Chapter 54

"That guy is the boss here..."

Everyone held their breath at the sight of the terrifying undead mage in the distance.

The frivolous atmosphere from earlier is gone.

To put it bluntly, the journey up to this point was half-play.

But from here on, it's different.

What lies ahead is the boss of the "Deep Dark Twelve Ruins," the most formidable enemy that can become the greatest obstacle in a situation where there's no room for a second chance: the Elder Lich.

He's a user of "instant death attacks," which can kill even a fully healed character with a single blow.

***

BleBle is a severe game where losing a character is a serious matter.

Companions lost in battle never return.

However, companions only die in exceptional circumstances.

I died on the first day when I was suddenly impaled through the chest, but such an occurrence is rare unless you fight an opponent far above your level.

Unlike the "protagonist," who is immediately game over when their HP reaches zero, companion characters fall unconscious when their HP hits zero.

If their HP drops below a certain negative value, they die, but until then, they can be saved if their HP is restored.

However, the "instant death attacks" used by lich-type monsters are different.

This is a status abnormality that affects the body, not damage, and can result in instant death in any situation if you're not prepared.

There are instant death prevention items, but at this stage, it's difficult to gather them, and even if you do, they're not foolproof.

The Barrier Ring, which we used in the lava cave, could be a defense against instant death, but the Elder Lich's instant death attack also deals damage, so it won't work this time.

Moreover, the Elder Lich is one of the strongest enemies among the ruin bosses.

Even without the instant death, a proper fight could result in a total party wipe.

But...

"The enemy is undead. If we exploit their weakness now, we can definitely win."

That's why we must defeat this enemy "now."

The later the boss is fought, the stronger they become.

As the twelve ruins are cleared, the remaining bosses grow stronger, their weaknesses disappear, and they start summoning troublesome minions or using powerful ultimate attacks.

—A powerful enemy, but not one to fight now.

—A powerful enemy, which is why we must defeat it now.

Of course, there are risks involved.

"Everyone, remember the plan? If my attack doesn't work..."

"Abandon the old man and run, right? Got it."

Rad said it in a tone that suggested he didn't really understand.

He's probably dissatisfied with a plan that involves abandoning a companion...

"Listen, this is important. I can escape on my own. If you guys are too slow, you won't be able to escape either."

"...Got it."

Rad's response was a bit better this time.

However, he wasn't the only one who had reservations about my plan.

"Brother, shouldn't I be the one to lead the charge instead of you?"

Reshia, unusually, looked worried as she made this plea.

But I shook my head.

"No. Your magic defense isn't enough."

The Ninja class has a broken characteristic where the higher the agility, the higher the defense, making them strong against physical attacks even in light armor.

However, they are weak against magic, making it difficult to avoid attacks from magic users like liches.

"But even so, I'm better than you!"

"Also, I've fought a lich before. I can predict the attack patterns to some extent, making me more suitable for this role."

"That's..."

Reshia couldn't argue with that and fell silent.

"It's okay."

I tried to lighten the serious mood by speaking to Reshia.

"Indeed, he's a formidable enemy that I can't handle alone. Even Reshia, the most powerful attacker among us, would struggle. ...But, we're not alone."

I narrowed my eyes and looked back at the five eccentric companions who had followed me.

"Me and Reshia. Rad, Nuke. Then Prana and Mana. Without any one of us, we can't defeat him. No, even with all of us, we won't win unless we work together. But if the six of us combine our strength..."

I deliberately formed a fierce smile,

"Such a weakling is no longer an enemy."

I delivered a grandiose statement that only I could make in this world.

For a moment, there was a stunned silence,

"...Haha."

Prana was the first to laugh.

"That's more like you, Rex. I believe in you, Rex."

Prana said it with her usual cheerful tone,

"Heh. You always say such reckless things, old man."

As if triggered by this, Rad, who had a tense expression, also laughed.

Finally, even the stubborn sister gave in.

"...Alright. But you must come back unharmed. If you get hurt, I'll be angry."

"Leave it to me."

I said it casually and stepped forward.

Without needing to say it, I felt the trust of Rad and the others as I faced the boss.

There's no one among Rad and the others who is afraid.

Everyone here believes in our victory.

But...

(Damn! My knees are shaking!)

Only I noticed that my legs were trembling.

Only I realized that my feet lacked strength as I took a step forward.

But, of course.

No matter how strong my stats are, I'm still just an ordinary person.

I'm different from Rad and the others, who have thrown themselves into this world of danger.

It's only natural to be afraid when facing an enemy that could kill me with a single blow.

Looking back, the way I had been unusually cheerful and fighting alongside Reshia against the lesser enemies might have been an unconscious attempt to forget the pressure of this boss fight.

—There's one thing I haven't told Rad and the others.

I told Reshia about the "attack patterns," but there's no need to think about the first move.

The Elder Lich always starts the battle by casting his most lethal magic, "Soul Leap," an instant death attack.

In other words...

(I have to deal with that, or I might die.)

The instant death probability of "Soul Leap" is thirty percent.

Is it seventy percent safe, or thirty percent deadly?

At least, when my life is on the line, thirty percent is not a number I can be optimistic about.

(Ah, damn! This wasn't supposed to happen!)

When I came to this world and fought the Doom Demon, I decided that I wouldn't engage in life-threatening battles again and would settle into a position where I could just sit back and relax.

Yet, here I am, on the front lines, taking on a role that seems like a losing draw.

(But, there's no choice. There's no choice.)

The item I'll get from this enemy is absolutely necessary, and this role is too heavy to entrust to someone else.

Besides...

"Rex! I believe you can do it, Rex!"

I responded to Mana's encouragement with a thumbs-up.

Standing at the edge of the Elder Lich's detection range, I swung my sword in my right hand.

"—Divine Speed Heaven Thrust!"

I chose this upper-tier art, which has high movement properties, to signal the start of the battle.

This art, which Reshia hasn't even mastered yet, is impractical due to its many preparatory movements before the main attack, but its speed bonus is extremely high.

I moved at a speed I had never experienced before, slicing through the air.

In the midst of this unrealistic speed, I saw the Elder Lich, who had noticed me, point his glowing red staff.

(—Gale Sword!)

I could see the lethal magic gathering at the tip of the red staff.

I could see it.

It would be a lie to say I wasn't afraid.

But!

(I have my moments of wanting to look cool, too!)

With a silent scream, I delivered the final blow.

The horizontal slash missed the Lich and cut through the air, and the Lich began to chant a spell with a smirk.

"Sou—l Re—"

But my movement was a fraction of a second faster than his spell.

"—Take this!"

My target from the beginning wasn't an art attack.

I swung my clenched left hand at the Lich, and a glowing powder scattered from it.

—The undead-specific interference item, Holy Ash.

The undead countermeasure I prepared for the infinite spawning skeletons in the "Labyrinth of the Undying" proved useful here.

"GAHAAAAA!!"

The Elder Lich, doused in the holy powder, let out a stomach-turning scream and interrupted his spell.

However, the effect of the Holy Ash on his actions lasted only a moment.

Moreover, the Holy Ash needs to be imbued with a person's magic before it can be thrown, making it impossible to use in quick succession.

The Lich's red eyes, filled with hatred, glared at me, and he began to cast a spell at me again,

"Effective! Come on!"

But by then, I was already shouting at the top of my lungs.

All I had to do was buy some time until they arrived, and I thought just as that happened,

"—Brother!"

Familiar blue hair appeared next to me.

(—Her!)

Reshia's arrival was earlier than expected.

In the game, the Holy Ash always worked to scare the Lich, but things don't always go as planned.

(That's why I told her to wait at the entrance until we confirmed the Holy Ash worked, but she—!)

She must have rushed over before confirming the effectiveness of the Holy Ash.

I wanted to scold her for ignoring the plan, but I was honestly grateful right now.

Reshia faced the Lich, who was about to cast a spell at me again, and held out her palm.

"GAHAAAAA!!"

She threw Holy Ash, and the Lich staggered back,

"Ha!"

Prana, who had approached silently, casually threw more Holy Ash.

"Yah!"

Then, Rad, with his Brave Sword,

"Here!"

Nuke, who was out of breath, and the others arrived, each throwing Holy Ash at the Lich.

And the last to arrive was...

"Mana, it's up to you!"

"Okay!"

Mana, the healer, who had proven to be the strongest against the undead.

Against the Elder Lich, a representative of the undead, she cast not a holy attribute attack spell, which is the cleric class's specialty,

"—Regeneration!"

Her healing spell!

"GAHAAAAA!"

The Lich, bathed in the healing light, writhed in agony.

Undead creatures heal from dark attribute attacks but take damage from healing spells.

Regeneration is a continuous healing spell that heals based on a percentage of HP.

Even against a powerful enemy like the Elder Lich, it could have a strong effect!

The Lich's distorted eyes, filled with hatred, now focused on Mana, but,

"Soul—"

"Like hell I'll let you! Take this!"

The Holy Ash I had prepared was already ready.

The Holy Ash I threw blocked the Lich's action for the third time,

"Ha!"

Reshia,

"Ha!"

Prana,

"Yah!"

Rad,

"Here!"

Nuke,

"Take this!"

And the now free-handed Mana threw Holy Ash one after another, not giving the Elder Lich a chance to act.

And so...

"Necro—"

"Take this!"

"Ha!"

"Ha!"

"Yah!"

"Here!"

"Take this!"

"Death—"

"Take this!"

"Ha!"

"Ha!"

"Yah!"

"Here!"

"Take this!"

"Abyss—"

"Take this!"

"Ha!"

"Ha!"

"Yah!"

"Here!"

"Take this!"

"Dark—"

"Take this!"

"Ha!"

"Ha!"

"Yah!"

"Here!"

"Take this!"

"Black—"

"Take this!"

"Ha!"

"Ha!"

"Yah!"

"Here!"

"Take this!"

"Moon—"

"Take this!"

"Ha!"

"Ha!"

"Yah!"

"Here!"

"Take this!"

"Soul—"

"Take this!"

"Ha!"

"Ha!"

"Yah!"

"Here!"

"Take this!"

"Da—"

"Take this!"

"Ha!"

"Ha!"

"Yah!"

"Here!"

"Take this!"

"..."

"Take this!"

"Ha!"

"Ha!"

"Yah!"

"Here!"

"Take this!"

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

With a relentless barrage of Holy Ash, we sealed the Elder Lich.

The most formidable boss, unable to cast a single spell, was gradually erased by the continuous damage from Regeneration.

Victory through teamwork!!