Chapter 135: The red-haired woman
Two people were locked in an intense battle.
One was the swordswoman Ais Wallenstein, while the other was an unknown red-haired woman.
Anyone still fighting at a time like this was unlikely to be a good person.
It was highly probable that one of them was responsible for the earlier murder in Rivira, and the sudden appearance of these monsters might also be connected to the mysterious red-haired woman.
"Interesting. Let's head over there! Haruhime, stay close to me," Irelia commanded.
Without hesitation, Irelia sprang into action. Grabbing Haruhime and Lulu by the hands, she crouched low, then leaped high into the air.
Using the monsters below as stepping stones, she sprinted through the chaos, her sharp blade cutting through obstacles, and quickly arrived at the edge of the battlefield where Ais, the Sword Princess, was fighting.
Her opponent, a woman wielding a massive sword, was holding her own against Ais. In fact, the red-haired woman had the upper hand. It was clear Ais was already struggling, while her opponent hadn't even gone all out yet.
Irelia didn't hesitate. Since she was there, she wasn't going to stand idle.
Seeing Ais gradually faltering and exposing a flaw in her defense during a clash, Irelia decided to act.
Her Relic Stone Blades flew toward the red-haired woman's neck. If the opponent continued her attack, the blades would undoubtedly sever her head.
Sensing the danger, the red-haired woman twisted her body unnaturally and delivered a powerful kick to Ais's abdomen. Using the recoil, she narrowly escaped Irelia's ambush.
"Who are you?" the red-haired woman asked coolly, rising to her feet, seemingly unfazed by the close call.
"Irelia. Remember my name," Irelia replied casually, introducing herself as she evaluated the opponent.
"I'm not in the habit of remembering the names of the dead," the red-haired woman retorted, rushing forward again with her massive sword aimed directly at Irelia.
Her speed was impressive, but Irelia remained unfazed. She swiftly drew her other weapon called crest blade from her back, meeting the attack head-on. Their weapons collided with a deafening clang.
"Lulu, take care of the others. Leave this one to me," Irelia ordered, her eyes fixed on the red-haired woman before her.
The brief exchange of blows made Irelia realize the difficulty of her opponent. The red-haired woman's strength was formidable, and Irelia could feel the impact reverberating through her wrists with each clash.
"Level 6? You're stronger than I expected," Irelia remarked, her tone calm but her expression no longer as relaxed as before.
As the fight dragged on, Irelia began to curse inwardly.
How could there be a Level 6 enemy on the 18th floor? That's the same rank as me!
Moreover, the red-haired woman's presence was highly unusual. Irelia had lived in Orario for years and had never heard of such a powerful figure.
Still, Irelia didn't feel overly concerned. She wasn't alone—she had strong allies with her. And as long as it didn't come down to a desperate situation, she was confident in her abilities. A duel between two Level 6 adventurers wasn't something she would shy away from.
The two continued their fierce exchange, their strength and swordsmanship evenly matched. Both fought with a degree of unspoken understanding, neither underestimating the other.
Although Irelia typically relied on her Relic Stone Blades in combat, her swordsmanship was anything but weak—stronger, in fact, than the red-haired woman's technique.
However, the red-haired woman leveraged her superior strength, relentlessly wearing down Irelia's stamina. It seemed she was trying to force Irelia into making a mistake, much as she had done in her earlier fight with Ais.
Irelia's swordsmanship differed greatly from Ais's, which was designed specifically for fighting monsters. The techniques Irelia had learned since childhood were meant for dueling people.
However, her swordsmanship wasn't what earned her the title of Blade Dancer.
After fighting for so long, Irelia had gleaned many insights.
For instance, the weapon wielded by the red-haired woman wasn't worthy of someone with her strength.
Following a missed cross-slash, the red-haired woman prepared to launch another series of attacks, but Irelia suddenly smiled.
"You rely too much on your weapon. Try fighting without it," she said with a tone that carried a hint of instruction.
Dozens of Relic Stone Blades flew in from a distance, their sharp forms quickly filling the red-haired woman's field of vision.
In an instant, all escape routes were sealed off. By the time she realized it, she had already fallen into the trap Irelia had set for her.
The red-haired woman swung her longsword repeatedly, creating a shimmering web of blade light to fend off the incoming attacks.
But Irelia had no intention of giving her opponent a reprieve. The Relic Stone Blades attacked relentlessly, alternating in their strikes.
Amidst her frantic defense, the red-haired woman failed to notice the increasing number of cracks forming on her longsword.
Seeing the opportune moment, Irelia raised her Crest Blade.
She infused her weapon with magical energy, causing its blade to glow with a faint luminescence.
When the red-haired woman lifted her longsword to parry, there was a crisp sound of collision. The upper half of her weapon broke off and flew into the air.
Irelia's Crest Blade tore through this final defense, carving a massive wound down the woman's chest, so deep that the bone was visible.
"Huh?" Irelia's eyes narrowed in confusion as the red-haired woman seemed unbothered by the blood pooling on the ground. She stepped back to create some distance.
"This is strange… What is this feeling?" Irelia muttered, clenching her fists.
The sensation of her blade striking the woman hadn't felt normal. No matter how tough someone's body might be, a blow like that should have been lethal.
A typical person would've been cleaved in half—or at least eviscerated.
Yet, the red-haired woman's body defied all logic. The wound Irelia had inflicted seemed far too shallow for such a devastating strike.
When she looked again, the previously severe wound had already begun healing.
In mere moments, only a small cut of about ten centimeters remained, and even that wasn't bleeding.
The speed of her recovery was horrifying—well beyond what any normal human should be capable of.
What kind of bloodline does she have? Or... is she not human at all?
"What are you?" Irelia demanded, her tone sharp and her gaze serious. The Relic Stone Blades surrounding her began to spin ominously.
"A first-level adventurer… Level 6. I remember your name, Irelia," the red-haired woman said, her voice calm yet eerie.
"Planning to run?" Irelia asked mockingly, though her body was tense and ready to spring into action.
The countless Relic Stone Blades now encircled the red-haired woman completely, forming an impenetrable barrier.