Anis ran straight at the Cerberus, no hesitation, a confident grin on her face. Her magic blade lit up as she swung, cutting into the beast's thick hide with each hit.
The Cerberus roared in anger, all three of its heads snapping at her. Shadows clung to its large body as it lunged, trying to smash her with brute force.
Anisphia didn't even flinch. She ducked under one of the heads and landed a clean strike on its shoulder. The Cerberus let out a growl, pulling back slightly from the pain.
Above, Kokabiel's grin faltered. His checks twitching at the surreal sight of a young girl playing around with a beast 10 times larger than her.
"Wha..." he muttered, watching with a mix of surprise and annoyance. "What kind of monster did they set loose?"
Everyone, both friend and foe, paused. Even those outside maintaining the barriers or fighting alongside Hajime's team were caught off guard. Anisphia, known for her cheerful and carefree attitude, had just shown strength, skill, and ability far beyond what anyone expected from her.
"Is she actually holding her own against a divine beast?" Kiba murmured.
Griselda kept her gaze on Anisphia. "That's some real technique."
Irina smiled and clapped once. "She's amazing!"
Back with the main group, Hajime had already lowered his weapon, watching Anisphia with an exasperated expression.
Alice, preparing her support spells, shook her head slightly. "She's really going all in again.""
"She's enjoying this way too much," Hajime added, affectionately.
Anisphia charged again, her dragon-seal-enhanced strength flaring. She sidestepped another of the Cerberus' massive lunges, her blade plunging deep into its flank with a sound like splitting stone. pyro exploded outward from the wound, sending the monstrous beast stumbling backward with a shriek.
Still grinning wildly, Anisphia twirled her blade once in a playful flourish.
"Come on, puppy!" she called out teasingly. "Show me your fangs!"
The once mighty Cerberus let out a small whine, a flicker of fear visible in its eyes. And the one who caused it? Anisphia, smiling sweetly and looking so proud that Hajime quietly thought, 'Yep, that's a solid 10 out of 10 for sheer cuteness.'
-----
Back at Azazel and Vali's side, the two who are observing the battle from the rooftop near the academy.
Azazel whistled low under his breath, eyes wide with rare admiration. "She's fighting Cerberus, a genuine divine beast, not just keeping up but taking the lead, with nothing but her martial abilities."
Vali's sacred gear appeared from his back. The Divine Dividing, one of the thirteen Longinus, also known as White Dragon Emperor's Light Wings.
"That girl... it's a little far but I can sense it," Albion's voice rang. "There is an aura of a dragon coming out from her."
Vali's eyes narrowed. "A dragon?"
"Not just any dragon. It is on the Dragon King level of power." Albion added.
That made both Vali and Azazel pause.
Azazel leaned forward, his casual look gone. "You're saying that ball of sunshine down there... has an aura on par with a Dragon King?"
"Yes," Albion replied. "Hoewever, she is definitely human. No dragon blood. Not even an aura from a different race. Just a human with a dragon's presence."
Vali stayed quiet for a moment, watching Anisphia. His look changed, less cautious, more curious.
"Hajime Nagumo's group," he said under his breath, "really is something else."
-----
Back to Hajime's side.
As Anisphia basked in the thrill of her battle against the Cerberus, Valper Galilei, hidden behind the layers of magic surrounding the ritual altar, narrowed his beady eyes.
Seeing the momentum slip further from their grasp, Valper hissed in irritation and turned toward Freed, who was idly watching the battle with a mad grin.
"Freed!" Valper barked. "Get the Excalibur Blessing from that woman! We need it to complete the reforging!"
Freed's grin widened to manic proportions. "Roger that, old man! Hehehe... time for a little souvenir hunt!"
With a mad cackle, Freed darted away, his corrupted Excalibur glints ominously as he made his move toward Griselda, whose focused on guarding the strike team's flanks.
Sensing the shift in the battlefield, Alice raised her hand, her emblem pulsing with a soft, ethereal glow. Complex magical formations bloomed at her fingertips, of strengthening and protective spells.
Threads of light shot toward Anisphia, wrapping her with power, enhancing her agility, defense, and attack power. At the same time, Hajime calmly flicked a hydro infusion into the Cerberus, subtly altering the beast's movements. Hyrdo element covers its body, making its balance slip, its movements sluggish, perfect for Anisphia to exploit elemental reactions.
Without exchanging a word, Hajime and Alice tilted the tide further in Anis' favor.
Seeing her best partner's efforts, Anisphia grinned wider, the dragon seal on her back flaring with energy. Channeling the accumulated magic from Alice's blessings and with Hajime's hydro infusion at the Cerberus, she overloaded her Celestial Magic blade with the full might of her pyro element.
The blade shone like a star, vibrating with overwhelming force.
With a battle cry filled with giddy exhilaration, Anisphia dashed forward at blinding speed. The Cerberus barely had time to react before Anisphia struck a single, perfect slash.
A hurricane of pryo, anemo, and hydro exploded outward from the impact point. The Cerberus shrieked in agony as the combined elements shattered its defenses and sent its massive body crashing backward, a smoking crater forming where it had stood.
When the mist faded, the battlefield was silent.
Anisphia twirled her blade once triumphantly, resting it on her shoulder with a mischievous smile. "Puppy... playtime's over."
The ground remained frozen for a breathless moment, everyone stunned at the sight of the downed Cerberus.
Kokabiel wasn't able to hide his shocked expression. "She took down a divine beast... alone?"
Anisphia toss a carefree wink toward their side before bouncing back into formation, ready for whatever insanity came next.
But just as the group began to settle into the afterglow of their small victory, a sharp shriek tore through the air. Freed, moving like a deranged viper, had closed in on Griselda during the chaos. With a maniacal laugh and a flash of light, he slashed at her defenses, catching her off-guard.
Griselda reacted instantly, but not quickly enough. Freed's corrupted Excalibur crackled as he lunged, snatching the Excalibur Blessing from her grasp.
"Hehehe! Got it!" Freed cackled triumphantly, holding the sacred blade aloft like a stolen trophy.
Griselda stumbled back, her teeth gritting in frustration as she steadied herself. The surrounding allies whirled to face him, their expressions darkening.
Freed grinned like a madman, waving the blade mockingly. "You losers were too busy gawking at Miss Shiny over there! Thanks for the free gift!"
And with that, he darted back toward Valper, the Excalibur fragment flashing ominously in the corrupted air.
Valper, hunched over the elaborate ritual circle pulsing with mana from the leylines, sneered as Freed approached.
"Place it," Valper barked sharply. "All the Excalibur fragments must be positioned within the circle to complete the reforging."
Freed cackled and tossed the Excalibur Blessing onto the ritual pedestal, along with the Excalibur he is using, trembling with unstable energy. As the final piece joined them, the entire circle flared with ominous light, ritual the re-forging of Excalibur has entered the final stage.