The battle with the Clust Orb was proving to be a struggle. Its movements weren't exactly agile, and given its massive size, landing a hit wasn't particularly difficult in itself.
In fact, Erika’s arrows and magic were striking their mark with unerring accuracy. The problem was that the machine showed no signs of taking damage.
"Bolt Lance!"
She unleashed her magic once more, but the Clust Orb didn't even pause.
However, several rounds of attacks finally revealed the mechanism behind its defense.
"It’s deploying some kind of barrier," Erika observed.
Watching closely, she saw her Bolt Lance shatter and vanish the moment it struck, as if hitting an invisible wall. Considering that her physical arrows didn't trigger the same reaction, she surmised the barrier was specifically designed to neutralize magic and Astral power.
"Yeah," Vincent agreed. "Spells and techniques fueled by magic don't seem to have much effect."
"Then we’ll just have to hack the damn thing to pieces!"
No sooner had he spoken than Rainer charged forward to close the distance.
Switching to physical attacks was the right move. However, Erika’s arrows lacked the force to pierce that metallic plating; even physical strikes would be useless unless they carried extraordinary power.
Furthermore, while the Clust Orb was slow, multiple thick, wire-like appendages wriggled out from its body, serving as both weapons and a perimeter defense. This made approaching for a melee strike incredibly difficult. Indeed, Rainer struggled to find an opening and was forced to retreat.
"Damn, this thing is a pain to fight!"
It was a fair assessment. Against an opponent immune to magic, and with their tactical options limited, the chances of winning a solo engagement were slim.
Above all, Erika herself was a poor match for the Clust Orb. Had someone like Ventus or other party members been here instead, the situation might have been different. But she was the one standing there now, and she had to do whatever she could.
"Erika, how confident are you in the precision of your shooting?"
As she puzzled over a way forward, Vincent asked her a question, a potential strategy clearly forming in his mind.
"It depends on the target’s size and movement. What do you need me to hit?"
"Those wire appendages on the Clust Orb. Is it possible for you to deflect the ones that come for me?"
Erika could guess Vincent’s plan from that question. However, she had to provide a realistic assessment.
"I can deflect two with absolute certainty. Any more than that, and the probability of a miss goes up."
"No, that’s more than enough. Honestly, I didn't expect you to say you could handle multiple targets simultaneously."
From his tone, it seemed Vincent had only hoped she could manage one.
Based on Erika’s own intuition, two targets were a guaranteed hit. She could likely bring down three with about a ninety percent success rate, but once the number hit four, her precision would drop—and more importantly, she simply wouldn't be able to fire fast enough.
"Rainer."
"Y-Yes, sir!"
"You and I are going to rush the Clust Orb. I want you to handle any wires that Erika isn't able to deflect."
"Understood!"
"So, the plan is for us to clear a path so you can get close," Erika summarized.
"Exactly. Once I’ve closed the gap, I will finish it," Vincent stated firmly.
His declaration carried immense weight. Beyond his title as the Knight Order Commander, his unwavering composure exuded a powerful charisma. It wasn't just raw strength; he held his position because he possessed that rare quality that made others believe everything would be fine as long as he was there.
His presence was different from Harold’s, yet in some ways, they felt similar.
Vincent was hailed as a hero by the masses. His fame had spread beyond the Kingdom, reaching even the ears of those in foreign nations. Conversely, Harold’s reputation was the polar opposite; he would likely scowl in disgust if anyone called him a hero to his face. His familiar, grumpy expression flickered vividly in the back of Erika's mind.
But to Erika, Harold was undoubtedly a hero. Without him, she didn't want to imagine what would have happened to her, her family, and the people of the Sumeragi territory. The mere thought was terrifying.
"Ready?"
"Yes."
"Ready when you are!"
"Good. Then let’s begin!"
Vincent and Rainer dashed forward. As expected, the Clust Orb lashed out at them with four wires.
"Maple Blossom Whirl."
Three arrows were released in a single breath. In terms of pure power, it would usually be better to use techniques infused with magic, but Erika chose to fire pure physical arrows, knowing that magic would be neutralized.
However, a simple physical strike might lack the force to knock the heavy wires aside. To compensate for the lack of power and to maximize her precision, she used magic to remotely guide the arrows' trajectories. Erika judged that as long as the magical manipulation occurred before the moment of impact, the barrier wouldn't interfere.
That said, remote trajectory control was easier said than done; actually performing it was a feat that required years of dedicated practice.
(That takes care of three. Which means...!)
Mapping the positions of Vincent, Rainer, and the incoming wires with perfect clarity, she struck down all but the one wire that was easiest for Rainer to intercept.
The air rang with the screech of metal on metal. The three arrows slammed into their targets with pinpoint accuracy, diverting the wires and carving a path for the two men.
"Hyaaah!"
Rainer struck down the remaining wire with a single, heavy swing. Vincent surged past him, taking the lead.
The Clust Orb tried to deploy more wires to stop him, but it was a second too late.
Another metallic clang echoed as the wires were knocked off course. Erika’s second volley had struck home, a perfect execution of her previous feat.
Now, nothing stood between Vincent and the Clust Orb.
The ground groaned and splintered under the force of his step as he lunged forward. Using that leg as a pivot to generate massive momentum, Vincent unleashed a diagonal slash from above.
"Star-Dominating Stroke!"
It was a swing so fast it felt as though it had left sound behind. Since the barrier didn't trigger, the move was likely pure swordsmanship rather than a magic-infused technique.
The Clust Orb’s greatest threat was meant to be its iron-clad defense—the combination of its sturdy shell and the magic barrier. Yet, with a single strike, Vincent bisected the machine. It collapsed into two pieces with a heavy, final thud.
His greatsword was a size larger than the ones Harold or Rainer used. Erika was stunned by the sheer physical strength required to swing such a massive blade at that speed. Even in terms of individual martial prowess, the man was clearly a peerless warrior who stood on equal footing with Harold.
"O-One hit...?"
"That was magnificent, Commander."
"Thank you. But that was only possible because of your support."
In Erika’s estimation, Vincent might have been able to defeat the monster alone, but he would have been far more exhausted. In that sense, his words weren't just humble politeness.
"Well, that’s one obstacle cleared, but..."
Vincent trailed off, deep in thought.
He was looking at the exits from the chamber. Unlike the path leading from the collapse site, there were two doors—one likely led back toward the surface, while the other appeared to lead deeper into the facility.
"Are you wondering which path we should take?"
"Yes. Normally, we should head for the deepest section, but there’s no guarantee that’s the right move."
"Maybe we should split up?" Rainer suggested.
"Dividing our strength any further would be dangerous," Vincent countered. "There might be more monsters like that Clust Orb ahead."
Vincent’s point was valid. If Erika had been alone, she likely couldn't have defeated the guardian. If they were to split up, Vincent would be the only one safe to go solo, but in a place like this, even he wasn't invincible. Even if it was for Harold’s sake, Erika couldn't justify risking another life.
"...I believe we should head for the deepest part. Rainer, you said the monster just now matched the description of the one Hugo fought deep within some ruins, right?"
"Yeah. Everything about it fits the stories Hugo told me."
"If we assume this place was originally a ruin that Dr. Justus modified, he must have had a reason for choosing it."
While his purpose remained a mystery, if he was doing something on this scale, he would choose the most secluded, unreachable spot possible. If this area was near the bottom of the ruins, it was possible that the upper levels were still accessible to wandering adventurers.
"I see. He wouldn't hide his secrets in a place where people might accidentally stumble upon them."
It wasn't a certainty—depending on Justus’s goals, he might have secrets on every floor—but it was the most logical deduction based on their limited information.
"Then let’s get moving! If there’s nothing down there, we can just double back and check the upper floors," Rainer said.
"Yes, let's do that."
Erika admired Rainer’s ability to act without hesitation once a decision was made. While he was often teased for being reckless, to Erika—who tended to paralyze herself with overthinking—it was one of his greatest strengths.
With Rainer in the lead, the group descended further into the earth.
As they moved, the path changed. The artificial walls gave way to raw bedrock, lacking even basic paving. During her travels with Rainer, Erika had entered an ancient ruin once before, and this environment was a perfect match for her memories. It confirmed her theory: they were definitely inside an ancient ruin.
The only difference was the lack of monsters. During her previous exploration, they had been forced into constant combat, but here, there wasn't even a hint of a hostile presence.
An eerie silence filled the tunnels, broken only by the echo of their footsteps. They moved forward cautiously, maintaining a steady pace.
Because they weren't being slowed down by combat, they made excellent time. As they progressed, the atmosphere began to shift again. The jagged stone walls were replaced by smooth, refined masonry, and the ground became level and easy to walk on. Human intervention was once again obvious.
"Hm? Hey, look at that!"
Rainer pointed ahead.
At the end of the corridor stood a massive stone door, its surface etched with intricate patterns. It looked incredibly heavy—not the kind of thing that could be opened by human strength alone.
"I wonder if we can even open it...?"
That was the primary concern. No matter how strong Vincent was, this didn't look like something raw muscle could solve. If all else failed, they might have to blast it open with magic, but using high-powered spells in an enclosed space was risky, and Erika didn't want to use such destructive methods without knowing what was on the other side.
Just as she began to weigh their options, a low, heavy rumble shook the ground. As if it had been waiting for them, the massive door began to slide open automatically.
The group braced themselves, expecting an ambush. However, no monsters emerged, and there were no signs of traps.
Inside was a raised platform resembling an altar, and at its center stood a pillar of light roughly three meters tall.
And standing there—
"I appreciate you coming all this way. Though, given the location, I hope you won't expect much in the way of hospitality."
Messy white hair and a worn lab coat. The eyes behind the spectacles were devoid of life, appearing to look at them while seeing nothing at all.
The man at the heart of the storm—the one who had likely controlled the monsters to attack the city and caused the Great Collapse—stood before the pillar of light.
Justus Freund.
"I didn't expect to find you here in person," Vincent said.
Though they were Vincent’s words, Erika and Rainer felt the same shock. While it made sense for him to be here if he had modified the ruins, they hadn't expected him to show himself so brazenly. There was no way he didn't know they suspected him of being the mastermind.
"How you handle the unexpected is a true test of your mettle, isn't it?"
"In that case, I'd like to take you into custody quietly, but..."
"Oh? How unexpected. You would prioritize me over Harold?"
Justus spoke the name Harold so casually. It wasn't proof that he knew Harold’s location or had him captive, but it showed that their objectives were perfectly transparent to him.
"Dr. Freund."
"Yes, young lady?"
"Do you know where Lord Harold is right now?"
"Oh, I know. As his fiancée, you must be quite anxious."
Justus answered Erika’s direct question without hesitation. While they had never met, Erika knew that Itsuki had contacted Justus via letter to arrange Harold’s arrival in Kablan. Even if it was through the Astral Research Institute’s formal channels, Justus clearly knew exactly who she was.
"If you want to know, I don't mind telling you."
"...What is the price?"
"Nothing at all. Call it a bit of personal kindness."
"Sounds suspicious as hell..." Rainer muttered.
Erika agreed, but more than suspicion, she felt a gnawing dread. She couldn't read his intentions at all. Even accounting for this being their first meeting, she had never encountered someone whose presence provided so little information.
It wasn't just his words. His eyes seemed to reflect a void, and his voice was entirely inorganic. Despite standing right in front of her, she felt as if she were looking at a ghost.
"Well, if I had to name a price, I suppose it would be resolve."
"Resolve...?"
For the first time, a flicker of emotion crossed Justus’s face. It was a look of pure joy. But it wasn't a pleasant sight; it was a look of spine-chilling madness.
"It’s nothing major. Just the resolve to believe what I'm about to tell you."