DING!
[Dismal Lich | Lvl 0 | Anomalous | HP: 121542/180000]
[MP: 0/0
Attack: 9999
Defense: 918
Physical Attack Resistance: 0%
Magical Attack Resistance: 100%
Elemental Attack Resistance: 100%
Holy Magic Resistance: 100%
Dark Magic Resistance: 100%]
BOOOOOM!
Lumielle's eyes widened in shock as the very ground beneath Daisuke exploded, sending dust and debris soaring through the air in every direction. Before she could fully process the chaos, Zephyr forcefully deactivated Divine Armament and darted forward to join his comrade. Their eyes burned with unyielding willpower, their synchronized movements forming a seamless assault as they surged into the fray.
"Let's see if this thing can bleed," Daisuke muttered under his breath, his voice barely audible over the tension humming in the air.
Without waiting for a signal, Zephyr lunged first, his tiny form a blur of gray and silver. His claws raked across the Lich's cloak with a feral swipe, shredding fabric and revealing the skeletal form beneath. Then the canine's fangs sunk into the fiend's ribcage, crunching against hard bone as he growled low and menacingly.
Daisuke smirked. Good, it worked. Razor Fang and Claw are mana-based attacks, but it looks like the System recognized that they're still partly a physical attack. Even if the power's halved, it's still better than nothing.
Casting the thought aside, he went in next with unnerving speed. His daggers flashed like lightning as he delivered a barrage of merciless strikes, aiming for the Lich's spine and neck. Each blade connected with a satisfying crack, but the bones simply refused to splinter under the force of his assault.
The Lich, of course, did not so much as flinch. It stood unmoving, its hollow eyes glowing faintly as if mocking their efforts.
"Zephyr, back me up on the legs!" Daisuke barked, shifting his focus.
The pup snarled in acknowledgment, slashing at the skeletal limbs with razor-sharp claws. Daisuke followed up with a swift kick to the knee joint, driving his dagger deep into the joint without a shred of hesitation. But, despite their coordinated attacks, the Lich remained eerily still, absorbing every blow without resistance.
"This is really starting to piss me off," Daisuke grumbled, even as the Lipanthyer's Fang and Salamander's Claw continued tracing intersecting lines. "What kind of monster just stands there and lets you carve it up?"
Zephyr growled in agreement, oceanic eyes locked on the immovable foe as his claws drew a diagonal line across its face. The Lich's silence was unnerving, but Daisuke gripped his daggers tighter, his resolve hardening.
"Then we just hit harder," he said, his arms a blur as his blades made contact over and over again. Zephyr, like a storm, was right at his side.
DING!
[Dismal Lich | Lvl 0 | Anomalous | HP: 42955/180000]
[MP: 0/0
Attack: 9999
Defense: 918
Physical Attack Resistance: 100%
Magical Attack Resistance: 100%
Elemental Attack Resistance: 100%
Holy Magic Resistance: 100%
Dark Magic Resistance: 0%]
Daisuke and Zephyr leapt back when the Lich took another step forward, but before they could share a fleeting celebratory glance, something happened that they didn't expect.
The Lich tilted its skeletal head back, its hollow eyes flaring with a sinister glow, and unleashed a bone-chilling screech. The sound tore through the air, deafening and primal, shaking the very ground beneath them. Daisuke felt the reverberation in his chest as the clearing darkened, shadowed by the grotesque forms descending from above.
Out of the blackened sky emerged aerial monstrosities, their bat-like wings stretched wide, the membranes tattered and translucent. Crimson eyes glared hungrily from twisted, malformed faces, their screeches adding to the cacophony of terror.
"Dammit!" Daisuke spat, leaping back as his mind raced. Are anomalous monsters just like Field Bosses? Do they summon reinforcements at half health? His brow furrowed. Then why didn't the Goblin Shaman? Was it because he already had goblins swarming around him?
One of the newly arrived creatures shrieked and dove straight for him, talons extended and glistening with malice. Acting on instinct, Daisuke slammed his hands down, summoning radiant chains that erupted from the ground. The rattling restraints wrapped around the fiend mid-flight and dragged it mercilessly to the forest floor.
"Zephyr, now!"
The snarling wolf lunged, his fangs ripping into the grounded creature. Blood sprayed as the canine tore it apart, his growls resonating through the battlefield.
Daisuke barely had a moment to breathe before Lumielle's piercing scream cut through the chaos. He turned sharply to see one of the bat-like fiends streaking toward her, its talons poised to strike.
"Lumielle, get down!" he roared, darting forward.
With a flick of his wrist, a projectile forged from mana soared through the air and struck the creature's side, sending it spiraling off course. Before it could recover, Daisuke summoned another set of chains, yanking it to the ground where Zephyr was already waiting. The bristling wolf pounced, his claws and teeth tearing the monstrosity into ribbons.
"Stay close to me!" Daisuke shouted, even as he kept striking and grounding the Lich's minions.
DING!
[The rank of the active skill «Magic Chains» has transcended from rare to epic and the option effects have been adjusted accordingly.]
[Magic Chains]
[Rank: Epic
Classification: Active Skill
Lvl: 1
Proficiency: 7%
Through the art of shape manipulation, mana is molded into golden chains designed to ensnare and immobilize targets. Their strength is determined by the caster's mana concentration and unwavering will, and debuffs are applied only at the caster's discretion.
Skill Effect:
▪︎ Entraps targets at a cost of 5 mana per second. For more formidable adversaries, the mana cost scales with their strength.
▪︎ Ensnared targets have a 20% chance of being afflicted with «Paralysis», «Confusion», or «Silence» for 35 seconds.
▪︎ There is a 40% chance to unleash Lightning Damage equal to 25% of the caster's total mana. If mana drops below 50%, there is a 15% chance to inflict Stun Status on the target(s).
Mana Cost: 10
Skill Cooldown: 10 Seconds]
[Stun Status]
[Renders foes dazed or semiconscious by delivering a powerful jolt of electricity that disrupts their cognitive functions. Duration is dependent on the level and grade of the weapon or skill used to apply the status effect, as well as the target's level of resistance.]
For a brief moment, after all the winged-fiends were slain, the battlefield quieted, and hope flickered. But then the Lich raised its scythe high, the mana crystal lantern attached to it glowing with an ominous energy. Then the air grew heavy, thick with foreboding, and then—
DING!
[A frosty breath escapes the Dismal Lich's maw as its skeletal fingers tighten around the hilt of its scythe. With one more step, your heart will be its target.]
Daisuke's face drained of color, and a curse escaped his lips before his mind could even catch up. Goddammit! Why the hell did I assume it had just started moving when we first caught sight of it? If the initial sequence is anything to go by, after Dark Magic Resistance, it'll cycle back to Elemental Attack Resistance next. Daisuke clicked his tongue. We won't land enough damage during that phase. At this rate, it's game over. And I'm willing to bet that neither Impeccable Parry nor the Ironhide Shield will stop what's coming.
In a quiet moment of reflection, Daisuke glanced at Zephyr amidst the chaos. Though he had initially wanted nothing to do with the pup, Zephyr had stubbornly carved out a place in his life, becoming a presence that kept him anchored through some of his darkest moments. It was because of the canine's steadfast companionship that he had dared to meet others, to trust, and to explore possibilities he hadn't considered before.
Shifting his attention, his butterscotch gaze fell upon Lumielle, her worrisome eyes filled with unspoken thoughts. Despite their brief time together, Daisuke could see the parallels between them—a broken home, lingering trauma, trust issues, and a deep desire to mend what was broken and help those in need.
Both Zephyr and Lumielle had taken the risk of opening up to him, and he couldn't ignore the responsibility that came with that trust. Protecting them wasn't just a duty; it was a promise—a promise he silently vowed to uphold, even if it cost him everything.
Daisuke's grip on his daggers tightened, his knuckles whitening as his resolve solidified. If all else fails, I'll invest all my stats into Strength and use the shield. It's a gamble, but maybe—just maybe—it'll buy enough time for them to get back to Sinister Granny. Her pocket dimension might be the only sanctuary capable of holding the Lich at bay.
DING!
[Dismal Lich | Lvl 0 | Anomalous | HP: 42955/180000]
[MP: 0/0
Attack: 9999
Defense: 918
Physical Attack Resistance: 0%
Magical Attack Resistance: 100%
Elemental Attack Resistance: 100%
Holy Magic Resistance: 100%
Dark Magic Resistance: 100%]
"ZEPHYR!" Daisuke bellowed, desperation lacing his voice.
"RUFF!" the canine barked in response, his hackles bristling, the roughness in his voice underscoring the surge of raw, untamed energy as the Berserk Skill took root, unleashing a force driven by pure, predatory instincts.
CLANGGGGG!
Daggers and claws clashed against ivory bones with a deafening impact. Daisuke and Zephyr fought with complete abandon—relentless, reckless, mindless—each strike fueled by primal fury as they summoned every ounce of strength to deliver the next blow. Words were unnecessary; their warrior spirits aligned in a seamless dance, and deep within, they understood that they had to press on—each attack needed to be faster, stronger, and more lethal if they were to survive this brutal battlefield.
(10 Seconds – HP: 39479/180000)
(9 Seconds – HP: 35305/180000)
(7 Seconds – HP: 29979/180000)
No! No! Dammit! We're running out of time!
(6 Seconds – HP: 27479/180000)
(5 Seconds – HP: 24156/180000)
(4 Seconds – HP: 19031/180000)
Debuffs! Debuffs! I need to apply more Debuffs!
The Lich's eyes flashed an ominous red, its scythe raised, its gleaming blade reflecting Daisuke's despair while exuding a murderous aura.
(3 Seconds – HP: 14937/180000)
(2 Seconds – HP: 10851/180000)
(1 Seconds – HP: 6039/180000)
DING!
[Lumielle's buff «Warrior's Song» envelops your body in a warm, invigorating aura. It courses through your veins like a surge of adrenaline, boosting Attack and Defense by 30 for 1 minute.]
DING!
[You have activated the active skill «Meteor Smash»!]
[Meteor Smash]
[Rank: Unique
Classification: Active Skill
Lvl: 1
Proficiency: 0%
Every ounce of your being channels raw power, concentrating it into a singular, earth-shattering blow, crushing your target with the force of a falling meteor. When activated, all your stats are reallocated to Strength, allowing you to deliver an attack of overwhelming force.
Skill Effect:
▪︎ Reallocates all Stat Points to Strength, increasing Attack Power by 300%.
▪︎ Upon usage, Stat Points return to their original distribution, and the Stat Reset skill is disabled for 6 hours.
Mana Cost: 200
Skill Cooldown: 24 Hours]
DING!
[Critical!]
[8205 damage dealt.]
The Lich let out an earsplitting screech that reverberated through the forest like a curse. Cracks spread like spiderwebs across its once formidable bones, and with a resounding crash, the creature collapsed into a crumbling heap. Fragments of its ribcage scattered across the ground, its skull rolling to a halt as the eerie glow in its hollow eye sockets flickered and died.
Daisuke's shoulders slumped as he exhaled a shaky breath, the tension draining from his body. His daggers slipped from his hands, hitting the ground with a hollow clatter before vanishing into his inventory. His expression wavered between exhaustion and stunned relief, the reality of their narrow victory settling in.
Nearby, Zephyr collapsed onto the forest floor, his legs splayed awkwardly, his strength utterly spent. The crimson aura that had enveloped him during the battle faded like embers dying out, leaving the canine looking small and vulnerable.
DING!
[You have slain a «Dismal Lich»!]
[89,250 Experience Points have been acquired.]
[Level Up!]
[Sardonyx Earrings have been acquired.]
[Abyssal Cutter x4 has been acquired.]
[Armocidian Quartz ×3 has been acquired.]
[605 gold has been acquired.]
[Zephyr has acquired 71,400 Experience Points.]
[Zephyr's level has risen!]
"We did it, boy," Daisuke muttered, turning to the pup with a satisfied grin as he collapsed onto his behind.
"Rawrwu," Zephyr let out a fatigued whine, his tongue sticking out.
Daisuke's eyes softened. Looks like he somehow managed to shake off berserker mode before the five-minute mark. That explains why he's just incredibly fatigued instead of knocked out cold. I swear, this fluffy mutt never ceases to amaze me.
"Are you both alright?!" Lumielle exclaimed worrisomely, dropping to her knees beside them.
Daisuke glanced at the remnants of the Lich, its scythe crumbling to dust in the wind. "Now that this thing's back in hell where it belongs, yeah, definitely."
The princess sighed, her voice soft with fatigue. "I feel utterly drained, and yet I was not even part of the battle."
"I totally get it," Daisuke smiled, reaching over to stroke the canine's fur with a gentle hand. "Watching a life-or-death struggle like that from the sidelines couldn't have been easy. But that buff you cast at the last second truly made all the difference," he said, turning to her with an expectant look. "Why didn't you tell me earlier that you could use support magic?"
Lumielle turned her gaze away, her lips pressed into an uncomfortable line.
Daisuke noticed the subtle hint of unease in her gaze and, without missing a beat, shifted his attention back to the slumbering pup. "Well, I got a pretty decent pair of earrings as a reward, and I'm still alive, so I guess I can't complain."
Lumielle followed his gaze, her lips curving into a small smile that quickly blossomed into an overwhelming urge to kiss, hug, and smother the adorable ball of fluff. "And who is this little bundle of sunshine?" she asked, her eyes sparkling with affection, her true character shining through.
"His name is Zephyr," Daisuke replied, his voice taking on a sudden urgency. "But I'll give you both a proper introduction later. For now, we should probably get back to your fairly odd mother before another Lich decides to show up."
"S-Sure, you're absolutely right," she agreed, a bit flustered by her lapse in decorum. Her eyes widened in surprise when, with a simple flex of his wrist, the slumbering wolf vanished into his inventory, much like how he had summoned and stowed his weapons earlier.