Danmachi : Ashen Knight

The chamber trembled under the immense energy radiating from the ritual circle. The monstrous abomination stood at its center, its grotesque form shifting unnaturally as the magic coursed through it.

Finn's sharp eyes locked onto the cultist, still standing within the glowing symbols. "Riveria, can you break that ritual?"

Riveria raised her staff, analyzing the shifting formations. "Not easily. He's using a layered enchantment—attacking it directly won't be enough."

Gareth spat to the side. "Then we crack his skull first."

The battle began.

Finn didn't hesitate. "All units, attack!"

A coordinated assault launched at once.

Tiona leapt high, her massive blade coming down on the cultist's defenses. A shimmering barrier repelled her strike, sending a shockwave outward.

Tione moved next, flanking him and aiming for his blind spot, but the barrier shifted, blocking her as well.

"He's reinforcing himself with the ritual's energy," Riveria realized.

Orcbolg narrowed his eyes. He'd seen similar tricks from shamans before—relying on external magic to create invulnerability.

"The circle is the key," he muttered, eyes scanning the ritual's symbols. Relentless Pursuer activated, its pulse thrumming through him as his mind honed in on the cultist's every move. The skill fed his need to track and eliminate threats. It was like a predator zeroing in on prey—relentless, unstoppable.

The monster surged forward. It swiped a claw, sending a wave of corrupted energy through the air. Ais dodged, barely avoiding the impact as stone shattered behind her.

Bete rushed in with his Werewolf speed, landing a series of rapid kicks to its side. His strikes left dents in its armor-like skin, but the wounds closed immediately.

"Damn thing's got regeneration!" Bete growled.

Gareth tanked a blow, his sturdy frame absorbing the impact. "We need to overwhelm it!"

Finn's mind worked fast. "We need to separate the monster from the ritual's influence."

Riveria nodded. "Then I'll force the cultist to focus on me."

She raised her staff.

"[Rea Laevateinn]!"

A green magic circle expanded beneath her. A moment later, an immense beam of light shot toward the cultist's ritual.

BOOM!

The impact shattered part of the barrier, and the cultist staggered.

His composure broke for the first time.

"You wretched elves…" he snarled, raising his hands. Dark tendrils shot toward Riveria.

Orcbolg and Ryuu made their move.

Seeing the opening, Orcbolg turned to Ryuu. "Now."

Ryuu nodded, her agility propelling her forward. With elven grace, she weaved through the chaos, her blade flashing.

The cultist's eyes widened. "Tch—"

SLASH!

Ryuu's sword struck across his arm, cutting deep.

Orcbolg followed, lunging in low. His blade pierced through the disrupted barrier, slicing into the cultist's thigh.

The cultist screamed, falling to one knee.

The ritual faltered.

The abomination let out a shriek of pain. Its body flickered, its unnatural regeneration slowing down.

Ais saw her chance.

She whispered her magic.

"Awaken, Tempest."

The winds surged.

"Ariel."

Her sword became a blur, slashing through the weakened monster with devastating speed.

Finn's voice rang out: "Everyone, go all out!"

The adventurers pressed forward, unleashing a relentless assault.

But the fight wasn't over yet.

The cultist gritted his teeth, his bleeding hand reaching toward the crumbling ritual.

Orcbolg's eyes locked onto him. The pulse of Relentless Pursuer sharpened his focus, pushing him to close the distance.

The ritual circle cracked apart, its glow flickering like a dying ember. The abomination lurched, its once-regenerating flesh now decaying in real time.

But the cultist refused to fall silently.

Blood dripping from his wounds, he extended his remaining hand, chanting in a guttural, twisted language.

"ᚦᚨᛊᛏᚱᛖᚾᚷᛏ ᛗᚨᛞᛖ ᛗᛖ ᚨᚾ ᛁᚾᚢᚨᛚᚦᚨ ᛞᛖᚨᛏᚺ!"

A shockwave of dark energy burst from his body, forcing everyone to halt their attacks.

The ritual's remnants reacted, surging toward him and the monster, wrapping around their form. Their flesh tore apart, reshaping grotesquely as magic consumed him.

Finn's grip on his spear tightened. "Damn it—he's sacrificing himself!"

The cultist screamed, but it was no longer a human sound. His body twisted, his limbs elongating, his face splitting into a horrific visage of gnashing teeth and glowing red eyes.

Where once stood a man, now stood something far worse—a monstrous entity, pulsating with unnatural energy.

Ais didn't hesitate. Her sword flashed, wind roaring to life.

"Ariel."

She lunged, her blade carving into the creature's side—

—Only for it to reform instantly.

Ais' golden eyes narrowed. "It's still feeding off the ritual's remnants."

Bete bared his teeth. "Tch, then we just hit it harder!"

He rushed in, his boots cracking the stone beneath him. His fists slammed into the creature's torso, sending it skidding back.

But it didn't fall.

Instead, it howled, a wave of energy erupting outward.

Gareth grunted as he was forced back.

Lefiya barely managed to raise a barrier in time.

Riveria frowned, reading the situation instantly. "If we don't finish this quickly, it'll spiral out of control."

She raised her staff.

"Vas Windheim!"

A powerful golden magic circle expanded beneath her.

A barrage of light spears rained down on the creature.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

As dust settled, Orcbolg observed. He had seen this kind of transformation before.

A desperate monster clinging to its last moments, relying on unstable magic.

It had a core.

He adjusted his grip on his sword. "Ais, Finn, we aim for the core."

Finn caught on immediately. "You found it?"

Orcbolg nodded. "It's in the center of its chest—buried, but vulnerable."

Ais prepared herself. "…I'll break through."

Finn smirked. "Then let's set it up."

The battlefield trembled under the weight of their battle. Shattered stone and the bodies of fallen monsters lay strewn across the dungeon floor, while the remaining adventurers of Orario's elite Familia pressed their attack against the abomination that stood before them.

The monstrous entity, a grotesque fusion of flesh and corrupted magic, towered over them. Its body pulsed with an unnatural glow, veins of sickly purple energy coursing through it. Its many eyes darted between the warriors, filled with both madness and rage.

At the rear of the formation, Riveria stood resolute, her emerald hair flowing as she chanted a spell of overwhelming destruction. The Elven princess was their key to victory—her magic would weaken the creature, giving them the opening they needed.

"Protect Riveria at all costs!" Finn commanded, his voice cutting through the chaos.

He glanced at Ais, who stood poised with her sword, her golden eyes locked onto their target.

"We take the core," he stated.

Ais nodded. "Together."

Ryu, positioned at his side, added, "I'll cover you both. Let's move."

With their roles set, the three darted forward.

The monstrous, sending a shockwave of pressure through the chamber. Finn, Bete, Tiona, Tione, and the other high-level adventurers surged ahead, striking at its limbs to keep it occupied. Every attack barely made a dent, but they weren't aiming to kill—only to stall.

Ais, Orcbolg, and Ryu closed the distance, weaving through the battlefield with perfect coordination. A tendril lashed out toward them—Orcbolg was the first to react.

CLANG!

His blade cut through the writhing appendage, severing it before it could reach Ais. A second tentacle struck from the side—Ryu countered with a precise Tempest Slash, carving it apart mid-air.

Ais dashed forward, lightning sparking around her as she prepared her strongest attack.

But the monster wasn't finished.

With a guttural shriek, it released a pulse of corrupt energy. The shockwave sent adventurers flying, forcing them to retreat. A massive arm swung down toward Ais.

Orcbolg moved.

He planted his foot down and launched himself toward the attack, intercepting it with his shield. The impact rattled his entire body, forcing him to be thrown, but he held firm. This opening allowed Ais to dodge the attack.

Ryu dashed past him, using the opening to cut into the creature's side with Luminous Wind.

Through the chaos, Riveria's chant continued, her voice unwavering. The magic circle beneath her feet pulsed with divine power.

She lifted her staff high into the air, her voice low as the incantation began to flow from her lips. The words were fluid, ancient, and deliberate, each syllable carefully pronounced to channel the magic that had been entrusted to her. Her mana surged as she prepared the most powerful spell she could muster.

"Fiamma della Terra," Riveria whispered.

A bright, almost blinding light erupted from the tip of her staff, twisting in the air like a beacon of destruction. The spell she cast wasn't one of simple force—no, it was a combination of fire and earth, the magic weaving the two elements into an explosive synergy.

The ground beneath the monster rumbled, fissures cracking open like the maw of the earth itself, and a searing wall of fire shot upward, cascading down upon the enemy. It was an overwhelming force, the heat of the flames and the weight of the earth crashing down on the creature with tremendous power.

The monster bellowed in agony as it was caught in the spell. The fire scorched its skin, and the earth collapsed beneath its legs, bringing it to its knees. It struggled, but the damage was done—its movements were sluggish, its strength waning under the weight of the combined elements.

Riveria's expression remained calm, but her breath came in shallow bursts. She had poured her energy into that one attack, and it was enough to weaken the monster, leaving it vulnerable.

"Now, it's your turn," she muttered under her breath.

Ais didn't hesitate.

She leaped, her blade rising as golden energy crackled around her.

"Lil Rafaga!"

Her attack slashed across the monster's chest, exposing the core hidden beneath layers of grotesque muscle. But it wasn't enough. The core pulsed, still protected by a final layer of defense.

Orcbolg saw his chance.

He dashed forward, gripping his sword tightly. The years of experience, the endless battles against the creatures of the dark—all of it led to this moment. He adjusted his stance, focusing his strength.

With a controlled breath, he swung.

His blade struck true. The last layer of protection around the core shattered.

"Ais, now!"

The Final Strike

With all her might, she thrust her sword forward, piercing the exposed core.

For a moment, the monster froze. The glow in its eyes flickered. The core cracked, golden energy surging from the wound.

Then—

BOOOOOM!

The creature exploded from within, its body disintegrating into nothingness. The force of the blast sent a rush of wind through the chamber, forcing everyone to brace themselves.

Silence followed.

The battlefield was still. The monster was gone.

Finn exhaled, gripping his spear. "It's over."

Tione smirked. "Took long enough."

Bete scoffed. "Hah, that was a pain in the ass."

Riveria lowered her staff, exhausted but victorious.

Ryu turned to Orcbolg, nodding. "That was well fought."

(A/N: And this is the last episode of this arc. This fanfic will go on hiatus for a while because, honestly, I don't know what to write after this arc. There will be some aftermath chapters—just some chill, slice-of-life chapters.)