Shujinkou Janai! - CH 52

[So that’s this place’s Boss……]

At the sight of the horrifying Undead Sorcerer in the distance, everyone gasped.

There was no more of that flippant atmosphere between us before.

This may not be the right way to say it, but half of the journey through the dungeon up to this point feels more like a game.

However, what we are about to face is different.

Ahead of us is the Boss of one of the , the , the deadliest enemy that can be the biggest obstacle in a situation where there are no do-overs.

After all, the Elder Lich is a master of “Instant Death Attack”, which can kill even a character with full HP with a single strike.

※　※　※

B&B is a severe game where you can lose your characters.

A player who loses a comrade in battle will never be able to regain them again.

But in regards to this aspect, your comrades will only really die in battle if they’re killed in a very serious situation.

Well, I knew about this because a character I had suddenly got hit in the chest and died on the first day I got them, but such a thing doesn’t really happen unless you fight a very superior opponent.

Unlike the “Hero”, whose HP becoming 0 immediately results in a Game Over, your comrade characters won’t “die”, but “faint” when their HP reaches 0.

Thereupon, if a character continued receiving hits to their HP, when their HP exceeds a certain limit, they would “die”, but until then, it’s possible to help them if you have a way to recover their HP.

————-However, the “Instant Death Attack” used by Lich-type monsters is different.

This said attack is a Status Ailment that affects the body, not actually dealing damage, and if no countermeasures are taken against it, the victim can be killed in an instant from any situation.

Although equipment to resist Instant Death does exist, it’s difficult to obtain them at this stage, and even if such equipment were available, what they did was just resist, not completely nullify Instant Death.

One way to resist Instant Death would have been the which Radd’s party used in the Lava Cave, but the Elder Lich’s Instant Death Attack causes damage and Instant Death at the same time, so it can’t be used in this case.

Furthermore, the Elder Lich itself is one of the most powerful enemies among the Ruins Bosses.

Even without the Instant Death, if you just fight it normally, your party will probably be annihilated.

However……

[The opponent is Undead. If we attack it now, we can exploit its weak points and surely win.]

That is why we have to defeat this Boss “now”.

The later the Ruin is in the order of attack, the stronger the Boss will be, and this Boss is no exception to that.

As you progress through the Twelve Dark Ruins, the remaining Bosses become stronger and tougher, their weak points disappear, and they summon troublesome mobs or unleash powerful special moves.

————-They’re a powerful enemy, so don’t fight them now.

————-It’s because they’re a powerful enemy, that you must defeat them now.

Of course, there’s a risk in this plan.

[You remember the plan, right? If my attack doesn’t work……]

[You want us to abandon the Old man and escape, right? I know.]

Radd said in a tone that suggested that he didn’t understand at all.

I know he isn’t happy hearing about a strategy where you abandon your comrades but……

[Listen here, okay? This is very important. I can get out of here on my own. However, if you guys are too late to do that, we won’t be able to escape.]

[……I know that already.]

Radd replied in a slightly better voice than before.

However, he wasn’t the only one who wasn’t happy with my plan.

[Nii-san. I really think that rather than Nii-san, it would be better if I hold the vanguard……]

Resilia, unusually showing a hint of anxiety in her eyes, complains to me.

However, I shook my head at her words.

[No. You don’t have enough MDEF.]

The Unique Class has the devastating characteristic that the higher the AGI stat, the higher the defense, making them strong against physical attacks even if they’re lightly armed.

But for this reason, they don’t have much stat compensation in magic-related stats, and with the enemy’s attacks being difficult to evade, they’re weak against Lich-type monsters.

[But still, compared to Nii-san……!]

[Besides, I’ve fought with Liches before. I’m better suited for this role because I can predict its attack patterns to a certain extent.]

[That is……]

Hearing that, Resilia couldn’t refute anymore and slumped down, falling silent.

[……It will be alright.]

I said to her, trying to relieve the seriousness of the situation.

[It’s certainly a formidable opponent that I alone wouldn’t be able to match, no matter how hard I try. Even Resilia, who has the greatest offensive power among the group, would be no match against it…… But you see, I am not alone.]

My gaze narrowing, I looked towards the five weirdos who had been following me up to this point.

[Me and Resilia. Radd and Nuku. Prana and Mana. If any one of us were missing, we would not be able to defeat it. No, even if we are all here, we wouldn’t stand a chance if we don’t work together. However, if the six of us are working together……]

I consciously formed a ferocious smile……

[————-A small fry like that can’t even be considered an enemy.]

I blurted out the kind of big words that only I could say in this world.

For a few moments, everyone was silent, seemingly dumbfounded by my words.

[……Fufu.]

However, what broke the silence was Prana’s chuckle.

[That’s certainly just like you, Rex. I believe in you.]

When Prana said that, looking amused like usual……

[Keh! Good grief, we’d be troubled if Old man keeps on saying absurd things!]

Seemingly taking that opportunity, Radd said with a stiff expression on her face.

At this moment, my stubborn little sister finally relented.

[……I understand. In exchange, please make sure you’d be absolutely safe. If you get hurt, I’ll get angry.]

[You can count on me.]

Nonchalantly saying this, I stepped forward.

I turned to the Boss, wordlessly placing my trust in Radd and the others behind me.

Radd and the others were no longer intimidated.

Everyone in the room now believes in our victory.

However……

(D*mn it! My knees are shaking!)

The most crucial one in this battle, me, doesn’t feel the same way as them.

I was the only one who noticed that the foot that took a step forward doesn’t have the strength of conviction within it.

However, I guess that’s just obvious.

It won’t matter how strong my Status is, I’m still just a commoner on the inside.

I have a different nature and resolution from Radd and the others who had been in this cut-and-slash world by themselves.

There was no way I wouldn’t be scared of running into an enemy who could kill me in a single shot.

Thinking about it again, the reason I had been so excitedly defeating small fry with Resilia on the way here, which even I think was strange behavior, was probably because I was subconsciously trying to forget the pressure of this Boss battle.

————-There’s one thing I didn’t tell Radd and the others.

Even though I told Resilia and the others that I know about its “attack patterns” and so on, there was no need to think about its first move.

The always releases its most deadly magic at the beginning of a battle instead of a greeting attack, offensive magic with an Instant Death effect called .

In other words……

(If I don’t deal with that, I might die.)

has a 30% chance of Instant Death.

You can either think that you’ll be fine through it 70% of the time, or you can also think that there’s a 30% chance you’ll suddenly die.

(Ahh, d*mn it! Things weren’t supposed to be like this!)

When I came to this world and fought the Doom Demon, I should have decided never to fight for my life again, that I would just settle into a position where I could just sit back and let the others do the fighting.

And yet, here I am, at the very front line, playing a role that I could only see as a poor one.

(However, it can’t be helped. There’s no other choice.)

I absolutely need the items this guy drops, and this role is too heavy to leave to someone else.

Besides……

[Rex-san! If it’s Rex-san, I know you can do it!]

Mana cheered me on, to which I responded with a thumbs up.

Standing at the very edge of the Elder Lich’s detection range, I swung my one-handed sword in my right hand.

[————-.]

The opening salvo of the battle is a high-level Art that has high mobility among the many Arts.

This Art, which even Resilia has not yet mastered, isn’t practical because it requires too many preliminary movements before the main strike, but the speed of its strike is extremely high.

I moved through the wind at a speed never experienced before.

In the midst of this unreal speed, I saw the Elder Lich, who had noticed me, pointed its bright blazing red rod at me.

(————-!)

I can feel the deadly magic power gathering at the tip of the red rod pointed at me.

I can feel it.

I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t afraid.

However!

(————-Even I have times when I want to be cool!)

With a voiceless cry, I unleashed my final strike.

The blow cleaves the empty space in front of the Lich, and seemingly snickering at my action, the Lich spun its spell.

[”

Now, all that’s left for me to do should be to buy some time for them to come running in……

[————-Nii-san!]

———–When a familiar set of azure hair lined up next to me.

(————-This woman!)

Resilia arrived earlier than I had expected.

I would have been able to safely make this Lich flinch if this were a game, but things don’t just go according to what it was like in the game.

(I told her to wait at the entrance until we could see if the Sacred Ash would work, but this woman……!)

She probably jumped out before I could even see if the Sacred Ash was effective.

I was inclined to scold her for ignoring the plan, but honestly, I was grateful that she’s here now.

Just as the Elder Lich pointed its rod at me, seemingly about to cast its spell once again, Resilia brandished her hand.

[Gyyyyyaaaaaaaahhhhh!!!]

Released from her hand was, of course, Sacred Ash.

Just as the Elder Lich was thrown back again……

[Tei!]

Prana, who had approached the Elder Lich without a sound, casually threw another set of Sacred Ash.

[Doryaaa!]

Thereupon, in comes Radd with the Brave Sword in hand……

[Take this!]

Running in while gasping for air, Nuku rushed to the scene and threw another set of Sacred Ash at the Lich.

And then, the last to arrive was……

[Mana, we’re counting on you!]

[Yes!]

Proving stronger than anyone else against Undead was the Healer, Mana.

Against the Elder Lich, who could be said to represent all Undead, she naturally casts not a Holy-attribute offensive magic, which the Priest Class excels at more than anything else……

[————-!]

But her main specialty, Recovery Magic!

[Gaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!]

The Lich, exposed to the healing light, writhes in agony.

Just as the Undead have the nature of being healed by Dark-attribute attacks, they receive damage after receiving Recovery Magic instead.

And then, Regeneration is a continuous Recovery Magic that heals the target by HP%.

It’s a powerful effect against the Elder Lich, a formidable foe that’s normally out of reach!

Its eyes, distorted with hatred, turned towards Mana……

[

[Eat this!]

[Fuu!]

[Tei!]

[Doryaaa!]

[Take this!]

[Ei!]

[Death Tou————-]

[Eat this!]

[Fuu!]

[Tei!]

[Doryaaa!]

[Take this!]

[Ei!]

[Abyss Ga————-]

[Eat this!]

[Fuu!]

[Tei!]

[Doryaaa!]

[Take this!]

[Ei!]

[Darkn————-]

[Eat this!]

[Fuu!]

[Tei!]

[Doryaaa!]

[Take this!]

[Ei!]

[Black————-]

[Eat this!]

[Fuu!]

[Tei!]

[Doryaaa!]

[Take this!]

[Ei!]

[Moon————-]

[Eat this!]

[Fuu!]

[Tei!]

[Doryaaa!]

[Take this!]

[Ei!]

[Sou————-]

[Eat this!]

[Fuu!]

[Tei!]

[Doryaaa!]

[Take this!]

[Ei!]

[Da————-]

[Eat this!]

[Fuu!]

[Tei!]

[Doryaaa!]

[Take this!]

[Ei!]

[……………………]

[Eat this!]

[Fuu!]

[Tei!]

[Doryaaa!]

[Take this!]

[Ei!]

……………………

……………………

……………………

……………………

……………..

……………..

………

With a breathless series of Sacred Ash throws, we completely blockaded the Elder Lich’s movements.

And thus, one of the deadliest Bosses was extinguished by the continuous damage of without being able to use magic even once.