While Ifrit was a huge and powerful blade, Arisa certainly hadn't expected this sort of resistance to her latest attempt to press her attack. In contrast to the arquebusiers, who were unable to swiftly draw any melee weapons they may have possessed before being cut down, the phantom swordsmen were swifter, able to block her assault together and force her to take a step back before lunging forward for their own.

They didn't have time for this.

Every moment that passed was a moment that added further unpredictability. The presence of the sohei currently clashing with the shapeshifted A-188 was proof of that. It was obvious that not only were the tactics of the phantoms improving, but so were the quality of the enemy soldiers being deployed.

All of this proved that they had to find the source of these phantoms and put a stop to it that much more quickly.

And so, Arisa push that much harder.

Magical energy flowed down her arm, as if it was passing through her veins, down to her fingertips. This time, it wasn't use to simply strengthen her limbs.

This time it flowed from her body, Arisa pushing her mana from her own being and into the enormous blade gripped in both her hands.

The first phantom ashigaru raised his blade---

"Ifrit, Ignite!"

---and flames blazed across Ifrit's edge as Arisa swung it in an outward arc. Armor snapped instantly, the sudden outpouring of heat even enabling her to break the ashigaru's word in two.

With the blazing blade raised over her shoulder, Arisa sprang forward before body even broke apart, using the other phantoms as cover from the arquebusiers as she swung her blade downwards, the burning weapon searing the air and parting the next ashigaru's body from its lower half.

They had to push further!

[@Rune_Alchemist][@Izurich][@Raineh Daze][@Eisenhorn][@OwO]

[hr]

As the arquebusiers fell, others of their number backed up, taking cover around walls as the spear-wielders adjusted their positioning. Still, it was clear that their numbers were dwindling, the combined efforts of the Agents assaulting the rear of the building grinding down this wave of defense.

Unfortunately, this was not to last.

The tall sword-wielding man raised his hand, and at the very moment he did the arquebusiers pulled back around the corners and out into the air.

There was a tapping sound as several round, dark balls were tossed into the hall, ahead of the spear formation.

The fact the remaining ashigaru swiftly averted their eyes made it all too clear what was about to happen.

When the flashbombs went off, particularly swift, lightly-armored phantoms wielding short katana, handcannons, and even in one case a kusarigama would suddenly leap into the hallway, the nearest immediately trying to catch Agent Zhao with a swift thrust of its blade.

[@Raineh Daze][@PKMNB0Y][@Psyker Landshark]