Chapter 12 - The Secret Room (4)

Werewolf.

In < Song of Sword and Magic >, it has two main characteristics.

First is the Hard Skin created by its body covered in coarse hair.

It has both physical resistance (low) and magic resistance (low), making its HP difficult to reduce for both knights and mages.

Second is the Howling it uses when its HP drops below 10%.

It inflicts area-wide fear, making control impossible for a certain time.

Therefore, in the original work, the boss battle relies heavily on player control.

Damage is hard to deal, and even if you manage to reduce its HP, you might get counterattacked due to the fear effect.

The key is to clear it by balancing both damage dealing and tanking.

Well, this boss battle is a bit different.

Originally, only the protagonist entered 'The Library's Martial Arts Manual', but here, I'm accompanying.

This means we can aim for an easier clear.

"What should we do?"

"Let's divide roles. I'll take the vanguard, you deal the damage."

"Isn't it the opposite? Aren't you from the Magic Department, senior?"

"I'm a bit of an oddball."

There's no need for one person to handle both damage and tanking.

If I draw the werewolf's aggro, Isolet can reduce its HP.

Of course, Isolet's doubt is justified.

'She must think I'm a mage.'

Usually, when a knight and a mage team up, the former takes the tank role.

It might seem strange to assign the damage dealer role to Isolet from the Knight Department, but.

"Don't worry. We have a chance of winning."

I can't use magic anyway. This is the right approach.

I approach Isolet and whisper a summary of the upcoming battle strategy. She was slightly surprised by the sudden whisper but nodded without a word.

After reassuring Isolet like that, I take a step forward.

At that moment, the werewolf opens its eyes.

─Awoooo......

The wolf's howl.

It raises the body it was sleeping in. Standing on two feet, its height increases significantly.

From a height that seems about three heads taller than me, it splits its mouth in a grin.

It's probably sneering. It seems to think I'm arrogant for standing in front without a sword.

Another step forward.

I loosen up. Quickly relaxing all the muscles in my body, accelerating blood flow.

Activating my senses to be able to react whenever the opponent approaches.

Glancing at Isolet as she quietly moves to the side and grips her sword handle, I gesture to the werewolf.

Flick, flick.

"Come on, doggy."

Even if it can't understand the words, it should get the nuance. The werewolf bares its teeth.

Crunch. Its two feet dig into the floor. Just like a person would charge, it tilts its upper body diagonally─

─Awoooo!

And leaps at me.

In < Song of Sword and Magic >, werewolves surprisingly don't use their claws much.

With their muscular bodies, they fight almost like humans.

Whoosh! 

The sound of air being cut by fabric.

The werewolf's fist rushes towards me. At a glance, it looks two or three times bigger than my fist.

If we collide like this, anyone would expect me to be helplessly rolled on the ground.

The werewolf probably thinks so too, but─

Bam!

─That future doesn't come to pass.

"...Huff."

─Awoo?

The werewolf's howl follows my short breath.

As if it doesn't understand what just happened, its eyes widen.

Tremble... Our fists clash and struggle against each other.

In terms of size, it's not even a match, but my fist is proudly holding its ground against it.

No, it's more than that.

─...Awoo!

Rather, my fist is pushing its fist back...!

The werewolf, understanding the situation, withdraws its fist.

It probably intended to break my stance, but it doesn't work. I also withdraw my hand and readjust my posture.

Then comes the time for a fistfight.

Bam! Bam bam, bam!

"Hup!"

─Awoooo!

The werewolf throws punches. Right to left, left to straight, top to center.

I counter with punches matching every trajectory. Not yielding in strength at all, I cut off its attacks.

It's thanks to 【Ultimate Physique】.

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【Strength has increased!】

【Stamina has increased!】

【Agility has increased!】

【Strength has increased!】

【Stamina has increased!】

【Agility has increased!】

【Strength has increased!】

【Stamina has increased!】

【Agility has increased!】

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Notification messages appear in the corner of my vision.

These messages, appearing rapidly in succession without being distracting, inform me of my body's current state.

I'm increasing my stats even during this process.

Bam! Crash, bam!

The barrage of punches continues.

Neither the beast nor I back down, facing each other in combat.

But if this continues, there won't be any effective hits.

Neither of us has a decisive attack to take down the other, but─

"Haap!"

─...Awoo?!

Slash!

A sword wound appears on the werewolf's right calf. Isolet cut it.

However, it's not a deep wound. Covered in tough hair, it didn't reduce much HP.

'It was like this in the original work too.'

The werewolf has physical resistance (low) and magic resistance (low).

For the protagonist at the early stages, it inevitably takes a long time to defeat.

In the later story, the protagonist develops a combined skill based on this boss battle.

Anyway, just like in the game, Isolet's attack wasn't the decisive blow.

But there was no problem.

─Awoo... Awoo?!

The beast, full of anger, was about to turn towards Isolet.

However, my fist immediately strikes the werewolf's side.

Even if the coarse hair absorbed some damage, it must be hard to ignore. I can deal that much damage now.

Eventually, it turns its aggro back to me and initiates an attack, and I raise my fists to meet it.

As we continue this exchange, naturally, Isolet looks for an opening and rushes in again.

Slash!

─Awoo!

After several repetitions of this structure, the werewolf's body was now dripping with blood.

─Awoo, awoo......

Bloodshot, glistening beast eyes.

Despite the clearly unfavorable situation, the werewolf's spirit wasn't broken.

Saliva drips from the wolf's muzzle, and finally, it raises its head high towards the sky.

'Is it now?'

The Howling is coming.

*

Isolet's heart was beating faster than ever before.

'I'm excited.'

Her first real combat.

Against a werewolf, a monster that seemed quite strong to Isolet who had just entered the academy.

She was performing surprisingly well, even to herself.

Bam, bam bam!

Fists collide. A massive impact sound that's hard to believe came from a human body.

With that noise as a backdrop, Isolet holds her breath and takes her stance.

She's aiming for the werewolf's thigh. It's hard to reach due to the height difference, but it seems possible with 'Upper Slash'.

Slash!

As she expected, a sword wound beautifully appears on the thigh.

It's already an uncountable number of attacks.

Clearly a situation Isolet couldn't have achieved alone.

'...Amazing.'

That senior is truly remarkable. There are countless things to admire.

Of course, it's shocking that he's not yielding at all against the werewolf.

It will definitely use Howling when its health is low. If you know in advance, you can move your body a bit faster, so remember that.

'How on earth does he understand the werewolf's habits?'

Is it because he's a second-year student?

But even for that, he seems too experienced.

Anyway, as Herak said, Isolet steeled herself.

The werewolf's condition doesn't look good. Its body trembles, dripping red blood profusely, and it raises its muzzle.

'Here it comes!'

Having already been told by her senior, she takes a deep breath.

No matter how terrifying the roar might be, she won't be shaken─

─AWOOOOOOOO!!!

"...!"

She couldn't even gasp.

The oxygen filling Isolet's lungs gets stuck. The breath that couldn't escape her mouth stops, unable to go in or out.

At the Howling that seemed to tear her ears, Isolet's body froze.

'T-This is...!'

It's beyond imagination.

Even though she was prepared thanks to Herak's tip. But for the current Isolet, it wasn't easy to immediately loosen her body with just that level of preparation.

All her muscle cells freeze at once. Not a single one obeys her commands.

The only thing moving is her eyes. She looks around the situation, rolling her blue pupils.

And.

"......"

The werewolf was rushing towards her.

It noticed. Who was currently the most vulnerable.

Raising its huge fist towards the sky, aiming at Isolet who had been consistently cutting it until now.

And just as it was about to bring that fist down─

"That won't do."

A man stood in front of Isolet.

Tall stature, sturdy build. An excellent physique unsuited for a mage.

However, having come in a hurry, he couldn't take a proper stance.

This is dangerous. There's a high chance he'll be retired after taking the werewolf's punch.

─For a moment, she felt their eyes meet.

Herak's eyes turn towards Isolet. Although she couldn't utter a word, she was clearly conveying her thoughts.

'Why?'

Why did you save me?

Why did you voluntarily stand in front of me?

Herak's answer to that was simple.

"...I'd rather die than see you get hurt."

He says this with a slight curl of his lips.

That image gets etched into Isolet's heart.

For Herak, it was simple logic.

Rather than having Isolet, the protagonist, retire in a place like this, it was better for him to take the hit. That would be much more beneficial for pushing the story forward.

It was an extremely rational idea, but─

"...Ah."

For Isolet, none of that mattered at all.

Feeling some inexplicable emotion, she quietly exhaled.

For some reason, her heart races.

It's probably different from the excitement of battle.

...The manifestation of some emotion.

Whoosh!

But time flows on regardless of Isolet's feelings.

Just as the werewolf's fist was about to reach Herak.

"Point Burst!"

The sword wounds all over the werewolf's body.

Those injuries that Isolet herself had inflicted.

Mana ripples in the gaps of the skin covered in coarse hair.

Boom!

Using those points as a focus, a fire spell detonates, roasting the werewolf's body.

─Awoooooo......

The werewolf, now a lump of charcoal, lets out a single scream.

But that becomes its death cry, and it disappears, turning to ash.

"What, what?! What happened?! I just tried using magic, did I do well?!"

Then, from behind Isolet and Herak.

Someone comes running from the corridor they had come through.

A mage with bright red twin tails.

It was Irina Eletal's super save.

***

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【Strength value has increased to 2!】

【Stamina value has increased to 2!】

【Agility value has increased to 2!】

※ You can now check stat values to the decimal point.

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