kscans

Chapter 611 - Earth-Shattering

The mechanism of [Stasis Rabbit], a special effect of my Nia-made outfit, [El-Gran Stasia], is simple enough to put into words.

Damage stock and storage.

It’s a scaled-down version of the ‘Threatening Freeze’ that [Epel, Great Ice Spirit Guardian] boasts, and an incomplete ability that shouldn’t be able to function on its own.

Why is it incomplete? Because unlike the Great Spirit, it cannot nullify the ‘threat’ of an attack before it’s received; it can only suppress it after the fact.

Furthermore, it can’t nullify the damage itself, only the time of its impact.

And even that is not forever, but only for twelve seconds. It’s a highly restricted ability that, under normal circumstances, would only serve to postpone ‘death’ for twelve seconds while being pummeled.

However, there is one exception in this virtual world who can make ridiculously effective use of this ability. That’s because the damage release action of [Stasis Rabbit] is—

Recalculated as self-inflicted damage and then unleashed.

“—BuhgebaRAAAGH!!!”

Even a body that massive would naturally be sent flying if it took the full force of its own enraged punch and grinding stomp combined. But this was merely the result of a pain-sharing deal.

In the end, I was just caught in the release of the damage, and I couldn’t escape the immense harm that assaulted my avatar once again—so, on to emergency measure number two.

[Flash Traveler], activate.

My body, bound by the stun that naturally occurred from the overwhelming impact, vanished just before it was slammed into the wall after being sent flying at high speed.

Short-distance spatial displacement. The skill allows me to place my body anywhere within my line of sight, completely ignoring my previous situation. And so, having landed what I believe were about six blows, I landed safely…

“Ubek.”

Unfortunately, I couldn’t cheat the debuff. My paralyzed body collapsed to the floor with a pathetic splat from the massive tremor caused by the giant dragon crashing into the opposite wall.

Not a very cool ending, but I was alive.

My HP was cleanly blown away by ninety percent in that exchange, but the crown shining above my head swallowed the future of self-inflicted death—yes, self-inflicted damage equals self-harm damage.

It was covered by the negation effect of my [Crown Crown] title.

…And with that.

“Now then…”

I managed to pull out all the stops and give it a good scare, but…

“What do I do from here…?”

I looked at the status bar of the [Feidran Tyrantinus] as it let out a roar of rage and got back up, looking quite energetic—its remaining health was a flat twenty-three bars.

It was still in top form, raring to go.

I was down to ten percent health, my emergency evasion skills were mostly on cooldown, and my right hand was useless as a price for forcing my way through. Did I play my hand too carelessly, thinking I couldn’t win anyway?

That’s what they always say… ‘You rely too much on momentum and gut feeling to respond to the situation,’ some invincible samurai once told me. I’m aware of it, so mind your own business.

In any case, my strength lies in being able to overwhelm with sheer numbers, no matter how sloppily I play my cards.

“Senten.”

I activated my right bracelet, covering my disabled arm with countless shadow threads. Even if my body couldn’t move, I could control the threads with my thoughts, so attaching a weapon and swinging it around clumsily shouldn’t be a problem.

I sent a shadow thread to my spear, which had rolled away, and reeled it in. All good. We’re both raring to go. Until I land the remaining four blows—

“Sorry, but you’ll have to put up with me a little longer—…huh…?”

And then, I noticed it.

My counterattack had landed, the mole had been sent flying, and the chamber had shaken.

That was fine, a natural phenomenon. However, even though it had already righted itself and was glaring at me hatefully, it was currently motionless… and yet—

Why has it been shaking this whole time?

‘—’

“Huh? Wait, what—?!”

Who noticed it first and let out a confused cry? The boss, or me?

My mind immediately jumped to the mysterious anomaly caused by that unknown ‘something’ that had triggered the start of the battle. Naturally, I looked down at my feet—

And the moment I realized the epicenter was approaching not from below, but from the side…

“—HEAVE-HOOOOOOOO!!!”

With a cheerful and energetic voice completely out of place on the tense battlefield,

“Wha, you?! What—?!”

“Alright, found ya, Har-kun!!! Reinforcements have arrived!!!”

The [Traveler] burst through the wall with a raging spear of wind, leaping into the one-on-one arena.

Right. May I ask something?

You came to help, and that’s fine—I’ll set aside the ‘why’ for now—

“Hey, hold on…!”

These things you’ve brought with you,

“Which one of them is supposed to be the reinforcement?!”

This pack of seemingly enraged Tyrantinus, what’s their deal?

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Reinforcements (Carrying a living hell)

It's a bit short, but please forgive me for ending it at a good point. If I were to explain the detailed ecology of the mole-things, including their evolutionary process, it would become a long instruction manual easily exceeding 20,000 characters. What should I do about that?