Chapter 445: Finn's Ominous Premonition

Proud warriors, archers of the forest. The advancing marauders are before you, pick up your bows. Respond to the voices of your brethren, nock the arrows!

While Aiden and the others fought a blood-soaked battle far ahead, Lefiya, who had retreated to the very back of the room alone, chanted with a clear, unwavering voice.

Flames of ‘purpose’ burned in her eyes.

Miss Ais and Mr. Aiden are fighting so hard for everyone. I have to do my best too.

She cheered herself on internally. She absolutely could not betray everyone’s trust and effort. She had to successfully cast her magic and open the path to victory.

Forcing her eyes to sharpen, Lefiya poured even more power and magic into her voice.

Ignite the flames, lamps of the forest. I order you to loose, fiery arrows of the fairies.

As her crystalline voice rang out, the glow of the magic circle expanding beneath her feet grew increasingly intense.

This was the incredibly rare development ability derived from basic stats—Mage.

“Mage” was a skill that only those who had polished their magic to the absolute limit had a chance of acquiring upon leveling up. It belonged to an entirely different category than regular skills. It was a pure magic-specialized trait that granted the caster enhanced power, expanded areas of effect, and highly efficient mind usage, among other boons.

And this magic circle beneath her feet, constructed of multiple rings and complex systemic patterns, was the ultimate proof of a high-tier Mage.

Lefiya’s beautiful features were illuminated in the scattering golden-yellow light, looking both holy and brimming with power.

Drop like rain, burn the barbarians!

The final line of the chant was delivered with sharp clarity. The gathered magic exponentially spiked to its absolute peak.

Lefiya sharply raised her gaze, locking onto the chaotic battlefield ahead.

“Fire!”

With a crisp shout, she aimed perfectly, targeting the entire area—except for the rear of the room. Seeing that Ais, Aiden, and Finn’s group had completely retreated from the blast zone, Lefiya hoisted her staff high and completely unleashed her pent-up magic.

Fusillade Fallarica!

In a flash, an endless rain of fire erupted from the magic circle. Blazing arrow-shaped magical projectiles traced lethal arcs through the air, swarming the remaining monsters in the room like a flock of living hawks.

Amidst deafening combustion and the piercing shriek of tearing wind, the flame arrows relentlessly struck and skewered the enemies before violently detonating into even more massive blooms of fire. The arrows that missed their targets slammed into the ground, triggering explosions so violent the solid bedrock was torn and flipped.

The roaring blasts of hundreds, thousands of flame arrows swallowed even the monsters’ death throes.

This wide-area annihilation magic, which could easily be described as a bombing run, dyed the entire room crimson. In an instant, it birthed a literal ocean of fire.

Whether it was the thick-skinned Black Rhinos or the nauseating caterpillar monsters, they were all burned to nothingness in the sea of flames.

“See? You can do it when you try! One shot, just one shot! Lefiya, you’re amazing!”

“I-I poured all my mind into it… um…”

“Riveria is like this, and so are you. Elves are way too energetic… Dammit, my fur got singed.”

“Gahaha, doing a clean sweep like that really clears the mind!”

Forming a protective triangle around the exhausted Lefiya, Tiona, Bete, and Gareth walked back. The only monster that had spawned outside the blast zone—creeping up from the rear corridor—had been casually dispatched by Gareth, who had kept an eye on their six.

Since Lefiya successfully cleared the entire battlefield with a single spell, she was currently getting her head vigorously rubbed and praised by Tiona. Soon, Ais and Aiden retreated from the frontline as well.

“Beautifully done, Lefiya,” Aiden said, giving her a thumbs-up and sparing no praise.

“Thank you, Lefiya,” Ais added. Catching Aiden’s eye, she mimicked him and held up her own thumb. On that usually emotionless, delicate face, a faint but incredibly sincere smile truly bloomed.

Being praised simultaneously by the two people she admired most, Lefiya started fidgeting again. But on her pale face, drained from exhausting her mind, was an unconcealable, joyous smile.

For a fleeting moment, a wave of celebratory relief washed over the bloodstained battlefield.

…

“Captain? Is something wrong?”

Fine embers still drifted slowly through the air as Tione noticed her Captain’s unusual silence and walked over to him. In the corner of her vision, Raul—the weakest member who had fought the hardest—was spread-eagled on the ground, gasping for air and grabbing every second of rest he could.

“Before we fled into this room… right when we were nearly pincered, the monsters came from ahead. And that path is the official route leading to the 50th Floor,” Finn said, his voice low and heavy.

“…No way.”

“I can’t just call it unfounded paranoia anymore… I’m afraid.”

As if validating his ominous sixth sense, Finn stared down at his right thumb. After absentmindedly licking the pad of his thumb, he looked up in shock, staring at Tione.

“Gather Ais and the others. We return to the camp at full speed.”

The 50th and 51st Floors were connected by a massive, sloping rock face. On the western wall of the 50th Floor was a giant cavern containing a steep incline that could easily be called a cliff.

While going down to the 51st Floor simply required walking straight down, returning took quite a bit of effort. And looking at the sickening yellow-green slime smeared all over the rock face, anyone would inevitably feel a severe sense of impending danger.

Aiden and the others didn’t even dare touch the wall with their hands, relying entirely on continuous, bounding leaps to rapidly scale the incline.

As they burst out of the massive cavern, the sounds of human shouts and sharp explosions crashed against their eardrums like a tidal wave.

“The camp…!”

Sprinting through the familiar grey forest of the 50th Floor, Tiona was the first to react to the thick black smoke billowing from the direction of their campsite.

Everyone instantly pushed themselves harder, whipping past the trees. Aiden and the group broke out of the great forest at top speed.