DanMachi: The Epic of the Heroic Spirits of Emiya Shirou

What Ais couldn't accept was that, even disregarding the differences in skills and experience, [Swift]'s swordsmanship had already reached the same level as hers, and as a newly upgraded Lv.5, the other party had clearly accumulated more potential ability points.

"I need more practice... and I need a more powerful sword..."

Little Ais lowered her head and glanced at the [Sword of Despair] that had been with her for so long.

She undoubtedly has feelings for this sword that she has used for years, but through comparison with [Elven Stream], Ais also realized the absolute weakness of [Sword of Despair] in terms of insufficient attack power.

"Is there really a chance to kill the Black Dragon using the [Sword of Despair]?"

Ais felt she couldn't imagine such a future.

"Should I order a new weapon from the Guinyu clan? But weapons without the 'damage' attribute have limited attack power, and besides, I don't have the money..."

Worried about the weapon, Ais returned to her clan and then witnessed a heart-wrenching scene.

The Loki Familia's training grounds were packed with people; almost all the adventurers from the Familia were present, gathered around a giant-like skeleton of pure ice.

Alicia stood among them, holding an ice-blue longsword.

120

Chapter 120 The Ice Giant's First Battle.

Rewind to an hour earlier, after Alicia left Riveria's room, she was immediately dragged to the training ground by an excited Tiona.

Under the guise of helping her conduct "weapon testing," one could tell from the girl's eyes, which seemed to burn with intense heat, that Tiona's warlike genes, belonging to the Amazon race, had been activated.

Aside from Alicia, among the four Lv.5 first-level adventurers of the new generation of Loki Familia, [Sword Princess] Ais and [Wolf] Bert both harbor a deep-seated hatred for "monsters" for some reason. The two often hone themselves by fighting monsters in dungeons and labyrinths.

In stark contrast, the Amazonian sisters Tiona and Tione preferred to hone their combat skills through duels with adventurers—more accurately, usually the sisters fighting each other, their training grounds often witnessing them unleashing a storm of violence, battles as violent as natural disasters.

Because of the Amazonian sisters' typical "berserker" fighting style, everyone else avoided their sparring invitations.

Today, Tiona was exceptionally enthusiastic, giving Alicia no chance to refuse. Having just acquired a new weapon, Alicia also wanted to test her current skill level, so she reluctantly came to the training ground.

"The old elf and the foolish Amazon, what's going on today? This combination is quite unusual."

Upon arriving at the training ground, I was greeted with sarcastic remarks that sent my blood pressure soaring.

The werewolf youth with messy, long, silver-white hair had just finished his training in the dungeon and returned to his clan when he saw Alicia and the others. Unsurprisingly, this "fierce wolf" began his usual sarcastic remarks.

“Shut up, you idiot Bert.”

Tiona immediately retaliated. As adventurers who joined the Loki Familia at the same time, verbal attacks between the two had become a habit.

On the other hand, Alicia's reaction was not so calm.

"An elf... an old woman?"

The corner of the elfin beauty's mouth twitched slightly.

Although she and Bert were both high-ranking adventurers in the Loki Familia, they hadn't interacted much in the past. Bert, the "Wolf," had been in the First Army since joining the Loki Familia, while Alicia had always been the commander of the magic unit in the Second Army.

It wasn't until she reached Lv.5 that Riveria transferred Alicia to the First Team—this was her first interaction with Bert after joining the First Team.

"...meaningless provocation, don't get angry, don't get angry."

The 18-year-old and 300-month-old elven beauty, Alicia, was already feeling anxious because of her fellow young girls, such as Ryu and Lefia. The werewolf's outburst directly stepped on her landmine.

“Bert, although Sister Alicia is already forty years old, she is still very young as an elf!”

Tiona spoke out frankly in defense of Alicia.

Alicia: "...Thank you, Tiona, you don't have to emphasize the numbers."

Bert casually crossed his arms and said nonchalantly, "She's a bit younger than that centenarian Riveria, but at this age, she's definitely an old lady."

"...Tiona, I won't be sparring with you today."

Alicia smiled at the Amazonian girl, and for a moment, the temperature around them seemed to drop, causing Tiona to shiver involuntarily.

Amazon's warlike instincts were suppressed in an instant. Tiona said, "Um, please go ahead..."

"Bert, come here, let's have a practice session."

Alicia beckoned to the werewolf boy.

"Oh? You and me?"

Bert laughed, as if he had heard the biggest joke in the world.

"I don't consider you weak—but you must know that I'm the worst match for 'mages' and 'spell swordsmen'."

Bert shook his head as he spoke.

He said sarcastically, "That stupid-looking Amazon is the more suitable opponent for you, Elf..."

But then Bert stopped speaking: "This sword, ah—"

The moment Alicia drew her icy blue longsword, the orc's keen instincts caused [Ferocious Wolf] to instinctively take a defensive step, step back with its right foot, raise its shoulder slightly, and its eyes instantly sharpened.

"I take it back."

Bert grinned menacingly, clapping his fists together in front of him: "Let me see what you've got."

[Fierce Wolf] Bert possesses the special magic [Hati], which absorbs magic and damage and reflects it back, making it a move that can be called a "magic nemesis".

However, for some reason, Bert doesn't actually like to use this magic unless absolutely necessary.

But now, the moment Bert saw that sword, his fighting spirit was unexpectedly ignited.

He wanted to test, or rather witness, the true power of the sword, and was even willing to use his own magic for it.

“I know you have the magic to counter magic.”

Upon arriving at the training ground, Alicia said, "Fine, I'll do as you wish. I'll use magic instead of swordsmanship to deal with you. Take this move and let's see whose magic is stronger."

Bert's tone was cold: "You're courting death. In close combat, you might be able to cause me some trouble, but magic? All your magic will only make you suffer!"

"Don't you dare?"

Alicia spoke calmly.

"Ha, then so be it."

Bert took a deep breath: "I'm standing right here, I won't flinch. Come on, chant your magic!"

"The loser has to hop around the clan headquarters like a frog and shout 'I'm an idiot,' how about that?"

Tiona suddenly spoke.

"Okay."

Alicia raised an eyebrow and said, "Just one lap?"

Bert: "Then three laps, no, five laps."

Listening to Bert's speech, Tiona had to cover her mouth to stop laughing, while Bert paid no attention to her, staring intently at the sword in Alicia's hand.

That sword was no ordinary object; it must be a top-tier weapon among first-level weapons. Bert could almost "smell" the heavy magical aura emanating from it, and it most likely possessed characteristics such as high-domain amplification magic.

However, Bert is not afraid of this. As long as Alicia's magic does not reach the level of Lv.6 high-rank firepower, the stronger the magic, the stronger his magic return move [Hati] will be.

This battle is a clash of magic against magic!

"Come on, let me see your full strength."

Bert said in a low voice.

The Loki Familia's training grounds are now packed with spectators, and almost all the Familia members at headquarters have come here.

The reason is simple: a nearly three-meter-tall ice giant skeleton is simply too conspicuous.

"I was startled when I first saw this."

"Wow, that's amazing! Did Alicia summon it?!"

"Speaking of which, isn't that Bert pressing down under that icy bone arm?"

121

Chapter 121 The Possibilities of Growth.

The first battle against the Ice Giant was very simple.

Bert stood ready, chanting the special spell "Hati" in a low voice, preparing to receive Alicia's magic. Alicia, on the other hand, completed the chanting without any interference.

Then, the Ice Skeleton was summoned, still consisting of the spine, ribs, and right arm. The skeleton of the right arm slammed down, slapping Bert into the ground.

Normally, given Bert's speed, the Ice Skeleton's relatively slow attacks would be difficult to hit. However, on the one hand, he was completely stunned by the shock to his worldview, and on the other hand, Bert himself said that he would stand still and take the hit from Alicia's magic.

At least he kept his promise, but the outcome may not have been what Bert had anticipated.

"This is the magic inscribed within [Ice Skadi]... no, it's because of the resonance with this sword that Alicia's own magic [Ice Dust Storm] has changed!"

Riveria arrived at the scene quickly, and as the city's strongest mage, [Nine Demon Princess], she quickly figured out the essence of the magic.

This sword was designed specifically for Alicia from the beginning. Its essence is to add the property of "plasticity" to Alicia's ice attribute magic, in addition to the characteristics of "coldness" and "freezing".

Furthermore, the core materials for forging this sword are the magic stone fragments and the Black Goliath's skeleton, which were obtained by Alicia and Ryu together from the Black Goliath.

Generally, Goliath drops "Goliath's Fangs," while the special black Goliath drops two unique items: "Black Goliath's Hide" and "Black Goliath's Bones."

When rescuing Alicia and the others, the Loki Familia did not forget to pick up these items along with the broken magic stones. Later, Alicia gave them to Emiya.

Emiya used the magic stones and hard bones in the forging of [Skadi of Ice]... This loot, representing their shared adventure, seems to have contributed to the weapon's enhancement.

This is the source of the weapon's power, and also the inherent logic of the concept of "Noble Phantasm"—a materialized miracle, a testament to a hero's great deeds, a crystallization of humanity's yearning for legends, an armament created with human experience and achievements as its framework.

However, even with Riveria's insightful perspective, which allowed her to analyze the magical configuration of Ai [Skadi the Ice], she still couldn't understand the essence of this sword as a "prototype of a Noble Phantasm".

Only one person present was able to perceive this—Loki, the goddess who was "the eternal and the transcendent."

Loki, who was usually carefree, changed her usual lazy demeanor and showed an unprecedented seriousness. Her divine aura unconsciously emanated, and the members of the group who were blocking her way unconsciously made way for her.

Loki walked to Alicia's side. The magic of [Ice Skadi] had been dispelled, and the ice skeletons slowly melted away.

Bert, who had been pinned to the ground by the giant's arm, also stepped forward. However, he said nothing, only gritted his teeth angrily, and then turned and left under everyone's gaze.

"Alysia, let me see this sword."

Loki said, "No, you don't need to give it to me, just lift it up a little bit."

"So that's how it is, the embodiment of miracles and great deeds... Riveria, how much did Hephaestus ask for this sword?"

Riveria raised an eyebrow slightly. She realized that Loki had immediately concluded that the sword must have been personally appraised by Hephaestus, the goddess of forging.

"Six hundred million fares."

Riveria uttered a number that caused a stir among the crowd.

This price is equivalent to half of the Loki Familia's earnings from a single expedition. It can be used to forge five to ten Tier 1 weapons, and the Panacea costing 500,000 Fali per set can be used to purchase 1,200 sets. The entire Familia could not use it up for a year's worth of expeditions.

The adventurers looked at the weapon in Alicia's hand as if it were not a sword, but a mountain of gold.

"Hmm, it's not expensive. At this price, we're making a profit."

Loki was speaking incomprehensible words.

Six hundred million Fares... Was it supposed to be a friendly price?

"This type of weapon cannot be replicated. Even if the blacksmith who forged it were to use the same materials to make another sword, he would not be able to create the same one."

Loki said, "This is a miracle that can only be encountered once in a lifetime... Alicia, you and the forger of this sword have created something extraordinary together."

Alicia: "No, I didn't participate in its creation; Shirou made it..."

Loki shook his head: "You'll understand later."

The goddess began to speak a riddle, which left Alicia somewhat bewildered, while Riveria seemed to be deep in thought.

"Alysia, that ice giant you just summoned."

Loki spread his arms and gestured: "This shouldn't be the limit yet."

Alicia thought for a moment and nodded slightly: "It shouldn't be."

She was actually vaguely aware of this; the ice giant with only a spine, ribs, and a right arm was probably not its complete form, but only the first stage.

Currently, the quality and scale of Alicia's magic are limited, so this is all she can do.

That's right, even as a Level 5, first-level adventurer, her magic power was still insufficient to complete the subsequent stages of this spell.

As a result, Alicia began to regret that when she leveled up, she hadn't trained her magic power more. Each time, she leveled up with only A or B level magic power, instead of training it to S level.