Once we realized what was happening, Trinity and I began to dodge the approaching blue-haired figure while strategically placing weapons in its path to inflict damage. We noticed that the hits had visibly affected the blue-haired enemy's movements. Though its speed remained straight and swift, it started to lose balance when changing direction.
"Trinity!"
"I got it!
— Single Point Projection!"
Trinity launched a flurry of throwing knives aimed at the blue-haired figure's feet. The precise impact of the knives clearly slowed the enemy down.
"Princess Sword Technique: Blade Dance Storm!"
I unleashed my own sword technique. While it might sound formidable just by name, it was essentially a fluid dance of swordplay interwoven with evasive steps. This was simply a rearrangement of the basic sword dance from the Princess Two Heavens style into the Princess One Sword style.
With the blue-haired enemy's movement halted, my Blade Dance Storm struck true, shattering it into shards of blue gemstones.
"Alright, that's three down!"
Now, we only needed to take out the silver-haired and purple-haired opponents before confronting the blonde commander.
"Trinity, team up with Ava to take down the purple-haired one."
Nodding in agreement, Trinity moved toward the purple-haired foe. Ava was already engaged with both the silver-haired and purple-haired enemies. She used the special ability of her blue sword to summon a rain of icy blades, pinning the silver-haired enemy in place while firing off magical spells to fend off the purple-haired one.
Noticing my approach, Ava immediately halted the rain of ice swords and dashed toward the purple-haired figure, battling magic as she went. Trained in the swift steps of the Gale Thunder style, I maneuvered effortlessly across the uneven ground, churned up by the icy onslaught. In contrast, the silver-haired opponent struggled to move effectively in the treacherous terrain. Seizing the opportunity, I swung my Unicorn sword, but astonishingly, the silver-haired warrior caught it barehanded.
"What the—!? Even with a defensive strategy, that's pushing it too far!"
I struck relentlessly with my blade, but not only did he parry with his hands, he also summoned a Material Petite Shield, deflecting all my attacks. Completely overwhelmed by his defense, I instinctively halted my assault to create some distance.
"This defense is more troublesome than I expected... So how about this! —Instant Blade!!"
As I had stated during my encounter with the blue-haired adversary, speed directly correlates to offensive power. I aimed to outpace the silver-haired defender with the velocity of my Instant Blade.
—Clang!
The silver-haired warrior crossed his arms just in time to block my strike. A mere scratch marred his arms. Just how tough is he!?
Determined, I cast a spell for ice projectiles and charged forward with my magical sword.
"Ava Subritz Slash!"
But once again, the silver-haired fighter effortlessly caught the attack with his bare hands.
A faint impression of a bullet mark marred the palm of my hand. Damn it, could this be futile too? ...Wait a minute. If there's even a slight wound, then I can focus my attack there and break through! As the saying goes, "Water droplets can bore through rock." A concentrated assault should shatter the silver-haired defense.
There's only one thing to do now: unleash my magic sword repeatedly. The silver-haired one will absorb it all with bare hands, so I don't need to aim. I can penetrate her petite shield in close combat.
"Whoooaahhh!"
**Crack!**
After a few exchanges, her hands shattered easily, scattering shards of silver jewels all around. I continued my barrage of magic swords, breaking her arms as well. Finally, I unleashed my ultimate spell.
"Blade Princess One-Sword Style: Instant Blade Ice Bullet!"
Swinging my sword, I slammed Unicorn down on the silver-haired opponent. The instant of the cut triggered the magic of the ice bullets, and her body spectacularly crumbled apart.
"Got it! Fourth one down!"
Looking over at the purple-haired fighter, I saw Ava and Trinity finishing off their opponent. That left just the blonde. I rushed toward her, but she raised her hands in surrender.
"I give up. I never expected you to eliminate all my clones. With Mibira joining too, I don't stand a chance."
"While it's a bit regrettable, I will acknowledge the completion of the Angel Quest—Gem."
◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇
"Ugh…"
With the adrenaline of battle wearing off, the pain in my ribs began to hit me hard. I instinctively pressed my hand against my chest and crouched down, feeling the discomfort radiate through my body. It wasn't just my ribs; there were noticeable cuts on the exposed skin not covered by my armor.
"Suzanne!? Are you okay?"
"Hey, are you alright?!"
Ava and Trinity rushed toward me, concern etched on their faces. I wanted to reassure them that I was fine, but even the effort of standing tall sent a jolt of pain through me, twisting my expression into a grimace. How I managed to ignore so much pain during the fight was beyond me.
"Well, this is troublesome. First, let's make sure you drink a potion to keep your stamina up," Ava said, retrieving a potion.
But of course, the potion only replenished stamina—healing injuries was the domain of recovery magic. Unfortunately, there was no one among us who could wield such magic. Perhaps someone should learn healing magic for the future.
"Consider this a special service. Given what's ahead, it's better for you to be at full strength."
With that, the golden-haired avatar of the "Apostle of Gems" cast a healing spell on me. The advanced recovery magic worked swiftly, and the pain in my ribs vanished in an instant.
Not just me, but Ava, Miba, and Trinity also received healing magic. Though Ava and Miba weren't as badly injured as we were.
"Even with a group of us, to inflict such injuries... Perhaps I underestimated you."
"Huh? What do you mean by 'group embodiment'?"
"Well, when facing the main body of the 'Apostle of Gems,' we release embodiments, but since they come out as a group, their powers are slightly diminished. A single embodiment patrolling the labyrinth can exhibit superior performance."
...Seriously? They were holding back?
"However, it seems Miba was also restraining her true capabilities," she added. I glanced at Miba, who, for a moment, broke her usual impassive expression to smile faintly.
"...This is your quest. I merely offered some support."
Sure, I suppose that's true. But if she unleashed her S-class abilities, this would be over in no time.
"Nonetheless, it doesn't change the fact that you've cleared the 'Apostle of Gems.' I shall bestow upon you the proof of the G Apostle," she said, raising her hand as a radiant light burst forth. In response, the necklace around her neck, bearing the Apostle's proof, began to glow softly. As the proof was revealed, just like the S emblem, the G emblem shimmered with color.
According to "The Apostle of Beginnings," G's testimony is supposed to possess special abilities. When I asked the blonde about it, she seemed surprised.
"Ah, you know about the special skills? ...Unfortunately, I can't disclose that information. If you're really curious, you'll have to experiment on your own," she replied, for some reason refusing to explain the details of the special skills.
Well, she did give me a hint: "Please remember our shared gem."
"Now, next up is the underground maze with the 'Apostle of the Labyrinth.' Miba-san, can you guide us?"
"...Yeah, leave it to me. It's just up ahead."
...Huh? Just up ahead?
Now that I think about it, the blonde had mentioned something about "considering what comes next." When I glanced at her, she answered, somewhat exasperated.
"The 'Apostle of the Labyrinth,' also known as the Minotaur, is stationed as a guardian at the entrance to the underground maze. There is indeed an entrance here, but naturally, the 'Apostle of the Labyrinth' is waiting there too. And the Minotaur guarding this entrance is the real 'Apostle of the Labyrinth.' So, after following me, you'll have to engage in continuous combat with the actual 'Apostle.' I'll at least provide some aftercare."
Wait, what!? I wasn't prepared for this, Miba-san! No, she did mention the Minotaur guarding the entrance to the underground maze!
There's an entrance right next to the core of the "Apostle of Gems," and I wasn't informed that the core of the "Apostle of the Labyrinth" is there too!
"...Did I not mention that?"
Mihira says this with her usual impassive expression, as if nothing were amiss.
...Come on, Mihira.
"What do you want to do, Suzanne? Should we dive into the underground labyrinth or head back to the nearby town to regroup?"
"I'd prefer to go back and rest for a bit. Continuous battles are exhausting. Plus, facing the core of the 'Apostle of the Labyrinth' is probably just as tough, right?"
Ava suggests that we take a break, and Trinity echoes her sentiment.
With back-to-back fights against the core, it would indeed be brutal. However, if we decide to return to the town—whether it's Cobalt Blue or somewhere else—it'll take at least a full day round trip, including rest, won't it?
"...I'm fine with either option. It's still Golden Week in the real world, so we have plenty of time."
Mihira reassures us that she will stick around. Even so, I hesitate to keep her held up for too long...
After some thought, I reach a conclusion.
"Alright, let's dive into the underground labyrinth."
"Ugh... I figured you'd say that, Suzanne. You're just going to insist on rescuing Yuki as soon as possible, right?"
"I'll follow your lead, Suzanne, but don't forget to escape if things go south."
"...Got it,"
Naturally, Trinity started to complain. Ava, however, typically doesn't oppose my suggestions. As for Miba, I can't quite grasp her motivations, but since she has graciously offered to help us, it shouldn't be an issue to keep things moving quickly.
"Then, I'll take my leave now. Suzanne, Ava, Trinity—if you have any troubles, feel free to come to me anytime. I'm here to lend a hand whenever you need it."
"...In other words, the main body on the surface is bored and wants someone to talk to," Ava added.
"Hey! Miba, don't say such ridiculous things!"
Ah, it's true that nobody here knows the main body of the "Apostle of Gems" is right here. Given that situation, it must indeed be rather bored, especially since it has a personality—it would naturally seek out conversation. The blonde fragment of the "Apostle of Gems" grumbled at Miba and vanished, absorbed back into the main body's rock.
We then made our way to the entrance of the underground maze.
◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇
Snow and Miba's steed, Sleipnir, waited above ground. We instructed Snow and the others to stay by the rock until we returned, and then we approached a massive boulder nearby. Although it seems odd to compare it to the Rock Mineral Stone, this boulder was still quite large, towering at about three meters.
Facing the massive boulder, Miha began to chant what seemed to be a spell. It was the same incantation she had used on the boulder that concealed the entrance to the underground labyrinth. After listening closely, I learned that one must possess sufficient strength to enter this labyrinth; thus, the Adventurers' Guild keeps the spell for unlocking the entrance secret until the adventurer reaches the appropriate rank. Similarly, the spell for accessing the underground city is also withheld until one is deemed capable of exploring the Central Ruins. Although, it's puzzling why Ava knew the spell for the underground city in the first place.
With Miha's chant, a door materialized on the boulder, and we descended into the depths. After a while down the staircase, a large door loomed before us once more.
"...This is the room where the Minotaur, the Guardian of the Labyrinth—'Apostle of the Labyrinth, Labyrinth'—awaits," she said. "Are you ready?"
We nodded, though I noticed Trinity looked somewhat dissatisfied. As we stepped through the door, we found ourselves in a room as large as a gymnasium. In the center sat a massive figure, a muscular man with horns emerging from his head. That had to be the true form of the 'Apostle of the Labyrinth.'