Chapter 448

Chapter 455: The Conclusion of the Struggle (Please Subscribe!)

As the two nearby Level 5 adventurers hesitated, Izay paid them no mind.

Instead, he glanced at the momentarily paused melee not too far away.

“Ais, go help Alisia and Haruhi. These three are mine. I’ll take over from here.”

As for Refia and Tiona, they would have to wait until the current situation was dealt with.

“Un.” Clearly understanding this, Ais nodded lightly in response, her clear golden eyes shifting focus to the lopsided battle nearby.

With Izay’s arrival, the advantage held by Ishtar and Kali Familia had completely vanished.

The release of a top-tier combatant was fatal to the battle situation.

And seeing Izay’s arrival, Loki Familia’s morale completely crushed their opponents.

Many of the Amazons could already sense an ominous atmosphere.

“An enchantment curse that diminishes target ability values… you seem somewhat familiar… You’re a remnant of the Dark Faction, aren’t you?”

Sending Ais to liberate the companions who were struggling on the other side, Izay then turned his attention to the mysterious figure who was struggling to get up nearby.

One of her shoulder blades was already completely shattered; even if she remained conscious, it was uncertain how much combat capability she retained.

That spear throw from Izay had been aimed to completely incapacitate her.

Had she taken another step forward back then, it wouldn’t have just been her shoulder blade that broke.

“Haha… I haven’t shown my face for so long, and there are still people in Orario who remember me!?”

Spitting out a large mouthful of blood, the mysterious figure with a dangling arm used her leg to push off the ground, quickly putting distance between herself and Izay, revealing a grotesque smile.

At this point, the tattered facecloth could no longer conceal her features, so she stopped pretending altogether, revealing a twisted human female face.

Even ignoring the blood on her face, her appearance absolutely couldn’t be considered attractive—she was the type that left a first impression of being overly obsessive.

“Fifteen years ago, a notable figure during Orario’s dark period, one of the key members of the Dark Faction… I believe your name is Valleta, correct? Your magic curse effect reduces ability values, and you’re a wanted criminal registered by the Guild.”

Seeing that the other party didn’t deny it, Izay confirmed his own suspicions.

He actually had no impression of her face; what led him to make the judgment was that ability value-reducing “curse.”

Boundary Curse: [Chara Datsu], a curse effective only on a single individual. Once stepping into the established curse boundary, the more action one takes, the more ability values decrease.

It’s one of the few powerful curses that can affect Level 6 Adventurers who have entered the Hero Domain.

It’s the one that can cut down a Level 6 to a Level 4.

“You damn bastard, you’re from Loki Familia, right? Did that pretentious stinking Hero tell you about me? Hahahaha, seems like that old fart Finn still remembers me!?”

The woman, her true identity exposed, raged like a lunatic.

Mentioning the name of a certain Halfling Tribe Leader caused her entire face to contort with rage, as if she’d forgotten the pain of her wounds.

But facing her frenzied barking, Izay remained indifferent: “Unfortunately, not really. The leader has never mentioned your name since I joined the Familial Group.”

“One who was expelled from Orario, cowering and surviving in the Dungeon—a stray dog. There’s no reason to care about someone like that, is there?”

Saying this, Izay shrugged nonchalantly.

It was clear that the only reason he remembered her was because of that exceedingly rare and powerful curse.

Just from Ais’s earlier struggle, one could see how outrageous the effects of that curse were.

Especially when paired with “Magic Prohibition”…

Ishtar must’ve gathered these two curses together somehow. The resources accumulated over the years by the underworld kingpin of Orario certainly lived up to its reputation.

“Of course, you’re one of those disciples trained by that stinking Hero! Your pretentious tone is spot-on! Since that’s the case, let me show you the fangs of the stray dog you look down upon!?”

Valleta, having her sore spot touched, eyes full of bloodshot veins, forced her heavily injured body to move unsteadily.

In the next moment, accompanied by a heart-wrenching roar, blue-purple cold light had already approached Izay.

The dim magical circle beneath her feet also began to flash again.

The flaw of releasing a boundary curse lies in the preparatory work required beforehand.

Conversely, once prepared, it can be activated at any time.

Seeing her charging alone to attack, Fulini, though instinctively fearing inside, still distorted her face and forced herself to follow.

After all, someone who could reach the Level 5 level wouldn’t let fear cloud their judgment in battle.

Years of combat experience told the frog that she must follow; combining forces with the curse might offer a chance, but giving up now would mean complete defeat.

“—Uwaaaaaaaahhhhhh!!!”

Letting out a near-insane scream, Valleta swung her remaining intact arm, leaving behind the shadow of a dagger with a decisive air.

Izay did not underestimate her.

Even rabbits will bite when cornered, and enemies driven to the brink of despair fighting with their backs against the wall are the most terrifying.

Even though he clearly outclassed her in strength, Izay treated this fight with serious intent, where the outcome was already predetermined.

His azure pupils gleamed brightly, the spear in his hand seemingly taking on a life of its own, creating trails of light as it deflected all of the opponent’s attacks. With unmatched sharpness, it destroyed the poisoned dagger during their few exchanges.

Fulini, who came to support, was also included in this, sparks flying everywhere.

Without moving his feet, Izay effortlessly crushed both of their combined attacks.

“Boom!” — After suppressing their attacks, Izay immediately unleashed his mana.

A surging azure glow harshly suppressed the attempted rise of the crimson light.

With pure mana power, he directly crushed the initiating boundary curse!

Not intending to give her even a sliver of a chance to turn things around!

However, in the next moment, Valleta, who charged again with a death-defying resolve, now wielded a red short sword.

(There’s a Magic Sword too!?)

Izay’s gaze slightly tightened, and a whirlwind surged as he lunged forward instantly.

The release of a Magic Sword requires no incantation; a simple swing can unleash overwhelming power.

In such a close-range situation where they were within three feet of each other, interrupting her movement directly would definitely be faster than preparing a defense!

But there was one thing Izay misjudged.

The target she aimed at with the Magic Sword wasn’t him.

It was herself!

Valleta, using the excellent flexibility of her waist joint, diverted the trajectory of the spear thrust towards her. Even with her abdomen pierced by the spear, she didn’t flinch, smiling as she aimed the Magic Sword at herself.

Underneath her ragged black robe, something glimmered.

—”Firestone!”

By the time Izay realized the true nature of that object, the flames had already ignited.

“BOOM———!!!!”

The explosion of the Magic Sword and the Firestone erupted simultaneously.

Like detonating a super-sized TNT bomb, the scattering gale and smoke enveloped everything within a radius of several dozen meters.

Fulini, at the center of the explosion, was instantly blown away, while the female warrior from the neighboring country, who had hesitated and refrained from attacking, was also blasted back quite a distance.