Finn's gaze was locked deathly onto the battlefield.
He knew this was still just a probe.
Whether it was Ais, Bete, or the Amazon sisters, none had brought out their true strength yet.
But equally, the opponent was also clearly testing the waters.
The probing battle did not last long.
Although the water arrows Childe shot were as devastating as magic cannons, the four surrounding him were, after all, the cream of the crop among the First-Class Adventurers standing at the very pinnacle of Orario.
Facing that airtight rain of water arrows, the first to tear open the defense was the golden figure wrapped in cyan gales.
Ais did not choose to clash head-on, but rather focused the output of her "Ariel" onto her legs.
Her body drew a Z-shaped zigzag in mid-air that defied the laws of physics, weaving through the gaps in the sky-filling arrow rain in a posture akin to flying low to the ground.
Within a mere breath, she had crossed tens of meters, closing the distance right up to Childe.
In those golden eyes, there were no ripples of emotion—only absolute focus on the battle.
Swinging from the bottom up, bringing with it the sharp, air-tearing detonation and indomitable wind pressure, the "Desperate" slashed viciously toward Childe's seemingly defenseless chest.
This sword strike was fast to the extreme; even a fellow Level 5 powerhouse, if approached without guard, would absolutely be unable to dodge it.
Yet, facing this certain-kill strike capable of splitting steel in two, there was not a trace of panic on Childe's face.
He didn't even blink.
In the split second before the gleaming edge was about to touch his body, his hands, which had originally been holding the water longbow, suddenly clapped inward.
The magnificent longbow instantly dissolved, turning into two streams of high-pressure water, and within a thousandth of a second, recondensed into two slender blades of water glowing with a dangerous blue light.
Holding the water blades in a reverse grip, assuming a standard cross-guard stance, he fiercely met Ais's slash.
Even though they were formless blades formed from flowing water, the moment they collided with the sword forged from Orichalcum, a deafening sound of clashing metal erupted.
The cyan wind and blue water frantically bit and ground against each other at the point of impact, releasing a terrifying shockwave that shook the ice beneath their feet into countless deep fissures.
Ais's pupils contracted slightly.
She could feel that the strength transmitting from those two water blades was unyielding.
Her strike, which she had been certain would land, was actually perfectly blocked by the opponent in such an effortless manner.
"Beautifully done."
Childe looked at Ais, who was in close proximity, through the gap between his crossed blades, his fanaticism and excitement no longer concealable.
He abruptly exerted force, shaking both arms and blasting Ais, sword and all, back several steps.
"I acknowledge you."
He casually twirled his blades, the two water weapons leaving behind two dazzling blue trails in the air.
His voice was no longer flippant, instead carrying the low and dangerous pressure of a true warrior.
"I respect you a great deal. Please, tell me your names."
"Ais Wallenstein."
"The one who's about to tear you to shreds is Bete Loga. Memorize it well, you orange-haired bastard."
"Hehe, I'm Tiona Hiryute. You're really strong, mister."
"Tione Hiryute. Let me say this up front, I don't like pretty boys of your type. The Captain is much better."
The four of them responded to Childe, because Childe's strength had equally earned their acknowledgment.
"Excellent. Then the warm-up exercise ends here. Let's begin the main event."
Childe raised his head, his deep-sea vortex-like blue eyes sweeping across the four who were closing in once again.
"Don't disappoint me."
The instant his voice dropped, Childe's figure vanished into thin air.
No, he didn't vanish; his speed was simply so fast that it left afterimages on the retina.
"So fast!"
Bete let out an exclamation of shock. Even he, who excelled in speed, could only barely catch a blue blur pouncing toward Tiona on the far left with the momentum of a thunderbolt.
"Come on!!"
Tiona, rather than being alarmed, was delighted. She let out a wild battle cry, gripping the double-bladed "Urga"—which was larger than her own body—with both hands. Her waist violently exerted force, driving her entire body to spin.
"Pinwheel!"
The heavy giant blade swung in a perfect full moon in mid-air, carrying terrifying centrifugal force and destructive power, as if seeking to cut the oncoming Childe in half at the waist.
Tiona's combat style had always been wide-open and overwhelmingly heavy.
That giant blade, weighing hundreds of pounds, was like a light twig in her hands; every swing brought about a gale.
Yet, facing this heavy strike akin to a battering ram, Childe did not choose to take it head-on.
His forward-rushing body abruptly paused in mid-air, and the water blade in his right hand instantly broke apart, reshaping into a two-meter-long spear of water.
With a flick of his wrist, the spear shot out like a dragon.
The spear tip struck the side of the "Urga's" thick spine with absolute precision.
He didn't use much force, but rather borrowed the inertia of Tiona swinging the giant blade herself, using a clever flick and parry of his wrist.
Tiona only felt a soft yet bizarre force transmit from the blade. Her full-powered slash actually veered off its original trajectory uncontrollably, viciously hacking into an ice pillar off to the side.
Boom!
The ice pillar collapsed, and Tiona's body stumbled forward a few steps due to the loss of balance, leaving her completely exposed.
"Crap!"
The very instant the spear in Childe's hand stabbed toward Tiona's back like a viper spitting its tongue, two sharp gleams of cold light struck from Childe's blind spots on the left and right.
It was Tione.
Unlike her sister's wild heavy weapon, Tione utilized a pair of nimble and deadly curved short swords, "Urvas".
Her movements were agile, like a venomous snake sliding on ice, making absolutely no sound as she already closed in on Childe's side.
The short sword in her left hand aimed straight for the throat, while the one in her right hand stabbed viciously toward his waist.
Fast! Accurate! Ruthless!
This was the purest art of slaughter tempered by the Amazon tribe in life-and-death struggles.
"An interesting combo."
A hint of admiration flashed through Childe's eyes.
He didn't turn his head, nor did he even retract the spear thrusting at Tiona.
His left hand gripped fiercely, and the original water blade instantly elongated and reshaped, transforming into a broad zhanmadao formed of flowing water.
Holding the zhanmadao in a reverse grip, he swept it backward without even looking.
Clang! Clang!
Two crisp sounds of clashing rang out almost simultaneously.
----
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