Shade's Illusion-

Elou said it will be a hell of a fight. But...

"Hey, guys why are we running away from it again?" You're the first one who started Elou! He's even having a hard time catching his breath.

"Well, it's because we can't literally hit the shade physically so we need to use magic attacks and because it's so fast, we can't hit it," I said while also running away.

"Guys I'll catch its attention and focus your magic attacks on it. I hope can make it go somehow," I suggested. We can't think of a solid plan because we didn't expect it to be immune to physical attacks.

I changed my direction to pull the aggro away from the team. I spammed my fireballs and it wasn't that effective but at least we can still attack it.

How can it attack me with physical attacks when he's a shade? It would be logically impossible to use physical attacks. Maybe I'm missing something out.

"Hey, Scy I heard that it usually has immunity to physical attacks but when it uses its attacks, the immunity will be disabled for a moment. It will be our chance to strike a solid blow," He said. Nice Elou, you did your research.

"Here it comes! Focus guys!" The shade is preparing to unleash its attack on me!

I turned around and blocked it using my shield on my back. At the same time, I once again made a turn grabbing my hidden dagger from my waist slashing its body.

It worked! I tore a part of its body. Its body is as soft as cloth but hits like a boulder. They also manage to land a blow and magic spells.

"I told you it was weak to use those cowardly skills!" I laughed trying boosting our fighting spirit.

Suddenly, the Shade got pissed! He disappeared again from our sight! It was planning a surprise attack! Our support would be in trouble if they get caught by its attacks.

"Regroup guys! Get ready to defend. It's its cowardly tricks again!" I ordered. I need to order them or they don't know what to do.

"When it shows up use range spells to stop its movements. Elou, prepare to counter," I ordered.

"Ahhhhhh!" Elou cried!

The Shade grabbed his leg from below and pulled him away from us! As soon as we get near him, he looks like he's already asleep with a face like having a nightmare. We tried our best but we couldn't wake him up! This is bad.

(DARK MANIPULATION: Creates illusions that mainly causes targets to be afflicted by fear, sleep or other negative effects that weakens the mind.)

Nightmare is a spell which causes the target to have the worst dream when a target is affected by a sleep spell. If in that dream he dies, he will also die here in the game. That would be bad. The only way we can cancel the nightmare is to have a good support that cancels a curse or we defeat the one who used it. Our only choice is to defeat it because Lili can't remove debuffs yet.

Sleeping while sleeping huh...

We didn't expect it to go below the ground. Damn it!

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

It disappeared again.

"Be careful guys! We don't want to end up like Elou," I said but...

As soon as I check the girls, they are already lying on the ground! Holy Cow! Not again! Damn it to hell! It's just the Shade and me.

So, I'm the only one who can save them. Jeez, I just said that they should be careful.

I've felt something is coming from below so, I reflexively avoided its grab! It decided to show up. I can read its tactics. He's thinking like, "He's the only one left. It will be easier" But I'm aware of that. You think I'm just your typical adventurer? You're wrong.

"You know, I want to try something out. But I can't show it to the team. It's what I call fiery fists," I tried to talk to it but I think it can't understand me.

I concentrated my mana into my fists. They said your own magic won't hurt you. I hope so because this won't be as pleasant as I imagined.

My hands started to ignite. Both my hands are covered in flames. It doesn't hurt. I hope it won't burn my equipment, though.

The shade rushed towards me and used its normal attack. I avoided it by cowering below its hand and I launched my counterpunch targeting its scary face from below.

"FIERY FIST!"

*BOOOOOOOOM!* The intense explosion burst from my hand. It was like my hand was a dynamite. Thank God it didn't affect me or I'll be in pieces by now. It was so powerful, the shade flew away and hit the ground. It was still covered in flames, caught it by surprise.

(PHYSICAL AND MAGIC COMBINATION: Consuming Energy and Mana at the same time to cause more powerful attacks. This kind of attacks can easily deplete the energy and mana of the user but it also is good to end a battle.)

What? He was trying to escape! If it manages to escape my friends would die! It tried to escape but for some reason, it couldn't escape to the ground and it's maybe because he is affected by burn status from my last move and it can't use its spell.

"RAAAAAAWR!" I concentrated my mana below my feet and it created an explosion again and I flew in an in instant and caught up to it. That was insanely fast that I wasn't expecting to catch up to it in just a mere second!

"Taste my HEAVY FIERY PUNCH!" I concentrated all my remaining mana to my right fist and punched the Shade's back with all I've got! If this won't kill it, then we're screwed because I'm all out of mana.

The moment I landed the punch, the shade shattered in pieces like it was a spilled ground coffee. Just like that, I was able to defeat it. I'm so tired because of mana exertion.

(DEATH SHADOW HAS BEEN DEFEATED.)

"Wooooh. That was fun. Hmm?" I saw a black color gemstone from the remains of the Shade. Maybe I can use it to create jewelry or something, I should save it.

(DEATH SHADOW SOULSTONE: A stone that contains the soul of the Death Shadow.)

"Hey Scy, what happened? Ouch, my head hurts. I remember dreaming the same scene over and over again. It was like a freaking Genj*tsu man," Elou's grabbing his head because of the pain he's feeling right now. And I think he is talking about a technique of some kind by a ninja if I remember it correctly.

"Yeah, are you guys ok now?" I asked them. Akko and Lili look ok now too.

"Yeah, Scy is there a big hole like this earlier? And where the hell did the shade go?" Elou asked.

The shade shattered into pieces and the hole was made by me. As if I can say that to you guys.

"Well, I was also sleeping earlier so I didn't see what really happened. I was the last one that's left and I tried my best but like you guys, I fell asleep too. The important thing now is we are all safe, right? Want to check the dungeon now?"

"Are you sure? After that scary monster, you still want to continue?" Well, it wasn't that bad, Elou.

"Of course, I mean we just had a good sleep, right? Just ignore the nightmare part." They just showed me the look that they're tired but they're still up for more adventure.

-Hobgoblin's Area-

Everything is back to normal. The moonlight is out now and the place is brighter so we decided to rest for a bit. We created a campfire beside the lake and ate some food. We talked a bit but Elou mostly is the one talking. He's really a funny person.

I checked my equipment. They are still in a good shape. My mana is a bit low but I'm pretty sure it would be full when we reached the dungeon if we find it soon.

That new technique I created was really good. I'm pretty sure I can beat any foes with that. I better not overestimate myself.

It's almost midnight. It took us a lot of time being lost and fighting that freaky shade they called Death Shadow. Well, now he retired being a shadow and permanently became dead. Haha! Ahem ahem.

"Alright, guys! Let's go find the dungeon!"