Chapter 609 - The Dragon and the Rabbit
As if to say, “The hell you lookin’ at, punk?” I leaped forward and landed a massive slap across its face—and I regret to inform you that my advantage over this otherworldly monster ended right there.
It’s been a while since Sora and the others, who I can see from the status bar in the corner of my vision are making a safe retreat, made their escape.
My role as a decoy has been more than fulfilled. Honestly, I’d love to bolt right this second, but for certain reasons, that’s no longer an option for this pitiful player…
"—NnoooOOOooooooohAaaAAAAAAH!"
One-on-one in an underground cavern. Unwillingly forced into this confrontation, I faced the colossal beast, continuously parrying the endless rain of spears from its draconic head with the twin crimson blades in my hands.
The so-called spears were actually metallic, shimmering golden tentacles. They could extend and retract at will, yet were harder than ordinary steel. I could just barely react to them by sight, but the sheer, idiotic volume of the things was grinding away at my mental state, concentration, and everything else.
And what’s more, they seem to regenerate the instant I cut them. Hahaha, right, of course. Monsters with ‘Dragon’ in their name usually have high regeneration… but a dragon, the king of fantasy, doing a hundred-tentacle-pummeling move is just a bit of a misinterpretation, don’t you think?!
A losing battle, through and through. I can’t find the slightest opening to go on the offensive. The fact that it stops all its other movements during this onslaught is, I suppose, a small mercy, but since it’s basically a guaranteed chip-damage phase, it’s a net loss for me. One hundred percent a garbage move.
Besides, if I could just move my legs freely, I wouldn’t have to deal with this thing in one spot—
"Tch…!"
The instant the “spears” and its “gaze” broke away, I reacted to the shift in turns and activated [Rocket]. With a single great stride, I leaped to the wall and, at the same time, shoved my crouched body behind the summoned [Twaibolt Mirari], taking a defensive stance—and in the next moment.
SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEECH!!!
A distorted roar, like the scraping of metal, echoed as a violent torrent of heat rays filled the chamber.
I have no idea what principle allows it, but the spreading lasers fired in every direction from its mouth were truly countless, far outnumbering even its tentacles. This wasn't something you could just dodge; my only option was a combination of defense and prayer.
Fortunately, since the attack was split, the pressure from each individual beam was within a tolerable range. Thanks to my own naturally high MID providing magic resistance, and the unholy durability of VIT: 300—a parting gift from my partner—I could withstand it from behind my shield. But even this required careful observation.
The moment I confirmed the heat rays had stopped, I recalled my shield and ignited [Rocket] once more.
"Guh… Ugh! I swear, this isn’t good for my heart…!"
What sent my avatar reeling with a deafening roar and shockwave as I escaped the wall was… none other than the massive body of the Feidran Tyrantinus as it flew through the air and came crashing down.
It isn’t as nimble as the [Dusty Worm, Great Serpent of Dust] from back then, but it’s still a mobile-type giant monster, which makes it genuinely impossible to handle.
Well, again, if I could just run without a care in the world, I could deal with it somehow… Aaaand here it is, the absolute worst move. Doesn't this thing have a cooldown?!
A debuff icon for “Staring Great Eye” lit up below my status bar.
As the countless eyes that looked at me from its reared head glowed ominously, my avatar's legs were pinned, and my momentum was stolen in a sudden jolt.
It’s not as bad as the “Fear” that came from some other mysterious source earlier, but it's still a sufficiently threatening and unreasonable forced-immobility status ailment… in other words, this is why I can't run.
Just try running at your usual speed. The moment your legs lock up, you’ll be turned into grated cheese on the ground by your own momentum. Game over, no questions asked.
The fact that it has almost no wind-up animation other than looking at me is fiendishly cruel, but what’s truly awful is how casually it spams the move. I purely and simply hate this thing now.
Spamming unfair crowd control is the mark of a poorly-rated boss, you damned mole-bastard!
And this is probably the real reason its own movements stop. In exchange for stopping its opponent’s legs, it must also stop its own… Well, that sense of fair play is all well and good—but it also means its next move is completely predictable.
"GuoooooOOOOOAAAAAAH!"
And so begins the lively thousand-tentacle-knock drill. Hahaha, this is getting me nowhere, you absolute monster.
Fine, if it's come to this, I have no choice! Since a retreat is already a slim hope, I might as well commit to a thoroughly reckless resistance!
I glanced over at what was once the exit. My only escape route had magnificently collapsed within the first minute of battle thanks to a body slam like the one just now, and it remained completely sealed. Sure, it wasn’t blocked by some “mysterious power,” but I didn't sign up for it being blocked physically and with brute force.
…Seriously, what else can you expect from an Over-Raid Boss that defies all common sense?
Very well, then my choice is all-out war—a desperate struggle.
"Alv Call—[Helia]."
I summoned the star-sword and declared the keyword. In an instant, the white blade in my right hand was overflowing with red, which swallowed my arm and formed a brilliant crystalline armament.
It was a self-piloting scythe of death. I left the interception of the spears entirely to my partner, the Anima… and then,
with my free hand, I lowered my hood.
I’ve seen its attacks so many times I’m sick of it, which means my accumulation is at max count. I’m recording this fight, but whether I release it to the public is still undecided…
I can just imagine his smug grin if we watch it amongst ourselves. And if I’m going to use this, I have to at least try to look cool—
"Here I come, you stupid mole… I'll pay you back not just one arrow, but ten!"
And so, the moment the debuff icon pinning my feet vanished.
"[Stasis Rabbit]."
The “head” of the rabbit-eared hood—two eyes glowing a pale, ethereal blue—blinked, cold and silent.