Chapter 39 - An extreme resolution

Who could have guessed that things would turn out this way? While the group of users had faced some difficulties, none of them truly expected to be up against such a powerful foe. The fight for their survival had begun, and the only thing they could do was give everything they had to face a monster that would be impossible to defeat under normal circumstances.

[Skill: Physica Naguru Lv1] [Low-level buff that exponentially increases the physical abilities and attack skills of the target]

Empowered by their companion's reinforcement spell, Drake and Kazue felt more prepared than ever. However, only the girl seemed excited about the upcoming battle, while the blonde, the only one with true combat experience, gritted his teeth tightly, trying to keep his nerves in check.

“I’ll go first!”

Li shouted, book in hand and gathering all the energy he could, while the other two at the front quickly moved aside, their enhanced speed allowing them to react instantly.

”[GANZU METALO]”

Immediately, four large spiked metal spheres materialized above Li's head and shot like rockets toward the Lord of Envy, who had just risen after crashing into one of the walls. Three of the projectiles struck him squarely across his body, while the last one missed and blasted a large hole in the wall. Despite the direct hits, the attacks barely moved him, as though the damage had been completely ineffective.

“Fuck!”

Noticing where the attack had come from, the guardian lunged at Li, swinging his golden scythes at a dizzying speed. It would take him only a few seconds to reach Li, far faster than the man could react. However, before he could get close, the Lord stretched his arms to both sides, immediately blocking the incoming strikes, which had arrived just as quickly. These were an electrical blow from Kazue using her technique [Thunder Piercing Hand] and a straight punch from Drake, enhanced by his [Electro-Gilded Stimulators], both empowered by a buff that enveloped their bodies in an aura resembling fire.

The impacts were tremendous, echoing loudly throughout the area. The girl's strike unleashed a brilliant flash and countless sparks, while the blonde's punch even caused a small shockwave, yet, neither attack seemed to do more than momentarily halt the guardian. He quickly responded by slashing sideways at this new threat, launching incredibly fast attacks that both young fighters barely managed to dodge by jumping aside, taking advantage of their enhanced speed.

However, Li wasn’t about to waste that brief moment. His book began to glow more intensely than ever before, signaling that he was putting everything he had into his next attack.

”[RAAJIA IGNIS]”

At the same time, the small Falk seemed to understand what was happening and used his mimicry skill to repeat the exact same words and tone.

Quickly, two red circles appeared above both casters, from which the snouts of fire-made red dragons emerged. They opened their jaws and unleashed a pair of flames that engulfed the body of the Lord of Envy, leaving him unable to react. The heat was so intense that Drake and Kazue had to retreat further to avoid being affected as well, while the golden skeleton tried to shield its chest with its scythes.

Due to the sea of flames, no one could see what was happening inside the fiery cloak. In reality, however, not much damage was being inflicted. Even though the group was unaware that the guardian was weak to fire and electricity, the strength of their techniques was so low that it hardly mattered. Yet, something was preventing the Lord from simply emerging from the flames—something beyond the fact that he was already quite damaged from his battle against the Admiral.

It was at that moment, when everyone thought the battle was won, that a notification appeared before Li.

[Skill: Onyx Hex of Envy Lv9] [All of your skills are now sealed]

“What?!”

Red chains quickly formed around the man, wrapping around his body like snakes, only to vanish after completely encasing him, as if they were mere illusions. However, at that moment, his book abruptly stopped glowing, and the circles of fire above him and Falk faded away, along with the dragon heads and the flames that had kept the enemy at bay.

With the spellcaster out of commission, the rest fell to the others, especially Drake and Kazue. Fortunately, they still retained the buff cast on them since it wasn’t a spell requiring constant channeling. However, that only meant they would be left defenseless once its effects wore off. The monster charged directly at Li once more, swinging its scythes and demonstrating that this time the rocks melted like butter at the slightest contact with the golden blades. The man wouldn’t have a chance to escape, but he would try anyway.

With a leap backward, he evaded the first slash, then the second and third. But when the fourth came, one of the blades grazed his left leg. What should have been a mere scratch turned into a horrific burn that cauterized instantly, causing him indescribable pain. But it was clear the attack wouldn’t end there… With Li unable to keep dodging, the next strikes would hit him and they would be fatal. Even though Drake and Kazue rushed to his aid at full speed, they were nowhere near close enough to reach him, let alone attempt to physically stop the enemy whose body now radiated such extreme heat.

Then, a single gunshot echoed through the air, and to everyone’s shock, the Lord not only stopped dead in his tracks but also began stumbling backward violently. Astonished, they all turned toward the source of the shot and saw Nikolai, his face etched with terror as if he might faint at any moment. He seemed completely unaware of what he had just done. But what exactly had he done? The pistol he held was meant to paralyze opponents and wasn’t intended for offensive use. Yet, it had not only stopped an A- rank monster but also appeared to have inflicted real damage.

No one understood what had happened, but they didn’t waste the opportunity. The girl and the blonde reached their injured companion and carried him back to the group. None of them had a first aid kit, so they left him in Sebastian’s care. He pulled out a canteen and poured water over the burn, carefully peeling away the stuck clothing and cleaning the wound as best as he could. Meanwhile, the others spoke quickly, trying to figure out what Nikolai had done, but he couldn’t give them an answer—he didn’t understand it himself. Thaddeus, however, stood frozen, watching the Lord of Envy stagger, struggling to rise as his scythe-like arms trembled.

He had seen it! He had managed to catch what had happened. The desperate shot from the man beside him had miraculously passed through the golden scythes and struck the exposed center of the Lord—the same center that displayed that strange, bright blue flame. It had been left completely exposed and unprotected after two blows from Admiral Augustus had shattered the armor so it was now in the open, meaning that… In that moment, Thaddeus's eyes lit up as he finally understood everything.

"The center! The center is its weakness! We need to attack that flame in its chest directly!"

Shouted the young scientist, losing his composure as he yelled and drew the strange mechanical revolver from his belt. It seemed odd to the others, but they didn’t stop to question how Thaddeus knew this or if there was any connection. All they knew was that, at least now, they had a clearer and more straightforward target. Of course, calling it "easier" was just a euphemism, given the circumstances.

Drake and Kazue were the most troubled, as they had the hardest task, not to mention the persistent problem of the heat radiating from the monster. However, as if he had read their thoughts, Li, between gasps, raised his voice and said to them:

“Don’t waste any time. At most, you have one minute left on the booster... Attack with everything you’ve got, even if you get hurt... [Physica Naguru] will give you some resistance to the heat, and remember, you can heal once we’re back in the lobby... Just don’t die.”

Despite the serious expression on his face and his effort to steady his words, it was clear he was suffering extreme pain. It was remarkable that he was still conscious; a normal person would have fainted long ago from the shock. The girl and the blonde exchanged worried glances, understanding that this was the only way to survive. Their reaction was unusual; most would behave like Nikolai, who could barely stand due to fear. Meanwhile, Kazue was starting to feel excited, lost in her own fantasies, while Drake wore a resigned expression as if this wasn’t his first encounter with a life-or-death situation.

Taking a deep breath, they sprang into action, running at full speed toward their target, which was already back on its feet, though still staggering and ready to counterattack. But Li didn’t stop there; gritting his teeth, he turned to Sebastian, who had been trying to help him with his wound all this time, and handed him his grimoire.

"Open it and make your bird... do the work."

Li said, his voice strained as he continued to endure the intense burning in his leg—something the old man didn’t quite understand. What did he mean by Falk doing the work? Confused, but unable to question anything, Sebastian took the book with trembling fingers and opened it carefully. Nothing happened; the book didn’t glow at all, and inside were only markings in a strange language that resembled hieroglyphics, which he couldn’t decipher. However, Li’s cold and persistent gaze indicated that he needed to follow his orders.

"Falk, please, support them."

Immediately, as if he understood perfectly what was being asked of him, the aviatrix circled above his owner’s head before diving toward the battlefield, just as the other two were closing in on the Lord of Envy. It was at that moment that Li’s gamble finally paid off.

[Skill: Mimic Voice Lv2] [It can perfectly record and reproduce a phrase with the voice of the selected target.]

”[GANZU METALO]”

Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

Li’s voice rang clearly from the beak of the mechanical bird, and to Sebastian’s surprise, the book in his hands began to glow violently. Above the automaton, sharp projectiles manifested and shot toward the golden monster.

"Heh... That bird is absurdly useful; you’re quite lucky, old man."

The man in the hat said with a resigned smile, gritting his teeth in relief that his assumption about the grimoire’s function was correct. He thought that, perhaps, it wouldn’t be such a bad idea to acquire one of those automatons for himself. After all, it seemed the object still held power, while he had been incapacitated from using spells. He was confident he could find a way to leverage that if he planned it correctly.

That unexpected aerial support was a blessing for the attackers, as the projectiles launched were enough to force the monster to retract its scythes to protect its exposed chest. Drake and Kazue seized the opportunity, each taking a different flank and executing the same attacks they had made at the start.

For the second time, the girl’s electric strike and the boy’s powerful punch were intercepted by the golden scythes, which abandoned their defense of the Lord and extended to block the attacks. Drake felt intense pain as his fist suffered a severe burn upon contact, while his partner fared better thanks to her gauntlet. The problem now was that they had exposed themselves; it would only take one more move from the guardian to seriously injure both of them. However, before that could happen, another shot rang out—one much stronger than the one Nikolai had fired moments before.

It was Thaddeus, who timed his shot perfectly, firing directly at the flame in the Lord’s chest while it was busy defending. He hit his target squarely, and unlike Nikolai’s stun shot, this one came from a weapon loaded with real ammunition. The round exploded on impact, causing the Lord to emit a sharp, high-pitched screech for the first time, forcing everyone to cover their ears for a moment.

It was bizarre for a creature without a head to produce such a sound, but a closer look revealed that it came from within, as if the blue flame itself had somehow screamed in pain. There was no time to process the shock, though, as the Lord of Envy seemed to go berserk. It stopped moving normally, crashing into the ground repeatedly while writhing in agony. The spectacle was unsettling—enough that, unfortunately, everyone let their guard down for a moment. In that instant, the twisted golden skeleton violently lunged forward, once again ignoring the two attackers at its side and charging toward the small group in the rear.

For the second time in the battle, the support group became the target. No matter how fast the girl and the blonde tried to reach them, they wouldn’t make it in time. In desperation, Thaddeus fired two more shots, but both missed their mark. By then, it hardly mattered—the group couldn’t hope to dodge the swing of the monster’s one functioning scythe, while the other arm hung limp, dragging along the ground. All seemed lost, and the shadow of death loomed over them. But suddenly…

“[Physica Naguru]”

In the background, Falk’s voice echoed—Li’s voice, actually—as the little aviatrix desperately tried to return to its master, exclaiming one of his spells. Immediately, a strange energy, resembling fire, surged from the still-open spellbook and flowed into Sebastian. Though he didn’t fully grasp what had happened, he felt the world around him slow down, and his body suddenly felt as light as it had been many years ago.

He knew what he had to do, even though part of him still believed it was all a dream. With a surge of newfound strength, he shoved Li’s body aside and did the same with Thaddeus, grabbing him by the arm and flinging him out of harm's way, along with Nikolai, who was thankfully far enough to avoid immediate danger. It’s going to be fine, the old man thought as the blade of the scythe closed in on him. Maybe this was the moment he would finally wake up, it had been a pleasant dream, and he had enjoyed it—but now, it seemed, it was over.

The young Volta had only felt something grab his arm before being shoved aside, and as he turned, all he saw was a kind, gentle smile bidding him farewell. Sebastian’s face glowed with such calm and peace that, for a moment, Thaddeus could have sworn the old man was shining… Instinctively, he clenched his hand, not even fully aware of what he was doing until he acted. He gripped the old man's arm firmly, not just to stop himself from being pushed but to pull himself forward and, in one swift motion, he moved into position and shielded Sebastian with his own body.

“Noo!”

Li shouted as he watched the scythe pierce the boy’s back, the blade emerging from his chest. In that instant, the golden monster halted, stumbling and crashing to the ground, but the blade remained in place. Sebastian’s expression was one of utter confusion. What had happened? Why had Thaddeus done that? His wide-open eyes couldn’t comprehend what he was witnessing.

Meanwhile, behind all the horrifying spectacle, Drake’s expression shifted to one of extreme seriousness. He suddenly halted and grabbed Kazue to make her stop as well, then exclaimed in a tone that betrayed his pent-up fury.

“Do it!”

“W-what? Are you sure?!”

“Do it now!”

Kazue seemed to grasp what her companion was asking, but she hesitated. This prompted Drake to shout again, startling her into compliance. It was something they had discussed but never tried; after Adam revealed the hidden information about Drake’s stimulant cables, that option had been like a last resort they never thought they would need... until now.

Without wasting another moment, Kazue shouted the name of her technique. Instead of rushing toward the Lord to strike him, she directed it at Drake’s back, delivering a powerful and painful electric shock that made him scream. However, that was exactly what they wanted.

[Skill: Overstimulus Lv2] ⌠This skill floods the user's muscles with electric discharges, exponentially amplifying their natural physical capabilities beyond normal limits. While it grants extraordinary strength, speed, and agility, the overwhelming surge of power takes a severe toll on the muscles, leading to extreme fatigue and potential damage after the skill's effects wear off. ⌡

Drake managed to leap onto the guardian's back in one swift motion, wrapping his arms and legs around the figure like a backpack while locking the remaining functional arm in a joint lock. The Lord noticed the struggle and quickly shook himself, yanking the scythe from the ground, which caused Thaddeus's body to tumble to the floor in front of Sebastian. Despite the guardian's frantic attempts to free himself, he found himself surprisingly unsuccessful.

The extreme damage he had accumulated during his battle against the Admiral, combined with the two impacts to his core, had weakened him to the point where Drake could genuinely hold him down through sheer brute force. However, judging by the struggle and the cries of pain escaping the blond's lips, even with the physical boost from Li's spell and the secret skill from his stimulators, he could barely keep the guardian still. Who knew how many more seconds he could last like this?

On her part, Kazue dashed toward them again, fully aware of what she needed to do but doubting whether she could manage it. No, she could do it; she knew she could. This was the story of her dreams—her own story! As she advanced, she began to gather energy in her fist, just as she had learned. But that wasn't enough; the Lord of Envy had withstood two direct hits from her technique without even flinching. She needed more power—something that could pierce through. It was then that Commodore Kathlene's words echoed in her mind, reminding her of how they had practiced for hours until she could shape the electricity produced by her gauntlet and the core she now carried within.

As she moved forward, the energy in her fist began to fluctuate, losing the uniform coating she had learned to create. It twisted and started to spiral out of control. No, she needed something more, but what? A sword? No, something beyond that—something that could pierce through the minimal defense it still had left, something that could truly pass through!

It was then that the stored electrical energy began to spin, first in a chaotic manner and then taking the shape of a rotating cone. It grew slightly larger until, just before impact, the sound and form clearly resembled that of a true drill.

⌠The control of the produced electricity has taken on a new form thanks to the effort and determination of the user, Kazue Rima.⌡ ⌠…⌡ ⌠…⌡ ⌠Skill "Enhanced Thunder Piercing Hand Lv1" has been created⌡ ⌠Congratulations!⌡

That electric drill crashed directly into the core of the golden skeleton, piercing through the little armor it had left and causing Kazue's arm to sink through to the other side, narrowly missing Drake by sheer luck. The blue flame of the guardian flickered, almost extinguishing, and its movements began to slow and weaken rapidly. But then, in an instant, the flame erupted with renewed power, creating a shockwave that hurled the girl several meters back just as the fiery aura around her dissipated, returning her to normal.

Meanwhile, Drake felt the effects of the enhancement spell fading rapidly, and the golden beast seemed to grow stronger by the second. It would only be a matter of moments before he was overpowered and forced to release his hold. However, a smile formed on the boy's face as he summoned the last of his strength, managing to utter a few quiet words, barely able to catch his breath.

"Mr. Augustus was right... Your determination is remarkable, but this is the end of the line for both of us."

After that, the effect of [Overstimulus] came to an end, completing its cycle and causing the cables attached to Drake's arms and legs to explode with great force, creating a cloud of smoke around them. Amid the haze, only the lower half of the Lord could be seen coming to a complete stop, still standing, while a figure fell to the ground behind him like a sack.

⌠Enormous Sucess!!⌡ ⌠You have participated in the extermination of a target that is extraordinarily superior to the level of the scenario, and a merit has been awarded based on your contribution.⌡ ⌠Congratulations!⌡

The window appeared in front of all those present, indicating the type of merit they had earned. Drake and Kazue received a C-rank, Sebastian and Li a D-rank, and Nikolai an F-rank. But what was truly important was that a screen had also appeared in front of the blond's body, indicating that he was still alive. This realization filled Kazue's face with horror, and she rushed to his side, seeing that her companion's body was covered in burns, especially on his arms and legs, some parts even charred black. However, he seemed to be breathing and unconscious, which reassured her, but at the same time, she knew that this could be fatal if he didn't receive immediate treatment.

Desperate, she looked at the others, but all she saw was a strange window, very different from the ones usually seen in the system; it resembled a social media application. There was something resembling an emoji written on it.

image [https://i.imgur.com/kB6pnBZ.png]

What the hell was that? It didn’t matter; she didn’t have time. She needed to ask for help, but at the same time she was thinking this, she saw Sebastian and Li huddled together near Thaddeus's body, which still appeared to be alive but not for much longer due to the fatal wound he had suffered. However, what didn’t make sense were the looks of disbelief and astonishment on both men’s faces as they examined him. What was going on?

On the other hand, and rewinding a bit in time, Adam was inside the room, unable to control his body. He crouched down next to one of the injured guardians and placed his left hand on it, triggering the same effect he had experienced with all the fragments of the 'Seven Lights,' absorbing a portion of its power.

⌠Notice: Cursed Energy has been increased by 50⌡ ⌠Warning: Skill [Mark of the Damned LV10] has absorbed ‘Depraved Power of Envy’⌡ ⌠Warning: Skill [Mark of the Damned LV10] seal has been partially removed!⌡