Demon Ash (2)

Great Magical Beast Black Cyclops Type-Zero battle, turn 3.

Its HP and buffs stood at this. Next turn, Cellas could activate Divine Art - Raphaela.

For now, we held.

"Demon Art - Belzebute! … Tch, it's landing properly, but it can't keep up with this guy's power-up…"

"For 5 turns, our power-up is faster… But after that, its power-up accelerates all at once.

"In any case, if we can't finish it in one rush around turn 5, we're in trouble.

"… All right, let's go for the kill now.

"Lyuka, Sanctuary of Light. Saria, Dragonic Aura. Cellas, Wind God's Blessing."

Here…

"Mikoto! Underworld Possession on Saria!"

"Yes! Underworld Possession!"

Mikoto's strongest buff skill, onto Saria. Grant Spirit-advantage element + grant guaranteed-hit + 2x.

Weak to buff-removal, but Black Cyclops wasn't going to do anything that dexterous.

Saria, who'd been disadvantaged against Demon with her Dragon-element, was now offset by Light and advantaged via Spirit, stepping forward all at once as the attacker.

"Elva! Underworld Dragon's Three Heads! Underworld Manifestation x2, last 1 — I don't know if it'll work, but Underworld Prison!"

"Very well… now, open, Underworld's gate! That fool one — drag it in!"

Elva raised her hand smartly.

A great gate appeared and began dragging Black Cyclops in.

And then…

Buchi buchi buchi!

It tore off a chunk of its flesh, swallowed it… and closed the gate.

"Uoooooooooooo!"

Black Cyclops bellowed.

Ooo… gross.

But yeah, couldn't render it combat-incapable. "Absolutely render combat-incapable"… the description rings hollow.

Well, there'd always be those with resistance; nothing to do about it.

If a one-shot instakill didn't land, would the effect be completely nullified? I'd thought so, but no — it had shaved Black Cyclops's HP a bit beyond 16 dots. About 1600 damage. Considered as roughly 1/6 of total HP, that's 1666.

"Mmm, the way that thing moves — to me it looked like six animals or so stuck together.

"… And just now, one was peeled off. That feel."

Vague, but that was the impression.

"… I see. That Great Magical Beast is the form of six Magical Beasts — or six Great Magical Beasts — combined. And one was shaved off."

"Instant-death-type skills have their uses too. As expected of Elva."

"… Nuu… that should be the point at which I lament not finishing it with mine own power. Why am I praised for slight effect?"

Elva pouted unhappily.

"No, instant-death-type skills are normally no-damage if they don't take…"

That it had any effect at all was a blessing.

"Right, follow-up attack.

"Saria, Ultimate Breath!"

"Yes!"

From Saria's attack power… 50 * 70 * 13.5 * 2 * 4 / 82 = ～4609 damage output.

Don don don don!

A monstrous 4-hit breath combo shaved Black Cyclops's HP all at once. As calculated, 46 dots.

Splendid.

Remaining 27 dots.

… Good, with this we can manage. Finish it next turn.

But then…

"Guoooooooooooo!"

Black Cyclops's flesh chunks writhed and squirmed… its body deformed. Its arms grew more muscular, swelled up.

The somewhat dumpy lower-body-heavy shape shifted closer to an inverted triangle.

"Guooooooooooooooo!"

Buaaaaaaaaaaa!

A tremendous black miasma erupted. What…!? Massively powered up, all of a sudden!

"… Eh…?"

It… seemed to have a buff applied. Even though the turn wasn't over? Wh-what was going on?

And no one was here to answer.

I had only to observe its eerie writhing and deduce the answer.

… Just now, in Elva's attack, one of the six combined-Magical-Beast bodies died.

In Saria's just-now attack, three more died.

… Decomposing and absorbing the bodies of the four dead Magical Beasts, it strengthened. That's how it looked.

"… I get it — when the six-combined Magical Beasts lose one each, it gets a buff…! So it strengthened 4 stages at once!"

"… Wh-what didst thou say!?"

It could only be so. The number had reduced, yet it was stronger.

Its stats, including HP, seemed reinforced. Or rather, the HP gauge had recovered, so the HP increase was easy to see.

5 dots recovery, 4 stages. So 1 stage was 500. Total 2000 HP recovery.

The reinforcement I had to estimate from how strongly the glow read.

But after a year of repeated Garumon Battle buffing, my readings should be roughly accurate.

Well, the same glow as previous turn-end, 4 in a row.

… That is, just like at turn-end, all-stats 1.5x each, increasing 4 times.

If HP were also 1.5x, that'd be outrageous, so that's a relief… let's call it that.

Its power-up: at turn-end, and every 1/6 damage taken… all-stats 1.5x. HP recovers 500.

… That's how it was.

Damage was being dealt, but the pace of its strengthening exceeded ours… what kind of cheat bastard…

… My strategy had been a major failure.

I should've stacked more buffs and taken it out in a single turn.

There was a slight time-lag from Elva's attack to Saria's attack, and during that, no strengthening.

If Ursula and Cellas had also concentrated attacks all at once…

… No, even if we'd thought we'd killed it, there'd be no guarantee Endure wouldn't have brought it back with 3000 recovery.

Or… 3000? If recovery was to "1 remaining," then capped at 5-Magical-Beast equivalent, 2500 at most.

… But even after seeing HP 10000, I couldn't have read that I'd need 12500 damage.

… This much was unavoidable, let's say.

"… Could it be… my fault…?"

Saria, having dealt great damage only to reinforce her opponent, was shocked.

"Saria isn't to blame. Failing to read its power-up is my responsibility."

"Thou art not at fault either. Who could have foreseen such reinforcement?"

Ursula came to my defense… but my mood darkened.

From here, could we finish it…?

Defense couldn't be neglected either. We hadn't taken serious damage yet, but if it shifted to attack and we failed to defend, we could be wiped out in one go.

Its attack buff had already reached an absurd 4x.

"Guooooooooo!"

Its huge mighty arm rained down. Its attack…!

But…

"Lyuka, Light Protect!"

Gakiin!

… Good, blocked.

"O-ooh… truly, ice-cold composure."

"Well, yeah. Its attacks don't have piercing… But, can we block the next…"

I had a bad feeling.

"… Just to ask — if push comes to shove, escaping through the Gate or calling allies…"

"During encounter with a monster, Gate use isn't recommended.

"For about the 10 seconds of passing through the Gate, you're in a completely defenseless state. If you take attacks then…

"Lucky, just transport failure.

"Normally, transport failure plus combat-incapacitation on top.

"Unlucky, transport failure, and then death."

Right. I'd actually heard this before, but the answer wasn't going to change.

And, at turn-end…

"Goooooooooo!"

Black Cyclops absorbed magic-ash, powered up further. Belzebute's poison gave 1 dot of damage, but the status ailments instantly recovered.

That purple light… my bad feeling was right! Piercing granted! Way-too-early flag payoff!

Lyuka's Light Protect couldn't defend anymore.

Thanks to its damage-time power-ups, its stats — which had been balanced against Ursula's Belzebute — were now in untouchable territory.

… But next turn it'd be 9x.

It was already at the awful 6x, but it wasn't too late yet.

We had to finish it as quickly as possible, somehow.

But if we couldn't, it'd strengthen again…? Really, what do we do.

Every turn all-stats 1.5x was already terrible, but on top of that, every damage-take, additional stat 1.5x, HP 500 recovery…

This was impossible!

Wasn't this Titan reborn!?

But I wouldn't give up. There had to be a path to victory yet. It was strengthening, but our buffs were stacking too.

The longer the turns dragged, the worse it'd get. Here… we had to bet everything and attack.

Even if we let loose everything this turn, calculations said the damage wouldn't suffice to defeat it.

… But given combat veterans like Ursula, Cellas, and Saria, criticals at high probability could be expected.

A few criticals and we could shave it down enough!

… There was no way against such a sluggish foe that we couldn't crit.

… Well, if Endure restored 500, that's just our luck.

Damage only dropped to about 66% per its power-up, so even a residual ～500 we could shave through!

Now, turn 4! The flow of this battle hinged right here!

"Everyone, this is the decisive spot. Hold nothing back! Sanctuary of Light preemptive, here!"

Then I rained instructions on them.

"Yes, using it! Preemptive - Dragonic Aura!"

"Then, our side too… Preemptive - Underworld Possession! Go, Ursula!"

"Do not mock this one. Preemptive, Underworld Dragon's Three Heads! Underworld Possession — go, Cellas! Underworld Possession, Lyuka! Then I shall go too — Demon Art - Necromancy!"

Gyaaaaaaa…!

Spirits grabbed its legs and dragged them into the ground.

… Uwa, small. When used on Garumon it's a truly hideous attack, but against the huge Black Cyclops, it looked downright feeble.

Elva's stats were the same as Mikoto's.

50 * 73 * 6 * 2 / 621 = 70. The damage being so paltry was heartbreaking… Well, this was just a preliminary jab.

"Divine Art - Raphaela!"

Go…! Cellas powered up in one go.

… Aah, but even Cellas can't even hit Speed 2x… bad…

"Right, this one goeth too.

"Demon Art - Demon-Blood Awakening, Demon Art - Apocalypse!"

Ursula's attack. 2x, Light-advantage element 100%, Spirit-element 50%, so 19.5x!

71 * 200 * 19.5 * 2 / 621 = 891, 2-hit, 1782 damage!

Lævateinn usually steals the show, but Apocalypse is strong too. As expected of ultimate damage.

Cellas's attack…

"Divine Art - Gungnir!"

65 * 50 * 15 * 2 / 621 = 157, 4-hit, 628 damage!

Saria's attack…

"Ultimate Breath!"

50 * 70 * 14 * 2 / 621 = 157, x4-hit, 628 damage!

And Lyuka…

"Divine Art - Eternal Shine!"

50 * 84 * 10.5 * 2 / 621 = 142 damage!

Summed up, 3250.

Not even close to enough — plain insufficient. But if criticals… especially from Ursula, came…!

But…

"… This thing — where in heaven is its critical point!?"

"I hit it and hit it, but it feels like passing through… damage gets through, but… no criticals…"

"Ku… piercing… yet…!"

The criticals just… weren't coming!

"E-eeh…!? B-bad…? The eyes? They look weak-point-like."

We were dealing solid damage, but the damage values stayed stable each time — no high damage, no low damage.

"I've long since aimed there! But this thing is amorphous… it's not the shape it appears to be! No weak point or core can be found on it!

"This whole thing is one entity! Criticals are unobtainable!"

No way! Then, not enough…!

"Guoooooooooo…!"

Black Cy's body shape writhed and deformed… legs muscly, arms muscly, towering — not exactly piercing the heavens, but a giant body about 50m.

This was its final form of damage-based power-up…

Uaaaaa… what stats. At turn-end, another 1.5x… don't mess with me, that's no good, this is…!

"Look not down! With this, the damage-based power-up and recovery are gone!

"… The end is in sight. Don't give up!"

"Ursula…! R-right, sorry!"

That's right, I can't give up. Such reliable companions were fighting alongside me.

… There was no way I could lose!

… But, as if to scrape away the courage we'd mustered.

"It's coming!"

"Guoooooooooo!"

Buchi buchi buchi… buchi buchi buchi…!

Tearing through Elva's Ultimate Art - Seal-Severing Barrier, a tremendous attack rained down!

"Guooooooooo!"

… The earth fell from the sky.

… It powered up.

Ultimate damage x2 — what was that. Ultimate was the cap, so wasn't this no longer ultimate? It blew right past it!

Complaining was pointless. Respond!

Cellas evades, so leave her alone!

"Libera! Protect Ursula!"

"Yes!"

This much is OK. But Mikoto, Elva, Lyuka, Saria…? How many would survive?

"Mikoto, Elva! Cover Lyuka!"

"Yes!"

"To give this Underworld King such an order… remember this later!"

Mikoto and Elva hugged onto Lyuka.

"Should I deliberately become combat-incapable!?"

Saria was asking whether to activate Dragon Art - Naga.

"Uh… no, just defend normally."

If she falls, then activate Dragon Art - Naga. If she survives, she can deal more damage.

Dogoooooooon!

"Aaaaah…!"

"Kyaaaaa…!"

No good! Mikoto and Elva, both covering, yet Lyuka, covered by Mikoto, was blown away by a single strike, downed.

The firepower was overwhelming.

"Uu…"

"This… of me… unforgivable…"

"… S-sorry… Naoto-san…"

Dosa, bata… Mikoto… Elva… Lyuka… all went down at once.

Aiming for the God-element bonus, I'd gone with 70% Endure gear… and of all times, the 30% one came up!

"Aah! Lyuka!"

Aaa, bad! If Lyuka fell, we couldn't escape via Gate when push came to shove!

Well, just earlier she'd banned it, but if Lyuka were safe, she could've escaped alone, put a Gate out somewhere remote — such a method might have been possible…

No, impossible. With Black Cyclops's pressure, having Lyuka — with no defensive means — flee alone was a reckless idea.

So either way, there was nothing to do. Just give up.

"Haa, haa… somehow… still standing…"

Saria's defense buff was 12.5x as expected. Just barely surviving.

But beat up, barely hanging on. Could she attack next turn? Well, push comes to shove she could attack with Dragon Art - Naga.

Unharmed: Libera, Ursula, Cellas only.

I too survived, HP 39… Shit, if I'd used myself as a shield, would things have gone a little better?

My physical capability was too pitiful; amid the tremendous roar, vibrations, and gusts kicked up by its attacks, I couldn't move properly.

… If I'd just firmly instructed everyone to use me as a shield!

"Ku… no good, how many mistakes am I going to make!"

This wasn't a battle that allowed the luxury of regret!

How many mistakes already.

If I'd just stacked buffs more solidly and concentrated attacks in one turn from the start.

If I'd kept Elva's Underworld Prison in reserve. Now, with the last 1 remaining, it'd have been a one-shot kill.

If I'd had them use me as a shield, I could've kept an escape or rescue-call option alive…

Stop it, stop it!

… That kind of regret can be done plenty afterwards.

If only I win this battle! Right now, until then, forget all that!

At turn-end, again 1.5x.

About 14x. At a glance, despairing, but…

"Well, as it stands, there's plenty of victory."

I half-bluffed. But it wasn't a lie.

Ursula:

71 * 200 * 19.5 * 2 / 1396 = 396, 2-hit for 792 damage.

Cellas:

65 * 50 * 15 * 2 / 1396 = 69, 4-hit for 276 damage.

Saria:

50 * 70 * 14 * 2 / 1396 = 70, x4-hit for 280 damage, with Dragon Art - Naga doubling, 560 damage.

… Remaining 251!

After that, if Ursula and Cellas remained, easily able to shave through.

… Win. Earliest, settled next turn.

If its defense went further to the limit and damage dropped below 100, switch to Lævateinn.

Then we could deal 100pt damage for sure.

After that, just slowly whittle and we'd win.

… If, at the end of this turn, when it powered up, penetration didn't grow, Libera could keep protecting Ursula adequately.

Some slop in either direction, we'd be fine.

… If penetration grew? Think about it then. No point worrying now.

"Guoooooooooo!"

Zuzuzuzuzu… Now, the bastard, powered up. As calculated…

"Eh, eeeeeeh…!?"

What? Some unwanted thing grew! What was "defense"!?

"Uaaaaaa… Cellas's Gungnir is piercing so it's fine, but Ursula… Catastrophe won't do.

"Switch to Lævateinn!

"Saria, only Naga deals damage now…!"

How long did this guy intend to stick around, this bastard…!

"Ah, but, all right! We can definitely win!"

I encouraged everyone groundlessly.

I crushed my inner unease and smiled fearlessly.

"Now, Ursula, Cellas, Saria, Libera… Let's go! We win!"

"Mm!"

"Ah!"

"Yes!"

"Yes!"

Everyone answered energetically, trusting my groundless empty cheer…

That was fine. No point hanging our heads.

Rescue couldn't be expected. If escape was hard, we just had to believe we'd win and fight.

Was the battle already nearing its end? Or had it just begun?

Even that, I couldn't see ahead.