Published at 16th of March 2022 02:56:37 PM

544 Wrathful Blow (side: treant)

I can clearly see Aruane jumping at me. But, I have no idea what to do in response.

I dont know what I should do from here on. Atlach-dono is already dead. I cant return with her alive. So then what should I do? I dont know. My thoughts are a mess. All that remains is a swirling blackness, telling me that nothing matters now.

Embracing my fury, I release my [Tree Spiritisation]. This cave is too small for me, but the ceiling is just barely able to contain my height.

You cant move like that

O, OOOOO, OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

I swing my branches upwards. The cave walls crack under the impact. Crushed stones fall from the ceiling, but I ignore them and swing down towards Aruane.

Seemingly afraid to dodge and get caught up in falling rocks, she stops moving and catches my branch. Her dainty arms easily hold up my thick branch. Shes forced backwards slightly, but easily keeps her footing.

With my status, I am no match for her. Even though I was miraculously able to land a hit, this was all that resulted.

Aruane glances slightly behind me. Atlach-donos body is probably still in the cave. Shes probably worried that the cave will collapse and she wont be able to recover it. Even in this situation, it seems she doesnt view me as a threat.

How is this the power of a [Tyrant Guardian]!? I cant be called a guardian if I cant protect even one of my friends by putting my life on the line.

I dont need a half-hearted defence that cant even buy time against a higher rank opponent. All I want is the strength to repel the enemy in front of me.

[Berserk]!

I cast magic on myself, raising my attack power at the cost of my reason.

I know its usually used against enemies. But, I need every piece of attack power I can get. As it is, I dont have enough power to strike back at all.

[Guard Lost]!

I cast another magic on myself. This one lowers the targets defence, making it easier for attacks to penetrate The downside is that it also raises the targets attack.

I probably couldnt get it to hit Aruane. So, used it on myself. The attack boost from [Guard Boost] is usually not worth the loss to defence. But, a single hit was already enough to take me out.

Yourenot in any state to listen, are you?

Aruanes eyes open wide, and she stares at me.

I lift my roots up and slam them against the ground. Its the [Ground Tremor] skill. The cave shakes, scattering earth and stones into the air.

Aruane kicks off the ground, leaping straight towards me. Shes too fast for me to react. But, fortunately, a lump of compact earth falls from the ceiling between us.

Aruane kicks off it in the air, leaping to the side.

[Clay]!

I quickly cast magic. The lump glows with light, and a tentacle of earth stretches out to coil around Aruane. She moves to untangle herself.

I wont let you!!

Stepping forward, I lift my branch up. I make the tip metal with [Statue], and compress it with [Gravity Compression]. [Gravity Compression] can be used for a temporary stat boost like this at the cost of HP.

I dont care what happens to me. But I absolutely wont forgive Aruane. She killed atlach-donoand is planning on using her death to torment master-dono. Such an evil cannot be allowed to live.

As I swing down, Aruane finally escapes from the earthen lump. She clings to the wall, then looks around and darts to a corner of the ceiling.

Its too narrow here, its no use. Though theres nowhere for Aruane to run now But with your big body, you cant reach Aruane, its impossible

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I will bring you to hell!

With all my weight behind it, I swing my branch. It carves through the ceiling and slams into Aruane.

She blocks with her arm like before, but this time I feel her arm breaking. I smash into her body, and a huge spurt of blood escapes her mouth. Ive crushed her body all the way to her core.

Perhaps due to the damage to the main body, Ool, who had been keeping his distance, collapses to the ground.

My attack power has been strengthened by the fury of [Berserk], and the abandon of [Guard Lost]. The hardness and power of my branch were enhanced by [Statue] and [Gravity Compression] at the cost of my HP. It cant be compared to my previous attack.

Huge tremors run through the entire cave, and Aruanes body slams against the ground. Ill keep attacking to overwhelm her. I swing branch down again. Even if it means I get buried alive, Ill defeat her here!

I wont let you do as you please with atlach-dono any further! I wont let you touch Aro-dono or master-dono either!

Just before I can land my third hit, she swiftly crawls across the ground to avoid my blow. Congealed blood is swirling around her damaged parts, forcing her body to move.

Her neck is at a strange angle too. Shes undoubtedly in a state that would kill any normal human. Her stance is horribly forward-leaning, as she crawls with both arms on the ground like a wild animal. Her claws of blood are much longer than I have seen them. She should be on the verge of death, but her eyes have an unsettling red gleam to them.

As I thought Youre the most dangerous.

With her [Blood Doll], she can move as though she were in perfect condition, no matter how close to death she is. That was what Aro-dono observed, but It seems she was slightly mistaken.

The instant Aruane kicks off the ground, she disappears and I hear a sound from behind me. Her movement is clearly faster than before. She seems to have given up on moving Ool, and has left his corpse on the ground. By focusing entirely on moving herself, shes able to move this fast.

I hear another sound from behind, then from above and below. Its not that shes playing around. She wants to make me completely lose track of her before she gets a single definite hit in.

I use [Statue] to turn my whole body into metal, and [Gravity Compression] to squish myself down and raise my defence. If I cant see her, Ill have to counterattack after getting hit. As long as Aruane is dead It doesnt matter if I die too.

A sharp impact hits my back. Aruane has leapt straight towards me. I feel cracks running through my metal body, and can tell my life is running out.

This is the end!

This is the end!

I whip my metal branch around, swinging behind me. The [Wood Counter] skill It relies on the impact of an opponent leaping at me to launch a semi-automatic counter attack.

Aruanes body slams hard into the ground before rebounding up to hit the wall. She tumbles away, knocking haphazardly into rocks.