What should we do?
Hiding behind the ruined walls, Bete and the others couldn't help but ponder this question.
The sound of gunfire had stopped.
The silence all around was terrifying. This spreading dead silence actually invoked a sense of wordless horror; rarer still, they could all hear the sounds of their own heartbeats and breathing.
It was too tense.
In reality, Gareth could easily resolve the enemy on the high tower in the distance.
After all, he was a Lv.6 adventurer. Relying solely on his stats, he could raise his shield and advance continuously. Given the attack power the opponent had just displayed, it couldn't pose any threat to him at all.
But there was no meaning in doing that.
Because this was Bete and the others' adventure—the monsters in the Dungeon were inexhaustible.
Therefore, the purpose of an adventure was not merely to kill a specific monster. Even if it were a matter of subjugating an "Enhanced Species" or a "Monster Rex," the key points were the drops after defeating it, as well as the Ability Score growth and [Excelia] gained from the battle.
Gareth looked at his Familia juniors beside him. At the same time, Bete and the others were thinking of a solution.
The werewolf youth sat on the ground, looking somewhat weak.
Having already drunk a recovery potion, he was currently stopping the bleeding on his heavily injured waist and abdomen, wrapping it with bandages.
"Hey, Amazon! Don't you have magic that can bind enemies? Control that guy, and I'll go over and kill it!"
"It's too far!!"
Tione spoke indignantly.
Unlike her younger sister Tiona, who possessed absolutely no "Magic," she, as the elder sister, mastered a binding magic named [Jormungand], which had a probability of forcibly placing the opponent into a controlled state.
But firstly, the casting range was too short, and secondly, it depended on luck.
The success rate of this magic was correlated with the girl's Magic stat. And since Tione herself belonged to the "Warrior" class leaning towards the vanguard, her [Magic] attribute was extremely low.
Generally speaking.
Faced with mages of the same level, this magic would usually be ineffective.
And what the monster in the distance was using was that "[Gunpowder Magic]" her sister had mentioned, right?
Although she had never heard of it, since it was magic, its Magic attribute certainly wouldn't be low, so there was a high probability her skill wouldn't succeed.
"Useless woman!"
Bete knew he couldn't count on this idiot Amazon who was love-struck every day. He then looked towards Alicia at the side.
"What about you, Elf?!"
"..."
The Elf big sister fell into silence.
Logically speaking, in the current situation of dealing with a troublesome long-range enemy, it really should be handled by her, the rear guard.
But it was still too far!
Moreover, there was a difference in elevation. The opponent was on a high tower twenty or thirty meters up; how could she possibly hit it with a bow and arrow!
And if she used magic...
Slowly, she moved to the edge of the hiding spot.
Alicia first took aim at the ruins of the building across the long street, then began to chant her magic.
A longbow and giant arrow composed purely of frost condensed once again in the Elf woman's hands.
Then.
As the final character was spat from her mouth.
Alicia leaped up. While jumping towards the opposite side of the long street, she took aim at that tiny black dot on the distant high tower in this instant.
"!"
It wasn't guaranteed to succeed.
Even for a Lv.4 adventurer, this was an operation of considerable difficulty.
But.
Many things that were originally "impossible" or "very hard to do," when one forced oneself to do them, would actually feel somewhat relaxed and simple, far less difficult than imagined.
Of course, the most important thing was that you only knew if you tried—
In a flash.
The Elf woman's body leaped through mid-air. She released the bowstring in her hand, and the crystal ice arrow transformed into a brilliant streak of silvery-white flowing color amidst this city full of scorching firelight, flying towards the distant high tower.
However, it was unknown whether it was a preemptive strike or a reaction.
Only two gunshots rang out in the quietude. The first grazed the Elf woman's silky, brilliant golden long hair, leaving a slight smell of burning char in mid-air, along with scattered bits of hair.
The second shot.
It was accompanied by a distant shattering sound. The giant ice arrow emitted a crack, seemingly chipped open slightly by some impact.
Immediately following was a continuous series of gunshots.
Da-da-da-da-da...
The ice arrow was thoroughly pulverized, evidently canceled out due to the collision of "Magic."
"!"
Useless.
Alicia, who had already hidden behind the house across the long street, could still feel her heart thumping wildly.
She seemed to have just brushed past death, yet there had been absolutely no forewarning. It was only with hindsight that she realized she was still alive, thereby rejoicing that her luck today was quite good.
That was too risky just now!
"Are you okay, Alicia?!"
"Yeah..."
After having a firsthand experience, the Elf woman realized even more clearly just how terrifying the monster on the distant high tower was.
She hurriedly told Tione, who had just sidled over to her side, to hide well.
From the looks of it.
As long as one was exposed to the opponent's line of sight, it was very likely they would be attacked by that "[Gunpowder Magic]" whose speed was incomprehensibly fast. If hit in vital areas like the head, heart, or neck, one might even be killed instantly in a single strike.
They must be careful!
And judging from the previous situation, long-range magic was also hard to effect any result against it.
"Stupid wolf, do you have any ideas?!"
The Amazon girl retorted.
On the other side, the werewolf youth indeed had no solution either.
Theoretically speaking, since the opponent was also using "Magic," his metal boots, [Flosvirt], should be able to absorb it after initiating and then return it.
But the problem was.
That magic's speed was too fast!
Just now, never mind Alicia not realizing the opponent had fired the first shot, Tione and Bete were the same!
It was hard even to react, let alone realize its attack trajectory and successfully absorb it with a kick!!
"If it really doesn't work, let's just rush out together!"
Just like her sister.
Tione would always come up with this kind of idiot... ah no, this extremely simple plan.
"Anyway, it can only aim at one person. We just need to rush to the bottom of that high tower and climb up!"
She clenched her fists tight!
Tione was already thinking that once she got into close quarters, she would definitely beat the living daylights out of that guy!!!
Generally speaking.
Guys with powerful long-range abilities had a weakness in melee combat.
Uh... that should be the case, right?
It couldn't be that the guy on the high tower was also amazing at melee combat?!
"No."
Gareth stopped the impulsive Amazon girl with a deep voice.
He then glanced at the monster on the distant tower, and looked again at his somewhat battered Familia juniors.
"Let's retreat."
"Eh?!"
"That's it for today. Let's go back first."
Summarize the experience, and come back next time.
"Finn said before, he wants me to bring you all back safely."
Whether it was an expedition or a Dungeon adventure, however many people went, that many people had to return together. This was not just the philosophy that the Familia Captain, [Braver] Finn Deimne, had always implemented.
As one of the original trio of the Familia, Gareth naturally agreed with such a philosophy.
The lives of companions were the most precious. Although exploring the Dungeon was important, firstly, everything must be based on the premise of guaranteeing survival. The "Special Dungeon" before their eyes was dangerous, so steady progress was very necessary.
He would rather spend more time familiarizing and groping through the situation here than do anything dangerous.
"Move!"
"..."
"..."
Bete and Tione, who were somewhat fired up, were obviously a bit reluctant.
But since the Dwarf uncle had said so, they had no way to refute or argue. They could only silently begin to retreat, returning to the Central Park they were at just now.
Subsequently, following the road they came from, they crossed the bridge outside the northern city gate and disappeared into the tunnel.
Then.
Riding the elevator located therein, they slowly ascended.
The duration of this adventure probably wasn't even two or three hours. For Bete and the others, who usually stayed in the Middle Floors or Deep Floors, it was truly as brief as could be.
But the process was something "unforgettable." The most important thing was that guy on the high tower. Damn it, next time we come, I'll definitely kill it!!
The werewolf youth thought this while gritting his teeth.
With the continuous ascent of the elevator, passing through the long pit, they finally emerged from amidst the collapsed castle ruins.
In the distance.
In that arena emitting a golden radiance, they could still see the figures of a boy and a monster battling.
Still fighting?
Everyone cast their gazes over there with some doubt.
Unknown if it was an illusion, but even separated by a great distance, they still saw the brilliant golden monster first explode with a large spray of crimson blood flowers.
Then.
Who knows what it did.
Suddenly, with the arena as the focal point, a pale light spread out.
"?"
Their hearts throbbed inexplicably once again. Following that came a bone-piercing chill that permeated from the depths of their souls.
What on earth was this [Pale]?
It spilled out, covering the originally pitch-black town, the castle ruins that had thoroughly collapsed, and was even rising, seemingly intending to shroud the entire cavern room within.
Trembling.
Except for Gareth, Bete and the others felt their bodies begin to tremble involuntarily.
That was a fear coming from the instinctual depths of their hearts.
The [Pale] did not catch up to the elevator. After a brief period of darkness, the adventurers of the Loki Familia returned to the [Border Fortress].
Yet the Lv.6 Dwarf uncle still frowned slightly, thinking back to the direction of the arena.
The monster there—
The [Golden Miracle] had transitioned phases.
Isagi didn't remember which time this was. Amidst the continuous deflections, he waited until it revealed an opening, then used the combat art "Death Sentence," slashing towards the "Death Line" with his pitch-black long blade fully charged with energy.
Finally.
As scarlet fresh blood contaminated more than half of its brilliant golden armor, making the originally noble and holy Golden Chicken Knight look somewhat wretched.
It leaped backward. While maintaining distance from him, it drew the second sword at its waist.
That was an incomparably pale longsword that seemed like it shouldn't exist in this world.
"!"
In this instant.
The originally pitch-black arena, and even including the pitch-black town and cavern room in the distance, were slowly covered by [Pale].
Even including the golden radiance emitted by the [Golden Miracle] itself.
Isagi blinked his eyes.
It seemed that in an instant, the originally dark heaven and earth were filled with grayish-white mist. But it wasn't floating in between; rather, it adhered tightly to everything, masking all things completely.
Whether it was the original arena, the distant town and ruins, or the cavern room even further away—even the city walls that were originally also pale were melted into it.
So cold.
The boy felt a biting chill.
But it wasn't that the surrounding temperature had dropped, causing the body to feel an icy touch. Rather, it was a chill triggered from the depths of the heart, cooling strictly to the bone marrow. That was the instinctual fear of life, and also—
[The Power of Pale].
The Golden Chicken Knight held dual swords, slashing towards him once again.
Yet it completely lacked the elegant rhythm from before. Replacing it was an incomparably violent offensive!
It leaped up, slashing down with crossed swords.
Isagi naturally raised his blade to block as always. And sure enough, he discovered that the golden radiance was a fraction of a second faster than the blade edge. First one sword, then another.
It looked like one attack, but in reality, due to the characteristic of that "Glimmer," it was actually two attacks.
Clang! Clang!!
Blocked them all. After days of training, such attacks were completely muda muda (futile) against him.
The current [Golden Miracle], if it just raised its hand slightly, he knew exactly what it wanted to do!
It was just that...
Spin!
After landing, the Golden Chicken Knight began to spin. Like an elegant ballet dancer, holding dual swords, it constantly stepped forward, transforming the sharp edges into a graceful skirt, continuously launching attacks at him.
So fast!
Sure enough, the first phase was okay, but the second phase completely stopped pretending!
Heh, Isagi knew it. Where is there a BOSS that isn't a mad dog, let alone one with ADHD?
Pressing forward, forcing, even deliberately feinting an attack, immediately followed by a backstep to adjust body position and direction, then slashing towards him.
The [Golden Miracle] at this moment was no longer the knight who stood arrogantly before him, merely swinging its longsword continuously. Instead, it revealed its essence as a "Beast."
Cunning, swift, ferocious.
"Phew!"
Isagi only felt the degree of physical hardship skyrocket several times over in an instant.
Now, not only did he have to concentrate fully to sense the opponent's more violent and rapid attacks, but he also had to adjust his body to keep up with its footsteps and rhythm, always maintaining a certain distance to avoid being shaken off.
That guy had already learned to jump back and distance itself after being parried a few times, circling around him as if waiting for its "Posture Bar" to clear.
Damn it, isn't that too intelligent?!
So he couldn't keep defending forever; he had to maintain his offensive rhythm against it. This caused the battle to instantly become unknown times more difficult than before.
But this wasn't even the most important thing.
Isagi's touch was hot right now—otherwise, he wouldn't have beaten the BOSS before his eyes into the second phase.
So.
Even if the intensity was suddenly ramped up, he could still continue.
Howev...
No, something seemed wrong!
As the battle continued, Isagi watched the [Golden Miracle] constantly waving its golden and pale longswords, and instinctively sensed something was amiss.
The Golden Chicken Knight's original ability was somewhat similar to the Goblin "[Glimmer Knight]" from before. The slash was different from what the naked eye saw; it would be slightly ahead or delayed. Even if one clearly saw it swing only one blade, in reality, two, three, or four blades might arrive...
But what was the ability of that pale longsword?
It couldn't be just changing the venue, making the entire arena and the town and cavern behind it all become—
"!"
Clang!
Following another deflection, the [Golden Knight] hopped back lightly again, instantly widening the distance from him.
At this moment, I must hurry and step forward.
Such a thought popped into his mind, but Isagi discovered that his legs didn't move at all.
Eh?!
The sluggishness of the body being completely unable to keep up with thoughts reappeared after a long time.
But not only that. Isagi also saw the BOSS, having jumped back to widen the distance, holding dual swords and assuming a thrusting stance, returning to his front in an instant.
[DANGER]!
Isagi instinctively wanted to jump up or dodge to the side.
But he still couldn't move. Even his hands holding the blade had no reaction, as if... as if... as if his body had already "died," so it could no longer make any movements.
Confused, he lowered his head.
Isagi saw the Golden Chicken Knight's dual swords submerged in his chest. But before this, his hands holding the blade and his feet, at some unknown time, had already been completely covered with an incomparably [Pale] color.
"..."
A few seconds later, resurrecting outside the arena.
Isagi lowered his head, looked at his hands, moving them, clenching fists and opening them. Then he stomped his feet. His body naturally had fully recovered due to resurrection, but a certain unfamiliar sense of trance still remained.
What exactly was that just now?
Recalling carefully, he judged that there should be some "enchantment" on the [Golden Miracle]'s pale longsword.
Although he constantly parried and wasn't hit by its attacks.
But every contact would increase the "Abnormal Status Bar." Once full, the "Pale" abnormal status was applied. Its effect was most likely—
[Death].
Not that the person died, but a part of the body died.
It was just like his feet and hands just now; because of "Death," they could no longer make any movements.
This is the power of [Pale]?!
That's too outrageous!!
So how to fight?
When the [Golden Miracle] swings its dual swords, only parry that golden longsword, while the pale longsword can only be dodged and not touched?
Is this something a human can do?!
Pulling at the corner of his mouth, Isagi right now just wanted to say three words to the Dungeon—Mother fcker!*
Turning back to look at the arena again, the Golden Chicken Knight holding dual swords, covered in blood, was just as before, standing in the center of the venue filled with whiteness.
Ah...
It didn't return to the first phase. In a sense, does this count as the Dungeon's mercy?
It was just that Isagi quickly noticed something even more wrong. That was, the entire arena was deadly silent right now.
The reason was simple.
On the spectator stands that were always packed before, there wasn't a single Goblin right now. Even the entire arena appeared somewhat dilapidated under the cover of the Pale.
Hmm—
What's the situation?
Did the [Goblin Kingdom] also transition to the second phase?
Isagi seemed to have some bad premonitions, but his resurrections for today were used up, so he could only go back.
Resting briefly outside the arena.
Isagi returned the pitch-black long blade to his waist, then turned and left the Dungeon...
One night passed.
Unknowingly, summer slowly moved forward, arriving at the hottest month of September.
Calculating the time, it had been almost half a year since coming to Orario.
It had also been half a month since moving from Daedalus Street back to the [Courtyard of Stars]. Rest and organization were about done. Isagi prepared to return to the Dungeon for adventure in two days, to break through the [Goblin Kingdom] in one breath—at least, to see the [Pale King].
The summer wind blew gently through the mountain forest.
Across the azure canopy, white clouds floated gently by, accompanied by thunder flashing in the distant forest and eruptions of scarlet blood Chi.
From afar.
Isagi could see Ryuu-senpai, Lefiya, and Tiona conducting their daily "practice."
"[Dio Thyrsos]!"
Blinding lightning exploded from beneath the Familia senior's feet.
Lefiya stood amidst a patch of lightless darkness. She was already incomparably proficient at using magic to pass through various places for sneak attacks.
Constantly repeating the super-short chant lightning magic.
Ryuu's speed was too fast; ordinary attack magic could hardly take effect on her. So Lefiya's choice was to directly spread a large range of lightning, enveloping the Familia senior like a dragnet, and then focus on restricting her movement.
Mainly playing support, because the guy on the main offense was naturally the other Amazon girl!
"Oh oh oh oh oh oh!"
Tiona, roaring loudly, joined Lefiya in a righteous two-on-one!
The blood-bathed girl, her petite and slender figure seeming to transform into a wildly surging deep crimson setting sun, crashed towards [Gale] just like that.
As booming sounds rang out repeatedly.
Tiona, leaping up, constantly swung those small fists wrapped in blood chi towards where Ryuu-senpai was.
"Ora ora ora ora ora!"
The ultimate secret of melee combat is the rush attack!
The bombardment of fists falling like rain even blasted countless pits into the ground. But as dust and blood chi filled the air, Ryuu-senpai's swift figure was long gone.
Suddenly.
She had already arrived behind Tiona.
Followed by a side kick. The Amazon girl raised her hand to block almost instinctively, yet was still kicked flying.
But just as Ryuu wanted to pursue, Lefiya, wielding a pitch-black giant sword formed from her magic staff, had already intercepted her path—
Great fight, great fight.
Isagi applauded silently in his heart, thinking that on a lazy summer afternoon, lying in the grass watching beautiful girls fight wasn't a bad form of entertainment.
Especially...
Lady Astrea's thighs are so soft.
The Goddess's not-so-heavy skirt revealed a delicate softness that was just right. Accompanied by the faint scent of floral tea, Isagi raised his line of sight, yet could only barely see the beautiful face obscured largely by heavy shadows.
Hmm.
Compared to Goddess Demeter, it was indeed a bit lacking; after all, from the same angle, over there one really couldn't see anything at all.
Isagi even wondered somewhat if the Goddesses of the other world all fancied services like "knee pillows"?
The Goddess of Justice's face was blushing slightly.
She did this, of course, because of what Goddess Demeter said—"Children of the Lower World all like this kind of 'reward'."
Just like the face-burying before!
Ugh!
The moment she thought of this, Astrea felt somewhat dizzy all over. But to be fair, compared to doing that before, doing this now actually felt okay, not that embarrassing or shameful...
And it looked like the effect was indeed quite good.
Astrea lowered her head. Although her line of sight was also blocked quite a bit, she could still see the boy's usually aloof face rarely revealing a contented expression.
How nice—
The summer wind was still blowing, lifting the Goddess's walnut-colored, slightly curly long hair.
Ryuu, Lefiya, and Tiona's training in the distance always gave the Goddess of Justice a certain sense of unreality.
More than a year ago, on the night she left Orario, she never would have imagined a scene like today's no matter what. Even including about half a year ago, when she was forcibly "dragged" back to Orario by Isagi, it was the same.
[This is simply the most perfect ending.]
Astrea thought so.
The Goddess naturally hoped Ryuu could return "home," especially inheriting the justice of Alise and those children so firmly like she was now, continuing to move forward without hesitation.
All of this naturally had to be credited to Isagi.
The fair Goddess couldn't stand this kind of small "sense of indebtedness" the most.
So.
Just consider this a reward for this guy.
Astrea thought so. Just as Demeter said, this is one of the few things we Goddesses can do for our children~.
Ugh!
It's still a bit embarrassing!!
"Lady Astrea."
"Ah?!"
"Say, about that..."
Isagi watched the clouds slowly floating in the azure canopy. In his mind, he was still thinking about his battle with the [Golden Miracle] these past days.
Especially.
The incomparably smooth attack that would always appear unintentionally.
It was also the question he had asked Ryuu-senpai: "A strike swung very naturally that was originally incomparably difficult and required high mental concentration."
What exactly did that count as?
Isagi still hadn't figured it out, nor had he completely mastered it. He could only use it accidentally without realizing it. It was also at this moment he suddenly thought, regarding "Technique," wouldn't it be fine just to ask the Lady Goddess!
I really am stupid.
And facing the boy's question, Astrea simply revealed an expression of disbelief.
This child.
Is he actually thinking about such a serious question?!
Seemingly accustomed to Isagi being like this, Astrea couldn't help but sigh, and only then spoke.
"The essence of technique is the precise control of the body."
This was correct nonsense.
But just as many simple great truths were nonsense like this, it contained a certain supreme principle.
"Isagi, when you swing a weapon, is it the thought first, or the body first?"
"Eh?"
"Thought, sometimes faster than you think, Isagi, but the body will often exceed the speed of thought."
"Lady Goddess means conditioned reflex, or muscle reaction?"
"Close enough."
A thought can be very fast, but that has no meaning. Because for the hands to move to swing a sword, the body must keep up with the thought, or even be faster than the thought. But just being fast won't do; one also has to know "how to do it."
Slashing down with a blade.
Where to slash from, where to slash to—in the spark of flint and lightning, one cannot think about these things. Then, what controls the [Body] in this instant is the mysterious and abstruse [Feeling].
It was also the thing Isagi had always been able to realize existed, yet couldn't quite grasp.
That is—
"Union of Man and Sword!"
Isagi seemed to have reached enlightenment. He sat up abruptly, and then bumped into the... spreading out before his eyes.
[Ouch!]
Feeling only a pain in her chest, Astrea wanted to raise her hand to hit the boy's skull in exasperation, thinking What is this child getting excited for?!
And what is "Union of Man and Sword"?!
She always had some bad premonitions. Isagi wouldn't create some weird skill again, would he?!
____
New Story: Starting from Their Seventeen Years Old
🔥We're handing out that '30% bonus' that makes your wallet smile. 😄
✅ Get immediate access to 40 early chapters for all stories.
✅ Enjoy exclusive material and special announcements!
Help us unlock these community rewards:
🎯 100 Powerstones = +1 Bonus Chapter for everyone
🚀 140 MEMBERS = +5 extra chapters across ALL STORIES!
👻 P - Walnutchan