Chapter 6

I thought it would be super cool to start the serial on January 1, 2020, at 00:00, but when I checked the novel information, the start date was the reserved posting time of "December 31, 2019, 22:33."

Oh, that's how it was supposed to be...

With a ground-shaking roar, the massive body of the Doom Demon landed before us.

The Doom Demon is a demon with a body over two meters tall, covered in pitch-black, seemingly impenetrable skin.

(It's okay, it's okay.)

The possibility I had considered.

If you go to the town of Rikxia, gargoyles will attack; if you go to the village of Umina, the Doom Demon will attack. So, what if you reach another town?

The answer is probably the Doom Demon in front of me.

(No matter which town you go to, you can't escape the event, huh?)

I don't actually know if that's true. But at this point, it doesn't matter anymore.

"Please, take care of this."

I handed the Reisia I was carrying to Rad and took out an item from my inventory. I sprinkled the "Healing Phantasm Powder" I had obtained from gathering on my body and drank the "Misty Water of the Secret Realm."

I could feel my body heating up and strength surging through me. I wanted to believe that this would make me capable of fighting to some extent.

"Go. Go to the town and call for help."

Fortunately, the Doom Demon landed on the opposite side of the town. If someone can keep the demon at bay, others can escape to the town.

"Hey, old man!"

"I'll hold this one down."

Recalling lines from the game, I glared at the demon slowly approaching.

"I'll go! I'll definitely bring reinforcements!"

While the newbies were hesitating, Prana, the Archer, moved quickly. Her agility was a blessing at this moment. Still...

(If things proceed as they do in the game, it won't matter how quickly I go, will it?)

I clearly remember this event.

Despite his valiant efforts, Lex's chest was pierced by the ominous light-emitting Doom Demon, and he fell just as reinforcements from the town arrived. This is just a part of the event, and it doesn't matter how long or short the battle between Lex and the demon is. While I can't say for sure that the event will unfold exactly as it does in the game, I can't count on reinforcements.

"Hey, old man! I'll fight too!"

"Me too! I can heal!"

Hearing the voices of Rad and Mana from behind, I shouted back without turning around.

"Don't! You're not a match for this thing!"

"But—!"

"Five minutes! Just watch for five minutes!"

I said this and readied my sword. The demon was already just a few meters away. I didn't have time to hesitate.

"!"

The demon's bright red eyes glowed, and its massive body moved. It pulled its giant spear back with a unique motion and thrust its left hand forward, a motion I had seen many times before!

(Spear general skill, "Stinger"!!)

I immediately saw the attack coming and leaned to the right with all my might. The sound of the wind cutting past my ear was a clear "whoosh."

(Fast!)

If I hadn't known it was coming, I wouldn't have been able to dodge. I whipped my sword at the extended arm, gritting my teeth and stomping my right foot to drive my body forward.

"Damn you!"

My full-force strike was deflected with a hard resistance.

(Damn it! The level difference is too great!)

The demon was level 60, and I was level 50. Moreover, Lex's actual stats were around level 30 due to level fraud. My equipment was also weak for a level 50 character, and there was no way I could win under normal circumstances.

The one chance I had to hit the demon's arm was wasted. The demon, having completed its thrusting motion, swung its spear to slash.

I, on the other hand, was off-balance from my failed attack on the arm, but...

(But, I can't give up!)

A sloppy horizontal swing, not an art. I infused my left-hand shield with magic to counter it.

The power difference should have been insurmountable. But the system easily bridged the gap.

(Parry!)

Infusing the weapon in my non-dominant hand with magic turned the attack into a parry. The timing was critical, but a successful parry would deflect any attack, regardless of the power difference!

"Gaah?"

The demon, its attack deflected, let out a sound of confusion.

But I didn't have time to follow up. I stepped back to regain my footing...

(First—!)

As I jumped back to gain some distance, the demon made an unprecedented move.

Low stance.

The spear was drawn back, and this was...

(Spear-specific skill, "Wave Thrust"!)

Wide range and high power.

And unparryable!

(If I get caught on the landing, I can't dodge. So, it's a gamble!)

The decision was made in an instant. I leaned my body to the side during my backstep and moved my sword frantically.

Normally, there would be no skill to counter the "Wave Thrust," which targets the enemy's feet. But...

"Damn it!"

If I auto-activate the skill, it will automatically use the technique in the direction of the enemy. While this is the ideal form of the skill, it's not a requirement.

When manually activating a skill, the only requirements are the movement and angle of the weapon, not the orientation or starting point relative to the screen. Therefore, if the player or weapon is at an angle when the skill is activated, the trajectory of the skill will also be "angled."

In other words,

"Unconventional... Iai Strike!"

A cutting line, deviating from its usual position, emerged from the ground and intercepted the Wave Thrust! Though I lost in terms of power and my weapon was deflected, taking damage, I managed to block the attack.

—This is the strength of manual skill activation!

With manual activation, which doesn't consider the starting point, you can change the position of the weapon or intentionally angle it to control the trajectory of the skill to some extent.

From above, below, or sideways.

You can slash with an angle, or cut to the right while looking left. Anything is possible.

"Still not over!"

Surprised that his attack was blocked, the demon reflexively launched a half-hearted strike, which I parried.

A large opening was exposed. However, I already knew that just hitting it wouldn't deal damage. So...

(—Swift Wind Sword)

I swung my sword along the demon's side and, as I passed through its body, intentionally "missed" the skill. I continued the momentum, rotating my body and pulling back my arm to draw a special trajectory in the air.

The target was one.

The demon's exposed back.

"—Shadow Plus One Thrust!!"

The released strike cleanly pierced the base of the demon's wing, which had yet to fully comprehend the situation.

"GAHHHHHHH!"

The demon's arm flailed in a mix of anger and pain. I dodged it with a backstep and caught my breath.

(Ah, damn...)

My heart pounded wildly, and my hands trembled uncontrollably. But I couldn't help but smile.

Because, right?

Even the mighty Doom Demon can take some damage when hit with a powerful skill from behind. And if it can take damage, it can be defeated.

"Amazing..."

I could see Rad and the others staring at me in shock over the demon's shoulder. My smile deepened.

Using borrowed power to dominate was fun, but even in a game, seeing the results of my accumulated efforts was the best feeling. The adrenaline of being on the brink of death made my heart race.

But it's not over yet.

This is just the beginning!

The demon, with eyes trembling with anger, fixed its gaze on me, clearly showing its frustration by deeply drawing its spear back and dragging it along the ground. It seemed to have learned that regular attacks could be parried and was now ready to use a skill without hesitation. But it was futile. I already knew that skill.

(Spear mid-range skill, "Ground Runner")

As I mentally recited the name of the skill the demon was about to use, I leaned my body to the right and swung my magic-infused sword from left to right.

(—Triple Edge)

The demon's spear pierced the ground, kicking up dirt. But it was meaningless without a target.

On my side, my early swing also missed. But that was fine.

(Over Skill!!)

I leaned my body back to the right, infused my sword with more magic, and delivered a diagonal strike from right to left. However, it also missed. But it reached the demon just as it finished using Ground Runner and was pulling its spear back.

(—V Slash!)

The final, decisive third strike caught the demon's arm!

"GUHHHHH!"

The attack that was deflected earlier now made the demon scream in agony.

The demon's expression was neither the usual blank face nor the one of a mortal enemy. It looked at me as if seeing something it couldn't understand, and I smiled deeply.

(That's right. You don't understand, do you? What you don't understand is scary, isn't it?)

This is the power that Lex doesn't have, but I do. The technique that only someone who sees this world as a game can use, as a system.

That's right, this is...

"—This is the power that cost 23,760 yen including tax!"

The rest will be posted in the evening.