Volume 3 Chapter 80: The Manifestation of the Spirit

Above the protective barrier of the Floating City Pharmament, Sophie dashed swiftly, carrying Letto on her back as she carefully analyzed the battlefield.

High in the skies above, a fierce and evenly matched aerial battle raged between a specialized mechanical soldier and Elshan, who soared gracefully through the air. On the barrier itself, Kreis and Mina faced their own mechanical opponents.

Kreis, wielding the most Perfect World Clones he had ever summoned—over thirty at once—was overwhelming his enemy. Meanwhile, Mina struggled, locked in a purely defensive battle.

The conditions were unfavorable for Mina. Her opponent could fly, and with no stable ground or walls to use, her movement was limited. Even with her incredible speed, she couldn’t fully leverage her power in such conditions.

Though Mina was undoubtedly strong, her current opponent was exceptionally powerful. In such an uneven battle, her struggles were unavoidable.

Sophie kept a safe distance from the mechanical soldiers while moving in sync with Mina’s movements, ensuring Letto stayed in a supportive range where he could assist effectively.

Although Letto wasn’t particularly large, Sophie’s petite frame made carrying him appear awkward. Still, in this scenario, it was the most efficient way to utilize his abilities.

On the back of Sophie’s right hand, the crest of a maiden adorned with wind faintly glowed.

With the Spirit of the Wind Family activated, Sophie’s physical capabilities far surpassed Letto’s as long as her allies were close by.

Even so, she wasn’t nearly strong enough to face a mechanical soldier head-on. While supporting Mina with Letto, Sophie couldn’t shake a creeping sense of unease.

“Master…”

A faint murmur escaped her lips.

Her concern was twofold: Elshan’s mounting exhaustion and the overwhelming strength of the mechanical soldier she was battling.

If Elshan were at full strength, no opponent, no matter how strong, would be a threat. Sophie had absolute trust in her master.

But this time, Elshan was already heavily drained before the battle began.

The Forestfolk were born to coexist with spirits, harboring specific spirits within themselves throughout their lives.

In battle, the spirits the Forestfolk carried were their greatest allies.

Elshan carried the spirits of wind and earth. However, in an aerial battlefield, the earth spirit’s power was greatly diminished.

As for the wind spirit Elshan excelled in wielding—it was clearly fatigued.

Elshan had tirelessly transported the entire party, summoned a massive gale with the help of surrounding spirits to disperse the clouds covering the Floating City, and created a barrier to help the White Road team and Alice advance further inside. She had also sustained significant injuries during these efforts.

Her expression betrayed no worry, but her spirit was undoubtedly exhausted.

Elshan narrowly dodged a beam of light fired by the mechanical soldier, but her movements lacked their usual sharpness.

Normally, she would have counterattacked during that sequence of maneuvers.

The others, however, were faring better.

Mina, while initially struggling, was gradually adapting to her opponent’s movements. With Sophie’s Spirit Wind supporting her, minor injuries posed no real threat, and Letto’s assistance ensured she wouldn’t lose.

Kreis, meanwhile, was completely dominating his foe. He seemed to have learned from Noil’s efficient use of Magis Gear. By dismissing and instantly resummoning his clones, Kreis adapted to the aerial battle, coordinating with his duplicates to execute remarkable maneuvers even mid-air.

Although the mechanical soldier’s tough body slowed his progress, Kreis had inflicted numerous wounds. Victory was near.

Quickly—she had to support her master—

“Ah…”

In that brief moment when Sophie let her focus waver, the mechanical soldier battling Mina suddenly shifted its attention and charged toward her and Letto with incredible speed.

All Sophie could do was widen her eyes at the sheer velocity.

No—

“Cannon Flame!!”

“Beast Step!!”

From behind Sophie, a burst of fiery energy erupted like a cannonball, slamming into the charging mechanical soldier. Immediately following, a whirlwind-like kick struck it from the opposite side.

The mechanical soldier, reeling from the combined blows of Letto and Mina, emitted a loud, grating noise.

It stopped moving briefly before quickly flying away to create distance. Its torso now showed visible damage, with small fractures marring its once-impenetrable surface.

“Sophie, focus on that thing for now!”

Letto, blood dripping from his nose, refused to take his eyes off the mechanical soldier.

“It’s just a machine,” Mina said, breathing heavily and drenched in sweat. She smiled reassuringly despite her exhaustion. “Its movements are simple.”

“This one’s almost finished!!”

Deflecting a punch from the mechanical soldier with his sword, Kreis coordinated seamlessly with his clones, delivering razor-sharp strikes from every angle.

“Time for the finish!!”

Without hesitation, Kreis and his clones unleashed a relentless flurry of attacks, their blades tearing into the mechanical soldier with unmatched precision.

The relentless barrage inflicted countless gashes on its armored body, steadily wearing it down.

Finally, as a crack appeared on the soldier’s head, Kreis leaped into the air. Twisting his body like a spinning top, he delivered a decisive thrust into the crack.

With pinpoint accuracy, the rotational force of his blade pierced through the head, destroying it entirely.

The mechanical soldier went limp, its arms falling lifelessly to its sides before dissipating into mist as though it had never existed.

“Now, onto the next one,” Kreis said, flipping his cape dramatically as he turned his blade toward the remaining enemy.

“Everyone…”

Thanks to her reliable allies, Sophie’s earlier anxiety had vanished.

That’s right—they wouldn’t lose.

The Spirit Wind team was the strongest.

And her master—

“Dodge, Sophie!!”

“Huh?”

“!!”

The view of Elshan Sophie had been watching was suddenly engulfed in light, accompanied by an urgent, almost furious voice—an uncharacteristic tone for her master.

In the next instant, Sophie felt herself pushed violently to the ground.

She landed hard, her rear hitting the floor, and a deafening explosion followed. The impact and shockwave forced her to shield herself with her arms.

When the commotion subsided and Sophie opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was Mina’s body, flung through the air as though struck by an incredible force.

“Mina-nee!!”

Letto slid off Sophie’s back, his voice rising in a desperate shout.

It took Sophie a heartbeat longer to grasp what had happened.

The airborne mechanical soldier had launched an attack toward them, and Mina had taken the hit to shield her and Letto. It wasn’t a direct impact—at least not entirely—but even so—

“Mina-sama!!”

Blasted high into the air, Mina’s unconscious body plummeted toward the ground, bloodied and completely limp.

Sophie immediately sprang to her feet and ran toward the point where Mina would fall. If she hit the ground from that height while unconscious, it would be fatal. And that was assuming the damage she had already sustained wasn’t fatal on its own.

She wasn’t the only one moving. Everyone except Letto, who was immobilized by using his magic, scrambled into action.

But Kreis was blocked by a mechanical soldier, and Elshan didn’t have the capacity to assist.

And Sophie—she wasn’t fast enough.

She ran with all her might, pouring every ounce of strength into her legs.

But still—she wouldn’t make it.

“Mina-samaaaaaaaa!!”

As Sophie stretched out a hand in desperation, a shadow streaked across the sky, catching Mina just before she hit the ground.

“What…”

“Sorry for the delay.”

The figure landed gracefully by Sophie’s side.

“Master!!”

Letto’s cry was one of pure relief, his voice overflowing with emotion.

“Take care of her,” the newcomer said, placing Mina gently in Sophie’s arms.

“H-hai…”

Still in shock, Sophie nodded as she took Mina and carefully laid her on the ground, immediately casting healing magic.

Fortunately, Mina’s injuries weren’t life-threatening. Thanks to the lingering effects of Spirit Wind, she would recover without significant consequences.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Sophie turned her gaze toward the man who had suddenly appeared. He was a beastfolk, exuding an aura of quiet, yet intense anger, and a refined, almost regal presence.

“Kreis, match my pace,” the man commanded.

“You got it!” Kreis responded eagerly.

Drawing a slender rapier from his hip, the beastfolk took a stance of remarkable elegance, pointing the blade toward the mechanical soldier.

Kreis, standing opposite him, grinned and brandished his sword.

“Let’s dance.”

At that cue, the two moved simultaneously.

But it was the beastfolk’s speed that stole the spotlight.

He was faster—even faster than Kreis.

Their pincer attack left the mechanical soldier, already damaged, unable to react to the beastfolk’s lightning-fast strikes.

Not just one—a barrage of invisible thrusts pierced the mechanical soldier’s arm, each strike landing with pinpoint accuracy. The seemingly impenetrable armor was shredded in a single coordinated assault.

The soldier, now missing one arm, staggered. Attempting to retaliate, it aimed a beam of energy at the beastfolk, who had paused briefly after his rapid attack.

But Kreis wasn’t about to let that happen.

“Not today!” Kreis declared, his blade slicing upward. The mechanical soldier’s remaining arm was severed, its beam firing harmlessly into the sky.

“It’s all about teamwork,” Kreis said with a grin.

He twisted his body, launching another attack alongside his clones. Their combined force drove a rotation-powered thrust straight through the soldier’s other arm, obliterating it entirely.

“Well done,” the beastfolk remarked.

“An honor,” Kreis replied with a smile.

Without missing a beat, the two launched a coordinated assault on the now-armless mechanical soldier. Kreis and his clones encircled the enemy, unleashing a relentless barrage of razor-sharp slashes, while the beastfolk leapt high into the air.

Not merely a leap, but a series of aerial steps, elevating him higher.

Then, he descended in a spiraling dive.

“Allow me to borrow this technique,” he said, spinning like a top as he descended. The rotation added tremendous force to his strikes.

The beastfolk’s rapid-fire thrusts, delivered with peerless precision, pierced the soldier’s head from above.

The mechanical soldier froze, its body trembling for a moment before dissolving into mist.

Landing lightly, the beastfolk and Kreis exchanged satisfied glances. Both wiped their blades clean and returned them to their sheaths.

Thanks to the assistance of the mysterious beastfolk, whom Letto revered as his master, two mechanical soldiers had been defeated.

“Impossible… Impossible, impossible, impossible, impossible, impossible!!”

“…”

“How dare filth like you destroy the Supreme Divine Artifact of Lord Lumelherc!? This cannot happen!! It must not happen!!”

“Enough.”

Elshan Falseed’s cold gaze locked onto the mechanical soldier, now screaming in a frenzy.

“You maggots! Don’t think you’ll die easily! I’ll make you regret ever being born! Even if you beg for death, there will be no mercy! I’ll devote my life to making you suffer in hell—that is the will of Lord Lumelherc!!”

“I said, enough.”

A blade of wind lashed out toward the hysterical soldier—Aizon.

But it was easily deflected by the soldier’s arm.

“You dare, trash!? Do you think a mere human can harm me!?”

Elshan’s expression remained unchanged, her cold eyes fixed on the deranged Aizon.

Her anger had long since surpassed its limit.

Noil had been taken, her attempts to reach him thwarted, and her allies had been hurt—all under her watch.

None of it was forgivable.

Above all, she couldn’t forgive herself for failing to stop it.

Excuses like spirit fatigue meant nothing.

Elshan poured nearly all her mana into the spirits she carried.

Her mana, treasured even among the Forestfolk, was a delicacy to the spirits, and the wind maiden, weary as she was, trembled with joy at the offering.

“Manifest.”

At Elshan’s command, the wind enveloped her, forming a brilliant garment. Her appearance shifted, her features sharpening into those of a warrior maiden, and in her hands materialized a pair of double-edged swords gleaming like steel.

Not just two—countless blades appeared around her, hovering in the air.

Spirit Manifestation—a trump card that called forth the physical form of her spirit, something that normally lacked a fixed shape.

It wasn’t a power she could use lightly. Once invoked, her spirit would require a long period of rest.

“You think anything you do will work against Lord Lumelherc or me, you blasphemous wretch!?”

Aizon unleashed twin beams of light from his hands.

They were unavoidable. Impossible to block.

But not for Elshan in this state.

“I’ll take it,” she declared.

She made no move to dodge.

The beams struck her, scattering their force slightly to avoid fatal damage, but still leaving her bloodied and battered.

“You endured that!?”

“This is… my punishment.”

Despite her injuries, Elshan stood resolute.

“I failed to protect Noil, and I let my allies be harmed. I can’t forgive myself.”

She raised one of her swords toward the mechanical soldier.

Her wounds began to mend, aided by the effects of Sophie’s Spirit Wind.

“And I will not forgive you.”

“Blasphemer! You dare—”

“Dance of the Earth and Wind Blades.”

Elshan’s calm voice cut through Aizon’s rant as countless blades streaked through the air toward him.

“You mock me!? Filth!!”

As Aizon raised his hands to fire again, Elshan appeared beside him in an instant, knocking his arm skyward with a devastating strike.

The beams fired harmlessly into the air.

“What—!?”

Before he could react, the torrent of blades descended like a storm, hammering into his defenseless body.

Aizon let out a pained roar as his armor cracked under the relentless assault.

“Impossible! How is this happening!? Lord Lumelherc!! Save me! Please, save me!!”

But his cries went unanswered.

The rain of blades intensified, breaking through even his defensive sphere.

As his body and soul were pierced by the unending assault, Aizon could only scream incomprehensibly.

And then—

With one final strike to the head, Aizon fell silent.

The mechanical soldier and the soul within it dissolved into nothingness.

As the battlefield grew quiet, Elshan released her Spirit Manifestation.

“How disappointing,” she murmured. “You didn’t even feel the pain.”