Ch.115Chapter 115. All-Out War Against the Demon Army (6)

Leaping into the air, Denaruia prepared to charge straight at Lucy.

Her twin blades flashed brilliantly as they appeared, but Denaruia was forced to deflect an arrow that suddenly flew toward her.

Clang!

“I won’t let you pass so easily!”

“…Hmph.”

Having landed without even getting close to Lucy, Denaruia immediately targeted the archer.

Not knowing what variables a sniper might introduce, she decided to deal with the threat quickly.

“Going straight for the archer? Simpler than you look, aren’t you?”

“…?!”

But Ravin, who had blended into the darkness, appeared behind the dual-wielder.

Denaruia immediately spun around to slash and thrust, but Ravin, who also wielded dual daggers, managed to defend perfectly despite being pushed back by the force.

“Bye-bye~.”

“You little…!”

The rogue’s presence vanished once again.

As the dual-wielder gritted her teeth, more arrows from Naidrian came flying.

Each arrow was infused with magic power, and just the sound of them tearing through the air conveyed their destructive force.

“Over here~.”

“What annoying pests!”

Whenever she dodged or deflected arrows, the rogue would appear, make a quick attack, and disappear.

When she tried to locate the rogue’s presence, the archer would snipe at her, and when she focused on the archer, the rogue would appear again.

Despite having only briefly coordinated in the southern front jungle, the two were displaying quite an impressive teamwork.

Whenever Denaruia got close to Naidrian, Ravin would attack again, and the archer would create distance. This pattern kept repeating.

Meanwhile, Lucy had taken her stance and was gathering red-golden magic power in the abyss.

“Damn it!”

Growing impatient, Denaruia charged toward Lucy again.

But Arsil and Rin blocked her path.

“You’re not getting through easily!”

“That’s my line!”

Unfortunately, Arsil was using a wide-area holy buff skill, which slowed her movements.

Easily dodging the saint’s side kick, Denaruia immediately slashed horizontally across Arsil’s exposed abdomen.

“Ugh…!”

“Arsil!”

[Advanced: Swift Movement (Lv.8)]

[Superior: Flashy Strike (Lv.Max)]

Though Arsil had fallen, Rin couldn’t stop. Alternating between buff skills and attack skills, she planted her feet firmly and threw a punch with perfect form.

Despite her dramatically increased speed, it was no match for Denaruia’s movements, already enhanced by her ultimate skill.

The dual-wielder quickly sheathed her blades, grabbed Rin’s arm, spun her around, and slammed her back-first onto the ground.

“That’s too cruel. You’re doing this even though you know you can’t hurt me?”

“We’re enemies, Denaruia!”

“We wouldn’t have to be if you’d just choose differently.”

Choked with emotion, Denaruia wanted to plead more, but another incoming arrow forced her to retreat from Rin.

Arsil, whose abdomen had been slashed, quickly rose, healing her wound with holy power.

‘Damn it.’

The hero party’s strategy was obvious.

Lucy, the hero, was gathering magic power in her temporary holy sword for one powerful strike while the other party members bought time.

It was the only strategy she had seen countless times through infinite regression.

But she couldn’t get close to Lucy.

‘Despite their internal rifts, they work quite well together.’

If she kept her distance, Naidrian’s arrows would fly; if she showed an opening, Ravin would rush in.

If she advanced, the saint would offer futile resistance, and Rin, knowing Denaruia wouldn’t seriously attack her, would throw herself as a meat shield.

As time dragged on, Lucy continued gathering magic power in the abyss.

If this continued, the hero party would smoothly gain an advantageous position with Lucy’s strike.

Denaruia considered her options.

Should she call Salamei?

No.

Because there was absolutely no need.

“Hmph.”

Seeing the dual-wielder’s confident smile, Rin sensed something was wrong.

“Getting cocky after I played along, are you?”

The dual-wielder raised her sword, pointing it directly at Lucy.

Arsil frowned at Denaruia, who stood motionless.

“What is she suddenly—”

But the saint couldn’t finish her sentence.

The dual-wielder, who had been far away, suddenly appeared right in front of her, swinging her blade.

“Huh…?”

By the time she realized what was happening, her body had already been slashed diagonally.

As the saint fell backward, her strength failing, Denaruia pierced her abdomen with the other sword.

“AAAAAAAAAHHHHH-!!!!!!”

They had forgotten.

The dual-wielder had already defeated the entire hero party, including the shield knight, in the Zramun Archipelago.

“Arsil!”

Ravin urgently revealed herself and clashed with Denaruia.

But this time, instead of engaging in guerrilla tactics, the rogue found herself grabbed by the collar and slammed into the ground.

Crack!

“Ugh…! Argh…!”

With sharp rocks piercing her back, Ravin writhed in agony, unable to focus.

Denaruia kicked Ravin’s body, sending her flying.

After rolling several times, Ravin coughed up blood and lost consciousness.

“Impossible!”

Naidrian, who had been coordinating somewhat well despite their friction, was shocked to see Ravin defeated so easily.

As she quickly nocked three arrows and aimed at the magic swordsman,

“You’re not the only one who can attack from a distance, elf.”

A slash wave fired by the dual-wielder swept across the archer’s body.

“Huk…”

With her abdomen deeply cut by the sharp wave, Naidrian collapsed without even being able to scream properly.

In an instant, the hero party, including the healer saint, had been rendered combat-ineffective one after another.

Arsil struggled to heal her wound with holy power, but Denaruia slowly twisted the sword still embedded in the saint’s abdomen.

“AAAAAAHHHHH!!!!”

“You have quite a tenacious life thread.”

Her intention was to deliberately prolong the pain to prevent healing.

“Overwhelming force. Before it, any clever tricks are useless.”

The dual-wielder’s words rang true.

The hero party, who thought they had gained an advantage through teamwork, crumbled helplessly before Denaruia’s might.

However, excluding Lucy, there was still one last bastion remaining.

“Yes, overwhelming force indeed.”

That force—she had just felt it to her bones.

She needed to stop Denaruia even if it meant using all her item materials.

It was time to use that skill she had been saving as a substitute for Lineford.

“Ultimate skill.”

“Too slow.”

Before Cosmos could activate, Denaruia was already poised to strike the back of Rin’s neck with her sword hilt.

Dark Fang Sanctuary—affecting movement and attack speed.

It was impossible to keep up.

At least, until she used this skill.

“Biovi! Full Body Power Release!”

It was the skill she had intended to use on the succubus in Efalterga to restore Lucy’s limbs.

The skill she couldn’t show because she was defeated by the succubus before activation—Rin’s only skill that could only be used once.

BOOM!

An explosion of ki erupted around Rin’s body.

Denaruia, who had been aiming for her neck to knock her unconscious, was greatly surprised and quickly created distance.

“Too slow.”

“How?!”

Before the dual-wielder could properly position herself, Rin’s kick came flying.

Though she barely blocked it, Denaruia couldn’t dodge the item master’s follow-up attacks and had to focus entirely on defense.

[Biovi: Full Body Power Release]

Literally a skill that allows 100% use of one’s physical strength and enhances it further—the strongest personal buff skill.

The words might sound impressive, but it was essentially a last-ditch effort.

However, as last-ditch efforts go, its power far exceeded common sense and expectations.

[Superior: Presence Concealment (Lv.Max)]

The fist flying toward her disappeared.

As Denaruia looked around, Rin, who had lowered her stance as much as possible, sprang up like a coil and delivered an uppercut.

[Superior: Flashy Strike (Lv.Max)]

“Ugh…!”

It barely grazed her chin.

Yet she felt a numbing sensation.

The item master’s formidable power was becoming evident.

Normally, due to the limited total amount of magic power, holy power, and ki, one would look for the right timing to use another skill after using a powerful one. But an item master could stack various skills as long as they had enough items.

Even after using Full Body Power Release, Rin continued to lavish enhancement and attack skills without restraint.

A fist came flying.

She tried to grab the wrist and deflect it, but it was too fast to catch, and she barely managed to turn her head to avoid it.

A knee kick hit her side.

Unable to endure, she bent over, drooling.

‘If I hold back, I’m finished!’

Time was running out.

Judging by the holy power she sensed from behind, it seemed the saint had begun healing herself.

Rin’s attacks were becoming increasingly fierce and fast.

She needed to subdue her before an even more absurd acceleration kicked in.

How could she catch Rin, who was becoming faster than her even with Dark Fang Sanctuary?

The answer was simple.

“Hiyah!”

Finally, Denaruia began counterattacking.

As she unleashed a flawless assault with her twin blades, it was now Rin’s turn to focus on defense and evasion.

She thrusts.

Rin dodges.

She anticipates where Rin will dodge and slashes there.

Rin lowers her waist to avoid it.

She twists the thrusting sword to target Rin’s face.

Rin, looking dismayed, raises her arm to block the attack.

But that was actually a feint.

Whack!

“Ugh?!”

While Rin was distracted by the sword aimed at her face, Denaruia swept her ankle.

As soon as Rin’s stance crumbled, the dual-wielder clung to her back, squeezing her waist with both legs and wrapping her arms around Rin’s neck to compress her carotid artery.

“Rin!”

“Kuk… Just… charge… magic!”

Though Lucy screamed at the sight of Rin being subdued, the porter waved her hand dismissively.

They had to succeed with this plan at all costs.

Before Rin could even register the soft breasts of Denaruia pressed against her back, she lost consciousness from the chokehold.

“…I did it.”

Denaruia exhaled roughly at the irony that Rin had been the true formidable opponent.

Fortunately, she had subdued Rin without injuring her, but as a result, Denaruia had also expended too much energy.

Though her legs were trembling, she gritted her teeth and prepared to charge at Lucy…

BOOOOOM!!!

“Are you ready?!”

She was too late.

By a hair’s breadth, Lucy had completed her full charge.

The temporary holy sword, refined with red-golden magic power, was emanating a ferocious aura.

“You’ll pay for touching my Rin with your life.”

“…Ha!”

Letting out a bitter laugh at the futility, Denaruia threw Rin toward Arsil.

“Come on.”

Denaruia provocatively beckoned with her finger.

Could she withstand it?

No, she had to withstand it.

The dual-wielder took a defensive stance.

“Estel-style secret technique.”

And the hero naturally responded to that provocation.

The hero’s arm muscles, more tense than ever before, looked like they might burst.

She could never forgive anyone who dared to manhandle Rin and choke her.

“Beargarge!”

A massive slash wave flew toward the dual-wielder, and

“I am the strongest magic swordsman, Dual-Wielder Denaruia!!!!!”

Screaming as if in desperation, Denaruia faced the slash head-on.