Ch.165Chapter 165. Ancient Serpent (6)

Chapter 165. The Ancient Serpent (6)

Hannah carefully examined the slime demon’s mask.

What makes high-ranking demons dangerous isn’t just their physical strength. There are high-ranking demons like this one that are actually smaller than mid-tier demons. What makes them dangerous is their abilities, powerful enough to overcome their weight class.

Their abilities were so extraordinary that one would think, ‘Don’t know their ability? Then you should die.’

The fortunate thing was that she had figured out this demon’s ability.

Its power came from that mask—oddly resembling a traditional bride mask—which shot powerful acid like a water gun. The acid was not only fast enough to be difficult to dodge but also strong enough to instantly dissolve the head of a high-level Paladin.

‘It was trying to protect that mask.’

When Jackson advanced toward the mask with his characteristically flashy swordsmanship, cutting through tentacles, the creature spread its tentacles wide like a shield to block him. It didn’t seem afraid of losing a powerful weapon—its movements showed genuine panic.

They needed to consider the possibility that the mask was its weakness.

‘I can dodge the tentacles now.’

Though fast and deadly, the attacks weren’t impossible to adapt to. With the effect of her level 5 skill “Blessing of Strength” doubling her physical abilities, plus MeleeSpy’s buff increasing them by another 0.5 times, she could now dodge blows that would have hit her normally with just a bit of concentration.

It proved right what some Paladin had said—that because buffs and debuffs stack, fighting in groups makes you exponentially stronger.

The problem was the acid. She couldn’t even react before Bella’s face had melted away.

The one fortunate thing was that it couldn’t fire rapidly. If it could, Hannah wouldn’t be able to stand before the creature like this now.

‘It must be an ability that needs charging time.’

As sorry as she was for Bella who had been hit, this was the optimal opportunity.

‘I can do this.’

If she could buy a little time, Jackson and Gukbap would join her. If the three of them attacked together, they might be able to destroy the mask.

‘Four would have been more certain.’

It would be great if Bella’s sister could pull herself together quickly and join them, but that seemed unlikely. They were sisters who had spent their entire lives together. It must feel like half her body had been torn away.

‘Fuck.’

While she understood, in a situation like this, it just made her irritated.

“I’ll buy time. Join us as soon as you feel better!”

Just as Hannah steeled herself to charge in—

“Reinforcements! Reinforcements have arrived!”

Gukbap, who was healing his injuries in the blue area created by the totem, shouted.

“Heya!”

The milk-carton youth Dodo and other barbarian warriors were approaching on horseback. Dodo’s body was marked with Malak’s blessing, the “Enhancement Tattoo.”

Perfect. With the barbarian warriors’ help, their chances of winning would increase significantly.

“Milk carton! Help us!”

How nice to see that guy she’d been planning to scold severely.

“Who are you calling milk carton! You’re the one with milk cartons!”

Dodo growled as he drew his dagger. The mounted barbarian warriors surrounded the slime demon.

“Target the mask! The mask is its weakness!”

Hannah didn’t forget to quickly relay this information.

Clop-clop! Clop-clop!

The warriors formed a circle around the creature. They were preparing for a wheel formation attack.

The slime demon, knowing that hasty attacks would create openings, withdrew its extended tentacles and took a defensive stance.

Kyaruk!

The demons weren’t idle either. Mid to low-ranking demons tried to invade through the hole in the fortress wall to protect the slime demon.

Kweeek~!

Just then, Paya and Tuntuni appeared above them. They had flown in undetected using their stealth ability.

“Tuntuni!”

Tuntuni dropped a round object. It was an explosive made by Luna and Harry.

KABOOM-!

“Haaat!”

The explosion was the signal. Hannah and the warriors charged simultaneously toward the slime demon.

Swoosh! Swoosh!

Attack is the best defense. The creature swung its spiked tentacles in all directions to block their advance.

“Ugh!”

“Aak!”

Several warriors fell victim to its tentacles. They tried to block with shields, but the tentacles pierced through both shield and body.

A valuable sacrifice and a sad opportunity. Hannah, having cut off several tentacles, tried to penetrate deeper.

She thought this was her chance, with the demon’s attention divided among multiple targets.

…However, high-ranking demons were once divine beasts. They were transcendent beings with a certain level of intelligence.

Though they had fallen to mortality after losing the means to maintain their divinity, that didn’t mean their intelligence had diminished.

The creature knew Hannah was the strongest force here. Making Hannah think this way was the slime demon’s strategy.

Shik!

A single tentacle shot toward Hannah. She was about to dodge it easily when the tentacle suddenly changed form.

Chwarluruk!

Like a pufferfish inflating and revealing its spines, the tentacle swelled up and shot out sharp thorns.

“Kheuk…!”

Though she recognized what was happening and moved quickly, she couldn’t avoid them all. Sharp thorns pierced Hannah’s left leg.

As Hannah rolled on the ground, another tentacle approached. It was a killing blow.

Just as Hannah watched the approaching tentacle with a face full of despair—

“Yah!”

A muscular female warrior swung her twin axes and cut off the tentacle.

Her name was Hela, the chief of the Ashen Mist tribe and Siwoo’s swordsmanship teacher.

“Die, tentacle monster!”

Dodo swung his dagger around, drawing the slime demon’s attention. Though he lacked the powerful skills of Paladins, years of honed combat techniques never betrayed him.

With the “Enhancement Tattoo,” Dodo now had physical abilities similar to Paladins. The way he dodged tentacles was truly masterful.

“Are you alright?”

Hela extended her hand. Hannah grabbed it and climbed onto her horse.

“Can you fight?”

“It’s not my arm that’s injured. Just get me close to it.”

Hannah, who had stopped the bleeding with a bandage, gripped her sword tightly and glared at the slime demon. Under the effect of the “Healing Totem,” she would recover soon.

“What a bold Paladin. Heya!”

Hela grinned and spurred her horse forward. Hela was a head taller than Hannah.

Hannah felt slightly annoyed as she remembered Lakye looking down at her confidently.

“NotACatfish! We’re here!”

“You all held out well!”

“I’ll kill it…!”

Gukbap, Jackson, and Bella joined them.

They hit and retreated, slowly pushing the demon back, but a decisive blow was hard to land.

‘If its acid cooldown ends, we’re doomed.’

Hannah narrowed her eyes, growing anxious. It was an attack that even high-level Paladins couldn’t dodge. Anyone targeted would surely die.

“Ah, finally!”

Hela, who had been busy fending off tentacles, looked back and smiled.

“Sorry I’m late! I was healing the injured!”

MorningTentSetupKnight, Siwoo, waved at Hela and Hannah.

Behind him stood a gracefully aged middle-aged woman and an elderly man. They were Sola, the priestess of the Ashen Mist tribe, and Goga, the former high priest.

“Raphadanimora, Tuvalaserinoda…”

“Demon! It’s a demon! I’ll rip off your mask and kill you! Big mask!”

Unlike the calm Sola, Goga seemed to have lost his mind.

The two priests chanted spells and extended their hands toward the slime demon. The magic they used was telekinesis, allowing them to control invisible hands to briefly hold a target.

As powerful as the magic was, it came with a great cost and had a short duration.

“To-total mobilization…”

Blood was already dripping from Goga’s nose, though it had been only seconds since he started using the magic.

“Let’s go!”

Hannah, Hela, Dodo, and Dina’s special forces charged in.

“Strike of Judgment!”

Hannah, who had reached the front of the mask with Hela, used her skill. It was a level 6 single-target attack skill, the most destructive one Hannah currently possessed.

A white energy gathered on Hannah’s sword and was fired toward the mask.

Crack-!

The mask split in half when hit by the energy. The slime demon stopped moving.

Just as Hannah was certain of victory.

With an ominous sound, the slime’s body began to swell.

“Uh…!”

Hannah recalled the attack that had pierced her leg earlier. The tentacle had swelled up like this before shooting out sharp thorns.

“R-run!”

Even though it was too late to run now, she couldn’t help but shout.

There was a way for everyone to survive. If two people, or perhaps just one, sacrificed themselves, everyone could live. Like embracing a grenade, someone needed to hug the slime. But that person would receive all the thorns and die.

Someone had to sacrifice themselves. But Hannah didn’t want to be that sacrifice.

‘I haven’t even seen UltraSansMadWithMoonlightMassacreMode’s face yet…’

It was because of her lingering attachment to this world.

As she hesitated, a man jumped forward.

It was Gukbap, a user who went by the nickname Ppuppuppung in the community. He threw aside his weapon that resembled a schnitzel hammer and embraced the slime demon.

Hannah couldn’t even react to the sudden event that happened in such a short time.

Soon, countless thorns pierced through Gukbap’s body.