19: If You Call Earnestly, It Will Answer #2

"...Ah."

A massive silhouette crouched atop the thick shadow swallowing us whole.

"Grooooar..."

Something that shouldn't exist stirred, announcing its presence.

- Thud.

Some... thing—foot? Rotting flesh?—pressed against the ground.

"Ey, shit, this the real deal?"

Quantity didn't cut it, so now it's pulling the cheap size card.

"Sh-should we run..."

Facing the apocalyptic horror, Lisha lost all will to fight, her ears and tail trembling violently.

"Lisha."

"C-can't win. This is way too—"

"Lisha!"

"Hah."

My sharp shout snapped her back; she turned to me with quivering eyes.

"We got this."

"...?"

"You're the Nameless Saintess, I'm the Saint. Together? Problem kids turn into the ultimate power couple."

Lisha's face blanked out even more, utterly baffled.

But it looked better than before.

She'd snapped out of full panic mode, at least.

"...Even now, you crack jokes?"

"Joke to you?"

"..."

"Okay, yeah, total joke."

"...!"

"But hey, we don't fight, we die. So, no choice but to go all-in, right?"

I aimed to drag out that tiny spark of 'courage' flickering in her eyes.

Where'd that reckless fire go—the one that picked fights across the community for a big score?

"Wh-who said I was shaking...!"

"You were straight-up kitty mode just now. Wanna meow for me?"

"...!"

Stung by the insult, Lisha glared at the boss looming ahead.

"Who—who's scared of some oversized meat blob?!"

"Oho."

"Frosty Beast ain't backing down from trash like that!"

Looked pretty spooked to me?

Whatever— she was fired up now. Good enough.

With Lisha's battle spirit ignited, I turned to the boss sluggishly stirring.

'Filthy huge.'

Question was whether my domain would even register on this thing.

"Eh, let's just try it."

Orders from above—gotta roll with it.

Outside or in here, the life of a powerless wage slave marches on.

"Groooaaar..."

A wail? Roar? Whatever it was, it shook the earth.

Definitely the type to bully with sheer mass.

"..."

Ally rallied, time for a quick sitrep.

Size meant time before it reached us—perfect for tactics.

"Lisha, you're melee specialist, right?"

"...Yeah."

"That thing's a sitting duck anyway. Just flank and support from the side."

No solid intel yet.

Apocalyptic difficulty, hidden boss on top.

A total mystery blob, unknown to the community.

Which meant I had to tank its focus.

"...You sure?"

"Who else?"

I had to.

This was my mess from the start.

Lisha nodded heavily, dropping into combat stance.

- Shff...

Arms out shoulder-width, low and ready to charge—

"Signal me, I'll go."

"Don't push it."

My final warning given, Lisha waited silently for the go.

Leaving her, I eyed my skill menu.

'Nice timing.'

Exactly what I needed reassurance on.

No more hesitation.

"Let's dance, you freakshow."

The corpse-mound boss stitched from chunks—no more holding back.

- Whoosh.

Felt the Shadow Slashes spinning in my domain, holy power swimming through them.

- Tat.

I closed in on it instantly.

Right behind, Lisha took my launch as her cue and followed.

Shadows thickened.

Looking up—massive meat chunk plummeting right at my head.

'Can I tank it?'

Erosion Barrier might barely hold, buying time.

Had to own its aggro completely.

So—

- Fwoooosh...!

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

I unleashed the domain's power, eating the heavy blow head-on.

"Ngh."

Unprecedented pressure—heart pounding crisis signals.

Botch this...

And my HP might zero first.

Glancing up, the sight ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠stole my breath: sheer overwhelming size gap.

'Not untouchable.'

Heritage Object in play.

Holy power on my strikes—perfect counter to its undead nature.

Thus—

- Crackle.

"...!"

Its rotten flesh blackened under holy influence, crumbling soon after.

This level...

Not just blocking—counterattack viable.

'No holding back.'

Its bulk demanded full throttle—no HP conservation here.

- Gwoooong...!

Domain pressure intensified.

"Grrah...!"

The recoil? All mine to bear.

- Plop.

Holy-blackened rot exploded under the shifted domain property.

- Drip.

Mana shoving its mass now carried savage momentum.

Goblin champ's elite warrior vibe—unleashed in bursts,

slamming into its bulky body and arm real-time.

- Krunch!!

"Eat shit, you pig bastard!!"

Felt the dense fatigue crash as its arm shredded to dust.

'Now.'

Whittle it piece by piece with the domain—

- Twitch.

"Huh?"

Mid-motion, fresh flesh sprouted from the severed stump.

"Fuck! Regen is bullshit!"

"...Woojin!"

Lisha's shocked cry rang out, but I refocused on domain senses instead of replying.

"Fine, let's end this."

Testing my limits.

Stinging ache from my heart spiked dopamine up my spine.

"Groooar!"

Raging, it swung again; I swapped to Erosion Barrier like before.

'Can't repeat.'

Even if I wrecked that meat slab, it'd regrow fast.

Block and intercept simultaneously.

"...Ah."

Can I?

Fundamental doubt gnawed.

Theory was solid as truth.

Defend while attacking.

- Rrrumble...!

Mana circuits burned hot in response.

Body quaking—decision made.

"...!"

Ramped mana output.

- Kiiiiing!!

Domain mana screamed, hitting limits instantly.

Forced higher—layered a 'property' on top.

"Simultaneous deployment."

Its descending meat slowed to a crawl, then fragmented in seconds.

Fresh sprouts wriggled to fill the gap—but

- Crunch!

"Groooaaah!"

One step closer crushed them raw.

It flailed its other arm in frenzy—same fate.

But... still way too much flesh left.

- Grind.

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Dual-domain recoil dwarfed expectations.

Teeth clenched, endured the mind-fogging haze.

Forced stiff limbs forward—one more step.

"W-Woojin...!"

Glanced at the voice—Lisha far off, face rattled, eyes burning with intense resolve.

No breath to answer; nodded assent, refocused.

- It hurts.

Pained groan leaked in.

Hallucination? Dunno.

Too dazed, never pushed domain this hard— no room to process.

Thoughts raced wild.

Domain mana splintering molecular, force-feeding info into my skull.

"...Ah."

Realization hit.

'Mana's core.'

World fading, domain and I merging.

Looming within: the nasty hidden boss.

- Finish it, please finish it.

'Ah.'

Finally clocked the voice's source.

Festering energy in the flesh.

Raw despair, grudge.

Info flooded.

New skill name—but

'It flows.'

Swirling mana urged my choice.

- Drip. Drip.

"...?"

Snap—warm trickle down my jaw.

Nosebleed.

Body at limit.

Time short.

- Fwaaah...!

Warm embrace snapped my mind clear.

"No!!"

Screeching wail tore through.

Lisha's desperate cry yanked me from the void.

"Groooar!!"

Then—

Its shadow attack engulfed me.

"..."

But.

Space flooded with vast holy power—the King of the Dead's body froze inches away.

- Crumble.

Endless-regen corpse finally deflated, collapsing.

- Thank you. Thank you.

With that voice...

The threat to me and Lisha vanished from the stage entirely.

"Woojin! You okay...?!"

"..."

"Woojin...?"

Lisha rushed over, confusion crossing her frantic face.

"Lisha."

"Y-yeah?"

"Why's the world spinning like crazy?"

Vision dinged black—depleted stamina dragged me into deep darkness.

..

...

....