Different From Before

"A mid-boss, huh?"

Finn pulled a black ball from her pocket while keeping her distance.

"Get back when I give the signal. You'll get caught up in it otherwise."

"Understood!"

She didn't ask what.

Being cooperative like that was one of Azu's strengths.

"I'll take the front line, so chip away at it as you see fit."

Elza applied blessings to everyone while heading toward the face of the Crystal Lion.

Its face alone was larger than Elza. It occupied the center of the room.

When its red eyes caught sight of Elza, it roared toward the hole in the ceiling.

The sound was loud enough to vibrate the air, but no one flinched.

The lion stepped toward Elza with its front paw. Elza caught the attack.

Given the lion's size, it must have weighed considerably, but Elza held her ground even as she staggered back.

"I might not be able to hold out long…!"

"That's reckless, Elza-san."

Using that opening, Azu slipped under the lion's belly and slashed away with her sword.

Crystal fragments scattered and fell to the ground.

"Move!"

At Finn's shout, Azu leaped out from under the belly and retreated to the wall.

At the same time, Finn threw the black ball in her hand at the lion's hind leg.

The moment the black ball struck the hind leg and bounced off, it exploded.

"My special bombs. Even hard crystal can be worn down with these."

Just as Finn said, the impact point had been deeply gouged.

But the leg was still attached.

Aiming for that very spot, Alexia slammed down her battle-axe in a great swing.

With a thunderous crash, she snapped off one of the lion's legs.

The lion lost its balance and wobbled.

Seizing the opening, Elza redirected the weight she'd been supporting to the right.

Unable to stay upright, the lion toppled over.

Amid the swirling dust and crystal shards, Azu leaped onto the lion's head.

The lion's red eyes met Azu's blue ones.

Drawing upon the Apostle's power, a rainbow shimmer rose in Azu's right eye as she drove her sword into the lion's eye.

In that state, she poured magic into the Sealed Sword Grungaus, activating its ability.

The damage reached even deeper, and the area around the piercing point began to crumble.

The lion's once majestic face was now greatly damaged.

It struggled to stand on its remaining three legs, but it was clear it could no longer move nimbly.

"Over here, monster. Follow the clapping."

Elza said, slamming her mace into the lion's front paw.

The lion wobbled and tried to bite at Elza, but its movements were sluggish and she easily dodged.

As if to return the favor, she swung her mace at full power into the lion's outstretched face.

Its face was wrenched forcibly to the side, fragments flying off.

Dodging the fragments, Finn shoved a black ball into its mouth, kicked its face, and used the recoil to gain distance.

"Boom."

At Finn's word, the black ball exploded inside the lion's mouth, and smoke rose from the broken sections.

The light faded from the lion's remaining eye, and it collapsed to the ground.

Then the lion's body sank into the labyrinth floor as if being absorbed, and vanished.

What remained was a massive magic stone, some crystals, and the lion's red eyes.

"Only two pieces from something that size. Not bad, I guess."

"That was incredible firepower."

After collecting the items the lion had dropped, Azu went over to Finn and said this.

Finn pulled out a black ball from her tool bag and puffed out her chest slightly.

"A pro is always ready to work. I make these by mixing burning stone, magic stones, and various other things. Don't worry, they won't explode without special handling."

"I see… Can I touch it?"

"You're surprisingly fearless, you know that?"

"Ehehe."

While saying she wasn't complimenting her, Finn handed the black ball to Azu.

"How do you use it?"

"I'm not telling. It's too scary to let you have one."

"I kind of wanted to try throwing it…"

Finn took the black ball back from the dejected Azu.

"If this thing went off by accident, it'd blow your hand clean off. It's not a toy."

"That's too bad, but it would trouble Master, so I understand."

"Regrowing a hand would be a bit difficult, after all."

"Wah."

Elza embraced Azu from behind and patted her head.

Alexia watched the scene with a resigned expression.

They cut their interrupted rest short and moved on while nibbling on preserved food made from flour and fruit juice baked together.

"How much do you think this stuff would sell for?"

"I don't even know what crystal is used for."

"It's crystallized magic stone, so it's worth more than regular crystal. Something about better efficiency. Probably good for large-scale magic tools."

"Large-scale magic tools…"

With no monsters for a while and Alexia's detection showing nothing, casual conversation began.

Of course, they remained vigilant of their surroundings, ready for combat at any moment.

One could never know what might happen if they let their guard down.

"Hold up."

Finn raised her right hand, stopping everyone.

Then she listened carefully.

Judging that something had happened, Azu and the others watched Finn intently.

"They're coming out from there and there. So this is how labyrinths work."

Monsters emerged from the walls where Finn had pointed.

They were crystallized giant ants.

Five of them appeared at once.

Even Alexia's magic couldn't detect the moment of their emergence.

Only Finn, who had sensed the faint vibrations, knew.

The ants were supposed to launch a surprise attack, but the moment they appeared, one was instantly smashed by a mace and a second shattered by a battle-axe.

The remaining three rushed at Azu's group in a panic, but Azu's sword bisected another one.

Having lost their numerical advantage and unable to catch anyone off guard, the remaining ants were dealt with.

"That's impressive. Even I can't tell until they're just about to come out."

"I have good ears. Good ears."

In response to Alexia's praise, Finn pointed at her ear and started walking again.

Azu hurried to pick up the crystals and magic stones that had fallen to the ground, storing them in her tool bag.

The tool bag was about half full now.

Once they defeated the labyrinth's master, it would probably be full.

It was a shame, but they might not be able to pick up anything on the way back.

They proceeded through the floors without difficulty.

Upon reaching the fifth floor, the color of the crystals changed slightly.

Whether it meant higher quality, they were clearly more beautiful.

As they advanced down a wide, straight corridor, two crystallized skeleton knights stood waiting.

They held massive lances and shields, watching Azu's group intently.

Their eye color was blue.

Azu thought they resembled the skeletal Apostle of the Sun God she had seen in the catacombs once.

"Looks like we have to defeat them if we want to pass."

"Let's defeat them."

Azu readied her sword. She was different now, different from back then.