"No problem."
"Hisssss…"
----------------------------------
The moment the Violas appeared, aside from its main trunk, countless enormous tentacles swung about, and then... in an instant, it discovered the intruders within its territory!
Its blurry consciousness was controlled by the soundwaves of the leaf flute, mercilessly kill everyone!
"Pa-"
"Boom!"
Countless tentacles lashed out, whipping and striking. Some swept horizontally, some wrapped around, attacking the party from all directions!
"[Firebolt!]"
"Boom boom boom, "
The quick-attack magic, strengthened by both a tier-one armed staff and skill enhancement, carried power comparable to long-incantation magic of ordinary adventurers.
From Fron as the origin point, pillars of flame instantly cleared out a huge wave of Violas directly ahead. But before the adventurers could cheer, in an instant, the monsters filled the space again!
"How is this possible??? Do these monsters have no limit in number, being able to replenish so many in just a moment!"
"Focus on fighting! Don't think about that right now!"
"Flame Demon, please help protect the rear guard, I beg you!"
Faced with an ally's request, Fron easily agreed.
"Alright!"
But at that moment, while everyone was exchanging words, they noticed, the surrounding Violas seemed provoked, suddenly uniting their behavior, aiming straight at Fron's direction, attacking him in a dense wave.
The young man pulled down his hood, revealing dazzling golden hair, and eyes of the same color glowing with brilliance.
"Because when I used magic, the fluctuation of magical energy during refinement triggered their instincts to react..."
"Ais?"
"I understand..." Fron played a small trick.
The monsters' attacks came not only from every direction but also from above and below.
Combined with the restricting green walls, this environment prevented the group from bringing out their full combat strength.
Since they were at a disadvantage, they just needed to find a way to take the initiative,
Step one was to draw all the monsters' attention onto himself.
Sure enough, the moment he cast a spell, he succeeded.
The Violas, which had been scattered, attacking the whole party, all turned their focus onto him.
"[Awaken! (Tempest)!]"
"[Avenger!]"
A gentle breeze wrapped around Ais' body and weapon. As if sensing its master's will, the wind grew violent...
"Swish", a flash of blue light. The next moment Ais was already at the opposite end of the formation.
"Thud thud thud, "
The strung-together Violas stiffened for a moment, then disintegrated neatly into black powder.
"--?"
Asfi witnessed the coordination between Flame Demon and the Sword Princess, while nimbly dodging tentacle strikes amidst the monster swarm.
"The two of them... actually reversed their roles completely. Flame Demon attracts fire, and the Sword Princess finishes them off... what exquisite coordination. But... isn't the Sword Princess afraid that Flame Demon, being just a mage, will be taken down?"
Yet in the next second, Fron showed her through action that she had worried too much.
"[Face your end! (Ragnarok)]"
"[Surtur!]"
Black and crimson flame-lightning wrapped around his body and weapon. Fron blurred in motion, charging into the horde, fighting alongside Ais in perfect tandem.
"So... this is the true strength of the [Flame Demon]? I see, so that's how it is!"
Asfi felt Fron's power, far beyond what belonged to a mere Lv.4, and his additional magic that rivaled the Sword Princess. She was utterly shaken.
Brilliant as she was, lightning flashed in the researcher's mind, she understood everything.
"This guy disguises himself as a conventional mage with chant magic... but only his close companions know that he isn't a traditional mage at all, but an outlier even stronger than a magic swordsman!"
She used the word "outlier" to describe this monster, no Fron.
"Boom boom boom boom..."
In the eyes of the struggling [Hermes Familia], two blazing figures danced wildly across the battlefield!
Green and black spirals intertwined, like diligent sweepers, leaving no monster alive wherever they passed.
Even the green walls were scraped away layer by layer by their terrifying destructive force!
"So, so terrifying... this is Flame Demon and the Sword Princess."
The group marveled, but Asfi remained clear-headed, with such powerful support, they could now go all out!
"Everyone, stop holding back! You don't want to drag this out, right?"
"Haha, I've been waiting for you to say that, Asfi!"
"Everyone, give it everything!"
"Understood!"
In the deepest part of the cave.
Revis' figure had vanished, while Olivas Act stood lurking in the shadows.
The last plan at the 30th floor had already failed once. This time, they absolutely could not let their grand scheme be destroyed again!
"Heh, interesting. I underestimated these adventurers a little. Fine then, let them come. Watching them die in despair is far more enjoyable! Hahahahahahahahaha!"
His crazed, chaotic laughter echoed through the vast cavern, leaving only the eerie sound of "rustle, rustle."
"Shhhk", a short sword pierced easily into a Violas's stem, killing it instantly.
Fron's robe fluttered as he slowly landed on the ground.
Asfi, "Didn't expect Flame Demon's swordsmanship to be this skilled as well."
Most of the monsters had been exterminated, though Fron found it strange why no more Violas came to replenish them.
"Just a little that I know. It's better to say Ais taught me well."
"..."
That kind of swordsmanship, just 'a little that you know'?
She didn't want to retort anymore, feeling that this person's heart was truly pitch black.
But just as Asfi was about to speak again, an abnormal change occurred!
"Gurgle gurgle gurgle, "
The green wall writhed. In just an instant, before anyone could react, the entire battlefield was divided!
"Damn it! Sword Princess, Flame Demon, they want to split us apart!!!"
For the first time, Asfi showed panic. Because of their coordination, Ais and Fron were positioned at opposite ends of the formation!
Divided into three groups, this meant...
"Gurgle..." Her last glance was cut off by the merciless green wall.
"Fron!!!!!"
Ais, uncharacteristically, shouted loudly, rushing as fast as she could toward where Fron was trapped. But... she was a step too late! She too was isolated.
Fron was left alone, confined in a narrow chamber.
For an ordinary mage, such terrain would be extremely disadvantageous...
"We meet again, adventurer." A cold, emotionless female voice came from the depths of the dark green-walled corridor, reaching Fron's ears.
That familiar tone and voice, his golden eyes narrowed.
"So, you really didn't die."
...
"Boom boom boom boom..."
Ais nearly went berserk! Wild storms swept from her body, cutting down every enemy in sight. Fierce winds shaved flat the green carpet beneath her feet...
"Fron, I'll save you soon!"
Thinking of the young man, Ais' blurred figure cut straight toward the direction he was trapped, her sword swinging faster and faster.
...
"Damn it, the team's formation is broken!"
"What do we do, Asfi!"
"No time to worry about them, keep fighting, kill the rest of the monsters! Instead of worrying about them, we should worry about ourselves! Don't forget, they're the Sword Princess and Flame Demon!"
With that, she brought out her trump card!
She quickly reached into her pouch, pulling out a small vial filled with red liquid.
Her eyes narrowed. Using her agility and Falgar as cover, she slipped close to a Violas, then threw the vial straight inside!
"BOOOOOOOOM, "
A deafening explosion roared to the ceiling, flames blotting out the monsters' forms.
"Explosive Oil," crafted by herself, also a wielder of the "Mystery," DA, using materials from plants called "Volcano Flowers" that grew near northern volcanic craters.
A "liquid explosive" whose destructive power, as seen, rivaled even magic swords. Just a vial as small as a healing potion was enough to instantly obliterate a Violas of that caliber into dust.
And she carried enough of these to sustain an entire dungeon expedition.
With the [Perseus] finally showing her might, their counterattack began in earnest.
Unlike the initial clash, as time passed and thanks to Fron's observations of the monsters' traits, these elite adventurers quickly grasped their movements.
Then... with exquisite coordination, they picked off the enemies bit by bit.
One by one, the monsters were wiped out, until soon, no trace of Violas remained in the corridor.
"Gurgle, gurgle..."
Standing on the green carpet, feeling its "breath" and writhing, Asfi's face darkened.