episode_0119

[Agent of God]’s Cost is 8.

Currently, the cards that can gain energy in the Paladin’s deck are around [Penance], [Offering to God], and [Oath].

However, [Oath] gives 1, [Offering to God] gives 2, and [Penance] gives 3 energy.

Therefore, it is a card with extremely difficult conditions to use.

For that reason, the idea of breaking through the high floors with this card alone is a very dangerous idea.

However, given the situation, it seems difficult to break through without this card.

There’s no choice but to pray that the hand draws well.

[Wave of Light(3)] [Baptism(1)] [Agent of God(8)] [Heal(1)] + [Eternal Light(4)]

『Until next draw 30…』

Time was passing by helplessly, but both the enemy and we were just quietly observing the battle situation.

A standoff that someone might think is meaningless.

But in this situation, there is only one person who gains an advantage, and that is me.

It was the Jewel soldiers who broke that tense standoff.

They seemed to have already decided on a strategy.

Two Shield Jewel soldiers slowly walked forward, followed by four Sword-wielding Jewel soldiers.

While the remaining 16 Jewel soldiers held bows and aimed to attack this place at any moment.

The enemies approached little by little and had reached right in front of the pillar where the vanguards were hiding.

If we fought there, we would be surrounded by the attacks of the 16 Jewel soldiers.

It was a situation where I had to step forward soon.

Immediately, I played a card.

[Wave of Light]

A wave of light that flowed out from the line I drew with my hand advanced through the cave passage.

It heals and blesses all party members within it.

And the wave of light that passes everyone and also heads towards the Jewel soldiers.

Wouldn’t that be a loss instead?

You might think that.

But my thinking was slightly different.

They had developed intelligence.

Meaning, they would definitely avoid magic they didn’t understand.

It seemed that thought hit the mark precisely.

Guooooh-

Along with a crying sound, the approaching Jewel soldiers began to retreat, and then ran back to their original positions.

And in an instant, they changed their arms into shields and blocked the cave.

Surprisingly fast movement.

However, since they were properly tricked.

Time continues to flow.

By the time they retrieved their shields and regained their original forms, it was already.

『Until next draw 0』

It was my turn again.

『It’s your turn. Draw 5 cards.』

『White Storage Box – Preserve 1 card at the end of turn.』

What to preserve is naturally [Agent of God].

[Mercy of the Lord(1)] [Prayer(0)] [Slash(1)] [Meditation(0)] [Defense(1)] + [Agent of God(8)]

Not a single energy card came out.

Pushing aside the regret, I quickly use all the 0-cost cards for now.

[Meditation] – Grants blessings proportional to the number of times [Meditation] has been used.

[Prayer] – Gain a small shield and draw 1 card.

[Mercy of the Lord(1)] [Slash(1)] [Defense(1)] [Agent of God(8)] + [Pure White Wall(1)]

“Tch.”

It would have been good if one came up by any chance.

But not now.

From now on, it’s time for a decision.

[Mercy of the Lord] is a card that draws 3 cards and discards 1.

So you might think it’s good to draw cards.

But the very fact that this card uses 1 cost is the problem.

Specifically, let’s assume you draw [Penance] with [Mercy of the Lord].

Then even if you use Penance, the energy becomes 7, so you won’t be able to use [Agent of God].

However, you also cannot just wait for the next turn. Since you can only take 1 card into the next turn.

Of course, there is also a drastic measure of just cutting up the goblin in the Spatial Bracelet.

“…….”

It’s a gamble.

Immediately, I played a card.

[Mercy of the Lord(1)] – Draw 3 cards and discard 1.

What to discard is naturally [Slash].

One card disappears into thin air.

[Defense(1)] [Agent of God(8)] [Pure White Wall(1)] + [Offering to God(0)] [God’s Shield(1)] [Guardian(3)]

At least an energy card did come up.

However, since it’s a card that gives 2 energy, it’s insufficient to use the 8-cost [Agent of God].

Moreover, it’s the same even if I kill the goblin in the Spatial Bracelet.

But what if the drawn card is an energy card?

Quickly opening the Spatial Bracelet, I thrust the knife deep into the goblin’s neck-

Erika next to me was startled.

“What, how can you summon a monster-”

Ignoring her words, I read the status window that appeared.

『[Butcher’s Gauntlet] absorbs blood.』

『Energy increases by 1, and draw 1 card.』

The card drawn is.

+ [Slash(1)]

Damn it. I didn’t expect it in the first place.

With this, freeloading is impossible.

The options diverge.

Either take the card reward and reset.

Or try to last one more minute.

Or should we move in a new direction?

Among them, what is the method with the highest win rate?

More precisely, what is the method with the highest probability?

“…….”

The sense that unfolds in an instant reads the movements of the Jewel soldiers approaching again from afar.

This time, divided more boldly than before into 10 vanguards and 10 rearguards.

Stalling for time itself is no longer easy.

But right now, stalling for time is the answer.

The reason for that is, naturally, the situation of the deck with not much left.

Since there are more Draw cards among them, I will definitely have enough energy next turn.

『Until next draw 47…』

“Looks like your hand didn’t go well!”

Grace, who had been constantly watching my reaction, rushed forward.

And our party members followed behind her.

As expected of party members who have always acted according to the rise and fall of my hand, quick timing for transition.

“Hide your bodies little by little and advance!!”

Following Erika’s command, the party members advanced while concealing themselves.

However, the endlessly flying Jewel arrows are a thorn in my side.

And one of them.

“It’s exploding!! Hide!!”

One of the arrows shone white, then exploded, scattering fragments in all directions.

Luckily, no one was hit.

Without missing that brief moment we hid, 10 vanguard Jewel soldiers carrying swords and cold weapons started charging simultaneously.

I also use a card to assist.

[Pure White Wall] – Gain a shield and gain reflected damage for one turn.

[Defense]

Unfortunately, other than these two cards, all the others were cards I couldn’t use right now.

[Guardian] is a snowball card.

And [God’s Shield] is useless before stacking shields.

However, distributing this small amount of shield to everyone is too inefficient, so I survey the battlefield and look for a suitable place.

But just by watching from behind, the difference is felt.

Erika’s party and Noah were facing the Opal Jewel soldiers equally, or even superiorly.

But our party members don’t seem to be having an easy time.

At least Grace and Luca, who gained superiority in speed, seemed okay.

But Adele, who was fighting back with counterattacks while accumulating damage taken.

“Ugh…!!”

Was being pushed back significantly.

Therefore, I also quickly applied 2 shields to Adele simultaneously.

However, the shield breaks easily.

Was it originally this easy to break?

A Jewel soldier’s sword passed Adele’s greatsword and headed towards her neck.

“Uwaaaah!!!”

At that moment, Luca used Taunt.

Although he used it to protect Adele.

Unfortunately. Not a single Jewel soldier reacted.

It is said that there is no reaction if there is a difference in rank, but seeing such a reaction from normal monsters. Luca seemed flustered. He momentarily missed his movement.

Chwaaat!!

Red liquid greatly splashed out from Luca’s body.

It was blood.

“Be careful!!!”

Noah, who rushed over urgently, summoned an Incarnation and cut the Opal Jewel soldier with a scythe.

The bodies of the Jewel soldiers, which weren’t enough even against Kairek’s arrows and Luca’s attacks, were instantly cut.

As soon as Noah stood in front, Grace retreated, took out a potion, and approached the fallen Luca.

“Fortunately, it’s not a major injury!!”

At those words, my mind was slightly relieved.

Erika’s party and Noah continue to advance, piercing through the continuously swarming Jewel soldiers.

Still, as expected of high-floor explorers, they were high-floor explorers.

They advanced forward, taking out the Jewel soldiers that we were struggling to fight, one by one.

“…Perhaps coming straight up to the 7th floor was a bit too early.”

“I agree.”

The party members looking at that scene from behind were all expressing similar sentiments.

At that moment, the Jewel soldiers using bows, who were far away, seemed to have felt that the battle situation was flowing unfavorably.

One Jewel soldier at the very back started changing form.

Into a shape like a giant horn.

Erika’s party, upon seeing that, were startled greatly.

“Wait, of all things, that guy was mixed in?!!”

Erika, startled in a hurry, tries to pass between the Jewel soldiers.

But the Jewel soldiers desperately block her.

Therefore, Erika used the power of her card.

She used the sword that cleaves space.

But the Jewel soldier, already perfectly transformed into a horn, had finished preparing to emit a sound.

Then Yuria, looking towards us, shouts.

“Cover your ears!!”

As soon as her words finished, the Jewel soldier transformed into a horn emitted a giant sound.

“Guooooooo!!!!!”

A giant sound, to the extent of tearing one’s ears, filled the inside of the cave.

To the extent that if you hadn’t covered your ears beforehand, you might have had problems with your hearing.

But for those with sensitive ears, just covering their ears didn’t solve it.

Luca, Grace, and Yuria collapse simultaneously.

“What, are you okay??!!”

I urgently try shaking Luca and Grace, but as if they lost consciousness, there was no reaction.

“For now, they are alive.”

“That’s a relief, but….”

The situation is flowing unfavorably.

As if to prove that, Erika’s party, who had been fighting for a while, started running towards us.

Somehow, they batted away the incoming arrows and escaped.

“Of all things, unfortunately, we got a ‘Messenger Individual’. We have to get out of here quickly.”

Immediately, Adele finished preparations to escape, carrying Luca and Grace on her back.

“I’ll cover the rear.”

While Noah was batting away all the arrows flying from behind.

We run to the opposite side.

“What exactly is a Messenger Individual?”

“I told you just now. From the high floors, one floor is like a single faction. So compared to other floors, the intervention of other monsters is quite frequent. A Messenger Individual is one that informs other monsters….”

While listening to the explanation for a while, the sense that unfolded detected something running from beyond the cave wall.

“Wait?!! Stop!!!”

Immediately, the party stops as soon as they heard me.

As expected. The wall ahead collapsed, and one monster jumped out.

A giant turtle adorned with all sorts of jewels all over its body. That one was staring at us.

“Jewel Turtle?!”

“Is it a strong one?”

“No, that one is one that clears the way.”

Enough to know immediately what that meaning of clearing the way was.

Beyond the collapsed wall, Jewel soldiers started appearing.

Unlike Opal type Jewel soldiers, Jewel soldiers having a body of yellowish jewels.

“Topaz…. Compared to Opal, it’s a strong one!!”

However, because it’s a straight cave, it’s a situation where we have to break through here.

『Until next draw 5….』

Jewel soldiers swarming in.

“Rather, it would be better to break through the opposite side?”

“I agree. By any chance, is there a way to hold them back?!”

Erika looking at me.

If it’s possible.

I’ll know if I see the next draw.

『Until next draw 0』

『It’s your turn. Draw 5 cards.』

『White Storage Box – Preserve 1 card at the end of turn.』

[Defense(1)] [Holy Strike(2)] [Penance(0)] [Oath(0)] [Heaven’s Door(2)] + [Agent of God(8)]

Got it.

[Penance] – Consume HP and Gain 3 Energy.

[Agent of God] – Summon 5 Agents of God for 1 turn.

*Flash*!!

In an instant, 5 beams of light fell in front of me, and from within them, Agents of God appeared.

2 Priests in front of 2 Paladins.

And at the very front.

Saintess, Aria.

“Here…?!”

Countless Jewel soldiers charged towards her, who was still disoriented.

Since it was such a situation. She also, for now.

“Return to the side of the Lord!!!”

Had no choice but to unleash a fist of light.