Chapter 217
Now, there was of course a reason I chose the two people besides Karu to deal with the Deathbone Chariot. It was because both of them could attack effectively against Undead.
"Come on, charge! And then, blow yourself up!"
Nanakou, who had received a certain item on Spirit Island, finally evolved into a type of tengu called the White Crow Tengu three days ago. Apparently, meeting the conditions had been difficult, but he had somehow managed it.
Those conditions were 'having a total magic-type Skill level of at least 50 and raising one weapon-type Skill to level 20 or higher.' Having some melee Skills ready as insurance against approaching enemies would seem simple enough, and Nanakou had learned 【Martial Arts】 in preparation for that possibility. However, the problem was that the requirement called for a weapon-type Skill, not a martial-arts-type Skill.
For someone who had originally been a crow avatar, wielding weapons was extremely difficult. He could hold and swing one with his feet, but apparently controlling his posture in midair became difficult, and at first he crashed every time he swung. After steadily practicing 【Sword Arts】 against the weak monsters I summoned, he finally fulfilled the conditions.
He could no longer use tactics that took advantage of his small body, but his humanoid form now allowed him to use tools. His wings remained on his back, so he was less maneuverable, but he retained his ability to fly.
Incidentally, his equipment consisted of yamabushi-style armor made by Iris, a concealed-weapon staff, and a fan made from his own feathers. When I asked whether the staff really needed to be made into a concealed weapon, I was told with a straight face, 'What kind of tengu doesn't carry a staff?' Apparently, that was also the case on Spirit Island, but wasn't that just a stereotype...?
"The Purging Magic Eye is shining, isn't it?"
As for Mikero, several white beams shot from an eye with multiple pupils. The beams converged into a single bundle and pierced a soldier aboard the Chariot. The 【Purging Magic Eye】 did not fire light-attribute beams, however. It was apparently a non-attribute magical attack that was especially effective against Undead and Demons.
It was incredibly bizarre for such a beautiful light to emerge from the most sinister-looking eye. And in terms of appearance, Mikero was far more evil-looking than either the Undead or Demons... But it was powerful, so I supposed that was all that mattered.
"Karu, attack the Deathbone Chariot from behind. I'll target the horses."
"Grrr!"
Karu and I split apart in midair and took up positions hemming in our respective targets. We could not afford to let them race freely around the battlefield. Besides, I should be their natural enemy, since magic was effective against the Ghost Warhorses.
I attacked with magic from the front, while Karu attacked physically from behind. Nanakou's summons and Mikero's magic eye rained attacks down from above, and the Undead aboard were already on the verge of death. I was thinking that we might be able to completely shut down the Deathbone Chariot. I was entertaining a rather convenient possibility.
Crack!
"Bheeeeeee!"
"Brrrrrrrrr!"
With a metallic sound like something coming loose, the fittings connecting the Deathbone Chariot and the Ghost Warhorses suddenly came undone. The two rampaging Ghost Warhorses were freed and dashed off in different directions, while the Deathbone Chariot performed a pivot turn in place!
What I had forgotten was that the Deathbone Chariot was not merely a wagon but a monster. I had failed to consider that it could move under its own power even without horses to pull it. And its left and right wheels could move independently? Were they not connected by an axle? What kind of structure was this thing supposed to have!?
But I could not stand around being surprised. If a powerful Undead joined Iris and the others' battle, the front line might be unable to hold and descend into a melee. If that happened, the rear line would inevitably be overrun, and the surrounded front line would be defeated as well. I could not allow that!
"Nanakou and Mikero, pursue the Ghost Warhorses and finish them off! Karu and I will somehow handle this one!"
"Leave it to me!"
"Understood."
Nanakou, carrying Mikero, was now faster than Karu and me. This was also because Nanakou's body had grown larger and given him more power. Having more people capable of transporting Mikero, who could float but not move quickly, had broadened our tactical options considerably. It was a godsend.
After seeing the two of them off, Karu and I immediately attacked the Deathbone Chariot. I kept it in check with magic, then Karu struck it with his tail during the opening. It was our usual, tried-and-true combination.
Thanks to Nanakou and Mikero's offensive, the Undead aboard the Deathbone Chariot were already in tatters. There was no way they could stop Karu's tail.
"Grrr...!"
"It transformed!?"
But the Deathbone Chariot was still full of fight. It bundled the bone spikes growing from its body together into a wall and caught Karu's tail. It had probably used the 【Flexible Bone】 Skill. Extending bones on the spot like that... Did it not feel even a little sorry for me, who was still struggling to figure out how to grow more bones before evolving!?
No, forget about me. If even a tail blow from Karu's mighty strength could not cut through it, then it undoubtedly possessed tremendous defense. The 【Super Defense Enhancement】 Skill clearly lived up to its name. Ugh, what a pain!
"G, grrrrooo...?"
"Karu!? Dispel!"
Furthermore, its powers were not limited to extending bones. Immediately after blocking Karu's tail, an icon indicating Strength Down appeared on Karu's marker. I instantly removed it with Dispel, but this meant the monster could use 【Curse Arts】.
【Curse Arts】 was not there when I used 【Appraisal】, but it did have a Skill called 【Cursed Bone】 instead. It probably cursed anyone who came into contact with its bones. High defense, combined with the ability to curse anyone who launched a physical attack against it... This thing was evidently built for pure defense.
"I'd like to avoid physical attacks, but it has enough mobility that I can't hit it unless someone holds it down... Karu, I know this is difficult, but can you do it?"
"Grrrr!"
As if to say that was obvious, Karu charged once more. It beat its four wings and rapidly closed the distance, then slashed without hesitation with the claws of both forelegs. It did not suffer a status ailment this time, but the bone barrier stopped its attack just the same.
Its forelegs were weaker than its tail, and Dispel had stripped away the enchantment applied beforehand, so it was only natural that it could not break through the defense. This was where I had to give it my all!
"Astral Magic Circle, Spell Adjustment, Holy Ray."
First, I wiped out the Undead soldiers remaining on the wagon. Five beams burned through the soldiers and the Deathbone Chariot together, undoubtedly dealing damage. However, the monster seemed to possess an enormous amount of HP, so the damage was far less than I had expected.
Still, I succeeded in delivering the finishing blow to the soldiers, which had been my initial objective. The wagon had carried spearmen and archers strong enough to scratch Karu's scales, but thanks to Nanakou and the others whittling them down, they shattered on the wagon. Recovering their items was hopeless, but this was no time to worry about that!
"Dispel. This looks like it will be a long battle."
While dispelling the curse placed on Karu, I muttered to myself. Rather than defeating it and joining the others, I might simply have to keep whittling it down until Jigoro and the others finished wiping out their enemies. I felt pathetic for being able to do nothing but buy time, but I could only do what I was capable of!
◆◇◆◇◆◇
Nanakou and Mikero pursued the Ghost Warhorses, but the two horses ran off in different directions partway through, so they each took one. Nanakou skillfully switched between 【Holy Magic】 and 【Sword Arts】, using three-dimensional movements to confuse his opponent as he fought.
Whenever he waved his fan, magic was released, while his concealed staff rang with a clear, tinkling sound. With his own feathers being white as well, he looked almost fantastical as he fought.
"Hahaha! Having a weapon sure makes a difference!"
His manner of speaking and choice of words, however, were anything but elegant. He fought in high spirits the entire time. He had not expected fighting to become this much easier simply by adding arms and legs to the aerial combat experience he had built up until then.
"Working with the crows is easier too... Oops, time for a refill of talismans."
Nanakou attached one of the 【Talisman Arts】 talismans supplied by Izaam to his concealed staff. The weapon then began to glow with a white radiance across its surface.
The effect of this talisman was to add the Light Attribute. Nanakou could not use 【Enchantment Arts】, but the talisman allowed him to add an attribute to his attacks. Everyone, including the front-line fighters, had talismans for imbuing every attribute. This was one of them.
"This means I can cut those see-through ghosts too. Man, maybe I should learn 【Enchantment Arts】?"
Nanakou's usual style was to use his summons as shields while chipping away at the enemy, but from now on, he would probably begin charging in himself more often, blending in with his summons. Learning a Skill to supplement his close-combat firepower would therefore be effective. Toji already fought like a dancer, using harassing magic and enchanted swordsmanship. Nanakou could not do the same, but he wanted to use Toji as a reference.
"Brrrrrrrrrrr!"
"Whoa!"
While he was thinking about unnecessary things, the Ghost Warhorse neighed madly as it rampaged. Then the crows Nanakou had summoned convulsed with a start before tumbling to the ground one after another.
This was the effect of 【Vengeful Cry】, a Skill that caused the Fear status ailment through its cry. Nanakou's summons had fallen because fear had stiffened their bodies.
"What'd it do? Eh, whatever. Self-destruct!"
"Hee-hawww!?"
However, the ones affected were his summons. If they could no longer move, all he had to do was make them self-destruct. The Ghost Warhorse's HP was rapidly shredded by the white crows around it, which all became Light Attribute bombs at once.
Moreover, Nanakou himself was not afflicted by a status ailment. That was not because of good luck, but because everyone had equipped the 'Blacklight Amulets' made in the 'Black Death Ice Forest' in anticipation of fighting Undead. Since the Ghost Warhorse was below level 70, it could not inflict status ailments on them.
"I'll summon them again... All right, round two!"
While the Ghost Warhorse was forced into a hopeless battle against Nanakou and his newly summoned flock of white crows, the other Ghost Warhorse had already been defeated.
"I knew 【Healing Arts】 worked, but I never imagined that even 【Healing Magic Eye】 would affect Undead."
Mikero had three ways to destroy Undead: 【Holy Magic】, 【Healing Arts】, and 【Purging Magic Eye】. In addition, when he tried 【Healing Magic Eye】, it proved to be just as effective as 【Healing Arts】.
Having dispatched the Ghost Warhorse in an instant with four different means of attack, Mikero considered whether he should go support Izaam or Jigoro's group. However, he arrived at the answer immediately.
"Izaam-sama cannot possibly lose. Let's go to the side that's having trouble."
In reality, Izaam was also being forced into a difficult battle, but Mikero, who might as well be called Izaam's devotee, made that decision. From Mikero's perspective, he could not envision Izaam losing at all.
Mikero had once been targeted by players who preyed on beginners. At the time, Izaam happened to pass by and instantly killed them with 【Dark Arts】. To Mikero, whom Izaam had saved, that image made Izaam appear like an absolute being.
Of course, Mikero understood that it was nearly impossible for Izaam, a single player, to truly reign as an absolute being. Even so, the image had remained etched vividly in his mind, becoming the driving force behind Mikero's desperate search for Izaam.
"Someday, I want to pay my respects to Izaam-sama as he stands at the summit."
Mikero let slip an ambition that would certainly make Izaam say, 'Please, spare me,' if he heard it, then headed back to where Jigoro and the others were. There, he devoted himself to healing as a priest.