As we moved forward, even those of us with only ordinary eyesight began to make out the scenes beyond the mist. A castle wall that seemed to be made of the same material as the Black Wall that separated the outside world from the “Secret City of the Mist Weeping Princess”, surrounded a huge misting ash tree in the center of the city, which spewed an enormous amount of mist.
Amazingly, this misting ash tree stretched out from the inside of a Western-style castle and pierced through its ceiling. The debris scattered inside the city walls was covered in dust, yet the stones appeared to be white. It seemed that in the past, there must have been a magnificent and pristine castle, but now it was a pitiful ruin.
The gates of the castle perhaps rotted away and were non-existent, leaving an entrance where one could freely come and go. Instead of gates, however, there were beings standing like guardians on either side of this entrance. They were creatures of a size that even Eiji might envy and they were clad in sturdy metal armor of humanoid form.
The armor’s design closely resembled that of the Living Heavy Armor monsters we had fought the day before. They were armed with large shields and with halberds, which were spears with axe-like blades attached at the end. The quality of their weapons seemed rather impressive.
Not only the weapons but also the decorations on them were more elaborate. The armor was adorned with engravings throughout, and each piece was trimmed with gold. Though the gold was peeling off in places, causing a feeling of melancholy, there was no doubt that this was an impressively magnificent set of armor.
Even so, how was it possible for me to conclude that they were monster seven though they were wearing full body armor? Well, it’s because they had no face… no, rather, they were missing their heads!
―――――――――
Race: Headless Elite Royal Guard Lv75
Job: Elite Royal Guard Lv5
Skills:
- [Guardian Axe Spear Mastery]
- [Guardian Shield Mastery]
- [Guardian Armor Mastery]
- [Super Health Enhancement]
- [Strength Enhancement]
- [Super Defense Enhancement]
- [Dexterity Enhancement]
- [Cursed Blood]
- [Command]
- [Status Immunity]
- [Critical Weakness Nullification: Neck]
- [Slashing Attacks Weakness]
- [Light Weakness]
―――――――――
The Headless Elite Royal Guards… were they also undead? Both possessed the same level of 75 and as expected, they were of a higher level. True to their name “Headless” they had no heads, and a black mist billowed out from the collar of their armor.
Although they lacked special abilities, they compensated with a variety of evolved skills. The evolution was evident in both their weapons and their stat-type skill, so they were probably strong in a pure sense. Any attempt at cunning tactics seemed likely to be crushed head-on.
“Slash and light element are their weaknesses, but as expected, their defense is very high.”
“Heh! The stronger they are, the more welcome they are!”
Jigoro immediately charged in the face of a strong enemy. This was expected, so no one was surprised. Considering his abilities, he might be able to handle it on his own, and he might get angry if I got in his way, so it was best to leave him be. Still, it was important to be prepared for any unforeseen circumstances and to be ready to provide support at a moment’s notice.
Jigoro’s attack caused the two elite Headless Royal Guards to begin their slow advance. They hadn’t moved until then, but it seemed that they were programmed to counterattack if anyone approached the gate. It confirmed that they did indeed serve as gatekeepers.
“”Ooooooh!””
“What’s that!?”
“R-reinforcements!”
Upon recognizing us, the Elite Headless Royal Guards struck their large shields with their halberds, making a clattering sound. Then, as if on cue, a group of ten similar creatures appeared from within the gates!
These creatures were also headless as one might expect. However, their weapons were relatively orthodox one-handed swords and round shields. Their armor, though magnificent, seemed less elaborate than that of the two gatekeepers. Let’s do the [Appraisal] for now.
――――――――――
Race: Headless Royal Guard Lv61~64
Job: Royal Guard Lv1~4
Skills:
- [Sword Mastery]
- [Shield Mastery]
- [Guardian Armor Mastery]
- [Health Enhancement]
- [Strength Enhancement]
- [Super Defense Enhancement]
- [Dexterity Enhancement]
- [Cursed Blood]
- [Status Immunity]
- [Critical Weakness Nullification: Neck]
- [Slashing Attacks Weakness]
- [Light Weakness]
――――――――――
It seemed that they weren’t elites, but rather royal guards. Despite their inferior skills, they appeared to be formidable opponents in their own right. A clash of raw power seemed inevitable.
“No choice then. Genjuro, can you take on the other strong one?”
“Umu.”
“The rest of us will take the group! Let’s go!”
When facing powerful enemies, it was customary to pit the strongest against them. Among us, the title of the strongest had never wavered between Jigoro and Genjuro. Even the frontline warriors trained by them found it a challenge to triumph in a single mock battle, let alone a serious one. And for the rearguard, the two of them would close the gap in an instant and crush them completely.
“Eiji, Mikelo, Karl, draw the enemy’s attention! Sei and the others take the right, Hanna and Roja take the left!”
“The rest of the vanguard is with me.”
“Counting on you. The rearguards will provide support based on how the battle unfolds.”
By the time we sensed the enemy’s presence, I had already completed bestowing enhancements on everyone. Hence, from the outset, I was ready to support with my magic.
The enemy didn’t seem like one we could easily defeat, but we couldn’t afford to spend all of our resources here either. It was going to be a tough battle, but we needed to save our strength for the upcoming boss battle inside the castle. The conditions were harsh, but we were determined to meet the challenge head-on!
◆◇◆◇◆◇
While Isam and the others were engaged in a many-against-many battle with the Headless Royal Guards, Jigoro found himself in a fierce one-on-one duel with a Headless Elite Royal Guard. Throughout the entire battle, Jigoro was always on the offensive, while the Headless Elite Royal Guard was always on the defensive.
“Come on! Always on the defense, huh?!”
Jigoro fluidly unleashed a series of punches and kicks, but each was met with the guard’s shield. He also tried surprising attacks with acrobatic movements, but his attempts were blocked. The enemy was truly an ironclad guardian.
Despite his taunting words, Jigoro coolly analyzed the enemy in his mind and planned a strategy to defeat this powerful opponent.
(All this weight makes it unshakable. That oversized shield blocks even the slightest chance of a sweep. He might resemble Eiji, but he’s a completely different breed. Slow, yet with hardly any openings.)
Genjuro, like Jigoro, was also finding no success. Despite his efforts with a spear and an Odachi he too failed to inflict any damage.
(What’s most troublesome about this fellow is his use of the halberd for defense. It’s less a weapon and more a specialized shield in his hands. It’s as if he’s wielding two uniquely shaped shields… Not to my taste at all.)
The Headless Elite Royal Guard’s [Guardian Axe Spear Mastery] was a skill that focused on defense using weapons just like its name suggested. It included defensive martial arts and even allowed for the use of techniques normally reserved for shields.
Leaving aside Genjuro’s preferences, the duo found their strong opponents not easily swayed by their skills. There were moments when their attacks almost breached the large shield and halberd’s defense, yet their fists and blades never made contact.
(What was that move just now? Sliding that shield in with such an impossible movement!)
(I had him completely off balance. Recovering from that position should have been impossible… Could it have been a martial technique? Troublesome, indeed.)
The [Guardian Shield Mastery] boasted an impregnable defense, the [Guardian Axe Spear Mastery] enabled weapon-based defense, and the final [Guardian Armor Mastery] made their “impossible moves” possible. The [Armor Mastery] included a martial technique called “Clairvoyance” which allowed them to predict the trajectory of incoming attacks and with the evolved [Guardian Armor Mastery] it became a stance that could defend against any attack
Even if Jigoro performed an acrobatic movement to get behind, or Genjuro deflected the shield and halberd to disrupt the stance, a defensive move with either the shield or the weapon was always ready in time. To break through, they needed a barrage of attacks too fast for the defense to keep up with, or a means to penetrate the shield and inflict damage. Surrounding the enemy would make it easier, but in a one-on-one situation, the conditions were extremely difficult.
“Heh, this is exciting! I’ll definitely take him down!”
“Such defense is unheard of in reality… It’s making my blood boil.”
However, the people fighting now were battle junkies who were excited to fight strong enemies. Far from being scared or intimidated, they were filled with fighting spirit as they faced an opponent unlike any they had ever fought before.
The two decided to adjust their strategies in battle. Jigoro stopped his fast movements and decided instead to deliver punches and kicks with full force, assuming that they would be blocked by the shield. Genjuro concentrated his attacks on the right side of the enemy, where the weapon was held.
The dull sound of metal on metal echoed back to where Isam and the others stood, but the two warriors in the middle of the battle remained unperturbed, concentrating only on the use of their fists and blades.
“Ooooraaaa!!!”
“Seiiiiyaaaa!!!”
The moment Jigoro’s fist broke the shield and Genjuro’s odachi sliced the head of the halberd was executed synchronously. This was the result of the strategies of both men. Jigoro concentrated his blows on the center of the shield while Genjuro aimed at the base of the halberd’s axe head and both achieved their intended results.
Their aim was to deprive their opponent of any means of defense. Although the items they destroyed were different, their goal was the same. The strategy was simple, but its successful execution was a clear proof of their skill.
“Well done, old man.”
“You too, Jigoro. But from here on, we should fight together.”
The two headless elite royal guards whose defenses had been destroyed made quick decisions and acted quickly. The one whose shield had been shattered grabbed his halberd with both hands and stepped forward, while the one whose halberd had been broken grabbed his shield with both hands. It seemed as if they were compensating for each other’s weakened defenses.
“Leave the shield to me!”
“Then, I shall take care of the halberd.”
The two of them charged again, aiming to destroy the shield and the halberd. Each of them aimed at the same object as before.
But their opponents were not passive targets. As they began to wield their shield and halberd with both hands, they started to reduce the strain on their weapons by deflecting and parrying. They also became more aggressive, using the shield to strike and the halberd to thrust.
“Ha! You’re more skilled than I expected!”
“Hmm, if they handle them with both hands, they might match us in skill. It’s frustrating, but at the same time, it’s getting exciting!”
Instead of being weakened by having to use only one weapon, the Headless Elite Royal Guards seemed to be somehow strengthened. This brought a smile to the faces of the two warriors, as it meant that the battle against these strong enemies would be even more fun. They were ready to shatter the now stronger defenses, wielding their fists and blades with more force and sharpness than ever before.
Leave a Reply