(Please add it to your Library! Please send Power Stones! Thank you!
For more chapters, visit my patreon.com/LazySeeker)
---
Transforming into a critter did not affect Balor's defenses. Even if he wasn't at a high enough level, it was difficult for anyone—hero or not—to leave significant scars on it.
In fact, the weapon barely even made a spark against its woolly body.
However, after just a few seconds in its sheep form, Balor returned to its original state.
The expedition team's coordination, however, was flawless. Kennen, who had been waiting in the distance, activated the [Slicing Maelstrom] as soon as Balor resumed his true form.
Countless bolts of pale lightning struck down on Balor's head. It raised his hand instinctively to shield itself, but its paralyzed body was unable to mount an immediate counterattack.
The front-liners, who had perfectly drawn its aggro, began to fade back as planned, while the mage team at the rear finally began to unleash their magic.
With such a powerful mage team casting spells at the same time, it was almost as though the gods themselves had blessed the attack. The sight nearly brought tears to Balor's eyes.
The giant body was completely engulfed by a barrage of spells, and this time, even its screams weren't as loud as before.
Though the assault left it looking disheveled, Balor was still far from being defeated.
At that moment, in the rear camp, Haruhime had already prepared her chants. Countless golden rays poured into Gnar's body.
Gnar, temporarily breaking through to LV6, felt a surge of power coursing through him.
He let out an excited roar as his red fur began to grow thicker and wilder.
In an instant, his small form dashed forward, and his pupils disappeared beneath his growing fur.
"GNAR!"
"Wild Growth!"
The roar of Gnar's transformation echoed in sync with Lulu's high-pitched voice.
The [Wild Growth]power made Gnar's body increase dramatically, with his massive head now towering over Balor's.
With his peak LV5 strength combined with the giant boost from his transformation, Lulu's wild growth, the enhancement of various skills, and the level-up of Haruhime [Magic Mallet], Gnar's strength now approached LV7!
And with his size now almost rivaling Balor's, Gnar felt bold enough to challenge the floor master head-on.
'Now, who is the real floor master?'
With a swipe of his massive hand, Gnar sent Balor's head spinning, the force of the blow so strong that a sharp "click" echoed through the air.
It was the first time since becoming a floor master that Balor had been struck so hard.
It now understood: a group of insidious adventurers had broken into its domain, blind its eyes, and summoned a whole army to beat it up.
But it didn't matter—it believed a little time would allow it to recover from this minor injury.
That is, until he got slapped.
Balor seemed to have lost its focus, not even bothering to retaliate immediately. It seemed the psychological blow of being struck so hard by someone so much smaller had broken its concentration.
But Gnar, who was full of newfound energy, didn't care about such things. It was as if he had been injected with a stimulant, and he immediately followed up by hammering a fist, like a massive boulder, into the spot he had just slapped.
The punch sent Balor's head spinning completely around.
The huge body, unable to withstand the force, collapsed like a leaning building, crashing to the ground with a thunderous impact.
Gnar, with no sense of mercy, pressed down on Balor's vulnerable body, delivering blow after blow to the giant's head.
As the saying goes, when you strike someone, you avoid hitting the face—but not in this case. Gnar specifically targeted the face, relentlessly pounding away.
Not only could Balor not recover from its injuries, but its face was now completely smashed in.
The battle dragged on, but with the combined effects of magic and abilities, Gnar finally ended Balor's rough and short life.
When the enormous magic stone appeared, Gnar returned to his normal size.
"Well… you guys did a good job," Riveria said, approaching as the battle ended.
However, there was something strange in the way she looked at Gnar. This child was usually quite lively, but she hadn't expected him to be so violent at his core.
She made a mental note to discipline him later.
It was a pity, though, that Gnar had never learned to speak since being summoned.
Yordles were known to be quite intelligent, and usually, it didn't take much effort to learn a language.
Riveria had even made sure to have the family members teach him, but Gnar just couldn't pick it up. It seemed his mind wasn't focused on learning to speak.
"Alright, this expedition is over. Everyone, pack up and get ready to head home!" Riveria declared, bringing the event to a close.
The family members were immediately filled with excitement.
While expeditions were great for gaining strength, who wouldn't want to return home? Especially those like Ahri, who had grown weary of grinding monsters.
Each day had felt more like a monotonous grind, an advanced map for leveling up rather than an actual expedition.
Finally able to return, Ahri flashed a genuine smile.
——
Meanwhile, after the expedition group set off, Sol took Alfia to Valoran for their honeymoon, as was customary. Alfia, having spent so much time in Ionia, now longed for a slower-paced life, and Sol was more than willing to open portals for her each day.
Initially, Alfia had worried that the guild might target him for using the portal so often, but now, that was the last thing on her mind.
On the other side, in a quiet alley in Orario, a blue ribbon fluttered in the wind.
"How could this happen? Why doesn't any child from the lower realms want to join my Hestia Familia?" Hestia grumbled as she walked down the street.
Not long ago, she had been thrown out by her close friend Hephaestus after spending two months eating and drinking at her home. The Goddess of Craftsman had finally reached the end of her patience.
As night approached, Poppy, who had just returned from Ionia, met Sol in the lounge.
"You said Hestia is already in the lower realm? Are you sure?"
"Yes, I saw her at Lord Hephaestus' residence, though it seems she's been there for a while now."
Poppy nodded in confirmation.
At the time of the expedition, Poppy had been too busy forging advanced equipment to join the expedition, which is why Riveria hadn't called on her. Her passion for forging, combined with her apprenticeship under Hephaestus, meant that she and Tsubaki had developed a strong personal relationship.
The Sol Familia lacked a partner for communication and practice, which made Poppy enjoy spending her free time learning and exchanging ideas with Tsubaki and Hephaestus.
Over time, the bond between the two families had grown even closer.