STGB Episode 427
Like Ice (2)
Elemental Barbarian (Dark) Mode.
Abbreviated as the Dark Mode, it’s the most extreme among the various modes that can be activated through [Spirit Transformation].
All resistance stats are set to zero.
Moreover, you take damage from holy power, so you can’t even receive healing.
But in return.
Immunity to all kinds of status ailments such as bleeding, poisoning, stun, paralysis, binding, and more.
It comes with such absurd effects.
Although the random penalties from before are still there, as they’re considered system effects rather than status ailments…
That’s not particularly important right now.
Because the core of this Dark Mode lies elsewhere.
「All types of attacks receive an unavoidable strike bonus.」
A hit that’s impossible to dodge.
[This is a unique option that’s only found in the Dark Mode in all of Dungeons & Stones]
Of course, true to this game’s motto of loving equivalent exchange, there are more costs besides becoming a glass cannon.
「All resource consumption increases by 20 times.」
「All skill cooldowns increase by 5 times.」
Two lines that can turn a perfectly fine explorer into a cripple in an instant.
But that doesn’t apply to me right now.
After all, I’m already half-crippled due to the random penalties.
If there’s anything to be concerned about, it’s this part.
「A backlash occurs to the character in proportion to the duration.」
I must minimize the backlash.
So, in other words, time is more precious than gold at this moment.
‘Alright, let’s get started quickly.’
As I step forward, Six darts back like a pesky fly, widening the gap between us.
Tap tap.
She seems to be wary of my changed appearance.
Is she planning to start with a probing attack?
If so, that suits me just fine.
Whoosh—!
Closing the increased distance, I swing my hammer.
Because If I swing it in the air, it won’t be judged as an attack.
Through prior experiments, I confirmed that the unavoidable strike bonus only activates when there’s a clear target.
Tap.
She dodges the hammer with minimal movement, as she has done throughout the battle.
「You receive an unavoidable strike bonus.」
At the same time, the strike bonus activated.
Chiiiiik—!
Space was torn apart diagonally along the trajectory of the hammer.
“……!”
Seeing this, a glint appeared in the woman’s eyes.
She doesn’t understand what just happened but heightened her focus to prepare for anything.
And then…
———!
The hammer vanished into the darkness within the rift, and even the sound of the weapon cutting through the air stopped
Roll.
Her pupils dart around, as if searching for the vanished hammer.
But it’s useless.
“…!!”
The hammer reappeared in an instant, transcending space, and slamming into Six’s body.
Retaining all the force of the first swing.
Thud—!
A dull sound follows soon after.
Unfortunately, the sensation in my hand wasn’t that satisfying.
Because it hit her abdomen…
‘Why is this woman so tough?’
I thought she was just an agility type, but it seems she invested considerable stats into defense as well.
Well, judging by her expression when she gets hit, it doesn’t seem like there’s no damage…
‘Tsk. If only I could use [Swing], I could have properly smashed at least one part…’
The damage boost from the Demon Crusher only activates with blunt weapon skills, which is frustrating.
But…
‘If it doesn’t work once, then try again.’
Regrets can wait until after failure.
Whoosh—!
I let go of any lingering thoughts and swing the hammer again.
Tap.
This time, Six retreats even farther than before.
It seems the previous hit has made her more cautious…
Not that it will make any difference.
Thud—!
Once again, the strike transcends distance to hit its mark.
‘Finally hit her head.’
This time, I felt a satisfying impact. Yet, incredibly, Six didn’t let out so much as a groan.
Her body merely swayed slightly.
Swish.
Then, Six slowly lifted her head and glared at me.
And then…
“Tsk.”
She mechanically spat out the blood in her mouth and spoke to me in a nonchalant voice.
“Now I remember.”
“A Level 5 monster, Flora’s special ability [Spirit Transformation]. This is the effect when combined with a Dark Spirit.”
Uh…
‘Does she have every essence ability memorized?’
Maybe she does. After all, she was trained by the kingdom.
“It took me a while to recognize it because I’ve never seen it in action before…”
Just as she said that.
I immediately kick off the ground and dash forward.
“From now on, it will be different.”
Unlike before, Six doesn’t retreat.
No, rather…
Tap tap—!
She charged at me head-on.
From her actions, I can instinctively tell.
That her words just now weren’t empty.
And…
‘Ha, I’ve only managed to hit her twice.’
That from now on, a path of hell is about to begin.
***
Whoosh—!
I swing my hammer along Six’s trajectory as she charges in.
Six didn’t evade.
She made a cool-headed judgment based on the information she has.
‘If she doesn’t dodge, she can choose where to get hit herself.’
What connects first is the hammer.
Thud—!
But the moment the hammer striked Six’s shoulder.
Puk—!
A dagger coated with aura pierced my forearm like tofu.
‘Damn, this is why I was saving the Dark Barbarian mode…’
Although we exchanged one blow each, it’s clear which side is at a disadvantage.
As is clear from her arrogant gaze.
“You’re quicker than I thought. I was aiming for your neck.”
Damn it.
If she had cursed at me, I might’ve taken it as a compliment.
But Quicker than she thought?
That’s the greatest insult.
Throb.
Thanks to my pain resistance dropping to zero, a sharp pain rose vividly from my stabbed forearm.
Still, I decided to look on the bright side.
‘At least the damage isn’t worse. With no resistance to aura, it could’ve been devastating, but the dagger only pierced flesh. If it had hit deeper…’
“Bethel—raaaaaaaahhhh!”
I channel the searing pain into a battle cry.
“Persistent bastard.”
This fight will end sooner than she expects.
‘One more time.’
I swing the hammer again, in the exact same arc.
Six doesn’t dodge this time, either, and thrusts her dagger in response.
Thud—!
Slash—.
We trade another hit.
Six’s shoulder takes the blow again, while…
‘Damn it.’
This time, her dagger pierced my hand holding the shield.
I had hoped to buy some breathing room with the shield, but the aura-coated blade sliced through it with ease, penetrating my palm.
Clatter.
The shield dropped powerlessly to the floor; perhaps she even cut the strap that fixed it to my wrist.
Oh, along with the shield, my little and ring fingers are also gone.
But…
‘One more time.’
I swing the hammer again, regardless.
But this time, the situation is a bit different.
This time, Six changed tactics. Instead of rushing in, she used both her daggers to intercept the hammer’s trajectory.
But…
Riiip—!
Just before the hammer could collide with the daggers, it received the unavoidable strike bonus and was sucked into the darkness.
Thud—!
It transcends space and strikes Six’s ankle.
Given that she has little fat, significant shock must have been delivered to her bones, but Six showed no signs of concern.
“…So, this method doesn’t work, huh?”
Ha, now I feel like a monster that’s being hunted.
‘One more time.’
I swing the hammer.
Thud—!
I land another blow.
Puk.
A new slash appears on my body.
One hit, two hits, three, four…
After a relentless series of exchanges, I finally acknowledged it.
‘This woman… She’s much stronger than I expected.’
Her inherent skill is beyond words.
She can use aura, and her swordsmanship is as sharp as the captain of Orcules.
Thud—
Moreover, she’s not ignorant.
After just a few exchanges, she started utilizing knowledge about the Dark Mode.
Puk—
Her judgment is just as sharp.
“I can’t use this shoulder anymore.”
As if to prove it, she dropped the dagger she held in her left hand without hesitation.
She judged that she can’t use it anymore anyway.
Since the melee began, she has been taking most of my attacks on her left forearm and shoulder.
A cold-minded approach to focus the damage on one area.
‘Over ten hits for just one arm…’
Compared to my own body, which is covered with cuts and holes, that’s nothing.
Even so, I don’t regret activating the Dark Mode.
Because…
‘If I had left her alone, it would have been a disaster.’
Did I think I could just hold out against a woman like this?
Especially when my health is draining fast, and she’s maintaining her condition?
Surely, it would have turned into an uncontrollable situation.
So far, holding me back is advantageous for her, but once that reason disappears, her blade would turn toward my comrades.
Clench.
Therefore, I changed my mindset.
My original plan was to kill her as quickly as possible, even if it meant taking damage, and then support my comrades…
‘At least… I have to deal with her here somehow.’
Good, now that the goal is simplified, it’s clearer.
I’ll think about what comes after later.
Like a barbarian warrior.
So when she shows even the slightest opening.
I can rush in like a wild dog and tear her apart.
Thump.
My Forearms, skin, wrists, thighs, etc.
The stabs that had been avoiding vital points now pierce deep into my lower abdomen.
“……!”
Damn, this seems dangerous.
Ziiik.
I force my staggering body to stabilize with lower body strength and quickly organize my thoughts.
‘How much longer can I hold out?’
No, to be exact, how many seconds are left?
I don’t know, but it doesn’t seem long.
But…
‘Not yet.’
I try to be as patient as possible.
If I wait a little longer, it’ll come.
The moment to make the decisive move I’ve been waiting for.
Thud—!
Puk—.
Thus, the relentless exchange of attacks continued.
No, in fact, calling it an exchange is laughable.
A continuous series of moments where both of us disregard defense and just attack to kill each other.
“That paladin who died earlier.”
The woman who had been busy cutting up my body without a word suddenly spoke.
I wondered what she was going to say.
“Were you close to him?”
I don’t know why she’s curious about that.
But…
Whoosh—!
I swing my weapon once more and answer.
“No.”
I hadn’t known him long enough to say we were close.
But one thing is certain.
“Then I don’t understand. Why are you going this far?”
“Because he wasn’t someone who should die in a place like this.”
I don’t know him well.
What I’ve seen is just one aspect of his many sides in the labyrinth.
That makes it even more regrettable.
What would exploring with Jun have been like?
It probably wouldn’t have been bad.
Maybe we would have gotten along well, but when his habits from his Inquisitor days came out, I might have shown a disgusted expression.
Unconditional support can be burdensome, but sometimes he would have been more dependable than anyone else.
Whooosh-!
At the Pub?
Was he good at drinking?
Usually, those types have a change of character when they drink.
I wonder what type he was.
Whooosh-!
I don’t know.
These bastards took that opportunity away.
Not just Jun, but the other members as well.
Thump-!
These lives shouldn’t have ended so meaninglessly.
So…
“Bethel—raaaaaaaa!!!”
I forcibly moved my non-moving arm.
To not let these bastards take anything more from me.
Crack-!
I forcefully inject strength into my severed thigh muscles to regain balance.
Whoosh.
As if determined to bring me down,a sharp aura cut through the air resistance and headed straight for my belly.
But at the same time.
「The luck inhabiting the character blocks the damage.」
Finally, the moment I’ve been waiting for has arrived.
Thud.
As if hitting a transparent barrier, the dagger stopped in mid-air.
‘Yes, it finally triggered.’
Gatchabon’s ability [Probabilistic Retribution].
Passive skills work regardless of whether active skills are sealed or not.
「Reflects 15% of the damage received back to the enemy.」
A skeleton appeared on my left side and swung a dagger at Six.
And not just any dagger.
A dagger blazing with an aura of the same color as Six’s aura.
Tap tap.
Six, who had charged in with a full attack, quickly collects herself and steps back.
I’ve seen this scene a few times before.
Even before activating the ‘Dark Mode,’ [Probabilistic Retribution] consistently triggered, and Six, that woman, frustratingly dodged the counterattacks with agility.
But…
Grin.
This is a positive sign for the first time in a while.
‘She didn’t know about Dark Mode that well, did she?’
Otherwise, she wouldn’t have made such a snap judgment.
The unavoidable strike bonus of Dark Mode applies even to the passive.
Like this.
Screech.
As soon as the summoned skeleton’s dagger slashed through the air.
A rift appeared in mid-air, swallowing the dagger.
And soon…
Thump-!
It transcended space and pierced through Six’s body.
“Ugh.”
For the first time in a while, a groan escaped from that steel-like woman.
But…
‘Damn it.’
It wasn’t satisfactory.
‘It pierced her thigh.’
If it had hit her neck, heart, or forehead, the game would have ended immediately.
It would be a lie to say I’m not disappointed, but I let go of regrets.
‘I didn’t expect it to be otherwise anyway.’
Starting from Hans A, whom I met in the Crystal Cave, I’ve faced many enemies.
And…
‘Yes, this is just like me.’
What led me to victory each time was Plan B.
So in that sense.
Just as I had prepared.
Tap tap.
It’s time to throw my final move.
Fwooooosh—!
I dash forward and spit the blood pooled in my mouth onto Six’s face.
Although I no longer have the Corpse Golem’s [Acidic Fluid].
It should at least obscure her vision.
Whoosh—!
Almost simultaneously, I swing the hammer.
A blow that cut through the field of view.
But Six threw out her shoulder as if she could see the trajectory.
The same shoulder that was broken and dangling.
Really taking advantage of that one arm, huh?
Thwack-!
The hammer strikes her injured shoulder.
Whoosh—!
Even at that moment, the woman thrust her dagger forward.
I didn’t dodge.
Stab—!
The dagger penetrates deep into my lower abdomen.
Swoosh.
Ignoring the pain, I reach forward as if I had been waiting for this moment.
It’s the arm that usually held the shield, the same arm that had hung limply after being injured earlier.
Six’s eyes hardened.
Oh, you didn’t expect this either.
It was worth holding back and not using it until now.
Thud.
As soon as my fingertips touched Six’s neck.
Crack-.
Using my index, thumb, and middle fingers, I firmly grasped her neck.
Crack-!
Despite the situation, her expression remained largely unchanged and I promptly slammed my forehead against hers.
And then…
Bang—!
Instead of grabbing Six’s falling body due to inertia, I pressed down on top of it.
Thump-!
My side felt like it was on fire.
It was a bit ridiculous.
Did she stab me even as she fell?
Whooosh-!
From a mounted position, I quickly repositioned the hammer and struck down.
Then something surprising happened.
‘Wow… she’s really crazy.’
Even with her upper body pinned, she was able to dodge the hammer by moving her neck as a reflex…….
Impressive, but not meaningful.
Just because it’s close range doesn’t mean the unavoidable strike bonus doesn’t apply.
Crack-!
The hammer aimed for the head passed through the air and crushed Six’s foot.
Stab—!
For a moment I felt dizzy, as if all my strength was leaving my body.
But the more it hurt, the harder I hit.
Crack-!
This time, the impact was decent.
The hammer seemed to have hit her wrist properly; the dagger she had been holding tightly flew into the air and clattered to the ground.
‘Good, now she has no weapon.’
With no worry of counterattacks, I swing the hammer again.
Crack—! Crack—! Crack—!
Three times Six twisted her neck to protect her head, but the fourth time was different.
Because this time, it hit right on the crown.
Crack-!
The strong impact transmitted to the brain stiffened her body like a seizure.
But I didn’t stop and kept swinging the hammer.
The unavoidable strike bonus no longer activated.
Even this monstrous woman couldn’t keep dodging with just her neck while suffering from a concussion.
Crack, crack, crack-!
After hitting her head three more times with the hammer.
‘One more.’
As I prepared for the fourth strike, lifting the hammer.
Between the smashed flesh and blood-soaked face, I saw Six’s eyes.
It was a somewhat strange experience.
I’ve smashed the heads of countless enemies, but none were like this.
“……”
Eyes that looked peaceful, not at all like someone in distress.
Looking up at me with those eyes, she spoke.
“…I lost.”
Huh, see how cool she is?
I didn’t think she was the type to beg for her life, but I didn’t expect this.
Well, it doesn’t matter either way.
“Ni, a… raph. Donia…”
With all my strength, I swung the hammer.
Crack—!
With a chilling impact sound, Six’s body beneath me stopped moving.
“Huff, huff, huff…”
My breath was so ragged it reached up to my chin.
‘Is she… really dead?’
It just didn’t feel real.
She had been that formidable opponent.
But, I can’t keep resting forever.
Swoosh.
Catching my breath absentmindedly, I slowly stood up.
And then…
“Er… Win, it’s over now, so cancel the [Spirit Transformation]—”
Hurry and release it.
Just as I was about to say that.
[Mister—!!!!]
Like symptoms of orthostatic hypotension, my vision blurred white, and my body staggered.
‘Damn it…’
I need to get up right now.
There are still many more to take care of.
Slump.
My eyes closed.
***
「The character has fallen into a [Stunned] state.」
「[Spirit Transformation] is canceled.」
「Abyssal Residue.」
「Recoil comes to the character in proportion to the duration of maintenance.」
「Maintenance time 318 seconds.」
「For 3,180 seconds, the character…」