Raphtalia and Filo moved in to strike first, just like we had discussed beforehand. The two of them moved simultaneously, closing in on Nadia rapidly. Raphtalia lifted her katana up over her head and swung it down hard, while Filo struck from the side with both of her claws in an attempt to get inside Nadia’s guard.

“Careful now!”

Nadia took several steps backward and . . . she dodged that?! She evaded Raphtalia’s and Filo’s attacks by a hair’s width, as if she had seen right through them.

“We’re not finished!”

“Take thiiiis!”

Raphtalia followed through with her katana, continuing the swing upward while thrusting forward. Filo crouched down, slipping in another strike.

“Your swordsmanship sure is straightforward, isn’t it? Sorry, but swings like that won’t work on a girl like me!”

Nadia brushed Raphtalia’s katana off to the side with her harpoon and then used it to vault up into the air, dodging Filo’s attack before spinning around and leaping over her back.

“Wha . . .”

“Oooohhh!”

Raphtalia was at a loss for words, but Filo seemed genuinely impressed. The way Nadia responded to their attacks made it obvious that she was a highly skilled mercenary. There was a good reason she had become famous! She’d seen through all of our attacks so far. That was the only explanation for the way she moved.

“Wow! Woooow! Master! I’m gonna do that thiiing!”

“Go for it!”

Filo quickly jumped up on my shoulders and began preparing to use haikuikku. In the meantime, Raphtalia continued to attack Nadia.

“Hiyaaaaa!”

But Nadia continued to dodge every attack at the last moment, as if she could easily predict the path of Raphtalia’s katana.

“I can tell you’re not used to using a katana. Your lines are all too straight, like you’re fighting with a sword, you know? That poor katana is capable of so much more.”

Just how strong was this woman? Damn! Did that mean our stats were too low to defeat her head-on? I guess I had no choice, then. With Filo still on my shoulders, I quietly began reciting the incantation for my support magic, Zwiete Aura.

“As the source of your power, the Shield Hero commands you! Let the legends be revealed once more! Support her completely!”

“Zweite Aura!”

I would cast my support magic on Raphtalia to increase her stats and then wait for an opening to cast it on Filo, too, so that we could end this right away . . . or so I thought. I finished reciting the incantation and the instant the magic took its effect on Raphtalia . . . Nadia glanced my way and . . . cast a spell.

“As the source of your power, I command you! Let the legends be revealed once more! Dispel the power that supports her!”

“Anti-Zweite Aura!”

“What?!”