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.

of a sudden, the area where he had been standing exploded into smithereens, leaving

where he previously

were able to

soft, echoed powerfully in Liam's

and he pressed his hand against his sword,

"Wait."

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

"Don't attack."

his eyes, Liam was aware in advance who it was that had arrived

his head, he

"Why?"

you're not

extended her hand in front of her, a magical circle materialized once more. This time, it was a lot more complicated than the previous one, and the power that gathered toward it was

where she was, and opened her mouth as

didn't

you noticed that she can absorb

out while looking at Maylin with a strange

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

"I know."

didn't seem like Maylin was unaware

"Then…"

"I'm just buying time."

"For?"

"For you."

answered as if it were the most

"Huh?"

taken aback by her words, and he looked at her with an

She explained further.

hindrance if you're here. I'll attack her, and you can take that chance to leave. I'll buy you as much time

"Oh."

nodded his head,

attack her from

"I see."

that you

the magic circle before her burst with power and headed

headed in her direction, opened her mouth,

"Go!"

the back, and lightning

Cracka! Cracka!

the

he had gone. When she managed to spot him again, her expression changed

"This bastard!"

demoness, Liam thrust his

twisted, and a

was unlike any he had ever thrown, and the Princess, who was halfway through digesting the force of Maylin's attack, could only turn her body to dodge the

Spurt!

body, and a large gash appeared on the side of her abdomen. Black blood leaked down, and the Princess's expression

he

core is in

Maylin while thrusting his sword at her armpit. He wasn't as lucky

he appeared behind her, the very air around him started to twist, and his sword bent to

"huh? ...I missed?"

clear that his attack was going to miss, the demoness turned around and reached out with her

to react in time and dodge her large hand, but he wasn't

Bang—!

"Ukh."

were sucking him in, he felt his body move, and before he knew it,