234 That's why it's so dull.

The aftermath of Exoik's attack had smashed the window and cracked the wall I was leaning against. It's quite absurd that a chain can be as thick as a back alley. But that was to be expected, and it did not interfere with the plan I had instructed Komiha.

"Exduk's chains have a large attack range and are very powerful when damaged by poison or curse. But that's only if you can hit the chain. If you collide with Komiha's thread, you will inevitably have to rely on big moves to break through. Either make the chains thicker, or increase the number of chains enormously, either way, Komiha will disappear from Ecdysium's sight. Then it would be easy to contact the chains.

Ecdysium's fighting style emphasizes the coordination of how many different effects can be added to a single attack. As the area increases in size and number, the number of poisons and curses on the chain also decreases.

As a result, Komiha has succeeded in creating the conditions for contact with the chains. Then, the only thing left to do is to fight for control by talent. There is no one who can beat Komiha, who is equal to Yugra.

"It's quiet now, but did we ...... get him?

The chain that had filled the alleyway gradually returned to its original thickness, and I saw Komiha, clutching the chain, crawl through a gaping hole in the cracked alleyway. At the end of the chain was Ecdysiac, lying on the ground, his whole body tightened up by the chain and not moving a muscle.

I was able to take out the one person I wanted to take care of the most, Ecdysium. He was the last person I wanted to deal with in my fighting style.

Good job, Comi.

"Please don't come out yet! I did indeed take control of the chains. I commanded the chain to wrap itself around Exduk's entire body and clamped down as hard as I could. But all I could feel from the chains was the crushing of his arms!

Komiha's loud voice stopped him from going out into the alleyway. The reason why Ecdysium is not moving is not to catch Komiha off guard. It's to lure away the fools who might show up, caught off guard by the fact that Komiha has won.

(Good call, Comaha. A good amount of time has already passed since the battle began. I wouldn't be surprised if reinforcements showed up soon.

(Good decision, Komiha. It's already been some time since the battle began.) "Perhaps he heard Komiha's voice and decided that he had failed to lure her out. It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for.

I wonder if he was even able to feel the chains. You're more careful than I thought.

"The ...... chains can't get any tighter. It's as if it's holding you in place. ...... What are you ......

My 'blind eye' can create matter that exists only in my field of vision. It needs to be a familiar chain to create it quickly, though. I knew you would try to take control of the chain and use it to kill me. So I sewed up the gaps in the original chain and created a chain to cover my entire body. It's like wearing partially transparent chainmail. However, the newly created chains are fixed in place to reduce the range of motion so that the body is not compressed.

If what he said is true, then he constructed chains all over his body and made them appear between the time his arm was crushed and the time his whole body was attacked. No matter how many spells he can use at the same time, how can he do such a thing?

There's no way I could have done it in time. I wrapped the chain around me in desperation. The direction, angle, and position of the chains are all different, and I can't imagine how I could handle enough to protect my entire body in that instant. ......

I can. Because I had trained for this build beforehand. If it's your first time, you can handle it, but if it's a familiar process, you can handle it. My compatriot said. If I fought properly, I'd lose control of the chain to you. And when that happens, your means of attack will be simple: tighten the chains.

Brethren ...... You're the Star People of Yuggra! You don't mean to tell me that you've read up on how Komiha is going to defeat Ekduik? The only source of information on Komiha would have come from Smythos, and that's all the information he could get? I'm sure he's in a past state of mind, and it's doubtful that he even has a proper grasp of Exdoik's usual abilities.

Oh no. ......

If it were possible, I would have won with my chains. The result was that my arm was crushed and I lost control of the chain. By all accounts, I was completely defeated. But my defeat was my people's move all along!

Komiha's right arm, which was holding the chain, flew off. Reinforcements? There was no one in sight. I'm not sure what to make of this.

I'm not sure what to make of that.

I'm not sure what you mean by that. It was also a signal for my friends to attack. It was also a signal for my companions to attack me. They stretched their chains in the air above me and captured my coordinates, allowing me to get as close as possible and set a rough target. And while we're talking, the chain I created above your head is showing you the exact position. So Lakra, who has the same eyes as I do, knows your position as well as I do!

At the same time that Komiha was backing away, her right leg, which had not been lowered in time, was severed. Komiha falls on his back. If you watch the moment of the attack twice, you can fully grasp its position. However, the attack came from a back alley across from a house, and we could not detect it. The magic seal stones that were scattered around the area would slip through the narrow, vertical wards that could nullify the attack.

What? I'm not sure what to do. It hurts! I can't believe it!

I'm not sure what to make of this. That's why I've taken you by surprise as well. How about you, Solide, can you come out?

No, there's nothing you can do if you jump out in this situation. Ecdysium had already regained control of the chain, and Lakra was preparing a long-range attack a short distance ahead.

Even if we shifted our position and fought, Lakra would only come to join us. If you're wondering if you'll be able to fight together or escape unscathed from Komiha's wounded state, you can't. ......

I'm sure you'll be happy to know that I'm not the only one. ...... You're good, Yugra's star people.

A man who knew how well Komiha could fight. He must have known that I would have a chance to win if I launched a surprise attack against Lakra. You're completely outmaneuvered.

"Solide! Help me, help me!

I was impressed when you warned me not to come out, you idiot. I wonder why he's heading in my direction to ask for help. I don't know why he's calling for help in my direction.

I have to get out of here.

I'm not sure if this is a good idea, but I think it's a good idea. Komiha has already lost his will to fight, and Solide should be fleeing according to ...... his compatriots. You will need to restrain Komiha and treat him first. Even if we try to restrain him with chains, it will be useless if we lose control of him. He took out the knife he had borrowed from Mikus, which was coated with a paralyzing poison, and threw it at Komiha's thigh.

You can't do that! Please don't do this again! I can't fight anymore! I admit defeat!

I'll admit defeat!" Komiha's demeanor has become quite weak, even though she was about to kill me just a moment ago. I've been told by Smyths that she's not suited for battle, but it seems to be true. He must have been brave enough to show up here for the sake of his friends.

"...... Don't worry. It's a paralytic poison. After a while, you'll lose control of your body and the pain will go away. Once that's confirmed, we'll treat you. To make it easier for the paralyzing poison to circulate, remove the magic enhancement from your entire body and focus only on stopping the bleeding.

"Okay, okay. Please, don't hurt me anymore. ...... Ow! ......

I can't tell if the Solides have completely retreated. Lakra will continue to target you from afar, but that will only last until other reinforcements arrive.

I'm sure it's not an act, but we can't let our guard down just in case. If you show an opening, they may take the opportunity to counterattack. Let's start with the first aid for my arm.

In order to lure Solide, I've accepted a certain amount of control of the chain since it was taken away. ...... One arm. ......

In the event that you are a human being, you might have been left with some after-effects, but Balastos said that the current body of a demon would be enough to restore it. The same demon, Neelryathes, was able to recover from the crushing of all but his neck, but I don't have the courage at the moment to try that level of destruction.

I'm becoming a monster. But it's good to know that I'll be able to do more than that.

"Don't work on the assumption that you can't do anything, Brother Ecdysium.

I had noticed that Lakra had appeared on our side, having been instructed to suspend the attack. He was wearing a black robe to make it harder for Solide to spot him, but he was taking it off as he walked, as if he didn't feel comfortable.

"Lakra. You should have at least stayed away from us until Harkdock joined us.

"I couldn't tell what was going on because of the seal stone. It's quite scary to keep attacking a place you can't see, relying only on a signal. If you're off by even a little bit, you can cut them in two.

Lakra approached Komiha, whom she had attacked, and began to heal her. The paralyzing venom is circulating to a certain extent, and Komiha is not showing any signs of resistance, but just to be safe, he is looking closer.

"You managed to demoralize him without killing him with an invisible attack. That's pretty good.

"Well done, but your brother Ecdysium's arm is in bad shape! I don't know the prototype!

It's a good opportunity to test his healing ability as a demon. It's not a bad result if you think about it.

I'm not sure what to do, but I'm sure it's a good idea.

I'm not sure what to do. It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're doing.

I'm not sure what to say. I'm not sure what to make of this.

I'm sure you'll be happy to know that I'm not the only one.

"Ah, ah .......

In fact, I would like to continue to pursue Solide, but my compatriot said that the first priority is to reduce the strength of the opponent. If Lakra was left alone here and Solide returned, there was a risk that Lakra would be defeated.

Solide's means of attack is sound, and Lakra's ward has the disadvantage of being impervious to sound. If they were to go head-to-head, they might be able to fight on even terms, but if they were to be taken by surprise, it would be difficult to deal with them. Solide has the intelligence to have defeated me using Komiha, who is not suited for combat. He should be considered more strategic than Harkdok, who defeated Lakra.

By the way, doesn't it hurt?

"It hurts, but it's localized. When I was defeated by you before, every bone in my body was broken.

It is a good experience now to have your chains broken and crushed by all of them, after you have increased their number to the limit and deployed them to overwhelming mass. But this is the second time I've been defeated by a chain. ...... I'll have to take better measures.

I'm not sure how I survived. Thanks to you, I didn't have to tell your mother about the terrible things you did.

I feel the same way. If the chain had slipped even a little, the corpse would have been so horrible that no trace would have remained.

I'm so glad I won!

Yes, I am. It's a good experience to know that sometimes losing can be a good thing.

Lacla and I used to kill each other, but now I think we have a not bad relationship as normal siblings. There is still a bit of competition, but more than that, there is a part of me that wants to support her.

But Master Shosho also has a forceful way of doing things, doesn't he? If I read it wrong, Brother Ecdysiac might have died!

"I trained under Balastus to prevent that from happening. It was quite refreshing to be chained up again and again and to practice constructing chainmail.

I'm sure you'll agree with me that it's a great idea to have a little more time to think about what you're doing. ....... And even after all that work, your arms are still like that. ......

I've been told in advance that I need to be prepared. I'm not sure what to make of it.

He was so upset that he had lost control of his chains that his arm defenses were genuinely not up to the task. Furthermore, the chains were wrapped around my entire body, and I was on the verge of being strangled to death. My compatriots, who urged me to be prepared, had read ...... about this development before they trained me, and were leading me on.

It's true, but ...... when you're treated so coldly, it's hard to know if you can trust .......

...... Even you can be that troubled, can't you?

It's natural! It would be crazy not to worry about it!

I'm sorry, that was a little uncalled for. But now my people...

I got to a certain point, and then I realized something. This is what I had told Mix that he should be aware of. As expected, Lakra looked very complicated.

I'm sure you'll be able to understand what I'm talking about. Why didn't I notice this? ......

"It's the same people. I'm sure you're not the only one.

Then how could they know? ...... That's not fair. ......

Well, that's true. I think it was unreasonable of me to ask you to figure it out on your own, since even I did. I'll tell you when this is all over. My people are already working on Solide's escape. Then I'll go back to check on Marya as soon as I can.