495 – The Demon Lord’s Followers

“…………”

The shub-niggurath is silent. With how the battle has gone thus far, it has surely come to realise that I’m far above it in terms of stats. Now that I have the means to bypass its scapegoats, it surely can see how disadvantaged it is.

It’s A+, and maximum level… Even if it’s this land we’re talking about, I can’t imagine there’s any monsters capable of taking it on, even if it didn’t use its black young. I even have a sense of why it went about without bringing them along.

Its [Feast of Young Goats] grants it the ability to produce sacrifices, thus creating an impenetrable defense for itself. It’s honestly speaking a cheat skill that blows apart all conceptions I had of combat.

The shub-niggurath has likely come to rely on it as well. Now that that skill has been rendered ineffective, it’s no doubt shaking in its boots. I won’t give it a chance to breathe…!

『…To have gotten both [Hero] and [Demon Lord], that is unexpected. Truly, for you to even acquire swordsmanship. However, it seems like you’re still not able to collect the other four…』

The shub-niggurath mutters with [Telepathy]. A-as I thought, it actually knows about the Six Realm skills. I suppose it’s not the former subordinate of a Demon Lord for nothing.

『You, what exactly do you know…』

A surprise [Tentacle Whip] snaps out, slamming into my jaw. I bend backwards and backhand the tentacle away.

T-this guy’s done it now…! I didn’t expect to be hit by a surprise attack while I was planning to exploit its opening. Sure enough, it doesn’t seem like it has any intentions to speak with me.

I pour mana into the crimson sword and ready [Flash That Drives Away the Darkness]. It’s become a standoff, with the shub-niggurath just outside the range of my sword.

Now that it’s become like this, it’s difficult to make the first move. If either of us carelessly steps forward, it could easily lead to a fatal wound… On the other hand, if I stall for time, my position will only improve as Aro and the rest mop up the young, but… let’s just try challenging it a little.

I correct my grip on the azure sword, letting two fingers come free, and powerfully swing it. [Dimension Claw] rakes across the shub-niggurath’s body. There’s no sign of injury, so another of its young must be destroyed somewhere.

『There’s no more time to wait, so what will you do?』

As I question it, two [Clay Spheres] form on the shub-niggurath’s left and right. [Plague Breath] seeps from all the mouths on its body. The grey miasma blots out my surroundings’ visibility.

…I consider using [Mirror Counter], but change my mind. If I was in its place, I’d use a tentacle attack for sure. [Mirror Counter’s] barrier is weak to normal attacks. It’ll end up being penetrated by the tentacle.

I’m confident that it won’t charge at me itself. It surely wants to avoid getting too close to my [Flash That Drives Away the Darkness], since a single misstep could end in death.

I cleave the front with [Flash That Drives Away the Darkness]. The [Plague Breath] miasma splits in two, and my visibility opens up. However, unexpectedly, its tentacle isn’t flying at me. Instead, it has repositioned and is charging at me.

『Gh…!』

It took a gamble, didn’t it! Looks like it predicted that I would use [Flash That Drives Away the Darkness] to ward away a tentacle attack, and waited out of range for visibility to clear up.

『It’s a shame. I know of that skill.』

Two [Clay Spheres] shoot from point blank. Before I can begin to react, countless tentacles also fly towards me.

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Shit! How naive was I thinking? I’ve been assuming I was safe.

It knows how much my stats outclass it, yet it’s shown no intention of running. It knows it hasn’t got much time while its young are being cut down. I should have known it would easily take a huge risk like this. If I had plunged forward with the blue sword and then slashed with the red, I would have won.

Consecutive uses of [Flash That Drives Away the Darkness] while maintaining [Ideal Weapon] and [Dragon Mirror] has taken a toll on me, but there’s only one thing to do here. [Gravity]! With just [Gravity], I can reduce the strength of its tentacles, and the [Clay Spheres] can be stopped entirely!

A black light expands from the opponent as well… It’s opposing me with its own [Gravity]. I guess it’s proposing we fight on similar terms, with my mobility also restricted.

However, my magic is far stronger. I gather mana into the red sword again and prepare another [Flash That Drives Away the Darkness]. Its tentacles rain down mercilessly on me, and I block them all with my right arm. N-nice, I received some damage, but the tentacles’ force was weakened sufficiently. I’ll force it to dodge with a [Flash That Drives Away the Darkness], and stall for some more time…!

One of its long legs comes flying towards my chest. Its leg doesn’t have the range of its tentacles, but it’s fast. It also looks like the leg ends in a vicious claw. I reflexively guard my chest with the back of my hand.

Seeing it look like it’s about to attack with its tentacles again, I swing the crimson sword with all my might. The shub-niggurath easily jumps back to evade.

As expected, this guy is strong…! If I didn’t have [Flash That Drives Away the Darkness], I’d have been driven into a corner long ago.

Suddenly, I spot Volk at the edge of my vision. I become confident of our victory upon seeing him, as his arrival signals the end of the hunting of the shub-niggurath’s young.

I once again concentrate mana into the crimson sword and ready [Flash That Drives Away the Darkness]. As the shub-niggurath floats up another pair of [Clay Spheres], I fling away both red and blue Ouroboros Blades and charge forwards. Swinging both my left and right claws, I release [Dimension Claw]. It’s at point-blank range, but even so, by allowing me to quickly fire claw attacks from outside my reach, [Dimension Claw] is seriously strong.

The [Dimension Claws] cut through the shub-niggurath. Once, twice, thrice, then four times, they etch lines on its body.

“OoOOO…”

The shub-niggurath staggers, and the [Clay Spheres] crumble.

『Now you, spit out what you kno…』

The shub-niggurath quickly rights itself and launches a [Tentacle Whip] at me. I tear through the tentacle with my claws, cutting it apart, then slam my tail against the ground and jump. Using the force of my weight, I aim the claws of my other hand towards the shub-niggurath and shred the mass of flesh.

The shub-niggurath staggers, blood spurting from the huge tear running through it, and then collapses to the ground.

【11875 experience points have been acquired.】
【Due to the title skill [Walking Egg: Lv-], an additional 11875 experience points have been acquired.】
【The level of [Oneiros] has risen from 92 to 97.】

…My level shot up. I pay respects to the rare five-figures experience. However, considering that the ruin’s experience points were 42660 even without [Walking Egg], I would have expected there to have been about as much as I got. About half of it probably went to Aro and the others, with their hunting of the young counting as battle contributions.

…However, in the end, the shub-niggurarth didn’t reveal anything. Seeing how it ended, I can’t imagine what its objective was.

Probably, it was bringing the clay guardians out on patrols while keeping a stock of black young up on the mountain in case it needed them. It might have known that it would eventually face something that it couldn’t beat with just its own stats.

Looking at how it ended, I get the feeling that fighting me was its objective in itself. I just wonder why?

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