Danmaku, my skills refresh weekly.

Discarding her shattered shield, Lyra declared smugly:

"This is a special item that can seal magical effects, made with the help of the [Omnipotent One] and the [Cyclops Master]. That's all, Alfia!"

"Go, Alyssa, Leon! Take her down!"

The situation seemed clear.

This is how it should be...

In Xia Er's sight, a brownish-yellow bony creature broke through the ceiling of the underground city and fell silently to the ground. After a few leaps, it arrived near the battlefield.

sand----

The assassin, blending seamlessly with the colors of the ruined earth, sprang out its curved joints and brushed past Palum, who was smugly explaining his "trump card." The wicked claws, capable of cutting through anything, left two bloody streaks.

"Ah?"

Lyra's lower body and legs flew up...

Chapter 228 The Witch's End

Arish and Ryu, who launched the decisive attack, did not notice the abnormality behind them. With their magical twin swords swirling around them, they pierced Alfia's body. The point-blank bombardment created smoke and dust, further obscuring their vision.

As the rumbling subsided, the first to reveal their figures were Ryu and Arisha, who were kneeling on one knee, supporting themselves with their swords.

"Did you make it?"

Noin, bewildered, murmured softly.

however……

Once they truly understood the situation, everyone in Astrea stared wide-eyed and gasped in surprise.

"Lyra—!"

On the ground, the girl from Palum, her lower body severed from her thighs, curled up with charred eyes, the intense pain having completely robbed her of the strength to scream.

Lyra recalled the scene just now. If it weren't for Palum's short stature and her crouching position due to resisting magic, she would have been in a different situation.

Relying on instinct, she managed to slip her upper body through the monster's fingers; she was now broken into several pieces of flesh.

"I... I'm not dead yet..."

"Lyra!" Maru rushed forward.

"Don't come any closer!!!" Laila used her last bit of strength to desperately stop her companion.

Kaguya narrowed her eyes and sheathed the small katana in her hand at her waist.

"Something other than us has appeared! Be on alert!"

With their minds freed from the greatest terror of Alfia, the monstrous creatures lurking in the smoke and yellow earth were quickly discovered by the girls.

It was a dragon-shaped skeleton with insect-like recurved hind legs. Its lean body minimized its weight, and the key to this recurve shape was its astonishing explosive power.

"What it is?"

"A new type of monster?!"

"careful!"

Every anomaly in the dungeon brings despair to adventurers, and the familiars, unaware of the monster's strength, watch it warily.

"Gu————"

The alien emitted a chilling cry and launched its assassination attempt just when everyone was exhausted.

Its target was Maru, who had taken two steps forward and created some distance between herself and the others. Her brownish-yellow body shot out like a catapult, leaving afterimages.

"Too slow, damn it!"

Iska charged out from the side and punched the Destroyer in the side.

"Ka-"

Its streamlined body smashed through the black charcoal and tumbled in the mud and sand.

The Destroyer, having readjusted its body and shaken its head, stared fearfully at the adventurers huddled together.

Ultimately, it focused its attention on Alphia, who was slashed, burned, severely injured, and isolated.

"Cough—"

Blood, ravaged by disease, gushed from all parts of her body, and the hideous wounds all over her body heralded the end of the witch's life.

Facing the monster aiming at her, Alfia struggled to her feet, her body trembling as she tried to support herself.

He suffered a fatal wound and had reached his limit.

"Ugh, this annoying noise... Even monsters dare to look down on me. How pathetic." She stood on the ravaged earth like a ghost whose life had been extinguished.

"sand----"

The Destroyer grinned with excitement as it swept past the Star Maidens, its claws tearing towards Alfia's neck.

Stab————

A flash of lightning streaked through the air, and a cloak billowed before Alfia's eyes. Charles, his palm gleaming with a pale ball of light, slammed his fist into the Destroyer's back.

click-

The atmosphere was torn apart by the massive tremors, and twisted bones struggled and howled among the rocks.

Charles curled his lip: "Damn it, who told you to touch my people!"

Staring at the [Destroyer] embedded in the earth, Sharl kicked it toward the Astrea Familia.

Ciel's reappearance made the already tense girls even more nervous.

"joker————"

Ignoring the impotent roars of the Familia of Justice, Ciel shot an invisible magic chain at Riveria and strolled over to Alfia's side: "How's the situation?"

The healing light of jade emanates from Charles's palm.

It is restoring the witch's dying body.

"The burden of this protracted battle is greater than we imagined. Sigh—don't waste our energy. Treatment can no longer stop the spread of the disease."

Alfia smiled gently as she looked at the wary girls.

"Let me tell you one last thing... don't forget this posture you adopted today."

With Charles's support, Alfia said in a trembling voice:

“One day, you too will reach your end, just like us, and lose to the Black Dragon. But... even if everything turns to ashes, the path you have trod will not be in vain.”

"!!"

“Alphia…” Liu watched the fall of the overlord with unbearable sorrow.

"Your individual sense of justice will eventually unite as one, bearing fruit and giving rise to hope. At that time, the final hero will appear."

Alfia gave a final smile, her heterochromatic eyes revealing a gentle gaze.

Go and seize the future.

Having delivered her final words, Alfia took a step and, supported by Charles, turned and walked away.

"Alfia, where are you going?"

Kaguya, who was trying to catch up, was stopped in her tracks by the sudden appearance of an alien...

"Damn it, that annoying guy!"

The "Destroyer" became an obstacle to the girls' pursuit, and the echoes of war still reverberated.

……

In the Emerald Forest, which was not burned by the monster.

Charles helped Alfia lean against the huge blue stone.

"You lied to me. You should have known something was going to happen." Charles's expression was grim.

“I’m sorry for keeping it from you.” Alfia tried to reach out and take Charles’s hand.

"【Talent Calamity Price】will temporarily weaken my durability and abilities. When my abilities are reduced to a certain level, it will be unable to stop the development of the disease in my body. As I urgently need to fight, the disease will further worsen."

“I have never fought with my full strength before. But today I don’t need to hold back anymore. I see hope for the world.”

Charles pulled an orange from his pocket and stuffed it into Alfia's mouth: "I don't care, did you even consider my feelings when you did this?"

"Don't waste your energy. I know my own illness, and your oranges can't suppress its rampage."

Alfia took Charles's hand and pulled him into her arms, gently stroking his soft hair as if soothing a tantrum-throwing child.

"Forgive me, Charles. This broken body should have returned to the underworld long ago. The only reason I'm clinging to life is for today."

Training Charles, persisting in carrying out Erebus's plan, and now risking everything to deliver a great cause for the hope of a new era.

Not only Charles, but Alfia also deliberately deceived Chardo.

Unlike himself, who was seriously ill and had no hope of recovery, Chardo was already qualified to reach the summit and didn't need to die with her.

"Why did you do this? Can't we find a way to save you? There must be one in this world, right?"

“Fels, yes, there’s still Fels! Her immortality magic can surely continue for you…”

Chapter 229 Old Deng's Reincarnation

Tears welled in Charles's eyes. Although Alfia was very strict, the more than a month they spent together was not wasted. Most of his skills and strength came from Alfia's teaching and training.

"That sage... we spoke privately. Her immortality was an accident caused by a failed research project. It's impossible to replicate..."

"what?"

Alfia's actions were similar to those of Kaori Miyazono, who deceived Kousei Arima, redeeming everyone but abandoning herself.

"Cough cough cough—" Alfia coughed up a large amount of blood again, her eyes looking tired.