Chapter 269: Unthinkable Strength

“Wha-!?”

This sudden turn of events made all the girls there react with shock.

“Mister Shien!”

Melika especially cried out in surprise at the sudden unexpected event.

Diere’s hand had, with a spray of blood, pierced right though Shien’s shoulder like a sharpened spear.

“…!”

Shien just felt a sudden pain hit him, making him grunt as his hands let go abruptly and he unconsciously kicked out, slamming into Diere’s shoulder.

“Bang!”

With the sound of an impact, Dier was blown off by a tremendous force and tossed away.

Shien however had a knee to the ground with a bloody hole in his shoulder, still bleeding profusely.

“Diere!”

Lumia cried out at Diere, who was sent flying.

“Mister Shien! Mister Shien!”

Melika watched helplessly at the bleeding Shien like she was about to cry, completely unable to follow just what was going on.

Vivian on the other hand had raised her shield as she kept Shien, Lumia, and Melika behind her.

“Back away, quickly!”

Vivian showed a rare, anxious expression on her face.

However, no one was able to even react to just what had happened, so how were they supposed to follow up with Vivian’s directions?

Shien especially was still somewhat disbelieving despite feeling the pain from his shoulder.

That disbelieving state of his wasn’t just because Diere actually attacked him. It’s even more because of the fact that his resistance skills have been pierced.

“Diere, you…”

Shien looked in Diere’s direction, but he couldn’t say anything more.

It’s because the scene that appeared before him was just that unbelievable.

“————”

Before his eyes, Diere, who was kicked away by Shien was acting like a puppet moving under unseen strings. She moved in ways that defied how humans should be able to, pulling herself up from the ground with jerky motions.

“Rumble…”

The air was trembling next to Diere’s body, blasting out waves of magic power.

Everyone could see that the near solid magic power as whipping about with Diere at the center as it slowly flowed into her body.

No.

Rather than that, it would be more accurate to say that it’s flowing into the single horn on Diere’s head.

In such a situation, Diere slowly started giving off a terrifying aura.

That aura is by no means weaker than the aura that Shien gave off when he just arrived.

“Roooooaaaaaarrrr–!!!”

The next second, Diere’s scarlet eyes snapped open. Then she raised her horn that’s shining with a scarlet light as she let out a terrible roar.

The roar whipped the air about and blasted out in a shockwave, kicking all the dust around Diere into the air in a wave that blasted out all around her.

“Kyah!”

Lumia and Melika unconsciously screamed.

“Gah…!”

Vivian stood in front of everyone, blocking the wave of dust with her body.

Shien also raised a hand to cover his face.

However, Shien was also staring at Diere in shock.

Under the effect of his [Appraisal] skill, Shien clearly saw it.

Diere’s level was rising at a shocking pace.

Lv.70…

Lv.75…

Lv.80…

Lv.85…

Soon, Diere’s level had grown to over 90.

Even so, it was still climbing.

“How is that possible?”

Shien was utterly dumbfounded.

However, it was obvious that no one would answer him.

“Roooooaaaaaarrrr–!!!”

Diere was like a demon that out of hell, madly roaring. Then, with a terrible aura, she charged toward them.

That speed was as fast as a bolt of lightning.

Vivian held her breath, clenched her teeth, and got ready to block Diere’s charge.

However, there was someone faster than her.

“Whoosh!”

With the sound of something tearing through the air, a petite figure moved like she had teleported, appeared before Vivian, which is also right before Diere.

“Bang!”

With a bang, a wave of force blasted out, kicking up another wave of air and dust.

“Roooooaaaaaarrrr–!!!”

Diere roared madly.

Her hand had swung at some unknown moment, but it ended up blocked and tightly grabbed by another hand.

“This strength…”

Airi stood before Vivian and blocked Diere’s attack. As Airi experienced the strength coming from Diere’s hand, her immature face showed a surprised expression.

“Howl!”

Diere however acted like she was enraged and, with red eyes, roared, raised her other hand, and swung.

“Bang!”

Another explosive impact rang out.

The blast of air and dust this time was even bigger than before, instantly covering the entire field.

Airi flapped her wings and flew backwards out of the dust wave.

Diere also charged out, following Airi like she was Diere’s prey and started furiously attacking.

“Interesting.”

Airi looked at Diere’s whose aura was getting more and more powerful, with a rare smile on her face.

That smile was rather ferocious though.

Immediately following, the two girls met in the air.

“Bang!” Bang!” “Bang!” Bang!” …

The next moment, explosive blasts rang out, letting everyone know what kind of terrifying clash that the two of them had met in.

Diere continuously chased after Airi. Her hands clawed and punched, attacking without stop.

Every claw of hers tore through the air and ripped through rocks.

Every punch of hers crushed the earth and shattered the canyon walls.

That terrifying destructive might shook the entire canyon. It continuously destroyed all in its way, blasting up waves of dirt and gravel and shaking the earth.

Such strength has already matched and even exceeded that of the Demon Lord Spawn that Shien and Lucy had encountered beore.

Faced with such violent might, Airi however was utterly calm from start to end. She as even holding her pillow with one hand still, only fighting back with her other hand.

That little hand didn’t make a sound as it waved about, but even so, it still accurately intercepted every one of Diere’s punches and claws over and over, slapping them away.

From just the appearance, Airi only slapped away a little hand, but when said hand struck the surrounding area, it created a terrifying explosion of air, shattering the rocks, earth, and canyon walls. Only then did it become apparent just how much unthinkable strength Airi used to slap away that hand.

“That child…”

Vivian looked at Airi who easily blocked Diere’s furious attacks on her own with a completely different expression.

“S-so strong…”

Lumia and Melika were completely stunned at the sight.

Shien really wanted to get up, but his injured shoulder prevented him from doing so.

“[Celestial Breathe].”

Thus, Shien without hesitation used that miraculous recovery spell, calling down starlight into his body and quickly healing the injury to his shoulder.

Shien’s sudden actions naturally woke the stunned girls from their stupor.

“M-Mister Shien! Are you alright?” Melika spoke in a panic.

“I’m fine.”

Shien shook his head, rotated his shoulder, and stood up while looking toward Vivian.

Vivian saw that Shien was fine, so her own expressions calmed down some. Even so, she was still filled with worry.

“Just what is going on here?” Shien asked in a low tone.

Vivian let out a difficult laugh at that.