Beads of sweat rolled down Ais's face as every instinct in her body screamed danger.

  Reflected clearly within her golden pupils was the sight of Udaeus bringing down a massive black slab, its descent carrying an overwhelming sense of annihilation.

  'Maximize Ariel's output.'

  She didn't hesitate.

  Spinning on her heel, she retreated as the wind wrapped around her body, exploding outward and granting her a sudden burst of speed.

  'Escape. Escape. Escape.'

  In mere milliseconds, she crossed dozens of meters, her figure blurring as she pushed Ariel to its limits.

  It still wasn't enough.

  A terrifying shockwave tore through the air, shaking the entire battlefield as though the world itself had been struck.

  "Argh!"

  Though she avoided a direct hit, the sheer wind pressure slammed into her back, launching her like a cannonball.

  Ais crashed into the ground and rolled several times before finally skidding to a halt, thick dust clouds erupting around her.

  cough

  cough

  Blood spilled from her lips, splattering against the stone floor as her vision swam and blurred, the world around her turning hazy.

  'Even after avoiding a direct hit... to be injured this badly...'

  Gritting her teeth, she pressed her palm against the ground and forced herself to rise.

  Her legs trembled violently beneath her, barely willing to support her weight.

  "Ais!"

  Riveria's voice rang out, sharp with worry as she rushed toward her.

  She slowed to a stop midway, her eyes widening at the devastation before her.

  The terrain had been completely erased... flattened into ruin.

  The black spikes, the Spartois, even their scattered remains... nothing was left.

  "All of that..."

  Riveria whispered, her voice barely audible.

  "In just one strike..."

  Udaeus threw back its head and unleashed a wild roar.

  At its sides, skeletal soldiers emerged once more... far more numerous than before.

  A sea of skeletons.

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  That was the only way Riveria could describe the sight before her.

  "This has gone beyond control."

  Her grip tightened around her staff as her expression hardened.

  "I'm sorry, Ais. I know how badly you need this feat for your level up, but... I can't stand by anymore."

  She raised her staff, preparing to launch herself into battle.

  Seeing this, Ais felt her chest tighten, words rising to her throat... but someone spoke before she could.

  A hand settled firmly on Riveria's shoulder.

  "Riveria... trust in Ais."

  Riveria turned, meeting a pair of calm yet resolute purple eyes.

  Her lips parted, but no words came out.

  When Riveria met his gaze, she was struck by the sheer calm reflected in his eyes.

  His voice carried a subtle firmness, a silent assurance that was difficult to put into words, yet impossible to ignore.

  'So I wasn't imagining it.'

  There was something in the way he spoke that subconsciously compelled obedience.

  'A kingly demeanor...'

  It was an aura possessed by only a rare few.

  She knew this because she had observed him closely ever since he joined the familia.

  Judas' personality was usually reserved, preferring to remain in the background.

  Yet whenever a situation turned dire and called for it, he would step forward without fanfare, and somehow the flow of events would begin to revolve around him.

  He never gave out orders, nor did he demand any authority... people simply found themselves listening, trusting, and moving as he willed.

  He understood people.

  When to place faith in them, when to pressure them, and when to push them beyond what they believed possible.

  Even now, Riveria found herself unconsciously yielding, unable to argue against him.

  However, her worry overcame that subtle compulsion, and she chose to speak up.

  "Judas... fighting Udeaus alone is far too reckless. Are you telling me to just sit back and watch Ais die?"

  Faced with her words, Judas blinked once before answering calmly.

  "She can do it... I know she can."

  Riveria stiffened, but he continued before she could interrupt.

  "I understand your concerns. But if Ais doesn't surpass her limits here..."

  He paused briefly.

  "I have a feeling she might fall back into her old self."

  Riveria's lips twitched as she tried to respond, only to be cut off once more.

  "And it's not like we're doing nothing."

  As he spoke, several magic circles bloomed into existence around him, floating silently in the air.

  "We'll clear the path for her... help her reach the moment where she can land the decisive strike and defeat Udeaus. Just like we've been doing until now."

  Riveria watched him closely, and she could feel her resolve beginning to waver.

  Judas exhaled softly before continuing.

  "A friend of mine once told me... if you want to raise someone properly, you give them guidance when they need it—but you also give them room to grow."

  Riveria closed her eyes and clenched her fist.

  "...Alright."

  She turned her gaze back toward Ais.

  Reluctance still lingered in her eyes, but after a moment, she gave a small nod.

  "Thank you."

  That was all Ais said before launching herself forward.

  "Haah... I'm supposed to be the vice-captain here. Why was I so easily persuaded?"

  Riveria muttered, mostly to herself, her tone half-joking as she raised her staff.

  Judas let out a light chuckle, extending his arm as magic power gathered densely around him.

  As Ais charged straight toward the sea of skeletons, she neither slowed nor prepared an attack.

  Her golden eyes were fixed solely on Udeaus in the distance.

  A Spartoi at the front noticed her approach and swung its crude axe toward her head.

  Just as the blade came within inches of reaching her...

  Several beams of energy tore through the air, obliterating the monsters in front of her and forcibly carving open a path forward.

  As Ais continued her charge, Judas fired spell after spell in rapid succession, each one annihilating any Spartoi that dared step into her path.

  Turning his head slightly, he saw that Riveria was already deep into her chant, her graceful yet resolute voice echoing across the battlefield.

  "Wynn Fimbulvetr!"

  Her staff flared with blinding light as a massive magic circle bloomed beneath her feet.

  A freezing blizzard erupted outward, the temperature plummeting in an instant.

  Frost surged across the ground like a living tide, climbing upward and encasing the remaining skeleton monsters in thick layers of ice, freezing them mid-motion.

  Seizing the opening, Ais leapt into the air.

  She used the towering mass of ice Riveria had created as a foothold, pushing off with explosive force as she swung her sword toward Udeaus, Ariel roaring violently around her blade.

  ---

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