Chapter 394: Captain Barbarian (4)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 394: Captain Barbarian (4)
The reason why I said that I would fight all four at once was simple. Even if I defeated all four of them in a one-on-one tournament, they wouldn't accept it. I determined there was only one way to convince everyone: by tossing them a treat they couldn't stomach not swallowing.
"Ah, I'll say this in advance. If I lose, I will give up my claim to the position of commander." In other words, this was a chance for them to knock a competitor off the stage. "Why is no one saying anything? Are you not confident you can win even if the four of you fight me together?"
When I tossed in some more provocation, my opponents began to react.
"I accept," said Akurava.
"What? Why should we pit ourselves against one person like this—"
"He's saying he'll drop out, so why should we argue?"
"Ms. Akurava is right." The deputy commander backed the dwarf woman up, turning this into a democratic vote.
At this, the knight nodded with a look of displeasure on his face and the paladin remained silent, which seemed to be his way of expressing his approval. They probably knew it too. This situation might end up being a bit awkward to explain to others, but it was an opportunity to knock a competitor out of the running with ease.
"Riehen Schuitz, right?" asked Akurava.
"Yes?"
"You're going to have to keep your promise."
"Of course. If I lose, I will submit myself to the leadership of whoever you choose. But—"
"You want this to go both ways, right? Fine. If by some chance you beat all of us, you will get the position you're after."
After that, I asked the three aside from Akurava to make sure they agreed to these terms as well, and just like that, a verbal contract was made. Though it wasn't in writing, I had a more trustworthy notary than anyone else so I wasn't worried at all.
"That's that, then. Lord Tercerion, is there a suitable place?" asked Akurava.
"Of course."
The marquess didn't seem concerned about me in the slightest as he lent us the mansion's training grounds. It probably wasn't because he trusted me 100 percent, though. It was just that, if I failed because of my recklessness, he still stood to gain something. For example, he could use this failure as an excuse to tighten my leash and micromanage me.
"Then I will be waiting outside," said the marquess.
Once I reached the training grounds, I put on my equipment.
[You have equipped a Large Adamantium Battle Shield. Your total Item Level has increased by +1750.]
I started with the shield I bought for a large sum once I returned from the past.
[You have equipped an Iron Breastplate. Your total Item Level has increased by +150.]
[You have equipped Iron Gaiters. Your total Item Level has increased by +75.]
[You have equipped War Boots. Your total Item Level has increased by +45.]
This was equipment I bought for cheap because I didn't have the money at the time. Now that I had money, I should change everything to adamantium.
[You have equipped No. 87: Kraul's Demon Grinder. Your total Item Level has increased by +4800.]
When I stepped out onto the training grounds in full armor, the other four appeared one by one as they finished their own preparations.
"It's very strange, no? I feel more comfortable in these than clothes made of cloth now," said the knight.
"That means your body has gotten used to it since you wear it more often than everyday clothes."
Their equipment looked expensive even at a glance. But no matter how well it was taken care of, there was noticeable wear and tear and signs of use on the joints. I took in their gear.
Jeez, they even came fully equipped with accessories.
Yeah, I figured they would have brought these in their sub-spaces even if they came dressed in suits. They wouldn't have been able to call themselves adventurers otherwise.
"But things on the other side look... very different from what I expected."
"I thought he was Blood Spirit's man. I guess she didn't buy him armor."
"Riehen Schuitz, do you really intend to fight with that equipment?"
The four made strange faces at my ordinary iron equipment. The looks in their eyes were closer to surprise than contempt, though. They probably didn't expect me to be so shabby-looking when I was here on the marquess's recommendation.
"It's not a problem."
What was the big deal about iron armor? It wouldn't make a significant difference in this battle. To be honest, their looks were kind of embarrassing me, but when I thought about it, it wasn't that big an issue.
"Okay, fight me."
Logically, it was the people who ended up getting their asses kicked that were a bigger embarrassment, right?
***
There was a popular saying that a battle between masters was decided in a split second. I, of course, didn't agree. Maybe if it was a life-or-death fight between knights, sure, but I was a proper tank. Where I truly shined was battles that dragged on. But at least in the beginning, this wasn't much different from the fight between masters that popped into my head unbidden.
All conversation suddenly evaporated. Everyone stood at a distance from each other. Eyelids blinked with less frequency. Eyes crossed paths and a heavy tension settled. Muscles trained through years of real combat were contracted to spring into action at any moment, and beads of sweat gradually formed on hands gripping weapons.
Slide.
Our keen senses picked up on even the smallest of movements. This was one of the reasons why many-versus-one battles were difficult. There were too many things to pay attention to.
Yeah, so instead of that...
"How long are you going to stand there like that?"
The moment I threw that question out there and saw my opponents move to answer, I used that single breath as an opportunity to kick off the ground and rush forward. My first target was the knight who had taken the most aggressive position out front. The guy was forced to swallow back whatever he was going to say and narrowed his eyes. It seemed I'd hurt his pride by choosing him as the first target.
Whooom!
The aura of a skilled knight who was in his prime wrapped around his sword in an instant and swung toward me. Labyrinth or city, it was an aura that would have cut through most armored warriors like tofu.
[You have cast Iron Fortress.]
[The effect of Evolving Shell has increased by 1.5 times.]
I raised my shield to block it.
"It's very strange, no? I feel more comfortable in these than clothes made of cloth now," said the knight.
"That means your body has gotten used to it since you wear it more often than everyday clothes."
Their equipment looked expensive even at a glance. But no matter how well it was taken care of, there was noticeable wear and tear and signs of use on the joints. I took in their gear.
Jeez, they even came fully equipped with accessories.
Yeah, I figured they would have brought these in their sub-spaces even if they came dressed in suits. They wouldn't have been able to call themselves adventurers otherwise.
"But things on the other side look... very different from what I expected."
"I thought he was Blood Spirit's man. I guess she didn't buy him armor."
"Riehen Schuitz, do you really intend to fight with that equipment?"
The four made strange faces at my ordinary iron equipment. The looks in their eyes were closer to surprise than contempt, though. They probably didn't expect me to be so shabby-looking when I was here on the marquess's recommendation.
"It's not a problem."
What was the big deal about iron armor? It wouldn't make a significant difference in this battle. To be honest, their looks were kind of embarrassing me, but when I thought about it, it wasn't that big an issue.
"Okay, fight me."
Logically, it was the people who ended up getting their asses kicked that were a bigger embarrassment, right?
***
There was a popular saying that a battle between masters was decided in a split second. I, of course, didn't agree. Maybe if it was a life-or-death fight between knights, sure, but I was a proper tank. Where I truly shined was battles that dragged on. But at least in the beginning, this wasn't much different from the fight between masters that popped into my head unbidden.
All conversation suddenly evaporated. Everyone stood at a distance from each other. Eyelids blinked with less frequency. Eyes crossed paths and a heavy tension settled. Muscles trained through years of real combat were contracted to spring into action at any moment, and beads of sweat gradually formed on hands gripping weapons.
Slide.
Our keen senses picked up on even the smallest of movements. This was one of the reasons why many-versus-one battles were difficult. There were too many things to pay attention to.
Yeah, so instead of that...
"How long are you going to stand there like that?"
The moment I threw that question out there and saw my opponents move to answer, I used that single breath as an opportunity to kick off the ground and rush forward. My first target was the knight who had taken the most aggressive position out front. The guy was forced to swallow back whatever he was going to say and narrowed his eyes. It seemed I'd hurt his pride by choosing him as the first target.
Whooom!
The aura of a skilled knight who was in his prime wrapped around his sword in an instant and swung toward me. Labyrinth or city, it was an aura that would have cut through most armored warriors like tofu.
[You have cast Iron Fortress.]
[The effect of Evolving Shell has increased by 1.5 times.]
I raised my shield to block it.
Khak!
When the sword bounced off instead of cutting through everything in its path like I was sure it usually did, the knight looked startled. But as he was a soldier trained in live combat, that surprise only lasted for a moment.
Whippp!
The knight used the recoil from the bounce to spin in the air and swing his sword at me again. The target this time was my lower body, which was difficult to block with a shield. To be more precise, he was aiming for the area around my calf covered by iron gaiters.
Did he think the adamantium was the problem?
It was a very quick call to make after just one exchange. The problem was, it wasn't the right one.
Khak!
Are you underestimating iron?
My opponent was using big, flashy movements and leaving a lot of openings, so I took the opportunity to kick him in the chin.
Bang!
His body floated in the air from the blow at just the right angle to hit with my hammer.
[Jun Arshen has cast Light of Protection.]
God damn it.
Kwaaang!
Just in time, divine power came in clutch, a shield of light appearing right above the knight's head to block my hammer. Using the gap he was given, the knight retreated. Even after almost dying, this guy seemed more preoccupied with something else. "How...?"
Jeez, why are all knights the same? I guess it is pretty surprising to block an aura with iron armor, though.
Anyway, rather than wearing top-of-the-line products, it was more important to make yourself a top-of-the-line product.
"The equipment itself is ordinary no matter how I look at it."
"Then he must be the reason for this strange phenomenon."
Correct. Not only did Union increase the Physical Resistance of my equipment, but Evolving Shell and Ironskin were also at play here. Though, while the adamantium shield didn't have a single scratch on it from the knight's swing, the iron armor had some deep ones.
"I don't know what kind of essence he has, but to be able to stop an aura... it seems his confidence wasn't completely unfounded."
Akurava and the deputy commander quickly exchanged their thoughts while watching me from a short distance away. "I have a few guesses, although I don't know why their effects would extend to his equipment. Mr. Calla, will you try firing an arrow at him?"
At Akurava's instructions, the deputy commander, who was dressed from head to toe in dragon-skin armor, pulled back his bowstring. Did they figure out my resistance to swords already?
[James Calla has cast Piercing Light.]
As soon as light started to gather around the arrowhead, I covered my body with the shield to defend myself. That was because if I tried to rely on sight, I'd already be too late.
Swoop!
The light arrow was fired with a short whipping sound. Since I blocked it with my shield in time, I didn't take any damage.
"The arrowhead went in." However, the arrowhead dug deep into the adamantium shield, which hadn't even been scratched by the aura earlier. At that, Akurava shouted, "Swords don't work on this man."
Yikes, I'll be out of cards at this rate.
Bang!
The paladin, who continued to charge forward even after I pushed the knight back earlier, closed in. This guy's main defenses were a large shield and mace. Yeah, that was a fundamental combination for any respectable tank.
Khak!
When the sword bounced off instead of cutting through everything in its path like I was sure it usually did, the knight looked startled. But as he was a soldier trained in live combat, that surprise only lasted for a moment.
Whippp!
The knight used the recoil from the bounce to spin in the air and swing his sword at me again. The target this time was my lower body, which was difficult to block with a shield. To be more precise, he was aiming for the area around my calf covered by iron gaiters.
Did he think the adamantium was the problem?
It was a very quick call to make after just one exchange. The problem was, it wasn't the right one.
Khak!
Are you underestimating iron?
My opponent was using big, flashy movements and leaving a lot of openings, so I took the opportunity to kick him in the chin.
Bang!
His body floated in the air from the blow at just the right angle to hit with my hammer.
[Jun Arshen has cast Light of Protection.]
God damn it.
Kwaaang!
Just in time, divine power came in clutch, a shield of light appearing right above the knight's head to block my hammer. Using the gap he was given, the knight retreated. Even after almost dying, this guy seemed more preoccupied with something else. "How...?"
Jeez, why are all knights the same? I guess it is pretty surprising to block an aura with iron armor, though.
Anyway, rather than wearing top-of-the-line products, it was more important to make yourself a top-of-the-line product.
"The equipment itself is ordinary no matter how I look at it."
"Then he must be the reason for this strange phenomenon."
Correct. Not only did Union increase the Physical Resistance of my equipment, but Evolving Shell and Ironskin were also at play here. Though, while the adamantium shield didn't have a single scratch on it from the knight's swing, the iron armor had some deep ones.
"I don't know what kind of essence he has, but to be able to stop an aura... it seems his confidence wasn't completely unfounded."
Akurava and the deputy commander quickly exchanged their thoughts while watching me from a short distance away. "I have a few guesses, although I don't know why their effects would extend to his equipment. Mr. Calla, will you try firing an arrow at him?"
At Akurava's instructions, the deputy commander, who was dressed from head to toe in dragon-skin armor, pulled back his bowstring. Did they figure out my resistance to swords already?
[James Calla has cast Piercing Light.]
As soon as light started to gather around the arrowhead, I covered my body with the shield to defend myself. That was because if I tried to rely on sight, I'd already be too late.
Swoop!
The light arrow was fired with a short whipping sound. Since I blocked it with my shield in time, I didn't take any damage.
"The arrowhead went in." However, the arrowhead dug deep into the adamantium shield, which hadn't even been scratched by the aura earlier. At that, Akurava shouted, "Swords don't work on this man."
Yikes, I'll be out of cards at this rate.
Bang!
The paladin, who continued to charge forward even after I pushed the knight back earlier, closed in. This guy's main defenses were a large shield and mace. Yeah, that was a fundamental combination for any respectable tank.
Kwaaang!
Instead of using his weapon, the paladin made a wall with his shield and tried to stop me in my tracks.
Pushhh.
It seemed his basic Strength stat wasn't very high, though, because he was pushed back as soon as we collided, his feet dragging through the dirt. Unfortunately, he didn't go very far.
[Jun Arshen has cast Divine Opening.]
[Jun Arshen has cast Rising Power.]
[Jun Arshen has cast Blessing of the Sun.]
Like the buff-casting, self-healing tanks all paladins were, he used divine power in quick succession, a white light bursting from his body.
"What incredible strength." As soon as he wasn't getting shoved backward anymore, he took a moment to compliment me.
Jeez, that hurts my pride. Still, I guess what matters is I've reached the distance I was aiming for.
[You have cast Transcendence.]
[You have cast Eye of the Storm.]
My grab skill really shined in PVP. The maximum radius was twenty yards but my reason for getting this close was simple—the shorter the distance, the harder it was to react to it in time.
Whiiiiiip!
A strong gust of wind kicked up despite the otherwise calm afternoon.
"Ah...!" My target was the deputy commander in the rear. When you were fighting one-v-many, it was standard practice to attack the rearguard first.
And that armor makes me want to tear him apart.
In return for granting the wearer considerable Mana Resistance, dragon leather was vulnerable to physical attacks. Put simply, just one hit would put him at death's door.
[You have cast Giantization. Your Threat Level and Physical Attributes increase in proportion to your increase in size.]
Activating the skill I'd been saving so far, I used my increased Strength to push the paladin away.
Dash.
Then I jumped toward the archer who got flung by the gust of wind. Using my increased reach from Giantization, I brought my hammer down before the archer guy could even react.
[Jun Arshen has cast Light of Protection.]
The paladin I beat once again used the divine spell he used to save the knight earlier.
[You have used a transformation-type ability. Due to the effect of Evolving Shell, the amount of Soul Power consumed by the ability is reduced by half, and your highest stat increases by 1.5 times.]
This was bound to go different than before because the blow he blocked earlier was just a regular hit.
[You have cast Swing. The damage you deal with blunt weapons has increased significantly in proportion to your Muscle Strength.]
Crackkk!
The moment my hammer touched it, the barrier shattered like glass.
Crack!
The deputy commander fell limply to the ground, blood oozing from his cracked forehead. A knight, a tank, and even ninth-floor adventurer Akurava hadn't been able to prevent this stroke of misfortune.
As an uncomfortable silence settled, I quietly counted, "One down, for now." There were now three out of four high-level adventurers left.
Hmm, maybe the knight shouldn't count? Anyway, the real deal starts now.
Kwaaang!
Instead of using his weapon, the paladin made a wall with his shield and tried to stop me in my tracks.
Pushhh.
It seemed his basic Strength stat wasn't very high, though, because he was pushed back as soon as we collided, his feet dragging through the dirt. Unfortunately, he didn't go very far.
[Jun Arshen has cast Divine Opening.]
[Jun Arshen has cast Rising Power.]
[Jun Arshen has cast Blessing of the Sun.]
Like the buff-casting, self-healing tanks all paladins were, he used divine power in quick succession, a white light bursting from his body.
"What incredible strength." As soon as he wasn't getting shoved backward anymore, he took a moment to compliment me.
Jeez, that hurts my pride. Still, I guess what matters is I've reached the distance I was aiming for.
[You have cast Transcendence.]
[You have cast Eye of the Storm.]
My grab skill really shined in PVP. The maximum radius was twenty yards but my reason for getting this close was simple—the shorter the distance, the harder it was to react to it in time.
Whiiiiiip!
A strong gust of wind kicked up despite the otherwise calm afternoon.
"Ah...!" My target was the deputy commander in the rear. When you were fighting one-v-many, it was standard practice to attack the rearguard first.
And that armor makes me want to tear him apart.
In return for granting the wearer considerable Mana Resistance, dragon leather was vulnerable to physical attacks. Put simply, just one hit would put him at death's door.
[You have cast Giantization. Your Threat Level and Physical Attributes increase in proportion to your increase in size.]
Activating the skill I'd been saving so far, I used my increased Strength to push the paladin away.
Dash.
Then I jumped toward the archer who got flung by the gust of wind. Using my increased reach from Giantization, I brought my hammer down before the archer guy could even react.
[Jun Arshen has cast Light of Protection.]
The paladin I beat once again used the divine spell he used to save the knight earlier.
[You have used a transformation-type ability. Due to the effect of Evolving Shell, the amount of Soul Power consumed by the ability is reduced by half, and your highest stat increases by 1.5 times.]
This was bound to go different than before because the blow he blocked earlier was just a regular hit.
[You have cast Swing. The damage you deal with blunt weapons has increased significantly in proportion to your Muscle Strength.]
Crackkk!
The moment my hammer touched it, the barrier shattered like glass.
Crack!
The deputy commander fell limply to the ground, blood oozing from his cracked forehead. A knight, a tank, and even ninth-floor adventurer Akurava hadn't been able to prevent this stroke of misfortune.
As an uncomfortable silence settled, I quietly counted, "One down, for now." There were now three out of four high-level adventurers left.
Hmm, maybe the knight shouldn't count? Anyway, the real deal starts now.
Though I may have eliminated one of four powerful fighters, I didn't lower my guard and instead steeled myself anew. I knew this was purely an early advantage. After all, I'd heard a lot about these guys from the marquess but they knew very little about me.
In that sense, this situation was kind of ironic. Although he wasn't killed instantly, the deputy commander had been seriously injured and knocked out. To think the guy who preached that information was the most important thing during lunch earlier would be taken out first because he didn't have enough information.
I can't exactly say he's been taken out, though.
In the universe of Dungeon and Stone, you could come back to life as long as you didn't die.
[Jun Arshen has cast Hand of Regeneration.]
A pure white radiance spilled from the paladin's body and flowed into the unconscious deputy commander. Since I didn't have any nullification effects as a Shield Barbarian, I already took it for granted that this guy would inevitably be healed.
The short game won't work.
I promptly abandoned the thought of giving my all to finishing this match before my opponents could recover. I hadn't been pinning my hopes on such an overwhelming victory in the first place. After all, how could I destroy four top-tier adventurers by myself just because I had a good build? Everything had a price. That was the only truth in this cruel world.
"Aaaaaah!" I ran forward, swinging my hammer.
Bang.
The paladin stopped me.
Whooom!
At that moment, someone flew in and raised the weapon in their hands. It was the knight who got pushed away earlier. It seemed he'd swapped out his gear in that time because he was now holding a hammer instead of a sword. It was kind of funny to see a knight using a regular weapon instead of an aura. This must have been what separated high-talent individuals from the rest—responding appropriately to whatever situation they were in.
Kwaaang!
The blunt weapon struck my shoulder. The physical impact itself wasn't that bad, but the moment I was hit, a heat seared through my bones. It took less than a second to figure out why.
Who carries something like that as a backup weapon?
No. 761: Loam's Blast Furnace Hammer was a triple-digit Numbers Item. Its ability was that it piled on additional Fire Penetration damage in proportion to the user's physical strength. Still, I could deal with it thanks to Flame Resistance.
"Haaaaaah!" With a shout, I activated Wild Outburst. Using my temporarily increased Physique stats, I kicked the paladin once more in an attempt to shove him back.
What the—why isn't he budging?
My brain, which was pickled from dedicating my twenties to Dungeon and Stone, questioned and answered this at the same time.
[Jun Arshen has cast Holy Descent.]
So, he already activated that. This is definitely going to be tough.
It seemed the rest had fully raised their guards after seeing one of them go down. From here on out, it wouldn't be easy for me to beat the paladin in terms of strength.
[Titana Akurava has used No. 1911: Fabler's Broken Pocket Watch.]
Even the dwarf lady, who had been observing the situation, now joined the battle in earnest. For reference, this lady was essentially an attacker. Dwarves, who treated numbered items as must-haves, were as efficient in this position as they were as warriors.
Though I may have eliminated one of four powerful fighters, I didn't lower my guard and instead steeled myself anew. I knew this was purely an early advantage. After all, I'd heard a lot about these guys from the marquess but they knew very little about me.
In that sense, this situation was kind of ironic. Although he wasn't killed instantly, the deputy commander had been seriously injured and knocked out. To think the guy who preached that information was the most important thing during lunch earlier would be taken out first because he didn't have enough information.
I can't exactly say he's been taken out, though.
In the universe of Dungeon and Stone, you could come back to life as long as you didn't die.
[Jun Arshen has cast Hand of Regeneration.]
A pure white radiance spilled from the paladin's body and flowed into the unconscious deputy commander. Since I didn't have any nullification effects as a Shield Barbarian, I already took it for granted that this guy would inevitably be healed.
The short game won't work.
I promptly abandoned the thought of giving my all to finishing this match before my opponents could recover. I hadn't been pinning my hopes on such an overwhelming victory in the first place. After all, how could I destroy four top-tier adventurers by myself just because I had a good build? Everything had a price. That was the only truth in this cruel world.
"Aaaaaah!" I ran forward, swinging my hammer.
Bang.
The paladin stopped me.
Whooom!
At that moment, someone flew in and raised the weapon in their hands. It was the knight who got pushed away earlier. It seemed he'd swapped out his gear in that time because he was now holding a hammer instead of a sword. It was kind of funny to see a knight using a regular weapon instead of an aura. This must have been what separated high-talent individuals from the rest—responding appropriately to whatever situation they were in.
Kwaaang!
The blunt weapon struck my shoulder. The physical impact itself wasn't that bad, but the moment I was hit, a heat seared through my bones. It took less than a second to figure out why.
Who carries something like that as a backup weapon?
No. 761: Loam's Blast Furnace Hammer was a triple-digit Numbers Item. Its ability was that it piled on additional Fire Penetration damage in proportion to the user's physical strength. Still, I could deal with it thanks to Flame Resistance.
"Haaaaaah!" With a shout, I activated Wild Outburst. Using my temporarily increased Physique stats, I kicked the paladin once more in an attempt to shove him back.
What the—why isn't he budging?
My brain, which was pickled from dedicating my twenties to Dungeon and Stone, questioned and answered this at the same time.
[Jun Arshen has cast Holy Descent.]
So, he already activated that. This is definitely going to be tough.
It seemed the rest had fully raised their guards after seeing one of them go down. From here on out, it wouldn't be easy for me to beat the paladin in terms of strength.
[Titana Akurava has used No. 1911: Fabler's Broken Pocket Watch.]
Even the dwarf lady, who had been observing the situation, now joined the battle in earnest. For reference, this lady was essentially an attacker. Dwarves, who treated numbered items as must-haves, were as efficient in this position as they were as warriors.
[Up to five minutes of cooldown time has disappeared.]
Case in point, that watch normally only gave you a 70 percent reduction in cooldown time if you weren't a dwarf. Since she was from the ninth floor, it was safe to say she had all the core items needed for an optimal build aside from this one as well.
So, what was this lady's crown jewel again?
[Titana Akurava has cast Vampire Awl.]
Oh, right. That.
The rank-two skill consumed little MP, had decent damage, and even sucked out the target's MP, but it usually lost points thanks to its cooldown time.
Whiiip!
A giant awl flew toward me. Normally it would be best to avoid this, but a paladin and knight were caging me in on both sides.
Kwaaang!
So, I just blocked it with my shield. Though she was functionally a mage, a skill like this was classified as physical damage. My arm was a little sore, but it was nothing I couldn't handle. The problem was that blocking this left my side unprotected. As soon as there was an opening, the paladin and knight struck me with their weapons.
Kwaaang!
One instantly made me feel like my whole body was on fire.
Kwaaang!
The other tore through my Physical Resistance and even damaged my bones. Well, with Holy Descent, his Strength stat was probably twice as high as mine now.
Yeah, let's give up on defense.
I made a quick call. If I was going to get hit twice for blocking once, I might as well get hit three times and get at least one hit of my own. Besides, thanks to stage seven of the Spirit Imprint, my healing factor was pretty decent now.
Kwaaang!
I blocked the big attacks with my shield and swung my hammer. My remaining three opponents seemed to take this as a threat as they started throwing new skills my way in an attempt to corner me. To add insult to injury, the deputy commander rejoined the fray thanks to the paladin's healing.
"If you're awake, use your bow!"
Kwaaang!
My shield was doing all right, but my iron armor wasn't all that durable and was damaged in multiple places.
Whippp! Stab!
As arrows penetrated those weak points, my injuries grew.
Whoosh!
After getting hit so many times by the Blast Furnace Hammer, the heat that had been bearable before wasn't so bearable anymore.
Kwaaang!
Each time the paladin's mace hit me, it felt like my bones were being ground to dust. Well, maybe that was because they were getting crushed and healed simultaneously. That was probably it.
"You're smiling?"
The more firepower they threw my way, the more I smiled. I expected it to at least be this tough, after all.
Spew!
I accidentally bit my tongue when I got hit with the hammer earlier, causing blood to gush from my mouth like a fountain. It was a shame I no longer had acid blood, but at least it could block their sight, right?
"...Monster."
"I have to admit, you are definitely stronger than me." As the dogfight dragged on, the knight spoke up. "But even you can't beat four people all at once. Just give up."
You wish.
I could see they were panting from exhaustion too. Meanwhile, I still had quite a bit of MP left.
[You have cast Soul Dive. Your Soul Power will regenerate at a rate proportional to the amount of Soul Power you have consumed.]
My MP, which was almost bottomed out, filled back up again. The battle continued from there for what felt like hours.
"Why... isn't he collapsing?" the knight who smugly suggested I give up asked out loud.
"It's... as if you drank from a holy spring," the paladin muttered almost to himself.
"Enough of this. Don't you already know you can't win?" The dwarf lady seemed sick of my stubbornness.
"We'll nullify our agreement from earlier, so why don't we call this here?" The archer seemed to want to end this relentless battle as soon as possible.
"All of you... you're talking too much. Are you scared of losing?"
As they wasted their breath trying to convince me, I concentrated on just two things: what I could do, and what I had to do right now.
"Just go down already!"
[Titana Akurava has cast Vampire Awl.]
[James Calla has cast Piercing Light.]
[Jun Arshen has cast Hand of Regeneration.]
And as I endured, endured, and endured some more, the moment I'd been waiting for finally arrived.
[Titana Akurava's Soul Power is insufficient. Vampire Awl has been deactivated.]
[James Calla's Soul Power is insufficient. Piercing Light has been deactivated.]
[Jun Arshen's Soul Power is insufficient. Hand of Regeneration has been deactivated.]
Ultimately, the one left standing was the strongest.
[Up to five minutes of cooldown time has disappeared.]
Case in point, that watch normally only gave you a 70 percent reduction in cooldown time if you weren't a dwarf. Since she was from the ninth floor, it was safe to say she had all the core items needed for an optimal build aside from this one as well.
So, what was this lady's crown jewel again?
[Titana Akurava has cast Vampire Awl.]
Oh, right. That.
The rank-two skill consumed little MP, had decent damage, and even sucked out the target's MP, but it usually lost points thanks to its cooldown time.
Whiiip!
A giant awl flew toward me. Normally it would be best to avoid this, but a paladin and knight were caging me in on both sides.
Kwaaang!
So, I just blocked it with my shield. Though she was functionally a mage, a skill like this was classified as physical damage. My arm was a little sore, but it was nothing I couldn't handle. The problem was that blocking this left my side unprotected. As soon as there was an opening, the paladin and knight struck me with their weapons.
Kwaaang!
One instantly made me feel like my whole body was on fire.
Kwaaang!
The other tore through my Physical Resistance and even damaged my bones. Well, with Holy Descent, his Strength stat was probably twice as high as mine now.
Yeah, let's give up on defense.
I made a quick call. If I was going to get hit twice for blocking once, I might as well get hit three times and get at least one hit of my own. Besides, thanks to stage seven of the Spirit Imprint, my healing factor was pretty decent now.
Kwaaang!
I blocked the big attacks with my shield and swung my hammer. My remaining three opponents seemed to take this as a threat as they started throwing new skills my way in an attempt to corner me. To add insult to injury, the deputy commander rejoined the fray thanks to the paladin's healing.
"If you're awake, use your bow!"
Kwaaang!
My shield was doing all right, but my iron armor wasn't all that durable and was damaged in multiple places.
Whippp! Stab!
As arrows penetrated those weak points, my injuries grew.
Whoosh!
After getting hit so many times by the Blast Furnace Hammer, the heat that had been bearable before wasn't so bearable anymore.
Kwaaang!
Each time the paladin's mace hit me, it felt like my bones were being ground to dust. Well, maybe that was because they were getting crushed and healed simultaneously. That was probably it.
"You're smiling?"
The more firepower they threw my way, the more I smiled. I expected it to at least be this tough, after all.
Spew!
I accidentally bit my tongue when I got hit with the hammer earlier, causing blood to gush from my mouth like a fountain. It was a shame I no longer had acid blood, but at least it could block their sight, right?
"...Monster."
"I have to admit, you are definitely stronger than me." As the dogfight dragged on, the knight spoke up. "But even you can't beat four people all at once. Just give up."
You wish.
I could see they were panting from exhaustion too. Meanwhile, I still had quite a bit of MP left.
[You have cast Soul Dive. Your Soul Power will regenerate at a rate proportional to the amount of Soul Power you have consumed.]
My MP, which was almost bottomed out, filled back up again. The battle continued from there for what felt like hours.
"Why... isn't he collapsing?" the knight who smugly suggested I give up asked out loud.
"It's... as if you drank from a holy spring," the paladin muttered almost to himself.
"Enough of this. Don't you already know you can't win?" The dwarf lady seemed sick of my stubbornness.
"We'll nullify our agreement from earlier, so why don't we call this here?" The archer seemed to want to end this relentless battle as soon as possible.
"All of you... you're talking too much. Are you scared of losing?"
As they wasted their breath trying to convince me, I concentrated on just two things: what I could do, and what I had to do right now.
"Just go down already!"
[Titana Akurava has cast Vampire Awl.]
[James Calla has cast Piercing Light.]
[Jun Arshen has cast Hand of Regeneration.]
And as I endured, endured, and endured some more, the moment I'd been waiting for finally arrived.
[Titana Akurava's Soul Power is insufficient. Vampire Awl has been deactivated.]
[James Calla's Soul Power is insufficient. Piercing Light has been deactivated.]
[Jun Arshen's Soul Power is insufficient. Hand of Regeneration has been deactivated.]
Ultimately, the one left standing was the strongest.