Chapter 355: Ozdok (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 355: Ozdok (2)
[Gwoooooh!]
Ozdok let out a roar and slammed both hands on the ground. The earth split, rocks shot up like shrapnel, and the resulting tremor and shockwave launched Mary into the air.
Immediately, Ozdok thrust a fist toward Mary as she hung suspended in midair.
Boom—!
The massive fist tore through the air with an ominous howl. A direct hit would have shattered her entire body, even with a Runcandel’s blessed physique.
However, just as Barton had done, Mary blasted a jet of sword energy to abruptly shift her position in midair.
Furthermore, the moment Ozdok’s fist struck empty air, she wrapped Viper around the creature's arm.
Skreeeeeee!
The chain sword went taut, coiling like a snake and carving a long, spiral gash across Ozdok’s arm.
Sparks flew as Viper ground against the creature’s arm, its hide instantly hardening from the friction. But once again, she seemed to have failed to deal any significant damage.
Instead, Mary faced a counterattack before she could even land. She raised her arms to block a tail that lashed out in tandem with the punch.
Since the attack reached her before she could retract Viper, she had no choice but to block with her bare arms.
Oof!
Mary let out a sharp breath as she was thrown back, her feet carving a deep furrow in the ground as she skidded to a halt.
“Better than I expected.”
Of course, rather than intimidating her, this only served to further ignite her fighting spirit.
In fact, she even felt a pang of disappointment.
If the youngest and Lord Murakan weren't here, I could have had a much more thrilling fight.
The reason for Mary’s disappointment was simple.
No matter how much she was pushed back in this fight against Ozdok, she wasn't truly risking her life.
She trusted her youngest brother standing behind her, and she felt the same about Murakan behind him.
In Mary’s mind, no matter how strong a monster Ozdok was, as long as those two were present, her victory was one hundred percent guaranteed.
I need to read the flow before Sister gets exhausted.
Jin had not yet launched a proper attack.
He was currently reading Mary’s flow.
His plan was to attack the same spot simultaneously, but from a different distance and with a different method.
That was something even a duo who had trained together for years would find difficult to achieve.
Mary didn't get angry, even as Jin stood still and watched. She had already realized what kind of calculations her youngest brother was making.
After five or six more exchanges between Mary and Ozdok, Jin seemed to have finished his calculations and began gathering mana in his palms.
That kid is truly something else. To think he read his sister’s entire attack pattern in such a short time.
Naturally, Murakan had also figured out Jin’s plan and was inwardly impressed.
And there was another man on the battlefield who shared Murakan's sentiment.
Oho, Jin Runcandel. He is interesting. That man didn't praise him for nothing.
He was hiding on the edge of the battlefield, his presence completely erased, and had been observing the group for some time.
No one had noticed his presence.
The man simply watched the battle continue with a smirk on his face.
Whoosh!
The chilling flames of Azure Fire unfurled.
Then, the King of the Fire Realm thrust his long neck out from the dimensional gate and let out a roar. Ozdok flinched and turned its head.
“You monstrous bastard, where do you think you're looking when I'm right in front of you!”
Mary didn't miss the opening. She leaped high and thrust Viper toward Ozdok’s maw.
She hadn't found an opening until now, making this her first attack on its face.
Clang! Viper’s blade was blocked by the creature's teeth and failed to enter its throat, but a wicked smile spread across Mary’s lips.
“Oh, your teeth are a bit weak?”
It had wobbled.
The sensation of a single, wobbly fang vibrated up the length of Viper.
Soft teeth—that was Ozdok’s first weakness. The creature even trembled as if in considerable pain after its tooth was struck.
“Youngest!”
At Mary’s call, Jin nodded as if he understood. He immediately commanded Tess to fire a breath at Ozdok’s maw while simultaneously forming new attack magic in both hands.
A 7-star Flame Orb and an 8-star Hell Wind. As the masses of flame and wind, swollen to the bursting point, shot forward, Ozdok took a step back for the very first time.
Blocking the magic wouldn't be difficult, but it instinctively realized the two humans before it had found a way to harm it: simultaneous physical and magical strikes on its teeth.
A thousand years ago, when Ozdok had first become an Inner Core monster, it had taken humans a very long time to discover this weakness.
Back then, Ozdok was several times stronger than it was now, so there weren't many who could engage it in physical combat or a battle of attrition.
[Gwaaaaah!]
Ozdok let out a shriek and swung its fists wildly.
However, Tess’s flames slipped through the gaps between its fists and headed for its maw. While all of Ozdok’s attention was focused on those flames…
Mary cleverly aimed for the creature's ankle. She knew her youngest brother would realize it was far more effective to strike a new area than for both of them to keep focusing on the teeth.
Her intuition was correct.
The two spells Jin had prepared flew toward Ozdok’s right ankle, their timing perfectly synchronized with Mary's charge.
Their attacks struck the ankle at the exact same instant, with not even a fraction of a second's delay.
Slash, Craaaack—!
“Wow, you matched it perfectly in one go! Impressive as always, our youngest.”
Black blood, characteristic of monsters, sprayed from Ozdok’s ankle. The blood, erupting like a fountain, drenched Mary’s hair and armor, but she wore a smile of pure satisfaction.
On the other hand, Ozdok was busy trying to shake off the Azure Fire stuck to its face and regenerate its ankle.
It tried to slow their assault with a screeching wail, a sound more unpleasant than grinding Blue-Eye Stones, but the Runcandels weren't the type to be deterred by mere noise.
“Now it’s time for you to get beaten until you die, Ozdok!”
Mary shouted as she coated Viper with a new layer of Aura. After being slammed and sent rolling across the ground dozens of times by Ozdok's fists and tail, the thrill of the counterattack was that much sweeter.
Jin also prepared a series of attack spells.
At this rate, it seemed they would soon grasp victory even without resorting to secret techniques like Flash Cannon, Heaven Reversal, or the Demon Emperor’s 1st Form: Destruction Flame Orb of the Dark Heaven.
“Hahahaha!”
Mary felt as if she had become a 'magic swordsman.'
Every time she attacked, Jin’s magic supported her as if two perfectly matched puzzle pieces were clicking into place.
She felt her own swordsmanship becoming indescribably more versatile just from his support.
She even wondered if, even after reaching a higher realm of swordsmanship, she could ever execute an attack more perfect or efficient than what Jin’s magical support was currently providing.
Now I see why Lord Murakan was going on and on about how incredible the old Runcandel magic swordsmen were on the way here.
In any case, they had seized the advantage.
Ozdok’s massive body was already almost entirely stained with blood, and its movements had slowed significantly.
Some of its fingers had been severed, and a couple of fangs had melted away under Tess’s flames.
However, Mary and Jin’s attacks only grew more fierce as time passed.
Mary, in particular, seemed to be gaining stamina rather than losing it—a stark contrast to when she was purely dodging and blocking.
Sister is a monster in her own right. To think she’s getting even more energetic after being beaten like that earlier.
In terms of pure physical endurance, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say she was second only to Luna among the flagbearers.
[Gwoooo...]
Thud!
Ozdok dropped to one knee and let out a low groan.
Amidst Tess’s sharp roar echoing through the sky, it felt like the fight would end if they just pushed a little harder.
However, Jin and Mary were both thinking the same thing.
Could it really be over just because we've gained the upper hand? This is the golden monster that plunged the world into terror a thousand years ago, however weakened it might be now.
Still, there was no need to wait cautiously.
The answer would reveal itself once they started cutting, tearing, slashing, and crushing.
Jin and Mary’s gazes converged on the center of Ozdok’s chest.
It was the location of the creature's inner core. Though its entire body was pitch black, only the center of its chest, where the inner core resided, emitted a faint golden glow.
Attack the inner core.
The siblings' thoughts aligned perfectly without needing to speak.
Even while being driven into such a corner, Ozdok had flawlessly protected its inner core.
It could potentially be a trap.
It might be baiting us to attack the inner core, only to launch a new attack once Sister gets within range.
It was a highly plausible scenario.
However, Mary had already considered that possibility. She was confident she could avoid a fatal blow, even if Ozdok was using its inner core as bait for an ambush.
Since Jin had read Mary’s thoughts, he didn't add any further advice.
Instead, he simply prepared the appropriate magic so he could perfectly synchronize with her until the very end.
I like everything about you, kid. Since you're so damn cute, I'll give you a little present.
The corners of Mary’s mouth curled up.
She then locked her chain sword into a rigid, straight blade, her eyes flashing.
The blade, suddenly saturated with Aura, flared with a radiance so intense it was blinding.
A stance for a thrust.
A Secret Technique.
Another finishing move of the Runcandels, categorized differently from Decisive Techniques.
Jin had never seen that Secret Technique before, but he could tell at a glance that it was no ordinary thrust.
First she showed me a variation of the Volcano, and now she’s going to surprise me again?
There was no time to deduce what kind of technique it was.
The tempo they had naturally maintained until now suddenly accelerated.
Jin had to prepare his magic with matching speed before her movement was complete.
It seems the Patriarch truly cherished the 7th Flagbearer. Judging by the stance, he must have personally passed it down to her.
The man watching them narrowed his eyes with interest.
Furthermore, the 12th Flagbearer is clearly seeing it for the first time, yet he’s already planning to follow that flow and provide support...
I’m glad I came to see this for myself.
The moment the man finished his thought…
Swish—!
Mary thrust Viper straight forward.
Runcandel 5th Secret Technique
Light Speed Thrust