Feeling a damp breeze, we walked through the cave to a grassy field covered in short-legged grass. Looking around, I could see a lake a short walk away.

　It was a different time of day from the Ochiyang Beach, just as the sun was about to set. Igarashi-san walking in front of her is looking around her - after all, this labyrinth seems to have too much atmosphere for her. Suzuna, while being concerned about such Igarashi-san, turns her gaze to the dusk-tinted lake and says

''Is it the time of the meeting........? It looks like that kind of time.''
I wonder which is less fortunate, the Midnight Sun...

　Igarashi-san is taking Suzuna's arm - Misaki is smiling at that. In terms of guts, the gambler is more set in his ways.

'If the inside of that lake was your destination, would you be diving again?
You can't go underwater in this dark, it was a resort before, but you don't know what's out there.
''It's true ... you never know what kind of demons are lurking in the labyrinth's watering hole.

　The "merciless decapitation" we encountered in "The Beach of the Falling Sun" also appeared suddenly out of the sea. I couldn't help but wonder if the same kind of big fish would come out of the water.

'From what I've seen in the archives book, water snakes are the strongest enemy, but they don't seem to appear very often. I heard that the best way to get to the second level is to go around from the west of the lake.
'You've written that we should avoid the route to the east. Is it difficult to get close to that direction... or are there circumstances that prevent you from getting into the material? With that in mind, though, it seems worth exploring.

　Elitia and Seraphina will give you the information they have researched beforehand. To get to the west or the east, to get to the two tiers, you need to choose which one you want to go to first.

''..........''

　Theresia has also been looking at the East for a while now, so she has some ideas.

''........Right. Suzuna, how about using the 'oracle' here?
'You mean the oracle might be able to tell us where we're going? Okay, I'll give it a try.
'Oh........Suzu-chan is growing more and more as a miko......will she eventually level up to a super miko?'
If you meet the requirements, it may change into something called a higher-level position, so that's a possibility.

　The vanguard Seraphina-san turns around and answers Misaki's light-hearted comment. When it comes to high level positions, I wonder what they would be in my case. I don't even know if it exists.

　No one has ever explicitly stated that they are a high level position, but I wonder if I've met one or more of them. The ones who seem to have potential are Dylan-san and Kuzelka-san, the 5th district commander.

''Aricht-san, we're ready to go,''

　Suzuna had activated 'Heaping Salt' and was drawing a kind of camp by scattering salt on the ground. It wasn't part of the requirements, but it seemed to be a maneuver to borrow the power of the gods.

　When I nodded, Suzuna prayed once and then clasped her hands together with a bread.

　◆Current Situation ◆
　Suzuna activates the oracle, and receives a revelation from Ariadne.

　--Blessed are those who have lost their way. I will point you to the path to follow.

　The voice of Ariadne seemed to be heard by everyone in the party. And Suzuna pointed in the direction of the east as if to show Ariadne's will.



　I can hear Ariadne's voice. Her discipline in explaining to me what happened has always helped me.

''Well I guess that means that thanks to Suzuna, I can now borrow Ariadne's newfound strength.
'There are aspects of my divinity that I cannot control. What kind of changes will occur when my faith value increases, what kind of phenomena can I cause? I do not even know what powers I will have after I collect the parts, at present. The relevant memories are lost.''

　Loss - I remember Ariadne saying that she was 'discarded'.

'I don't know if my memories will return, but as we grow up, Ariadne will regain her former strength... and I hope we can do that.'
'If there's a consequence associated with the party's actions that brings me something, I'd like to reward it,'

　The subtleties of emotion are beginning to show in the words and actions of Murakumo and Alfeca. That's how I felt, but Ariadne also seems to have changed from when I first met her.

''Rear-kun, what are you going to do?　Do you want to try to follow the 'oracle'?
Yes, let's go east. Guys, let's be careful out there.
""Yes!"
Bow!

　Along with everyone else, Sion replies and starts advancing through the front row with Serafina-san.

　When I used the "Support Elevation" once, Igarashi-san, who was about to walk, straightened her spine and looked back at me to brace herself. It's okay, apparently.

I'll spray Brave Mist on you guys. It's just a precaution,
'Oh, that's your sister Kyouka's s*xy parfum!
Well, it's not really that kind of skill, but...

　Igarashi-san shyly activates 'Brave Mist'. The mist disappears as it envelops everyone in the party - this prevents 'fear' for once.

　As expected, will the demon that gives you the 'fear' status disorder come out - as we walk along the lakeside, the grass underfoot gradually becomes taller and taller.

''Huh........Nah, something bird-like took off, is that it?''
Misaki, do you want to hold my hand?
'Yeah, I'll connect. How about you, Kyouka-sister?
'Oh, you know ... you need to be a little more nervous, this is the Fifth Ward ...'

　Before Igarashi-san could finish saying that.

　I feel a sense of discomfort without any warning, but never able to overlook it.

(Even Theresia's 'Searching Expansion 1' can't detect it.......even with my 'Eagle's Eye'. The labyrinth of the fifth district.......is it difficult to prevent the enemy's first move......!

　Current Situation
　'? invokes "Cold Hand".
　Theresa" activates "Alert 1".
　Theresia activates Shadow Step → avoids Cold Hand.

Huh...!
What the hell is going on?

　Theresia evades the attack, leaving a lingering shadow - a vague, translucent figure that has been set up.

'Madoka, stay hidden for a moment!
Yes, sir.

　I instruct Madoka, who was accompanying me at the back of the line, to use 'Hide'. My assistance only applies to party members, and since I need to use 'Other Assist' against the ninth Madoka, there will be a time lag when the time comes.

　If that's the case, it's better to have them stay hidden and wait for a chance to join the battle in some way so that Madoka can also gain experience.

''--Rearly-kun!
Huh...!

　Sleeplessly, I stood in total hair - I reflexively jumped up into the air after receiving Igarashi-san's warning.

　Immediately after, something jumps out from the ground towards me. The translucent something - in order to shake off that unidentified sign, I activated the power of the 'Prajna's shin splints'.

　◆Current Situation ◆
　'? invokes 'Body Swap'.
　Arihito activates "Jump from a Boat" → avoids "Body Swap".
　'? Identify the identity of the ? → "Ice Remnant A

　When I fly like a kick in the air, something like a translucent haze cleaves the place I was in all at once - from the name displayed on the license, it's probably a spirit system demon.

(Body swap.........you don't think it's going to take over my body?　I'm not kidding...!

'Everybody watch out for the foot traffic!　That's not one of them... misaki, jump!
And jump... oh, my God!
Ahhhh!

　Current Situation
　Ice Remnant B" activates "Body Swap".
　Emergency Removal" is activated by "Sion" → Target: "Misaki
　Misaki avoids 'body swap'


　Sion ran and jumped up, dexterously carrying Misaki on his back as he ran past. The next moment, a different 'Ice Remnant' from the one that attacked me from the ground attacked me.

''--The enemy isn't just under the ground!　Teresa!
Huh...!

　Current Situation
　'? invokes "Scary Breeze".
　Theresia activates Shadow Step and avoids Scary Breeze.

　Suddenly, a dumb figure appeared behind Theresia and spat out something like gas - Theresia managed to avoid it, but her movements slowed down as she activated the skill in succession.

　Scary or something like that, Scary must have meant. Does it mean that they will set up a standard state abnormality for this kind of enemy?

''--I won't let them........!

　Current Situation
　Elitia activates "Sonic Raid".
　Elitia activates "Slash Ripper" → "? Disabled

d*mn it...!

　Physical attacks can't get through to spirit enemies. Elitia must have known that, but it was an action to keep Theresia from chasing her down.

　--But the moment Elitia's attack was evaded, a blur tangled in her sword.

　◆Current Situation ◆
　'? Invisible Conjuring" → "Elitia's Blossom Blade" is sealed

This is a blockade..........

　Elitia raises her voice. To be able to block a technique with the greatest power for her - it's only a threat if the enemy who uses such a technique at the first sight is going to come out as a matter of course.

(How to break through this situation........if it's a magic bullet.......!

　I do a 'eight boat jump' and then flip over and aim my sling at the Moya-like figure of the enemy that penetrated Elitia's attack.

''-- Stop!

　Current Situation
　Aricht activates a force shot stun → '? hitting on　
　'? Identify the identity of the ? → "Altergast
　Altergast" is stun-reduced.

(Magic bullets can get through........but with the enemies in the fifth district, they can only deliver a small amount of blows. And the duration of the stun is only for a moment.......!

　When we land, we check the information on the demons. Apparently three of them are all of them, but it seems that we can't get information on all of their resistance.

　Demons encountered ◆.
　Ice Remnant A Level 10 Physical Disabled, Weakness Unknown Drop: ?
　Ice Remnant B Level 10 Physical Invalidated Weakness Unknown Drop: ?
　Altergast Level 11 Physical Invalidated Weakness Unknown Drop: ?

　Weaknesses unknown. We don't know what attributes are effective due to physical invalidation - no.

　◆Current Situation ◆
　Arihito's Eagle's Eye is activated, and his ability to grasp the situation is improved.

　Although I wasn't able to detect any weaknesses due to the Eye of the Hawk's effect, I did learn one thing: Suzuna, who was in close proximity to Misaki, was not the target of the attack.

　Suzuna, who is in close proximity to Misaki, is not the target of the attack.

''-- Suzuna, put a 'word' on me!

　The 'priestess' has many skills to counter the enemies of the spirit body. Although it's a common image, it's a way to oppose the ghosts, but it's a way to borrow the divine power.

　However, the moment you call out that, the enemy's target switches to Suzuna. I was trying not to touch the "miko", but if she moves, it means that she will be stopped - the two "ice remnants" stop anyone who tries to approach, and the other spirit body aims at Suzuna.

''Suzuna-chan........!

　Current Situation
　Altergast" invokes "Rustilation".
　Kyouka activates Blink Step → Disabled against Rustilation

Ah..........!
Igarashi-san...!
Kyouka-san!

　The color of the enemy like a haze changes to peach-colored - Igarashi-san's evasion skills don't work, and the enemy slips through her body.

　◆Current Situation ◆
　Kyouka is in a special state of flux. psychic disorder

'Ugh ... uh ... ah ...'

What's happening... no, we have to take out the enemy first...!

　The peach-colored blur turns to a poisonous purple next - the one I'm aiming for is Suzuna.

　But I was close to her, and I was within range of the effects of the 'Word Spirit'.

''O divine character who casts out the evil one, let your power dwell here!

　Current Situation
　Suzuna activates Spirit of the Word → Sacred attribute added to Aricht's weapon

　Along with Suzuna's words, white letters appear on the weapon I possess.

　And the moment I pull the sling, the magic power I consumed from the previous shot returns. It had an effect on everyone ahead of me like 'support recovery'.

　◆Current Situation ◆
　Arihito activates Tactical Reload and all party members recover their magic power.

　The amount of magic power I consumed in 'Force Shoot Stun' is restored. The sensation of that effect propagating to all of us - it's as if I'm loading up all of my party members with magic power (reload).

Everyone, 'support'!

　Current Situation
　Arihito activates 'Support Attack 2' → Support: 'Force Shoot Stun'.
　Arihito activates 'Support and Control 1' and can guide party members to their targets.

"Arihito........tell me which enemy to aim at........
Okay Elitia, Theresa, Suzuna, we're going to set up!
"Yes!
.....
Brother, I'm ready too!

　Seraphina, who was provoking the 'Ice Remnant' in front and attracting one of them, was unable to join the attack. Misaki got down from Sion and held the 'Clown Demon Tag' at the ready.

　Unlike normal, the magic bullets created when I pulled the sling are shining white - I aim at one of the enemies that I can see with my 'Eagle's Eye' and shoot a bullet at one of them.



　Current Situation
　Aricht activates a Force Shoot Stun → Altergast is hit.
　Elitia activates "Sonic Raid".
　Elitia activates Double Slash and hits Altergast.
　Elitia's additional attack is triggered, hitting Altergast.

Oh....oh...oh...oh...oh.

　With the effect of the 'Word Spirit' granted, the stun is no longer reduced and the enemy's counterattack is blocked - the coordination is still going on.

''Huh........!

　However, when Theresia was about to set up the third level of coordination, the nebulous figure of 'Altergast' 'wavered'.

　◆Current Situation ◆
　Altergast" activates "Alternative" → "Two choices" state

　Sensing the danger of this coordination, 'Altergast' interrupted the evasion skill - in front of Theresa's eyes, the figure of 'Altergast' was split in two.

　If you miss the attack, the coordination will be interrupted and you risk receiving a counterattack. The conditional abnormality granted by "Altergast" makes Igarashi-san unable to act even now.

　But Theresia is not frightened. The area around her hand shines brightly--I did indeed see the figure of a blue butterfly.

　◆Current Situation ◆
　Theresa activates the Butterfly Dance and increases the number of attacks.
　Theresia activates Azure Slash → ? Two Altergast hits, weaknesses, extended stun, third level linking technique.
　Altergast" is burning.

-What?
Ohhhh...!
Oh, please!

　Theresia dances and unleashes two blazing blue slashes almost simultaneously. The coordination is connected - 'Altergast' is frightened and the last Misaki throws a card with a shout.

　◆Current Situation ◆
　Misaki activates Joker of Ice → Gives Altergast a rage state and changes to an ice-attribute weakness.
　Linking Technique "Magic So-and-So Flame Tag" → Additional damage to "AlterGasto".
　Altergast activates Remnants of Ghosts.
　Altergast" moves into "Sarcophagus" mode.

　--Then I see a different scene in front of me.

　The moment I rejoiced that I had defeated Altergast, all of them froze like statues and were annihilated by the lakeside.

"--Reject, ghost...!

　Current Situation
　Seraphina activates "Aura Shield".
　Ice Remnant A" activates "Cold Hand".
　Seraphina activates Counter Tackle → Ice Remnant A is hit.
　・"Ice Remnant B" activates "Spell Quick" on "Altergast" → "Sarcophagus" activation time is reduced.

　Serafina-san uses her aura-covered shield to pop the 'Ice Remnant'. But I can't stop the movement of one more unit.

　But my hand is already moving. The new weakness created by Misaki's Demon Card, there is no choice but to exploit it.

　Activate Tactical Reload, prepare your sling as fast as you can, and release it.

'Freeze'!

　Current Situation
　Arihito activates Tactical Reload and restores all party members' magic.
　Aricht activates the Force Shoot Freeze.
　Altergast activates Sarcophagus. Sacrifice: 2 Ice Remnants.

　If one of them had been slightly earlier, the winner would have been determined at that point.

　The wavering figure of "Altergast" becomes bewitching. Immediately after, the gray gas is about to spread all at once - that moment.

　◆Current Situation ◆
　Force Shoot Freeze hits Altergast. Critical Double Vulnerability, Full Freeze, Stun.
　Sarcophagus' activation was suspended.
　Defeat two "Ice Remnants".
　Elitia's technique blockade is lifted.

In time...

　The magic bullets that gave the sacred attribute and carried the power of the 'Ice Remnant' froze the disembodied spirit enemy - a mass of blobs as tall as my height froze and became an ice statue.

　Then the two 'Ice Remnants' disappeared in a mist, and the magic stone fell to the ground. ''So 'Altergast' has used up their power and activated their skills?

''Haha, haha........''
Are you all right, Igarashi-san...!
Don't... don't... don't... come... to...
Even if you say so, Suzu-chan, wouldn't you be cured if you performed a purification on Kyouka-sister?
That's right, Suzuna, that skill...!

　Among the skills that Suzuna was able to learn was 'evil dispelling' - the effect should have been to reduce the state abnormality of losing control of the action.

''It's a gamble if it works, but if it's a state abnormality caused by a spirit enemy, perhaps...''
Yes, I'll try........

　Suzuna is trying to get the skill - but

　Everyone in the party is looking in the same direction.

　In the damp wind blowing by the lake, before I knew it, 'it' was standing - someone wearing a mask like a skull, wearing tattered clothes and carrying a sword.

"There's no indication that you encountered a demon... but...

　Obviously, the Qi that is directed towards us is not calm. Elitia puts her hand on the 'Scarlet Emperor's Sword' and takes a battle stance.

''It doesn't look like they're going to let us off the hook for free........Be careful, guys.
''Sion, take Igarashi-san away for a bit. Suzuna, try the 'evil spirits'.

　I'll give you instructions, but if we're stranded here for too long, it's too dangerous for the party to be dispersed - we have to get through this as quickly as possible.

　The five members who can fight are Seraphina-san, Elitia, Theresia, Misaki, and me. I'm sorry for Madoka, who is hiding, but I want to ask her for some recovery medicine after the battle.

　Even if it's five of us and one of us, we're still a tricky opponent to deal with. I couldn't help but feel that way when I saw the skull man standing eerily still.