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“……!”

Maxwell shuddered, feeling a chill run down his spine at Inglis’ seemingly innocent smile. There was nothing “cute” about her actions despite her small and charming appearance. That smile wasn’t one of a harmless girl—it was the confident grin of a predator gazing at helpless prey.

This little girl—no, she claimed to be sixteen, but regardless, she looked like nothing more than a small, cute, Runeless maiden. Yet somehow, she possessed overwhelming power.

(WHAT IS THIS? WHAT IS THIS? WHAT IS THISSS????!!! I heard she was the hero who defeated Prisma, but this MONSTER is something else entirely! I thought the Hyrule Menaces I brought were monsters, sent to lay Charalia to waste! But her? This… this can’t be real! A single person wielding this much power is simply impossible! At this rate… she’ll destroy Venefique! My beloved homeland, the great Venefique, all by herself!!!)

“I won’t allow it!” Maxwell realized he had no choice. This was someone he needed to eliminate, even if it cost him his life.

Moreover, he sensed a deeper grudge, one that seemed to transcend lifetimes. He couldn’t explain it, but the sin of the person standing before him would never be forgiven.

“Hmm? Is something wrong?” Inglis tilted her head, puzzled.

For a fleeting moment, Maxwell thought he saw the faint silhouette of a dignified elder standing behind Inglis. An ancient resentment seemed to stir within him, whispering of a grudge he had held for an impossibly long time.

Though it was their first encounter here in Illuminas, Maxwell couldn’t shake the strange feeling. Shaking his head, he looked at Inglis again, and the elder’s apparition was gone.

(Wait! Even so… she’s still an enemy! This is just a theory, but… there’s still one thing I haven’t tried yet!)

For the sake of his beloved homeland, he would lay down his life. That was the path of a knight, and he would fulfill that duty to the end.

“That smug look of yours won’t last for long! Watch closely! You will see the true spirit of a Knight of Venefique, far beyond that Rochefool!”

Rochefool? Did he mean Rochefort? Rochefort had spoken ill of Maxwell before, so Inglis gathered they didn’t get along well.

Personally, Inglis rather liked Rochefort. Despite his sarcastic remarks and constant complaints, he always helped with her training.

In comparison, she didn’t dislike Maxwell either. If he wanted to be her enemy and try to defeat her, Inglis would welcome the challenge.

“Do your best!”

“SHUT UPPPP!!! SILENCEEEEEE!!!” Maxwell roared furiously, his face twisted in rage. Inglis felt a little sad that her encouragement only made him angrier. Nevertheless, Maxwell ran toward the giant’s feet, leaped high, kicked off its knee, and soared up to its chest. And then—

—with a sickening gulp, Maxwell’s body sank into the giant’s chest, as though being absorbed by it.

“…! It swallowed him…!?”

At the same time, the giant’s massive hand enveloped Charlotte and Tiffany.

Then, a dazzling golden light rose, wrapping around the giant’s entire body. Inglis recognized this radiance.

“The glow of a Hyrule Menace’s weaponization!?”

Maxwell possessed a Special-Grade Rune, a rank equal to that of Rochefort, a general in the Venefique army. It was no surprise that he could weaponize a Hyrule Menace. However, this glow seemed far too large.

A colossal pillar of light surrounded the entire giant, and within that brilliance, a massive halberd, matching the giant’s enormous size, began to manifest in its hand.

“Ohhh…! The giant weaponized a Hyrule Menace!?”

This was an unexpected development. Was Maxwell truly capable of such a feat?

What kind of power would this weapon hold? Inglis had once fought Rochefort, who had weaponized Arles. Could this weapon produce the same intensity? She could hardly contain her excitement.

As the light faded, the giant struck the Ether Strike Inglis had fired with the halberd in its hand. The energy blast changed direction, surging back toward her.

“Excellent…! This is more like it!”
“HAHAHAHAHA!! DIE, DIE, DIEEEE!!”

Maxwell’s maniacal laughter echoed from the giant’s chest, his upper body emerging while the rest of him remained embedded in the giant’s flesh. By merging with the giant, it seemed Maxwell could channel his Special Grade Rune through the giant’s body. An impressive concept and application, indeed.

“It won’t be that easy!”

If she were to die so simply, Inglis wouldn’t be able to enjoy the fight. She activated her Ether Armor and struck the returning Ether Strike. By adjusting the wavelength of her Ether, she was able to redirect the blast once again.

“Too naiveee!”

With a swift motion, the faceless giant, wielding the weaponized Charlotte as a halberd, batted the Ether Strike right back.

“In that case, I’ll respond in kind!”

A battle of attrition, then!

The Ether Strike bounced back and forth between Inglis and the faceless giant. But merely returning it wasn’t enough to satisfy her. With each hit, she advanced, closing the distance.

It seemed the giant had the same strategy, stepping forward as well. The time between each strike shortened as they pressed closer to one another.

“HAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!”
“DIVINE PUNISHMENNTTTT!!!”

Finally, Inglis’ fist and the giant’s halberd collided with the Ether Strike at the exact same moment.

Unable to move forward or back, the energy blast shot straight into the sky and burst, dispersing into a brilliant shower of energy.