“...phew.” After fighting several monsters on my way, I'm in an entirely different zone. It feels like... peace? The spirits around here aren't as weighing, I haven't encountered any monsters here, this all feels different. Is that a hut? Is actually someone living here?
I look inside, it's empty and wet, though still intact with some tools inside and bedding. So I guess if it has been abandoned, it happened recently.
I check up with the feeling in my head, the [Spouse-Location]. All three are almost on top of each other which actually gives me the impression that I'm farther away than before. Yet that wouldn't make any sense unless they're moving faster away from me than I get closer to them which would be insanely stupid of them.
The other option would be that they have found each other which would be kinda annoying, thinking about how I have just lost of some of my privacy by accepting [Spouse-Location]. ...or that [Spouse-Location] also works within the girls, a case which would make the description of it bad, but it's a patched shenanigan after all. Let's assume that, otherwise it'll be irritating.
If that's the case, then we'll meet up soon. I follow the feeling and the more I do so, the more I have the feeling that they're really closing the distance to each other, two are in the same direction, one is somewhere else. I guess I'll follow the single one for starters then. It's the feeling I was following from the beginning after all.
I'm tired. Today, a lot has happened, and being in this swamps makes me feel so numb and drowsy. However, if I sleep now, I'm sure that things get worse, I'll eventually run out of time, and wake up as a [Student]. I don't want that, so I just need to keep pushing myself.
Oh, a frog. It has a small, flexible tail. Also, the squelching from my boots starts to sound different. Is the rain a bit heavier than before? Why do I even pay that much attention to these details right now? Ah, because I'm tired of course, my focus is all over the place, literally.
Time to down an SP-potion. It's actually an energy brew, something like an energy drink, so I hope it's enough to wake me up. Ah, usually I don't even take my time to taste the sourness, but now it's welcoming. I feel like my senses are returning to their usual performance... Or maybe they start imagining things, as I hear battle-cries.
How probable is it that a battle is right in the direction where one of the girls is? ...actually, it seems too likely, as each of them has traits that make it easy to imagine how it could escalate. It's most likely Ara'ainn though. She may be intelligent and smart, but she has even less common-sense than Rine.
This will be a pain. I follow the [Spouse-Location] and therefore the origin of the sounds, this is like an all-out battle between... well, it sounds close enough to Crunch, so I guess ss'rak. Against who? Metal against wood... Some hisses, a lot of jumbled words, are they fighting monsters? Or each other? But metal... this clang, it's Rine.
Please don't tell me that she attacked a village of ss'rak, thinking of them as monsters or because of some other misunderstanding. Or have the ss'rak captured Kyou-san and Ara-san and Rine is about to free them? Also possible, not being capable of telling distances with [Spouse-Location] is terrible. Worst designed feature ever. It's like one of those mission arrows in games, the worst ones also don't come with a distance specification and only shows the direction instead of the fastest route which can cause you to go cross-country as you think it's a shortcut while you're actually in a labyrinth of terrain and monsters instead and may find yourself in front of a wall, unable to proceed beyond that point while your map does nothing.
Looking at their stats doesn't help at all, it's like all of them are somehow in battle. “Phew...” Nonetheless, I should first get a better picture. I activate [Mask of Wildlife], [Sneak], and even [Hide Smell] to make it harder to perceive me. My [Camouflage]-skill doesn't change when I move, and if I'm approaching a settlement, I don't know if the color pattern from this environment will do me anything good. [Camouflage] costs too much SP for this.
I approach the origin of these sounds. There... why are ss'rak battling each other? In the middle are some fast-moving blurs... [Focus]. This one is Rine like I suspected, I know how she fights and whenever it looks like she's about to be overwhelmed she just shifts up her gear and this results in this fast-paced movements. What about the other... A blue-haired alfr... OK, what the fuck is going on, why is Rine fighting an alfr in the midst of a mud-pile village of ss'rak?
She's also losing, she just got hit right at her hip after the maybe eighteenth attack, but then the alfr disengages again, using his wooden sword which grows due to his [Spirit Magic] for some ranged attacks just before Rine could mount a counter...
The alfr speaks, I use [Pitch] to listen in despite all the background noises: “You also have a magic weapon, right? Otherwise, it should have been already shattered. Mine is called Ashenvalm, how about yours?”
“Friedensbote.”
“Wow, that's awesome, it's been a while since I crossed blades for more than a moment. Totally forgot how it is to actually put some effort into combat.”
“Thanks?” Don't be flattered, Rine... Wait, I can use this moment of stillness to contact her with [Whisper], this- “Next bout!” Dammit, Rine!
As I learned before, it's a bad idea to get any messages while you're fighting. I don't want to distract her, especially seeing how she's actually on the short end of the stick here, what's with that alfr anyway? I mean, how can he best Rine? ...strategy, I guess.
If I get closer, Rine will get the status-boost of the cursed rings which will most likely give her the edge she needs. However, to do this, I need to walk through the battlefield of ss'rak, who are fighting for whatever reason. If I do that, I'll be seen.
...well, if I'm detected anyway, I can be a bit nasty. There, Rine and the alfr are back in close-quarter, but the alfr is in the offense, she's more or less just dealing with his onslaught on attacks. Sometimes he makes a quick sidestep to attack from another angle, too quick for Rine to realign herself. Though despite all that, she can still block and dodge them because she's Rine. Yet she's slowly driven into a position where she can only make the alfr hit something not as important... wait for that moment... Here! “[Whisper] Do you know that you lost the tip of your left ear earlier?” The target is the alfr.
His ears twitch and this fracture of a second of hesitation is enough. Rine cuts at his stomach, he's thrown back and squirms on the ground: “OOOOUCH! What... this... Without Pelfrm I'd be cut! What's wrong with your blade... ah, my ear, it's... it's still there... LIAR!?”
Rine cocks her head as she's too surprised to have landed a hit. Of course the attack was overwhelming, it's Friedensbote after all. It's rather a surprise that he's not dead, I mean, look at the stats of that weapon:
[Friedensbote]
Description:
A royal treasure of the Feuerberg-kingdom. A sword blessed by the human gods and a gift of the founder of the 'von Stolzherz'-family to his heirs. It's true power can only be unleashed by its rightful owners. Special (Exorcist): Double damage vs. undead and demons. Special (Heritage): All special traits are only active if someone of the von Stolzherz bloodline wields the weapon. Special (Increase attack): Adds twice the wielder's level to Attack. Special (Keen Edge): Manifold increase of keenness. Special (Prevail): Increases attack depending on the level of danger the wielder is exposed to. Status: +250 Attack (basic); +346 Attack (wielded by Katarine von Stolzherz) Value: Invaluable
It's 'Prevail'. Rine's weapon becomes stronger when she's in danger, so whenever that alfr tries to actually hurt her, it's attack power grows enormously, looking at how he's even stronger than her.
Why does the ground- I jump ahead and run over the battlefield which now looks like a much better place than a second ago, as roots start to protrude out of the ground, trying to impale the space I was just standing. [Root Lances], huh?
Ah, the ss'rak are looking in my direction... and a bunch of them immediately stop fighting. “Rensha” ...OK, I think I know what it is: The latest chapter of how [Rangers] are people so extraordinary that everyone loses their mind about them. Especially seeing how they bow down to me.
The few left standing look as surprised as I feel. “KENTA!” Here she comes, ignoring all the ss'rak around her, Rine runs to me, her open arms show me how much she wants to hug me. I can feel how her presence boosts our [Attributes], but I have no idea what to do about that hug: When I try to resist, more often than not it ends up with me being hurt... Palm-barrier! “urgh-” It worked! Rine's face presses against my outstretched hand and she stops.
You gain 1 WP. You have reunited with your wife. If you had just let her embrace you, this reunion would have been so much more romantic.
Shut up.
The alfr jumps to his feet like someone from a martial arts movie. “Can you please reproduce somewhere else?" Then he turns to the ss'rak. "Also, why are you bowing to him?”
A strong-looking one answers: “He ish a ranger. We honor rangers.”
“Is that all? I mean, I can do everything a ranger can do.”
Rine asks the devastating question: “But are you a ranger?”
The alfr flicks his ear a bit. “Erm... no.”
“You see! Kenta is an actual ranger, so of course he's revered!” Rine, why are you boasting with me.
“But I'm better than him...” He's pouting like a child... well, he is an alfr after all, which means that his mental development is forever trapped in puberty. I guess this one wants to be one of the cool boys.
You know what? All the 'cool boys' suck. They're just a bunch of jerks, whose sole reason for their confidence is their hormone gauge.
“No, you're not.” Wait Rine, I don't like where this is going on. “Kenta is the best!”
“He's not!”
“Sure he is!”
“He's not!”
“He totally is!”
I don't know what is worse, that childishness at display here, or that the ss'rak seem to be amused about this... or how should I phrase it... I have the feeling that they enjoy this kind of drama... thinking about it, back in the Vulkan-mountains, they also meddled in my affairs with Kyou-san... could it be, that they're closet drama-fans!?
“Then I'll show you. I'll fight him and then you know how pathetic he is!”
“Bring it on!”
“Wait, Rine!”
“What is, Dear?”
“I'm not your Dear!” Ah, my head! After three seconds of valuable facepalm-time, I'm ready to explain her in the easiest way, why this is the worst idea since... no, entering the Spirit Swamps was not a bad idea! “Rine, who is stronger in combat? You or me?”
“Me?”
“Exactly. Then who is stronger, you or him?”
“Him?”
“Then what do you believe, who is stronger: He or I?”
“You!”
… The ss'rak cheer, while I double karate-chop the air, as I'm unable to express my emotions in any other way right now. “Dammit, this isn't rock-paper-scissors!”
[https://kentusauthor.files.wordpress.com/2019/09/06-5-2.png]I can't read the alfr's face well, as alfar lack many facial muscles and therefore aren't as expressive as humans, but I'm sure that he feels pity for me. “Well,” he begins: “I'll just end it, OK?”
He blurs away, but Rine blocks his wooden blade, it feels like a moment of slow-motion, both, alfr and her are looking into each other's eyes. “You can't beat us! Dear and I are in love, and love always prevails!”
“Love? As expected from humans.” The alfr jumps back, this jump is several meters long. “But this is supposed to be a duel, right? So why are you interfering, Kati!”
Wait, he calls her Kati!? “Because Dear and I are fighting as one.” I know it's unintentional, but this certainly sounds like Rine wants to exploit a proverb to trick that alfr.
“Oh yeah? You can even invite more, I'm still better! I'll show it, bring it on!” He also falls for it... Well, I guess it's better than facing him in my own, right? Though I'm not sure how well it will go, as teamwork between Rine and me is at best covering weak spots, we can't coordinate our attacks in a meaningful way unless we're facing superior numbers.
The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.
Now that this 'duel' is set, the prominent ss'rak begins yelling: “Make more space. Ss'rak, come out from your huts. Matriarch, come out of hiding. I, the patriarch, declare this battle as important. Let all the ss'rak see if wisdom or power shall decide our future.”
OK, what is that supposed to mean?
Another ss'rak steps forward. “I, the matriarch, accept. Your welcome guest against mine.” Hey, are they just shoving something political onto our shoulders? ...fuck it, I have no time to complain.
“I am Lvo'tjos, the moon-hero!” The alfr swings his sword, this movement looks like some sort of sword dance. It earns some cheers from the audience.
“I'm bestowed with the name of Katarine von Stolzherz, the [Princess Knight].” OK Rine, the way you just threw your sword in the air and somersaulted, only to catch it again, in addition to the perfectly timed words, I'm sure that you've practiced it. Just why!? It's not like you knew it would come to this... More cheers are coming, this may be the most dangerous battle in my entire hero-career, as shitty as it was so far, so why all that theater?
Now all eyes are on me. Do they expect me to do something? Well, you know what, I'll do something, I slowly open my hip quiver and take four arrows out, lining each of them on my bow, that I also retrieve. I'll show you the best trickshot of all! “[Quadruple Shot]!” Aiming all of them at the alfr.
“[Warp Wood]!” Suddenly, all of the arrows bend midair, the alfr smirks at me. Whenever an alfr smirks, it's because they're so amused that even the lack of facial muscles can't hide it. OK, so he has [Spirit Magic] for combat purposes which I already thought of, but now I got proof. ...I'm doomed, right?
He quickens his movements, but [Focus] plus my [Perception]-rank is enough to see where he's heading. Only problem is that he's aiming for me again, and since it's the most direct route, I have next to no time to react.
*Clang* Rine blocks his attack and they enter a new clash... well, I'm useless here, because when I attack him, I may hit Rine instead, because both of them are so fast... “Phew...” However, it doesn't feel as bad as it used to feel. This time, Rine has the edge as well! This is what Ara-san and I found out that the bonuses to [Attributes] by the ring are better than a mere level up. However, I can still use a tactic which is a valuable PvP (Player versus Player) asset... trolling! “[Whisper] OK, when you were challenging me, I thought you were more than just a n00b.”
Ah, he [Whisper]s back: “Who do you call noob?”
“[Whisper]: She will kick you now.”
“Do you th-argh.” This is the moment when that Luuto-bastard got kicked into the side.
“[Whisper]: Next it's the elbow.”
“You ca-aaagh!” Called it.
Luuto disengages with some backflips. It looks somewhat cool, then he throws some wooden blades at Rine... Of course she does her usual thing, picking them up with her sword and throwing them back, however, Luuto does the same afterward... then Rine... then Luuto... OK, this just turned into a tennis match. Or a quite usual mechanism for action-adventure games. In those you just have to keep up usually... “[Whisper]: Luuto?”
“Wha-” This time he's not hurt, he just throws the blades in a random direction. “...” Now he doesn't [Whisper] but yells instead: “What's wrong with you!” He points his blade at me, while his face is calm, his voice carries that tone of annoyance... my plan works! His weakness is trolling!
Time to use that voice: “What's up, are you distracted?” My malicious glee is seeping through my voice, the perfect way to confer arrogance and scorn.
“You... Well, I was trying to be nice! I mean, I really did my best, do you know how hard it is to hold back?”
He's holding back? Or is he bluffing? Please, let it be the latter. “Hold back your blunders?” Still, troll-train.
“!$#!” I'm inside his head, it's really like taunting some middleschooler in a chat, who thinks so high of himself. You can gloat if your skills back it up. Well, Luuto is right to be confident in this strength... “You know what? That's nothing for me, I'm so much stronger than you all, so why should I care what you think about me?”
“Oh, how cute. Trying to act tough.”
“ACT TOUGH!? ...I'll hurt you, I'll hurt you so much.”
“Now you use violence, what would the other alfar think of you.”
“*Hiiii...huuu…*” His ears are trembling while he's deeply inhaling and exhaling, he's royally pissed. This part of my plan worked, I just hope that it won't backfire.
“Kenta...” Rine, why are you looking at me like I've just ascended onto a new level of coolness while I did something which is considered the worst? “I can't fall back!” Now Rine runs up to Luuto and starts attacking him, he dodges everything but doesn't mount a single counterattack, this shows that he's mentally too occupied by my trolling. Great!
However, no matter how much Rine pressures him, he easily dodges, especially as he has forfeited his offense for now. He may be even better than I initially thought, if that's even possible.
In this current bout, he looks in thought, then he finishes it by hitting Rine's blade hard enough to make her fly back a few meters, though she makes a salto and lands on her feet, making her look just more competent in the progress. “I've decided,” Luuto explains: “Kenta, I will break your penis!”
...a moment of pause, then Rine blushes deeply: “But he still needs it! I mean... I mean... erm, you know...” She fidgets while saying it... hey, what are you imagining?
My reaction, however, stems from the realms of biology: “...YOU CAN'T BREAK THAT!”
“Try to stop me,” Luuto gloats.
“No, I meant that LITERALLY! There is no goddamn bone, idiot!” A penis fracture is a misleading term, as it's rather a rupture of- Oh god, the horror!
“Wait, if there is no bone, how can they get so hard?”
Oh god, am I really here, about to explain that idiot of an alfr how human erections work!? In the midst of a battlefield? “Phew...” Don't do that, me, this is a lost cause. Just try to convince him, that there is no need to-
“Let's see, if you're trying to deceive me. Just let me try and if it doesn't work, you're right!”
“...I won't let you in my nether regions!”
“Are you afraid?”
“He's not!” Ah, Rine, remembered that you're part of this conversation? “But it's off limits!”
“Come on, just let me have it once!”
“I won't let you have it! They don't belong to you!” Now it sounds like Rine and Luuto are fighting over my penis. This hurts, my head hurts so bad.
“Who do they belong to? You?”
Rine blushes a bit: “Yes!” No, they don't! “They also belong to Kyou and Ara.”
Luuto's voice becomes sharper: “Then I'll take them and make sure that they're not good anymore!” ...this is astronomically stupid! Yet I have actual concerns! Argh, my common-sense just took a critical hit!
So it's no surprise that I start yelling at both of them: “THEY BELONG TO ME, THANK YOU!”
“They are yours?” Luuto says in a menacing tone: “Then I will make them mine.” With this, he starts his next attack.
―○●○―
“EEEAAAAAAH!” Another shockwave, but as I'm currently an [Acrobat], I'm agile enough to evade it before it leaves the voice's jaws, though my head feels heavy with all these sound-based attacks. Other than Momo or the ss'rak, I can hear some uncomfortable high-frequency sounds.
This is also the reason why I wasn't able to shorten the distance so far. This big ss'rak is capable of using a [Sound]-spell which acts as a shield. Not only does the spell attack my hearing, but my inner organs as well. The moment I'm stunned by this spell, I'm hit by the tail. I sure hope that it didn't break my nose.
However, the problem with ranged attacks is that I can only use my spells in [Druid]-class while I want to use the [Acrobat]'s mobility. Of course, I already have a strategy, but this requires the perfect moment.
My staff is lying on the ground several looafs away from my current position, but I don't need it, because I'm busy with a rope. I concentrate my ears on my enemy and my eyes on the rope. Here we go, a lasso. The Voice also seem to be sufficiently weakened.
Time for operation 'animal-taming'. I head directly to the ss'rak, who of course, inhales to use his [Sound]-protection. I jump backwards into the air, [Like the Wind] allows me to leap several times the distance that is usually possible, then I change to [Druid] midair: “[Fountain Gun]!” I aim at his open jaws, but before I even finish the spell, I change back to [Acrobat] to deal with the falling.
The soundwave bursts the water, just as expected, but that's what the rope is for. While the Voice reflexively closes its eyes due to the water-explosion, I jump at him and throw the loop around his neck. Then I leap over him while holding the lasso tight. The Voice might be bigger and stronger than me, on the other hand, I have my superior jumping capabilities. The loop tightens now around his neck, giving him a start.
I run at the closest tree around here and quickly bind it there in a particular knot we alfar call 'the hangman'. One branch to hold the weight, the other one to pull, it's similar to a tree-based pulley block. I change to [Druid] to activate this specific trap: “[Warp Plants]!” The branch bends upwards, pulling the rope which causes the Voice to be thrown from his feet.
Usually, the lasso would be wrapped around an ankle, instead of the neck, but I need to limit his vocal capabilities. It's not a prank, it's a fight. “Urghh...” The ss'rak is too heavy to be lifted up, it's the branches that worries me more.
I need to use the time efficiently. I begin my chant, each syllable making a small change to the environment. I can be glad that it's raining right now, and the swamps themselves are humid, it's much easier to gather the necessary water: “[Tidal Wave]!” The spell swallows the ss'rak, blunt force combined with being washed away, while he wasn't capable of moving properly.
A limb figure hangs on the rope, I can hear Momo gasp, maybe she thinks that he's dead. Considering the hardness of ss'rak scales, killing him by strangling was unlikely to begin with, but I can also hear his shallow breathing. I walk closer to him, “[Ignite]” and burn the knot. The Voice of Muaotef falls to the ground, he's still conscious, but I have shown my superiority.
Maybe I should make it like an ss'rak? I put my foot on his head: “I declare myself victorious. The matter is resolved.” The underlings of the voice begrudgingly applaud me while I walk up to Momo: “Kenta-kun is already with Katarine-san, we should hurry nonetheless.” It is not only the feeling of the [Spouse-Location] that tells me, also several outcries and Kenta yelling about something.
“Arako... I didn't know that you could be so... reliable.”
“This hurts, I think I'm a very reliable person.”
“No, you're the greatest slacker I've ever met.”
“Ahem.” This is a great compliment, as I see slackers as people who are excellent in working smart. Or not at all.
We follow the [Spouse-Location] and come to a village made out of mud. This certainly looks like the perfect condition to build a ss'rak settlement, it's dirty and malodorous. There is a circle of ss'rak. They're most likely looking at another battle, these curious bystanders. I change to [Acrobat] and jump on a mud-roof, it's slick, only my [Balance] keeps me from falling.
In the middle are people fighting, but I can't discern who, they look like colored spots to me. The only thing that alfr-eyes lack is farsight. No matter how good they are, this distance is too much for me. However, the [Spouse-Location] makes it clear that Kenta-kun is one of the spots. I think he just turned my way, maybe because he feels how I was suddenly on a different height level when jumping on the roof.
I only have moments before I lose my best time for an entrance. I jump in their direction over the ss'rak-crowd, carefully managing my landing position, I want to not only land on both feet at the same time, due to the wet ground, but I also want to slide a bit for maximum epicness... Mission accomplished.
Now I can see everyone, there is Kenta-kun, there is Katarine-san, there- “Lvo'tjos?” This is the alfr-hero I've heard about? Also, he has to be the one who separated us all.
His spirit is beik, why is it beik? “Erm... hey, Ara'ainn, what's up?”
“You haven't written to me.”
“You know, I had broken arms.”
“For twenty-odd years?”
“Very badly broken arms.”
“They don't look broken anymore.”
“Hey,” Kenta-kun interrupts us, “is that guy one of the other heroes from your summoning?“ That's Kenta-kun, he doesn't need to ask if I know Lvo'tjos or how we're related, he just affirms his own idea.
“That's correct, this is Lvo'tjos, also known as guinea pig #1.”
“Oh, Kenta!” Rine whispers to Kenta-kun, not realizing that I can hear it: “Maybe he's Ara'ainn's former lover?”
This presumption is typical for humans. “No, he's not.” In the first place, what humans imagine when they hear 'lover' is vastly different from an alfr understanding. “There are also more important matters than my nonexistent... what is it called? Lovelife?” At least I believe it's nonexistent as there are still some open questions regarding Kenta-kun, but as I have dismissed any current chances to explore that nebulous area of relationships, I conclude that 'nonexistent' is the right term to describe my current status about love.
“Well,” Lvo'tjos looks at me and the beikness intensifies. He has noticed that my attention is on him which makes him feel more uncertain. “How about we just cut the talking and go back to fighting? I have a penis to break.”
“...Kenta-kun, what is he talking about?”
“I don't want to comment to that.”
“Ara, Ara! He's trying to break Kenta's penis.”
“So what? He will grow a new one.”
“What am I, a duck!?”
“You are a human, Kenta.”
“Don't talk to me like I don't know that!”
Usually, I would use this opportunity to make even more fun of him, but some matters are more important. “Be that as it may, I need to confirm something first. Lvo'tjos why do you wield Ashen-”
“HEEEYAA!” Instead of letting me finishing his question, he throws some blades at Katarine-san, who deflects them back, though he uses Ashenvalm—the magical wooden blade that was originally bestowed upon Egve'rein—to deflect them back.
“[Seeker]!” The same time Katarine-san repels the blades once more, Kenta-kun shoots his arrow from another angle. Looking at how Lvo'tjos suddenly moves his ears and eyes away, Kenta-kun also used [Distraction].
“[Fountain Gun]!” I also launch my spell. If Lvo'tjos is liberally trying to divert from the topic the conversation is heading to, seeing how his armor and bracelet also had other original owners, then I will force him to tell me.
Instead of facing any of our attacks, Lvo'tjos jumps into the air.
I change to [Acrobat], but Kenta-kun is actually faster than me: “[Rising Point]!” An air current builds up around him as he readies his spear, and then catapults him while still surrounding him.
Lvo'tjos, however, catches the blade: “You're just an anno-” Kenta-kun yanks the spear as Lvo'tjos tries to insult him. With one pull, both of them are closer, and Kenta-kun tries to headbutt Lvo'tjos, who somehow is capable of dodging it mid-air: “-yance!” He's about to use the spear to throw Kenta-kun to the ground with full force.
However, I'm already above both of them: “[Stingfall]!” Using my staff like a nail, I'm about to hit one of them. Which one is hard to tell at this point, though if Lvo'tjos doesn't move away, I'm positive it will be him.
From below another skill comes: “[Crescent Moon]!” Katarine-san fires a wind blade at the same time which makes me question whether my move was that smart after all.
There are several outcomes to the current situation, but some of them include that her [Crescent Moon] will hit Kenta-kun or me.
“Not today!” Lvo'tjos uses Ashenvalm in conjunction with his own magic, making it grow to break the [Crescent Moon]. Then he swings at me. The blade hits my staff and I'm pushed farther into the air, though he has overlooked Kenta-kun, who just took out something from his belt pouch, a fire bomb.
A fiery explosion occurs, I change to [Druid] as I can see how Lvo'tjos hurries outside of it: “[Icicly Knives]!” I create ice shards in my hands that I throw at him.
He's capable of deflecting all of them, but he's close to the ground again: “I got you!” It's Katarine-san, who was already waiting for him. Instead of facing her, he uses a skill, is it [Dash]? He moves up to Kenta-kun, who was also in the fire explosion and is recovering from the fall. “Kenta!” Suddenly, Katarine-san also moves at an accelerated rate, has she just unlocked another skill?
This causes Lvo'tjos to change course. “Hey, hey! That's unfair, three against one...”
“It's the power of love!” Proclaims Katarine-san.
Kenta-kun's assessment is a bit different: “Power of love my ass.”
Lvo'tjos spirit is uvre, it's a sign of disdain. “Power of love? I see, I see. Of course, you're humans after all. Let me tell you something: Each alfroid species has its own thing. For the dwarves, it's greed, for the ss'rak it's honor, and for humans it's love. Your power is your weakness, and I'll show you! If you're as good as I am in [Spirit Magic], you can take the feelings of someone and reflect them towards themselves. So let me show you my trick!”
I go next to Kenta-kun who still struggles to stand straight. However, he also doesn't lose time and throws another fire bomb, which Lvo'tjos counters with a blade. “Phew!”
Katarine-san appears calm: “Show it!”
For me, I'm honestly interested. It could be a [Spirit Magic]-spell I've never seen as Lvo'tjos isn't a psychiatrist and therefore never learned how to influence other people's minds himself... properly.
“You preach love? I will show you love, Kati! You're the one thing I can't properly estimate, so I'll just make you stop fighting as I take your love and make me look like the one who you love most! This is easy. Humans can't harm the ones they love.” I... after seeing how Katarine-san treats Kenta-kun at times, I'm sure that for humans, loving and hurting each other are not mutually exclusive. This is something Lvo'tjos might not have realized yet. Still a risk though.
I feel a change... As the tide of battle is currently on our side, I try to interfere with his spell, but it's too strong. I already thought so, as Lvo'tjos has been a hero for a century and the last time I saw him, he was level 319. He hasn't fought so far to kill us, but to make a point.
Suddenly, Katarine-san looks wide-eyed at Lvo'tjos who laughs in glee: “Yes, now I'm your beloved Kenta, and you can't harm him, right!?”
However, she falls on her knees and she shows the human reaction of crying. For some reason, humans start releasing tear fluid whenever they're emotionally excited. “No--- nono! The one I love- NO! NOOOOO!” Her cries grow harder and harder to understand, this isn't the reaction I had thought would happen.
Same goes for Lvo'tjos whose surprise even marks his face.
Only one person sighs as if this was inevitable. “Phew... here we go.”