arc3 · 053-ch53

Episode 53: Water Blade Weasel

At the appearance of the Water Blade Weasel, tension ran through everyone. Especially Urban and Parks, who hadn't even fought the District 2 area boss, couldn't move a muscle.

Kirin, too, couldn't move carelessly. She was thinking with all her might about how to get through this situation.

There's no option to fight the Water Blade Weasel. Can we escape by using these two parties as decoys?

Kirin has vast knowledge about dungeons and a clear vision for exploration. While she does plan to defeat the Water Blade Weasel eventually, now is not the time. At minimum, not until she surpasses level 40.

You had to be the one opponent I wanted to face least among the area bosses.

She maintained a poker face so no one around her would notice, but internally, she felt like she'd crushed a bitter bug.

The Water Blade Weasel is said to be the strongest among the three District 3 area bosses. The Twin Poison Serpent, another area boss, uses poison magic, but by using the Mimicry Serum from the Madness Serpent Mimic, poison can be cured, so it's not much of a threat. Though its attack power is high, its huge body makes its movements large and conspicuous, making it not too difficult to defend against. While its high stamina and defense make it time-consuming to defeat, it's an area boss that can be defeated relatively safely with established strategies.

The Jūryō Frog is a more troublesome monster than the Twin Poison Serpent. Since it only fights in close combat, you can completely shut it down with mainly long-distance attacks. But for District 3 level explorers, it's difficult to deal damage to the Jūryō Frog with long-distance attacks while its defense is raised with high-level body reinforcement, so you end up needing to use close combat.

Even with close combat, attacks that can penetrate its sturdy defense are limited, and it's a monster that requires specific skills and stats to defeat like the Rabbit Demon Iron Skin. But the Jūryō Frog's main attack, its open-handed slaps, rarely cause instant death even when inflicting serious injury. By having party members alternate taking aggro and focusing on hit-and-run tactics, you may not be able to defeat it, but at least you won't die.

Compared to those two hardy, high-stamina area bosses, the Water Blade Weasel is the softest and easiest to land attacks on. Though it's fast and hard to hit, if you do hit, you can deal solid damage.

However, the risk of death against the Water Blade Weasel is too high. Each attack with blades is a threat that invites fatal wounds, and the sheer number of attacks from the three blades—both hands and tail—combined with frequent water magic use, means it's a monster that could easily wipe out a full party that challenges it. As the only monster in Floor 1 District 3 that uses blades, it was a monster like a symbol of terror.

In Kirin's plans, she was going to target the 'Ring of Twin Poisons' from the Twin Poison Serpent while leveling up, and only challenge it once she reached a sufficient level. In other words, challenging it now when her stats aren't properly prepared means certain death.

"Kotori"

"I, I think I can somehow dodge it"

She seemed to understand what was being asked just from her name being called.

Kotori, who is the best at dodging monster attacks in zoo, isn't confident she can dodge the Water Blade Weasel's attack from earlier. This seems even less like an opponent they should fight.

"Wanko, this is where we hold the line."

"Yeah, I'll do whatever I can"

Inurakuse, who bears the brunt of monster attacks, carries the most dangerous role. Yet she doesn't get discouraged. She understands what she can do and what her role is, so regardless of who the opponent is, she just executes it.

Her ability to remain calm even in irregular situations is probably her exceptional talent.

"Nyako, focus on paralysis"

"Mm"

Nekoyashika responds with few words, but she's already kneading her mana so she can fire magic at any time.

Nekoyashika had a tendency where her abilities changed depending on her mood. Even when her mood wasn't great, Nekoyashika with poison and recovery magic wouldn't be dead weight. But Nekoyashika in a good mood performs beyond her abilities, like she's entered the zone.

Perhaps if it's her in her current state, she might be able to paralyze the Water Blade Weasel. If that happens, Kirin and the others should be able to escape safely.

While Kirin was giving orders, the Water Blade Weasel was walking between the surrounding monsters as if glaring down at them.

The surrounding small fry are going to be troublesome. I guess we'll have to use them well to create an opening to escape.

Normally, the Water Blade Weasel acts together with Rock Earth Dragons and Nut Bombarrel Chipmunks, attacking in coordination with the surrounding monsters. According to standard theory, you'd defeat the other monsters first, but since the current goal is to escape rather than defeat, there's no need to defeat the surrounding monsters.

Just as the Water Blade Weasel attacks while hiding behind monsters, they wanted to hide behind other monsters and gradually create distance.

"Come, here it comes"

Even when escaping, timing matters. If you show your back and run in this situation, you'll definitely be killed.

First, create an opening. If possible, it would be best if Nekoyashika's paralysis worked.

The surrounding monsters also started moving gradually. In response, the Water Blade Weasel locked onto zoo and approached.

Its walking style was unique. When being watched, it moved slowly, and when hidden behind monsters, it moved instantly. Through this acceleration and deceleration, the Water Blade Weasel approached like it was moving frame-by-frame.

"Ugh!!"

Just as the Water Blade Weasel was about to attack Inurakuse, it dodged Inurakuse and swung both blades down at Kirin. Since Kirin had been giving orders, it might have been aiming to take out the commander first.

Kirin skillfully deflected the descending blades with her spear to the left and right, successfully dodging the attack. But the hand holding the deflected spear was numb, and she had handled this brief exchange almost entirely on instinct from her experience so far. There's no guarantee she could handle the next one.

"Tch, [Taunt i——ghuuh!!"

Just as Inurakuse was about to activate a skill to generate hate, an attack from the swinging tail came from the side and interrupted the skill. The attack of swinging a tail as long as the Water Blade Weasel's slender body, combined with centrifugal force, had such power that just blocking it was enough. Without the 'Rabbit Demon's Shield', even the shield would have been severed in half.

Immediately, Kotori launched an attack from the side, but the Water Blade Weasel countered with both hands' sickles. Since the target had shifted, Kirin also fought back with her spear, but a blade from water magic appeared, hindering the movement of Kirin and zoo as it was unleashed.

As expected of her, Kotori, who has the Unique Skill 'Acrobat', was dodging both the water blades and the Water Blade Weasel's sickle attacks. But she was so focused on dodging that she couldn't transition to attacking.

Amidst that, Nekoyashika fired magic without concerning herself with the water blades from magic. Normally, she would have been too busy defending to activate magic. However, she, who was concentrating to the absolute limit, activated her magic skillfully while deflecting the water blades with her shield.

"[Paralyze Mist]!!"

Mist that induces paralysis appeared around the Water Blade Weasel. Perhaps disliking that, the Water Blade Weasel retreated smoothly, avoiding it.

But with that, they were able to endure the first exchange.

"Sorry, Kirin. I was late"

"No, you're fine, Wanko. The tail is troublesome"

"Y, yeah. I, I'll dodge both hands' sickles, so W-Wanko-chan, please handle the tail"

"Roger, Kotori"

The tail blade was even more troublesome than expected. Hidden behind the body, making its trajectory hard to see, and attacking from up, down, left, or right, defending against it consumed focus. If they could handle the tail attacks with Inurakuse's taunt skill, Kotori could concentrate on both hands' sickles.

"Kotori, I'm going forward too"

"Eh, N-Nyako-chan too?"

Kotori looked at Kirin, unsure how to respond to Nekoyashika's proposal. Going forward means that much more danger.

While Nekoyashika is excellent, as a frontliner, she's inferior to Kotori who has the Acrobat skill. Nekoyashika is a magic swordsman who can also handle magic, making her a versatile type. Using Nekoyashika, who can use recovery magic, on the frontlines with a risk of instant death would be nonsense.

But...

I can feel a certain ferocity in the current Nyako where I could entrust it to her. The opponent is an area boss. We can't talk about safe options. If we're going to escape, Nyako's paralysis is an absolute condition. The fact that Nyako's gear has risen is a stroke of luck.

"Nyako, I'm counting on you"

"Yeah. I'll show you I can paralyze it"

If she can induce paralysis, even the Water Blade Weasel with its high agility will have its movements dulled. If that happens, they should be able to withdraw from the battle lines while involving other explorers.

Though they haven't explicitly said they're escaping even once, zoo's members correctly understand Kirin's thinking. They themselves think escaping is the natural choice, and there's no question about it.

It's a ruthless choice to use their fellow high school classmates as decoys, but they don't feel anything about that. Explorer is a profession of self-responsibility. Fighting or escaping are both choices they make for themselves, so it's their responsibility, not something for the zoo members to agonize over.

Already in the surroundings, monsters had resumed attacking, and Parks and Urban, not to mention escaping, were being pushed back more than before as they cowered from the appearance of an area boss. Even so, Parks, who was somehow desperately giving orders and fighting, is probably excellent.

But they can't take the option to escape. There's no way to escape from the Water Blade Weasel, an area boss, and it would be difficult just to break out of this place where Madness Serpent Mimics and Rock Earth Dragons run rampant.

In dungeons, escaping is not an option anyone can take. It's a world where even escaping requires ability.

A Curtain Frog charges at zoo while pushing forward. From the left, a Madness Serpent Mimic attacks, and from the right, a Rock Earth Dragon spreads its sharp claws and launches an attack too. From long range, a Nut Bombarrel Chipmunk fires seeds in an attack, and if one hits, it would expose an opening and lead to a total collapse.

Amidst that, they also have to deal with the Water Blade Weasel. In the most desperate situation ever throughout her dungeon exploration so far, Nekoyashika's senses were sharpened like never before.

I'll protect everyone. For everyone who gave light to the inferior me.

The approaching monsters inevitably make visibility worse. In that state, it's difficult to continue tracking the Water Blade Weasel. While being conscious of the Water Blade Weasel, she also had to deal with the monsters right in front of her eyes.

A Madness Serpent Mimic was approaching Nekoyashika. It was a monster that she had struggled just to dodge before. But now, it's different. There's no need to be flustered by such a small fry.

"From above!!"

"[Paralyze Mist]"

Kirin's instruction and Nekoyashika's magic use were simultaneous. The Water Blade Weasel had been approaching while hiding behind a Curtain Frog's back, and it leaped to attack from overhead.

However, where it leaped to, paralyzing mist was already deployed. It was poison magic with perfect timing, but the Water Blade Weasel stabbed its tail into the ground and forcibly changed direction.

The destination of that direction change was toward Nekoyashika. It seemed to have decided to crush Nekoyashika first, as she had been using poison magic from the start.

Nekoyashika barely looked at the Madness Serpent Mimic attacking her as she dodged, then thrust her sword, using the momentum of the Madness Serpent Mimic's attack to cut deeply and long. Normally, she would make dodging movements, but the Madness Serpent Mimic has no concept of pain, so even while being cut, it continued moving without concern.

There, the Water Blade Weasel attacked. While swinging both hands at high speed and attacking Nekoyashika, it was simultaneously checking Kirin and Kotori with magic. But Nekoyashika was doing the same.

"[Enchant Paralyze]"

Nekoyashika dodged the approaching sickle like Kotori, then activated magic. Not just herself, she also added the paralysis attribute to Kirin and Kotori's weapons. This raised the possibility that they could paralyze if they landed attacks.

The Water Blade Weasel swung both hands at high speed and attacked Nekoyashika, but she somehow managed to dodge it. Though not as acrobatically as Kotori, she could parry it using her shield.

When Kotori and Kirin attacked from the sides, the Water Blade Weasel would immediately switch with another monster and retreat. Because Inurakuse was keeping the Water Blade Weasel's tail in check, and water magic was being spread between Kirin and Kotori too, even Nekoyashika could somehow handle the Water Blade Weasel's attacks.

Even with Nekoyashika in the zone, she couldn't handle all the attacks, and it was barely holding together. But having not just Kotori but also Nekoyashika able to hold the front against the Water Blade Weasel made the battle much easier.

The Water Blade Weasel changed its attack method, inciting other monsters to attack. While receiving other monsters' offensive attacks, the Water Blade Weasel would slip through the gaps and attack Nekoyashika, but she dodged as if seeing it coming.

However, she can't keep dodging forever. Right now, she's in a state like walking a tightrope at the limit. Even just getting hit by a Nut Bombarrel Chipmunk's seed could lead to collapse.

If they're going to decide it, they have to do it quickly. The zoo side was in a position of gradual attrition.

They understood the Water Blade Weasel's attack pattern a little. They have to do it before it changes that pattern.

The other members, who had been watching for the timing, also seemed to understand this was the decisive moment.

"[Water Cutter]"

The water blade that appeared above the Water Blade Weasel was dodged by it. Being dodged was expected. In the place where it dodged to, Kotori was waiting.

"P, please get paralyzed quickly"

Kotori, gripping thick dual swords, crossed blades with the Water Blade Weasel. It was a clash of many attacks between Kotori with her many strikes and the Water Blade Weasel's sword fighting, but the victory went to the Water Blade Weasel with its superior strength. After several exchanges of blows, Kotori lost in strength and was deflected.

Inurakuse cut in to block the tail extended to finish off Kotori, and while being pushed back by the impact, she defended completely.

The Water Blade Weasel, whose movement had stopped. Nekoyashika circled to the side as if hiding and fired magic.

"[Paralyze Ball]"

The magic fired was a soccer ball-sized sphere with paralysis properties. Poison magic, like other attribute magics, is difficult to directly attack with shapes like blades or bullets while skill level is low. Uses like traps or support, such as mist or enchanting weapons, are common.

However, it's not that it can't be fired like a [Water Ball]. At the cost of using considerable mana, it's possible with Nekoyashika's poison magic skill level, her magic manipulation skill, and her high mana pool.

Paralysis bullets fired at high speed. However, for the Water Blade Weasel, this was an attack at a speed it could ignore. When the Water Blade Weasel's hands moved, the paralysis bullet was slashed in a cross right in front of its eyes.

If it were a [Water Ball], at that point it would have lost control and vanished. If it were a [Water Ball], that is.

"Burst"

Even when slashed, the paralysis bullet didn't disappear. Far from it, along with Nekoyashika's voice, the paralysis bullet rapidly expanded in volume and enveloped the Water Blade Weasel in mist.

Shocked by the sudden change, the Water Blade Weasel swings its hand's sickles around. But even the Water Blade Weasel can't seem to cut through the mist.

The paralysis bullet Nekoyashika fired. Its true identity wasn't paralysis liquid, but a bullet where [Paralyze Mist] was compressed into a sphere.

Just keeping a [Paralyze Mist] of such scale that it could be mistaken for liquid in a spherical form requires considerable magic manipulation and sense, but Nekoyashika went so far as to pull off the feat of moving it and firing it at her opponent.

Magic has a certain range of usage determined by skill level, and within that range, you can use it however you like. Magic whose appearance changes depending on the user even at the same skill level—imagination is the most important factor.

For example, with water magic skill level 1, you can only make water appear and fire it at your opponent. To simply imagine and manifest that, they chant "[Water Ball]" to smoothly perform magic.

With skill level 1, you can only make water appear, so you can't change the shape like [Water Cutter]. Changing shape becomes possible from skill level 3, and if you try to force it with skill level 1, not only considerable mana but also considerable sense is required.

Nekoyashika's poison magic skill level is 3. At skill level 1, she can add poison and paralysis effects to weapons, and at skill level 2, she can generate toxic mist. Poison magic skill level 3 is the strengthening of toxicity. Expanding and manipulating the mist range is from skill level 4.

In other words, it means Nekoyashika performed magic equivalent to skill level 4, which she shouldn't normally be able to use.

Naturally, that comes with a cost. Not just the enormous mana, but Nekoyashika, who doesn't possess a high-speed thought skill like Suzuka, would be so exhausted from using her brain this much that for a while, she probably wouldn't be able to fight properly, let alone use magic.

Magic skill levels are like optimized programs. If skill level 3 gives you a calculator and skill level 4 gives you Excel, it might be easier to understand. When calculating the sum of enormous amounts of data, using Excel makes it easy, but this is like furiously tapping a calculator to do it.

It requires ridiculous effort, and if you enter even one value wrong, the magic fails. Nekoyashika wouldn't normally do something like this either. If the magic doesn't activate, all that remains is Nekoyashika having lost her mana and being unable to fight properly—too much risk.

But now, it's a situation far removed from normal. Nekoyashika understood that area bosses aren't sweet opponents that can be overcome by holding back.

"Gyuuuuuuu!!"

The Water Blade Weasel, wrapped in paralysis mist, let out a pained voice and retreated to escape the paralysis mist. Its gait had changed from the smoothness of just before to something rough.

The paralysis Nekoyashika can use is still weak in power and doesn't have enough power to make it unable to move on the spot. It's to the extent that sensation disappears like being given anesthesia and the body can't move properly, but in combat, that alone is sufficient effect.

"[Water Ball]"

Kirin deflected the Madness Serpent Mimic attacking the tottering Nekoyashika to the side with water magic, defending her.

"Good job, Nyako! Kotori and I will break through the monsters behind us! Wanko, I'm counting on you to cover our backs!"

They don't know how long the paralysis will last. From here, it's a race against time.

Immediately turning around, Kirin and Kotori started running to secure a retreat path. Inurakuse also began retreating while deflecting Rock Earth Dragon attacks with her shield.

I have to go too...

Perhaps because she had used her brain too much, her head was boiling hot and blood was flowing from her nose. But roughly wiping the nosebleed and whipping her tottering body, Nekoyashika followed behind. Even while her thoughts couldn't come together, she could at least realize that she had been of use.

Good, I was of use. I can still do it. I can help everyone...!

She ran desperately to not trip over her own feet. To escape this chaotic battlefield.

There are still many monsters in the surroundings, but since other members were defending against attacks, no monsters approached all the way to Nekoyashika.

They could already break out. After that, they just need to run full speed to District 2. If Kirin could just deflect the Sphere Moon Snake in front of her eyes, the monsters in front of her would disappear.

Just a little more.

Just a little more.

"Ugh!!? Everyone, watch out!! The Water Blade Weasel!!"

At the same time as what sounded like Inurakuse's panicked voice, an impact sound echoed. In the corner of Nekoyashika's vision as she looked back, there was Inurakuse's figure rolling energetically.

"Eh?"

The moment a deflated voice came out, the Water Blade Weasel was already in front of Nekoyashika's eyes. The Water Blade Weasel, peeking out with a ferocious, angry face, had already moved to attack before Nekoyashika could start moving.

The right hand's sickle attacked Nekoyashika's side. Normally, she might have been able to defend in time. At least, she should have been able to dodge her body. But the current Nekoyashika didn't have enough margin to make such movements.

Nekoyashika, who received the Water Blade Weasel's attack without even being able to defend properly, was blown sideways, bounced on the ground several times, and finally stopped while covered in dirt. While her semicircular canals were shaken and she was disoriented, she somehow propped herself up on her elbows and tried to raise her upper body.

"It hurts!!"

Intense pain ran through her left arm, which had received the Water Blade Weasel's attack, and unable to put strength in, she hit her face against the ground. Somehow moving her face and looking at her arm, her upper arm had split open equipment and all, with blood spraying out. Her arm was also bent in an unnatural direction, so it was probably broken. Maybe it was on the verge of being torn off.

Including Nekoyashika, zoo's members were equipped with Gale Rabbit armor. As equipment from District 2's upper monsters, it should be sturdy equipment with blade resistance, but it was cut open helplessly. No, considering her arm was still attached even after taking a direct hit from an area boss, it could be said to be high quality as armor. With Nekoyashika's high stats added to that, it seemed to have ended with just a deep cut.

"——!! ——!!"

Someone was shouting something, but it didn't reach Nekoyashika's ears. The Water Blade Weasel was probably quite displeased at being paralyzed. To deliver the finishing blow to Nekoyashika, who had received a fatal wound and could barely move, the Water Blade Weasel raised its sickle in front of her eyes.

For the paralysis to heal this quickly... I underestimated the area boss.

At the very end, she held everyone back.

If Nekoyashika had been able to use a stronger paralysis, it wouldn't have ended up like this.

By now, they should have escaped the monster train.

If they had done that, everyone could have escaped safely.

Nekoyashika deeply regretted her own lack of power and grit her teeth.

"Damn it"

As a last resistance, Nekoyashika glared at the Water Blade Weasel. When the sickle was swung down, everything in front of her eyes turned pitch black.