The pale green tendrils trembled violently, writhing as if preparing to unleash something even more terrifying. At the same time, the monster's body began to undergo drastic changes.
A large lump on the upper part of its body rose high into the sky, slowly splitting open like a flower bud ready to bloom.
"GRRRRYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!"
A horrifying roar shook the streets, echoing throughout the area. The sound wasn't like that of a wild beast, but something far more alien.
Large petals unfurled, spreading under the sunlight. Each petal looked like raw, fresh flesh.
At the center of the giant flower, something even more horrifying emerged—a massive mouth filled with sharp fangs. From within, purple pollen drifted into the air.
"Not a snake... but a flower?!"
Tiona cried out in horror as she witnessed this unexpected transformation.
The long body was actually a stem. The faceless lump that served as its head turned out to be a bud.
The ferocious carnivorous flower turned its terrifying visage toward Lefiya.
*SHUA!* *SHUA!* *SHUA!*
Several more tendrils burst from the ground as the monster's body crept toward the helpless Lefiya.
"Lefiya, wake up!"
"Dammit, don't block my path!!"
Tione and Tiona's paths were blocked by the tendrils. No matter how many times they knocked the pale green tendrils to the ground, they just sprang back up.
Meanwhile, Lefiya lay motionless amidst the writhing roots.
"Cough..."
She tried to move her body, but the pain in her abdomen was overwhelming. Blood trickled from the corner of her lips, her vision blurred by the biting pain.
'I don't want to die... Aiz-san...'
That final thought swirled in her mind before shadows clouded her vision.
*WHOOSH!*
*SWOOSH!* *SWOOSH!* *SWOOSH!*
*Pu-chi!* *Pu-chi!* *Pu-chi!*
Something tore through the forest of tendrils at high speed, slashing several writhing roots and sending them sprawling to the ground.
A figure stood in front of her, shielding her from the monstrous creature.
Lefiya didn't need to see his face. The striking white hair fluttering in the wind was enough for her to know who had just arrived.
Charlie Avalon.
The person Lefiya hated the most because Aiz cared so much about him.
*SWOOSH!* *SWOOSH!* *SWOOSH!*
The ice sword in Charlie's hand gleamed in the daylight, each slash freezing and shattering the endlessly creeping pale green tendrils. Yet, no matter how hard he slashed, the tendrils kept growing back, as if the monster wouldn't stop until its prey was completely devoured.
He frowned, his mind racing.
'This timeline is still in the first season, right?'
He tried to recall scenes from the Danmachi anime he had watched, but none matched this event. As far as he remembered, there was no strange plant monster attacking on the surface like this.
'Is this the butterfly effect caused by my presence?'
Charlie couldn't think of an answer now. Just as he pondered, his Six Eyes detected a concentrated flow of magical energy underground. He immediately realized something—more tendrils were creeping beneath the surface, silently slithering toward the still-weak Lefiya.
"Tsk. Tricky monster. It even knows how to target the weakest."
Without hesitation, he turned, letting one of the tendrils strike his back.
*BAM!* *BAM!* *BAM!*
But the attack meant nothing. The Armor of Fafnir nullified attacks of Rank B and below. Clearly, the tendril's attack didn't surpass the Armor of Fafnir's threshold.
"Excuse me."
Charlie didn't waste time. In one swift motion, he grabbed Lefiya's body and lifted her in a princess carry.
*WHOOSH!*
Then, with a powerful push from his feet, he shot into the air. As he hovered, sharp tendrils shot out from the ground below, narrowly missing the spot where Lefiya had lain.
Lefiya, who had initially squirmed weakly at being touched by a man, quickly stopped when she realized Charlie had just saved her.
Meanwhile, Tiona, who witnessed the scene, immediately shouted, "Thanks, Charlie! Take care of Lefiya for now!"
"No problem!"
With a slight nod, Charlie turned his attention back to the monster. He wasn't worried about the Amazoness twins, Tiona and Tione. After all, they were First-Class Adventurers!
*BAM!* *BAM!* *BAM!*
Even without weapons, the two fought ferociously. Their fists struck the monster's stem with incredible force, causing its body to sway backward.
'Seems my help isn't needed.'
He was ready to unleash a deadly attack, gathering magical energy into his sword, but suddenly his Six Eyes detected someone approaching at an extraordinary speed.
Instantly, he halted his attack.
'Even without me, Lefiya won't die here. Haaa... This is such a cliché scene, the hero saving the beauty.' He thought with a wry smile.
*WHOOSH!*
A golden shadow flashed by, moving faster than the eye could follow.
*Pu-chi!*
In an instant, the monster's head was cleanly severed from its body.
The blonde hair of a young girl shimmered under the sunlight as she landed gracefully on the remaining stone path. Her rapier still dripped with the greenish fluid of the monster's blood.
Aiz Wallenstein had arrived.
With a single strike, she slashed through the monster's neck with full force. Even before her body landed perfectly, the monster's head was already rolling on the ground.
The monster's entire body convulsed before finally collapsing, its long stem and writhing tendrils no longer moving.
"Aiz-san!"
A weak but hopeful voice came from Charlie's arms.
Still in his embrace, Lefiya looked at Aiz with sparkling eyes. If she weren't injured, she would have immediately run over and hugged her.
Meanwhile, Aiz watched as the Amazoness twins rushed toward her, then she looked up. There, Charlie still hovered in the air as if gravity didn't affect him, Lefiya still in his arms.
'This uncomfortable feeling is back... What's really happening to me?'
She didn't understand. Every time she saw Charlie close to another girl, something felt off in her chest. A vague discomfort, but enough to bother her.
However, Aiz didn't let her thoughts linger. She shifted her gaze as Charlie finally landed lightly in front of the three of them.
As soon as his feet touched the ground, Tiona approached them.
"Lefiya! Are you okay?" She asked anxiously, seeing Lefiya still looking weak.
Tione quickly assessed the situation. "She needs a Healing Potion right away. Charlie, do you have one?"
Charlie shook his head. "I'm out of stock."
Hearing that, Tione's expression hardened slightly.
However, before they could worry further, Charlie continued in a relaxed tone, "But it's fine, I can use healing magic. It's not as good as Dea Saint's, but it's enough to heal her."
Hearing those words, Aiz, who was usually quiet, tensed slightly. She stepped forward, her eyes filled with hope on her otherwise expressionless face. "Please, heal Lefiya."
Without hesitation, Charlie nodded. "Alright."
He raised one hand, gathering his magical essence.
"Cura."
A faint green light glowed from his palm, slowly enveloping Lefiya's body. The light felt warm, gentle like a spring breeze.
"Mhm~"
Lefiya blinked, feeling the pain that had gripped her abdomen begin to fade. Her breathing, which had been labored, returned to normal, and her face was no longer as pale as before.
Tiona smiled in relief. "Wow! Thanks, Charlie!"
Charlie simply nodded lightly, not responding further.
But in his heart, he knew one thing.
Why didn't he use a more advanced healing spell like Dia Fratel, used by Airmid Teasanare of the Dian Cecht Familia?
The answer was simple.
He didn't want others to know he could mimic others' spells using Spirit Arts. After all, it would draw too much attention after announcing his level to the Guild. He didn't want to stand out more—that was the protagonist's role, not him.