CH 77

“Ar-niisama!”

As I unconsciously shouted, the hands that were hugging me tightened.

“I’m fine. It’s only a slight graze. Besides, there’s a defense magical circle in this armor of mine.”

When I instinctively lifted my face, his gentle water-colored pupils were looking down at me with a reassuring gaze.

Hoo… Thank goodness. It seems like he wasn’t injured.

As for the other people—I looked around—it seemed like Amanda-san and Virna-san weren’t injured as well.

Frank-san was now holding and protecting Luan who had been on top of his head, and of course, Noir was by my side.

As for Karin-san—

A wooden dome?

A dome was created from a branch of the tree that was located in a corner of the cavern. Deep in its slightly opened crevice, Karin-san was there.

“I guess that is a barrier created through kotodama1. It seems that you could only defend once you enter it, but Karin has a secret technique to repel any kind of attack.”

For some reason, Karin-san’s image changed rapidly.

So, she wasn’t just an oddball slime nerd.

“Next one is coming!”

Together with Karin-san’s voice, Leviathan’s roar could be heard.

“Hold on to me firmly!”

I clung to his arms tightly as per Ar-niisama’s words.

It looked like it didn’t even graze us this time, there was no impact as well.

“You think you could defeat me just by running away?!”

But shortly after, the next attack came.

“We’re getting nowhere. Oi, Karin, I’m entrusting this fellow to you!”

Suddenly, Frank-san flung Luan who was still in his arms.

“Kyuuu!”

The hands that emerged from within the wooden dome then caught Luan.

“Kyuuu, kyuukyuuuu!”

In response to the protesting Luan, Frank-san said, “Be obedient over there!”

“You’re our emergency rations when push comes to shove, so you should be in the safe place.”

“Leave it to me. …Hey, don’t struggle.”

“Kyuu. Kyuuuu.”

But Luan who didn’t want to be apart from Frank-san seemed to be struggling inside the dome.

“I gotta go all out if I want to defeat this huge thing, so be obedient until then. –L-u-a-n.”

“Kyuu. Kyuuuuuuuuuu!”

When Frank-san called Luan by its name for the first time, it let out a huge cry…

And then it became quiet afterwards.

“With this, I can go all out to my heart’s content. First thing to do is a trial.”

Frank-san readied his fist as he faced Leviathan.

Then, he kicked the ground and mustered his fist towards Leviathan’s abdomen.

“Take this! Surging First!”

–Hurray!

The attack defeated the Armored Insect, so it should be effective, even for a little bit.

However.

“It doesn’t work, huh?”

Frank-san’s technique that should have injured its insides was transmitted along its scales and absorbed.

“Split Flame Blade!”

Amanda-san began the next attack as if changing places with Frank-san who was coming down.

The sword that was clad in flames hit Leviathan’s solid scales—

“It’s repelled?!”

‘Clang!’ There was a sound of a sword hitting a solid surface.

“What a tough scale!”

Our attacks weren’t effective at all?!

During that time, Leviathan called out some Malenti that Noir and Virna-san defeated.

“Oi, Virna.”

“What?”

“Leave them to us, quickly, try to slice this big one like you did earlier.”

After Frank-san said that, Virna-san stopped her arms that were swinging the swords and turned to look at Leviathan’s direction.

“…From what I see, I won’t be able to slice it.”

“Can’t be helped, then.”

Frank-san then started to attack Leviathan again.

Then—

“Frank, move aside!”

Leviathan’s tail rolled over to Frank-san’s direction.

“Argo, there’s no need for you to tell me that… Whoops.”

Though he seemed about to lose his balance, he managed to avoid the whale-like tail.

“Yuuri, wait a bit.”

Ar-niisama put me down near Karin-san’s dome before he ran towards Leviathan.

“Flashing Water Stream!”

“…You won’t be able to defeat me with these kinds of attacks. Now, go and be more serious!”

A… Ar-niisama’s attack was ineffective too?!

Thunder element attacks are effective against water-attributed enemies, but we’d get electrocuted as well if we were to launch a thunder element attack here.

Then, I can only do this.

“Wind Arrow!”

Right after that, this one too!

“Wind Lance!”

Wind arrows and lances rained incessantly on Leviathan.

Countless pointed blades were wrapping Leviathan, swallowing its figure.

…D-did it work…?