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Blades of light and sword flashes crossed paths, slashing toward the red-haired woman from both directions.
"Tch!"
The red-haired woman's face turned pale. She clicked her tongue and forcibly endured the pain in her left shoulder, swinging her straight sword with her remaining right arm to fend off the incoming storm-like assault.
The sword and blade used identical techniques, relentless, raging slashes that poured down like a torrential storm.
The rapier served as the main attacking force, while the katana flanked from the sides, never ceasing in its flurry of precise flashes. Countless gleams of light crisscrossed in tandem as they surged forward.
The red-haired woman was forced to retreat again and again, growing increasingly shocked.
"These two… Their coordination is this perfect?"
The rapier launched the core offensive with overwhelming speed.
While "Aria's" sword strikes weren't flawless, as long as she could find an opening, the red-haired woman should've been able to counter.
But every time a flaw appeared in the rapier's offense, a katana would immediately sweep in from the side, cutting off her counterattack before it could even begin, allowing the rapier to resume its fierce, unrelenting assault.
Their timing was flawless.
This was only possible through a deep understanding of each other's sword techniques, so deeply ingrained in their hearts that even the slightest hesitation or mismatch was impossible.
Even with Ais as the primary attacker, Ryoji, a mere Level 3, was playing a huge role.
Without this coordination, given his current physical ability, Ryoji wouldn't have lasted more than a few seconds against a Level 5, let alone survive, unless he relied on some special ability.
"--Flowing Light and Overflowing Color!"
Ryoji let out a low battle cry, as if signaling something.
Ais's eyes lit up, and a moment later, her swordplay completely changed.
If her previous strikes were like a rampaging storm, where each strike was faster than the last, then her swordwork now became like the deep and boundless ocean, unpredictable and immeasurable.
She still executed combos, but this time, the flow of her strikes became utterly chaotic.
One fast, one slow.
One slash would suddenly accelerate, while the next might slow down dramatically.
"What kind of freakish sword skill is this?!" The red-haired woman nearly coughed up blood.
The greatest strength humans held over monsters was their ability to predict an opponent's next move. But prediction was based on rhythm.
For example, in a flurry of consecutive attacks, the enemy naturally assumes each strike will be faster than the last, seeking to seize initiative.
If the attacker really does strike progressively faster, then their rhythm becomes predictable, allowing the defender to anticipate the speed and angle of the next blow and block or parry it in advance.
But Flowing Light and Overflowing Color was designed to do the exact opposite.
Though also a combo technique, it required the swordsman to vary the speed of each strike, fast then slow, then suddenly even faster, moving like an erratic current.
The goal was to completely break rhythm and disrupt the opponent's predictive sense, leaving them unable to judge what's coming next.
That confusion created the perfect opening to sneak in a decisive, finishing blow.
However, during continuous forward motion, humans tend to unconsciously increase their speed; it's an instinct. So, mastering this technique required the user to overcome their own instincts.
Without a strong foundation, a swordsman could never learn this move. A rookie forcing it would only break their own rhythm and end up with a sloppy, unrefined mess.
Ais couldn't fully control the technique yet, but fortunately, Ryoji was right beside her, covering for the flaws in her swordplay as much as possible.
The red-haired woman had clearly fallen for the trap.
Her predictions of Ais's sword speed were now completely off. Her brain and limbs began to fall out of sync, and she felt utterly disoriented, so confused it felt like she might vomit blood.
"Shrrrip!"
In that moment, Ais seized on the red-haired woman's slowing right arm and slashed.
With the sound of steel cutting into flesh once again, her right arm flew through the air, just like her left before it.
"Eh, ah!"
The red-haired woman groaned. She stared at her now completely severed arms, her expression filled with disbelief.
"…That sword technique was taught to you by him, huh? It's practically sorcery!"
The red-haired woman shot Ryoji a glare, as if looking at a thorn in her side.
What are you looking at?
If I hadn't held back because Charm is an AOE skill and I didn't want to accidentally hit Ais, would you even still be talking right now? You'd already be on your knees begging me to spare you.
Ryoji grumbled silently to himself.
Honestly, this woman was extremely beautiful, especially with her seductively curvaceous body, but unfortunately, she was the enemy. And against enemies, there could be no mercy.
"The Gem got defeated? Was it done by another Level 5… no, a Level 6?"
The red-haired woman glanced toward the distant mountain region.
There was no longer any sign of fighting there, but she didn't think it was Ryoji who had done it, the timing was far too fast. No matter how weak that monster was, it shouldn't have been insta-killed that quickly.
Then she turned her gaze toward the distant town,
"Tch, that place is wiped out too?"
Flames surged high into the sky.
Tens of thousands of flaming javelins rained down from above, painting the streets of Rivira crimson. The man-eating flower monsters rampaging there had all been completely annihilated, not a single one remained.
"With this man in the way, it's impossible for me to take Aria away. And now, in this pathetic state… Since it's come to this, "
The red-haired woman made up her mind, and turned to flee.
"Trying to run?"
Without hesitation, Ais summoned a gust of wind beneath her feet and dashed in pursuit of the fleeing red-haired woman.
"Can you slow down a little?!" Ryoji sighed in exasperation.
His speed was worlds apart from a Level 5's, and his magic power hadn't recovered much, he couldn't afford to burn it on Divine Speed just to keep up. On top of that, he had just come back from the lower floors and had already used up most of his potions.
Seriously.
Grumbling inwardly, Ryoji started jogging toward the east side of town with a "pā tà pā tà" of footsteps.
East side of town.
A sheer, smooth cliff stood here, steep and nearly vertical.
By the time Ryoji arrived, Ais was already at the cliff's edge, silently gazing at the massive lake below.
The cliff was dozens of meters high. A fall from here would mean certain death for a Level 3. In the center of the lake, ripples still hadn't fully calmed, and faint splashes of blood were visible on the surface.
"Did she escape?"
Ryoji walked up and asked.
"Mm."
Ais gave a soft nod.
"The 18th Floor is huge, and we don't even know which floor she'll move to. Finding her now is nearly impossible."
The entire terrain of the 18th Floor stretched more than ten kilometers in diameter. Trying to track her down with just the two of them was completely unrealistic, and she would definitely be on the move between floors.
Ryoji quietly closed his eyes for a moment.
Then he opened them again.
"She likely went to the lower floors. Should we give chase?"
"…Even your instincts can do that?"
"It's a bit fuzzy, but I can barely tell."
If she got any farther away, even that wouldn't work.
At its core, Instinct is a combat skill, it lets him discern whether someone has hostile intent, make the best decisions during battle, and even track fleeing enemies.
But once outside of combat, it stops giving guidance.
"Chase her."
Ais nodded without hesitation.
The two of them quickly left the cliffside, exited the central island through the northern gate, and dove into the great tree tunnel, heading downward toward the lower floors.
(End of Chapter)
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