Vol 9 Chapter 3.4 (1/2)

Chapter 3.4

s.h.i.+n briskly walked forward, unaware of what was happening between them. As they entered the hall, they noticed that, just like the corridor, part of the floor, ceiling, and walls had melted.

s.h.i.+n cooled down these parts with a water skill and secured a path to walk on.

OK, the real thing starts now. Are you ready?

Before the heavy door signaling the entrance to the boss chamber, s.h.i.+n stopped and asked this question to Suzune. Beyond the door awaited Kotone and Onimaru.

I can go anytime.

Suzune once again evoked the spirits she had returned to the charms and nodded.

She now had summoned a floating straw doll type, a wolf type, and a warrior type wielding two katana.

Im opening the door.

s.h.i.+n placed his hands on the door and pushed. After moving it a bit towards the interior of the room, the door opened the rest of the way by itself.

The room beyond was a very large hall. Swords, katana, spears, and other weapons were stabbed on the floor, walls, and ceiling, to the point that it was almost difficult to find somewhere to walk on.

In the back of the hall, only one place was not stabbed with weapons, a kind of stage marked with tatami mats. There stood a single silhouette: the boss.

-Rindou Kotone Level 255 War Priestess

- Affected by Miasma Corruption Large

s.h.i.+ns a.n.a.lyze revealed the silhouettes ident.i.ty. As expected of the boss: even if the dungeon had changed, its location had not.

.Sister.

Suzune mumbled under her breath.

Sitting on the tatami, with katana in hand, her eyes staring into the void, this was how they found Suzunes sister, Kotone.

She did not appear to have transformed, unlike the Ogre boss in Depths of h.e.l.lfire.

Her priestess robes were torn and tattered, revealing her still white skin; her arms and legs did not appear to have changed shape either. If it wasnt for the aura emanating from her body, she would appear to have been just wounded in battle.

Pull yourself together!! Shes heavily corrupted by miasma. Theres no time to s.p.a.ce out.

I know. I wont hold back.

As Suzune renewed her focus, the color of the magic power enveloping her spirits became more accentuated. The spirits had been reinforced by the additional magic power poured into them.

..

Maybe because she had detected the increased magic power, Kotones eyes went from staring into nothingness to looking at Suzune. At the same time, the atmosphere in the whole room felt as if it was rumbling.

Her aura changed.

Yes, looks like shes ready to throw down too.

s.h.i.+n replied to Schnee and readied his Moonless. The aura emanating from Kotone clearly expressed hostility.

Probably in response to this change, the weapons stabbed into the ground, walls, and ceiling one by one floated in midair, gathering before Kotone with sounds of clas.h.i.+ng metal.

In a few seconds, a cracked skull-like creature of steel was formed.

-Mad Sword Legion Level 811

Mad Sword is a monster formed by swords possessed by hateful emotions. When many of them gather in one place, Mad Sword Legion is born.

The highest risk it represents is that its level depends on the number and quality of the weapons that form it. The higher the quality of the weapons forming it is, the higher its level is.

Wasnt a Skullface Bus.h.i.+do supposed to come out here?

The boss changed, so the monsters changed too, I guess. This one looks stronger.

As Mitsuyo stated, Mad Sword

Legion was far stronger than the unique samurai-like monster Skullface Bus.h.i.+do.

As they had not received any information about the Mad Sword Legion, s.h.i.+n thought that it was probably born after the scouts inspection.

Its coming!!

A few seconds after Schnees warning, Mad Sword Legion shot the floating weapons like bullets.

s.h.i.+n, Schnee, and Mitsuyo repelled them with their own weapons, while Tiera dodged riding on Kagerou. Suzune had the warrior spirit counter the attack.

Both the parried weapons and the dodged weapons, after stabbing the ground, returned to Mad Sword Legion.

Theres a fair number of Mythology-grade weapons in it. There could be even some Ancient-grade ones too.

s.h.i.+ns a.s.sessment was based on the weapons thrown at them. As proof, the katana of Suzunes warrior spirit, the weakest member among them, was very close to breaking.

Its alright! I just need to pour some more magic power and

It can go back the way it was. That is what Suzune meant to say, but her words died in her mouth.

She had not lowered her guard. She had not neglected to be wary.

Her focus, however, swayed for an instant. In that opening, less than one second long, Kotone -who was supposed to be standing behind Mad Sword Legion- was in front of Suzune.

She had moved instantly thanks to the Movement-type martial skill Ground Shrink.

Her stats as a Chosen One, the bonuses granted by equipping Onimaru, and the stat upgrades caused by the miasma, Kotone was much faster than Suzune remembered.

In the blink of an eye. There was no more fitting expression for Kotones movements.

When Suzune realized what was going on, Onimaru Kunitsuna had already been drawn from its sheath, its blade closing in on Suzunes neck.

!?

Im going to die-

The moment Suzune instinctively closed her eyes, the sound of clas.h.i.+ng metal reached her ears.

Im impressed that the scouts managed to flee.

When Suzune opened her eyes, a black coat was fluttering in front of her.

Dont just stand there!! Call to her!!

s.h.i.+n shouted while blocking Onimaru with Moonless.

Kotones equipment appeared to be only the close combat weapon Onimaru. Thus, s.h.i.+n was wary of her, thinking that she wouldnt just stay behind Mad Sword Legion.

s.h.i.+n, who had reinforced the Supreme Blades Munechika and Mitsuyo, knew that his Moonless was superior as a weapon.

However, the miasma-possessed Onimaru did not seem to be losing durability, even if locked in a clash against Moonless.

Rindou Kotone level 904

s.h.i.+ns a.n.a.lyze showed information different from before. A players maximum level was 255; barring special exceptions, only monsters could exceed it.

Apparently Kotone now possessed properties both human and monster-like.

Shah!

Mitsuyo attacked Kotone, who was trying to push s.h.i.+n down, from behind. She had also promised to do whatever she could to save Kotone, and swung Oodenta Mitsuyo s.h.i.+nuchi after activating the skill Nonfatal Blade.

The clash of blades resounded again; it was the sound of Mitsuyos katana being repelled.

Kotone, who had been wielding Onimaru with both hands, switched the grip to her right hand, picked up another sword with her left hand and parried Mitsuyos strike with it.

s.h.i.+n!

Im on it!

Having switched to a one hand grip, Kotones strength wielding Onimaru weakened.

s.h.i.+n had continued locking swords with Kotone to give Mitsuyo the chance to attack her by surprise; but as now it was not necessary anymore, s.h.i.+n activated a skill.

Lets get rid of your weapon first.

A powerful shock burst between the clas.h.i.+ng Moonless and Onimaru.

s.h.i.+n had activated the Katana-type Martial skill Empty Strike. This skill had the effect of blowing away the opponents weapon, rendering it temporarily unusable.

The force of the impact generated between the two katana blew away Kotones Onimaru. As a secondary effect, the movements of the arm Kotone used to wield Onimarubecame more sluggish too.

Youre miwhat?

s.h.i.+n had rapidly closed in on Kotone, but detected a wave of hostility approaching and swung Moonless down on the spot.

The hostility had come from part of the weapons forming Mad Sword Legion. Apparently the monster could control its weapons separately too, so it had sent some weapons to a.s.sist Kotone.

And it was so close! These things are so irritating!

Mitsuyo too, like s.h.i.+n, was sweeping away the weapons attacking her.

Its attacking us while dealing with Schnee and the others at the same time, huh. I wonder if having good weapons increased its intellect too?

The monster carefully separated its weapons to avoid Schnees magic, deftly moving its large body.

As it was not one large unit, but something made of many small ones, its attack patterns were infinitely varied.

Schnee and the others attacks were destroying its weapons, so the monster was less than half the size it was in the beginning, but it would still take some time before it could be defeated.

Sister

Suzune didnt seem to know what to say to her sister, who was controlling the mult.i.tude of weapons in midair.

If s.h.i.+n hadnt come between them, she could very well be dead by now. Kotone might have been affected by miasma, but seeing her beloved sister almost murder her had shaken Suzune deeply.

I told you theres no time to s.p.a.ce out!!

Aah!!

While still pointing Moonless towards Kotone, s.h.i.+n landed a chop on Suzunes head. The sudden blow caught her by surprise.

I wont tell you not to be shaken, but focus on the battle while theres still hope.

W-what are you

Just look at her face.

s.h.i.+ns blade pointed at Kotone, who was wielding Onimaru and another sword she picked up; more precisely, at her left eye. Transparent tears were flowing from it.

She wasnt crying or anything when we came in here. She might still be fighting against the miasma. Dont give up.

s.h.i.+n then readied Moonless once again and charged against Kotone.

Possibly taking advantage of s.h.i.+n leaving her side, the weapons in midair flew toward Suzune, but were knocked down by Mitsuyo, who had come closer to her.

Leave this to me!

Rea.s.sured by Mitsuyos words, s.h.i.+n attacked Kotone.

Kotone used her right hands Onimaru and the katana in her left hand to block s.h.i.+ns slashes. Probably because of the difference in weapon level, however, the left hands katana snapped after the second clash.

-!!

Kotone stepped back and flung the broken katana at s.h.i.+n, then grabbed one of the other ones dancing in midair. The new weapon exuded an aura clearly different from the others around it; it was the Ancient-grade katana Mudou Kanemitsu.

As I thought, there were Ancient grades too.

s.h.i.+n swept away Kotones incoming slash and thrust his left arm forward.

At the same time, he activated the Barehanded-type Martial skill Water Mirror Impact, aiming at Kotones chest.

Not even the greatest Chosen One could move quickly if they had trouble breathing. Such a thought prompted s.h.i.+ns attack, but Kotone managed to parry at the last second, using Onimaru.

What?

Weapons with thin blades like katana couldnt avoid suffering damage after blocking attacks with the body of the blade. Unless the katana was especially st.u.r.dy, it was a defense method to avoid at all costs.

For Onimaru it was possible, but even so it couldnt be safe to block one of s.h.i.+ns attacks like this.

s.h.i.+n was wondering the meaning of this when he saw Kotones expression warped in pain. The miasma surrounding Onimaru grew thicker, and despite s.h.i.+n not doing anything, a fragment of the katana was broken off.

d.a.m.n, it did it on purpose!?

When he first saw Onimaru, s.h.i.+n was bothered by the fact that it looked pristine and unaffected by miasma. In Depths of h.e.l.lfire, the boss Dojigiri Yasutsuna was in awful condition.

Kotones actions just now suggested that s.h.i.+ns theory, according to which Onimarus good condition was an obstacle for the miasma, could very well be true.

Ancient-grade weapons are originally resistant to miasma. It would not be strange for the Five Supreme Blades gathered around Kagutsuchi to be even more resistant.

What happens if we purify the miasma without damaging the katana?

s.h.i.+n attacked Kotone again. While swinging his Moonless, he activated a Katana-type Martial skill.

How about this!

Moonlessunleashes a powerful flash of silver light; the miasma wrapped around Onimaru was blown away and, at the same time, Kotones body visibly lost its strength.

The silver flash, caused by the Katana-type Martial skill Cleave Omen, had the same effect as Dispel Omen. Once it clashed with Moonless as it was shrouded in the skill, the miasma enveloping Onimaru would temporarily lose its effects.

s.h.i.+n once again knocked Onimaru away from Kotones hands, then parried her left hands Mudou Kanemitsu with Moonless hilt.

Before Mudou Kanemitsu, now flying through the air, returned to Kotone, s.h.i.+n struck it twice.

Katana-type Martial skill Fang Cry.

The V-shaped slashes struck Mudou Kanemitsu cleanly, and the katanas body broke in three fragments.

s.h.i.+n had no time to be surprised by the katanas unexpected frailty, because the broken Mudou Kanemitsu instantly turned into sand and disappeared. Becoming part of a monsters body had likely consumed most of its st.u.r.diness as a weapon.

-!?

Immediately after s.h.i.+ns destruction of Mudou Kanemitsu, an unnatural sound of clas.h.i.+ng metal came from Schnees direction.

s.h.i.+n glanced in that direction and saw that part of the weapons composing Mad Sword Legions body was behaving erratically, as if it had lost control.

The Mudou Kanemitsu s.h.i.+n had destroyed was probably one of the weapons near Mad Sword Legions core.

Sorry, but I cant let you go.

Kotone had attempted to flee, taking advantage of the small opening born from s.h.i.+ns destruction of Mudou Kanemitsu, but s.h.i.+n pinned her down to the ground. Tears were still flowing from her eyes.

Youre going to stay still here for a while. Just a little patience is all I need.

As s.h.i.+n spoke these words, a seven-colored globe of light appeared over his head.

The red of flame skills, the blue of water skills, the brown of earth skills, the green of wind skills, the yellow of lightning skills, the white of light skills, the black of darkness skills. The globes colors expressed the elements of all magic spells.