I had forgotten what I felt then.
Who she was. What she thought. Why she had wanted to be here, in this place.
“A blaze shall soon descend.”
As she remembered her starting point as an adventurer, Lefiya recited a staggering chant with far more sophisticated magic control. Embracing the emotions she’d felt for the first time back then, her heart and body trembled. And despite all of her failures, despite all the times her knees gave out, just by remembering how she felt in that moment, Lefiya discovered that she could stand back up no matter how painful it was.
“Approaching flames of war from which there is no escape. Battle horns blaring on high, all atrocities and strife shall be engulfed.”
She returned the gaze of the boy who had called out to her earlier.
The mirror that had reflected her weak self.
The pathetic, pitiful self who could not fully abandon her dreams, no matter how long passed.
She had reclaimed what made her Lefiya.
I am Lefiya Viridis.
An elf of Wishe Forest.
A member of this Labyrinth City’s grandest, proudest, strongest familia who has exchanged vows with the goddess, Loki.
She had left her home village, studied at the School District, and reached Aiz and them. Her curiosity, desire, and adoration were all bound up in the current Lefiya.
Even after losing someone precious and coming to hate her past, not even she could deny the path she had taken.
“Come crimson pyre, merciless inferno. Become hellfire.”
Ms. Filvis.
Ms. Filvis.
I really am hopeless.
I wanted to be an elf who could protect herself and save anyone, yet here I am being protected.
I’m letting myself be protected.
I’m still just Lefiya Viridis.
As she looked at the students fighting around her, she confessed this in her heart.
But it felt like the Filvis in her heart smiled.
“OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!”
Sensing an unparalleled surge of magic power, Goliath’s roar took on a note of urgency. The intelligent giant gave the order to take down the elf no matter what it took.
“And bind. Admonish the savages. This is the forest shrine kept by its guardian. Silva Vine!”
As the wave of monsters tried to envelop Lefiya, Miliria—who had set magic circles while fighting—activated her magic with the last of her Mind.
The vibrant green magic circles unfurled like flowers blooming in five locations, protecting Lefiya. Magic vines reached out, binding monsters, tying them down, and holding them back.
“Ghhh?!”
Even without finishing them off, the monsters bound together became a wall blocking the rest of the swarm that was desperate to tear into Lefiya. While they attacked the wall of flesh, enraged shouts echoed as monsters began killing each other.
“Great job, Milly!”
The horde would not be able to lay a hand on Lefiya before she finished her chant. As Luke praised her, their attention was focused on their final enemy, the giant.
“!!!”
Luke and Cole leaped at the one-armed Goliath, who had begun advancing as it gave its order, and Miliria nocked an arrow with trembling fingers.
A Level 4 floor boss. There was no way students who were not even adventurers could finish it. But even so, the 7th Squad faced it with every bit of their knowledge, quick wit, and strategy they could summon.
Since Goliath didn’t even bother looking at him, Luke used all of his Level 3 strength to unleash an attack on its leg—aimed right at the wound Lefiya had carved earlier.
And when its movements faltered, Cole used the chain from Nano’s weapon that he had borrowed to wind around both its legs.
For the final push to knock the one-armed giant off-balance, Miliria fired an arrow into the monster’s eye.
It howled and fell with an earth-shaking impact.
“Purge the battlefield, end the war.”
“GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!”
Enraged and roaring, it tore the chains and charged forward. Luke, Milly, and Cole leaped at it but were knocked aside.
She only needed ten seconds to finish the chant. But that was still not enough.
Goliath’s outstretched hand would close around Lefiya first.
“”
The last stand on the twenty-fourth floor.
The countless carnivorous flowers.
She needed protection back then, too.
Suddenly, Lefiya experienced a terrible déjà vu.
What had ultimately saved her from the charging monsters desperate to tear her apart was the white shield that Filvis had conjured.
No matter how elaborately she tried to deny it, that girl was no longer here.
And right when Lefiya’s concentration frayed and almost broke—
“Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooh!”
Blood seeped from their heads as Luke and the others grabbed the broken chain, pulling with all their might, even as the skin of their hands ripped open.
That wasn’t enough to stop the giant’s charge. Not even close.
But for just a brief moment, it delayed Goliath.
And that moment was enough.
“““Nanoooooooooooooooooooooo!”””
Their shouts reached the girl who had been chanting the whole time inside the magic circle in front of Lefiya.
Her eyes had been shut tight, but now Nano opened them wide as she thrust her staff forward at the looming giant.
“Zalga Amaldaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!”
Ten bolts of lightning twisted and merged, becoming a single massive arc that slammed into the dumbstruck Goliath.
The impact knocked the giant off its feet, sending it flying backward with a thundercrack.
It’s all right.
Nano collapsed, having used every last bit of Mind she had left, and Luke and the others followed suit.
Lefiya’s eyes widened, sure she heard a certain someone’s voice behind her.
Tears quietly welled in her eyes, and a faint smile crossed her lips. She felt a warmth in her shoulder, like someone had just placed their hand on it.
“Incinerate, sword of Surtr—My name is Alf.”
The next moment, her eyes flared.
Her twin staff, Fairy Dust, exploded with magic power, and the magic circle expanded with a sharp ring.
It didn’t stop growing until it covered the entire chamber.
Time froze for Goliath and the monsters caught in the grand spell that Lefiya was weaving.