CH 92

Chapter 92 – Floor Boss

The floor boss of the 80th floor loomed up ahead. The Undead King.

That treasure sword in its hand was probably its trump card.

It had already been so overwhelmingly strong, but it had now risen to another level.

I knew now why the Adventurers had lost heart.

This enemy far surpassed them.

A monster who could wipe you out in a flash.

Still, surrender was not an option.

And I was used to hopeless situations.

At my old job, there were so many times when a task felt like it was impossible, but I kept working until I could do it.

I had memorized its attack patterns up until this point.

I needed to exploit its weaknesses and seal its strengths.

And so I accelerated time and unleashed my strongest wind magic.

Knowing its tendencies and motions, I targeted the parts that would be hardest to defend, and hardest to exert strength, and focused my attacks there.

However, even my best actions were useless against this monster with overwhelming power.

A flash of the treasure sword.

In a split second, my body crashed through three layers of walls and flew out of the field.

I hadn’t even seen it.

I could not even react to it.

It was wrong.

Everything was just wrong.

No…

To think that I would be this powerless…

It was a painful realization.

The gap was so wide that analysis and strategies were not enough to close it.

I just didn’t have anything that could stand against it…

Still, I got back up to my feet.

I kicked off the ground towards the enemy in front of me, and unleashed my most powerful wind magic.

I doubted it would be any threat to the enemy.

Perhaps it was like being head-butted by a fly. But that was fine.

I did it again.

A growing mountain of failures.

And then the flash of the sword once again.

I didn’t even have time to guard myself, and was thrown against the outer wall.

But as I spat out the dust in my mouth, the corner of my lips rose.

…I was starting to be able to see it.

Progress.

More than anything, realizing this gave me courage.

I kicked off the ground.

The magic I then unleashed was just a little stronger than before, and this time, it slammed into the monster’s right shoulder.

◇　　◇　　◇

His eyes could not focus, as the world seemed to shake around him.

Bruce Iglesias was an S-Rank Adventurer of the Conquest Team, and yet he could only look up at the monster in astonishment.

It was impossible.

This should not be happening.

They were supposed to be the strongest team of Adventurers ever assembled, and yet they had been wiped out in a single hit.

The advance investigations had revealed its patterns and weaknesses. They had analyzed it, and had determined they could get through its dangerous third phase without heavy casualties.

They hadn’t made any mistakes.

And so it was unbearable.

Unbelievable.

Something so strong should not exist…

If anyone had a chance of standing against it, it was the captain.

Jake Belresto would have stood a chance against the monster in battle.

However, the captain had protected them from the first attack. And he was no longer in a state to be able to fight.

And so this was the end.

Bruce looked at the entrance, which had crumbled.

At this point, they would not even be able to retreat.

Why… Why did this happen…

His comrades lay scattered across the floor.

Bruce could hardly accept this as reality. But then, in the corner of his vision, he caught sight of one comrade who was still facing the monster.

A magician. Almost as short as a child.

Before she could do anything, she was blown off of her feet.

Still, she rose up again and faced the monster.

It was so reckless that normally, he would wonder what the hell she was thinking.

But he thought of nothing now.

His senses were too numb.

Amidst such deep despair, Bruce stared into the void with unfocused eyes.

And yet, the magician did not give up.

She charged at the monster, again and again.

Bruce watched this without emotion. But then he suddenly noticed something.

Her movements were slowly evolving.

(…What?)

What was that movement?

She hadn’t done anything like that before.

And the changes continued.

When Bruce realized that each one was optimized against the boss, he was stunned.

In front of an enemy that was far above her, it was as if she was rebuilding herself during the fight.

Such ability to adapt to your environment seemed unhuman.

Impossible.

Surely one could not do that against this monster.

However, her movements continued to be optimized even further.

The treasure sword flashed in the air.

No human would be able to deal with an attack with that speed.

And yet, she dodged it by a hair’s breadth.

“…What?”

He could not believe his eyes.

No.

It couldn’t be.

However, it was definitely happening before him now.

The small back that did not balk in front of the great monster.

Bruce gulped. He could do nothing but watch.