Heith promptly handed the note to the disguised adventurer, who shared it with her partner. Their oath was simple: eliminate anyone who threatened their goddess.
"Hopefully we can subdue the enemy without casualties. Can you charm the other spies?"
"Hmm? What's this?" Syr was taken aback by the memories conveyed from Horn.
Akira's actions had once again altered her perception.
"What's wrong, Syr?"
"Nothing. The familia can handle this, but the gods themselves cannot."
Intelligence had confirmed that the spies' main god also lurked somewhere in the central square. Upon hearing the judgment of the "Daughter of the Goddess of Beauty" that divine intervention was impossible, Heith simply nodded.
"As for the opposing god, leave that to Loki or the other gods. We'll handle all lesser matters ourselves."
...
Palm-sized magic circles manifested throughout the room in the tower, rapidly filling every inch. Even the ceiling was covered, so densely that Horn's eyes widened in shock.
Her elegant posture, previously calm, faltered slightly. She leaned forward, her curiosity and astonishment evident. The magic circles radiated faint blue light, their flowing runes pulsing as if alive. A peculiar magical pressure filled the air, causing her breath to feel constrained.
"What… what is this?" Horn asked, her voice filled with awe and disbelief.
Though she had witnessed many potent spells cast by her familia, she had never seen magic circles of such vast scale and eerie complexity.
Akira kept his eyes closed, a faint, confident smile tugging at his lips.
He calmly said, "This is the key to the next rescue and will help me control the situation more effectively."
But inside, he felt dizzy. Hundreds of surveillance screens flooded his mind, intensifying the lingering pain he had only just recovered from.
As he spoke, the magic circles suddenly blazed, intertwining rays of light to form blurry images in the air. Through these familiar visuals, Horn could roughly grasp the current state of certain areas in Orario. In essence, Akira could remotely monitor the entire city through these magical constructs.
"How on earth…?" She marveled silently. To preserve Freya's elegance, she did not voice her amazement.
'I'm curious too.' Syr mentally nodded, simultaneously guiding the spies.
The magical communication device responded instantly in her mind.
Akira clenched his fists. Thankfully, he had foreseen this scenario. He had previously created numerous magic circles throughout Orario alongside Adi. Now, at least, the number of casualties among adventurers and civilians could be minimized.
"Let the balance of victory tilt towards us now." Akira's low voice rang out, carrying both resolve and exhaustion.
He drew in a deep breath, his chest rising and falling heavily, as if every inhalation burned his lungs. The veins on his forehead bulged, his head feeling as though it might split apart at any moment, yet he refused to yield. The excruciating pain threatened to drown his consciousness, but he clung to clarity with sheer willpower.
At this moment, there could be no weakness, no hesitation. Every second, every spell, every choice determined the lives of countless people who relied on him.
The light of the massive magic circle before him flickered unsteadily, its brilliance illuminating his face. Though pale and drenched in sweat, his expression remained unwavering. His lips pressed into a thin line, and his eyes, clear yet sharp with determination, refused to falter.
Horn stood nearby, staring at the boy who bore the weight of the heavens on his shoulders. A feeling she could not suppress welled up in her chest.
'He is enduring all this alone.'
The youth in front of her was not just wielding magic. He was holding up the sky in the face of disaster, shouldering despair itself. Perhaps no one else would ever know the existence of this hidden battle, of this silent figure working behind the scenes. But Horn knew and because she knew, she vowed to etch this moment into her very soul, never to forget for the rest of her life.
Then—
A torrent of magic, far more violent and vast than ever before, erupted from Akira's body. It wasn't simply power, it was a flood that could rival the sea itself. From his frame surged bands of blue light, like countless galaxies tearing through the void, each strand sinking into the complex magic circles spread across the area.
A soft halo of azure descended, enveloping the entire tower. Within that glow, Akira's figure became a hazy silhouette.
Horn's breath hitched. Her eyes widened slightly, unconsciously shifting her posture as if to better take in the sight.
'Horn… although this scene is truly moving, you're staring a little too hard.'
The faintly mocking voice belonged to Freya. After all, this magic did not simply transmit information. It allowed them to share memories and emotions, intertwining hearts in fleeting moments. Naturally, she could feel Horn's swelling admiration.
'Well. Horn is also a little girl, isn't she?' Freya teased lightly, her lips curving into a knowing smile.
'When a handsome and powerful young man puts his life on the line, it's only natural to be a little captivated, don't you think?'
Flustered by her words, Horn tried to compose herself, straightening her back and adjusting her expression. Yet, no matter how she tried to regain her composure, her eyes betrayed her, still firmly drawn to the glowing figure at the center of the magic circle.
Meanwhile, beyond the tower, chaos and war raged throughout the city.
Reports from adventurers poured in one after another. Even though the amount of intelligence was overwhelming, Finn processed everything with terrifying precision. His mind worked like clockwork, and his commands never ceased.
From time to time, Loki leaned over his shoulder, whispering tidbits of gossip and unexpected information. Finn accepted her words with a polite nod, seamlessly incorporating them into the shifting battle map inside his mind.
North of the city, the frontline was held by the might of the Freya Familia, bolstered by the magic swords provided by the Hephaestus Familia. Their presence formed the cornerstone of defense.
And in the regions they could not directly protect, other powerful familias moved according to orders, sometimes even acting of their own accord to cover vulnerabilities.
Adventurers of every creed and banner had joined forces, something unthinkable on ordinary days. Now, together, they repelled calamity and stood against the invasion of evil.
Finn's sharp gaze flickered as he licked his thumb, a habit that revealed his deep concentration. Even while issuing orders, his mind spun ceaselessly.
'Our side has suffered heavy casualties but we can still regroup. If I position first-class adventurers as the nucleus of our formation, we can overturn the disparity in combat strength.'
It wasn't an overestimation nor was it underestimation. It was the simple truth Finn had long since realized.
This was Orario, the city of adventurers. A labyrinth city that drew heroes and monsters alike. Across the entire continent, there was no force that could rival its collective might when united. Surely, the enemy must understand this as well. That was why Finn could not understand their actions.
Launching a near-perfect surprise attack to turn Orario into a battlefield, up to that point, their tactics made sense. Though unforgivable, he could acknowledge the strategy behind crippling the city's functions.
But in the long run? No matter how much they spread fear, no matter how many they killed, the enemy would inevitably collapse under the weight of Orario's resilience.