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“… Elea, what’s wrong?”
“This presence. Even I, with my poor talent for Mana, can feel it.”
“…”

Everyone’s gaze was drawn to the Cave of Horror in front of them. As if the enemy had sensed that, it sent off a wicked and powerful Mana which bore down on them.

The Ghezo Velche, the enemy, was attempting to warn them that a formidable Magic Beast was in their way.

“…! BE ON GUARD!”

While the adventurers’ attention was still being taken by the Mana, a large number of Velche pounced on them.

The Velche raced down the mountain like an avalanche, their number surpassing twenty. Although there weren’t many, dealing with them would be a nuisance.

“Luka!”
“Fire Wave!”

Luka used her black wand to cast a wide-range fire spell as soon as Jonahim shouted.

“Woof?”

The Velche began to stagger in an attempt to stop themselves as soon as they saw the wave of flames rushing towards them. Their momentum was shattered as a result.

And the adventurers in front of them were not about to pass up such an opportunity.

Jonahim slipped through the torrent of flames, charging at the Velche pack and slicing them one by one.

“Ha!”

Elea used the wind pressure generated by her spear to carve a path through the sea of flames, which she used to charge forward. She thrust at the Velches who were attempting to jump over the flames one by one, bringing them down.

“Fire Arrow!”

Luka’s Fire Arrows shot up and began raining down on the Velche. With such, the three of them were able to withstand the Velche’s assault in spectacular fashion. All that was left was the cleanup.

Or at least that’s what one might believe when confronted with the situation.

“A Velche pack with a leader. I have a bad feeling about this.”

Merc had not had the opportunity to appear at the end, but she still got the feeling that something was amiss. Her senses were telling her that something was about to happen.

Merc quickly spun around to check for a pincer attack, but there was no Velche in sight. She then looked to the left and right in place of the other three who were engaged in combat, but those flanks were also clear.

Normally, in these kinds of scenarios, it would be difficult for them to lose their advantage, but Merc sensed something wasn’t quite right.

“Something…”

Merc noticed something dark creeping on the ground’s surface at that moment and immediately tensed up. The dark thing was a shadow that everyone has.

That shadow got larger and larger, and its tint darkened… It eventually assumed the shape of a wolf.

“…?”

When Merc noticed this, she quickly looked up and witnessed a pack of wolves.

A wolf with red flame wings protruding from its back led the pack, while numerous Velche flew behind it. The pack turned their backs to the sun and began to descend.

They all shot down, folding their wings to decrease the wind pressure as much as possible.

Their speed was astounding.

“LOOK UP!”

The entire party of skilled adventurers looked up as soon as Merc screamed.

“…What the?!”

The wolf with flaming wings growled at the bewildered adventurers, opening its mouth wide.

Mana began to gather at its mouth. That Mana began to emit heat and eventually took the shape of a ball. The ball took off as soon as it formed.

It was a spectacular fireball.

“Tsk!”

The density of Mana utilized to produce the fireball indicated that it would have a significant impact if it collided with the ground. If that happened, the adventurers in the area, including the Velche and even the Merc, would not be safe.

Of course, that was only if they allowed it.

“HAA!”

Jonahim drew his sword and swung it at the dreadful fireball… The fireball vanished as soon as the blade touched it, as if it had never existed at all.

“… The Anti-Mana Sword. It really is his weapon.”

Since her past life, Merc had been accustomed to the scene unfolding in front of her.

Foldia’s sword was known as the Anti-Mana Sword, and it was capable of erasing Mana.

It had been discovered in the labyrinth’s lowest level, just as Elea’s Liquid-Ignition Spear, and no one else was known to carry such a weapon.

To put it another way, it was a really rare sword.

The wolf with the strange wings extending from its back landed with a low grumble after its spell was shattered by Jonahim’s strike. The rest of the Velche landed after it.

There was no way the Magic Beast in front of them could be mistaken.

“… So this is the Ghezo Velche.”

Jonahim spoke up, his gaze fixed on the Magic Beast, which exuded a powerful presence. The Mana that was released from the Ghezo Velche’s body was also nothing to scoff at.

“… It hid its appearance and lingered in mid-air. It then attacked as soon as it noticed an opening… It’s smart.”

Luka praised it as she gripped her black wand.

“There are more than ten Velche left… How cheeky of them.”

Elea murmured, her face irritated, as she counted the remaining Velche, including the ones that had just arrived.

Despite this, she maintained a firm grasp on her spear.

It’s a little smaller than the ones I’ve seen before… Regardless, it appears to be pretty powerful.

Merc remained a bit further away, keeping an eye on the adventurers and the Ghezo Velche, ready to intervene if things became dangerous. That was, after all, her main reason for guiding them in the first place.

Merc assumed Blazing Impact would be able to handle the Ghezo Velche based on what she had seen thus far.

Regrettably, she wouldn’t have the opportunity to shine.

That’s right, she wouldn’t have…

… Why does it feel like something’s off?

They had finally been able to drag out the Ghezo Velche.

Are we missing something?

Merc thought, her hair standing on end.