to keep fighting Juggernaut.
The claws tore through her armor of wind, but before blood mist could spray out, the green garment of light blocked part of the attack.
Even with the dual protection of the gale and the light, the claws still carved a deep wound into Ais's body.
The song that held back grief rang out again, and Riveria chanted Healing Magic to close Ais's wound.
The Calamity's latent power could only be described as despair.
As the first one attacked, Riveria understood that more keenly than anyone.
Even though Bell had reacted at once and draped the nearly uncuttable [Goliath Scarf] between them, Riveria had still been gravely injured by the impact.
The side effects of the Elixir churned through her body.
Along with the healing effect, her organs, injured by the shock, trembled and cried out in pain.
But compared to the boy's suffering, this pain meant nothing at all.
Riveria understood that everything Bell had said was meant to keep her from drowning in guilt.
The so-called "ring" referred to Riveria herself.
Because he loved her, he never regretted his decision.
More than losing his arm, the boy had feared losing Riveria.
It was a tragic truth, a hopeless reality enough to bring anyone to tears.
And precisely because of that, the boy's passion shook the Elf Princess's heart.
Even in such a sorrowful situation, Bell Cranel was still thinking of her, unwilling to let her sink into guilt and fall into the abyss.
That pure passion sank deep into Riveria's heart, merging with the flower of love and bearing the fruit of strength.
She had to get Bell Cranel out of here.
Miracles existed in this world. Even if she had to give up everything she had, she would restore the boy's arm.
It was nothing more than the last shred of hope held by a woman trapped in tragic love. The chance of a miracle happening was almost nonexistent.
But in this moment, Riveria could only rely on that tragic vow to make herself strong.
Love must not be corroded by guilt.
When the day came that the boy's arm was restored, she would tell him what was in her heart.
Holding that bitter love inside her, Riveria used it to numb her grief and put on the mask of [Nine Hell].
She endured the pain, clutching her staff in one hand and the magic-item ring Bell had given her in the other, chanting Magic again and again.
An emerald light enveloped the blonde girl, healing her wounds time after time.
The bell continued to echo.
If any God stood within this hellish scene, they would surely mistake that clear chime for a funeral bell and wonder whom it was tolling for.
The blonde girl was being pushed back.
"Tempest!!!"
Ais's lips trembled as she roared the chant, increasing the wind power of Ariel.
Under that violent wind pressure, her body had already begun to twist in an extremely unnatural way, and every swing of her sword brought tremendous pain.
It was not something as simple as sore muscles. Her Level 6 [Weapon], ravaged by the wind, was crying out without end.
Kill the monster.
Kill the monster!!!
Black flames burned in Ais's pupils.
[Avenger]. This was the only skill Ais possessed. Against monster-type enemies, it greatly strengthened her attack power; against Dragonkind monsters, it enhanced her even further. Moreover, the strength of the enhancement changed according to the depth of her hatred.
Because this skill was tied to Ais's tragic vow and had an enormous effect on her mind, she had long been forbidden from using it.
But the moment she saw Juggernaut bite off Bell's arm, Ais had activated the skill instinctively.
The Desperate Sword, loaded with the flames of vengeance, rained countless slashes down on Juggernaut.
Ryuu's [Astrae Serenade] provided a slight boost to all her abilities, while Riveria's defensive and Healing Magic supported her as well.
Even so, Ais could not slay the Calamity before her.
Far from killing Juggernaut, it was Ais's side that was steadily accumulating wounds and exhaustion.
The gap was simply too large.
In adventurer stat terms, Juggernaut's [Strength] and [Agility] far surpassed the blonde girl's normal state. Even with all her enhancements stacked together, Ais could only barely keep up.
The Calamity's [Endurance] was low because it had no need to defend at all. With only its claws and fangs, it could take the lives of countless adventurers.
The Desperate Sword was already wrapped in raging wind, yet when it collided with those claws, it could barely cancel out Juggernaut's attacks.
Under the lightning-fast claw strikes, Ais could not find a single opening to thrust at the Calamity's body. If she forced it, even if she managed to cut through that eerie purple shell, she would be the first to fall beneath its claws.
To kill this monster, unless…
A terrifying thought flashed through Ais's mind.
She could break the taboo herself, let the black flames devour her heart, and cast aside every lesson and every warmth she had received until now.
What waited ahead was, of course, emptiness and death.
As long as this hateful monster died, what happened to her did not matter at all, did it?
Yes…
Why was she hesitating?
What else could she do besides slay monsters?
Enough.
Kill it!
She had to kill it!
"…?"
Just as Ais was about to sacrifice herself and walk the path to ruin, the sound of a bell rang beside her ears.
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