Chapter 31

Chapter 031

The Divinity-Vampirism build.

Its precise name was “Divinity_Mosquito_RealFinal12.” I had made it myself, but it was not a build I had used for very long.

Its early-stage potential was certainly good.

With explosive damage and enough versatility to be used in both PvP and PvE, it had even been selected as the best build for a time.

However, because of its unique flaws, the Divinity-Vampirism build had not lasted very long and had become a lost build.

‘The penalty was far too severe.’

Ethrana Exodus was a truly fair game, so there were almost no brain-dead overpowered Skills.

In a bad sense, it had good balance, and Vampirism-type Skills were exactly like that.

Skills with high Vampirism coefficients greatly reduced the Recovery Effect of Potions.

‘The reason one had to learn a survival Skill like 「Ambush」 was also because the build died at the drop of a hat.’

「Ambush」, which at least had good potential, was the only survival Skill, but because of its characteristic of necessarily sacrificing one character, it became infamous, and the criminal route was practically forced.

It was a build with an extremely low peak and many restrictions.

‘Considering he was given that one build out of all the many builds, he probably is not an important figure.’

Probably?

In my opinion, he was likely someone near the bottom even among the rank and file.

‘Though it is a little frightening that the lowest ranks are 4-star…….’

In any case, since I was the one who had made the Divinity-Vampirism build, I also understood exactly how to counter it.

That bastard’s techniques consumed a great deal of Health, so if I simply endured without being hit, I would win.

“Ah, right. You know what my weakness is, do you not? You are probably planning to drag this into a long battle.”

“…….”

“Do not try any tricks. I am going to end this in a short battle.”

It was only natural, but Jakol knew the weakness of his own build as well.

He probably would not move obediently according to my thoughts.

There was a high chance that he would aim for a short battle by making use of his strength, “explosive damage.”

‘I have no choice but to block as much as possible with Parrying.’

Parrying deflected attacks “without damage.”

If there was no damage, there would be no chance of suffering Status Effects, so in theory, I should be able to face him head-on.

I had no choice but to endure and endure, waiting until Jakol’s Health ran dry.

Did he realize what I was thinking?

The bastard grinned and charged in while emitting red Blood Aura.

‘Fast……!’

I almost reflexively threw my body aside and dodged the attack.

He had already been fast to begin with, but with the buff wrapped around him, he was fast enough that it was difficult to follow him with my eyes.

CLANG! CLA-CLANG!

I mixed Parrying into my evasions from time to time, but there was no decrease in the bastard’s speed.

Because he was so fast, it was not easy to find an opportunity to counterattack either.

SLASH!

“Keuk……!”

A dark red trajectory shallowly cut across my thigh.

A surge of agony struck, and the leg that had momentarily lost strength buckled and collapsed.

I blocked the scythe that came striking down again with all my might, but because Parrying failed to activate, blood sprayed from my shoulder.

The “Bleeding” effect had forcibly applied itself through my Guard.

“Hey! Even now, we should fight together……!”

“Do not interfere!”

I dismissed Persica’s urgent shout.

Even if Persica interfered, the situation would not improve. If anything, it would only grow worse.

Because I knew that build, I could somehow respond, but Persica, who did not, would be shredded by Jakol’s scythe the moment she came in.

‘I absolutely have to prevent that.’

Now that his Vampirism value had reached its peak due to the effect of 「Blood Frenzy」, getting hit by Jakol’s attacks would be no different from restoring that bastard’s Health.

And it was not as though I, who was barely enduring one-on-one, had the leeway to look after anyone else.

‘I will continue like this.’

Persica and the mage bastard had their roles.

Since my role was to create an opening for that moment, I had to fight entirely alone for now.

“Oh…… You are holding out quite well?”

“Keugh…….”

“How long can you keep holding out, hm?”

The bastard began pouring out scythe strikes, slashing me apart.

Head, shoulders, arms, legs.

With the barrage of chained attacks, my wounds only increased, and even sweeping them away with Parrying was not as easy as I had thought.

There was no problem with Parrying itself.

The problem was me.

‘My level still cannot keep up with Jakol.’

My perception for catching the enemy, the movement of my body, and the speed at which I operated Mana were all slow.

It had only been one month since I possessed this place.

For me, who had spent half of that as a fairy, facing a 4-star Adventurer already was absurd.

Even in the game, there were only a few times I had played this hard.

And this was not a place where I could revive as I did in the game, either……

‘But that is only my problem.’

Nothing would change even if I piled up excuses.

I had to find a way.

If I kept getting hit like this, I would collapse before long.

SLASH!

“Keuk……!”

My side was cut, and in that instant, a dizzying pain assaulted me.

This one was fairly deep.

Blood poured from the gouged wound, and my vision began to darken little by little.

Ah…… I knew what this was. I had experienced it often in the hospital.

A large amount of blood had left my body in an instant, and my body was going into shock.

‘It does not matter.’

My head was still working. My body could still move, too.

Ignoring the surging pain, I carefully observed Jakol’s movements.

While blocking only the attacks aimed at my vital points as much as possible, I read the patterns in the connections between one attack and the next.

SLASH!

CLA-CLANG!

Each time I took a wound and parried in succession, another line was added to the strategy guide inside my mind. 

I was still weak.

I could not raise my poor level all at once.

Then there was only one thing I could do.

Create the optimal strategy that the current me was capable of! 

“Why not give up already?”

“……Why? Are you tired already?”

“Hah.”

My legs felt as though they might collapse.

My head was dizzy, and my breathing was ragged.

My body, cut countless times, was bright red from the blood that had burst out all over me.

However.

‘I understand now.’

The motion of lowering the scythe.

That was a posture that came straight in from the front.

CLA-CLANG!

The instant I deflected it upward, he used the rebound force to slash horizontally.

SWISH!

‘Since he bent once to the side…… Next is this side.’

CLA-CLANG!

Without turning my head, I deflected the bastard’s strike as though predicting it.

‘Since the head side was blocked…… Next, he pauses for one beat, then behind my back.’

I turned halfway around and Parried once more.

Along with a numbing shock, the scythe was deflected.

‘And then he turns back again, to the front……!’

CLA-CLANG!

Jakol’s posture visibly collapsed after his attacks were deflected in succession.

It was because I had cut off the entire flow of his attacks with continuous Parrying.

“Hm……!?”

Shock settled over the bastard’s face.

He was flustered because I had succeeded in consecutive Parries without even looking.

‘It does not matter if I cannot see.’

Jakol’s speed was certainly fast.

I could not follow him with my eyes, so naturally, I could not react.

Because it was a countermeasure that perfectly dug into the openings of my Parrying, I changed my response as well.

‘I will predict.’

The patterns with which he swung his scythe.

The habits that appeared unconsciously.

His footwork and stride.

I memorized all of it—even the speed and reach of his attacks in every situation—and completed my strategy for taking down the man named Jakol Dman. 

“The strategy is complete.” 

I clenched my teeth.

Ignoring every surge of agony, I took one large step forward.

I ignited the full-stack 「Counterattack」 I had built up through successive Parries.

FLASH!

The surging Mana detonated in the form of Mysticism.

The blade flashed with violet light and aimed at the bastard’s heart, then I thrust it with all my strength toward the defenseless Jakol.

“Keuhak!”

Light burst, and Jakol was sent tumbling backward.

Since there was no Health bar, I did not know exactly how much damage I had dealt, but it was certain that I had at least shaved his Health down below half.

With a trembling hand, I opened a bottle of Potion.

‘He actually forced me to drink this.’

Here, even the lowest-grade Potion was incredibly expensive, so I had barely managed to buy two bottles. And now I had drunk one of them.

“Strawberry flavor…….”

……It tasted better than I expected.

With the effect of the Potion, my wounds closed, and the blood I had lost quickly replenished.

The Status Effects did not disappear, but since they were the kind that would vanish soon anyway, it did not matter much.

“I feel like I am dying…….”

I had somehow defended my vital points, but thanks to that, comparatively less important parts like my arms and legs were a complete mess.

Bleeding and Decay overlapped, making pain and high fever boil through me, and as if to represent my precarious Health, even standing was difficult.

The taste of blood mixed into my breath.

My vision was red and blurred.

Honestly, I felt as though I might collapse at any moment.

“You bastard…… You are really pissing me off.”

Jakol cursed under his breath and stood up.

However, seeing that he could not move immediately, I could tell that his side had also taken considerable damage.

Though I doubted it could compare to me, who looked as though I might die at any moment……

“I will tear you apart…… I will leave only your head intact and shred your entire body……!”

At this point, it seemed the bastard was finally losing his temper.

He probably had not thought he would struggle this much, either.

Even if I was “Sunan,” as long as I was an apprentice, he must have thought killing me would be as easy as eating porridge.

“When you overestimate your own strength too much…… that is what happens.”

Cough, cough!

Even as I coughed up blood, I smiled.

There was no concept of “absolute” in Ethrana Exodus. No matter how strong the opponent was, openings existed, and if one persistently dug into them, it was possible to overcome the difference in power and win.

I was the very person who had proved that.

“Die……!”

After fixing his posture, Jakol charged toward me.

He was still fast.

Instead of blocking or dodging, I slightly twisted my posture so that he would not hit my vital points.

The scythe that struck down grazed my shoulder and pierced my thigh.

CRUNCH!

Agony assaulted me.

The wounds that had barely healed split open again, and blood surged from my entire body.

For an instant, my consciousness grew distant, but I clenched my teeth hard enough to break them and let go of the sword I was holding.

Then I tightly grabbed the bastard’s scythe and collar.

“Got you.”

“What……?”

Still holding onto him, I turned my body in the opposite direction.

My vision shifted, revealing Persica and the mage.

“……!”

From the mage bastard’s wand, a spell that was nearly finished being cast was flickering.

Runes shone amid dark red flames.

It was the 4-star intermediate-tier Magic, 「Ember」.

“Damn it……!”

The bastard, whose Aggro had been drawn to me, could not have known.

Earlier, I had asked whether the mage bastard could use intermediate-tier Magic, and through writing, I had told Persica to make him use it.

Because if I said it, there was a high chance he would not use it.

“You should not have fought alone.”

If he had attacked together with the Archer, perhaps I might have lost.

But the bastard had not done that.

He had tried to resolve it alone, and because his gaze was drawn to me, he had failed to focus on what Persica and the mage bastard were doing.

Always do your utmost, and use everything that can be used.

The moment he abandoned that absolute proposition against me, victory and defeat had already been decided.

“Persica!”

The Phosphorescent Glow of Magic Power flashed from Persica’s Rapier.

Then, after fixing her stance, she thrust out a sword strike with all her might.

[Flash Lightning Thunder Sword]

[Second Form – Striking Thunder]

The slash, which raced forward as a streak of lightning, cut deeply into Jakol’s nape.

“KRAAAGH!”

The bastard who was sent flying hurriedly clutched the wound from which blood was gushing out.

Then he tried to get up in a hurry, but his creaking body did not move properly.

“How is…… this……!”

Striking Thunder was one of the few slashing techniques of Flash Lightning Thunder Sword.

Its damage was weak, but it inflicted “Stiffness” on the target it hit, greatly restricting their movements.

“The reason you ignored the mage was because you were confident you could dodge, right?”

In reality, the bastard’s speed was extremely fast, so it was not confidence without basis.

But the bastard had ignored Persica as well.

He probably had not even considered a mere 2-star Adventurer to be a threat.

Not knowing that this would become his greatest mistake.

“Step back!”

The mage bastard, having finished casting, fired the Ember he had been holding all this time.

Flames in the shape of thornbushes shot out toward Jakol.

“KRAAAAAH……!!”

At that moment, the bastard cast Blood Moon Slash toward the ground.

With a crimson shockwave, the bastard was forcefully shoved to the side.

Using the recoil of the Skill, he had escaped from the trajectory of the Magic.

“Ah……!”

Persica was shocked.

Ember flew slowly and had no homing function, so at this rate, it would only hit an arm or leg.

And the moment the paralysis wore off, he would tear us apart.

However.

“I told you.”

I knew this, too.

“The strategy is complete.” 

I kicked off the ground with all my might and leaped into the trajectory of Ember.

At the same time, the sword I had thrown earlier returned to my hand with perfect timing.

Jakol’s eyes widened.

He realized it too.

That I had foreseen even this moment.

CLAAANG!!

The trajectory of blazing flames was sharply bent by Parrying.

Straight in the direction where Jakol’s head was.

And the bastard, floating in the air, had no further escape route.

KABOOOOM─!

Violent flames swallowed Jakol whole.

***

A sharp burnt smell stabbed my nose.

Jakol, who had been struck directly by Ember, had his entire body burned black.

“Damn it…….”

The bastard was still standing, but that was all.

The sight of him staggering as though he might collapse at any moment told us that his Health had truly reached a critical point.

On top of that, Ember was a Skill that continuously inflicted burn damage even after the explosion.

If we left him alone like this, the bastard would definitely die.

“You bastards…….”

He must have been in trouble.

I was in tatters, and the mage bastard had collapsed from Mana Exhaustion, but Persica could still move.

Even if the bastard tried a trick, she could easily confirm the kill.

“Fine…… I admit it. You won.”

I felt Jakol draw up Mana.

Then, from Serien’s forehead as she lay collapsed, a red mark appeared.

The bastard was trying to use 「Ambush」.

“If you had been just a little stronger…… I would have been the one to die. Kuhuhu…… I never thought I would struggle this much against apprentice bastards.”

“You……!”

Persica raised her sword, but Ambush activated faster.

The body that had been burned crisp crumbled like sand.

At the same time, Jakol grabbed Serien’s body and tore it apart, appearing once again.

“KHAHAHA!!”

The bastard’s Health had completely recovered.

All his wounds had disappeared, and I could feel that his Mana had filled back up as well.

With a shrieking, mad laugh, the bastard aimed his scythe at us.

“I will tear you all to shreds……!”

Persica’s face turned white.

We could no longer fight, yet Jakol had returned to perfect condition.

“I-Isran…….”

“It is fine.”

I patted her shoulder.

Persica’s eyes, as she looked at me, stopped trembling and widened.

It was probably because my expression as I looked at Jakol was far too calm.

“Hm?”

Suddenly, Jakol’s expression hardened. He rummaged through his pocket, then took out a stone from which a faint light was flowing.

“……What is this?”

“I slipped it in when I grabbed you earlier. Ambush moves your belongings together with you too, does it not?”

At that, the bastard’s expression turned strange.

“What do you intend to do with a Mana Stone?”

“A Mana Stone? Ah…… I suppose it does look similar.”

That was not a Mana Stone. It was an Engraving Stone I had taken when I came here once before.

It could be used for enhancement or absorption, but its true effect was that of a gimmick item activated after the boss was defeated.

‘A material that activates the boss’s Special Event.’

When one used the Engraving Stone, the dead boss revived over the course of one minute, revealed its true power, and the “second battle” began.

And that one minute had already passed while Jakol was using Ambush and spouting nonsense.

CLACK─

The lights throughout the Boss Room went out.

The Colosseum, dyed in darkness, was soon reborn in the form of a vast grassland.

Field change.

It was a phenomenon that meant Vormir, the Floor Boss of the first floor, had been resurrected……And that the Boss Battle had begun again.

“No way……!”

Only then did the bastard seem to notice something, and he hurriedly moved his body.

No, he tried to move it.

CRUNCH!!

Before the bastard could dodge, Vormir’s arm pierced Jakol’s heart.