After defeating the Spartois and the horde of Demon Spirits, Iris and Shiitake were energetically engaged in skinning the dead monsters. While it wasn’t confirmed information, there was a rumor that production players were more likely to obtain rare drops from skinning, and so they had been entrusted with the task. It was just a rumor, and there was no solid statistical data to back it up so I didn’t believe it.
This time, to avoid any disputes over distribution later on, we decided to evenly split the items and consider any excess as guild assets. It seemed foolish to quarrel over trivial matters so it was important that we set these rules straight from the beginning.
“Whoa! What’s this?”
“Over here too!”
The two who were skinning suddenly raised their voices in surprise. It seemed they had found some rare drops. What exactly did they find?
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Black Fire – Quality: Fair, Rarity: R (Rare)
A dark spark occasionally left behind by a soul turned undead.
Cannot be extinguished by ordinary means.
The stronger the lingering attachment, the more intense the fire.
Gather them and bind them.
Holed Dragon Fang – Quality: Poor, Rarity: R Rare
A tattered dragon fang riddled with numerous holes.
It has deteriorated significantly and is probably unsuitable for use as a weapon.
It is unknown which dragon it belongs to since there are no attributes left.
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The “Black Fire” was a rare item Shiitake had obtained from a Demon Spirit, while the “Holed Dragon Fang” was what Iris had obtained from skinning a Spartoi (Dragonfang Soldier). They managed to secure only one of each item, with all the rest being magic stones. It was somewhat disappointing that no weapons used by the Spartois dropped.
However, both items presented perplexing usage dilemmas, albeit for opposite reasons.
The “Holed Dragon Fang” was problematic because it had so many uses. If it wasn’t suitable for weapons as is, it could potentially be used as an accessory. Alternatively, it could be improved to weapon-grade quality through [Alchemy]. Furthermore, as dragon fangs were valuable materials for [Alchemy] and [Pharmacology], grinding them into powder for medicinal purposes was also an option.
On the other hand, the use of the “Black Fire” was far less clear. With almost no hints or indications of its purpose, it was a mystery. The only vague clue in the description suggested that gathering more of them might be beneficial. This meant we needed to collect more of these rare drops.
What would happen upon collecting them, or what they would become, was unknown. However, the fact remained that without gathering more, nothing could be made clear. If possible, I decided to collect them.
“How is everyone’s health, Genjuro?”
“Umu, most have recovered thanks to Isam’s [Soul Magic].”
“But we’ve used more than half of our items.”
“The enemies will only get stronger as we progress, and our pace in conquering them will probably slow down.”
The recent battle had dragged on longer than expected, mainly because the vanguards frequently succumbed to the status ailment of fear.
The only ones unaffected were Jigoro and the others who had reached level 50; all the other vanguards had suffered from it. Most likely, those with lower levels were more susceptible to getting affected; the skill was quite similar to my [Abyssal Aura].
There was also the possibility that enemies stronger than the Spartoi could appear. This meant that to conquer the “Black Death Ice Forest” either solidifying resistance to fear or being above level 50 might be the minimum requirement.
“When it comes to returning, we can use my Base Teleport spell but let’s slow down our pace. There’s no need to conquer it all today.”
“We’ve gathered enough rare items, so we’re doing well~~ssu,” Shio said.
“But don’t you want to know what kind of opponent the boss here is at least?” Jigoro added.
Just when the discussion seemed to be leaning towards advancing a bit more before returning without overexerting ourselves, Jigoro interrupted. No, no, he was clearly eager to plunge straight into a battle with the boss! That’s why I had to firmly set the ground rules.
“We can aim for it if possible. But only for scouting. We will not engage the boss. I’m fine with this condition.”
“Tch, got it.”
“Does anyone else object?… Doesn’t seem like it. Then, let’s set out.”
There were no objections. So, it was decided: we would continue exploring, and if we stumbled upon an area resembling the boss’s lair, we would observe and then return.
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The level of [Soul Magic] skill has increased.
Newly learned “Heal Sleep” and “Heal Fear” spells.
――――――――――
We encountered monsters numerous times thereafter. Each encounter involved a group of at least ten undead creatures, and among them there was always a Spartoi monster. Because of this, the first half of our journey was marked by considerable struggle. However, the situation drastically changed when the accumulated damage caused my [Soul Magic] level to increase.
This was due to the power of the “Heal Fear” spell. True to its name, this spell was meant to cure fear status ailment. Thanks to this, I was able to treat anyone afflicted with fear which actually allowed us to maintain almost the same pace as at the beginning.
“The number of items has decreased considerably.”
“Yes. If we encounter a strong enemy, we can only fight once more.”
Even though we were progressing smoothly, it didn’t mean we could avoid using consumables. Gradually, our supplies dwindled, leaving us with little margin for error. If we were to engage in a battle that was sure to be difficult, we could only afford to do so once.
“Let’s advance a bit more and if nothing happens, we’ll retreat. The map is filled out, and we can return to the same place anytime. There’s no need to push ourselves…”
“Wait a minute! Something’s coming!”
Just as we were considering heading back, Ruby called out to us to be careful. It was bad timing but it was true that we could still handle one more fight. We decided to deal with the approaching enemies and then call it a day.
“There are five of them! They’re fast! They’re coming right now!”
No sooner had Ruby spoken than five figures burst out of the depths of the forest. They all appeared to be Spartoi monsters, but the one in the lead seemed different. To put it simply, that one had superior weapons. Most likely, this was a higher race than the others. Time for another [Appraisal]!
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Race: Spartoi Leader Lv62
Job: Underling Commander Lv2
Skills:
[Supernatural Strength]
[Dragon Sword Mastery]
[Dragon Shield Mastery]
[Armor Mastery]
[Health Enhancement]
[Strength Enhancement]
[Defensive Enhancement]
[Agility Enhancement]
[Terror Aura]
[Status Immunity]
[Light Weakness]
[Dragon Force]
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“The one who looks strong is a Spartoi Leader at Level 62! He’s a cut above the rest!”
“Nice! This is getting exciting!”
As soon as I succinctly described the Spartoi Leader to the others, Jigoro cracked a sly grin. Oh, it seems his battle maniac switch has been flipped. Looks like he’s not going to listen to anyone anymore.
“Jigoro, I’m counting on you to hold him off. It doesn’t matter if you take him down.”
“That’s more like it!”
Well then, I might as well leave it to him. Honestly, I think Jigoro is at a disadvantage here. However, while he’s holding that guy off, let’s take down the other Spartoi monsters.
The enemy was formidable, but Jigoro was unlikely to be instantly killed. However, the chances of him being affected by the [Terror Aura] were high. I needed to pay attention to both the Level 40s guys and Jigoro now but this was also the perfect opportunity to showcase my skills!
“Hanna and Roja, charge in and divide the enemy. The rest of you, follow the usual plan.”
“Understood!”
Responding as usual, Hanna and Roja charged in, splitting the four Spartois into two groups.
“Guoooooooon!!”
One of the monsters was tackled and mounted by Karl. Responding to an aerial ambush was just as difficult for the Spartoi monsters as it was for us.
Due to Karl’s overwhelming size, the Spartoi soldier he mounted could do nothing but struggle in vain. It managed to barely defend against Karl’s claws with its sword and shield, but it was a futile effort. As always, Karl crushed it effortlessly. The repeated assaults had become second nature to him. As expected of a true dragon!
“Hmph! Usaji!”
“Alright, alright. Sei?”
“Leave it to me!”
“I’m in this too!”
While Karl was crushing one, the other Spartoi monsters were being overwhelmed by four of our companions. Eiji deflected weapon attacks with his shield, Usaji’s sword whittled the enemies’ bones, Sei’s staff struck with great strength, and Seventh Armor’s spells steadily inflicted damage.
Their teamwork was truly impressive. Especially helpful was their tactic of always keeping just one person within the range of the [Terror Aura]. It saved me a lot of trouble on the vanguard. Ah, Hanna and Roja have joined the fray. It’s only a matter of time before they defeat them.
“Let’s go! Yahh!”
“Nice move, Shishu!”
“Nuuh!”
“Great hit, Moth-san!”
“I can’t let the others get ahead of me!”
The remaining two enemies were being thoroughly thrashed by the rest of our team. Genjuro was holding them with his three swords, creating openings for the other members to attack. With Genjuro nearly sealing off their attacks, the others could do whatever they wanted.
“Holy Ray!”
“Rapid fire! Hmm, this is easy~~.”
“Right?”
Thanks to the efforts of the vanguard, the rear guard was able to attack calmly. There were few dangerous moments but the aggro was mainly drawn by Genjuro.
However, there was one exception. Someone in the rear guard was busily casting spells all the while keeping an eye on the overall battle situation.
“Heal fear. That side too, heal fear. Magic Circle Activation, Purify. Reapplying Light Enchantment… Mmh, Holy Shield!”
Yes, that was me. Even when things were going our way, preventing the fear status ailment itself was difficult. So I, the only one who could heal fear, had to treat it each time someone was affected.
To efficiently deal damage to the undead, I had to imbue my companions’ weapons with light elements. At times, I also blocked the enemy’s attacks with magic spells, so the fight was quite challenging due to the multitude of tasks I had to manage.
“Hahahahahaha! Oraoraoraa!”
Jigoro who had charged in first was laughing wildly as he battled the Spartoi Leader. Fists clashed with swords, and kicks were deflected by shields. Neither of them gave an inch as they engaged in a head-on brawl.
Jigoro’s ability to hold his own was likely thanks to his high stats and evolved skills. Yet it was Jigoro who consistently had the upper hand. His ability to overpower an opponent, regardless of their higher rank, using his martial arts skills was something that could only be described as a real-life cheat.
“This will…ugh, what!?”
“Heal fear.”
“Thanks!”
However, the fight was far from over. The reason lay in Jigoro’s relentless fighting style, which repeatedly subjected him to fear status ailment. Each time, I had to cure him with heal fear, but the fear occasionally interrupted his attacks, causing him to miss opportunities for powerful strikes.
The status ailment of fear was proving to be more troublesome than anticipated. Thankfully, unlike NPCs, players weren’t truly scared. While their physical avatars might show fear, their minds remained in combat mode. This was almost impossible in reality but it was precisely what made the game intriguing.
“This is it!”
“Gaka…”
Jigoro’s powerful fist finally connected with the face of the Spartoi Leader. The clean hit sent it flying backward. With that single blow, its health drastically decreased and dropped to less than ten percent. The activation conditions have been met!
“Jigoro! Be careful; it will get stronger with the [Dragon Force]!”
“Got it, brother!”
“Gagagagagaga!”
As if roaring, the Spartoi Leader stood up while clenching its jagged teeth. It then charged at Jigoro. The speed of its advance and the sharpness of its swinging sword were incomparable to before. Wow, its movements were almost invisible to me!
“You’re fast! But that’s not enough to beat me!”
Jigoro dodged its sword with a smile on his face and kicked the monster into its wide-open torso. The Spartoi Leader retaliated, but Jigoro dodged again before landing a backhand on its face. It seemed like a counterattack strategy, huh? Not bad at all.
“Gagagag!”
“Ah, no…”
Despite being powered up, the Spartoi Leader continued to be pummeled down. Jigoro somehow managed to block an attack by the monster’s shield and, not wanting to miss his chance, used a martial technique. This caused Jigoro’s stance to break. Now that he was left vulnerable, Jigoro faced another martial technique from the Spartoi Leader, who unleashed a full-force thrust.
“Take this! Oraa!”
However, it was all in vain. Jigoro did not attempt to regain his balance. Instead, he swiftly crouched to the ground and dodged the thrust. He then unleashed a vicious kick, more brutal than a mere sweep, at the Spartoi Leader’s knee. Since the monster grew stiff after activating its martial technique, the Spartoi Leader was unable to dodge the attack in time and its knee was broken, causing it to collapse to the ground.
“This is the end!”
“Ga…”
Jigoro then crushed the head of the crawling Spartoi Leader underfoot. This depleted its health completely and made it unable to make any more moves. And just like this, Jigoro triumphed over the formidable Spartoi Leader.
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