Artificial Dungeon (3): A Single Arrow
Holding back your strength against an enemy right in front of you is pure stupidity. Doing so would only make you fall that much faster. So it was better to unleash everything here and now.
Fwoosh!
She kicked off the ground with all her might. The Queen immediately lashed out with razor-sharp claws toward Luden.
Whoooong!
Its size didn’t feel all that different from the other Antrians. But perhaps that was exactly why it was the Queen. So fast?!
The speed was on an entirely different level from the creatures that had been charging at her until now. Luden’s eyes widened as she quickly retreated. She swung her sword down hard, aiming to sever its arm.
But—
Clang!
Instead of cutting through, her blade bounced back violently. It’s so hard!
The pain blooming across her palm made her eyes bulge. The Queen spat in clear annoyance. Everyone knew the Queen’s saliva was venomous. She could never let it touch her.
Luden rolled sideways. The very next instant—
Hsssss!
The small rock behind her began to melt. Luden swallowed hard.
Gulp.
She had fought plenty of Antrians before. But the Queen was a rare specimen, and this was her first time facing one. She never imagined the difference in class would be this extreme.
Whoooong!
The creature swung its other arm. The unexpected ambush made Luden’s eyes fly wide open. She raised her sword to block, but—
“Ugh!”
The sheer power behind it was overwhelming. She couldn’t hold her ground and was sent flying.
Boom!
Her vision flashed crimson, then began to blur. Even though she had only blocked a single blow, she was already on the verge of collapse.
I can’t stay down like this.
Baran still hadn’t fired his arrow. It looked like he wasn’t finished preparing yet. Using her trembling legs and her sword as a crutch, Luden somehow forced herself upright.
But in that exact moment—
Kieeeeeeek!
The Queen charged from afar, claws raised to strike. If she didn’t stop it, she would die. She had to block it somehow.
Whoong!
She slowly lifted her sword overhead. Just as the claws were about to connect—
Kiiik?
She deflected the attack to the side. The Queen tilted its head, clearly confused by the unexpected movement.
In that fleeting opening, Luden swung her blade.
Swoooosh!
Her sword sliced through the air. The Queen looked at the incoming strike with contempt and raised its claws to meet it.
But then—
Slice!
Unlike before, the Queen’s claw was severed cleanly. It was only one of many, yet until now Luden’s attacks had done nothing at all.
Was that why?
Kirrrrk!
The Queen let out a furious roar. Enraged, it charged straight at Luden in a direct line.
Luden watched its movements calmly. Simple.
There was no doubt its raw power far surpassed hers. But like any monster, it couldn’t use that strength to its full potential. Luden poured her entire body into a downward slash.
Kiiik?!
In a flash, her sword lodged perfectly between its claws. The Queen flinched violently at the unexpected counter.
It clearly never dreamed it would be pushed back by someone so much weaker. Now’s my chance.
The creature was being wounded by an existence far beneath it. Its excitement was preventing it from using its full power. She had to press the advantage.
Luden attacked even more fiercely, as if this were her final opportunity. Her sword strikes left countless wounds across the Queen’s body.
Kieeeeeek!
Seething with resentment, the Queen swung its claws wildly. But the movements were full of wasteful motion—there was no way they would land.
Just as Luden moved in to finish it—
Kiik.
The Queen suddenly wore an unpleasant smile, as if it had been waiting for this very moment. A bad premonition washed over Luden and she hurriedly jumped back.
Hiiiiiiiss!
Sure enough, the ground where she had been standing began to melt. If she had been even a second slower, she would have dissolved along with it.
“Huff… huff…”
Perhaps it was because she had stopped her assault midway, but her breathing was ragged and a sweet metallic taste filled her mouth. She had never struggled this much before, so the sensation felt strangely foreign.
Yet contrary to what her body suggested—
My power is overflowing.
Blood clearly streamed down from her head. Her vision was dyed red. She had no idea what she looked like right now, but she probably appeared ready to collapse at any second.
So why? Right now, defeating the Queen before her eyes seemed like it would be easy.
Grip.
She tightened her hold on her sword with cold eyes. Then—
Shiver!
A spine-chilling aura ran down her back. It seemed the Queen felt it too; its gaze suddenly shifted elsewhere.
Wondering what it was, Luden turned her head. Baran had finished preparing and was drawing back his bowstring. What is that?
Just what had he prepared that such overwhelming mana could be felt from him? The moment every living being present instinctively realized it was over—
“Miss Luden. This should be enough.”
Baran’s calm declaration signaled the end.
10 minutes earlier.
Baran had fallen silent at the scene unfolding before him. No wonder Limit Break is a 5-star trait.
Even with blood pouring down her forehead, she continued moving with unwavering resolve. Under normal circumstances she should have fainted long ago, but that fraudulent trait kept her on her feet.
Well, if she was simply enduring, he could have overlooked it. But—
That child is growing.
Miroel stared at Luden with genuine astonishment. To think there was someone besides Kyle with this kind of ability…
It was only natural for her to react that way. The ancestor of the Roden family—the descendant of the first hero, Kyle—was none other than Luden. Most people had no idea, but Miroel had surely noticed. After all, Luden’s mana shone with a golden hue unlike anyone else’s.
Yet that wasn’t why Miroel was surprised. It was because Luden was growing in real time. The kind of growth that usually only occurred for Kyle in moments of life-threatening crisis.
Anyway, it’s time for me to prepare properly as well.
He had waited for Luden to grow just like in the original story. Now that he had achieved his goal, it was time to bring things to a close.
Woooong.
He poured the mana within his body into his circuits. Mana erupted across his entire form.
This should be more than enough mana gathered.
He had drawn in as much ambient mana from the atmosphere as possible. It was a shame he couldn’t collect every last drop inside the dungeon, but with his current level there was nothing to be done. In any case, this much was already more than sufficient.
Woooong!
He nocked an arrow onto the string of mana and pulled it back with all his strength. I need to draw it even further.
He had to pull until the bowstring felt like it might snap. Only then could he unleash its maximum power.
That is sufficient, my disciple.
Any more and your body shall not withstand it.
Miroel, who had been watching from behind, told him to stop. Baran gave a small nod. Then he called out to Luden, who was still single-handedly holding back the horde of monsters.
“Miss Luden. This should be enough.”
The moment she heard his voice, Luden immediately leaped aside. In the next instant, the Antrians—led by the Queen—let out roars filled with rage and charged forward to block the incoming attack.
Kieeeeeeeeek!
The Queen had closed the distance until it was right before his eyes. Baran held his breath and released the string.
Piiiiiiiiiii—!
His eardrums went numb for a moment. With just a single arrow, the entire landscape changed. The countless monsters that had filled the space until seconds ago had vanished. All that remained was a cloud of dust.
As the dust slowly settled, Luden stood with her mouth agape at the sight before her.
“Huh…?”
Just ten seconds ago the area had been swarming with monsters—so many it felt like standing inside an ant nest. Yet Baran’s single arrow had reduced them all to powder. The phenomenon that appeared when monsters died.
In one strike?
Luden’s head snapped toward Baran. He exhaled softly and withdrew his mana.
“Hoo.”
Still far from perfect, but for its first use in real combat, that was not bad at all.
As she spoke, Miroel gently stroked the top of his head. Perhaps because she was hugging him from behind, an indescribably soft sensation pressed against his back. Feeling oddly embarrassed, Baran cleared his throat.
“Ahem.”
He tried to signal her with a cough, but Miroel simply continued stroking his head. Sigh. Just let her do it. It wasn’t exactly a loss, so there was no point making a fuss.
More importantly, what kind of reward are they going to give?
While he mentally justified the situation and waited for the system reward, it finally arrived.
Ding!
Main Quest Cleared.
Rewards: Experience and Points granted.
Antrian Queen defeated in a single strike!
Hidden reward granted to the Player!