In the straight corridor, Shirou and his companions advanced toward the fifty-eighth floor, constantly fighting off monsters attacking from every direction.
These creatures not only possessed immense physical strength but could also launch fireballs.
However, the most troublesome factor wasn't their power—
it was the battlefield itself.
"We can't drag this out any longer!"
Scanning the area, Shirou instantly projected dozens of weapons around them.
These weapons weren't meant for combat; they had been created solely to serve as footholds.
"Bete! Tiona! Tione! These swords floating around us are being sustained by my magecraft. You can step on them safely!"
Hearing Shirou's shout, the three immediately landed on the airborne blades.
They were still mid-fall, but now they had stable ground in the air.
"Haha! Watch me wipe them all out!"
"Nice job, Shirou!"
"Thanks, Shirou!"
Their encouragement brought a faint smile to Shirou's lips as he continued projecting weapons without pause.
With footholds secured, the trio unleashed their true combat strength. No matter how fiercely the monsters attacked, they countered effortlessly and retaliated with even greater ferocity.
In moments, the four of them began slaughtering enemies at an accelerating pace.
Then, Shirou suddenly felt a series of tremors. A surge of danger prickled down his spine.
"Move out of the way!" he shouted.
The instant the words left his mouth, a fireball burst from the side wall, rushing straight toward the three at the front.
Sensing the incoming threat, Tiona brandished her sword with a fierce roar:
"Go to hell!!"
She leapt violently toward the source of the fireballs.
Raising her blade, she cleaved into them.
A thunderous explosion erupted, blasting shockwaves and scorching winds in every direction.
"Miss Tiona!"
Lefiya cried out in anguish, watching her vanish inside the blaze.
But before her scream could finish, Tiona burst out from the center of the explosion—
drenched in flames and trailing black smoke.
"So hot!!"
Lefiya's eyes widened in horror at the sight of the berserker engulfed in fire.
But Tiona wasn't actually injured.
Riveria's protective magic had absorbed the heat of the flames.
Assessing the situation quickly, Shirou issued new orders:
"Stop fighting! We're pushing straight to the back! If we stay here, more of these dragons will show up!"
"Understood!"
Abandoning the skirmish with the dragons, the five resumed their rapid descent.
"Lefiya! Start chanting! The moment we enter the fifty-eighth floor, unleash a powerful attack!"
"Yes! Understood!"
Following Shirou's command, Lefiya wrapped one arm around his neck for support while raising her other hand to begin casting.
[Proud warriors, archers of the forest.]
[Raise your bows against the invaders who defile our land.]
[Heed the call of your kin and prepare your arrows. Dye them in flame, lights of the forest.]
[Loose them—the blazing fairy arrows.]
[Fall like rain, and burn the savages to ash!]
Her magic circle ignited, and Lefiya's body overflowed with power.
The moment Shirou and the others fell through to the next floor, Lefiya—fully prepared—shouted:
"Fusillade Fallarica!"
Countless flaming arrows burst from the magic circle, descending like a meteor shower.
Empowered by her enhanced abilities, Lefiya's spell was overwhelming.
Within her range, dozens of monsters disintegrated instantly into ash.
Landing safely, Lefiya—whom Shirou gently set down—gazed in shock at the field of charred corpses.
"I… I'm still alive!"
"You used a spell that insane and you dare say that?!"
Tiona and Tione burst into laughter at her genuine astonishment.
After the brief moment of levity, Lefiya bowed her head gratefully.
"Thank you, brother!"
"No need to thank me."
Shirou patted her head with a warm smile. "Protecting my little sister is my responsibility."
Seeing Lefiya's cheeks flush bright red, Shirou chuckled and turned to observe the remaining Valgang Dragons scattered throughout the fifty-eighth floor.
"We need to eliminate as many of those dragons as possible. Otherwise Ais and the others won't be able to advance safely."
"I agree! We can't let those monsters even scratch the captain."
Tione quickly supported his plan.
Bete and Tiona didn't voice their opinions, but their eagerness to fight made their intentions clear.
As the monsters roared in the distance, the fighting spirit within the group burned fiercer than ever.
Shirou grabbed a potion from Lefiya's pack and drank it. Warm mana seeped back into his body, and mental clarity washed over him.
The earlier battle had drained a large amount of his magical energy.
"There are still six Valgang Dragons left on the 58th Floor… This won't be an easy fight."
"But… can we really defeat them?"
Lefiya's voice trembled in worry.
After all, their small team lacked a Level 6 powerhouse to support them.
"If we can't beat them, we die. No need for further explanation."
"Y-yeah… you're right…"
Bete's blunt answer only made Lefiya more anxious.
Shirou gently tapped her head again. "Don't worry. I won't let you die here."
After soothing her, Shirou, Bete and the others observed the monsters from afar.
The pressure on Shirou Emiya's group was far greater than what they faced on the 49th Floor of the Great Forest.
But back then—they had the entire Loki Familia fighting together.
Now, it was just the five of them.
Feeling that crushing pressure, even Bete, Tiona and Tione—the first-class adventurers—grew tense.
"How long do you think Riveria's protective magic will last?"
"Well, it's that old hag's spell. It should last another hour, but after two or three more battles, it'll probably wear off."
Despite their worries, Shirou remained calm.
Because he knew—they weren't alone.
Just as everyone braced for the next clash, a figure suddenly plummeted from above and crashed into the ground.
A Valgang Dragon beneath him was crushed to pieces.
"You brats are still alive?!"
Bete and the others froze at the familiar gruff voice speaking from beneath the helmet.
"Gareth!"
(End of Chapter)