When we move out while dodging the demons, we see the demon lord.
It’s twice as tall as me.
I get close and swing my axes, but an invisible wall stops them.
I’d be pretty confused if this was the first time, but I’ve seen this a few times before.
From here on, it’s basically just work. Scrape away its defense until our attacks can reach it.
The difference is that this time I’m more focused on defense than attack.
Sora’s normally in front of us to protect us, but this time, he’s busy with the demons.
Still, even if I’m on defense, I’m attacking just as hard. There are fewer attacks, but they’re just as tough.
I need to attract its attention, and if I’m only defending, it won’t see me as a threat.
I don’t have any skills that do that or anything, so I really need to make sure it doesn’t target someone else.
I feel like Rurika and Hikari can dodge it, but that only goes for physical attacks. Demon lords use magic, so we need to keep just enough space between us.
I can’t really step up into it and deliver good attacks.
Still, I manage to keep up because of Mia’s support magic. I can tell it’s blocking the demon lord’s magic.
I wouldn’t be able to tell that before, but I got the Magic Energy Control skill after beating Majolica’s dungeon. Now I can feel the fine flow of magic energy.
I can tell the monster’s magic energy is moving too, so I can infuse magic energy before it attacks. I just sort of know it’s using magic.
Normally, I can’t feel it this clearly, so is it because I’m more focused and my senses are sharper?
And thanks to the Magic Energy Control skill, I can smoothly use my magic energy only when I need it. That’s the biggest plus, because I can use it to boost my defense when it attacks.
I got a magic item to boost my maximum amount of magic energy after beating the dungeon in Fors, but it’s still low compared to Rurika and Hikari.
I block the demon lord’s flames, and swing my axe after stepping closer.
But it reads my attack, and backs off with time to spare. That’s okay, because I’m not alone, and it gets hit with a wind blade after stepping back.
Hikari read what it’s doing based on its patterns so far.
The demon lord is caught off guard… And the attack is blocked by the magic energy wall.
But we keep going. Just as it’s about to attack again, wind passes by it, and Rurika is suddenly behind it.
The attack performed with Gale is blocked, but the impact makes the demon lord lose its balance.
Then Mia attacks with her spear, and I attack from the other side.
Suddenly, the feeling I get from that attack changes, and the demon lord screams.
Is the barrier gone!?
I swing again, and hit flesh.
If it was before, I would’ve kept attacking, but I hold back. This is a superior version of a monster, so we don’t know what trump cards it has. And I’m here as everyone’s shield.
I should keep an eye on it, guard everyone, and attack when I can.
As we fight, we break a few of the demon lord’s accessories. And every time, its movements get duller, and the impact I get from blocking with my axes gets softer.
Sora said they’re boosting its physical abilities, so that blessing is running out as it loses equipment.
This back and forth eventually comes to an end when one of Rurika’s attacks hits it, and the demon lord’s body begins to crumble.
The fighting around us goes silent too, and I let out a sigh.
“Good work Sera. Are you all right?”
“Thanks to you, Mia. Ah, and Rurika and Hikari too.”
“Really? But it was thanks to you that we could focus on attacking. I didn’t expect you to block magic head on like that. I was surprised.”
Rurika’s praise tickles.
“I wanna go home and rest. And… It’s easier to always be on the offensive like normal.”
Being in front and guarding everyone means everyone’s life is in my hands, not just mine. That feeling is pretty draining mentally.
I think it’s impressive that Sora’s always doing that.
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Thanks for the treat.