Chapter 577

Chapter 584: The Unyielding Radiance of the Jade Shield (Please Subscribe!)

“Alice, Kaguya, Lila, Noein, Niz, Asta, Serthi, Leona, Isca, Maria…”

A total of ten people.

At the edge of the dilapidated cavern, Izay took the lead in observing the current situation inside. Victorica was examining the wall cracks and absorbing white mist, while Ryu stared blankly at the figures of her companions.

Even though they had speculated before, there were still many unspeakable feelings when the matter of returning to the past was truly confirmed.

Ryu also saw her past self.

Her former self still had long golden hair, a somewhat straightforward personality, and lacked adaptability. Even in times of crisis, she still had the mind to bicker with Kaguya.

Seeing this scene, Ryu couldn’t help but want to laugh, but she couldn’t.

Because the past seemed to have deviated from her understanding.

The Maze Breaker “Zagnart” did not immediately come into being after the howling in the dungeon.

The white mists that carried her, Izay, and Miss Victorica through time were being absorbed by the emerging [Calamity]…

This was the reason why Alice and the others still had time to worry and discuss countermeasures.

It was those white mists that saved the Astraea Familial Group’s life.

But it was only temporary.

In just this short period of thought, all the mists within the cavern and its surroundings were completely absorbed by Zagnart.

Even if it was a little late —— the calamity still descended.

“No… Kaguya! Get away from there!!”

Capturing the moment when purple liquid mixed with clear water caused steam, Ryu realized that this was the prelude to death.

Zagnart was unlike any monster they had encountered before.

It had an innate perception of adventurers, originating from its excellent “Perception Network,” a natural ability granted by the dungeon.

As long as it was on the same floor, Zagnart could quickly find surviving adventurers and attack them without needing visual confirmation.

And in terms of ability values, the opponent was unique.

Being a large-sized monster nearly five meters tall, Zagnart sacrificed its large-sized “durability” to exchange for “strength” and “agility.”

Its speed surpassed the lower level flying “Flash Swallows,” and its strength was enough to kill a high-level adventurer with one strike.

It was like a gorilla fused with the Flash’s speed force, with extremely absurd abilities.

Level 4 encountering it would be slaughtered like cutting melons!

Of the eight Level 4 members of the Astraea Familial Group, they could barely last ten rounds against it!

It was absolutely not something that could be viewed rationally!

Having faced it once, Ryu was relatively familiar with Zagnart’s attack patterns.

Now seeing it land, she foresaw the outcome for the black-haired girl from the Far East who was closest!

But —— only this… absolutely cannot happen!

Even though her heart was filled with fear of facing that monster again, even though her body couldn’t stop trembling, the elf still gripped her weapon tightly.

Violently tearing off the bandages wrapped around her past psychological trauma, the moment her hand touched the hilt of the wakizashi at her waist, her heartbeat suddenly accelerated several levels.

Blood flowed through her veins into her limbs, making her hands, feet, and head feel hot.

Before the monster fully revealed its true form from the steam, she charged forward.

“— ‘As Solid as a Fortress’ !!”

A deep chant and magical fluctuation followed closely behind Ryu, almost entering the battlefield in the cavern simultaneously with her.

“!? ”

Just as Alice and Kaguya’s eyes captured the intruder in the cavern and the crimson pupils in the steam, the next instant…

Before either of them could react, a fierce dark purple slash darted past.

“Bang——!”

The sound of something breaking echoed.

Accompanied by Ryu’s roar converted from emotions within her heart, the wooden sword·Elven Flowing Light disintegrated.

With just one strike, the monster flashed in front, swung its arm’s “claws,” causing the top-tier second-class equipment made from Great Saint Tree branches to shatter and scatter. The Wakizashi Shuangye held in the other hand was also knocked away.

The dark purple claws pierced through the wooden sword and landed on Ryu’s body, blocked by the Jade Shield that arrived just in time.

The powerful impact transmitted through the shield caused her to lose control and fly backward.

“What!?”

Also suffering misfortune was Kaguya behind Ryu.

Before she could react, a great force carried her flying out, forcing her to become Ryu’s human cushion. The two retreated until they stopped at a protruding coral pile.

“Kaguya!?”

The astonished voices of the Astraea Familial Group girls rose and fell, watching the sudden arrival of that monster, their bodies and minds trembling.

Including the strongest Alice and Ryu Ryoun, none of them had seen what happened clearly; Kaguya had been thrown out.

If someone hadn’t appeared midway to block it, Kaguya would probably be in grave danger right now.

Meanwhile, Lila, who happened to be behind Kaguya, had an uncertain look in her eyes.

Although it was just a fleeting glance, she seemed to have recognized the true identity of the broken wooden sword.

(That is Ryu’s… Elven Flowing Light!?)

Who exactly was the person who rushed out to protect Kaguya just now?

But reality didn’t give her the chance to continue thinking, because the calamity was right in front of her!

Zagnart exhaled a breath through its dark purple claws and glanced at them.

Apparently puzzled as to why its attack didn’t shred those two humans?

Clearly, under the enhancement of its mother and the white mist, it had reached an unprecedented level of power…

Why did such a situation occur?

Zagnart couldn’t understand.

Its brain, which was only endowed with the concept of “slaughter,” couldn’t figure it out.

Harboring doubts, it raised its arm again. The dark purple claws emitted a chilling sharp glow —— aimed at the small race girl in front.

But someone wouldn’t let it have the chance to bring down its claws.

“Rock Vein!!!!”

A stomping sound unusually clear in this battlefield rang out.

Under the guidance of immense magical power, rock elements everywhere went berserk. Between the trembling stones, crystals, and walls, a towering barrier rose from the ground instantly.

A scene akin to a dragon turning over appeared. Lila was sent rolling to Alice’s side, while Zagnart was trapped amidst the encircling dark golden Rock Veins.

Based on instinct, the monster resisted being confined in a narrow space.

In the first moment the rock vein rose, Zagnart shattered the rocks rolling toward it, then the sound of the ground cracking erupted. A dark purple slash leaped high, jumping over the attack and embedding itself into the ceiling of the cavern.

At a height of about twenty to thirty meters, Zagnart clung to the dome like a spider, its hollow skull eye sockets containing blood-red hues.

It looked toward the farthest edge of the cavern, where there were humans capable of posing a threat to it.

“The unyielding radiance of the Jade Shield remains steadfast in darkness ——”

Izay paid no heed to the murderous gaze from the monster and instead calmly chanted the spell.

Inverting his Yetzah, he slowly approached the center of the cavern.

A wave of magical power spread from him, merging into the stone constructs that had already risen on the ground. The dark golden rock veins visibly became tougher and heavier to the naked eye.

If another collision occurred, they probably wouldn’t be so easily shattered by Zagnart this time.

Simultaneously, gentle golden energy surged upward.

Including Victorica beside him and the girls of the Astraea Familial Group, they were all enveloped in a Jade Shield, serving as a protective measure for them.