Surrounded on three sides, Shirou took his stance, ready to face whatever came next.
But just as everyone was about to strike, a massive wall of flesh suddenly rose up, cutting Ais off from the rest of the group.
"We've been divided?"
Realizing her situation, Ais immediately dispatched the monsters in front of her and turned to slice through the fleshy barrier.
At that exact moment, however, a heavy presence made her stop in her tracks.
That dense, murderous aura froze her movements as she turned toward the darkness.
As the sound of footsteps grew clearer, a figure with crimson hair emerged from the shadows.
When their eyes met, Ais's vigilance soared to its peak.
"I figured you'd come here alone. Just what I wanted," the redhead murmured, tightening her grip on her weapon.
"What are you doing here?" Ais demanded.
"Who knows?"
"What's happening to the labyrinth? Is this your doing?"
"You don't need to know."
The redhead crouched slowly, and to Ais's surprise, she pulled a weapon from the ground.
Both women stood motionless, watching one another's every move, waiting for the slightest opening to strike.
"Shut up and come with me. Someone wants to see you, Aria."
"I'm not Aria! Aria is my mother," Ais shot back.
"Nonsense! Aria can't have children!"
Seeing that Ais wouldn't comply, the redhead lifted her greatsword, ready to use force.
Refusing to be captured, Ais also raised her blade, determined to defeat this woman first and extract the truth later.
Having reached an unspoken understanding, neither held back any longer—the two clashed instantly, blades meeting in a storm of sparks.
---xXx---
"Ais!"
Seeing Ais vanish, Shirou shouted and tried to go after her, but the monsters already closing in forced him to stay back.
"So that was the purpose of the person behind all this?" he muttered.
With the horde advancing, Shirou projected Kanshou and Bakuya, cutting down every creature in his path.
If he wanted to save Ais, he first had to deal with the monsters in front of him.
"Out of my way!"
With a powerful kick, Shirou dodged the charging Violas and leapt upward, then hurled Kanshou and Bakuya.
The twin blades struck with immense force, pinning the monsters against the cavern walls.
Then, projecting a bow and arrows from thin air, Shirou unleashed a relentless barrage, his hands moving faster than the eye could follow.
Enhanced by his clairvoyance, every arrow found its mark, piercing the monsters' magic stones with precision.
Once those were destroyed, the creatures would die naturally—an efficient method to deal with plant-type monsters.
Thanks to his extraordinary archery, Shirou dispatched all five Violas in an instant.
Landing lightly, he resummoned Kanshou and Bakuya and rushed toward the remaining monsters.
With quick, fluid movements, he dodged their attacks with ease, his blades slicing through them like paper.
It didn't take long before the battlefield fell silent, the monsters reduced to black ash.
Letting out a quiet sigh, Shirou turned toward the fleshy wall that had separated Ais and sprinted toward the other side—where members of the Hermes Familia were holding the line against another Viola.
After that intense battle, his pulse finally steadied.
At this point, Ais no longer needed his protection.
The reason they were separated was clear—the redhead wanted to face Ais alone.
But Ais wasn't Level 5 anymore. She was Level 6 now.
Since her ascension, she had completely surpassed that woman.
According to Shirou's memories, Ais had dominated the redhead during this encounter.
She'd even declared, with full confidence, that she didn't need magic.
Though the difference between Shirou's memories and reality was significant, the main thread remained the same:
Ais had completely overwhelmed her opponent and ultimately won.
However, the situation along the other routes would likely be far more dangerous.
The real danger wasn't for Ais—it was for them.
Instead of worrying about saving her, Shirou had to consider whether she could arrive in time to save them if things went south.
Focusing on the path ahead, he quickly rejoined the formation.
With his support, the Hermes Familia managed to finish off the remaining monsters.
"How's everyone holding up?" Shirou asked.
"Fortunately, no casualties," Asfi replied.
After exchanging a few words with her, Shirou heard Lulune's anxious voice.
"Let's hurry and rescue the Sword Princess! She was cut off by the enemy!"
Hearing her panic, Shirou reassured her calmly, "Don't worry. It's not Ais who's in danger right now—it's us."
"Judging from these anomalies, it's likely that the culprits are the same group—or even the same person—we encountered on the eighteenth floor."
"In that case, Ais's opponent must be the same redhead from before. She might have been weaker then, but that's not true anymore."
At Shirou's words, Asfi nodded slightly.
"The Sword Princess is a Level 6 adventurer now. Don't worry about her, Lulune."
"I understand…" Lulune replied weakly, lowering her head.
Seeing her reaction, Shirou continued, "While Ais is fighting the enemy's main force, we need to keep investigating and finish the guild's mission."
"This place is the enemy's base camp. Anything could happen here, and there's no guarantee someone as strong as that redhead won't appear. So don't focus on Ais—focus on staying alive."
Completing the mission was, indeed, Shirou's top priority.
Of course, that assumed Ais didn't need him.
If she wanted to end the fight quickly, Shirou would naturally step in to help.
But Ais wouldn't allow interference. She never did.
"Based on the number of monsters we've seen, I believe we're on the right path," Shirou said.
After sharing his thoughts with Asfi, they reached an agreement and continued moving forward.
With Shirou leading the way, the group pressed deeper until they finally noticed something unusual.
"It's phosphorescence! We've reached the grand cavern where the quartz pillar stands!" Shirou warned.
"Attack!" Asfi shouted, cutting down the monster ahead of her.
The group broke through the encirclement and rushed through the increasingly foul-smelling air—until they entered the vast chamber.
The sight before them stole their breath.
At the center stood a thirty-meter-tall quartz pillar, surrounded by three massive Violas.
These three were more than ten times larger than the ones they'd fought before.
Vine-like tendrils grew from their bodies, crawling across the quartz surface like veins pulsing with eerie light.
"Are they… absorbing nutrients leaking from the main pillar?" Asfi murmured, horrified.
(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."