[FGO]: 34

The terrain of the fifty-eighth floor feels like being situated in the crater of an active volcano. The ground is scorching and glowing red, the sky is filled with a heavy blanket of volcanic ash, and occasionally the earth suddenly splits open with flames, accompanied by a massive outpouring of lava.

Passing through the long tunnel from the fifty-eighth to the fifty-ninth floor, it completely transforms into another world.

The jungle is dense, with thick mist permeating the forest, and the air is unbearably hot and humid. As soon as Ryou steps into the territory of the fifty-ninth floor, he feels as if his body is enveloped in a thin film of water, making him extremely uncomfortable.

The fifty-ninth floor is a vast tropical rainforest.

The high moisture content in the air, combined with the high temperature, quickly makes everyone drenched in sweat. Almost every member of the team has sweat streaming down their faces like rain.

"Are we there yet~?"

The lively Tiona couldn't resist asking first.

"Tiona, be patient."

At Riveria's stern gaze, Tiona instinctively shrank her neck.

Ryou glanced at Riveria.

This elven archmage had authority in the Loki Familia second only to the captain, Finn. Whether it was because she naturally exuded coolness or not, she was wrapped tightly in her mage robe and hadn't sweat a single drop.

"Is there a problem?"

Riveria, very sensitive to being watched, immediately noticed his gaze.

"No, nothing."

Ryou touched his nose. It was embarrassing enough to be caught peeking, but being caught red-handed was mortifying.

Riveria slightly furrowed her brows but didn't say anything more.

After this small incident, everyone fell back into the atmosphere of silently hurrying along.

At this moment, Finn's expression changed slightly, and Riveria's pointed ears twitched.

"Right ahead! Everyone, be on guard!"

Finn gave the order without hesitation.

The members of the team, including the weapon repairer, Tsubaki, all readied their weapons and were on high alert.

As they passed through a section of the jungle, their view suddenly opened up, revealing a terrifying and disgusting scene.

A monster with a lower body like a plant's petals, an upper body resembling a chrysalis, and a head with dozens of tentacles, its size equivalent to a two or three-story building, appeared before them.

Its appearance was already repulsive, but it continuously grabbed caterpillar-like new monster species with its tentacles and shoved them into its mouth as if eating sausages.

The sight made several of the cleanliness-loving girls' stomachs churn, almost making them vomit.

"So disgusting! What is that?!"

Tiona exclaimed with a look of disgust.

"That should be a monster parasitized by a gem!"

"The parasitized one should be a 'Corpse Flower King,' a Titan Alm!" Riveria, knowledgeable as ever, immediately identified the monster.

As they observed it, it kept shoving caterpillars into its mouth without pause.

These caterpillars typically hunted monsters to seize the magic stones within them, but now, being devoured one by one as snacks by this creature, the amount of magical energy accumulating within it was unimaginable.

Just the thought of it made everyone shiver, their expressions growing tense.

"Something's coming!"

Riveria, the most sensitive to changes, suddenly warned loudly.

Perhaps sensing the spirit bloodline close to Ais, the monster, without finishing all the caterpillars, hurriedly began to hatch.

Yes, it was hatching.

The giant flower at the lower part of the plant started to swell continuously until the monster's upper body exploded like an overripe tomato, splattering purple juice everywhere.

From within emerged a humanoid monster with purplish-blue skin, resembling a female but magnified three or four times in size.

Accompanied by her birth, a piercing banshee wail echoed throughout the entire fifty-ninth floor.

Perhaps due to the astonishing amount of magic contained within her body, with each successive wail, the originally normal daylight of the fifty-ninth floor suddenly turned a deep purple hue.

She had just been born, yet already caused such dramatic changes in the atmosphere.

And this was merely her avatar!

The power of the Fallen Spirit was terrifying beyond measure!

"Aria! Aria!"

As soon as the Demi Spirit hatched, she repeatedly chanted the name of Ais' mother.

"Aria, let me devour you."

When her gaze fell upon Ais, those eyeless sockets stared fixedly at her, the voice dripping with unmasked greed and malice.

A dreadful aura immediately swept across the battlefield, pressing down on everyone like a mountain. It was an absolute suppression from a higher plane of existence, making it feel as if they were facing a deity's incarnation.

"Everyone, prepare for battle!"

Finn, truly deserving of his position as the leader, was the first to overcome the absolute suppression from the Demi Spirit's aura. With a loud shout, his small, child-like body charged towards the enemy.

Inspired by Finn's invisible momentum, Gareth, Tiona, Tione, and other members broke free from their fear and launched an assault on the Demi Spirit.

"Aria, I've waited for you for so long. Let me devour you now!"

The Demi Spirit shouted, raising her hands high.

Whoosh!

A massive wall of vine-like tentacles surged toward the group like an ocean wave.

"Time to hunt!!"

Without hesitation, Ryou aimed a large fireball directly at her face.

Though the Demi Spirit's form of "eating" was literal, Ais was one of Ryou's future wives. Hearing this creature constantly shouting about devouring his future wife was intolerable, regardless of its anatomy!

Facing Ryou's fireball, the Fallen Fairy didn't even attempt to block it, allowing the fireball to hit her face directly.

However, the Fallen Fairy's avatar seemed to have high magic resistance. Ryou's fireball only produced a wisp of smoke on her face, without even burning a single strand of hair.

Meanwhile, the close-combat group was momentarily blocked by the vine wall, unable to approach.

Taking advantage of this moment, the Demi Spirit raised her hands high and began chanting a spell loudly.

"Speak, O earth, come forth, come forth, come forth, O shell of the earth! O gleam of black iron! O hammer of the stars!..."

A large, complex, ochre-colored magic circle unfolded before her. It was enormous, almost as large as the Demi Spirit herself, and inscribed with divine runes.

"No way, a monster that can chant spells!?"

The group almost fainted from shock.

From the first floor to the fifty-eighth, the Loki Familia, as experts in dungeon exploration, had never encountered any monster capable of chanting spells, not even the floor bosses. At most, they used innate abilities.

The Demi Spirit not only used chant-based magic but also performed highly difficult, extended chants coupled with combat casting.

This unprecedented scenario left them dumbfounded.

At this critical moment, Finn, as the commander, couldn't afford any distraction. Hearing the Demi Spirit's chant and seeing the close-combat group unable to break through, he immediately turned and shouted.

"Riveria!"

Years of teamwork made words unnecessary; Riveria instantly understood his intention. She interrupted her attack spell and began chanting a high-level barrier spell.

"Rise, O spirits of the air, masters of light. I contract with the guardians of the forest, to play the song of the earth, to shield and protect us..."

A complex magic circle spread out beneath Riveria's feet.

"Interrupt the enemy's chant with all your might!"

Finn commanded loudly.

"Yes!"

Those with ranged attack abilities launched their attacks on the Demi Spirit, even Tsubaki, the blacksmith, picked up a magic sword and fired lightning at her.

However, the Demi Spirit's face twisted into a contemptuous smile.

Most of the attacks barely affected her, and for the few that posed any threat, the Demi Spirit simply wrapped her upper body with petals from beneath her, causing the attacks to land on the petals and leave her unscathed.

Despite the continuous barrage of attacks, the Demi Spirit continued chanting her spell undisturbed.

"Meteor Shower!"

"Dimensional Severance!"

The magic of the Demi Spirit and Riveria was completed almost simultaneously.

"Everyone, retreat into Riveria's barrier!"

Finn shouted.

Even before Finn finished speaking, everyone had already started retreating. As they gathered around Riveria, her barrier spell activated just in time.

A semi-circular, pale yellow, transparent shield enveloped them securely.

At that moment, the Demi Spirit's magic was also unleashed.

A massive array of magic circles appeared in mid-air, followed by a downpour of flaming meteors from the sky.

The colossal meteor shower covered an area spanning hundreds of meters.

The ground trembled continuously, emitting a series of wails, and gigantic craters formed as the meteors struck, reducing all nearby caterpillars to ashes.

Only the area beneath Riveria's magical shield remained untouched.

Each time a meteor struck the shield, it wobbled, causing everyone's hearts to pound with fear.

"Hold on, Riveria!"

"Keep it up, Riveria!"

"You can do it!"

"I know!"

Riveria gritted her teeth, pressing her staff firmly to the ground.

With no other options, the group could only offer her words of encouragement.

Ryou hid beneath the shield, clenching his fists tightly.

Watching the catastrophic scene outside the barrier, he felt powerless.

After a long while, the bombardment outside the shield seemed to cease. The area around the barrier was almost entirely sunken by the meteor shower.

Without a word, Ryou suddenly dashed out of the shield.

"Mr. Gudao, wait!"

Finn called out.

Ryou ignored him.

Having read the original story, Ryou knew that due to underestimating the Demi Spirit's magical prowess, Finn chose to remain within the barrier, only for the Demi Spirit to launch a series of consecutive and rapid chants, followed by another devastating spell, nearly wiping out the entire team.

They couldn't afford to remain passive!

A mage is at their weakest while chanting a spell. If they didn't attack now, when would they?

"Finn?"

Everyone immediately turned their gaze to Finn, awaiting his command.

"The buffs on us haven't worn off yet! Charge!"

Finn decisively ordered.

The melee group immediately followed Ryou in a charge.

"Riveria! Lefiya! Switch to attack magic!"

Finn shouted, then charged forward without looking back.

Riveria, usually calm and composed, wanted to object, but seeing even Finn charging ahead, years of trust made her grit her teeth and abandon her defensive magic, starting to chant an offensive spell.

"Soon, the flames will be released, the imminent warfire, unavoidable destruction..."

Lefiya also began chanting the spell for 'Arcs Ray' upon seeing this.

As expected by Ryou, just as the Meteor Shower ceased, the Demi Spirit, completely disregarding basic rules, had no skill cooldown period or casting lag and immediately began chanting another spell at an even faster speed.

"...In the name of the proxy, I command you, I am bestowed the name Salamander, the embodiment of flames, the king of fire..."

This time, the chanting speed was too fast. The meteor shower had just stopped, and the Demi Spirit's spell was nearly complete.

Everyone was terrified by this, as the melee group had just approached the vine wall, and the two elven mages were only halfway through their chants, leaving them caught off guard and on the brink of a team wipeout.

As she chanted the final part, Ryou had just reached the vine wall.

"Don't think you're the only one with a trump card!"

Facing such a critical moment, Ryou showed no sign of nervousness, instead smirking.

"Revis, do it now!"

With Ryou's shout, to everyone's shock, a red-haired figure suddenly appeared behind the Demi Spirit.

"You really know how to order people around!"

Though Revis complained, her movements were swift. She swung her large serrated, blood-marked machete and slashed fiercely at the Demi Spirit's waist from the side.

"Ah!!!"

The Demi Spirit, not expecting a betrayal from her ally, was almost cut in two, completely defenseless.

Receiving such a severe injury, the chant was immediately interrupted, and she suffered significant backlash from forcibly halting the spell.

"Who is she?"

Finn asked, puzzled.

"You mean Revis? Captain Finn, you must know that the strongest fortress is often easiest to breach from within."

Ryou responded with a meaningful expression.

"Seize the opportunity, let's attack quickly!"

Seeing Finn about to say something, Ryou hurriedly cut him off.

Finn opened his mouth, but considering the Demi Spirit's severe injury, realizing it was a prime chance for a counterattack, he swallowed his words.

"Assault!"

Finn brandished his spear.

The members of the Loki Familia immediately followed suit.

At this moment, Ryou also delivered a heavy punch to the vine wall.

This time, luck was on his side, triggering the Explosive Flame effect.

Boom!

With a loud bang, a large hole was blasted open in the vine wall.

Just as Ryou was about to rush in, a strong sense of danger overwhelmed him, causing him to instinctively dodge to the side.

Whoosh!

A sharp sound pierced the air as a vine whipped towards the spot where he had just broken through the wall. If he hadn't dodged quickly, he would have been skewered.

"Young man! Move aside!"

A sudden shout came from behind Ryou.

Dwarf shield warrior Gareth rushed up, grabbed the vine with one hand, and wildly hacked at it with his giant axe in the other. The vine was severed in just a few strikes.

Gareth then pulled the broken wall apart, creating a gap wide enough for two people to pass through side by side.

"The rest of you, charge in! Ais, start powering up, the final blow is yours!" Finn ordered.

Ais nodded and stepped back slightly.

At this point, Revis, who had dealt a critical blow to the Demi Spirit, was tangled in an endless mass of vines.

Under the terrifying magic power, the gaping wound at the Demi Spirit's waist, which nearly split her in half, began to heal at a visible speed.

"You! How dare you betray me! How dare you!?"

The Demi Spirit, formerly mocking and arrogant, was now twisted with fury.

"Betrayal? We were just using each other. When was there ever any trust?"

Revis replied.

"Then die!"

The Demi Spirit commanded, as her vines danced like venomous snakes, launching a relentless attack on Revis.

Revis quickly found herself struggling to hold her ground, her body covered in numerous cuts.

"Redhead over there! Hold on! We're coming!"

At that moment, Tiona and Tione rushed in first.

Despite her petite figure, Tiona wielded a giant double-bladed sword almost as tall as herself, slicing through the vines like a lawnmower.

Tione, armed with dual daggers, protected Tiona from behind, covering her.

The two sisters, perfectly in sync, reached Revis in just a few breaths.

With reinforcements, the three formed a wedge, charging towards the Demi Spirit.

"Die!"

Werewolf Bete launched an attack from another side, attempting to alleviate the pressure on the trio.

As for Gareth and Finn, one cleared the path while the other covered the flanks. Their precise coordination brought them alongside Tiona, Revis, and the others, reaching the Demi Spirit simultaneously. Ryou arrived a step later.

Almost the entire melee group was now in front of the Demi Spirit.

A mage surrounded by warriors—her fate was sealed.

Naturally, the Demi Spirit wouldn't sit still. Cunning as she was, she revealed another trump card once everyone was close.

"...In the name of the proxy, I command you, I am bestowed the name Tonitrus, the embodiment of lightning, king of thunder..."

"It's a short chant!"

"Defend yourselves!"

Only Ryou remained calm. If the Dragon's Flame, which he had spent a full hour preparing, couldn't even block a minor spell, it would ruin his reputation.

"Thunder Aura!"

With a sharp cry from the Demi Spirit, a magic circle crackling with electric light appeared before her.

Countless blue lightning serpents then surged towards the group.

Tiona and Tione instinctively shielded their faces.

However, the so-called Thunder Aura turned out to be all bark and no bite. Striking the group, it only emitted faint red glows, which stood firm against the lightning serpents.

Seeing this impressive effect, Finn silently praised his own wise decision.

At this moment, the two elven mages completed their spells.

First, Lefiya's Arcs Ray rained fire down on the Demi Spirit.

Struggling to raise her petals, she barely managed to block the attack, but Finn seized the opportunity and threw his twin spears.

The sharp spears pierced through the petals, stabbing directly into the Demi Spirit's eyes.

With a loud boom, the spears exploded.

Ryou instinctively glanced at Finn, surprised that such a small, child-like figure could be so cunning.

Although, he wasn't bad either.

The Demi Spirit, just half-dead from Finn's treacherous blow, was now being mercilessly attacked by Tiona's large sword, Tione's throwing knives, and Gareth's giant axe.

At this moment, Riveria's magic arrived.

Several towering pillars of fire swept toward the Demi Spirit, enveloping her in flames.

Seeing the fire pillars that didn't harm any of their comrades, Ryou's eyes narrowed. Riveria indeed lived up to her reputation as Orario's top mage; her control over magic was worlds apart from the half-baked Lefiya.

"Ah!!!"

Burned by the fire magic, the Demi Spirit finally let out a scream of agony.

At this time, a figure wrapped in green wind appeared suddenly in the sky.

It was Ais, who had just finished powering up!

With wind magic swirling around her, Ais resembled a giant drill, hurtling towards the Demi Spirit.

The Demi Spirit, clutching her eyes and wailing in pain, seemed powerless to resist.

Facing the seemingly defenseless enemy, everyone, including Ais, let down their guard a bit.

However, just as Ais got close, the cunning monster suddenly dropped her hands from her eyes, opening her mouth wide.

There was yet another spell hidden in her mouth, clearly reserved for Ais!

In such a critical situation, everyone was caught off guard; even Ais showed a hint of shock.

But Ais, now in mid-air, had no choice but to press forward.

"I've been wary of this move!"

A confident voice suddenly echoed.

A figure seemed to leap out from the shadows, appearing instantly beside the Demi Spirit's face.

It was Nguyen Ryou!

Earlier, when the Demi Spirit was playing dead, Ryou had silently used the ring's Shadow Stealth to hide himself, waiting to launch a fatal strike against her.

Just as the Demi Spirit had schemed against Ais, Ryou had been scheming against her.

And this was the opportunity he had been waiting for.

At this moment, the Demi Spirit's attention was almost entirely on Ais.

"Aria, I've been waiting for you! Let me devour you!"

The Demi Spirit said, opening her arms wide towards Ais.

Just as the Demi Spirit opened her mouth, ready to unleash Frozen Blade, Ryou, who had suddenly appeared beside her, landed a fierce hook punch on her face.

Her huge face caved in immediately, causing her to involuntarily tilt to one side.

The Frozen Blade spell naturally missed its mark.

"Tempest!"

With Ais's sharp cry, the power of her wind magic spiked to its maximum, easily piercing through the Demi Spirit.

Ryou followed up with a powerful double-fisted slam on the top of the monster's head.

First, Ais's attack pierced through her, and then Ryou's double fists smashed her down.

The upper body of the Demi Spirit was reduced to a bloody pulp, clearly dead beyond any doubt.

Just as everyone waited for the Demi Spirit to turn to ashes, a sudden change occurred.