episode_0143

Anti-cheese mob.

I heard it was on the 7th floor. To think it actually exists.

And to think this was the Vampire’s last resort.

And I could clearly understand why it was summoned.

Because the blood of the Dark Mage, who died instantly, was rapidly flying towards the Vampire.

I immediately grasped what that meant.

“The Vampire is still alive!!!”

“What should we do now…?”

Putting aside the fact that the Vampire we thought was dead is still alive, an Anti-cheese mob has appeared.

Confusion spread rapidly.

Grrrr.

Amidst the strange, low growling sound filling the cave.

A monster with a body entirely black began to move, puffing out streams of breath.

Its face, like that of a crocodile, twisted its neck, and its two white glowing eyes cautiously scanned us.

Like rabbits caught by a predator, unable to do anything but check the monster’s movements.

I thought of a hopeful situation where it might just kill the Dark Mage who broke the order and leave.

Unfortunately, that didn’t happen.

The monster immediately rushed towards Grace and me, who were closest.

At the same time, Grace grabbed me and ran, but.

Unfortunately, the monster’s speed was faster than Grace’s.

“……What?!”

A flustered Grace tried to throw me to at least save me, but.

The monster’s sharp claws were already falling towards us.

But a card had already left my hand and dissolved into the world.

[Grace of Protection (4)] – Grants a blessing that nullifies one attack.

Immediately, Grace’s and my bodies glowed.

Afterwards, the monster’s sharp claws struck down on our bodies, but.

No injuries occurred.

But the hand the monster struck down with went straight towards the floor.

The monster’s attack, upon hitting the floor, immediately began to destroy the cave.

KABOOM!

The cave instantly began to collapse.

All of us, and even the Vampire split into dozens of pieces, began free-falling simultaneously.

‘Wait, does it make sense for a monster that appears to prevent the breaking of order to break it itself?’

Putting aside the absurdity.

It seemed like it didn’t have the power to move in the air, though.

“I’ll push them back!!!”

Grace immediately used a Repulsion Field to push the monster back.

But even while doing so, the monster managed to launch another attack.

Grace and I, hit by it, fell faster than others, and.

Hit the bottom hard.

And unfortunately, because I was underneath.

I was embedded in the rough cave floor, combined with Grace’s weight.

Crack-

It sounded like something that shouldn’t be heard was heard.

“Ugh.”

“Are you okay? Po, the potion is…”

After signaling Grace, who was trying to take out a potion, that I was okay, I immediately used a card.

[Heal]

My body recovered quickly.

I quickly got up and looked around.

Fortunately, falling from the collapsed cave and landing didn’t cause any problems for the 7th-floor explorers. After everyone landed safely, they looked at the Anti-cheese mob that was still falling.

I also used a card I was holding.

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

Now granting myself a blessing strong enough to feel quite good.

I immediately move to the next turn.

『It’s your turn. Draw 5 cards.』

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

[Hyper Heal (3)] [Archangel’s Barrier (5)] [Guardian (3)] [Celestial Aria (0)] [Holy Sword (4)] + [Penance (0)]

Unfortunately, my hand isn’t that good. I didn’t get a single draw card either.

While agonizing over which card to use in this situation.

The monster landed completely on the ground.

“What?!”

I was startled without realizing it.

Just from landing, the cave floor cracked and shattered. And that shock immediately stretched forward, sending everyone around into the air.

After that, it immediately approached an explorer who was right beside it.

“Gah?!”

One of the explorers who came with the Investigator, an archer shooting a bow, had their upper body instantly severed.

And then, munch.

Just like how the Dark Mage died, one explorer’s life was gone.

“J- Jane?!!”

Just as the two explorers in a state of panic were about to rush at the monster.

“You guys stay back!!!”

Just as Noah ran out to collide with the monster.

The monster, as if uninterested in Noah, charged directly towards the Investigator.

“Ah…!!!”

The Investigator seemed to urgently try to cast a shield to protect their body, moving their hand, but unfortunately, it didn’t appear, seemingly still on cooldown.

I was also in a situation where I couldn’t do anything because the distance was too far.

Someone stepped in between the Investigator and the monster.

It was Jack, holding a small shield and a single small sword.

Jack immediately raised his small shield to block the attack.

I wondered if that was even possible, but.

Clang-

With a crisp sound, Jack’s shield perfectly repelled the monster’s attack.

As expected of an 8th-floor explorer, it seems he had a hidden trick.

And the time gained that way was enough time for Noah to arrive.

Noah and the monster clashed.

While Jack took the Investigator and evacuated, Noah and the monster exchanged blows, sending up huge clouds of dust.

It was truly chaotic.

While the two fought, the cave walls and floor they clashed against were destroyed, and fragments flew out and fell towards us.

“Evacuate!!!”

Like a shrimp caught in a whale fight, we could do nothing but evade.

Unfortunately, that was also the end.

“…This is the perfect environment.”

The Vampire was smiling, having somehow pierced one of the explorers who came with the Investigator with its red claws.

The Vampire had only recovered one right arm and both legs and still had cracks and wounds on its body, but it was still breathing.

Immediately, the explorer’s body contracted as if being absorbed, then became a shriveled mummy.

And the Vampire’s other arm was restored.

“This bastard…!!!”

Immediately, the remaining explorers and Knights rushed towards the Vampire.

“Be careful!!!”

But then, a large rock fragment from the impact of the monster fighting Noah fell on a Trainee Knight.

The Knight was crushed flat like a rice cake and died instantly.

“Good.”

The Vampire immediately took the blood and flesh of the dead Knight.

It’s still weak, but it keeps recovering.

In contrast, our momentum is steadily declining.

Is it because of the sudden increase in casualties?

I was originally planning to use buffs, but I need to finish off the Vampire quickly.

I immediately threw a damage card I had set aside.

[Holy Sword]

Twelve white swords immediately appeared around me.

Those swords immediately advanced towards the Vampire.

The swords moved quickly and poured down on the Vampire in an instant.

But it tried to evade quickly, but.

The swords didn’t get stuck in the ground but chased it all the way.

“……Tsk.”

The Vampire’s body instantly turned into a red mist.

Just like mist moving, it tangled the movements of the 12 swords with unpredictable movements, and then made the swords collide with each other, causing mutual destruction.

In the end, I manually controlled the remaining two swords, but.

They were instantly shattered by the red claws.

However, my actions weren’t meaningless.

In the meantime, Kairek’s arrow, among the many attacks, struck effectively, blowing off one of its arms.

But this kind of war of attrition is not good.

Because the Vampire gains strength from our deaths.

Noah needs to defeat that Anti-cheese mob quickly…

While I was thinking that.

Noah somehow flew next to me and was embedded in the wall.

“Surely not…”

Just in case, I looked where the monster was, and.

It was still perfectly alive.

“…Ugh.”

Noah’s weak voice, rarely heard.

She immediately lost consciousness and collapsed.

She didn’t die, but it’s strong enough to make even Noah look like nothing?

Meanwhile, the monster continued to move.

Until all the humans in front of it were dead. And that included the Vampire.

The monster ran towards the Vampire, where there were the most humans.

At this rate, casualties are inevitable.

『Next Draw: 33.』

It’s a choice.

Use [Penance] to gain 3 energy and use cards.

Or save up for the next turn hoping for a higher value card.

There’s no guarantee a high value card will appear next turn either.

But I can’t do much with 3 energy this turn.

Praying that nothing happens, I just stood there helplessly watching.

Maybe it would have been better to just keep the Elementalist’s deck after all?

But, my mana is completely depleted right now, so maybe it wouldn’t have been much different.

콰직-

Crunch-

All the remaining explorers who came with the Investigator died.

The Knights who were few in number also lost their lives one by one.

However, meanwhile, the Vampire continued to grow stronger.

It turned its body into a red mist and left.

Only the remaining humans became the monster’s prey.

“…….”

At this rate, it’s total annihilation.

“…I’ll join in too.”

With only two Knights, Luca, and Jack remaining, Grace also left to join them.

With only the Investigator and me left, the Vampire immediately began flying towards us when it saw our side was open.

But.

The monster, which had somehow risen into the air, accurately grabbed the escaping Vampire.

“……어?”

“……Huh?”

The flustered Vampire was instantly slammed into the ground, and its body was shattered once again.

Flesh scattered, and a part of the Vampire’s head fell between the Investigator and me.

“주, 죽은 건…가?”

“Is it, is it… dead?”

Just as the Investigator was about to examine the flesh.

The Vampire’s fragment suddenly twitched and moved.

And then, it smiled broadly.

As if it wasn’t going to die anyway, and the monster laying waste to everything wasn’t a problem at all.

『Next Draw: 17.』

In the end, it’s all about whether or not we can defeat that monster.

I immediately use a card.

[Celestial Aria (0)] – Dissolve cards as much as you want. A shield is created in proportion to that.

I dissolved all cards except [Penance].

And I provided the remaining shield to the currently remaining individuals.

It’s a minuscule shield, but.

It’s better than nothing.

Indeed.

Shortly after giving the shield.

Grace was hit by the monster’s tail, sent flying far away, and rolled and rolled.

Fortunately, she didn’t die.

Next, the two Knights also couldn’t endure any longer and were sent flying.

But thanks to the shield, they managed to save their lives.

The only ones left are Jack and Luca, and Kairek who is attacking from a similar position to mine.

But this didn’t last long either.

Finally, Luca was also hit by a claw and sent flying far away.

However, her leg was torn, so she probably doesn’t have the strength to fight anymore.

『Next Draw: 0.』

There’s only one thing that can turn this situation around.

[Agent of God]

Only that card, which summons powerful individuals including the Saintess for 1 turn, could keep up with that monster’s strength.

Everything rests on this hand.

『It’s your turn. Draw 5 cards.』

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

The card to keep is, of course, [Penance].

Rustle rustle.

Cards are drawn quickly.

Will that card be in this hand?

Or will I at least get a draw card?

Hoping, I check my hand.

[Pure White Wall (1)] [Ordeal (Unavailable)] [Defense (1)] [Baptism (1)] [God’s Shield (1)] + [Penance (0)]

It’s not there.

Not a single one of the things I wanted was drawn.

As my head went blank.

Finally, even Jack, who was defending the front, was hit by the monster’s attack and embedded in the ground.

There’s nothing more I can endure.

“……칫.”

“……Tsk.”

Kairek clicked his tongue and ran.

Just as I quickly regained my composure and was about to use a card.

Snap snap.

What I saw was only Kairek’s left arm.

Kairek’s body had been sent flying far away.

And now the monster is looking at where the Investigator and I are.

It immediately abandoned Kairek’s arm and ran towards us.

Clang-

When I regained my senses, I saw Jack’s back in front of me.

And the monster, whose arm with sharp claws was significantly pulled back.

“…Now I understand. It’s too late, though.”

Along with Jack’s muttering voice. The monster began attacking incessantly.

But.

Clang- Clang! Ting!!

With the sound of metal hitting metal.

The attacking monster’s arm bounced off with every attack.

What on earth is going on?

“Ivan, quickly do something.”

I heard Jack’s voice.

A voice speaking lightly, as if it were nothing much.

And within it, there was a little regret.

As if feeling that if he had known a little sooner, something like this wouldn’t have happened.

The moment I listened to Jack and regained a little composure, I was about to use a card.

“Wait, don’t give me any weird shields or strength.”

“…Why?”

“It’s a curse like that.”

A curse, suddenly?

I couldn’t understand what he was talking about at all.

Then Jack suddenly let out a light laugh.

“A mage might not know. Sometimes when you use a card…”

Clang-

He deflected the monster’s attack again with his small shield.

While I was speechless at that feat.

The monster seemed to think the same, it was startled and then unleashed a flurry of attacks.

But Jack perfectly parried every single attack.

Ultimately, the monster distanced itself, seeing its attacks bounce off.

Jack shook his arm with the shield on it, as if it was numb, and said.

“Guard Obsession, that’s the curse I have.”

A curse I had never heard of before.

But as if such a thing truly existed, Jack perfectly countered the monster’s attack again as it approached.

The sight was both absurd and…

I immediately understood why he hadn’t shown this side before.

The way he blocked perfectly at the exact timing.

In other words, parrying.

Guard Obsession is probably…

A power that can only block with a ‘Just Guard’.

As expected.

When the monster, after fighting for a long time, momentarily stumbled and its timing was off-beat.

That time, instead of a crisp sound, there was a BANG- and Jack was knocked down.

But it’s enough.

Thanks to the time Jack bought.

『Next Draw: 0』

『It’s your turn. Draw 5 cards.』

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

Because it’s finally my turn.

[Agent of God (8)] [Lord’s Mercy (1)] [Prayer (0)] [Heaven’s Gift (0)] [Angel’s Wings (3)] + [Penance (0)]

They were all clustered in the last hand.

I immediately used two cards consecutively.

[Penance (0)] – Consume health and gain 3 energy.

[Agent of God (8)] – Summon 5 Agents of God for 1 turn.

The monster approaching me momentarily blocked my vision.

It seemed too dazzling due to the huge beam of light that fell onto my body.

And from those 5 beams of light, Agents of God appeared.

Two Paladins, two Priests.

And…

“…Ah.”

Even the Saintess.

Perhaps because she’s been on the run, the Saintess was wearing a black robe that was torn and dirty compared to the Priests and Paladins.

But the light she emitted was real.

Their duration is 1 turn.

I quickly gave the order.

“Treat everyone and subjugate the monster…”

[Penance]Due to the health consumption from , as I swayed.

A warm light enveloped me.

The divine power of the two Priests purified and healed everyone inside this light.

The two Paladins instantly broke through the front lines.

With swords imbued with light, the two instantly began slicing the monster.

The places where the swords cut through were filled with light.

No matter how the monster struggled, it couldn’t pierce the shields of the two high-ranking clerics.

But it was definitely an Anti-cheese mob, as it endured even that extent of injury, but.

“To see this in person.”

The Saintess, who had approached without me noticing, threw a fist filled with a handful of light.

The inside of the cave momentarily brightened and then returned to normal.

And there was a hole in the monster’s chest, filled with light.

Swish swish.

The monster vanished, like any other monster.

However, it didn’t leave behind anything like a magic stone.

The Saintess brushed her fist, which was still imbued with light.

After brushing it off, she approached this way.

“…You’re a complete mess, aren’t you? My Apostle.”

“More than you are.”

“Well, I’m being chased too. I’d like to soak in some warm water.”

While we were talking about various things.

The Investigator was startled.

“Y- You are the S….”

“Can you shut up for a bit? The Lord God said there’s something I absolutely must do.”

Ignoring the Investigator, the Saintess walked over with crisp steps, then picked up a piece of the Vampire’s body that was next to me.

Twitch, twitch.

It desperately tried to escape, as if it absolutely shouldn’t be caught, but.

The Saintess rummaged through the body with light, and then found a huge sphere inside.

A large amount of divine power poured into that sphere.

Immediately, the Priests and Paladins gathered to help the Saintess.

They poured in all their divine power to the point where their own bodies became faint.

Crackle-

Cracks began to appear in the sphere.

“The longest-lived subordinate of the Evil God ends so futilely.”

Crunch-

The sphere completely shattered into pieces.

Then all the separated fragments of the Vampire began to slowly disappear.

Like any other monster in the labyrinth.

Unfortunately, it didn’t drop magic stones or cards like the monster, but.

It was certain that the Vampire had truly vanished.

As if everything was over, the Saintess stretched out fully. Then she looked down at me and said.

“Ah, damn, my head hurts. And I don’t have anything to eat anyway. Give me something.”

It was a sudden demand, but.

“H- Here you go!!!”

The Investigator took out fresh meat from his Subspace and presented it to the Saintess, trembling.

The Saintess, who received it with a bright smile.

“Well then, let’s not meet again.”

Disappeared back to where she came from.

And at the same time.

Ding!!

My status window appeared.

『Congratulations!』

『You have defeated the Blood of Gluttony that obstructed your promotion and permanently eliminated one of the Evil God’s subordinates, succeeding in your promotion!』

『Everyone will praise your incredible achievement.』

No, I haven’t been promoted yet. I couldn’t even catch the Diamond Gem Knight.

Well, what does that minor fact matter?

What’s important is that I survived for now.

…Though some people did die.

『It is an unavoidable consequence. You did your best.』

Talking as if reading my mind all of a sudden…

『Check the rewards you’ve achieved for your amazing feat.』

『Yes / Later』

Since I did something like this, I’m curious about what I’ll get.

…Let’s check later for now.

Sway-

Perhaps it was the price of moving even after my mana was completely depleted, but endless fatigue washed over me.