The Author's POV

"Oof."

Liam felt his arm go numb as something struck them. He was barely able to react in time, and he felt himself being thrown toward the ground at an alarmingly rapid rate. The speed at which he was traveling was terrifying.

Boom—!

Just before he touched the ground, lightning crackled around him, and he was just barely able to twist his body and position himself in a way that helped him land on his feet rather than on his back.

Bang—!

The ground began to crack beneath him, and rocks began to fly past him.

'That was close.'

He thought, looking up at the bulky figure that the Pillar Mater of the House of Gluttony was.

After only a few encounters with her, he realized that he was no match for her. Without a doubt, she was one of the most powerful individuals he had ever faced.

Even so…

Bringing his hand toward his shirt, Liam clenched it and felt the beat of his heart.

Ba...Thump! Ba...Thump!

It was beating wildly.

Cracka. Cracka.

As lightning exploded all around him, he could feel excitement coursing through his entire body, and his grip on his sword became increasingly firm.

Boom—!

Another explosion went off above him, and the elven queen suddenly materialized directly above the Pillar Master. She had a complicated magic circle materialize on the top of her palm at the same time.

It glowed a green hue.

The surroundings started to twist, and long and thick vines erupted out of the magic circle, flooding the surroundings. The momentum carried all the way toward Princess Adephagia, who gazed at it with a serious expression.

She, too, couldn't take it lightly.

The attack was strong, and even Liam felt troubled by it.

But just as he thought the attack would land, Princess Adephagia suddenly opened her mouth.

WOOOOM—! As if there were a powerful vacuum inside of her mouth, the vines abruptly changed their direction and headed directly for her mouth as she swallowed them all at once.

"…"

The scene left Liam stunned. The sight... It most definitely wasn't the most pleasing to look at.

He was only able to concentrate on the scene for a short period of time before he became aware that the power that emanated from the Princess's body was beginning to increase.

"Not bad."

The Princess muttered, her gaze turning toward Liam.

'Not good!'

Craka! Cracka!

Immediately, Liam's expression changed as the lightning around him crackled even more fiercely, and he took two steps to the side.

sudden, the area where he had been standing exploded into

he gazed in the direction of where he previously stood before looking up at the Princess, who was

able to

soft, echoed powerfully

changed, and he

"Wait."

beside him and put her hand on his shoulder just as he was about to make a move.

"Don't attack."

was aware in advance who it was that had arrived beside him, and as a result, he was not surprised by her sudden

his head, he

"Why?"

you're not

magical circle materialized once more. This time, it was a lot more complicated

she was, and opened her

reaction didn't go unnoticed

noticed that she can absorb your

at Maylin

from the first time Princess Adephagia did it, so why was she doing it again? Did she really think that a more powerful

"I know."

it didn't seem like Maylin

"Then…"

"I'm just buying time."

"For?"

"For you."

it were the most

"Huh?"

he looked at

She explained further.

here. I'll attack her, and you can take that chance to leave. I'll buy you as much time as possible, so the moment

"Oh."

nodded his head, completely misinterpreting

leave, and attack her

"I see."

that

magic circle before her burst with power and headed directly for the demoness who was

her mouth, and the attack ended

"Go!"

pushed Liam from the back, and

Cracka! Cracka!

the spot and

even Maylin was unable to tell where he had gone. When she managed to spot him again, her expression changed

"This bastard!"

right behind the demoness, Liam thrust his sword

and a powerful hue suddenly burst

Princess, who was halfway through

Spurt!

a large gash appeared on the side of her abdomen. Black blood

that Liam cared, as lightning crackled around him, and he appeared right behind her, sword thrust directly

is in

to Maylin while thrusting his sword at her armpit.

the moment he appeared behind her, the very air around him started to

"huh? ...I missed?"

demoness turned

he wasn't lucky enough to dodge

Bang—!

"Ukh."

back a few paces, but before he even had a chance to catch his breath, as if something were sucking him in, he felt his body move, and before he knew it, he was standing in front