"Charge straight in and kill our way through? Good. That’s a damn good idea!"

In truth, Elosha had already been thinking the same thing for a long time.

At this point, they already understood quite a bit about the Abyssfall Ruins, but they also knew that countless monsters infested the place.

There were even large numbers of Rank 8 monsters.

If they wanted to continue descending deeper, they either had to avoid these ruins entirely—which would mean losing access to huge amounts of information—

Or force their way in.

By now, it was already obvious that both the ruins and nests within Abyssfall hid major secrets.

If they simply left without investigating them, this entire trip would have been almost meaningless.

But if they charged inside...

Heh.

In Abyssfall, one could only descend.

Never ascend.

The moment they chose to slaughter their way forward, there would be no turning back. Escape would become impossible.

That was why Shumi and Elosha had been resting here.

Losing their mage in a situation like this had placed them at an enormous disadvantage.

But what could a warrior do?

Fight.

That was all.

And now, by sheer coincidence, they had encountered Kanzaki Rei. After exchanging information and discussing their respective missions, they arrived at the answer Elosha found most satisfying.

Kill.

Who cared about anything else?

Just kill!

ROAR—!

Before them, a gigantic tail smashed forward head-on!

It was a colossal black tail, larger than the sun itself. The instant it swung out, waves of black shock ripples spread through the air in expanding rings!

Every Rank 7 monster in the tail’s path exploded into dust the moment it was brushed by the shockwave!

Compared to that enormous tail, Elosha’s body was utterly insignificant.

Before it, she was like a speck of dust trying to oppose an entire planet.

Yet in that instant, the weapon in her hands shifted from a greatsword into a massive war axe.

"Way of Arms—Third Principle: Worldshaker!"

BOOM!

The gigantic axe came crashing down!

The unstoppable tail halted instantly mid-swing.

Then a streak of razor-like裂光 burst forth, racing along the length of the tail in an instant!

By the time anyone realized what had happened, Elosha was already dragging her colossal axe behind her—

Charging straight along the massive tail itself!

She had already reached the creature’s main body!

BZZZT—

But in the very next moment, countless blood-red curse sigils materialized out of thin air, wrapping themselves around Elosha’s body!

"GET LOST!"

Elosha roared furiously!

The curse marks shattered apart instantly under the force of her aura!

Through the fragments, she looked upward—

And saw a floating crimson phantom hanging in the sky.

<Heavenblood Curse Fiend>

A Rank 8 monster!

And there wasn’t just one Rank 8 monster here!

BOOM!

The instant the monster appeared, a silver dagger had already pierced through its body!

Alongside the dagger appeared Shumi’s figure.

"Sneaking attacks on my friends is kinda rude, nya~"

SLASH!

She yanked the dagger downward viciously!

A long, thin wound immediately appeared across the monster’s body.

At the same time, the creature’s weaknesses and attack patterns surfaced instantly within Shumi’s mind.

Level 8 Hunter.

The Hunter class used abundant experience, refined techniques, and meticulous preparation to overcome every battle.

Everyone in the world said that a prepared mage was the most terrifying class.

But in reality—

Given enough time to prepare—

The truly most terrifying class was Hunter.

However, as a Level 8 Hunter, Shumi no longer needed extensive preparation before every battle. Her observational abilities during combat already rivaled those of Observers at the same level.

"Elosha, six more are heading toward you, nya!"

SWISH!

Even as she transmitted the warning mentally, Shumi’s free hand had already begun sharpening her blade again.

FWOOOSH!

Silver water-flames ignited along the dagger’s edge!

<Rank 8 Hunting Technique: Weakpoint Execution — Once the target’s weakness is analyzed, immediately grants the weapon a temporary enchantment capable of striking that weakness, while amplifying the weakness effect itself.>

STABSTABSTABSTABSTAB!

Shumi moved at astonishing speed. The moment the enchantment was complete, her attacks exploded into a torrential barrage of strikes.

Before the monster could even make its next move, dozens of fresh holes had already been punched through its body!

Meanwhile below, Elosha’s giant axe had already carved through one-third of the enormous monster’s body in a single strike. The cut was perfectly smooth, the severed surface clean and flawless.

If that attack had landed inside the Solar System, it could probably have cleaved straight through every planet from Pluto to the Sun in one blow.

And despite all this—

Neither of them even seemed to be struggling.

In terms of raw strength, they were undeniably stronger than monsters of the same rank.

At the very least, far stronger than these obviously mass-produced abominations.

Elosha shattered the mutated blood mist enveloping her body with one swing of her axe, then instantly switched to sword-and-shield form to block the shadow lunging at her from behind.

Only then did she suddenly notice—

A man floating in midair with both arms crossed, watching intently.

"Hey!"

"You’re just gonna stand there and watch?!"

Elosha roared toward the sky!

"Yeah! You’re really just watching, nya?!"

SWISH!

Shumi’s body twisted through the air with feline agility, miraculously weaving through attacks as dense as a storm.

CLANGCLANGCLANGCLANG!

Even while dodging, she continuously clashed her dagger and claws against something invisible. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎

An unseen monster was ambushing her.

Kanzaki Rei smiled apologetically.

"Sorry. I’ve never seen a Level 8 class advancement battle before. It’s my first time."

"I got a little too absorbed watching."

"Guess I’ll help too."

Rei raised two fingers.

"Way of Azure—Third Principle: Causal Fate."

SWISH—

Shumi’s dagger, which had originally been raised only to parry, suddenly sliced across empty space—

PUCHI!

A long streak of silver-white blood sprayed outward.

That single slash had passed directly through the invisible monster’s brain, killing it instantly as though by miracle.

Meanwhile, Elosha had merely shifted posture and stepped backward.

But the moment her foot came down—

CRACK!

She accidentally stomped straight through the giant monster beneath her.

No one even knew what vital point she had stepped on.

They only sensed the creature’s life force rapidly draining away—

As though it had been casually crushed to death beneath a light step.

Causal Fate—

Rei had simply advanced the destined deaths of those two monsters to the present.

"These two count as your kills."

"The rest should belong to me."

"Sis Elosha, the weapon you used just now should’ve been a greataxe."

"Worldshaker... what an incredible Dao Manifestation Technique."

Rei clenched his right hand.

A blood-red giant axe condensed instantly into existence!

CLANG!

The summoned weapon solidified completely, becoming permanent equipment that would continue existing in reality.

At the same time, dozens of enchantments layered themselves onto the battle axe.

"Azure—Way of Arms: Third Principle."

"Worldbreaker."

Rei spun the battle axe in a violent arc—

Then smashed it straight into the void before him!

BOOOOOOM—!!!

The instant the strike landed, endless fractures exploded through space in every direction!

All the monsters filling the sky shattered apart together with the collapsing void!

Elosha’s pupils contracted violently.

She could instantly feel that every monster surrounding her had completely lost its life force.

That was her Dao Manifestation Technique.

Why could Kanzaki Rei use it?

And that power...

Elosha could feel it clearly.

The collapse of worlds.

The disintegration of all existence.

That strike undoubtedly contained her Dao—

Yet it also contained something beyond it.

A far higher realm.