Danmaku, my skills refresh weekly.

He struggled to sit up and surveyed the surrounding situation: "Have we...failed?"

"Oh dear, isn't that only natural? After all, even the supreme god is controlled by others, don't you think, Lady Astrea?"

"Yes. You'd better surrender quickly. Joker, your show is about to end," Astraea said with a smile.

“Tsk…” Charles paused, then glared at Erebus with displeasure: “You confessed? How lame!”

Erebus spread his hands: "Astraea is a very smart woman. She doesn't need to say anything; she naturally guessed it."

Astraea closed one eye: "Joker, you probably don't want to become a cornerstone of the lower realm, do you? If you surrender, I can give you a chance to repent."

"Instead of worrying about me, you should look at your children." Charles grabbed Vittor by the back of his collar, further distancing himself from the two gods. "Alphia seems a bit angry. Let's pray we don't all get wiped out here."

As he spoke, Xia Er arrived at the location of the "divine beast tentacle" corpse and pulled out a tympanic membrane-like substance with black particles flying out of the soil in the ruins.

After obtaining the spoils, he dragged Witt's body and retreated towards the edge of the maze.

Chapter 227 Ciel: Huh? Getting carried away with the performance?

The battlefield of Alfia.

"Get him! Aaaaaaahh ...

The girls, following the footprints of starlight, let out a roar that attracts witches.

The golden-haired elf's twin blades flashed green as she hurtled forward.

"Attack head-on! Don't run away, don't hesitate, fear will kill you! Bet your last glory!" Alexie followed closely behind, flames blooming around her once more.

"Burn, burn, burn!"

With three consecutive incantations, the scorching flames surrounding her erupted at maximum power. Her feet spewed pillars of fire, instantly propelling her forward and allowing her to catch up with Leon.

Then, the flame collided with the sound block first.

"Full power!"

"Gospel!"

Like a shooting star, Alicia, trailing a streak of light, blocked the final blow from Riveria.

"Ughhhhhh—" Ryu followed closely, the emerald sword light grazing Alfia's side.

In the instant the two figures crossed paths, they twisted and turned. Ryu and Ariseh, their magic power surging, emitted a seven-fold intersecting silver flash, followed by a vortex of slashing energy formed from fragments of flame and the impact of wind.

The two level 4 fighters managed to hold off Alfia for a moment, their faces pale. Kaguya, who was low on health, had joined the battle, and her unavoidable Iaijutsu struck down from five different positions.

Following closely behind was Palum, who continued to crawl forward.

"Boom-"

Alfia's lower back was slammed hard by the round shield, but Palum's power couldn't shake the witch's figure at all.

"Shield Bash? Have we fallen so low that we don't even have a dagger anymore?"

With a swift chop, Leila's body flew backward for more than ten meters before disappearing into the ruins.

……

As the Star Maidens advanced and coordinated, they managed to hold off Alfia for a moment.

With her last remaining mental strength, Maru restored Riveria's injuries.

The elf with swaying green hair seized the precious opportunity and, with the help of the Astrea Familia, completed the healing of her ally.

"Whoa whoa whoa whoa! This is the final battle! Assist the little girls of the Astrea Familia!" Grace roared.

Even with his battle axe and great shield both damaged, he still raised his fist and charged at Alfia.

After they finished repairing themselves, the Alfrick brothers also retrieved their lost weapons.

"The enemy's stats have indeed been reduced."

"The speed at which magic is cast has also slowed down."

"The more powerful the magic you unleash, the greater the backlash you will suffer."

"In conclusion, let's use our last bit of strength to force out even more of her power!"

Palum moved his legs with practiced ease, weaving into the combined attacks of the Astrea Familia. The addition of five level 5 members caused the usually composed Alfia to frown.

The relentless attacks began to wound her, and the delicate balance was disrupted.

In just thirty minutes, after Alfia had unleashed countless Gospel Fists, countless adventurers fell, only to rise again.

Even now, she suddenly clutches her chest.

Fresh blood continued to flow.

It seemed like it would never end.

Her patient-like, fair and translucent skin was stained with blood, becoming Alphia's blood-red makeup.

Since the start of the war, Alphia's situation has been deteriorating at an accelerating pace.

Every second that passed felt like an uncanny magic spell, repeatedly layering upon me.

—The opponent's strength, magic power, and reaction speed have decreased.

"Alphia—" Ryu stopped what she was doing. After understanding the witch's true intentions, her determination to kill Alphia was wavering.

"There's no need to fight anymore. Let's stop here."

Alexie extended her hand and said sincerely, "Alfia, surrender. Although I cannot forgive what you have done, your concern for the lower realm is genuine. So, surrender."

"Surrender?" Alfia curled her lips into a smile: "How long will you keep disappointing me with your noise?!"

"Well----"

Alfia's anger, accompanied by a massive burst of "magic," unleashed her true potential as she became imbued with an aura of dominance.

"Don't misunderstand. Even if death awaits me, it won't end! Nothing can stop it as long as the 'Demon King' remains! Your fate will not change!"

Alfia swung his arm, and a five-meter-wide atmospheric crack appeared, causing the crumbling crust of Rivera to groan.

Rumble————

The ground bulged, and the intense shock shattered the already terrifying earth. Along with Alfia, all the members of the clan within a 300-meter radius were plunged into the pit and fell to the 19th floor.

"!"

The collapse of the building was still spreading, and the gods standing not far away fled in panic under the protection of their kin.

Dragging Witt and the spoils of war to the Shire where Knossos and Rimuru met, he frowned and gazed into the distance.

"Has Alfia gone too far?"

Charles, who had subconsciously started moving quickly toward the battlefield, suddenly changed his expression.

Immediately following, an unusual wailing sound erupted from the depths of the underground city—

"Ah ah ah ah ah--"

That is--

Zagnat the Destroyer!

The building has been damaged?!

In an instant, countless thoughts flashed through Charles's mind.

"Damn it, you dungeon, you've made a mess of the floors with your 'greatest evil,' but when someone applies even a little force, you're yelling that you can't handle it!"

Charles thought to himself, "It's not really the dungeon's fault. The damage caused by the 'Greatest Evil' hasn't even affected the entire floor yet. To awaken the [Destroyer] and activate the dungeon's self-defense mechanism, the entire dungeon must be damaged sufficiently."

This definition can basically be summarized as destroying the entire floor.

Char didn't care about having another Zagnat. Even if it was a level 18 bug, it was impossible to get a kill in the chaos of battle.

He was more concerned about Alfia's current condition.

He already needed to unleash an attack powerful enough to destroy the entire building; it seemed the side effects of [Calamity Cost] were more severe than he had realized.

……

We passed through the forest that had turned into a sea of ​​fire.

Charles arrived at the edge of the collapsing floor and looked through the large hole, where he saw adventurers locked in a chaotic battle around Alphia.

After such a fierce battle, only the Astrea Familia remained to fight. The first wave of Palum, dwarves, and elves were all exhausted and collapsed on the ground.

They didn't even have time to care about the wailing underground city; they were completely focused on attacking Alfia.

"Why did you have to go to this extent!"

"How can we stop you?!"

Fragments of music rang in Charles's ears, and he heard Alfia's declaration: "Become a 'hero'!"

"Damn, could they have gotten carried away with the fighting?!"

The witch's roar continued in my ears.

"Become a 'hero' and defeat me! If you want to pursue the 'future', then show me your heroic weapons!"

"Become 'justice' to prove you are the 'hope of the next generation,' and make 'evil' acknowledge you!!"

Having clearly heard Alfia's words, Charles covered his face in shock...

"Holy crap, Fei! I never thought someone as aloof and arrogant as you would be a chuunibyou (middle school syndrome) sufferer."

The situation changed abruptly after Alfia issued its declaration.

A magical whirlwind swirled around the witch as she rapidly twisted her body to dodge the combined attacks, while simultaneously completing a lengthy incantation.

The phantom of a silver-gray clock unfolded, and the sound of the clock tower drowned out the wailing of the underground city.

"Weep, Holy Bell Tower!"

"This is exactly the time I've been waiting for!"

Lyra pulled out the [Demon-Slaying Great Shield Equis] that she had prepared beforehand, reflecting the [Silent Eden] and nullifying Alfia's fatal blow.