A giant pillar of black erupted with a blinding flash, its sudden birth tearing through the 18th floor like the wrath of a god.
The darkness surged skyward and outward at a terrifying speed, visible from every corner of the floor as it expanded, swallowing light itself.
Anything caught in its path... stone, crystal, monster, or flesh... was instantly consumed and annihilated, erased without leaving so much as ash behind.
"What the hell is going on over there?"
Back in the town of Rivira, the aftershocks finally reached them.
Buildings and shops lay partially collapsed, streets cracked and littered with debris, clear traces of a hard-fought battle carved into the town itself.
Even as they tended to their wounds, Bors and the other adventurers could do nothing but stare, eyes wide, as the pillar of black light appeared in the distance.
"These Loki Familia adventurers are insane."
Even from where they were, the magic pressure radiating from the spell could be felt, pressing down on their bodies like an invisible weight.
Some adventurers found it hard to breathe... others felt their knees weaken, instincts screaming at them that they were witnessing something far beyond their understanding.
"Amazing!"
Lulune exclaimed in pure awe.
Her voice trembled... not from fear, but from astonishment.
This was a level of power she had never seen before, a spell that completely defied what she believed possible for a single adventurer to unleash.
The spell continued to explode and devour everything within its range for several long seconds before the darkness finally began to recede, the roaring cacophony fading into an eerie silence.
At the center of the devastation, a massive crater had been carved into the floor.
Judas stood at its edge with shaky legs and ragged breaths, his body screaming in protest as the adrenaline finally wore off.
Slowly, he lifted his gaze.
There lay Revis.
Her body was sprawled motionless against the scorched ground, unconscious.
Her arms and legs were gone, and what remained of her skin was blackened and burned, faint traces of steam still rising from her wounds.
"Wooh."
That was all he managed to say before his legs finally gave out, his strength completely spent as he collapsed where he stood.
But before he could fall completely, a pair of dainty, pure white hands caught him, stopping his collapse just moments before he hit the ground.
The grip was firm despite its elegance.
At the corner of his vision, he caught sight of locks of green hair swaying gently.
When he raised his head, purple eyes met a pair of emerald orbs looking down at him with quiet pride and unmistakable relief.
Of course, it was Riveria.
Judas shifted his gaze slightly, taking in her appearance.
Although she seemed largely unscathed, closer inspection revealed the truth... several parts of her robes were torn, scorched, and frayed at the edges, traces of ash still clinging to the fabric.
For a Level 6 like her, handling Violas that were only Level 3 and above should not have posed much of a challenge.
But doing so while simultaneously protecting everyone in Rivira... was a different matter entirely.
Even for a veteran of countless battles, such a task carried its own weight.
'I almost feel sorry for leaving her alone.'
Still, it was something that had to be done.
If even a single part had fallen out of place, if even one of them had failed in their role, the damage could have been far worse.
"Although I would have preferred if you had done it in a less flashy manner, which I noticed had become a habit for you, nevertheless... you did great."
Riveria said, her tone calm yet tinged with faint exasperation,
She gently lowered him to the ground.
Her eyes flickered downward, and she blinked when she noticed the deep gash carved across his chest, still stained with blood.
However, knowing of Judas' incredible healing abilities, Riveria did not linger on it.
Instead, she turned her head, her gaze settling on Ais, who was being tended to by Lulune a short distance away.
"For Ais to be defeated, and for you to have suffered such a serious injury... I can only assume the enemy was formidable."
Riveria continued, her voice thoughtful.
As she spoke, her eyes briefly shifted toward the center of the crater, where a motionless figure lay amid the scorched ground which she assumed to be the enemy, before returning to Judas.
"Here. Let me help you."
She stepped closer and propped him up by placing one of his arms over her shoulders, supporting his weight as they began to walk toward Ais.
As they moved, Judas found himself glancing sideways at Riveria's face, studying her expression as if searching for something unspoken.
"What is it?"
Riveria asked, raising an eyebrow when she noticed his lingering gaze.
"Ah... no, it's just—"
He didn't finish his sentence.
Instead, his eyes shifted downward, toward her hands still supporting him.
Riveria immediately understood.
She let out a soft exhale, the edges of her lips curving ever so slightly.
"Don't think too much about it," she said.
"Just because most elves dislike physical contact with others... doesn't mean every elf does."
She paused for a moment before adding, her voice gentle yet resolute,
"And besides... you are part of the familia. You saved Ais. You have my thanks."
The elven princess continued walking without breaking stride.
Judas shook his head lightly, a small smile forming on his lips despite his exhaustion.
"Right... my bad."
After they arrived in front of Ais and Lulune, Judas snapped his fingers, and the invisible barriers he had cast earlier dissolved one after another.
The oppressive tension that had blanketed the area finally lifted.
Judas' gaze immediately fell on Ais' unconscious form.
Her breathing was shallow but steady, her body still bearing faint traces of battle.
Without hesitation, he raised his hand once more, magic already beginning to stir as he prepared to heal her himself.
Before he could activate it, a hand gently pressed down on his wrist.
"I'll handle it... you just need to rest."
Riveria's voice was calm and firm.
Judas paused, then let his hand fall.
He didn't argue.
Instead, he nodded once and carefully lowered himself to the ground, sitting with his back slightly hunched as he released a long, slow breath he hadn't realized he was holding.
Only now did the fatigue truly begin to set in.
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