Ch 162.1
I set my gaze on the black lump and cast Scout Scope.
Dark Zell
Level 146
Magic Power
21423148/21423148
Oh, this is outrageous. Its magic power has surpassed 20 million.
Or perhaps I should say, as I had expected, this guy is a Dark Zell.
It’s gigantic, but it’s exactly what a Dark Zell looks like.
Considering the fact that the Dark Zell had previously leveled up by eating other monsters, this Dark Zell must have used similar means to level up this much.
However, for it to suddenly appear in such a big size… This has become a troublesome matter.
《Milly, can you hear me? Milly?》
《Yeah yeahh, I’m listening.》
《Do you know around which part of town that big guy is at now?》
《Hmm… A part of it has already trespassed into town, but the main part of its body is still around the northern outer wall, I think.》
I see, the protective barrier is especially strong near the fort, so the Dark Zell is probably being forced to stay there.
《Alright, let’s join up now while we can. Let’s stop the Dark Zell together.》
《Got it ♪》
While running, I looked up and saw that Milly had changed directions in midair and was gradually descending towards me as I had instructed.
「Sorry for the wait! Here, board quickly.」
「Mm.」
After verifying that I have mounted on the horse behind her, Milly lightly snapped the reins and Uruk ran up into the sky.
We reached the town’s fort at once and saw that it was like a black bog on the ground.
Hey hey, don’t tell me that all of that is the Dark Zell?
「Uwaa, so muddy… What should we do, Zeph?」
「Umm… That thing’s huge. Since we’ll probably have a long-drawn fight, seal off Uruk and we’ll fight on the ground.」
If we fought while seated on Uruk, the magic consumption would be too much. It would be more efficient for Milly and I to fight on our own.
「Mm, got it!」
「Neeeigh!」
Milly replied enthusiastically while snapping Uruk’s reins. Uruk neighed as it sped on towards the fort. Then, it landed, and Milly and I dismounted.
「Good work, Uruk.」
Milly stroked Uruk’s mane as it snorted, then it vanished with the light.
「Alright then…」
When I turned to look towards the town’s fort, I saw that a part of the gigantic Dark Zell was raised in our direction, arched in the shape of a sickle, and poised for attack.
Something like an eyeball rotated from within its mud-like body. Then, the Dark Zell opened its mouth wide and it breathed out a black mist.
「Uwaa, what’s that. How disgusting…」
「It’s probably breathing out poison. Milly, hold this in your mouth.」
While saying that, I took out a white-colored grass from my bag and shoved it into Milly’s mouth.
「Mmph!?」
That was a medicinal herb with detoxification properties, known as the Remilla Grass. It’s slightly bitter, but if you hold it in your mouth without swallowing, you would be able to move about even in a poisonous fog.
After being force-fed with the Remilla Grass, Milly’s lips were damp in a white liquid as she furrowed her brows.
「It’s so bitter…」
「Don’t swallow it, just endure it for a while, Milly.」
I, too, held the Remilla Grass in my mouth as I cast Summon Servant.
A dazzling light shone as I felt the distinct weight of a great sword appear on my hands.
The Great Divine Sword Ainbelle. The sword glowed as Ain’s listless voice echoed in my head.
《Owaa, that is huge~》
「I’m going to work you hard, Ain.」
I glanced up at the sky and saw that it was just cloudy enough. Hmm, then let’s go with that?
I pointed the Great Divine Sword Ainbelle at the sky and took a stance.
「Oh Spirits of the world, shout out like a storm and cry out like the thunder. Eradicate the enemy before me, for it has done wrong unto the heavens… Black Thunder.」
As I spoke, the skies shone. A bolt of lightning struck the Great Divine Sword Ainbelle and was absorbed by it.
The Great Divine Sword Ainbelle crackled with electrical energy as I held it in a low position and took a stance, then looked towards Milly.
「Milly, match my timing and cast Blue Gale.」
「Got it!」
In addition to that, I began a chant to cast another magic spell, White Plasm, which is of the Soul type.
I signaled Milly with my eyes and swung my sword, letting all the magic spells loose together with my slash.
Blue Gale, Black Thunder and White Plasm. The three Great Magic spells formed a triple fusion spell.
「Take this…!」
With a flash of the blade, the Blue, Sky and Soul-type magic spells mixed and exploded.
Thunderbolts, accompanied by blinding flashes of lightning and a hail storm swept over the area, swallowing up the black mud.
Under the cloudy sky, an endless storm ravaged. It was as if we were watching the end of the world.
「Hyaa!?」
Milly screamed and leaped backward, as a hailstone buzzing with electricity fell at where she once stood. The aftermath of the attack has even reached us a distance away.
I protected my head using my artificial arm and moved slightly further away from the center of the storm with Milly.
「Er… Zeph, we’re in danger too, though!?」
「It seems to be the case huh.」
While somehow dodging the incessant lighting bolts and the large hailstones, Milly cried out in desperation.
The fusion of three great magic spells was continued for an unusually long duration and over a wider area of effect.
「Hmm… a storm of destruction pouring down as if the sky itself were howling… I guess I’ll name this combination of spells the ‘Howling Storm’?」
「Now is not the time for this! Geez!」
While evading the projectiles that whizzed past due to the strong winds, I cast Scout Scope on our target.
Dark Zell
Level 146
Magic Power
21315285/21423148
Dark Zell
Level 146
Magic Power
21282642/21423148
Dark Zell
Level 146
Magic Power
21178337/21423148
In just a few seconds, the Dark Zell’s magic power was reducing.
Furthermore, the storm didn’t show any sign of abating yet. Since the gigantic Dark Zell has a large surface area to receive attacks, it’s likely that it was continuously taking damage. Although it’s dangerous for us too, the attack was plenty powerful.
「Let’s cast another round of spells, Milly.」
「Ehh!? Wait, you’re going to make it worse than this!?」
Despite her complaints, Milly came to stand beside me. She sulked and drooped her head, but she knew that it couldn’t be helped.
Together with Milly, I charged up the Great Divine Sword Ainbelle with Black Thunder.
Then, I matched the timing with Milly, and once again we fired off Howling Storm.
Amid the thunderstorm that has yet to cease, a new storm emerged and ravaged the land.
The combination of the blinding lights, the rumbling thunder, and the pouring, rock-like hail from the storms caused the Dark Zell’s giant body to begin breaking down at an intense rate.
「Owwie!?」
Milly’s head was struck by a fist-sized hailstone, and with a loud clink, it broke into half.
For a moment, she hugged her head with tears in her eyes and squatted down in pain, but then she somehow managed to stagger back onto her feet.
Hmm. Milly, that girl, has quite the hard skull huh.
「You okay?」
「Uuu… It hurts…」
To reduce the likely area of getting hit, I embraced Milly with one arm, while using my artificial hand in place of an umbrella to shield her. If it’s only a small hailstone, the prosthetic should be sufficient to guard against it.
「Look, you’re less likely to get hit now, right? Now, hold one more piece of Remilla grass in your mouth.」
「…Thanks, Zeph.」
I handed a piece of Remilla grass to Milly, which she held in her mouth.
In any case, this storm sure is difficult to evade, even for myself. Perhaps it’s better to distance ourselves for now.
I carried Milly into my arms and retreated out of range of Howling Storm.
「Wow, that guy’s magic power is gradually being shaved off.」
「Its surface area is larger. With a higher chance of getting hit, it’s probably receiving a lot of damage.」
After that, we fired off Howling Storm several more times, and the Dark Zell’s magic power was reduced to its current 12 million.
Incidentally, during this time, Milly also received three shots of hailstones to her head… but well, she looks surprisingly fine.
More importantly, the damage inflicted onto the Dark Zell was reduced from before.
「Is it… effective?」
「That, I’m sure of.」
The gigantic Dark Zell’s body that was so swollen before has now shrunk to half its original size.
However, that was probably just a change in form to defend against Howling Storm, rather than due to the damage it took.
Therefore, compared to before, Howling Storm was somewhat lacking in effectiveness.
As evidence of that, while the Dark Zell shrank, its color also seemed to become more concentrated, as if dyed jet black.
While its body grew denser and smaller, its attack and defense abilities also increased.
The fort around the town was already half melted away, and the Dark Zell looked like it was just about to enter the town.
At this rate, the town would be in danger.
「Milly, we’re going in for close combat. Let’s deliver the final blow.」
「Mm!」
As the storm subsided, we ran towards the gigantic Dark Zell.
《Z-zeph-san!》
When we were about to dash out, Shirushu contacted me via telepathy. Her voice contained so much urgency that I subconsciously stopped in my tracks.
I gestured for Milly to wait, then replied Shirushu.
《What’s going on? Did something happen?》
《This is bad! Black monsters have entered the town… a-and they are attacking people!》
《What…!?》
Until just now, because of Howling Storm, I couldn’t get a good look at the town, but… when did the other monsters get in..? Damn it!
I clicked my tongue in frustration, while Shirushu continued to speak.
《The mud and poisonous fog have subsided, but it’s getting too hard for me to defend on my own… Please, could you please send help?!》
《…Got it, I’ll head over now.》
I cut off telepathy and turned to Milly with an uneasy look.
「Milly, sorry but could you keep that Dark Zell distracted for a while? It seems like things are going haywire in the town.」
「M-mm… Be careful, Zeph.」
「Yeah, Milly too, don’t push yourself okay?」
I patted Milly’s head, then ran off towards the town.
If it’s just to keep the gigantic Dark Zell distracted, Milly alone should be sufficient, especially since its movements were dull.
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