The commotion at the Empyrean Citadel had reached a scale too massive to be ignored.
Five minutes after the first explosion, a patrol team from the Ganesha Familia arrived at the scene with the intent of dispersing the crowd.
"What do you think you're doing?! Starting brawls within the city is forbidden!" one of the patrol members shouted loudly, attempting to uphold the laws of Orario.
"Begone!"
One of the Evilus members, annoyed by their arrival, snorted in irritation. Without warning, he unleashed a heavy blow that sent the patrol officer flying dozens of meters, smashing into a stall until it was reduced to splinters.
"S-so strong! His strength is at least that of a Second-Class Adventurer! This isn't something we can handle!" his teammate said, his face turning pale.
"Quick, call Shakti-sama! We need reinforcements to stop them!"
The patrol team immediately realized that stopping the battle before them was far beyond the scope of their abilities. The power displayed by both sides was not something that Third-Class Adventurers like them could hope to halt.
Above them, the 'monsters' in the sky—the Divine Beast Spirits—continued to spew fire and release lightning that split the horizon. However, the attackers continued to fight back fiercely, as if their own lives were merely cheap commodities ready to be discarded for the sake of victory.
That absurd and bloodthirsty fighting style was truly insane.
In the eyes of the trembling patrol team, only their captain, Shakti Varma, who possessed Level 5 strength, might be capable of handling a riot of this caliber.
*CLANG!* *CLANG!* *CLANG!*
*PUCHI!*
Amidst the storm of green wind, Ais, who had exerted her full strength, finally managed to find an opening. Her rapier pierced the heart of one of the Creatures with lethal precision.
With one enemy down, the number of opponents was now reduced to Ein and the three remaining Creatures. The pressure weighing down on Ais eased slightly, but the danger had not passed.
"Well, well, well... No wonder Revis failed to capture you. You're stronger than expected, Sword Princess."
Ein let out a small laugh, completely indifferent to the death of her comrade. Instead, she attacked even more aggressively, her sword clashing rapidly against Ais's rapier in a deafening symphony of metal.
Upon hearing that name, Ais's focus wavered instantly. Flashes of memories regarding the mysterious woman surfaced in her mind.
(An opening!)
Ein did not waste that split-second gap. The tip of her sword managed to tear the clothing across Ais's chest. A shallow wound appeared there, revealing her pure white skin behind the shredded fabric.
"What is your connection to Revis?!"
Ais began to lose her composure while having to parry the coordinated attacks of the three other Creatures.
She was now caught in a pincer. The three Level 5-equivalent Creatures worked together to corner her—one attacking from below to hinder her movement, while the other two launched a pincer attack from her blind spots.
Even though Ais was a Level 6, being ganged up on by four First-Class fighters (including Ein) who had no fear of death made every step feel incredibly heavy.
"Want to know? Come with us! You surely want to know more about the Spirit you met, don't you?"
Ein continued to use her words to disrupt Ais's concentration.
"..."
The provocation was highly effective. Ais's mind was split; she desperately wanted to know why Revis had mentioned the name of her mother, Aria.
That question had long been a thorn disturbing her peace.
As a result of being distracted by her inner doubts, Ais suffered several additional minor injuries. The claws and weapons of the three Creatures managed to touch her skin as her wind defense coordination weakened for a moment.
Despite being surrounded by wind, facing four Level 5-equivalent opponents simultaneously was no easy feat, even for the Sword Princess herself.
◆━⊰✿✧✿⊱━◆
On the other side, the battle between Aishia and Banshee had reached a level far exceeding the capabilities of ordinary adventurers. They were no longer merely exchanging physical blows; now, the atmosphere around the Empyrean Citadel began to vibrate as both started unleashing destructive magic.
"Dio Thyrsos!"
Banshee spread her arms, and in that instant, the sky above her seemed to split open.
*BOOM!*
An explosion of pure golden lightning struck down, wrapping around her body before being projected as pillars of energy that scorched everything in their path. Without a care for environmental damage, Banshee directed those golden bolts to strike the main building behind Aishia.
Aishia did not budge. She knew her position was that of a protector. She retaliated with Spirit Arts.
*RUMBLE!*
The ground in front of the entrance surged upward to form a sturdy wall, while high-compression water currents swirled around it to dampen the heat of the golden lightning.
*BOOM!*
The collision of these two massive energies created a blinding explosion of light.
Although Aishia's face remained flat and emotionless from the start, if someone were to look closer, her clear eyes faintly showed a spark of anger. She was annoyed by her opponent's shameless behavior of deliberately targeting the building to bait a gap in her defense.
"So this is the power of a Spirit? No wonder the heroes of the past succeeded in driving the monsters on the surface back into the Dungeon even though they hadn't received Falna from the gods."
While continuing to seek an opening to launch her next magic, Banshee could not hide her admiration for Aishia's pure power, which did not originate from a divine blessing.
"Your target is Charlie. I will not allow you to go near him."
Aishia was not foolish enough to ask for their identities or motives; she knew an enemy like this would not provide answers. Her focus was singular: to protect Charlie with all her might.
Aishia then stomped her foot onto the earth. Her Spirit Arts this time shifted to an aggressive assault.
*FWOOSH!*
A vertical windstorm was created, slicing through Banshee's pillars of golden lightning. However, Banshee did not stay idle. She leapt into the air, gathering the remnants of electrical energy in her hands until they formed a giant lightning spear that hissed loudly.
*BANG!* *BANG!* *BANG!*
A spectacular magical battle broke out. The golden light from Banshee's lightning clashed with the multi-colored elements of Aishia's Spirit Arts—the red of fire, the blue of water, and the green of wind.
Every time the two magics collided, the resulting shockwaves created new craters in the ground, making the spectators in the distance hold their breath as they witnessed the clash.
◆━⊰✿✧✿⊱━◆
While all eyes were diverted by the grand battle shaking Orario—between the Evilus ranks and the Divine Beast Spirits, the death duel of the Sword Princess against Ein, and the magical clash between Aishia and Banshee—a third party moved within the shadows.
They infiltrated from the rear of the Empyrean Citadel with a lethal silence.
Two figures shrouded in jet-black clothing climbed onto the back roof of the building. With incredibly deft movements, they dismantled the roof structure without making a fuss, demonstrating that this was not the first time they had performed such an infiltration mission.
They jumped down and landed on the floor as light as cotton, virtually silent. One by one, they checked the bedroom doors coldly until finally, they found the primary target.
*SWOOSH!*
"Watch out!"
One of the intruders shouted under his breath while pulling his comrade back. A flash of silver streaked through the air exactly where their heads had been a second before.
A longsword radiating a holy aura hovered in the air, vibrating with palpable fury.
It was the Holy Sword Severian.
Est had detected their presence since their feet first stepped inside the house. Without hesitation, she immediately transformed into her sword form to protect Charlie.
*SWOOSH!*
Est darted back, pursuing the two intruders with a series of sharp, consecutive attacks.
The two intruders, possessing strength equivalent to Level 3, were forced into a series of extreme acrobatic movements. They rolled on the floor, jumped onto cabinets, and used the room's pillars as shields to avoid Est's lethal slashes.
*TING!*
Sparks were created as one of the intruders parried Est's attack with his black dagger, creating a sharp metallic ring within the cramped room.
However, Est was in a difficult situation. Without a contractor to wield her, the power she could display was very limited. Her attacks relied solely on inertia and the remnants of holy energy she possessed.
Realizing this limitation, the two intruders immediately changed tactics.
"Hold that thing!" One ordered.
The first intruder threw a special wire net and used all his strength to restrain Est's blade, allowing his hands to be wounded for the sake of locking the Holy Sword's movement.
As Est struggled within the restraints, the second intruder seized that golden opportunity. With one swift motion, he dashed to the side of Charlie's bed.
The dagger in his hand flashed before being swung with full force, plunging straight into the heart of the man lying there helpless.
"NOOOOOOO!!!"
In her sword form, Est screamed hysterically. The vibration of her piercing voice shattered the glass inside the room as she witnessed the dagger sink deep into her master's chest, triggering a despair that crushed her heart.
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