STGB Episode 426
Like Ice (1)
This wasn’t like the glacier’s eye, where the passage was only wide enough for 4 people.
This is practically an open field.
The frontliner’s area of responsibility had expanded, but the number of frontliners had actually decreased.
‘Me, Jun, Goblin.’
The pure tank line now consisted of just the three of us.
But amidst this, Jun’s leg was crippled, making it difficult for him to perform to his full potential.
Therefore…
‘Puta Rickerburn, Kaislan, Ravien, Amelia.’
Our melee frontline fighters spread out, forming a barrier at intervals. Of course, there were too many gaps to call it a barrier…
There was no point in complaining about it, though.
We had already chosen the best we could under the circumstances.
Now, all that’s left is to see the result.
Swoooosh—!
A black mist spreads in all directions, covering the open space.
It’s the work of a dark mage.
Though it did have debuff effects, its true purpose was likely to obscure our vision.
[Visible range is about 1 meter]
My warrior’s body, with its narrowed vision, becomes sensitive.
And in that situation.
[Grrrrrr]
Various undead monsters emerge from the darkness, baring their teeth and swinging their claws.
They are all summoned by the priests of Karui.
All summoned by the Karui priest.
In the Glacier’s Eye, the narrow path made numbers meaningless, but now that’s not the case.
Crash—!
I swing my hammer here and there, pushing back the approaching monsters.
It was then.
[Mister…!]
As soon as Erwin’s warning, in her spirit form, pierced my ears,
Whoosh—!
With a short piercing sound, a sharp blade from the darkness aimed for my neck.
Clang—!
Clang—!
Due to my narrowed vision, my reaction was slower than usual, but somehow I managed to block it with my shield.
But at that moment,
Whooooosh—!
A pure white light emanated from where my heart should be.
At first, I was startled, wondering what it was, but I quickly grasped what was happening.
[Periton Eriavosti has cast [Unquenchable Light]
One of the priestess’s buffs.
In the game, it only raised mental stats and wasn’t particularly useful.
However…
‘Did she use it to secure visibility? Smart.’
I couldn’t help but chuckle.
Swoooosh—!
The white light blossoming from my heart pushed back the darkness.
I now have a visibility radius of about three metres.
Of course, the darkness filling the empty space still remained.
I can barely make out Sven Parav and Amelia on my left and right.
But——.
Even if their faces are obscured by darkness, the light burning from their hearts flicker clearly.
Like fireflies floating in the darkness.
“Aaaaaargh!!”
I knock away the blade flying at me with my shield, swing my hammer frantically, and at the same time, I check the lights rising around me in real time.
Swoooosh—!
Lights shaking and flickering, signaling that they are fighting fiercely.
To enemies hidden in the darkness, they may be easily visible targets, but to us, they are markers.
That my comrades next to me are still alive and fighting.
Proof of our trust.
[Erwin Fornacci di Tercia has cast [Focused Fire]
Arrows pierced the darkness.
[Benjamin Orman has cast [Purifying Moon]
Light particles falling from the sky seep into our bodies.
And as time goes on,
Thud—!
Wounds accumulate on my body.
The woman who introduced herself as Six spoke as she looked at me.
“…You’re much weaker than before.”
Well, I can’t use [Iron Skin] now.
Even though I activated Alibaba (Earth) mode, my ability to block aura attacks has greatly decreased.
No, is that all?
I don’t have the strength bonus from [Gigantification].
I can’t use my only attack skill, [Swing], nor [Eye of the Storm], to occasionally counter opponents’ moves.
But…
I grinned.
“So what?”
“If you think I’m weak, try killing me.”
“……”
“I will never fall.”
More precisely, I made up my mind to make sure of it.
In this kind of fight, the last one standing is the winner.
“Are you trusting that priestess?”
Well, she’s not wrong.
If it weren’t for the heals coming in at this very moment, it would be hard to endure.
But…
‘What are you splitting hairs about.’
Funny woman.
“Is it wrong to trust my comrades?”
‘Dungeon & Stone’ is a team game, after all.
Bang—!
I swing the hammer down toward the direction of the sound.
There was, of course, no particular sensation that the hammer had struck a living target.
“For someone who trusts his comrades, you seem rather impatient.”
Ah, she’s really talkative.
“Are you anxious? That I’m the only one here dealing with you?”
Her intentions are obvious.
To agitate me and make me reveal even a small gap. If that weren’t her purpose, this ice-cold woman wouldn’t be babbling like this.
The problem is… it’s working a bit.
Whoosh—!
I swing my hammer once more.
Despite this, my unease lingered.
Where are the others? I was expecting some of them to gang up on me. That way, my comrades would have an easier time.
“Aaaaagh!!”
Amidst the sounds of weapons clashing, someone’s scream reached my ears.
“Bjorn Jandel, you’re the last one.”
Whose scream is that?
“I already realized back then that you don’t fall easily.”
Enemy? Or an ally?
I don’t know.
But…
“So, until then, I hope you don’t fall-”
I forcibly calm my overheated thoughts.
I can’t just run over to check right now.
“Bethel—raaaaaa!!”
I can only trust and do my part.
***
When he was a child, the archbishop who took him in said.
[You have no parents now; your only parent is the glorious sun, Tobera].
[Abandon the heart of man, for earthly affections are meaningless to an agent of God].
[Now, from this day forward, you are a jun. ]
Jun, former Inquisitor of the Tobera Church.
The day he abandoned the surname Arshen.
From that day on, he lived as an animal, an agent of the gods, not a man.
[This is something you must do. Aren’t you a man?]
He suppressed his desires while reciting prayers.
[Ah, it hurts…!]
[You still have a human heart remaining.]
He underwent daily training that was akin to torture.
[You can stand up. As long as the light of the sun is with you.]
At times, he wished he would break, but the warm sunlight forced him to heal.
By the time he became an adult, he was no longer something that could be called a human.
He had no doubts.
He just did as the church told him, performing work for the world in the name of God.
But…
‘Why..’
The sky was cloudy, but the sunlight touching his skin was warm. But that day, as Jun Arshen was blankly looking up at the sky, he had a question for the first time.
‘Am I righteous?’
A question that was late, too late.
Even now, he didn’t know why such a question suddenly arose.
Perhaps the sight of a family of three walking down the street, radiating happiness, had left too deep an impression.
But one thing was certain: from that day, his beast-like life came to an end.
[—What, what! How can you do that!]
He renounced his position as an interrogator and returned to being a regular member of the church.
Though his steps were backward, only after doing so did he feel disillusioned with the church.
It wasn’t hatred toward God.
Because in the question that came to him like a revelation, he felt God’s presence closely for the first time.
Rather, his faith became even stronger.
‘I… was not righteous.’
Despair overtook him more than anger.
The weight of the sins he had committed in the name of God weighed heavily on him.
A normal life seemed impossible.
But that made him want it all the more desperately.
Yes, perhaps that’s why.
[I have one last favor to ask of you].
Jun Arsen accepted one last mission to sever his ties with the archbishop… no, now a cardinal.
It wasn’t like the usual mission to fabricate nonexistent sinners. This time, it felt like a mission for the world.
He thought it could at least be a little atonement.
And time passed…
Boooom—!!!
Now, here he was.
“Retribution.”
Perhaps this is punishment.
Punishment for being a foolish bastard, manipulated by those who have bent the will of the gods and was manipulated by the wicked hearts of men.
Yes, at times he thought that.
But now he could say.
If this is truly his punishment,
“You are… wrong.”
Even if he had dragged himself out of his beastly life, this was not right.
“AAAAAGH!”
“H-how did they make it this far?!”
The light in his heart extinguished. The light of those who wished to move toward the future.
Step.
Dragging a leg that refused to move, he staggered forward.
Step.
His movements were unsteady, as if he might collapse at any moment, yet he pressed forward.
Step.
It was only as he moved forward that he came to understand something.
It might sound like mere wordplay, but…
Step
Those who wish to move forward can always find a way.
No matter the circumstances.
“Perhaps, if it weren’t for that man, I never would have known.”
Just then, he heard a sound from behind.
“Jun! Wh-What are you doing!”
Priestess Periton Eriavosti.
A woman who had lived a life so much brighter than his, upholding pure justice unlike himself. A woman who burned with determination, vowing to live on for her beloved child.
But it wasn’t just her.
“Barhatun Viar!”
The bearded mage had a wife he cherished.
「Gerold Aldidi has used [Nullify].」
The old man who had lost his child had a long-standing wish to fulfill.
[‘Titana Akuraba has cast [Vampiric Awl]
The dwarf has an unwavering cause.
Suddenly, Puta Rickerburn’s words from before the battle flashed through my mind.
[The more I hear, the more pathetic I feel. I don’t know, but if we were to pick the most insignificant person among us, it would be me.]
His words were wrong.
Among the eighteen people who survived until now. No, even counting the original thirty who started.
The most insignificant of them all was probably—
No, without a doubt—
‘It’s me…’
At last, Jun realized his role.
“Hurry, this way!”
Born with nothing but a parent’s name.
Becoming an inquisitor.
After wandering aimlessly, arriving at this frozen place.
Everything he had seen, heard, and felt on this journey—
“Is simply to do my duty.”
It was all for this moment.
It felt like a revelation.
The moment he realized it, his mind grew clear.
Fear no longer gripped him.
Nor did it feel like this moment was a trial.
Even his immobile leg felt like an inevitability, something meant to bring him here.
“To think there’d be a frontliner even here.”
“His leg is useless.”
“Is that why he stayed here?”
“Eliminate him quickly.”
Enemies emitting a blood-red aura rushed at him in unison.
Jun raised his shield.
Clang, Clang, Clang—!
Two daggers pierced through the shield.
And then…
Stab—!
Two daggers pierced his lungs.
He felt no pain.
For the first time, he was grateful. Grateful for the grueling training he had endured as a child.
「Jun Arshen has used [Divine Descent].」
The power of God enveloped his body.
He felt like he could do anything.
And then he let out a shout.
It might not be a shout befitting a paladin, but…
“Bethel—raaaaaaa!!”
He might never atone for his sins anyway, so perhaps just once would be okay.
Yes, just once.
To scream simply because he wanted to.
“Let’s help Jun!”
The rear ranks who had retreated behind him—priest, mage, archer—began to do their best to assist him with their skills.
But even so, the flame of Jun Arshen’s life was quickly fading.
Clatter.
The shield slipped from his arm, his tendons severed.
Thud, thud, thud—!
Daggers tore into his torso.
Jun Arshen neither blocked nor dodged anymore.
He simply focused on staying upright.
Seeing this, the Rose Knights exchanged puzzled remarks.
“He should’ve died a long time ago.”
“…So why hasn’t he fallen?”
“He has already wasted more than three minutes. Finish him quickly.”
The attacks grew more ferocious.
Thwack!
The blood pooling beneath him formed a puddle,and his mind became hazy.
How many minutes had he been standing?
His sense of time was distorted, and he couldn’t see the enemies’ faces clearly anymore.
But even so, there was something he could see clearly.
Swooooosh—!
Lights flickering individually in the darkness.
Among them, surely he would be there.
Bjorn Jandel.
He was probably doing his job even at this moment, steadily moving forward.
“Clan…”
Did they say they were going to create one in the city?
Death held no fear, but a pang of regret surfaced.
When the idea was first mentioned, he hadn’t said anything thinking it wasn’t his place.
‘It sounded like it would’ve been… fun…’
Surely, it would have been.
Even if the royal family, Noark, and the countless other groups that had abandoned them—
Even if all of them became their enemies—
Thunk—!
A sharp blade pierced his lungs.
Jun Arshen instinctively realized.
That his flame had completely burned out.
“……”
As the noisy surroundings grew silent, his vision turned black. The flickering lights in the distance faded away, leaving smudged traces.
And then…
Swooooosh—!
The darkness receded, and all around was filled with light.
As if someone had come to greet and take home a child who had completed his mission.
A light that warmly embraced his entire body.
“Puh, puhehehe…”
Jun Arshen smiled.
Even if this was nothing more than a hallucination before death.
Even if it was a futile hope or faith.
“Save a wandering soul like me…”
Without punishing this foolish sinner with the lash.
Please, take in this weary, exhausted spirit.
“Please, hold me…”
It was the moment he had longed for.
***
There was neither strategy nor tactics.
Just a continuous struggle, fighting to survive.
Boom—! Slash, Thud—!
A chaotic battle filled with explosions, the clashing of weapons, shouts, and screams.
The skirmish continued for minutes, a situation where it would surprise no one if anyone survived or died by its end.
Swooooosh—!
The fog that had been surrounding us began to dissipate.
It couldn’t be that the dark mage’s magic had already run out…
‘Did someone kill the dark mage?’
Well, I’ll find out soon enough.
As the fog cleared completely, our narrowed field of vision returned to normal.
The first thing I saw was a woman frowning.
And then…
‘When did he get all the way over there?’
Far ahead, deep within the enemy’s rear lines, was a knight furiously swinging his sword.
Melend Kaislan.
Around him, a frail-looking man in a robe lay fallen with his neck severed.
‘Reckless move, but not bad.’
After that, I looked around.
For now, none of our frontliners had died.
But everyone’s condition was a mess.
The most serious was probably Ravien.
She had said earlier that she was confident in fistfighting, but without her sword, she was in bad shape.
‘Good, no one has died yet.’
Then how about the rear?
I’d heard a scream from there earlier.
‘It sounded like someone shouted the name of our ancestor god.’
I’m not sure.
There were so many explosions around.
Taking advantage of the moment when the enemy woman put some distance between us, I quickly checked behind.
Contrary to my expectations, that place was the most devastated.
Three Rose Knights were standing in front of our rear line.
“……”
A corpse lay on the ground.
My heart sank at first glance, but on closer inspection, it was a Rose Knight.
And then…
‘Jun blocked them.’
I saw Jun standing in front as if protecting the rear.
As soon as I spotted him, the conversation we had before the battle suddenly flashed through my mind.
[“You want me… to hide in the rear?”]
He didn’t seem to like my request.
But when I persuaded him that the real fight would be after returning to the city, and that I needed his strength later, he reluctantly nodded.
But…
‘A guy who couldn’t even walk properly ended up like that…’
I sighed bitterly after checking Jun’s appearance.
His body was so covered in blood that it was harder to find an uninjured spot.
He probably made a decision too.
That now wasn’t the time to hold back for the future.
‘If it weren’t for him, the rear would have been completely destroyed.’
The thought made me shiver, but relief followed.
Still, thanks to Jun’s fighting spirit, our rear managed to kill a Rose Knight in return—
Thud!
A sense of unease came belatedly.
“Why…”
Jun was standing upright.
He no longer held a shield in his hands.
Yes, he was upright.
But…
“The light is out, isn’t it?”
Unlike the others, his light wasn’t lit.
And though my heart raced, my mind quickly came to the conclusion.
He was dead.
“……!”
I wasn’t the only one who was late to notice his death. The Rose Knights who were fighting right in front realized Jun’s death belatedly and dashed forward to ambush our rear line.
But their daggers didn’t reach their intended targets.
Clang—!
Amelia, who moved as soon as she checked behind, deflected two daggers along with her doppleganger…
Thud—!
But perhaps she was too distracted; she got stabbed in the back.
Thanks to that, I snapped back to my senses.
‘…I was wrong.’
I focused on defense with the mindset that if I just held on, we would win.
Since my active skills were sealed.
I thought it was best to not be greedy, act as a meat shield, and do my part steadily.
But…
[Mister…!!]
Was this really the best I could do?
Was that really all I could do?
Until just a moment ago, I thought without a doubt that I was doing my best.
But now I couldn’t think that way.
Because I had seen it.
With his injured leg, until the very end.
The paladin who, burning all he had, protected his comrades, and even after death, was standing upright blocking the enemies.
It’s a phrase that can only be used in such circumstances.
The phrase “I did my best.”
Clenching my fists tightly, I made up my mind and gave an order to Erwin.
“Erwin, change the element.”
Using Earth Mode, specialized in defense, would only increase the damage.
Yes, so…
[Huh? To which one?]
As soon as I told her the desired element, a change occurred in my body.
Swooooosh—!
An element that was neither water, fire, earth, nor wind.
Erwin’s main attribute, known as the Blood Spirit.
[An evil spirit of darkness dwells within the character’s body]
A dark shadow, ominous in its intensity, bloomed over my skin.
Named…
[All resistance values are fixed at 0]
[Holy resistance is fixed at -200]
[Darkness resistance is fixed at +800]
[Blessing of the Abyss bonus applied]
[Immune to all types of status ailments]
[All types of attacks receive an unavoidable hit adjustment…]
“…”
Elemental Barbarian (Dark) Extreme Offense Mode.