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Race: False Bone Dragon Lv63～68
Job: False Dragon Lv3～8
Skills:
- [False Dragon Claws]
- [False Dragon Fangs]
- [False Dragon Horns]
- [False Dragon Tail]
- [Health Enhancement]
- [Strength Enhancement]
- [Defense Enhancement]
- [Dark Magic]
- [Non-elemental Magic]
- [Roar]
- [Intimidation]
- [Flight]
- [Status Immunity]
- [Magic Resistance]
- [Blunt Attack Weakness]
- [Light Weakness]
- [Poisonous Aura]
- [Dragon Force]
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Apparently, the official name of those skeleton dragons was the False Bone Dragon. Their level range seemed to be on par with that of the Spartoi Leaders. And they didn’t appear to be as strong as their appearance suggested.
However, as is typical for those bearing the name of a dragon, they also possessed the [Dragon Force] skill. Its explosive power when cornered was terrifying. One could never afford to be careless against someone with this skill.
But the real problems were the number of enemies and the peculiarity of the scientist. The sheer force of numbers goes without saying, but that scientist was also dangerous. Anyone who saw the results of my [Appraisal] would think the same.
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Name: David McFarlane
Race: Cyborg Human Lv72
Job: Mad Mage Lv2
Skills:
- [Mechanical Body]
- [Insane Mind]
David McFarlane – Quality: Inferior, Rarity: L (Legendary)
A human who had most of his body mechanized by an ancient civilization.
Mechanized bodies were not uncommon at that time, but individuals who have survived into the modern era are rare.
Severe wear and tear over the years has led to errors in both his mind and body.
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There were many things I wanted to say about the cyborg-human, the mad mage, the strange skills, and where the notation of levels had gone. But above all, what I wanted to say first and foremost was why both status and item information were being displayed at the same time.
Was the system saying that a cyborg human was both a creature and an item at the same time. The abundance of information was helpful, but the results of the [Appraisal] were too shocking.
Moreover, the [Appraisal] raised further questions. It concerned how he was controlling those undead monsters. After all, he didn’t seem to have any skills related to the undead. The mystery only deepened.
“Brother, what should we do?”
“…We’ll think about it later. For now, Jigoro and Karl, try to attract those false bone dragons. The rest of us will deal with the Spartois.”
“Hehe! Leave it to me!”
“Muu… Can’t be helped…”
Jigoro seemed blatantly happy, while Genjuro looked obviously sad. He probably wanted to fight as well, but the selection was based on the convenience of exploiting the false bone dragons’ [Blunt Attack Weakness]. However, I made sure not to forget to give them some encouragement.
“If we clear out this side quickly, I think it’s okay for you to snatch their prey.”
“Suddenly, I feel motivated!” Genjuro said.
“Geh! We’ll defeat them quickly and then come to help you guys!” Jigoro retorted.
“Both of you…” Ruby said.
“Do-don’t mind~~ssu.”
Ruby appeared to be at a loss for words, seemingly dumbfounded by the spirited responses of Jigoro and Genjuro. It seemed like a natural reaction on her part when seeing her own grandfather so famished for battle inside the game. Although Shio tried to console her, it didn’t seem to have much effect.
“It’s good to see such high spirits. I want Sei, Hanna, and Roja to stir up the battlefield as much as possible. Genjuro, Eiji, and Moth-san, you’re on the vanguard for defense. Everyone else, reduce the number of small fries as much as you can.”
“What about the rear guard?”
“They’re for support attacks. I’ll also help with defense. …Here they come!”
Facing the approaching horde, we began our action. Jigoro deftly jumped onto Karl’s back, and taking this as a signal, Karl soared towards the false bone dragons.
“Gruuoooooooo!!”
“Gyan?! Gegyaaaaaaaaaaaa?!”
Then, slamming into one of them, Karl bit down on its neck and toppled it over. Continuing to shake his head, Karl slammed the enemy’s head into the ground. This was Karl’s favorite tactic in hunting.
In a pure clash of strength, it seemed Karl had the upper hand. Karl appeared to be heavier and easily overpowering the bone dragon. Even though the false bone dragons were larger, this outcome was only natural since they lacked flesh.
“Guuoooooooooooo!”
“Gyaooooooooo!”
“Goaaaaaaaaaah!”
It wasn’t certain whether Karl could finish it off just yet. But the remaining three dragons were rushing to help the false bone dragon which writhed in agony under Karl’s body. Although it was being overpowered by Karl, it would undoubtedly be torn away if things continued this way. However, there was someone who could prevent this.
“Orraaa! Shaah!”
Jigoro, who had been riding on Karl’s back, leaped off and delivered a flying kick to the head of one of the dragons. Using the kicked head as a foothold, he leaped again and slammed his heel onto another.
“Gohh?!”
“Gehh?!”
With a beast-like roar, the blows delivered by Jigoro made the two false bone dragons stagger back while emitting brief cries of pain. The damage to their health bars was minimal, but cracks were definitely forming in their bones, which meant that they were taking damage. Their health must be quite high.
“Grrru!”
“Garuoooo!”
As Jigoro was kicking away two of them, Karl was intercepting the remaining one with his tail. His sharp blade-like tail was met by the dragon’s claws. The fact that the claws weren’t chipped or damaged just went to show the true strength of a dragon.
“””Clatter, Clatter, Clatter!”””
“Hmmph!”
“I won’t let you through!”
“That’s weak!”
“Go, go! It’s all about buying time, after all!”
While the giant monster war raging in the background was intense indeed, we had our own battles to fight. We had to defeat a horde of undead such as these swarming Spartois with just a few of us. Especially Genjuro and the others fought bravely with their shields and weapons.
To manage this number, they had to hold their ground. Therefore, I prioritized strengthening them with [Enchantment] and healing them with [Soul Magic]. During this time, Ruby and Shio methodically took down each enemy one by one. If we could maintain this momentum until the end, we would be able to win.
“Ahah! Ahahahaha!”
“It’s just a game, but to see my wife slashing enemies while laughing so heartily… what would I say to my father-in-law…” Roja said.
“Let’s go!”
“Guoooooh!”
The most powerful and agile among us charged into the enemy lines. With every swing of Hanna’s halberd, enemies were sent flying like splinters, and every time we heard a horse neigh, a sound like bones breaking echoed. And on another part of the battlefield, enemies were mowed down by a staff reinforced with true steel, accompanied by the howls of a wolf and the casting of fairy magic.
Given the sheer number of enemies, Hanna and Roja who dashed through the enemy ranks were not unscathed. However, they didn’t hesitate to charge again. I quickly used [Enchantment] and [Soul Magic] to support them, just like I did for Genjuro’s group.
Those with high defensive abilities formed a wall to withstand enemy charges, while the agile ones disrupted their formations, paving the way for a full assault by the others. This strategy seemed to be working well. The enemy appeared to be in disarray, and if things continued this way…
“Hohooo? For mere monsters that are nothing but resources for us humans, they seem capable of quite coordinated combat.”
The scientist, David McFarlane, was observing the battlefield in a manner befitting a scientist while rubbing his chin with one hand. There was no hint of haste in his voice or complexion. Perhaps it was a display of confidence?
“Then, I shall add more.”
“What did you say?!”
When McFarlane raised his left hand, the ring on his middle finger emitted a purple glow. Suddenly, the ground cracked open with a rumbling noise, and new Spartoi monsters emerged!
“Th-that’s cheating! It’s unfair!”
“How foolish. To think my forces were believed to be limited to just this. It’s disappointing. Am I to be considered no more than a monster?”
Shishu, who had blurted out a complaint, watched as McFarlane sneered with a snort. I would have done the same in his position. If one still has ample forces at their disposal, it’s sufficient to simply show confidence and provoke the opponent. Annoying them increases the likelihood of them making mistakes. It’s a good tactic.
“What’s with him! So annoying!”
“Meeh~, calm down~. Don’t fall~ for his provocation~.”
Shishu was on the verge of reacting to his provocation, but Wool soothed her in between his singing and magic support. Indeed, losing your cool now could lead to defeat even against an opponent you could beat, right?
“Everyone, brace yourselves for a long battle. We’re going to proceed on the assumption that we’ll use up all our current resources!”
“Alright, leader~~! Let’s go all out~~!”
Shiitake generously threw a variety of items one after another. She tossed attack items, disruptive items, and even healing items. These items could heal allies upon contact and deal damage to the undead enemies, effectively killing two birds with one stone.
Although it seemed like she was using up her supplies at a high pace, Shiitake who was an alchemist, possessed a vast array of items. She was now offering her items as payment for letting her create potions and such within our guild. Now, she was merely unleashing what she had stored up.
“Phew… This is tough on my old bones.”
“It’s just a game, Genjuro-san! You’re just imagining it!”
“Of course, I’m only joking.”
“You’re calm even in such a situation. Unbelievable!”
“Real-life cheater. That’s so unfair!”
Eiji and the others were fully occupied with the enemies before them, but Genjuro seemed to have the leisure to joke while slashing through his opponents. Wielding three swords with his four arms, he traced complex patterns in the air while decapitating enemies one after another. At times, he would sever wrists and forcibly disarm them. Despite his earlier complaint about how tired he was, it was clear that Genjuro was the most active as the defensive cornerstone of the group.
However, there was no doubt that continuing like this would lead to a gradual decline. As I pondered what to do while casting magic, Shio descended from the sky beside me.
“What should we do~~ssu, Isam-san? We’re holding up for now~~ssu, but if they increase in number again, we surely won’t stand a chance~~ssu.”
“Yes, that’s true. For now, try shooting McFarlane with your bow.”
“Understood~~ssu! Spiral Sharpshoot!”
The arrow shot by Shio approached McFarlane at high speed while spinning violently. It seemed unlikely that even magic defense could stop the arrow. To be certain of blocking such an attack, a Holy Shield would be necessary. If McFarlane were hit directly, even he wouldn’t get off easily.
“Hmph, as if that would work.”
Then, his staff glowed. A dome of light was formed that covered all directions. This, this was the Sanctuary spell! Although Shio’s arrow destroyed the Sanctuary, it was ultimately blocked. Tch, taking his head easily would be difficult, huh?
“This time, I’ll try this as well~~ssu. Double Shot!”
Shio quickly released two arrows in rapid succession. This was a martial technique that involved firing two arrows in a row, each arrow being less powerful than a single shot, and the accuracy of the second arrow being significantly reduced.
“Argh?!”
“Huh? That actually worked?”
One arrow seemed to be blocked by the Sanctuary, but the second arrow pierced McFarlane’s shoulder. Considering the power of that martial technique, it’s possible that the output of the Sanctuary wasn’t as high as I originally thought. This meant there could be a way to break through his defenses.
“…I have a plan. I want to try it as soon as I’m free. Shio, can you help me?”
“Aye aye, sir! Leave it to me with full confidence~~ssu!”
Shio patted her chest with confidence while speaking. She wore leather armor over her fluffy feathers so the pat created a somewhat deflated, soft sound.
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