Alise narrowed her eyes, her gaze sharpening as she exchanged blows with Vito.
Despite being labeled as part of Evilus, this man wasn't some disposable foot soldier. His skills, his reflexes, his instincts, they were all far above the average. He was no mere pawn.
"...Strange." She muttered. "He's definitely not just a minion."
But Vito didn't offer a direct response. Instead, he shrugged dramatically and sighed with theatrical exaggeration. "Ahhh, such a shame, really. Seems I've got one of those faces people can't remember. No defining features, no distinct presence. Even my own comrades call me feceless."
Apart from his striking blood-red hair, there really was nothing remarkable about him. His half-lidded eyes constantly held a languid, unreadable gaze. His lips curved in an ever-present smirk, as if he wore a mask carved from apathy.
Like a stranger you might pass on the street and forget the next moment… a shadow in a crowd. He was a man who blended into the backdrop of the world.
A faceless man.
And that was precisely the nickname people gave him—Faceless Vito.
As if to affirm it, Vito suddenly opened one eye slightly, the curved corner of his lips widening into a sharp grin that glinted with malice.
"Oh, and one more thing." He added playfully. "Most of the people I've met… well, I've already taken care of them. Permanently."
The cruel grin and that offhand comment were enough to send a chill down Alise's spine. Her eyes narrowed instantly, her instincts screaming.
Her lips moved swiftly as she recited her chant.
Magic power surged around her, invisible but unmistakable, and instantly ignited into roaring flames. The fire coiled around her arms, legs, and rapier, responding to her will like a loyal hound.
Empowered by both her magic and her dual skills, Alise's presence surged, her very aura transformed into that of a burning war goddess. Her crimson eyes shone with unwavering determination. The blade in her hand flickered like a phoenix's talon, sharper and faster under the shimmering heat.
Even Vito flinched. He could feel the spike in magical energy. Alise wasn't holding back anymore.
"Heh… how interesting." He growled through clenched teeth, tightening his grip on the dagger in reverse grip. "But don't think you've won just because you lit a fire."
The dagger he held wasn't just any weapon, it was cursed. Even a small cut could cause wounds that were notoriously difficult to heal. All he needed was one or two hits. If he could land those, then he'd have his chance to reverse the tide. But Alise didn't even respond to his provocation.
With a shout, she lunged forward, her flaming rapier slicing through the air like a comet. Flames trailed behind every swing, painting arcs of fire midair.
Vito tried to dodge, tried to parry but she was faster and stronger. Each strike came faster than the last, and the fire singed parts of his cloak, leaving burns on his exposed skin. Her blade became a blazing storm, stabbing and slashing with merciless rhythm.
Vito had no choice but to retreat, parrying desperately as he staggered backward. He looked less like a predator and more like prey.
Watching the tide of battle shift, Basram's anxiety skyrocketed. Two of his spirit soldiers were already down. The rest were struggling.
Vito was being forced back. And once one of them fell, the enemy's focus would undoubtedly turn toward him.
And he, Basram, had none of their strength, none of their speed.
He cursed under his breath, veins throbbing in frustration.
He blamed Vallettta, that psychotic monster who insisted on testing the spirit soldiers' "battle potential."
He cursed himself for following the order with too little preparation. If only he'd brought more troops… if only he hadn't been so arrogant…
But self-loathing would get him nowhere now.
He needed a plan. Fast.
His eyes flicked toward Akira, calmly standing a distance away.
Basram's lips curled into a dark grin.
That's it.
Kidnap that boy.
Surely, those self-righteous fools wouldn't dare act recklessly if their beloved comrade was held hostage.
The more he thought about it, the more it made sense.
After all, the boy had used a powerful magic attack earlier. He must be drained by now. There's no way he'd act again.
No, he'd be too cautious to try anything.
So while the others remained locked in battle, Basram silently bent his back and began slinking toward the eastern forest.
Just then, as if on cue, a new group arrived from the treeline. Cloaked in black robes, a squad of Evilus reinforcements emerged.
"Vito-sama! Basram-sama! We're here to assist you!"
Vito's eyes flicked toward the newcomers. His fox-like smirk returned.
An opportunity.
Feigning defeat, he let Alise's flame-infused sword graze his shoulder, letting out a pained grunt as he was flung backward. His body spun midair and the moment his feet hit the ground, he dashed.
Landing beside Basram in a heartbeat, he reached out, grabbed the old priest's collar, and took off.
"Let's go!" He barked.
Basram nodded quickly and swung his staff, ordering the remaining spirit soldiers to retreat.
Suddenly, the enchanted bodies sparked with lightning and flame, forcing Kaguya and Ryuu back temporarily.
The spirit soldiers turned, breaking away from combat to rejoin their fleeing masters, forming a wall between them and their pursuers.
As they vanished into the treeline, Vito passed a black-robed soldier and patted his shoulder with a devilish grin.
"I'll leave it to you. Just hold them off for a bit, yeah?"
Whether those men lived or died didn't matter to him in the slightest.
Even Basram, if not for his usefulness to Erebus, would've been discarded already.
"Stop!"
Alise shouted, lifting her blazing rapier and preparing to give chase. But as soon as she stepped forward, the black-robed reinforcements stepped in, drawing their weapons and blocking the path.
"Heh… little girls from the Astraea Familia." The leader sneered. "You're not going anywhere today."
Kaguya's glare was cold as frost. Her blade hummed with anticipation. "You think you can stop us?"
Without waiting for an answer, she dashed forward, her sword flashing like a silver serpent.
Ryuu was right behind her, her wooden blade slicing through the air as she fought in perfect sync with Kaguya.
Alise looked from the skirmish to the forest where Vito and Basram had vanished. Her body tensed with frustration. She could chase them.
If she detonated her spell now, she might just be fast enough to catch them. But before she could act, a hand gently rested on her shoulder.
"Leave it to me." Akira said softly.
He stepped forward, rising slowly into the air. Crackling arcs of magic coalesced around his outstretched arm.
One by one, several thunder orbs, each with a radius of two meters, materialized above him, radiating ominous energy like a storm brewing over the battlefield.
Crackling bolts of lightning roared across the sky, building up a heavy charge that made the air tremble.
Akira's expression remained calm as he watched from above. Though he had expected Alise and the others to end things swiftly, reality proved otherwise. They were still just shy of reaching that level.
If they had more time, maybe, but innocent adventurers were still in danger, and Akira wouldn't allow any more casualties under his watch.
"So be it." He muttered, lifting a hand. "Let this thunder of justice judge you."
The spheres of lightning sparked in response, and the moment Akira pointed, the gathered magic power surged forward like a divine verdict.
The electric balls tore through the forest canopy, completely ignoring terrain and obstacles, and with a sound like divine thunder—
BOOM BOOM BOOM—!!