Facing the middle-aged man who had lost his sanity and was approaching him, Ryuto's companion Hiyori squatted down slightly beside him, lowering her center of gravity and showing a cautious expression.

"Master Ryuto, what's going on?" Hiyori asked.

"I don't know. It should be related to the capsule he took earlier. It feels like that capsule is some kind of stimulant, although slightly different, but the effect is similar. I didn't expect it to be so powerful," Ryuto responded without hesitation. He felt a bit strange about his assertive statement, but there was no time to think about it now. The current problem was the most important.

"A stimulant?" Hiyori repeated.

"Stimulants can enhance a person's physical abilities. It's just my speculation. The combination of stimulants and enhanced abilities is really a bad combination. Maybe there's even an additional effect. Regardless, Hiyori, be careful," Ryuto warned.

"Okay," Hiyori replied.

Just as Hiyori finished speaking, the figure of the middle-aged man suddenly appeared in front of her. His speed was so fast that she couldn't see clearly. Instinctively, Hiyori used her long sword to block the attack.

In the next moment, there was a fierce collision between the sword and the fist, producing a dull sound. However, the strength of the middle-aged man's attack was completely different from before.

After a moment of stalemate, Hiyori was sent flying backward, crashing into the wall not far behind. The wall cracked upon impact.

"Ah..." Hiyori couldn't help but scream.

"Hiyori!" Ryuto called out and rushed towards her.

Hiyori slowly stood up from the ground, struggling to lift her head. However, she saw that the middle-aged man had taken a stance directly behind Ryuto, preparing for another attack.

This was bad. She had intended to rush over quickly and stop him, but she was both mentally and physically exhausted. A feeling of fatigue washed over her, making it difficult for Hiyori to even stand properly.

But during this moment, the middle-aged man's attacks had gradually approached Ryuto, who was completely unaware since his back was turned.

Her stamina was running out, and as she realized this, a strong feeling overwhelmed her. It was the same feeling as back then, when she could only watch helplessly without being able to do anything. She had practiced so hard all this time, determined to prevent such things from happening again, but in the end... hadn't anything changed?

She didn't want to have those memories again, the memories of the person she cherished leaving her. She didn't think she could bear it anymore. With this intense feeling of regret in her heart, her body moved on its own.

Unconsciously, she swung her sword hand towards the empty space. It was a slash too fast to be seen clearly. In that moment, it seemed like space itself was split in two. Objectively speaking, it was as if nothing had happened, but the fact remained that the slash did exist. The evidence was what happened after that lightning fast slash.

Almost instantly, the middle-aged man screamed in pain and fell backward.

Once she came to her senses, Hiyori saw that the middle-aged man was lying on the ground, and she had no idea what had just happened.

Though she didn't know what had occurred, Hiyori was relieved to see that Ryuto was unharmed. Pretending like she wasn't affected by the attack, she tried to put Ryuto at ease.

Was it because she had exhausted too much stamina in the previous game?

"It's okay. I used a defensive technique to neutralize the impact at the end. But more importantly, the opponent's strength and speed were completely different from before. It must be because of that stimulant-like substance," Ryuto explained. However, he felt extremely anxious inside because Hiyori knew that the move she had just executed was unlikely to happen again, and she didn't have much chance of winning at the moment.

Time was running out.

Hiyori desperately thought about a solution in her mind.

Although she could use the same move as she did in the sewer, and if she used it together with Ryuto, they might be able to change the current situation, her stamina was already running low. Even if she forcefully executed it, it wouldn't be a good solution and probably wouldn't work. What should she do in the end? If the mission failed completely in the end, wouldn't that be the worst outcome?

Hmm? Mission... Thinking back, it seems like my father gave me something just before I left. Oh yes, there's also this move, using this move should work.

With this in mind, Hiyori made up her mind.

"It's okay, Lord Ryuto. Although the situation is dangerous, I have that move."

"Huh, that move? You have a hidden trump card."

Although Ryuto didn't understand, it sounded impressive, but also confusing.

"..."

But Hiyori didn't answer, she just silently recited an incantation.

At the same time, she couldn't help but think.

So that's how it is. Although I can't express it clearly yet, I finally understand a little bit of this feeling. The inexplicable actions I took back then finally have an answer. However, unlike that time, this time I acted based on my own will. Why do I have this thought? Even though I don't really understand it, I still want to do it. Even though Lord Ryuto has warned me repeatedly, why is that? Abandoning my long-held dreams, sacrificing my own self-worth and all that. If it were the old me, I wouldn't have done such a thing. I've really become strange now...

Thinking this, Hiyori couldn't help but show a faint smile, perhaps mocking herself, or perhaps finally coming to some kind of answer.

Then, as if to make a certain determination, the smile on her face disappeared, replaced by a certain enlightened expression. Immediately after that, Hiyori threw the special talisman her father gave her into the air as she was about to leave.

"Legendary deity, Susano'o, show your power!"

As the voice rang out, the talisman began to change, emitting a dazzling light. Finally, a huge humanoid monster appeared from the void, towering over ten meters tall. It seemed to be an incomplete form, with only the upper body, but even so, it emitted a powerful aura, like a symbol of invincibility. Suddenly, a strong airflow spread from the monster as the center, the surrounding trees creaked under the strong wind, and the sky became even darker.

In this pitch-blackness, the pair of eyes of the huge humanoid monster can be clearly seen, which are as red as blood.