by Yuu Tanaka
“Hello again. Are you here to chat, or is there something on your mind?”
“We want to suggest something.”
You see…
I explained Beacon to Lumina, and asked if we could set the spell up to allow us to travel there quickly. She’d learned of my existence a few days ago, and Fran was quite happy about it, since it meant she had one fewer thing to hide.
“By all means. I’ve been wanting someone to set one up, but…”
But?
“Never mind. Give it a shot. It shouldn’t be dangerous.”
Lumina sounded like she had reservations, but I decided to cast the spell anyway, since she assured us it would be safe.
Beacon.
I placed a Beacon in a corner of the room. We should be able to teleport there from the outside now.
Okay, let’s go up one floor.
“Hm.”
We returned to the fourteenth floor to cast Dimension Gate, but it didn’t work. I spent the mana, but the spell fizzled into nothing. I felt Beacon respond, but we were still in the same spot. It should’ve worked. I was sure I’d fulfilled all the requirements. But no matter how many times I tried, something stopped me from opening a gate.
“No good?”
Yeah. It feels like there’s something blocking me.
Some kind of magic barrier, in all likelihood. The effect was similar to when we were trapped in Linford’s force field. We returned to Lumina, and she nodded with a knowing look.
“I guess you couldn’t break the Goddess’ protection.”
I understood immediately that some kind of barrier was to blame. Clearing dungeons was tough work, and D-Rank dungeons were known to claim more than their fair share of victims. There were monsters and traps that could kill even experienced adventurers on a bad day. Now, what was the easiest way to clear a dungeon? Learn all you can about it? Explore with a balanced party? Stock up on potions and other emergency provisions?
No. The easiest way was to clear the dungeon without setting foot in it. For example, teleporting immediately into the Core Room and destroying the core, opening a gate and blasting it with magic from the outside, and so on.
The strategy wasn’t unreasonable, either. You could technically teleport right there by maxing out Dimension Magic, or with the help of some other manatech. There were also the Godswords—weapons which surpassed all common sense. Lumina knew about one such weapon: Nuclear Sword Meltdown. The blade no longer existed, but the name was enough to convey its immense power.
A spell of protection was imbued in the dungeons to protect them from this sort of abuse. The dungeons were a gift from the gods for the training of man, and it was much better for everyone involved if you couldn’t cheat your way through. If the gods were in on it, no wonder the barrier was so absolute.
“You only need to prevent your mana from being disrupted, yes?”
“Hm.”
“Then hang on.”
Lumina retreated to her room. A few minutes later, we heard a rumbling as a cave formed in the wall in front of us. We peeked inside and found that it was a long passageway.
“I’m back. I’ve set up a room at the end of this hallway that allows you to teleport to it as long as you have Teacher with you.”
Lumina used her powers as a Dungeon Master to create a room just for us. Although the room was built in mere minutes, it was decorated with small details, showcasing the authority of her office.
“Thanks.”
“Likewise. As I said, I’ve been waiting for someone to come along and set this up for me.”
We tried Dimension Gate again and a portal immediately opened to the room Lumina had made. The inn where we were staying was quite near the dungeon, so we could quietly and easily visit her whenever we wanted. Fran nodded with satisfaction.
“Feel free to visit me whenever. You are always welcome here.”
“Hm.”
We’ll come again soon.
And so we used that very room to visit Lumina today. She felt our arrival and personally welcomed us.
“Hello there.”
“Hm.”
Hey.
“I see you’ve won again. You’re at the quarterfinals now. I hear you’re going up against an A-Rank adventurer next.”
Yeah. One of the Beast King’s elite guards.
“Do you really plan on winning? I thought passing the third round was enough to grant you an audience with him.”
“I’ll win to show everyone that Black Cats can be strong.”
We’re pulling out all the stops tomorrow.
“I see… Very well. Go and claim your victory.”
“Hm!”
We talked skills and spells with Lumina for a while before returning to the inn. We had the privilege of fighting in the first match tomorrow, so Fran had to get up earlier than usual.
“Good luck!”
“Thanks.”
We’ll go out and win!
Chapter 4:
Everything in Our Power
TODAY’S THE DAY, Fran.
“Hm.”
Gaudartha’s an A-Rank. He’ll be as much of a monster as Amanda.
“I know, but still.”
We’re going to win.
“Hm! Definitely!” Fran nodded vigorously. She couldn’t help but be excited.
“Fran, the first match is starting soon. Are you prepared?” The tournament official had arrived to fetch her.
“Hm. I’m good.”
“Right this way.”
Fran walked down the hallway at her usual pace. She might be more motivated than before, but showed no sign of nerves. She had won three matches and fulfilled the Beast King’s requirement for an audience. She could make reckless plays against Gaudartha now, and that pleased her greatly.
Now we could try out the game plan we’d cooked up the other day. I would open the match by raising Fran’s stats slightly with Support Magic. She would then charge me with as much mana as she could, refueling her own pool with potions. The 1,500 points of mana she added into my blade would add up to a total of 3,700 Attack, but we had to do this just before the match started. I couldn’t hold the mana for very long, so we’d have to end the fight as soon as possible.
Are you sure you can chug eight mana potions in a row, Fran?
“No problem,” Fran answered with a calm expression.
This strategy would only work because of her gluttony. A normal fighter would be too bloated to fight after guzzling that many.
“Let’s go.”
Sure thing.
The familiar applause of the crowd welcomed us as Fran entered the arena. She had grown used to it, and didn’t wince this time.
“Making her way from the East Gate is the eye of the storm of this tournament…the Swordceress, Fran! She’s caused one upset after another by knocking out your favorite fighters! Today, she’s up against an A-Rank, but will the cutest rising star of our generation shake things up again?!”
The commentator liked her, at least. It was hard not to root for the little girl who was giving it her all. The only ones opposed to her would be Blue Cats and compulsive gamblers.
“Good luck, Fran!”
“We’ve got a lot of money riding on you!”
“We’re counting on you to get us seconds for dinner tonight!”
Lydia and the Crimson Maidens cheered her on from the front row. Despite their blatant display of vested interest, I appreciated their honesty and support. Fran waved back at them and it provoked an eruption of applause from the crowd.
They sure like you, Fran.
You think so?
She didn’t seem to care. It made no difference to her whether they stayed quiet or cheered. The commentator raised his voice above the noise and began introducing the other combatant.
“Coming in from the West Gate. He’s bulldozed the competition so far with sheer brute strength…Diamond Wall Gaudartha! He hasn’t been touched a single time so far—will he win this match unsc
athed?!”
Gaudartha was also welcomed with applause, but there were some boos mixed in. Fran was more popular than him, then. However, it felt that the match had already been decided in his favor. Even Fran’s supporters wondered how long she’d be able to last. She was going up against an A-Rank, so the audience’s expectations were quite justified, really. But again, Fran didn’t care.
I’m looking forward to when we turn this crowd around.
“Hm!”
Gaudartha’s equipment looked different from before. His crimson plate armor danced with flames, and he held a terrifying pitch-black battle axe in his hands. His current equipment looked like it was geared for maximum offense.
I couldn’t Identify any of it, either. I got a look at some of its stats and skills, but the finer details were completely hidden. Hopefully his equipment didn’t have some kind of dangerous gimmick… Then again, if the rhino had bothered to change his equipment for this occasion, I should prepare for the worst.
Gaudartha walked to the center of the ring. The contrast between the two-meter-tall giant and the little girl was enough to make the audience hold their breath. They knew the difference in power was impossible to bridge.
“Good job making it here,” Gaudartha said with a low, intimidating voice.
He was ready to throw down. Fran narrowed her eyes and looked up, just as consumed with battle lust. “And I’m going to win today.”
“That’s the spirit. Don’t expect me to go easy on you. You’d better come at me with all you’ve got.”
“Of course.” Gaudartha had to lower his gaze to meet hers, but he didn’t underestimate her. In fact, he showed her the respect worthy of a strong opponent.
The commentator explained the rules. “Thanks to his lordship the Beast King’s courtesy, the Cradle of Time will be available to us, starting from the quarterfinals!”
The Cradle of Time was manatech which allowed time to be rewound in a given area. It would activate when someone in the tournament died, bringing them back to the moment before. The item was highly valued, and usually only utilized from the semifinals onwards. However, with the Beast King’s sponsorship this year, it could be used from the quarterfinals onward. The Cradle of Time allowed combatants a no-holds-barred battle to the death. It also preserved the memory of the person whose time was reversed, making it the perfect tool for a fighting tournament.
Ring-outs were no longer in play. The fight only ended in death, surrender, or incapacitation. A powerful barrier was put up to shield the audience from the fierce battle, strong enough to withstand the force of a dragon’s breath. The combatants could go all out without reservations.
“I won’t go easy on you just because you’re a Black Cat. I know how powerful your race can become.”
“Just what I was hoping for.” Fran pulled me out of my sheath and readied me, swinging me a couple times. Gaudartha felt the charge of mana coursing through me and grinned.
“An enchanted sword? And no ordinary one by the looks of it.”
“You’ve got cool armor, too.”
“This is my battle armor for when I go to war. A Godsmith crafted it with Identity Protection, Self-Repair, and Magic Resistance. Not quite a Godsword, but still powerful.”
What the heck?! I mean, I might have been made by a Godsmith, too, but this guy knew where his armor came from. Godsmith equipment was gonna be tough to crack. My confidence in my strength only served as a reminder that Gaudartha’s armor might have some tricks up its sleeve, too. I had a bad feeling about this!
“I shall make this fight brief! Awaken!” Gaudartha shouted.
His skin turned an ashy gray as the beastman grew even more beastly than before.
“Gaudartha Awakens his evolved beastman blood! I’ve never seen anyone Awaken before a fight! Is Fran that much of a threat?! We’ll see in a second. Begin!”
Gaudartha was Awakened now. Unlike Zehmet, his stats remained the same. However, most of his skills were dramatically powered up. Fast Regeneration was at Level 8 now, and Steel Body, Heightened Reflex, and Iron Hide were added to his skill list. As if that wasn’t enough, a thick current of mana pulsed through his body.
Name: Gaudartha
Age: 44
Race: White Rhinoceros/Black-Iron Rhinoceros
Class: Marauder
Level: 72/99
HP: 1256; Magic: 422; Strength: 654; Agility: 267
Skills: Intimidate 8; Brute Strength 8; Punch Arts 5; Punch Mastery 5; Presence Sense 3; Fast Regeneration 8; Brute Force 10; Club Arts 6; Club Mastery 6; Mining 8; Regeneration 10; Abnormal Status Resistance 7; Blink 3; Mental Status Resistance 7;
Elemental Blade 8; Rush 7;
Axe Arts 10; Axe Mastery 10;
Advanced Axe Arts 6; Advanced Axe Mastery 7; Mana Sense 3; Spirit Control; Steel Body; Goblin Killer; Heightened Reflexes; Dull Pain; Dragon Killer; Tough Hide; Iron Hide
Class Skill: Awaken; Wave Blast
Titles: Protector; Great Mountain; Dungeon Conqueror; Dragon Killer; A-Rank Adventurer
Equipment: Earth Dragon Horn Greataxe; Earth Dragon Scale Armor; Fire Gland Cloak; Decoy Bracelet; Poison Sense Ring
“Hrrngh!” He attacked as soon as the bell rang. Gaudartha swung his axe, shedding shockwaves. They were quite controlled as they approached Fran, but even Gaudartha’s restrained opener was enough to kill a C-Threat monster in one hit.
Let’s go, Fran!
“Hm.”
Explosion!
I threw out a Fireball spell to block. It crashed into his shockwaves, creating an explosion and kicking up smoke and dust. I teleported us a short distance away, right behind Gaudartha.
“Tch!”
Targeting his neck, Fran pressurized her sheath and slashed. Our smokescreen made for the perfect ambush, and it went without saying that she had already applied Elemental Blade and Vibrofang, among other buffs. She was aiming to kill.
Gaudartha remained still, even when my blade was lodged in his neck. I felt the dull sensation of his flesh and bone as blood sprayed out of the cut.
“Gah!”
Dammit!
But it was too early to celebrate. Before I could decapitate him, I was stalled by his barrier, his thick hide and muscles, and his powerful armor. His defenses absorbed most of the impact. Fran’s one slash only went halfway through Gaudartha’s powerful neck. We would need to repeat this attack for it to be fatal. His defense was absolutely monstrous, but this was our only chance.
Let’s see if he can survive my spike form!
I sought to attack him from the inside, but before I could transform, Gaudartha made his move.
“Wave Blast!” Gaudartha shouted.
“Gaah!”
An explosion of mana erupted from his body, knocking us back. He was completely calm, despite having a sword cut halfway through his neck. Even his nerves were made of steel! His Wave Blast not only created distance between us, but also took out half of Fran’s health and most of my durability. The move was more powerful than his opening slashes.
“Urgh!”
“Hnngh!” Gaudartha followed up with some shockwaves, spitting blood.
“Umph…”
Greater Heal!
“Huff…huff…” Fran stabilized herself at a safe distance and healed the damage to her lungs.
You all right?
“I’m fine.”
Just as I’d thought, we couldn’t afford to get hit even once. Gaudartha displayed amazing control in how he recovered from what should’ve been a lethal blow.
There go our plans of killing him with one hit…
He’s a lot tougher after Awakening.
It’s that Iron Hide of his. It’s like he put on another layer of armor. As if his superior plate wasn’t enough! We’ll have to figure out a way to take it away.
“Okay.”
I put the points I had been saving for just such an occasion into a certain skill. It was the only way we could survive this battle of attrition.
&nb
sp; You’ll have to chip away at him while dodging his attacks. It’s going to be rough, but try not to die.
Got it.
And we don’t know what his armor can do, either. Keep your guard up.
“Hm!”
While we licked our wounds, Gaudartha had healed completely. “Graaaah!”
“Tch!”
How is he already fine?!
The giant leapt toward us with a speed unbefitting of a man his size. His terrifying regenerative capabilities had perfectly healed the gash in his neck. They continued trading blows—Fran with her thousand cuts and Gaudartha with his giant swings.
Gaudartha mostly used Axe Arts, followed up with Wave Blast. If it weren’t for the barriers protecting the audience, hundreds of them would be dead by now. Blocking that kind of attack head-on would knock a ton of durability off my blade, so Fran focused on dodging.
Meanwhile, she chipped away by exploiting the little gaps in his armor, but it wasn’t working as well as we’d hoped. His wounds healed almost immediately, making it impossible for us to wear him down. We tried damaging his armor, but it repaired itself as fast as he did. In fact, his armor could repair itself faster than Fran’s Black Cat Set. Whichever Godsmith crafted it really outdid himself! What an awful foe!
I tried blasting it with magic, but the armor’s Magic Resistance dissipated my spells into nothing. Together with Gaudartha’s high physical resistance, his armor made him a mobile fortress.
“Haaa! Wave Blast!”
Gaudartha used his Class Skill up close this time. It produced a powerful burst of energy, inflicting damage to everything in his vicinity. This simple and terrifying move allowed him to knock his enemies off-balance and deal a significant amount of damage. At a longer range, it could even be used as an emergency barrier. Physical Immunity didn’t completely block it, either, since it was a mixture of physical and magical damage.
I managed to get a barrier up in time, but we didn’t escape unscathed. Gaudartha was waiting for this kind of deadlock to chip away at Fran’s health. He knew that even if she healed the damage, she would suffer a stamina deficit. A battle of attrition was in his favor.