Chapter 22 (2/2)

Losing the feeling in his left arm, Carlos lost balance of the weight of his s.h.i.+eld.

“Eyaaaah!”

Ria attacked, swinging her katana downward. The specter knight received the blow with his long sword. It would have broken the blade if it were poor quality, but the sword seemed to be a cursed sword.

It parried the katana attack skillfully. Its skill in combat itself was also high.

Maal fired an arrow from behind, piercing its armor. However, it didn’t appear to damage it at all.

Gig, healed by Lulu’s magic, swung his warhammer downwards, but it dodged magnificently, repaying him with an attack to the side.

“Gah…”

Fresh blood splattered. Simultaneously, Gig felt his vitality being s.n.a.t.c.hed.

But at that moment, Ria did not overlook the small chance that had opened up.

She attacked with an upward diagonal slice, and though the specter knight parried with his sword, it couldn’t completely kill the momentum. The attack sent its helmet flying. [TN: Gyaku Kesa]

There was, of course, the skull of a skeleton.

The helmet fell to the ground and disappeared into fog, returning to its original position on the specter’s head.

The arrow Maal hit with had also corroded, falling to the ground as the crack in the armor regenerated.

“Nee-chan, this is bad! My magic can’t undo it!”

Serge screamed after heading towards Carlos.

Lulu, who had healed Gig, was heading towards Carlos. Serge put acceleration magic on Lulu. Seeing the specter knight’s motion, he didn’t know if Lulu would be killed.

Though Maal had hit with another arrow, they had no answer to their current circ.u.mstances.

“Ria-chan, everything probably won’t affect this guy if it isn’t holy magic!”

Maal exclaimed in a crying voice.

A scout, vanguards, and Ria balanced the party by being in the rear guard, but it wasn’t flawless. They had no one that could use the main countermeasure against, holy magic.

Though Rufus had done detailed investigations into most fields of magic, holy magic originates from power based on praying to G.o.d. The temple did not hand out control of it. Ria and Lulu as well, as those that could be called his disciples, they had no knowledge of it.

“It’s alright! We just can’t see the damage that’s gone through!”

Serge shouted. He had the ability to see the other party’s vitality. Though in this case, it was more like negative vitality.

“If that’s how it is, we’ll just shave it down.”

Ria stored her katana, taking out a warhammer for each hand. The opponent used a cursed sword, so she judged that she would whittle down the blade.

Gig started returning attacks. Ria circled behind to attack, giving the specter knight no room to dodge.

Lulu’s magic had also dispelled Carlos’ arm, it became a three person attack.

When Carlos and Gig became unable to move from the specter knight’s attacks, Lulu would heal them immediately.

Serge launched offensive magics to give an opening.

Surprisingly, the final blow was from one of Maal’s arrows.

The specter knight fell, its contents turning into ashes.

Leaving behind its weapon and armor, there was a magic crystal inside.

“It isn’t cursed. It’s armor is imbued with an auto repair function, same with its sword, as well as having the ability to steal endurance from those it cuts.”

After Serge used Identify, Ria took great interest in the sword and picked it up.

“If only it were a katana… Even if the armor doesn’t fit, does Carlos want to use the sword?”

“Eh, is that fine?”

Since the long sword had a weight that could be used with one hand, it would be just right for Carlos. She thought that, but there was a problem when he actually swung it.

“Until this exploration ends, I’ll use my old sword for now. After all, my hand isn’t used to that.”

Though the sword he was using now was also new, it’s things like length and balance were chosen carefully. If there were slight incompatibilities in combat, it could easily be fatal.

Though Ria could use swords of any length, she wouldn’t use it in actual combat without tring it out several times first.

“Then Serge, store this. After we get to the next floor we’ll take a break.”

Even though the specter knight was defeated, it wouldn’t feel like a rest in a place like a cemetery.

As Lulu treated their abnormal conditions, drinking magic recovery potions, the group set foot in the eighth floor.

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