Hero

Finn's assumption was correct.

Riezel, familiar with the corrosive acid of the female-like worm monster, recognized the extent of the hindrance and threat it posed to everyone and decided to handle it alone.

Therefore, he mustered his 'Mind', converting a significant amount of it into magical energy, further transforming it into the wind. He adjusted Ariel to almost maximum output, creating a tornado-like force, and becoming a streak of light.

Charging through, he pushed the massive monster far away from everyone.

*BOOOOM!*

With a heavy impact, it slammed onto the ground, shaking the earth beneath. Dust and gravel erupted like intermittent geysers, sweeping towards Riezel, only to be dispersed by the wind enveloping his body.

Wrapped in the force of the wind, he ascended into the air, the magic circle beneath his feet rotating as he began chanting once again.

However, before he could finish his chant, countless pollen-like light particles suddenly scattered from the dust.

*BOOM!* *BOOM!* *BOOM!* *BOOM!* *BOOM!*

Consecutive explosions erupted in a corner of the 50th Floor, causing the fire wave to expand once again.

*Rumble—*

The ground shattered, the forest burned to the ground, and the exploding flames and shockwaves engulfed everything, including Riezel.

He could only feel a surge of heat, his body bombarded by the chaotic explosions. If not for the protective wind of Ariel, his body, lacking even a single piece of armor, might have turned into ashes instantly.

"Raumure!"

Riezel endured the onslaught of the explosion, completing the chant for protection magic. A deep green light membrane illuminated from the raging wind, covering his body.

His 'END' and 'AGI' surged, especially the astonishing boost in 'AGI'.

With the dual protection of Raumure and Ariel, Riezel finally felt shielded from the high temperatures and explosive shocks.

At this moment, he increased the output of his 'Mind', boosted the scale of his magic, and let the fierce wind break through the exploding flames, extinguishing the surrounding fires.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAA——!"

The female-like worm monster, seemingly enraged by Riezel's actions, climbed to its feet and emitted a high-pitched scream toward the airborne tornado.

Riezel, looking down on the grotesque monster, slowly curled his lips.

*Whoosh—!*

The next moment, he dove downward, transforming into a stream of light that violently shot toward the monster's massive body.

The female-like worm monster, seemingly prepared, opened its mouth, and the purple acid turned into a high-pressure water cannon, blasting toward the airborne Riezel.

In the next moment, he clashed with the acid in mid-air, creating an intense conflict.

*Whoosh—*

After a short while, the raging wind around Riezel's body forcefully separated the acid. He continued his charge, engaging in close combat with it.

*Pu-chi!*

A flash of a sword, slashed through the female-like worm monster's body, causing acid to spray out from its massive body and making it scream.

*BOOM!*

The robust, flat arm of the monster swept like a whip, hitting Riezel and sending his body flying, crashing into the distant rock wall, shattering it. But almost at the same time as the rock wall shattered, he came again with a fierce wind, colliding with its massive body.

*BOOOM!*

This time, the female-like worm monster was sent flying, falling into a forest, and crushing numerous trees.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAA—!!!"

It screamed in anger.

Four flat arms gathered and then spread, causing countless bursts of pollen-like particles to scatter like confetti, raining down on Riezel immediately.

*BOOM!* *BOOM!* *BOOM!* *BOOM!* *BOOM!*

A grand explosion occurred once again, causing fire and blast waves to rise, hot winds and high temperatures sweeping through as if hellish flames were erupting from the underground, terrifying everyone.

However, Riezel didn't even have an ounce of fear.

He stood firm, enduring one astonishing explosion after another without flinching, still enveloped in the fierce wind. Like flowing light, he continuously darted around the female-like worm monster's massive body, launching relentless attacks without stopping.

*Pu-chi!* *Pu-chi!* *Pu-chi!* *Pu-chi!* *Pu-chi!*

His sword flashed, purple blood sprayed, and wind-powered slashes continuously fell on its massive body mercilessly. One slash after another cut through its flesh, making it wail in pain.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAA—!!!"

*Sizzle!*

The purple liquid, resembling blood, sprayed out, dissolving the entire forest, frequently causing black smoke and a foul smell to rise. Yet, the wind-wrapped Riezel remained indifferent to this and kept using his wind to blow away the acid while slashing at the female-like worm monster's body.

Soon, a chorus of chanting voices could be heard.

"Proud warriors, snipers of the forest."

"Take up your bows before the advancing plunderers."

"Answer the call of your brethren and ready your arrows. Tinge them with flame, the lamplight of the forest."

"Release them, the fire arrows of the fairies."

"Falling like rain, burn away the savages."

Attacking, moving, and chanting, Riezel once again demonstrated superb concurrent chanting, releasing magic learned from his party companion.

"Fusillade Fallarica!"

And thus, a rain of fire descended.

*BOOM!* *BOOM!* *BOOM!* *BOOM!* *BOOM!*

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA—!!!"

The rain of fire from above hit the female-like worm monster one by one, causing explosions on its body, making it finally scream in agonizing pain.

""...""

All expedition party members were staring at this scene, collectively shaken.

They gazed at the distant battle, at the streak of light that transformed into a flowing light, wrapped in the fierce wind, constantly colliding with the massive female-like worm monster without stopping.

Even when thrown by the female-like worm monster's flat arms or bombarded by bursts of explosion, Riezel valiantly charged at it, slashing and chanting magic repeatedly, turning it into a wailing mess.

The shock in their hearts at witnessing this scene was beyond imagination.

"Is this how Riezel fought...?" Tiona muttered in a daze.

The rest fell silent for a long time.

Among everyone present, except for Ais and Lefiya, not many had truly witnessed how Riezel truly fought.

Even though he had displayed considerable strength throughout the expedition journey, earning recognition and respect from many senior members, that level of combat couldn't compare to the intensity of the current life-and-death battle.

Due to the advice of Finn, Gareth, and Riveria, Riezel maintained a relatively low profile on this expedition.

During the floor boss subjugation, Riezel, with his diverse magic and skills, played a crucial role as a rear guard, providing long-range support.

In the Fomoire subjugation, while he charged into the monster horde alongside Ais and displayed impressive combat prowess, it was still a coordinated group effort, excellent but limited to that.

At least, Lefiya was aware of how restrained Riezel had been throughout this expedition. In normal circumstances, he would have charged ahead alone, confronting monsters in a life-and-death battle without hesitation.

During those moments, Riezel was at his strongest. He feared no opponent; the stronger the opponent, the more excited and thrilled he became.

He faced any challenge fearlessly, regardless of the difficulties ahead, always charging forward without hesitation.

Using magic for long-range attacks from the rear?

Coordinating with party members in group battles?

While these tactics were safe, they weren't what Riezel truly wanted. It could be said that at this very moment, he showed his true self, his true strength.

As a result, the female-like worm monster, which left Finn and other Level 6 adventurers helpless and forced the entire expedition party to retreat, found itself in a losing position against the fearless swordsman who fought bravely and relentlessly.

"Trickster Swordsman? That's bullshit! Loki got the alias wrong, didn't she?" Gareth exclaimed loudly. 

"Indeed..." Riveria sighed. "If she witnessed this battle with her own eyes, she wouldn't have given him that alias."

Finn smiled slightly, looking at the familia members around who were staring in awe at the ongoing battle.

"Take a good look."

Finn's voice slowly spread.

"Watch this battle, watch that youth."

"I can assure you that he will reach heights even beyond our grasp, becoming the hero that various gods have long awaited."

"I'm not asking you to catch up to him, but at least, don't get left behind by him."

That was what Finn truly believed.

"Hero..." Tiona whispered, watching as Riezel's appearance gradually shone.

"Well, I'm not surprised..." Tione remarked, casting a glance at Finn beside her, pondering who knows what.

"That brat..." Bete's expression twisted slightly, his tone harsh, but his gaze never wavered from Riezel's figure.

"Mr. Riezel..." Lefiya even clasped her hands in front of her, gazing into Riezel's battle, admiration gradually welling up.

The rest, more or less were also shaken, developing a sense of respect for Riezel.

Even Ais, wordlessly gazing intensely into Riezel's figure with her golden eyes, unknowingly harbored emotions that even the girl herself didn't notice, blossoming bit by bit.

Bathing in numerous eyes filled with either admiration or infatuation, Riezel, unaware of the thoughts of his fellow familia members, initiated another charge against the heavily wounded, female-like worm monster.

*Swish!*

Riezel unsheathed his sword.

It was not Hermit he had been using all this time. Since the beginning of the dungeon expedition, he had never drawn the other sword hanging at his waist. Not because he was reluctant to use it, but because he believed that the first opponent for this sword had to be worthy.

Therefore, throughout the dungeon expedition, Riezel had been using Hermit. Until this moment, facing the female-like worm monster, he finally unsheathed this sword.

As the feather-light slender sword was gripped, his speed suddenly increased.

"Tempest."

A gust of wind blew, swirling around the sword.

"Tempest!"

A violent storm swept across the battlefield.

Wielding the first-class equipment, Fool, Riezel appeared like a spiral wind tornado, charging forward while kicking up countless dust.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA—!!!"

The female-like worm monster finally felt the deadly crisis and screamed hysterically. It started to scatter explosive pollen-like particles and spray acid recklessly.

Yet, under the onslaught of the raging wind, none of it reached Riezel's body.

*BOOOM!*

The tornado leaped and crashed heavily into its body.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA—!!!"

The female-like worm monster let out a miserable howl, purple liquid splattering.

*BOOOOM—!*

The next moment, the tornado pierced through its body, creating a large hole.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAA—!"

Amid the unwilling scream, the female-like worm monster's massive body soon fell and met its demise.