Just as the defensive barrier was about to shatter, a chanting voice rang out.
That voice was clear and steady, carrying an ancient and mysterious rhythm as it echoed across the battlefield.
"Dance, spirits of air, lord of light. I form a pact with the guardian deity of the forest. May the song of the earth resound around us and shelter us. I beseech you, become a wall of forest light and protect us. My name is Alf."
Riveria's pupils contracted violently.
That was her magic.
Via Shilheim.
It was her strongest defensive magic, capable of creating an almost impenetrable dimensional barrier to withstand any attack.
And now...
A massive barrier of forest light spread out before everyone, blocking every attack from the corrupted spirit.
"Via Shilheim!"
Genichi appeared in front of everyone, both hands still held in a spellcasting posture, thick waves of magic power surging between his brows.
Riveria instantly let out a breath of relief.
"Good. Looks like I wasn't too late."
Genichi looked back at the others, his gaze sweeping over the adventurers covered in wounds.
Ottar was kneeling on one knee, his body riddled with injuries. Ais's face was pale, and the rapier in her hand was already chipped. Finn lay not far away, breathing with difficulty. Gareth had lost consciousness and was being protected behind the others.
Every one of them was wounded, layer upon layer.
Genichi frowned, then began chanting again.
This time, it was healing magic.
"Drops of healing, tears of light, eternal sanctuary, call forth the concerto here. Three hundred sixty-five melodies. The calendar of healing shall save all things. Now, come forth and break evil. Bury wounds, send sickness to its grave, carry curses to the far shore, send them to the cardinal point of light. In the name of the gods, I shall heal."
As the chant continued, a huge magic circle spread out beneath everyone's feet.
Gentle light poured from the circle, enveloping every injured adventurer.
Their gruesome wounds began to heal at a visible speed. Broken bones rejoined, and their depleted magic power began recovering rapidly.
"Dia Fratel!"
It was Orario's strongest healing magic, the greatest treasure of the Dian Cecht Familia.
Although the healing effect was excellent, Genichi still was not satisfied.
Too slow.
At this speed, fully restoring everyone's injuries would take at least several minutes.
And during those few minutes, the corrupted spirit could break through the defensive barrier at any time.
Genichi took a deep breath and chanted again.
"My name is golden, assistant to the goddess who swore an immortal oath. Thrice burned by flame, my body pierced unto eternity, standing within the purgatory of flame spears, radiance is born all the same, destroying death. Blessing, blessing, blessing. My body is golden, and with the light of restoration, I summon endless struggle here."
"Vé Gullveig!"
This was a healing spell second only to Dia Fratel, the magic of Heith Velvet from the Freya Familia.
With two layers of healing magic stacked together, the recovery speed of the adventurers' injuries instantly rose severalfold.
Genichi had used three spells in succession.
One was Riveria's strongest defensive magic.
The other two were Orario's strongest healing magic and the healing magic second only to it.
The members of both Familias present felt their scalps go numb.
Even though they knew Genichi could use many spells, this was far too many.
Riveria stared blankly at the forest-light barrier, emotions she could not put into words surging through her heart.
Ottar felt the power in his body rapidly recovering and silently watched Genichi's back.
As Orario's current strongest adventurer, he had seen countless powerful people, but he had never heard of anyone like Genichi, someone capable of reversing the battlefield in an instant.
Ais's eyes flickered with complicated light.
That boy had clearly only been in Orario for two months. He was clearly so much younger than her, yet he had already reached a height she had to look up to.
Finn struggled to stand and looked at Genichi, a bitter smile appearing on his lips.
"That guy... really is a monster."
No one refuted him.
Because the word fit too well.
But Genichi did not give them much time to reflect.
He turned around and was about to say something, only for his expression to suddenly change.
The shift was so obvious that everyone noticed it.
Genichi's brows drew tightly together. A sharp light flashed through his eyes, then quickly disappeared.
But in that instant, everyone felt a chill.
It was killing intent, real and intense.
"What happened?" Finn asked keenly.
Genichi was silent for a moment, as though suppressing some emotion.
Then he spoke, his voice calm to a terrifying degree.
"Sorry. Demeter and the others were attacked. I have to return to the surface."
What?
Everyone froze.
Demeter had been attacked?
Who would attack Demeter?
But Genichi did not explain. He only continued, "I can only leave this place to you. Next, I'm going to forcibly raise your levels, but there is a time limit. You have to finish off the corrupted spirit before the time runs out."
With that, he began chanting.
It was a language none of them had ever heard before, light and nimble, like the sound of bells in the wind.
Kokonoe.
Sanjouno Haruhime's magic, capable of temporarily raising another person's level.
Immediately after that, Genichi cast several more spells.
Uchide no Kozuchi.
A magic that could temporarily raise levels. When stacked with Kokonoe, its effect became even more pronounced.
Genichi's gaze swept over everyone as he quickly chose his targets.
He could select nine targets in total.
He chose...
Ottar.
Allen Fromel.
Hedin Selland.
Hogni Ragnar.
Finn Deimne.
Riveria Ljos Alf.
Gareth Landrock.
Ais Wallenstein.
Bete Loga.
As the magic was cast, a powerful force surged into the bodies of those nine people.
They could clearly feel their levels rising.
From Level 6 to Level 7, from Level 5 to Level 6, from Level 7 to Level 8.
The sensation of power filling their bodies made them both excited and awed.
Feeling their levels increase, the adventurers from the two Familias fell silent again.
They no longer knew how to describe what they were feeling.
Defensive magic, healing magic, level-raising magic...
He was like a walking treasury of magic, capable of anything and everything.
And now, he was going to return to the surface alone to face the enemies attacking Demeter.
"I'll leave this place to you, then," Genichi said calmly. "If you die, I'll come back to collect your bodies."
After saying that, his figure vanished instantly.
Apparition.
Everyone stared at the direction where he had disappeared, speechless for a long time.
After a while, Finn finally spoke.
"When that guy comes back... I'll have to thank him properly."
Riveria nodded, her eyes complicated.
Ais tightened her grip on her sword, her gaze shining brightly.
She had to become stronger.
She had to catch up to him.
Ottar stood and looked at the corrupted spirit in the distance as it tried to break through the defensive barrier.
"Move out."
His low voice rang out. "Don't waste what he gave us."
Everyone nodded and rose one after another.
The power from the level boost surged through their bodies, filling them with confidence.
Meanwhile, on the surface...
Genichi's figure appeared at the Demeter Familia's headquarters.
The sight before him made his pupils contract violently.
The headquarters had already been reduced to ruins.
Flames roared into the sky, thick smoke billowed, and the air was filled with the stench of blood and charred flesh.
But what enraged Genichi most was this:
He saw Demeter.
That foolish woman was surrounded by several members of the Ishtar Familia, while Ishtar herself was preparing to send Demeter back to the heavens.
Genichi's eyes instantly turned icy.
That coldness was not ordinary anger, but killing intent that sank deep into the bone.
"You..."
"Every last one of you deserves to die."
(End of Chapter)
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