Chapter 125 – Crossroads (4)

“Noah? Something wrong?”

“Uh…n-no! I mean…yes…?! Ah…hic!” Serr’s sudden question startled me, and a strange squeak escaped my lips.

“Noah, as the vanguard, we need to be on the same page. If there’s something you don’t understand, ask. Understood?”

“Ugh…yes…”

I glared at Serr. So perceptive…it was annoying.

“Next…the projectiles. With you and Rubia, this shouldn’t be a problem. You should be able to deflect them easily.”

Hermilla’s branch danced across the dirt, sketching a series of images.

A horse’s head, a leaf, a sun, a greatsword, a fist.

“Hermilla, you fight…unarmed?” Serr asked, observing the sketches.

“I’ve learned…to trust my own body, above all else. Hee hee.”

Arrows, pointing in various directions, joined the sketches.

“These are our positions, immediately following the initial attack. Rubia, your role is crucial. Keep the vanguard alive.”

A Y-shaped formation. Greatsword on the left, fist on the right, sun in the center, leaf at the apex.

“We’ll hold this formation, gradually retreating, luring Valoran out of the mainland. Too many variables in the narrow streets. We need the open space of the central plaza.”

Scritch. Scritch. The detailed drawings dissolved into messy scribbles.

“This…covers the first twenty minutes. After that…we’ll have to rely on instinct. Too many variables, and…” Hermilla glanced at me. “…this particular team…is untested.”

Serr’s gaze followed Hermilla’s, landing on me.

Then Rubia’s.

Hiccup.

“Pfft…hahaha… Did we startle you?” Rubia patted my back, stifling her laughter.

“N-no! Hic…I mean…yes…?! Hic…!”

The hiccups wouldn’t stop. I took a deep breath.

“Haah…!” Holding it. That usually worked…

“Ahem. As I was saying…while improvisation is key, there are certain attacks to be aware of.” Hermilla’s smile vanished, her expression turning serious as she added details to the horse’s head. “This is based on my observations…not experience. Reality may differ, so consider this…a guideline.”

“You’ve never…defeated Valoran…in your visions?” Serr asked.

“I have.”

“And yet…you’re not confident?”

“No.” Hermilla’s voice was quiet, somber.

“I’ve lost hundreds of comrades…who put too much faith in my foresight. Thousands more…betrayed me, believing I’d led them astray. So…take this…with a grain of salt.”

A heavy silence fell.

Hiccup.

The hiccups persisted. Mortifying.

“Pfft…hahaha… Oh, Noah. Thank you for breaking the tension.”

“Don’t…hic…tease me…”

“I’m not teasing. A little levity before a difficult battle is essential. There’s a reason adventurers drink, you know?” Hermilla smiled, reaching out to pat my head, then hesitated, withdrawing her hand.

“Ahem. Shall we continue?” Her expression turned professional as she picked up the twig. “Memorize these attacks. All of them. If we had more people, we could adapt on the fly, but with just the four of us…especially you, Noah…memorization is key. Understood?”

“Yes!”

I could do this. Boss patterns? Easy.

And…maybe…just maybe…it would be exactly like the game.

“Good. This circle…represents the central plaza. Have any of you been there?”

“Once. Years ago,” Serr said.

“I’ve passed through there with Noah, several times.”

…Had we?

“Excellent. Then you should recognize this.” Hermilla gestured at her drawing with a proud flourish. It was…

“…abstract.”

“It looks like it was drawn by someone with a severe tremor.”

“Hermilla, perhaps you should just write it down.”

“…Does it look that bad, Noah?”

“Uh…well…” I pointed to one of the clearer sketches. “This…is the dark energy explosion…right? I…I recognize it…”

“That’s a footprint.”

“…Oh.”

“Well…since I’ve already drawn it…just…try to follow along. This pattern—” Hermilla sighed and continued her explanation, using the crude sketches as a visual aid.

As she spoke…my confusion grew.

It was exactly like Valoran’s first phase, from the game.

Of course, it wouldn’t be as…mechanical…in real life. But the attacks…the patterns…identical.

Was Carpeng the same…?

Well…the distinction between Phase 1 and Phase 2 was clear, just like in the game. And the movements…the tells…similar.

But it hadn’t felt the same. More…fluid. Organic.

“—then Valoran will dismount… Noah?”

What about Kalt?

That fight had been very similar to the game. Phase 2, practically identical. Even the method of defeating it…

If only I remembered Tylant…

“Noah? Are you listening?”

Too early to be certain. Phase 2 could be completely different.

Focus…

Smack!

“Ow!”

I instinctively gripped my greatsword.

Hermilla’s hand was inches from my head.

“Ugh…that hurts…Rubia…is it bleeding…?”

“Does it hurt a lot? No blood, thankfully… Hermilla! Why did you hit her so hard?! I heard a watermelon cracking! She’s already…never mind. Just…don’t hit her head.”

“Oh…sorry…”

Rubia had defended me, but…why did that feel like an insult?

“I didn’t mean to… So, Noah, how much did you hear?”

“All of it…”

Hermilla frowned, tilting her head.

“Then…what’s this attack?”

“Dark energy vortex.”

“…And this?”

“Magic explosion.”

“Are you sure…you heard everything?”

I nodded.

“Strange… Well, if you’re confident…we’ll move on. We can review later.” Still skeptical, Hermilla erased the drawings and started again.

This time…a horse, wielding a greatsword.

“As we inflict damage, Valoran will absorb its mount, unleashing a massive shockwave. The plaza will be devastated, but…with Rubia and Serr…we should be fine.”

Phase 2.

Technically, it wasn’t a shockwave, but a deafening roar. But…I guess it could feel like a shockwave.

“After absorbing the horse, Valoran will be slower, but its magic will become more potent. The most troublesome…is its teleportation.”

Scritch. Scritch.

The greatsword moved closer to the sun. The fist, closer to the leaf.

“At this point, we’ll pair up. Noah with Rubia, me with Serr.”

Right. The strategy guide recommended the same: melee protecting ranged.

“Ah, so that’s why you wanted me to prepare barriers? For the teleportation?” Rubia asked.

“Yes, but…it’s not exactly…random. I don’t know if it’s intentional, but…in every future I’ve seen…it always targets a person.”

That was true. Valoran’s teleport always targeted a random player.

Which was why Phase 2 was always the easiest for me. I was always solo.

“Still, best to be prepared. There’s no warning. So the moment you lose sight of it…reposition. But don’t scatter. Coordinate your movements.”

“Can’t we just…counter it?” Serr asked.

“Ideally, yes. But the risk is too high. With more people…it would be viable. But with just the four of us…we need to conserve our strength. The Ursphere team is on its way.”

“Understood.” Serr nodded, sipping her coffee.

“Now…this brings us to roughly hour five. Three to five more hours of sustained combat…” Hermilla erased the circle. “…and Valoran’s wings will unfold. At that point…we leave the plaza. Urban combat.”

Clink. Serr set down her cup, a strange expression on her face.

“This is where your reputation and authority come into play, Rubia. Serr.”

Rubia scowled.

“We’ll need bait.”