Stampede (3) ~Aim For the Vital!~
The evolved Werewolf looked around.
Glaring at the adventurers nearby, ready to pounce at anytime.
"O-oy! That thing's gone and evolved!"
"That's a Werewolf! A powerful magic beast that's level 20 at least!"
The adventurers look shaken.
Can't blame them, we were on the cusp of victory when the enemy powered up.
『AWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!』
The Werewolf howled.
All the nearby magic beasts had the glints in their eyes changed afterward.
It's like a mix of anger, fluster and even a tinge of sorrow like they're now compelled to fight till death.
<<Magic Beast Skill Lv3 Ability 'Berserk Howling': forcefully applies 'Berserk' state to magic beasts below Lv9 in the area. Under Berserk state, they will continue to attack until they're dead or broken off the state regardless of damage they received.>>
The magic beasts here have been strengthened, no, driven mad.
So this is the reason it evolved.
This is bad.
Even though their number has been curtailed to about equal ours, the people on our side are mostly worn down, many with little MP left.
The rear archers and mages seem to be as bad condition-wise.
We might be able to keep the pressure on them had we maintained our momentum, but the tide is turning on the magic beasts' side.
If only we could take out that Werewolf at least...
Oh?
"Low level folk, fall back! We're gonna do something about that Werewolf!"
"Take care of the mob for us!"
A young spearsman called Baredray and a twinblade woman his age, Rasfin went to face off against the Werewolf.
They're both 18 year old, at level 20. Top class adventurers among the ones here.
These two are quite worn down as well. A natural outcome since they've been dealing with magic beasts over level 10 besides the ones I defeated.
It should've been the time for them to withdraw and take a break, they sure are gutsy.
Other adventurers bravely stood their ground against the rest of magic beasts following that order, but they're having a hard time against the unflinching magic beasts' assault.
More and more people are getting injured. Seems like they don't have the leeway to drink recovery potions.
Now then, what do I do here.
I'm still peppy after having just leveled up. One of the only few people here who had also leveled up in the middle of battle.
There's gonna be more victims if I remain a spectator.
I'm not full of myself enough to think that I'm the key to victory in this battle, yet I can't just watch idly. What do, what do.
I can't use the falling rock tactic anymore.
Now that there's not too many magic beasts left, they're pretty much all mixed up with adventurers fighting them below, so there's a danger of friendly fire.
Should I go down and fight?
But frankly, I dunno if my stats can even afford me defeating the weakest goblin.
Though well, I kinda get that the rule is different in my case and stats aren't everything.
The spearsman and twinblade are getting slower.
They're barely holding on by coordinating together, but they likely won't last much longer.
Whoa, watch out. Werewolf swiftly closed in on the spearsman.
"Wha, fast."
『GWUGAAAAAAAAA!』
It hurled itself on the spearsman, blowing him away.
Oy oy, that one hit alone took out 40% of his HP.
"Gaha!"
"Bared! Damn you monster!"
The spearsman, Bared got knocked out from that attack.
Thankfully he's still alive, but the Werewolf is gonna kill him at this rate.
The twinblade, Rasfin faced off against the Werewolf, but fighting that thing alone while protecting Bared will be tough.
Fwosh
I flew at high speed to where the two were.
"Y-you're!"
"I'll carry Bared back to base. I leave the Werewolf in your hand. Try to stay alive."
"...I got it. Take care of Bared."
Rasfin's whole body got clad in a dim light after she said that.
Another skill huh.
<<Martial Art Skill Lv4 Ability 'Ki Clad': Raise attributes by consuming SP.>>
So there are skills that consume SP instead of MP huh.
'Why didn't she use that earlier' that thought flashed on my mind, but then I realized she's running out of both MP and SP.
"I can't keep this up for long in my current state. I'm gonna take it down before that."
I think she was planning to wait using that until other adventurers were done dealing with other magic beasts and came to help, but it would be all over for Bared if she held back now.
Hence this do or die strategy, but...
The Werewolf's also got Martial Art Lv4 as its Skill.
"Oy, that thing's using it too."
"Wha...!?"
The Werewolf's body is clad in the same faint light.
Its response to Rasfin's action. And now the gap has been closed up.
Can't be helped.
"Use this."
I threw the Ring to Rasfin.
"Hm, what's this?"
"Ring of Mana Storage. Better than nothing. Guildmast lent that to me, give it back to him later."
"...My thanks, I'll make good use of it."
She put that ring on her right middle finger which is enough to apply the MP restoration effect.
『Gurua!!』
Right afterward, the Werewolf hurled at Rasfin, the same attack he used on Bared.
But,
『Gyagi!?』
Rasfin took a stance with her swords and blades of lights manifested on the tips.
She attacked with the lengthened twin blades, grazing the Werewolf.
<<Twinblade Skill Lv3 Ability 'Twin Mana Blade Extend': Consuming MP to produce blades of mana on the blade tips, expanding the reach.>>
"Tch, missed huh... What's wrong, you sounded panicked there. Never seen your own blood before? A mere beast acting like you lived a sheltered life. Who do you think you are, huh?"
『Guruaaaaaaaaaa!!』
The Werewolf probably didn't get what she was saying but it could tell that she was disparaging it as it howled angrily.
Similar blades of mana got produced on the Werewolf's claws.
<<Claw Skill Lv3 Ability 'Mana Claw Extend': Consuming MP in the shape of claws to increase reach.>>
Even Skills got templates huh.
It's just gonna get stronger the more you provoke the thing, is she gonna be all right?
"What're you spacing out for! Get Bared to a safe zone, stat!"
Ah, my bad. Well, I'm sure she'd survive looking at that. Probably.
Welp, guess I'm carrying Bared all the way back to the gate. Heave ho.
Guh, didn't think a heavily armed man to weigh so much.
Bwosh
I carried Bared to behind the gate.
Looking at his state, he's not gonna die, but his State says his ribs are cracked.
...Hope my flight didn't worsen it.
Wonder if recovery potion even works on bone fractures.
<<It depends on the potion's efficacy and severity of the wounds, however the potions you have on hand are able to heal slightly cracked bones. It requires dozens of minutes to complete.>>
Looks like he won't be back to the fray even with a potion.
But well, sure I'll throw him a potion. I've still got a lot on me cause I never used one anyway.
Ah, he's passed out, can't drink.
Then I'll just wrap the potion in my mana and control it. I move it in his mouth and then down the throat.
I know I'm the one controlling and all but it looks like some sort of slime invading inside someone's body, it's scary. Gross even.
"Cough! Gah!"
Ah, it got clogged up. Think a bit got in bronchial tube? My bad.
But he came to thanks to that.
"Cough... Ah? When'd I fall asleep?"
"You passed out from the Werewolf's ramming attack. I got you to drink a potion, but you've got a cracked rib, stay down for now."
"Ah, did I... Wait, what about Rasfi?"
"She's still out there fighting the Werewolf."
"Wha, that's bad! That monster ain't something you fight alone! I gotta go help her... Guaaa!?"
He stood up and crouched down right away while pining his chest from the pain.
"You're just gonna get in her way in your condition. Just get some rest."
"No, way, I'm going..! Rasfin's gonna die...! I can at least act as her shield!"
Man's gutsy, I give him that. Respect.
"Say Rasfin is injured and spouts the same thing you did, what're you gonna do?"
"'Course I'm gonna stop her! What else!"
"And you think you can fight by her side while she's busy telling you off? You're only gonna distract Rasfin if you go back now. Heck, she's gonna risk herself protecting you for sure."
"T-that's..."
"Get some rest if you get it. It's fine, I'm not letting her die on my watch."
Ah, there I go again making sermon and even promising the heavens.
But he's definitely going back even if it means crawling there if I don't say this, just gotta bear with this embarrassing line.
"...Please save Rasfi."
"I got you."
<TLN: Catch the latest updates and edits at Sousetsuka .com >
I flew back to the battlefield afterward. Ah man, so much to do.
I saw Werewolf still fighting Rasfin.
Looking at its stats, it hasn't taken much damage.
It's still got plenty of MP and SP left too.
Rasfin is not suffering from a grave wound either, but you can see injuries from claws and stuff on her.
She's probably taking a defensive approach of avoiding fatal damage while wearing down the Werewolf, but at the rate it's going, she's gonna go down first.
Aah man. I've got no choice but to help her, not after Bared asked with that face.
Guess I should try ramming the Werewolf at high speed from a blind spot?
While I was thinking that, the Werewolf took a new set of actions.
"Guaaa!?"
"Wha!? Y-you bastard!"
It pretended to swing down its claw at Rasfin and hit another adventurer instead.
Then it kept going after other adventurers.
"Gyaaa!!"
"O-ooooww! It hurts!"
"W-why's it coming here! Waaaaa!!"
...That shitty bastard shifted its target to adventurers that were busy dealing with other magic beasts.
"You damn fiend! Stoop!"
The enraged Rasfin went slashing at the Werewolf while yelling out.
...Watch out!
『Guruaaaa!』
"Hiiie! H-help me!"
"Kuh!? How low will you go!"
The Werewolf grabbed a dagger wielding boy and hung him ahead to act as a shield against Rasfin.
Rasfin stopped moving, leaving an opportunity for it to swing down its claw at her.
She's gonna get killed! Damn, make it in time!
As I was gonna fly in between them and stop the attack.
GOSU!!
I heard a familiar sound.
The same sound I heard when I was getting attacked by goblins in the magic beast forest back then.
Alma has just kicked the exposed vital point (man-only) of the Werewolf from behind.
『GUGYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!?』
It reflexively let go of the boy while screaming out loud and sending drools flying everywhere from the acute pain.
T-that gotta hurt! I can feel the pain just from watching!
Alma-san, good job and all, but that kinda attack in that kinda serious battle is a bit...
Or what? Maybe she thinks kicking the groins is the answer to any and all problems? Just please don't let me be the receiving end. I beg of you.
All the male adventurers and magic beasts who saw that scene turned pale faced while holding their groins. Yup, that's the normal reaction.
Where'd all that tension go. How.
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