The blaze of fire cut across half the enormous cavern, swallowing the enemy faction in an instant!
------------------------------
The orange flames surged like a raging tidal wave, instantly sweeping away everything in front.
Before either side could even start close combat, they were caught completely off guard by Fron's preemptive strike.
"Ahhhhhhh, "
"Damn it, besides that [Perseus], the [Flame Demon] is here too! That's his rapid-cast magic!"
"Don't panic, what's there to fear! There are so many of us. As long as we kill them, it'll all be over! Even if we die, He will… He will…"
As they spoke, their emotions were stirred up again, boiling over!
Those eyes, like fanatics, had bloodshot and shouted in a frenzy!
Although the three rapid-cast spells had worked wonders, these people…
Fron frowned deeply, a faint sense of dread rising within him.
'These guys, could it be…'
That look in their eyes, he had never seen it before, even when going through those secret documents kept in the Loki Familia's library.
"Clang! Clang! Clang!", the clash of weapons and screech of metal rang in his ears.
In just the blink of an eye, the two sides were already locked in close combat.
"Tch, I'm going too!"
Fron nodded to Asfi, then charged forward with his staff.
Though some claimed he lacked skill and experience in melee, that all depended on who he was compared with. Against veterans like Finn and Gareth who had survived the dark era, yes, there was a gap. But among his peers, he was unrivaled. Even against Bete or Tione, while a difference remained, it was so slight it could hardly be noticed.
Though his level lagged slightly behind the other's, when it came to accumulated foundation, they weren't even on the same level.
"It's the Flame Demon! Kill him!"
"One man isn't enough, let's all go!"
Facing a powerhouse like the [Flame Demon], the enemy wasn't foolish, they rushed several people at once to fight Fron.
But… These weaklings, averaging just Lv.2, what could they possibly do against him?
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang…
His form blurred as Fron weaved through the encirclement, his movements like an elegant dance, each strike deadly.
A punch, a kick, a swing of his staff, all carried overwhelming force, instantly making enemies spew blood.
Around him, the enemies in white hooded cloaks were flung aside like discarded trash, their bodies smashed brutally.
"Die!" At that moment, one crazed enemy, eyes wide with madness, lunged from behind and grabbed Fron, while the others piled on to press him down.
Boom,
Violent flames and lightning erupted skyward, blasting those human walls into pieces in less than two seconds.
"Truly insane." His eyes grew utterly cold.
But then, a hand seized his ankle.
"Hm?" One enemy, whose organs had been shattered by Fron's staff, lay dying on the ground, staring up at him with eerie eyes.
"O God, I keep my vow, to…"
"?"
Then Fron spotted something peeking out from the man's clothes. His eyes widened, he tried to retreat, but it was too late! Instantly, he pulled his specially made Black Goliath Cloak around himself for protection.
"My life... together with Eris!!!!"
With the enemy's fanatical scream, he detonated the "Flame Stone"!
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM,
The explosion erupted sky-high, instantly drawing the attention of both adventurers and the [Evilus].
Asfi's face turned pale, she cried out and rushed forward!
"Flame Demon!!!!!"
Everyone was stunned by the sudden blast! They had all seen clearly, the one at the very center was the Flame Demon himself.
Gradually, the towering flames dimmed, revealing a figure inside. Asfi froze mid-step.
The cloaked figure, wrapped tightly in his pitch-black hooded cloak, aside from being dirtied and slightly battered, was mostly unharmed.
"Peh-"
Pulling off his hood, Fron spat out the familiar sulfurous taste, his face grim and stormy.
"These bastards… actually stuffed themselves full of Flame Stones!"
Then he shouted: "Everyone, be careful! The enemy is a suicide squad, fanatics! Their attacks are suicide strikes, don't let them drag you down!"
"Damn it!"
But… Fron was already too late!
Right after the first fanatic blew himself up, a chain of explosions erupted across the battlefield!
The shockwaves rattled their eardrums, flames blazed in their eyes, and Asfi's beautiful face turned ghostly pale.
"Lulune!! Suicia!! Falgar!!!"
Three core members were caught in the blasts. Now… they were blackened husks.
If not for their powerful adventurer abilities keeping them barely alive, they'd already be corpses… even so, they were hanging on by a thread.
"Potions, elixirs, quickly!!! Bring out the strongest potions!!!"
Asfi's expression twisted into madness.
If her companions died here, how could she ever face Lord Hermes again?
"Hahahahahahaha! Mere adventurers, under the divine might of my God, all of you shall return to His embrace!"
But just then a pure white magical radiance bloomed, becoming a third light upon the battlefield.
"[Healing droplets, tears of light, eternal sanctuary.]"
"[Compose a medicinal hymn-three hundred, sixty, and five.]"
"[The melody of the healer's almanac saves all things.]"
" … "
"That is…" At that moment, not only Asfi but even the enemies froze.
Even Olivas, who had been standing guard by the quartz pillar, furrowed his brows tightly.
"Healing magic? That [Flame Demon] of the [Loki Familia] really is a huge nuisance."
Holding her dying companions, Asfi collapsed to her knees, staring blankly at Fron, who now stood upon a massive diamond-shaped magic circle, his body shining with warm and sacred light, and whispered:
"I've heard rumors that the Flame Demon could use other people's magic, even more exaggerated than the [Thousand Elf]. So it wasn't a false rumor, it's true?"
"Thank goodness… my companions are saved!"
"Damn it, that cursed healer-mage!!! Attack him, don't let him complete the chant."
Enraged by the holy healing magic Fron had cast, the [Evilus] went berserk! They shrieked and cursed as they charged him in a frenzy!
One after another, they ripped open their robes mid-charge, revealing Flame Stones strapped to their waists, ready to blow this troublesome man to pieces!
"Everyone, protect Fron!!!!!"