Chapter 10: Salvation I (vs. Sealed Labyrinth Fourth Layer Guardian β)
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Saintess Mika pondered to herself.
Why was she recalling the past in such a critical situation? Just then, something flashed through her mind.
───That’s a flag, isn’t it!
Before facing a formidable foe, reminiscing about the past was a type of flag, as someone had once said. Who was that overly loud person? Was it the Hero-sama, or perhaps someone else───
“What’s with that sound?”
Holy Knight Ashley’s question interrupted Mika’s thoughts. To avoid revealing her distraction, Mika answered succinctly.
“What lies ahead is the boss monster that resides at the deepest part of the Blade Labyrinth. Its name is Claiomh Solais.”
The sound was still distant, and the Treasure Sword showed no signs of approaching, as if it were merely observing them. Was it a type of monster that wouldn’t act until they got closer, or was it underestimating them?
If that’s the case, then so be it. That delay would allow them to devise a strategy. Saintess Mika shifted her thoughts to combat.
“It seems we have some time before we engage. Let’s share information about the opponent and formulate a plan.”
Angelica and Ashley nodded in agreement.
“The monster usually appears in the form of the Golden Treasure Sword, floating and attacking. Additionally, while in this form, it can gather mana for a while and unleash a powerful laser.”
“A laser?”
“Think of it as highly compressed light magic. Its power is on a whole different level compared to the attack magic we’ve faced so far.”
Ashley echoed Mika’s explanation with a hint of doubt, prompting Angelica to elaborate. Mika felt a slight sense of relief at Angelica’s words. She had noticed Angelica’s earlier sobs during their break. Whether it was due to a significant mistake or a brush with death, Mika couldn’t pinpoint the exact reason. Yet, for some reason, she felt her own eyes welling up with tears, drawn in by Angelica’s sorrow.
“Furthermore, this monster can transform from the Golden Treasure Sword into the Six Blades. While its laser is less powerful, its threat level is far greater.”
Angelica continued explaining to Ashley, her eyelids still puffy from earlier.
Mika felt pity for her. For Angelica… and for herself─── Wait, why do I feel pity for myself?
Before Mika could question herself further, Angelica continued her explanation.
“When separated into the Six Blades, it can use Hyper Acceleration. As a mage, I couldn’t even perceive its movements.”
“Hyper Acceleration───”
Ashley murmured as she absorbed Angelica’s explanation.
“Yes, Hyper Acceleration. It’s on a completely different level than mere speed boosts from buffs. It moves so fast that it seems to vanish. Quite literally, you see.”
“Therefore, if we make a mistake in our response during the upcoming battle, we could be wiped out in an instant.”
In the past, the ultra-fast slashes from the Six Blades had easily shattered Mika and Angelica’s barriers. But this time, Mika didn’t think the same would happen again. For some reason, she felt a conviction that they could exhibit abilities beyond what they had back then. And surely, this applied to Angelica as well.
Since arriving in Bordaf, Angelica had stopped recklessly spamming her powerful attack, Narukami, which had been instrumental in defeating major foes. Instead, she had begun to use Aqua Spear for harassment and chose high-temperature flame spells against the Crystal Humanoids. Of course, there had been failures, but it seemed she was now considering the battlefield more strategically.
“So, what should we do against such an opponent…”
Ashley asked in a hoarse voice, fatigue evident in her tone. For a brief moment—just a few seconds—they were enveloped in silence. It was Angelica who broke it.
“I have an idea.”
However, she continued,
“But there’s no guarantee it will work.”
Angelica stated, glancing at the expressions of the two. Just as Saintess Mika was about to raise her voice to dispel Angelica’s fallen tone,
“Sage Angelica, what is there to hesitate about? If we stay as we are, death awaits us anyway. So let’s cooperate and fight back against this dire situation together.”
Ashley managed a smile, giving it her all. She took the lead, grasping the hands of her party members before Saintess Mika. And with that, their desperate boss battle was set in motion.
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Today, on July 16th, the first volume of the comic adaptation has been released. The comic version features beautifully illustrated color pages by the artist Yuchi Su, including the prologue with Sena and Sensei. Thank you all for your support!