For others, the emergence of plant monsters from the ground was an unpredictable shock. But Charlie was different.
Beneath the extraordinary perception of his Six Eyes, he could sense very clearly—the magic power of those creatures, the movement of the long roots snaking underground.
"Est, you stay here. Aishia, help me exterminate the monsters."
Charlie's voice sounded calm amidst the growing commotion. Along with his words, a cold gust spread from his body.
*BUZZ!*
Faint light gathered in his palm, condensing and rapidly lengthening, forming a sword entirely made of pure ice. Its surface shimmered like crystal, radiating a piercing chill.
"Onii-chan isn't using me?" Est asked softly and without her typical monotone.
However, the gaze of her usually empty eyes now held a slight hint of disappointment. As a Sacred Sword, seeing her master create another weapon clearly made her feel a little left out.
Charlie crouched down, bringing himself to Est's height. He looked into those blue eyes with a faint smile.
"Est, you are my trump card. You are the Sacred Sword Severian, worthy only of facing truly deserving enemies. These lowly plant monsters... they are not worthy of your true power. I will use you when we face a greater threat."
Charlie's explanation apparently managed to soothe the small turmoil in Est's heart. Her expression softened slightly, and she nodded slowly.
"I see... I understand. I will wait. Make sure Onii-chan doesn't get hurt."
Before Charlie could answer, the ground around them trembled again more violently, the ground beneath the inn cracking with a sound like bones being forcibly broken.
*CRAAACK!*
From within the darkness below, dozens of plant monsters attacked blindly, aiming at anyone within their reach.
"AHHHH—"
Several unlucky adventurers were instantly entangled by strong vines, their bodies lifted and slammed roughly onto the ground. Others tried to retreat, but the monsters continued to appear relentlessly.
"Aishia, let's go!" Charlie called out loudly, jumping first towards the second-floor window of the inn without waiting for a reply.
"Understood, Charlie." Aishia replied briefly, following right behind him with movements as light as a cat.
*PU-CHI!* *PU-CHI!* *PU-CHI!*
The soft sound of flesh being pierced and thick liquid spurting could be heard as Charlie landed smoothly in the middle of the crowd of plant monsters. The ice sword in his hand moved quickly and lethally, its momentary gleam slicing through the deepening night darkness.
Each swing was a precisely aimed slash, severing thick stems and sending the monsters' hideous heads rolling onto the dusty ground.
For Charlie, this battle felt like dancing in slow motion. His Six Eyes captured every minute movement of the enemy. He saw the network of roots spreading underground, sensed the arrival of still-hidden monsters, and anticipated every attack coming from all directions.
Even when a vine tried to ambush him from behind, Charlie didn't need to turn his head. His instinct and extraordinary vision were enough to move his sword in a timely, deadly slash.
*PU-CHI!* *PU-CHI!* *PU-CHI!*
On the other side, Aishia moved with deadly grace. She created two ice swords in her hands, shorter and lighter than Charlie's, but equally lethal.
*WHOOSH!*
*PU-CHI!* *PU-CHI!* *PU-CHI!*
Her elegant figure glided among the monsters with incredible speed and agility. Every movement was a dance of death, her sword slashes so fast that they only left faint blue trails of light in the air. The heads of the plant monsters fell like withered flowers, and their bodies collapsed helplessly.
Their presence in the midst of the chaos was like an oasis of hope suddenly appearing in a desert of despair for the other adventurers trapped in this sudden attack.
Seeing their ferocity and efficiency in exterminating the plant monsters, the spirits that had dimmed reignited. Some adventurers who had been cornered and frightened began to muster the courage to move, taking advantage of the openings created by the deadly duo to launch counterattacks.
However, it wasn't just Charlie and Aishia who took action. The members of the Loki Familia in Rivira Town didn't sit idly by and watch the chaos unfold.
"Flare Burn!"
The voice of Riveria, also known as Nine Hell, broke the silence of the night.
Instantly, a giant vortex of fire appeared, engulfing dozens of plant monsters in a single attack. The flames danced wildly, burning the plant monsters to ashes. The heat could be felt from a considerable distance, causing the surrounding monsters to shrink and writhe.
*WHOOSH!*
On the other side, Finn alias Braver, moved calmly yet lethally.
*PU-CHI!* *PU-CHI!* *PU-CHI!*
His long spear pierced with high precision, mercilessly penetrating the monsters' vital points. Every movement was measured and efficient, crippling the enemy in a single strike.
"ORYAAAA!!!"
A fiercer battle cry came from the Amazoness twins, Tiona and Tione.
With a pair of curved kukri knives in her hands, Tione parried a thick vine that was about to whip a fallen adventurer, the blades clashing with a crackling sound.
*CLANG!*
From above, with a powerful swing, Tiona wielding a large double-edged sword called Urga, slashed the neck of a plant monster that was trying to attack the unfortunate adventurer from above.
*PU-CHI!*
The monster's head was severed, its body collapsing helplessly before disappearing into dust.
"Hm! Finally, a worthy opponent suitable for Urga." Tiona said with a wide grin on her face. Landing lightly on the ground, she admired her large sword, Urga.
"Oh my, why are you so happy? They keep coming!" Tione exclaimed irritably, standing beside her sister while shaking her head.
*CRACK!* *CRACK!* *CRACK!*
Tione observed her surroundings, seeing plant monsters continue to tear through the ground, with some even emerging from inside the buildings.
"Uweee... Troublesome!" Tiona grumbled, her happy expression instantly turning into annoyance at the seemingly endless number of enemies.
"Tsk! It's natural to have attacks during Monsterphillia, but where are they actually coming from?"
Just as Tione uttered that question, the ground right beneath their feet trembled more violently than before.
Their honed fighting instincts made them move without hesitation. In a split second, Tiona and Tione leaped away, moving to a safer spot.
*CRACK!*
The next second, right where they had stood moments ago, several medium-sized plant monsters burst from the ground with explosive force. Their vines whipped the air ferociously, searching for the prey that had just dodged.
"..."
The 17th floor, which was supposed to be a safe zone for adventurers exhausted after exploring the Dungeon, had now turned into a chaotic battlefield, with no one knowing for sure what caused it.
Amidst the chaos, with the ice sword in his hand continuing to dance, exterminating enemies, Charlie sighed inwardly. His mind raced between slashes and dodges.
"Damn it... why do I always get caught up in this kind of trouble? Even though I'm not the protagonist."