"Yes, I see. He's not doing anything. He is most likely observing us and taking all of our powers into account,"
"Is that why Mistress hasn't made much of a big move?"
"Mmmmm… Kind of… It's just I'm making a plan," I mutter before looking at the massive corpses of the dead crawlers.
Soon, the remaining crawlers had been taken care of without some of us even needing to display our power… but Nell was completely done.
She was on the verge of death, but thankfully due to Clio's and Celestine's first aid, she was able to just bȧrėly survive.
Apparently, she had absolutely no blood in her body, so they could only sustain her for so long before Astra inserted some of her own blood into her.
The slight red undertone on her skin came back upon completing the blood transfusion, so the worry we all had was completely washed away.
"A bit questionable, but alright," I mutter as Nell had only Astra's blood in it.
Also, as Astra is a dhampir, apparently she has infinite blood… which is… questionable as well.
That is why she is able to slit her wrists and create such massive blood swords without much drawback.
Well, she was almost out of mana now, so she sat back as I lined up with Mia and Ethel.
"Is she good?" Mia asks, and I just nod my head in confirmation.
"What are you?" I ask as I've never seen this type of boss before.
"A king amongst monsters," He says with an arrogant bow.
I didn't know it was possible to show such arrogance while bowing… but he somehow made it happen.
But suddenly, as if in protest of the man's proclamation, the dungeon shook.
I thought it was the man's doing, but he was just as confused as us.
"Heh, it seems the dungeon disagrees," Ethel says, a wave of water rising from her feet and carrying her forward.
It was an elegant sight as the gold crust around her pointed ears shimmered a low golden glow.
Mia, who stood next to me, was coated in pinkish flames that began to form a large halberd in between both of her hands.
I should stay back for now… I'll support them… until it happens.
He'll do that… and then that… But if he doesn't do that… then this should cover it up… then… yeah, this should work.
"Lucy?" Mia says, her eyes glowing a slight purple color.
"Yeah… hold on, I'm thinking,"
"Well, he's already fighting with Ethel, so…."
"Okay, I'll support. Go ahead and do what you want,"
Mia nods before charging towards the man who had pulled out a massive greatsword made from the carapace of crawlers.
It was so big it looked as if it could crack this dungeon in half.
CRACK
Well, it kind of did.
He swung his sword down with incredible speed, causing Ethel to stumble back, and his missed blade slammed the rocky ground.
I whistled, impressed by the power he was able to output.
But sadly, it wasn't enough.
It seems he only had forms of physical attacks… and our hivemind is the perfect counter to that.
I blinked.
In just half a second, I gathered information from throughout the entire room.
Krkkkk
My ice quickly spread to Mia, who I pulled away from the swung greatsword that ripped through the air.
It sounded like time and space were being pulled apart with each swing.
SHING
I blinked.
I tightly gripped the halberd made of pink flames in my hand and stabbed it straightforward.
It was such an obvious bait that he didn't fall for it, but he didn't realize that bait was set up for more bait.
I blinked.
Spears of water battered the man's almost impenetrable armor.
Droplets of water splashed my face with every passing second, but the smile on my face only grew wider as the man swung his greatsword upwards.
'Come back,' I say using the hivemind.
I blinked.
I reappeared in my own body with Mia and Ethel next to me, creating such a distance between us and the boss that his only option was to jump up and slam his greatsword at us.
We all dodged it effortlessly, but Ethel, who had jumped in the air, was vulnerable to the man's upward swing, which threatened to split her in half.
Her pupils dilated in fear, but suddenly a pool of water below him caused him to lose his footing and just bȧrėly miss Ethel's ċhėst.
Her arm was hanging just bȧrėly by a thread, so she backed up while taking the pain like a champ.
I blinked.
My hands controlled the water below the boss in cooperation with Electra next to me, who froze the very upper layer of water.
Her ability over ice wasn't nearly as strong as mine, but it was enough to hinder the man.
"ARGHHHHHHHH!" He shouts, releasing a shockwave from his body that blew us backward.
My body slammed against the wall, but I felt no damage as I realized pink flames cushioned the impact.
My head was ringing, but I quickly got up and swung my halberd upwards, creating a blade of pink flames that was sent flying towards the boss.
He quickly sliced it in half with his own blade but didn't realize me swinging upwards once again, creating a pillar of pink fire that erupted from below him.
"ARGHHHHHHHH!" He shouted, but this time in pain.
A wave of overwhelming bloodlust seemed to eat at the nape of our necks and sent a bone-chilling sensation down our spines.
We froze in place, granting just enough time for the boss to lunge towards my body with an impossible speed.
He readied his sword above him with a psychotic smile that screamed how happy he was to take care of the brain of the group.
He'd have a much easier time from then out with killing this girl.
But I blinked.
[Necromancy]
"It's over," I mutter as the giant crawler corpses from beside me were instantly revived with light blue flames and slashed their sword-like legs towards me.
SHING
Both bladed legs collided against the man's helmet, but somehow it didn't even land a scratch.
But, it was all going according to plan.
Krkkkkkkkk
The man was a bit dazed from the collision, but he kept his consciousness intact.
Ice spread from my feet as I stepped onto his right foot and stabbed an icicle straight through both of our feet.
I grit my teeth, withstanding the pain as it held the boss from stepping back a bit.
"ARGHHHHH!" He shouted, completely shattering my ears drums, but from behind him were the silhouettes of two people.
Mia and Ethel.
SHING
They stabbed right in the same place, shattering the helmet and piercing the boss's skull.
"Did you think that was enough to kill me?" The boss says even as his face lost structure.
I could tell what he was saying due to me connecting my hearing to Ethel's hearing.
His bloodshot eyes stared at mine, sending a chill down my spine.
"ARGHHHHHHH!" He shouted once again, knocking me unconscious, but just as he did that, I saw him get lit up in pink flames that completely disintegrated his body.
Dammit… I didn't expect that…
…
I woke up not even a few seconds after with the help of Clio and Celestine.
I jolted my body up, slamming my forehead against Mia's nose.
"Ah, shit," She mutters, and I noticed my hearing was back.
"M-Mistress, are you alright?! I-I'm sorry for being so useless… e-even when you were trying so hard out there," My maid says.
I noticed that I was in Mia's ŀȧp, laying my head against her soft ċhėst.
"Son of a-" Mia mutters as Clio helps fix her broken nose.
Is my skull really that hard?
"M-Mistress?"
"Yes, I heard you. Can you only come out when I ask for it? I don't want to be rude… but you're a nuisance if you won't do anything,"
"A-as you wish," She says, bowing before turning into a light blue feather that slowly faded into icy particles.
Finally… damn, she was annoying.
"Lucy…" I heard Mia mutter through gritted teeth, and a chill was sent down my spine.
I slowly turned my head to see Mia with a forced smile.
"S-sorry?"
Suddenly, a pink flame erupted in her hand, so I quickly got up and left her ŀȧp.
And as she chased me around the domed room, I stared at the panels in front of me.
[You have successfully beaten an S-rank dungeon]
[Please select your reward from the following options]
[1. Skill Book: Ice Manipulation]
[2. Skill Book: Glacier Blade]
[3. Skill Book: Fallen Snow]
…
[Your body has subconsciously absorbed the bloodlust from the boss]