“Alisa!”
Anna’s startled cry pierced Alisa’s ears, but at that moment, she had no time to respond.
Shattered stones rained down from above. Her own shadow on the ground was swallowed by the encroaching darkness of the falling rocks. For a moment, she forgot to breathe.
Numerous memories surged through her mind. She recalled her parents’ disappointment when she had no magic at six years old, and her own intense longing and admiration for heroes.
She also remembered her shock upon seeing Lena reject a hero’s pursuit.
Alisa deeply envied Lena, envying that despite her lack of magic, she could still form acquaintances with such heroes.
‘If only I possessed such an ability, perhaps my parents wouldn’t have been so disappointed in me,’ she thought. ‘Even if I couldn’t become a hero myself.’
As these images floated through her mind, Alisa gazed at the nearby stones, closing her eyes in resignation.
In the end, she still hadn’t managed to save the poor girl on her back.
‘If there was a next life, I want to become a hero.’
Boom—!
A violent explosion ripped through the air, and a fierce gust of wind lashed painfully at her face. Immediately after, the dull thud of countless shattered stones striking the ground echoed in her ears.
“Are you alright?”
A voice, soft as flowing water, instantly flowed into her heart. Hesitantly, she opened her eyes, and a faint light, emanating from the newcomer, illuminated her world.
Her silver hair, falling to her chest, was pristine. Though a black hood obscured part of her face, it could not hide the girl’s exquisite beauty, and worry rippled within her golden eyes.
A faint floral scent emanated from her, causing the mentally exhausted Alisa to unconsciously relax, sinking into the girl’s gentle presence.
She simply stared blankly at the girl, remaining silent for a long time.
With a helpless smile, the girl reached out a small hand and gently pinched Alisa’s cheek, rousing her from her stupor.
“Come back to your senses.”
“Ah, th-thank you, Heroic One!”
Snapping back to reality, Alisa recalled her earlier daze, and her cheeks flushed crimson.
Meanwhile, Anna approached, taking the injured girl from Alisa’s back.
The girl gently tapped the injured girl’s forehead with her fingertip, and magic surged into the child’s body, smoothing her furrowed brow and easing her breathing.
“Take her away quickly. This magic can only sustain her life; you’ll still need to find a doctor to truly save her.”
“Understood, thank you.”
Alisa, carrying the girl once more, had taken a dozen steps when the mysterious girl unexpectedly called out to her.
“Wait a moment.”
Turning back in confusion, Alisa saw her savior tilt her head slightly, a gentle smile gracing her lips. “The way you rescued her just now was truly admirable.”
Alisa’s heart inexplicably quickened, and a surge of unknown courage rose from deep within her. Her lips parted, and finally, as if having made a resolute decision, she asked loudly:
“Heroic One, c-could I possibly know your name?”
The roar of exploding buildings still echoed incessantly around them. Alisa didn’t know if the girl had heard her clearly, but her courage had already waned after speaking, and she dared not ask a second time.
She even began to regret why she had asked the Heroic One for her name.
She didn’t dare look at the girl, and time passed in silent increments. Just as Alisa thought she wouldn’t answer, the gentle voice spoke again.
“Dorothy.”
Slightly startled, she looked up at the girl.
As if fearing Alisa hadn’t heard clearly, the girl repeated it.
“Dorothy.”
After speaking this time, the girl waved her hand, and her figure transformed into countless silver-white petals, dissipating before Alisa’s eyes.
“That Heroic One seemed incredibly powerful, far more formidable than any we usually see,” Anna exclaimed, marveling at the girl’s departing magic.
The ‘usually see’ referred to the heroes who pursued Lena, the shop manager.
“Dorothy…”
Completely unfazed by Anna’s observation, Alisa murmured the name, a sweet and endearing smile gracing her lips.
Seeing Alisa ignore her, Anna poked her cheek, asking in confusion, “Alisa, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing, nothing at all! Come on, let’s quickly get her to a doctor!”
With the unconscious girl on her back, Alisa’s steps felt considerably lighter.
Perhaps it was a touch of petty competitiveness and jealousy at play, but she now desperately wanted to recount this experience to Lena, the shop manager.
After all, she had now met a hero too!
****
After Alisa and Anna had moved away from the monster, more hero squads rushed in from the city, joining Roland in besieging the scorpion-like magical beast.
However, the situation remained grim. Even with other Fourth-tier heroes present, they could only contain the beast, preventing its further advance.
“Captain, this magical beast is no ordinary foe.”
“Our attacks can’t even penetrate its defenses!”
Hearing the information from her teammates, Roland’s gaze sharpened, and she retreated from the center of the battlefield. “Give me some time.”
Having spoken, she channeled all her magic, beginning to chant a complex incantation.
After such a long period of cooperation, her teammates naturally knew what she was doing, and they swiftly formed a protective perimeter around her.
Before long, Roland’s chant concluded. The sky, as if scorched by flames, took on an eerie crimson hue.
Soon, a fireball, only slightly smaller than the beast itself, pierced through the clouds and plummeted directly towards the monster!
“What is that?!”
The other heroes quickly distanced themselves from the battlefield, staring in awe at the descending fireball. A hero who recognized the spell explained:
“It’s Lady Roland’s signature Meteorite Magic! If that fireball hits, the magical beast will either die or be crippled!”
Lady Roland’s Meteorite Magic had never encountered a magical beast that could withstand it. They believed that even a Fourth-tier magical beast would suffer severe injuries under the fireball’s bombardment.
And just as they expected, the fireball slammed heavily into the magical beast’s back, gouging a massive crater in its usually impenetrable black carapace.
Blood splattered outwards, only to be instantly vaporized by the intense heat of the fireball the moment it left the beast’s body.
The magical beast collapsed as if struck dead, its entire body splayed on the ground. Its high-raised tail stinger and a pair of pincers also fell limply.
Yet, Roland felt no joy. On the contrary, sensing the surging magic within the beast, a hint of fear appeared on her usually composed face.
The wound caused by the fireball healed at a visible rate, and the magical beast’s aura suddenly intensified, exuding a deadly pressure even greater than before.
“What? How is that possible?!”
“It… evolved?”
After fully healing its wounds, the magical beast rose again. This time, the malevolence in its eyes instilled dread in many heroes.
Fifth-tier. It had crossed the threshold into a Fifth-tier magical beast!
Heroes who grasped this fact felt their hearts sink, knowing that disaster was imminent.
Vidona was a small city, with only one Fifth-tier hero residing within its walls.
“Quick! Notify the Guild Master! Only she can possibly defeat a monster like this!” Roland made a swift decision, pulling out her magic communicator to contact the Guild Master.