Alicia's summoned Ice Giant charged at the front. Due to the height and width constraints of the passage, the Ice Giant could only advance in its upper body form.

The giant was draped in heroic ice armor, reflecting a dim blue light, like a war god walking out of ancient legend.

It held dual katanas, the massive blades shimmering with cold light in the frigid passage. A chilling aura radiated from the giant's body, making the surrounding air feel heavy.

The Ice Giant swung its weapons, slashing toward the enemy ahead, [Monster] Phryne.

At the same time, Lefiya stood a bit farther away, gripping her wand tightly with both hands, closing her eyes and beginning to chant.

"In the name of Vísenia I make a wish, ancestors of the forest, noble kinsfolk. Respond to my voice and come to the prairie."

"The bond of connection, the promise of celebration. Circle and dance the ring, come forth, ring of the spirits."

"I beseech you, lend me your power."

As the spell was recited, a magic circle unfolded, and mana began to gather around her, forming halos of pure white light.

"Raise the cup as shield, chalice of banishment."

Lefiya continued chanting, and the [Dio Grail] she had learned from Filvis was released. A pure white barrier unfurled in front of Alicia.

Phryne, seeing the Ice Giant rushing toward her, let out a low roar and punched fiercely forward.

The barrier of light released by Lefiya rose in front and blocked her violence-filled attack. Phryne's fist clashed with the barrier, producing a thunderous boom.

"Guaah—", With Phryne's roar, the wall of light shattered with a crash. However, the brief hindrance had already created an opportunity for Alicia.

The twin blades intersected and slashed down, cold gleams slicing toward Phryne's front. The massive blades carved two deep gashes into Phryne's skin, the frigid air invading her body through the wounds.

However, Phryne showed no sign of pain. Though her skin had been cut open, the wounds began healing instantly.

Facing Phryne's rapidly healing wounds, Alicia didn't show much surprise.

She had learned from Captain Finn about the [Monster]'s traits and was already mentally prepared for their regeneration.

In this battle, Alicia didn't position herself as the one to break through, but rather as the vanguard to suppress the "monster."

As the Ice Giant closed in, Aisha slid past Phryne's side. She ghosted behind Phryne and, without hesitation, pulled back to gain distance.

Aisha steadied her footing, took a deep breath, and raised her long blade, beginning to chant.

Black-red mana began gathering on the large broadsword in her hand, the mana wrapping around the blade like burning fire, radiating intense heat.

Aisha's magic [Hell Kaios], originally a spell that gathered mana at the blade's edge to unleash a powerful slash, now, under the enhancement of special equipment, had its effects transformed. The black-red mana wrapped around her tier-one weapon [Flame Blade] like a raging inferno from hell.

Aisha aimed for the back of Phryne's knee and swiftly slashed. The mana-enhanced blade glowed faintly black and red as it pierced through [Man-Killer] Phryne's tough skin, leaving a shallow cut behind her knee.

However, she had no time to linger. Aisha leapt back immediately, narrowly avoiding Phryne's giant hand that suddenly swung backward. The palm swept like a hammer, brushing past Aisha's body and generating a strong wind pressure.

Aisha knew her attack power was the weakest among them in this fight. Even with mana enhancement, her blows couldn't inflict effective damage on [Monster] Phryne. Thus, her role was to engage in guerrilla warfare, constantly drawing Phryne's attention and creating chances for her companions.

Sure enough, although her strike barely scratched Phryne, it still enraged the monster. As a former member of the original Ishtar Familia, Phryne already harbored deep hatred toward [Beauty Elite]. Now seeing a mere Level 4 Aisha dare to strike her, Phryne's rage became uncontrollable.

She let out a low roar, her massive body suddenly turning, her single eye burning with fury, lunging toward Aisha. Her movements lacked reason, driven entirely by anger.

And at that moment, Phryne's opening was exposed.

A "gale" swept by.

Ryuu, wielding red and white dual swords, approached Phryne like the wind. The twin swords danced in her hands like thunder, slicing repeatedly at Phryne's vital spots.

The swords in Ryuu's hands each had unique properties. One was the [Alise's Sword] imbued with [Agaris Alvesynth]. She poured mana entirely into the blade. Though no flames were visible, it radiated intense heat, leaving charred marks where it slashed.

The other was named [Carnivore], also known as [Lyra's Sword]. This name came from Ryuu's companion, a Pallum girl named Lyra who once belonged to the Astraea Familia.

Now, on Phryne's massive body, every wound inflicted by [Lyra's Sword] bled profusely.

[Carnivore] carried no curse, but had a unique reverse-tooth structure. The barbed teeth on the blade ripped wounds open even wider with each slash.

Additionally, this sword came with electric current magic that stimulated muscle spasms, making each wound not only hard to heal but causing involuntary twitching due to continuous electric shocks. Even with the vitality of a [Monster], these wounds bled endlessly.

With each slash, [Carnivore] lost a tooth, the sharp mithril barbs embedding into Phryne's body and sinking deeper with her every move.

Under Ryuu's swift attacks, Phryne's body accumulated more and more wounds. Blood dripped from her skin, her yellow-and-green skin being repeatedly torn open by blades.

[Man-Killer] withstood Ryuu's assault, swinging her arms and forcefully driving Ryuu back. Then, she suddenly bent down, grabbed a chunk of rubble, and hurled it fiercely at Aisha.

The flying stone was incredibly fast, like a meteor. Aisha couldn't dodge in time, her chest took the full impact. Pain flashed in her eyes, and her body flew backward uncontrollably, crashing heavily onto the ground.

Seeing Aisha hurt, Ryuu's heart tightened and she instinctively glanced in her direction. At that moment, Phryne suddenly turned and swung her massive palm for a counterattack.

Ryuu couldn't fully dodge the strike, her body was hit, sent flying, and slammed against the stone wall of the passage with a dull thud.

After [Monstrification], perhaps due to her instincts taking over, [Man-Killer] Phryne's combat technique had actually improved.

However, at the moment of impact, Ryuu had already been covered by the light veil of the magic [Dio Grail], greatly reducing the force of the blow.

Alicia didn't glance at the repelled Ryuu. She took a deep breath and directed the Ice Giant to charge forward. The dual blades, wreathed in cold air, stabbed directly into Phryne's shoulders. The blades pierced the tough skin and lodged between her joints.

Then, she let go of her weapons. The Ice Giant's hands quickly grabbed Phryne's wrists, icy frost spreading along the giant's arms onto Phryne's body, trying to completely immobilize her.

On the other side, Lefiya immediately reacted, raising her wand and chanting a healing spell for Ryuu. Mana surged from her hands, transforming into warm green light that enveloped Ryuu, healing her wounds and restoring her strength. Aisha, slightly farther away, quickly pulled a healing potion from her waist and downed it in one gulp.

Phryne roared and forcefully shrugged her shoulders, tearing herself free from Alicia's restraint. Her wrists pulled out of the Ice Giant's grasp, and she wildly swung her fists, smashing them into the Ice Giant's upper body.

BOOM!

A thunderous crash echoed as Phryne's fists, like steel, hammered the Ice Giant. Its armor shattered, icy shards flying in all directions. She didn't stop. Punch after punch, the Ice Giant's armor crumbled, its skin disintegrated, and even its flesh began breaking apart.

Meanwhile, the wounds Ryuu had carved into Phryne were slowly healing. However, this time, the recovery wasn't normal. Instead, grotesque tumor-like tissues sprouted in twisted forms.

Her blood had changed too, from red to a strange yellow with an ominous sheen. When it dripped on the ground, it sizzled, corroding the stone and emitting smoke.

The ice sword embedded in her body by Alicia was even crushed by her increasingly monstrous form.

"DIE, YOU UGLY WOMEN!", Phryne howled at the sky, her voice sweeping like a storm.

And at that moment—

"To light's arrow released, holy wood's bow limb, I am the named hand of the bow."

"Strike! Archer of the fairies."

"Pierce! Infallible arrow!"

Lefiya's voice rang out in the chaos, mana gathering in her hands. She raised her wand high, light flashing at its tip with blinding sacred brilliance.

A light arrow shot forth like a meteor, flashing dazzlingly as it flew straight at Phryne's single eye.

"AAAAAH!"

Though Lefiya's heart was filled with fear, facing the monstrous Phryne, her legs trembled, the girl made no mistake in her chant.

Phryne clutched her pierced eye, roaring furiously. Though her life force healed her rapidly, what regrew was no longer a proper eye, but a bloated lump of flesh.

The adventurers seized the chance and launched an all-out assault. Ryuu gripped her swords and slashed from the side. Alicia, controlling the partially restored Ice Giant, attacked Phryne's chest with twin blades. Aisha struck again from behind, targeting her knees.

Phryne howled, her other eye now being invaded by proliferating branches and flesh. Her vision blurred. This only made her attacks more berserk, ignoring all defense, bent solely on destruction.

As time passed, through endless injury and healing, her form strayed further from "human" or even "monster", more like a writhing mass of rotting flesh.

"She's absorbing energy and nutrients from the artificial dungeon!", Alicia gritted her teeth, wiping blood from the corner of her mouth. Supporting the crumbling Ice Giant, she launched another charge, "We have to end this now!"

"The next sword... is the final blow!", Ryuu shouted, discarding the now toothless [Lyra's Sword] and drawing another from the Sword Box.

[Thunder Flash], also known as [Celty's Sword].

At this moment, the metallic reverse teeth of [Lyra's Sword] remained embedded deep inside Phryne's body. With each of Phryne's crazed movements, they burrowed deeper within her.

Seeing Ryuu begin charging mana, Alicia instantly realized it was the decisive moment and shouted without hesitation, "FULL-FORCE ATTACK!"

Aisha responded immediately, drawing the [Magic Sword: Spiral Blade] from her back. As it activated, the blade shone with dazzling light.

Gripping the hilt with both hands, she roared and hurled the Spiral Sword at Phryne.

Simultaneously, Lefiya unleashed her prepared magic, [Advanced: Sword of Victory]. Explosive pillars of flame engulfed the monster's figure.

Mana's explosion lit up the entire passage. Ferocious power wrapped Phryne's body in fire and lightning. The massive impact hurled her backward, the flames and electricity tearing away her outer flesh, searing her deformed body.

Yet the attacks only burned her surface. Deep inside, the core enhanced by the Jewel remained protected by gray-black branches.

After absorbing the [Jewel], Phryne's durability had reached the transcendent Lv.7 tier.

"[Flame Thunder: Gokou]!", Ryuu's voice echoed like thunder through the tunnel.

Kaguya's slashing magic [Gokou], Alicia's augmenting magic [Agaris Alvesynth], Celty's lightning magic [Thunder Break], and the reverse teeth of [Lyra's Sword] buried within Phryne, all activated in this instant.

It was as if four phantoms flashed behind Ryuu, overlapping with the girl's form.

The sword sliced the air with the roar of a dragon. Amid dizzying thunder, the "Gale" swept through, the [Monster]'s flesh, bones, magic stone… all annihilated.

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