Kokonoe’s unicorn staff had a special effect. It could be used three times every day, and it suppressed the cost of magic energy and boosted the power of magic.
This was a powerful effect, and could be used to take down a lot of monsters in one hit depending on who used it.
Unfortunately, Kokonoe knew no such spell, but she did have one or two powerful spells.
She imagined a giant, hard rock spear.
It did not have the effect to explode on impact, but it would overwrite the original image further.
Even with the effect to lessen how much magic energy was spent, it used up so much that the effect of the staff could not fully compensate.
“Rock Javelin!”
The giant spear was fired as she cast her spell.
◇ ◇ ◇
Danger was approaching. Upon realizing this, the greater skeleton called its minions back and had them position themselves as a shield.
Since that was not enough, it took swords from the shadow.
Its attention had strayed from its target, which ran away, but since there was nowhere to run in this closed space, it focused on the danger approaching.
A giant rock spear was coming, and even skeletons adept at magic defense would shatter if hit.
The greater skeleton activated the Iron Wall skill, boosting its defense.
The rock spear advanced right through the skeletons, losing almost no momentum as it closed in on the greater skeleton.
The four swords clashed with the spear.
It planted its feet on the ground, but the momentum dragged it back. Still, it quickly saw the result of its struggle.
The rock spear was cracking and on the verge of breaking.
But the monster quickly realized that was not right. The cracks spread until the rock spear could not retain its shape, becoming a rock shotgun that swallowed the greater skeleton.
Hundreds, thousands of rock bullets hit it, cracking its armor and its exposed head.
That was the first time in this battle that the greater skeleton took damage.
And an angry fire burned in its hollow eye sockets.
◇ ◇ ◇
Sorry Fuyo, I used too much magic energy and I can’t move.”
“What!? Don’t you have a magic potion?”
“I used it. And after using this, I’m not going to be helpful anymore anyway.”
Kokonoe handed the unicorn staff to Mimori, feeling it would be better in her hands than someone who had no magic energy left.
“Fuyo, Kana… That skeleton is coming!”
Said Momoyama, and they turned towards the greater skeleton.
That magic seemed to have made it change target from the front line to the back row.
“Ah… I drew its aggro. Okay! Yuumi, carry me and run! Buy as much time as you can!”
“Okay!”
“Hum, and me?”
“Cast Enchanter on Yummi and then go to Touya. Only they can take this thing down now!”
Mimori said yes and cast buffs.
Then Momoyama carried Kokonoe, and said she’d leave the rest to Mimori.
The greater skeleton saw this and went after her, spawning three skeletons to also chase her.
It was a funny sight, but they were very serious. If the girls were caught, they would be killed for sure.
The greater skeleton threw swords occasionally, but all were dodged.
◇ ◇ ◇
“Guh. It’s okay, I can almost stand.”
“Touya, drink another potion. You can’t fight like this.”
“Sorry. Thanks.”
Hino took a potion from Yuka, and drank it in one gulp.
He had already drunk his, and while he was gradually recovering, it would take time for him to be able to move. And Momoyama would be caught before then.
He held back his impatience, and focused on recovering.
Momoyama would most likely bring the greater skeleton to them once they were ready, so he would have to be ready to swing his sword at least once before then.
“Are you okay!? Use mine too!”
When Mimori reached them, she took out a potion and gave it to Hino. And another one to Yuka.
Hino was worse, but Yuka was also injured. And it seemed like having light wounds all over her body meant that putting too much strain on her arms hurt.
Yuka was also aware of this, and drank the potion.
“Thanks Fuyo. Can you stand, Touya?”
“Yes, I’m okay. I’m going to use Power Charge again, can you cover me?”
“Yes. Fuyo, please cast Enchanter.”
“Yes!”
This time, she could do it without anything getting in the way.
She did it in the spur of the moment before, so it was not as strong as it could have been. Not to mention that this time, she held the unicorn staff. And so, she cast Enchanter with its effect boosted.
“Attack boost! Defense boost! Speed boost! Spirit stabilization, Agility Boost…”
Yuka sorted the information they had about the greater skeleton while receiving buffs.
“This is self-evident, but the greater skeleton summons minions. It seems there is a limit to how many it can bring out at once, and we can assume it’s three. It takes swords from its shadow, so it can also summon weapons, or it has many weapons ready in its shadow. I don’t know which, but we should be aware that destroying its weapons has little effect.
We failed before because we didn’t anticipate that it would summon skeletons. We need to take it down without destroying the skeletons first. I’ll bait them, so take the greater skeleton down, Touya and Fuyo.”
“…Eh?”
“Okay.”
Someone who could only use Enchanter was surprised to be mentioned. Not to mention she just told them to take the monster down without any real strategy.
Hino seemed confident, but Mimori was the opposite.
“It’s okay, Fuyo. You’re pretty good with that shield.”
Said Yuka while putting her hand on Mimori’s shoulder, and her face looked beautiful to Mimori.
No, wait, are you telling me to block with the shield!? She thought.
So it seemed the strategy relied on her using the shield.
She wanted to complain that it was impossible, but the others’ serious faces made her stop.
“Touya…”
“It’s okay, just do what you can. Take care of the skeletons.”
“…Yes.”
Yuka seemed sad, as she left towards the skeletons.
◇ ◇ ◇
Momoyama managed to escape the greater skeleton’s attacks, but her stamina was near its limit.
Kokonoe was light, but she could only run while carrying someone for so long. Even in her buffed state.
“Yuumi! It looks like they’re ready!”
“Ahh, okay… Ahh, I’m going back.”
Kokonoe called out to her with an energetic tone, just as Momoyama’s legs were about to give out and she was going to ask her to get off her.
But since Kokonoe could practically not move due to running out of magic energy, and she would quickly become easy prey for the monsters, Momoyama wished she would at least sit still.
“The skeletons are coming!”
She mustered up the last of her strength to move.
She was slowing down, but Yuka noticed it and came running.
“Keep running! Touya is waiting!”
Yuka passed by them, drew her sword, and fell on the skeletons.
Her swordsmanship lacked the sharpness it had before, and simply blew back and stopped the skeletons.
She crossed swords with the greater skeleton only once, and quickly stepped back.
That attack was not enough for it to change targets, and it once again chased Kokonoe.
“A little more! Just a little more Yuumi!”
Up ahead, Mimori held her shield and Hino silently focused.
Momoyama ran, ran, and ran, and also ran out of stamina and collapsed after passing by Hino.
“Ahh ahh!!”
She turned around while breathing heavily, and saw Mimori blocking the greater skeletons’ swords.
◇ ◇ ◇
The greater skeleton’s swords hit the shield strongly again and again. Sometimes two or three at once.
“Eek!!”
Each attack carried considerable power, making Mimori’s body shake left and right. Her feet left the ground, and it felt she would be blown away.
She managed to hang on thanks to the buffs she cast on herself, but her hands were already numb, meaning she could not hold the shield well.
Hino was still focusing, and more than a minute had passed since he started.
Are you done yet!? She thought.
Mimori had only been blocking the greater skeletons’ attacks for about ten seconds, but it felt she could falter at any moment.
She held her shield as though she was praying, and struggled to withstand the assault.
It seemed her prayers were answered, as Hino was ready.
“Here I go!”
He yelled, just as the greater skeleton thrust at Mimori, and the impact flung her and her shield away.
◇ ◇ ◇
Mimori looked at Hino as she was blown away, and realized this was not good.
Even if they defeated the greater skeleton, Hino would be pierced by a sword and die.
It was the resolve on his face that led her to believe this. Momoyama fired an arrow, but it would not be in time to help.
She thought about any way to help, and extended her hand towards the greater skeleton.
There was no idea behind it, she just thought she had to do something.
A black mist escaped from her hand and flew towards the greater skeleton.
Only the greater skeleton noticed it. Even Mimori did not see it.
The monster swung its sword to escape it, but it passed right through and enveloped it.
The vicious monster stopped. Or rather, it moved, but so slowly that it seemed still.
Hino hit it with his finishing move.
“Charge Attack!!”
This attack was more powerful than any that came before it. It destroyed the head of the greater skeleton, ripped its armor, and sent it to the afterlife.
The sword broke along the way, but it fulfilled its duty.
Hino himself was surprised by this outcome.
He was ready to die, knowing that battle was unwinnable otherwise. He knew he had to put his life on the line.
Hino was resolute to finish it with this attack even if his body was ripped apart. But along the way, the greater skeleton’s movements turned dull.
He had no idea what happened.
“Touya! You did it, right!?”
Kokonoe hugged him, looking happy.
Momoyama seemed to have recovered only enough magic energy to move, so she was still not standing.
The monster had definitely been vanquished, as evidenced by the skill orbs on the ground.
“…Yes, we won. We won! We beat a unique monster.”
Hino was basically saying this to himself.
He was alive, and his partners were safe. It could not have ended better. And he shook off the strange feeling he had that something was off.
He put Kokonoe down, and reached towards a skill orb to grab it. It disappeared, as did the others his partners took, giving them new skills.
With that, the scene changed again, and they were back where they were before.
Hino felt relieved, thinking it was over, and for some reason, a fat man crossed his mind.
“…Did Tanaka fight something like this?”
Alone? It was unbelievable.
After experiencing it, he was convinced this was impossible to clear alone.
“Touya, let’s open the treasure chest!”
Kokonoe’s energetic voice interrupted his thoughts, as she led him by the hand.
Hino thought about asking Tanaka next time he saw him, but for now, he went to open the treasure chest with his partners.
◇ ◇ ◇
Fuyo Mimori was an average high school girl.
She became a seeker after being invited by her friend, and after said friend found a boyfriend and quit, she continued being a seeker with new partners.
She defeated a unique monster the other day, was interviewed by a TV station who went to the guild to report on it, her social media account went a little viral, and her friend asked her to explore with her once again. And this normal high school girl refused, saying it was too late for that.
“See you later.”
She left her house to go to the dungeon.
It was not that long ago that she was involved in a deadly battle, but she did not intend to quit. Not until she recouped her initial investment at the very least. She would have if they sold the sword they got from the treasure chest, but she reluctantly gave that up because Hino would use it.
“Good morning Fuyo.”
“Morning, Mimori.”
She met two of her fellow party members on the train. The other two should be waiting in the guild.
Somehow, she knew they would be together for a long time, and responded full of energy.
“Good morning!”
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Greater skeleton (unique)
A four-armed skeleton.
It wears armor and holds a weapon in each hand.
It can summon skeleton minions, although the number varies depending on the individual monster.
Skills: Minion Summoning (low), Weapon Summoning (low), Iron wall
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Touya Hino (17)
Level: 9
Skills: Power Charge, Hidden Power
Equipment: Light wing sword
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Yuumi Momoyama (17)
Level: 9
Skills: Sure Hit, Danger Detection
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Yuka Kanba (18)
Level: 10
Skills: Swordsmanship, Shukuchi
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Kanako Kokonoe (17)
Level: 9
Skills: Earth Magic, Wind Magic
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Fuyo Mimori (17)
Level: 7
Skills: Enchanter, Shield Techniques
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