"<Command: Don't Move>," I chanted as the Monster began to close in on us, its body stiffening up as it began to plummet.

The King Ant let out a sharp screech and swiftly spread out its wings as it broke free of the effect, in barely a second, starting to turn its gaze towards us before stiffening as a rapid, fiery blur of red appeared right in front of it.

Aria had already raced forward the instant I paralyzed the King Ant, her right fist drawn back as she closed in on it in a matter of seconds, flames swirling around her fist...

"[Super Accel Flame Strike]!"

The Monster quickly twisted its body across, her fist grazing its left side as it narrowly evaded a direct hit, before quickly raising its right arm up defensively as I fired out a rapid Negative Energy blast at it.

It got sent hurtling back through the air as my blast collided against its arm, deep cracks spreading out across its exoskeleton, before it came to a halt as it spread out its wings.

It flew up higher into the air, before quickly zipping away as Aria and I shot up into the air and chased after it, firing out a barrage of Negative Energy blasts at it.

It narrowly evaded our attacks as it weaved through the air, before it suddenly charged towards us, abruptly veering down as it closed in before it shot back up towards Aria.

She swerved across to her right as it closed in on her and drove its claws up with a powerful thrust of her arm with immense speed.

I zipped across to my left and shot towards the Monster as its claws nicked the side of Aria's left bicep, a fiery explosion bursting out upon contact.

The King Ant screeched in pain as a couple of its fingers got blown clean off its left hand, trembling as green liquid sprayed out.

It quickly flew back as Aria drove her right foot towards its head, narrowly avoiding the bottom of her boot, before it hurriedly turned across as I closed in on its right.

I veered down slightly as it slashed at my head with its claws, severing a couple of strands of my hair, evading its slash and slamming my palm onto the middle of its torso, unleashing Mana Pulse.

The Monster let out an excruciating screech of pain as it shuddered in agony, trembling in rage as it snarled and furiously drove its claws towards my face as I simultaneously unleashed a rapid thrust of my blade towards its neck.

I quickly tilted my head to the right, the King Ant inflicting a shallow gash across my left cheek, my blade cutting across the left side of its neck as it twisted its body across, before it drove its right knee up towards me as I simultaneously fired out a concentrated blast of Negative Energy.

My blast struck its stomach as I narrowly blunted its knee strike with my palm, a sharp twinge of pain erupting across my hand and wrist from the force of its strike, as the Monster got blasted back through the air.

As it came to a stop, it stiffened as Aria zipped down behind it, flying across to its left as fast as it could, as she chanted while driving her right arm forward...

"[Super Accel Flame Lance]!"

An agonized screech of pain rang out as her attack burst through its right side, scorching off a chunk of its exoskeleton and innards inflicting a deep, charred indent across the middle of its right side.

It uttered an enraged chitter as it drove its right foot out towards Aria's side with immense force, its foot colliding against her right gauntlet as she managed to raise her forearm up in time, grimacing as its foot slammed onto the middle of the gauntlet with immense force.

A fiery explosion erupted upon impact, deep cracks spreading out across the exoskeleton around the King Ant's foot, both it and Aria getting blown away from each other, as I shot towards the Monster at full speed.

"<Spite>, <Lethargy>," I chanted as it got it within the range of my debuffs, the Monster unsteadily swaying in midair as I dazed it, before it quickly shot across to its left as I drove my blade towards the middle of its chest.

My blade pierced through its right arm, just above its elbow, before I tore its forearm off with a violent twist of my blade, a shuddering screech of pain echoing out before it suddenly whipped the stump of its arm across, launching a spray of gloopy green liquid towards my eyes.

I swiftly shut my eyes while simultaneously unleashing an intense burst of Negative Energy as I felt its claws starting to nick the skin over the middle of my neck, blowing the Monster away before it could pierce my throat.

Hm, this Monster is tougher than I expected...

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Point-of-View: Charlotte Bryns

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Hm, I wonder how the raids are going?

I hope we don't suffer any casualties, especially considering how many inexperienced new recruits we've deployed.

This is frustrating...if only I was still able to fight. It's been so long since I retired, and I've never truly been able to shake off that frustration. I feel so restless.

Getting old really sucks, and the more you wither with each passing year, the more insignificant everything you've accomplished starts to feel.

And-...okay, that's enough, can't let myself wallow in this negativity. I need to-...

"Chairwoman! We've got an emergency on our hands!" Suddenly exclaimed one of my subordinates, as he burst into the room with an alarmed look on his face.

"What? Calm down and explain the situation, what's going on?" I inquired with a frown.

"Th-There's...there's something wrong with the activity of the Mana Currents. Hundreds of the streams of energy are deviating from their usual flow, and converging in one spot with alarming speed. The convergence is occurring right here, in Sanctuary Theta, around the southwest quadrant, a couple of kilometers off the center of the Sanctuary."

Huh? No, don't tell me-...

"Excuse me, ma'am! A Dungeon has just appeared inside the Sanctuary!" Another of my subordinates rushed into the room in a panic, my eyes widening in disbelief...

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