Wave after wave of Magic Arrows tore through the scorching air.
Acid, ice, fire, lightning, poison, and countless other elements traced multicolored paths through the cavern as the brilliant rain of arrows poured down from above.
Massive stone pillars formed from cooled magma stood everywhere. Now, those pillars had been turned into fortifications, with numerous dark-red Lava Skeleton Warriors hiding inside and continuously firing arrows.
"Everyone, watch out! Don't let those Magic Arrows hit you! Follow the plan we made and break through with everything you've got!"
At the front of the twenty-person squad stood a particularly striking figure.
It was Neia.
Compared to three years ago, she now looked far more mature, her expression resolute and confident.
She stood calmly at the head of the group and swiftly issued her orders.
At her command, the Magic Casters in the rear raised their staves and began casting spells.
[Second Tier: Shock Wave]
The air distorted as a powerful, invisible shockwave took shape.
Although it was only a Second-Tier spell, it possessed astonishing force, enough to leave a deep dent in a suit of full-body armor.
The dense rain of Magic Arrows filling the air was instantly shattered and dispersed by the shockwave, sending the broken arrows tumbling to the ground.
Without hesitation, Neia raised her longsword and charged forward, leading the squad in an attempt to break through the defensive line as quickly as possible.
"You boring small fry! Have a taste of this! [Shard Buck Shots]!"
Following close behind Neia was Nemu, who had now grown into a young girl. Protected by a magical shield, she advanced while continuously launching suppressive attacks.
Elsewhere, a handsome blond boy flew through the air. His narrow, deep-purple eyes were as mysterious and captivating as the night sky.
At that moment, he had pressed his entire body against the cavern ceiling and was moving stealthily across it with the agility of a flounder.
Thanks to his extraordinary eyesight, the boy could easily spot the Lava Undead attempting to launch surprise attacks from concealed positions.
Whenever he locked onto a target, he attacked without hesitation.
The boy was one of the Bloody Emperor's many children.
As the current ruler of the Empire, the Bloody Emperor had never married, but he had several concubines and consorts. This boy was the son of one of those consorts.
Abedokelsha Luka Farona Allen.
That was the boy's full name.
Unlike the others, he had not inherited his father's surname, instead bearing his mother's.
This had been decreed by the Bloody Emperor himself. The emperor felt little affection for his children and had always held to a particular belief.
[If a child born to one of my future consorts proves inadequate, then I will replace them with an outstanding child born to one of my concubines.]
As a wise emperor, the Bloody Emperor had no intention of ruling alone forever.
He had therefore devised a unique method for selecting the most capable heir. He sent all his children to study at the Magic Academy of the Sorcerer Kingdom, where they would undergo rigorous training and trials.
Throughout the process, the Bloody Emperor treated every one of his children equally, showing neither favoritism nor special consideration.
He believed that only fair competition could reveal who truly possessed the ability and talent to become the Empire's future ruler.
Every child therefore had to rely on their own effort and natural gifts to emerge victorious.
Once the young princes and princesses graduated from the Magic Academy of the Sorcerer Kingdom, they would face one final test.
They would have to prove themselves to the Bloody Emperor through their final achievements at graduation.
Only a child who earned his approval would be permitted to inherit his surname and become the Empire's next Crown Prince.
No matter how noble their birth, none of them were guaranteed the right to succeed the throne.
Only through their own ability and accomplishments could they earn their father's trust and favor.
This system would ensure that the Empire's future was entrusted to the most capable candidate.
In the Bloody Emperor's eyes, only such a system could guarantee the nation's continued prosperity and lasting stability.
After all... he had no intention of cleaning up some fool's mess in the future!
[As a candidate for the next emperor, I need to improve my reputation abroad. That means I must graduate as the president of the Magic Academy.]
Determination flashed through Abedo's eyes.
That was the real reason he had willingly taken such a tremendous risk to participate in this expedition.
With that thought in mind, Abedo's attacks became even fiercer.
At the same time, Neia and Nemu raced forward under the cover of their companions and reached the base of the stone pillars.
[Third Tier: Sunlight]
[Third Tier: Holy Light]
Drenched in sweat, the two knocked every skeleton blocking their way into the magma, then simultaneously cast their spells without hesitation.
Two dazzling lights illuminated the cavern like twin suns. The rest of the squad, having prepared in advance, immediately pulled out sunglasses and put them on.
The tremendous power caused the surrounding temperature to rise even further and drew agonized howls from the nearby monsters.
The intense light seared the Soul flames within the Undead's eye sockets, blinding them and leaving them to swing their weapons wildly in place.
Although both spells belonged to the Third Tier, they possessed tremendous offensive power and could inflict devastating damage upon Undead creatures.
Under their combined assault, numerous Undead wailed as they were purified into ash and scattered through the air.
When everyone's vision finally recovered, the densely packed horde of Undead had completely vanished.
"Hurry and get ready! Phase Three is about to begin!"
Even after eliminating the Undead, Neia did not relax. Her expression tense, she immediately shouted a warning.
At the same time, a succession of brilliant lights flared across her body.
[Lower-Tier Mental Defense]
[Dash]
[Minor Wound Healing]
[Moderate Wound Healing]
[Flight]
As Neia cast the spells, transparent magical membranes enveloped both her and Nemu beside her.
For as long as the spell remained active, they could briefly take flight and move freely through the air.
Although the Paladin class had access to flight magic, it fell within the realm of higher-level magic and was still beyond the abilities of the two girls.
They therefore had to rely on this simpler method of flight to meet the needs of the battle.
The other squad members quickly followed their example.
Those proficient in flight magic cast their spells without hesitation, using their ability to maneuver freely through the air.
Those who could not fly settled for the next-best option, casting the First-Tier spell [Floating Platform].
They stood upon the floating platforms and controlled them with magical power, moving through the air.
Numerous translucent boards appeared overhead.
The Warriors and Magic Casters hurriedly leaped aboard.
The size and maximum carrying capacity of each board depended on the caster's magical power. Once created, a board could be made to follow the caster at a distance of up to five meters.
It was fundamentally a transportation spell, but because it could negate gravity, it was occasionally useful in combat, as it was now.
"It's coming!"
A Quagoa Beastman Warrior wearing sunglasses shouted urgently, his voice tense and grave.
As though his words had been a signal, the vast river of magma suddenly began to churn.
The once-calm surface of the crimson magma erupted into violent waves, rolling and surging like boiling water.
Enormous bubbles rose from the depths before bursting apart, releasing scorching gas and showers of sparks.
Even the direction of the magma river's current began to change.
The magma that had originally flowed to the left suddenly reversed toward the right, forming a powerful countercurrent.
At the same time, the magma on the right swelled high into the air, as though something were about to emerge from within.