The gale howled as Bell's shouts guided Ais forward.
After the brief clash, Ais, Finn, and Gareth were the three who ultimately reached the Female Body Type.
Unlike Bete, none of them chose to fight in a way that would leave both sides battered. Had they been willing to do so, they could have forced their way through the tentacles' attacks.
Gareth could even have ignored the tentacles altogether, taken the blows head-on, and charged straight toward the Female Body Type.
But all three followed the boy's commands and advanced together.
Bell's purpose was obvious. He wanted to preserve their strongest fighting force so they could bring down the Female Body Type without fail.
"A Thunder Spear spell is coming! [Elgarm], prepare to defend!"
Bell saw the color of the Female Body Type's magic circle and immediately called out a warning.
Standing behind the others gave him a better view of the battlefield. Tsubaki, Tiona, and the rest were still fighting desperately, but only a few seconds had passed since Finn had thrown his spear and interrupted the monster's lengthy incantation.
Recovering from its rage and shock, the Female Body Type immediately began chanting a short spell at those approaching her.
"Thunder Ray."
A blast of lightning erupted.
The Female Body Type had deliberately lowered her voice. At such close range, there was no way to react in time through sight alone.
But Bell's warning had already come.
Gareth immediately stepped in front of Ais and Finn.
He had left his shield behind during the charge so he could keep pace with them, but in the Dwarf's mind, his own body was a shield in itself.
"Ooooooooooh!!!!!"
To stop the lightning spear completely, Gareth didn't raise his great axe to lessen the impact. Instead, he spread his arms and met the lightning head-on.
The lightning spear tore through Gareth's armor, bursting into a spray of blood across his body.
Yet just as the lightning was about to pierce through the Dwarf, his muscular, blood-covered body refused to budge.
"Peh! Too weak! Useless, useless, useless!!!!!"
Gareth spat out a mouthful of blood and stood his ground.
The lightning spear stopped against his body and exploded with a deafening roar.
Amid the smoke and dust, Gareth stood like an immovable mountain, taking the entire impact upon himself.
"Keep moving!"
Bell shouted toward the front.
They had reached the stage where the battle would be decided. They absolutely could not waste the precious opening Gareth had created.
Even one second of hesitation would betray Gareth's resolve and give the Female Body Type more time to chant.
Ais and Finn did not hesitate. Following Bell's command, they shot past the blood-soaked Gareth.
Still blocking their way was a natural iron wall formed from tightly clustered flower buds.
"[Braver]!"
Bell said nothing more. He simply called out Finn's title.
From their earlier battle, Bell had determined that although Finn had used Berserk Magic, he still retained a certain degree of reason.
For the Adventurer determined to shoulder the fate of the entire Pallum race, that single call was enough.
"Get out of my way!!!"
Finn's blood-red eyes widened as he tensed his right arm and drew back the silver spear.
The next instant, the spear plunged sideways through a gap between the flower buds and pierced the iridescent hide.
It was Finn's full-power strike.
Empowered by the [Spear Rolan], the flower buds closing together from the sides were completely blown apart.
The buds opened, exposing blood-red fangs.
Faced with that horrifying maw, Ais showed no fear. Seizing the brief opening, she strengthened the wind around herself and shot through the enemy's solid wall.
"Watch the marks on the ground! The spot with the green spear is darker!"
Bell shouted one final warning to the blonde girl.
Nothing now stood between Ais and the Female Body Type's upper body except the hot, stifling air.
This was the decisive moment, and precisely because of that, it was the moment when she had to be most cautious.
"Aaaaaaaah!!!!!!!"
The Female Body Type shrieked as she called the flower buds toward herself, but her massive body was far too slow compared to the blonde girl.
She had been seen through.
Everything had been seen through!
That hateful white-haired monster!!
Damn him, damn him, damn him!!!
The Female Body Type had prepared a finishing move. A green spear lay buried in the ground before her, ready to deliver a fatal strike the moment an enemy attempted to close in.
Unfortunately for her, Bell had already seen that attack once before.
He knew that people were most likely to lower their guard when victory was within reach. Since the Female Body Type had no reason to fear long-range attacks, there was a good chance she would exploit that fact and prepare a trap for anyone who approached.
The storm surged.
Thanks to Bell's warning, Ais easily avoided the green spear bursting from the ground and leaped high into the air.
Even with her blood boiling, she had to defeat the Calamity before her.
She had to bury this monster.
And it wasn't only for her companions.
It was also because of the fluttering feeling in her heart.
Compared to the heat surging through her blood, the feeling the boy had given her was somehow warmer.
How many times had Bell saved her by now?
Even if she counted only this battle, she could no longer keep track of everything she owed him.
As they had made their way along the towering cliffs, Bell had repeatedly given them directions and warnings, even stepping forward himself when necessary. It was because of him that none of them had fallen into the abyss.
She had also managed to narrowly avoid the first green spear because Bell had warned them beforehand. He hadn't known exactly what the trap would be, but he had noticed something in the Female Body Type's delighted expression and warned the vanguard to watch for one.
Luck had also played an important part.
Ais felt that Bell had brought her good luck, allowing her to barely evade that unbelievably fast green spear.
Maybe Riveria had been right...
Ais remembered the Elf Princess whispering with the others and quietly made up her mind.
Once they got back, she would definitely give Bell a hug...
With that warm thought in her heart, Ais poured every last bit of her Mind into her attack.
"Tempest
The gale roared.
Ais could feel it. Compared to before, her [Magic Power] and her other Status had risen even further.
"Lil Rafaga!!"
A spiraling torrent surpassing even a tempest formed in the air.
Gripping the Desperate Sword, the blonde girl descended from above and unleashed her final strike.
"Aaaaaaaaah!!!!"
Unlike Ais's calm expression, the Female Body Type's face twisted hideously.
She had originally had enough time to cast a short spell and clash with Ais.
But rage had consumed everything else.
The flash of wind tore straight through the Female Body Type and shattered her Magic Stone.
The raging gale crashed into the ground.
The Demi Spirit's enormous body instantly crumbled into ash.
"...?"
Lefiya stared at the blonde girl, gently rubbing herself against Bell's back.
She seemed to be asking whether it was over.
And what was she supposed to do with the Magic she had already finished chanting?
Bell looked across the dust-filled battlefield and answered with a smile.
"It was originally meant to intercept her short spells and keep Ais-san safe. I didn't expect the Demi Spirit to get so angry that, right at the end, she just kept glaring at me."
"Use the Light Arrow Magic as fireworks to celebrate our victory..."