The dog-eared girl, trembling with fear, finally gave in and confessed everything. A member of the Hermes Familia, she had been tasked with receiving a certain "package." However, the sudden death of the man responsible for the nighttime delivery had left her terrified. Since then, she'd been hiding among the crowd, fearing she would be the next to die. The current investigation only worsened her panic. Terrified at the thought of being killed after retrieving the item, she had simply decided to run.
But after a few comforting words from the Sword Princess, Ais Wallenstein, the drooping-eared girl gathered the courage to hand over the item.
It was a sphere about the size of two clasped hands. A green orb, wrapped in a translucent film containing a liquid… and something terrifying. Inside rested a fetus with disproportionately large eyes for its small spherical body, staring directly at Ais and Lefiya. Its delicate-looking hair flowed from its head down the front of its spine, almost symbolizing femininity itself. The creature appeared motionless, but there was a faint pulse… a weak sign of life.
A discarded item?
Or perhaps… a new type of Dungeon monster?
Lefiya was stunned, while Ais's eyes remained locked on the orb. A strange feeling coursed through her body. Her heart raced, as if trying to match the pulse inside the sphere.
Her eyes met the creature's, and in that moment, it felt as though all the blood in her body began flowing in a dizzying rush.
(What is this?)
She didn't know what she was holding.
A high-pitched ringing pierced her ears. It felt like worms crawling under her skin, and a wave of nausea surged up her throat.
Ais staggered. A second later, she dropped to her knees.
"M-Miss Ais?!"
The orb rolled from her hand, and her breathing became erratic. Lefiya immediately held her, trying to stabilize her. It was then that the masked woman—the true culprit behind everything—whistled, triggering the attack of countless monsters. Amid the chaos, she launched herself like a black shadow toward Ais, sword in hand.
But Ais, even affected, reacted purely on instinct. After days of intense training, she executed her technique with flawless precision.
Ais planted her feet firmly, the wind swirling furiously around her as if responding to her call. Her breathing deepened, each inhale pulling in air like fuel into an invisible furnace within her. Her golden eyes glowed with absolute focus.
She gripped her sword with both hands, and as she exhaled, the air around her erupted into violent whirlwinds.
"Wind Breathing – Third Form…"
She spun on her axis with the blade low, as if dancing with the storm itself. The wind surrounding her intensified, howling like the ancient lament of nature itself.
"…Stormwind Tree!"
In the next instant, Ais's sword sliced through the air with superhuman speed, unleashing a series of circular slashes in concentric arcs that expanded from where she stood. Each arc of wind resembled twisted branches of a tree caught in a storm, spiraling outward with absurd cutting force.
The gusts intertwined like furious branches, tearing through the ground, shattering stones, and obliterating the approaching monsters.
The swordswoman became the eye of a hurricane, and the impact was devastating.
The air around the red-haired woman exploded into invisible pressure slashes, like razor-sharp blades shooting in every direction. Her armor was shredded in seconds, leather and metal disintegrating like paper before the fury of nature channeled through Ais's blade. Even the artificial skin covering her face was torn away, revealing the true form behind the mask.
The technique's power was so immense that the ground beneath Ais cracked and split into wide fissures, while the crystal trees of the 18th floor trembled under the atmospheric pressure created by her burst of power.
The red-haired woman's left eye widened in shock.
She hadn't expected such a powerful attack—worthy of a level 6.
But Ais, who had already mastered the [Total Concentration Breathing] technique, didn't hesitate.
She continued attacking without mercy.
Wounds opened all over the red-haired woman's body, staining her crimson. Still, gritting her teeth, she fought back, landing a devastating punch on Ais.
"Kyaa———!"
The sheer force of the blow sent Ais flying, dragging her across the ground and carving a deep trench in the stone.
Even with strength close to level 6, Ais couldn't withstand that brutality.
Yuri, who had just arrived, assessed the scene seriously.
"Next time, I need to place a Hiraishin seal on Ais, Lefiya, and the others… I can't afford to overestimate them, no matter how strong they are."
At the same time, he closely observed the red-haired enemy, his eyes narrowing in focus.
(That woman… she's no longer human.)
(She's become a 'monster,' with a body as resilient as the Dungeon's own creatures, and she can devour magic stones to grow stronger.)
(Even Finn, already level 6, broke a finger fighting her…)
Ais had already mastered Wind Breathing techniques. And now, this enhanced monster was the perfect adversary to push her toward level 6.
Recovering from the orb's impact, Ais narrowed her eyes, determined. It was time to go beyond.
"Tempest, arise."
This chant summons the magical winds that wrap around her body, activating Ariel's effects. Ais can recite it swiftly and almost imperceptibly, thanks to her combat experience.
Ariel is a support-type wind magic that amplifies her physical abilities in battle.
It wraps streams of wind around Ais's body.
It increases her speed, agility, and aerial mobility.
It can be used defensively, creating a wind barrier around her to reduce incoming damage.
It also allows her to float or change trajectory mid-air during high-speed movements or jumps.
The red-haired woman widened her eyes at the sight, seized by a strange emotion.
"That gust… now I understand. You are Aria."
Ais froze.
Her golden eyes widened in pure shock.
Her heart pounded, so loud it echoed in her chest. A chill ran down her spine, and her mind was consumed by a single question:
"Why?"
---
(End of chapter)
"Hmph. If you really want to be useful, then entertain me, try to throw those pathetic power stones at me. Let's see if even your insolence can amuse a king."