Ryuu noticed that these four positions corresponded to the roles assigned to Riveria, Friana, Hedin, and Hogni—all powerful Lv.6 magic users or magic swordsmen.
These few directions seem to form the phases of wind, water, earth, and fire… Unfortunately, Ryuu's level is not high enough to understand them clearly.
"As for [Gale], you are the last safeguard of the ground front. Before we return, before Emiya returns, you must eliminate all monsters on the surface."
"Mm, leave it to me!", After a moment of silence, Ryuu seriously agreed.
Even though deep down, she longed to enter the ruins and fight alongside Emiya, she understood that her strength was limited.
Among the team over there, there were four powerful Lv.6 adventurers, each stronger than her.
"Hedin, you must bring Shirou back," Ryuu looked fearlessly at her older and stronger clansman.
"Humph, it's not your place to teach me that, [Gale]," Hedin's tone remained cold.
Then, he looked to the other side, "Emiya, your task—"
Emiya: "I know."
Hedin nodded, "Mm."
The two shared an unexpected level of understanding.
Artemis: "Only my divine power can open that door, so I must go as well."
Hedin acknowledged, "Alright."
Hermes raised his hand: "Then I'll also—"
"Useless gods should obediently stay at the camp."
"Uh… fine."
With the map tucked away, the high-level adventurers walked out of the temporary command center and arrived at the adventurers' gathering square.
Asfi lightly poked Hermes from behind, signaling that it was his time to speak.
"Everyone," Hermes stepped forward without hesitation, "The battle will be tough, and some may even die."
"But I ask all of you to fight for victory, for the world we love!!!"
———
The moment the top adventurers took action, everyone was overwhelmed by the sheer intensity of their power.
Especially those adventurers who had only ever operated outside the city and had never seen true 'monsters' firsthand. Within an instant, they were deeply shaken by the figures of these powerful warriors, as if their very souls were being seized.
Their speed, strength, and aura were all beyond mortal comprehension, causing those watching to unconsciously hold their breath and fix their gazes upon these elite fighters.
The first to sweep across the battlefield was a storm of black and red.
The dark elf renowned for his speed and strength dashed forward like lightning, his black longsword cutting through the air, leaving behind a flurry of razor-sharp black sword shadows.
His movements were nearly imperceptible to the naked eye, like a streak of dark light weaving through enemies. Every swing of his sword was accompanied by a heavy slicing sound, the surrounding air humming as if being torn apart.
Each slash of the black longsword struck true, cleaving into the scorpion-like monsters. Wherever the blade passed, their thick exoskeletons shattered instantly, sending black blood flying.
Hogni's attacks were as swift and deadly as a storm, and the scorpion monsters had no hope of keeping up with his speed.
His black figure flickered, appearing before his enemies in an instant. His longsword, like the scythe of death, swept across them. Before the monsters even realized what had happened, they had already been sliced into pieces, collapsing heavily to the ground.
At the same time, on the other side of the battlefield, Ryuu appeared, flames burning in her hands, growing more intense with each step.
The [Higanbana] in her grip blazed like a fire dragon, tracing fiery arcs through the air. With every swing, the sword ignited fierce flames that instantly consumed the approaching scorpion monsters.
With each strike, firestorms erupted, turning into a raging inferno that devoured everything before her.
Ryuu's figure flickered within the flames, her footwork as light as a butterfly's dance, yet the fire around her was as violent as a thunderstorm.
Her flames were not mere fire. They carried the force of wind. Pushed by the wind, the flames grew even more intense, as if threatening to turn the battlefield into a sea of fire.
"So… so strong… This is terrifying."
"Asfi… if you reach Lv.5, could you become this strong too?"
"Are you kidding? No way. These guys… are even scarier than monsters…"
As the adventurers found themselves spellbound by the sight of these powerful warriors, Hermes suddenly shouted from behind them.
"THE VANGUARD HAS OPENED THE PATH FOR YOU. WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?"
"YES!!!"
"OHHH!!!"
"CHARGE!!!"
"ATTACK!!!"
Inspired by the sight of first-tier adventurers, the men and women among them rushed forward in excitement.
"Projection—"
Just as Emiya was about to activate his magic, a hand pressed down on his shoulder.
"Save your mana," Hedin spoke as he swung his staff, sending streaks of lightning sweeping across the battlefield, turning the monsters and their magic stones into nothing but ash.
"These scorpion beasts aren't that strong, but their numbers are practically endless," Emiya said.
Friana: "And they're evolving. Soon, there might be ones as strong as first-tier adventurers."
Riveria nodded, "Mm. But luckily, Antares has a limit on how fast it can absorb energy. It won't be able to produce too many of those kinds of monsters."
Artemis: "We've arrived. This is the Sealed Gate we talked about."
Soon, they reached the ruins.
"Lady Artemis, we leave it to you," Emiya said.
The goddess nodded, reaching out her hand. A divine glow resonated from her body, syncing with the ruins.
The massive gate slowly opened, revealing a sight that made the adventurers' expressions darken.
"Are these… monster eggs? They've been parasitizing the temple?"
Riveria glanced around and warned, "Be careful. Most of these monster eggs are dried up."
Emiya: "Dried up?"
"Yes. They never hatched; all their energy was drained… Antares must have realized that sheer numbers aren't enough."
"Either way, we push through."
Hedin swung his staff.
[Caelus Hildr]
Dozens of lightning spheres surged forward through the passage, reducing the dried-up and still-active monster eggs to ashes.
The lightning spheres detonated at the end of the passage, and at the same time, sharp monster screeches echoed out.
A creature that could withstand the attacks of the [White Fairy's Magic Wand] had finally appeared.
"They're here," Hedin spoke in a low voice, and before his words even finished, the monster's shadow emerged.
It was a stark contrast to the previous scorpion creatures, its black exoskeleton gleamed like dark steel under the faint light, as if it had been forged through countless trials.
Standing nearly as tall as two men, its tough armor seemed to shield it entirely from magical damage. The black shell was covered in intricate patterns, resembling mysterious magical runes.
Hedin's face remained emotionless as he activated another spell.
[Varian Hildr]
This was Hedin's second magic, [Varian Hildr], a lightning-based, ultra-short incantation spell that unleashed a massive bolt of lightning onto its target.
Like a divine spear from the heavens, the lightning pierced straight through the scorpion's head with a heavy explosion.
Though this monster had undergone specialization to develop extreme magic resistance, against this attack, its once-impenetrable defense proved futile. The lightning shattered the exoskeleton at its head, sending shards flying as electricity surged violently through its body.
"Armor specialized against magic…", Friana glanced at it and instantly assessed, "It evolved quickly. Not just that, but its vitality is stronger than ordinary monsters. It's still moving after losing half its head."
"Hedin, because you attack so often, they've evolved to counter you."
Hedin smirked coldly, his voice tinged with scorn, "I know."
"Let them keep evolving against magic resistance and lightning resistance."
He flipped his staff, revealing its sword form, and charged without hesitation. With one swift slash, he sliced through the black exoskeleton, which had prioritized magic defense over physical resistance.
Hedin's figure flickered, and in an instant, he severed all the scorpion monster's legs. Then, he turned back to look at Emiya, his eyes carrying a tacit signal.
In that moment, an arrow whistled out like lightning, piercing precisely into the crack shattered by Hedin's thunder spear, striking the vital point.
———
[Orario, Dungeon]
"Reinforcements… Call for adventurers, and the best ones at that!"
"We can't handle it anymore; the monsters are all—"
"The monsters in the Dungeon have gone mad, something terrible has happened."
Adventurers scrambled to flee from the Dungeon, their retreat forming a chaotic scene. Behind them, the roars of monsters interwove into a terrifying symphony.
But at that moment, several figures advanced against the flow of the crowd, charging into the Dungeon.
Ais, as always, led the charge at the forefront. However, today, there was someone even ahead of her.
It wasn't the more agile [Ferocious Wolf], nor the battle-obsessed Amazon sisters, but rather the one who was supposed to be elegant and pure, the elven woman, [Pristine Garden] Alicia.
"WHY? WHY CAN LADY RIVERIA AND RYUU TRAVEL WITH SHIROU, BUT I HAVE TO STAY IN THE CITY?"
Alicia roared as she rushed forward, and an ice-blue skeletal giant rapidly formed around her.
Unlike before, driven by the elf's unprecedentedly intense emotions, this time, the Ice Giant was more complete than ever. Simple veins and flesh began to form on the skeleton, and it even grew a second arm.
"My god, can that thing still grow?", Amidst Tiona's exclamation, the Ice Giant swung both arms, sweeping away the monsters attempting to escape the Dungeon, turning them all into a mist of blood.
For a moment, the Loki Familia members weren't sure which was more terrifying, the monsters or this thing.
———
[Caelus Hildr]
[Varian Hildr]
Hedin alternated between casting two types of magic, turning all the monsters ahead of him into ashes.
His movements were swift, constantly chanting while moving at high speed. The Dizaria, which had both a staff and a blade, continuously released powerful and precise magic.
The [White Fairy's Magic Wand] displayed a parallel chanting technique even more skilled than Ryuu's. The continuous, fluid magic bombardment demonstrated his unfathomable mental strength.
Possessing greater total magical energy, magic control, and range than Riveria, in some ways, he was truly Orario's strongest mage.
And in this speed-driven battlefield, his ultra-short incantation advantage was fully unleashed. Each spell was almost instantaneous, requiring no unnecessary pauses, allowing him to deliver deadly strikes to the enemy in a heartbeat.
"Hedin, can your magic power still hold out?", Riveria asked.
Hedin answered indifferently, "No problem. Compared to that disgustingly tough wild boar, this battle is so easy it's not even worth mentioning."
Friana scanned the surroundings and calmly stated, "We've arrived. This is the deepest part of the ruins. The hiding place of Antares."
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