Chapter 208
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Before Ryu even touched the ground, the four Gulliver brothers launched a relentless assault.
One wave of attacks followed another, each fiercer than the last, their combined momentum crashing toward her like a raging sea.
Against that overwhelming force, Ryu’s slender figure seemed as fragile as a lone boat caught in a storm, liable to be smashed apart at any moment.
Yet she held her ground.
Her body twisted through the air with the lightness of a butterfly, while the sword in her hand moved with astonishing precision.
Again and again, she blocked the brothers’ coordinated strikes at seemingly impossible moments.
For the time being, neither side could gain the advantage.
’What is going on?’
Alfrik, the eldest of the four brothers, was genuinely surprised.
How could someone who had only just reached Level 5 already fight them evenly without even using magic?
"That young elf is remarkably strong."
Inside the gods’ assembly hall, Loki watched with narrowed eyes and open admiration.
"She is," Hermes agreed before explaining. "Ever since the Astrea Familia was destroyed five years ago, Gale has continued fighting constantly and accumulating excelia. She simply had no goddess available to update her Status."
"Remember, she was already at the peak of Level 4 five years ago. After that much accumulated excelia, reaching Level 5 would naturally place her among the veterans of that level."
"Of course, her own talent and combat ability are exceptional as well."
"That isn’t the only reason."
Loki examined the weapon in Ryu’s hand.
"That sword is impressive too. The material alone must have cost a fortune. It’s enhancing her abilities considerably."
"My, my. Kiriya-kun truly is a sinful man."
Hermes smiled.
"To inspire such an outstanding young woman to come to his aid... I’m almost jealous."
"This battle is becoming more interesting by the minute."
"Lord Hermes, Lady Loki..."
Asfi hurriedly interrupted them.
"Gale is officially dead. Perhaps you’ve mistaken her for someone else?"
"Ah, yes. Of course."
Hermes immediately corrected himself.
"Gale is dead. We were merely discussing an exceptionally talented and completely unrelated elf."
None of the gods cared about the excuse.
Their attention had already returned to Kiriya’s Susanoo.
...
Allen, Hedin, and Hogni continued attacking, but no matter how fierce or skillful their strikes were, every one of them failed against the towering warrior.
That thin layer of red-gold energy might as well have been an impregnable fortress.
"Tch. Is hiding inside that shell all you can do, brat?"
When brute force failed, Allen resorted to provocation.
"And?"
Kiriya yawned.
"You could at least try hitting harder. It feels like none of you have properly woken up yet."
"You call yourselves adventurers when you can’t even put any strength behind your attacks?"
The insult struck with devastating precision.
All three Level 6 adventurers immediately lost their composure.
"Shut your mouth!"
Allen reacted most violently.
His pride could tolerate many things, but not that kind of humiliation.
"You two, keep him occupied. I need time."
Allen lowered his spear and began chanting.
"Golden wheel, silver collar."
"Beloved hatred, hollow illusion, destiny gathers here."
"Vanish, golden wheel, before the tracks grind you into nothing..."
Hearing Allen’s chant, Kiriya smiled.
"You think I’m going to let you finish?"
"Hmph. What can that slow, oversized shell possibly do?"
Hogni raised his sword with a mocking smile.
"You’re staying right here. You won’t be going anywhere."
"Oh?"
Kiriya looked amused.
"Then stop me."
Susanoo raised one enormous hand.
A large number of highly compressed chakra projectiles gathered within its palm.
"Try these."
"Yasaka Magatama."
The red-gold projectiles shot forward at tremendous speed.
"Move!"
The moment they formed, Hedin and Hogni instinctively prepared to evade.
Then they remembered Allen was still chanting behind them.
Gritting their teeth, they chose to withstand the attack instead.
"Eternal struggle, undying soldiers of lightning."
"Caelus Hildr!"
Hundreds of lightning spears appeared around Hedin and surged forward, outnumbering the incoming projectiles ten to one.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
A chain of enormous explosions swallowed the battlefield.
When the smoke finally dispersed, Hedin and Hogni remained standing in front of Allen.
Their clothes were torn, and wounds covered their bodies. Both had clearly suffered considerable damage.
"Looks like my attack was stronger."
Kiriya delivered the comment casually.
"Got you!"
Hogni suddenly tore through the remaining smoke from above.
Every bit of his strength had been concentrated into his sword as he brought it down toward Kiriya’s head.
This time, however, an enormous blade more than ten meters long met him.
CLANG!
Susanoo’s red-gold sword crashed against Hogni’s weapon.
Already injured and exhausted, Hogni had no hope of resisting that overwhelming force.
He was swept through the air and smashed into one corner of the city wall, bringing part of it down with him.
A barrage of Yasaka Magatama immediately followed.
Hedin received the same treatment.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
When the bombardment ended, neither Level 6 adventurer rose again.
They were unquestionably powerful, but their greatest strengths lay in speed, offense, and magic.
Their physical durability was not especially remarkable among first-class adventurers.
After enduring Kiriya’s relentless bombardment, both had finally reached their limits.
"Is that it?"
Kiriya shook his head in disappointment.
"I was hoping they’d help me test how far this technique could go."
A deafening roar suddenly erupted behind him.
"Gralineze Fromel!"
Kiriya turned.
Violent energy raged around Allen’s body as the catman transformed into a living chariot and charged directly toward him.
Everything in his path shattered and vanished beneath the overwhelming force.
"So your magic is finally ready?"
Kiriya’s eyes brightened with excitement.
"This energy... Level 6?"
He quickly corrected himself.
"No. It’s already reached Level 7."
"You’ve improved quite a bit since last time."
A delighted grin spread across his face.
"Now this is the kind of opponent I wanted!"
Kiriya gripped Susanoo’s massive sword with both hands and assumed a firm stance.
"Come on. Show me your limit!"
"I will place everything into this strike."
Allen gathered every trace of explosive power in his body into the spear in his hands.
"Please, old friend."
"Win this victory for our glorious goddess."
Under countless gazes filled with anticipation, excitement, fear, and disbelief, the black chariot of the goddess collided with the red-gold sword of the demonic warrior.
BOOOOOOM!
A catastrophic explosion erupted from the point of impact.
Violent energy swept outward without restraint, turning the entire battlefield pure white.
For one blinding moment, every color in the world disappeared.