Chapter 579: The Worst Combination

“Since I’ve already reached the Twenty-First Defense Tower before, I will take point.”

“No need. We have a detailed map up to there. Let Sariel scout ahead.”

“Are you dissatisfied with my guiding?”

“Sariel has the keenest instincts among us. You should stay in the middle and cast concealment support spells. It’s best to avoid unnecessary fights.”

“I agree… but I also pride myself on my instincts. If Sariel proves duller than I am, I’ll switch positions.”

“Of course. You stay behind and observe Sariel’s performance.”

Fiona spoke with calm confidence. Though inwardly irked, Nelle nodded—better to judge everyone’s true ability in combat than argue beforehand. Even Fiona herself would have to prove her worth in action.

Once, as a mere healing priest, Nelle’s Rank-5 title felt unearned. But no longer: she had mastered ancient jujutsu, fought monsters, and carried her team safely to the Twenty-First Defense Tower. Now, this tiny party of three Rank-5 adventurers would test their mettle against Avalon’s deadliest dungeon. If they faltered worse than before, they’d learn how much they truly lacked.

“Ikhmād sawt hādiʾ—‘Silence Field’!”

Fiona wove powerful concealment magic around them as they slipped through Avalon’s great black gate. Beyond it lay the intact streets of the ancient city, the sky now a blood-red arcane dome.

“No sign of enemies. Moving on.”

Sariel advanced without hesitation, as if she’d lived here. With only a glance, she plotted the shortest route to a vast palace-like building—one linked by massive underground tunnels.

But inside that palace, Sariel suddenly halted, looking left and right. The layout confused even her. Nelle stepped forward to help.

“Found it.”

Ignoring Nelle, Sariel strode to a great mural carved into the wall: a perfectly preserved map of the palace and its tunnels. Nelle marveled as Sariel explained coolly:

“This is like a subway station map. Our platform is number eleven.”

“Subway… platform?” Nelle frowned.

“She knows what this place truly is,” Fiona whispered. “Sariel’s an Outsider—she’s seen other worlds where such things exist.”

Nelle fell silent and followed Sariel down the corridor. At last they reached a vast underground hall where many tunnels converged.

“No cover in there; if we meet enemies, we defeat them swiftly.”

Nelle and Fiona exchanged looks. Then Sariel plunged into the nearest tunnel.

“Surprisingly well-lit,” Fiona noted. Glowing panels overhead still functioned.

They ran in formation—no need for stealth, speed was their cloak. As they rounded a bend:

“Enemy contact. Breaking through!”

Sariel surged forward. Nelle echoed, “Wind Blades—Hail Blast!”

Fiona’s cyclone of wind blades carved a path through the choking purple gas—created by two “Poison-Fog Troopers” wielding funnel-shaped staves—clearing a corridor of deadly toxin straight toward Sariel.

“Wind Shield—Silence Field!”

Nelle cast her shield, too, dispelling the gas in a wide arc so Fiona could pass safely.

Ahead, Sariel had already charged the remaining knights: three standard-issue armored undead, and the two poison-fog troopers downed. Sariel thrust her black cross-spear through one, then another.

“Quite skilled,” Nelle called—but the knights counterattacked her instead. Nelle met them head-on.

“Haah!”

Her Dragon-Claw strike shattered a heavy spearhead, then she drove her fist—infused with ancient white-dragon magic—through the knight’s chestplate, obliterating him in an explosion of steel.

The last knights bore down on Fiona, who unleashed—
“Ignis Overblast!”

A blazing jet of fire filled the narrow tunnel behind Nelle and Sariel. The surviving knights had nowhere to run.

“…Well done, Fiona.”

“Just standard procedure.”

Nelle frowned at Fiona’s understatement—but with three foes down in an instant, Fiona needed do nothing more than sprint past the flames.

Thus, the trio swept through the first guard line: Sariel’s fearless vanguard, Nelle’s whirlwind assault, and Fiona’s roaring conflagration. Together, this worst combination made short work of the tunnel’s defenders—and pressed on deeper into Avalon’s darkest depths.