I'm keeping an eye on the demon while putting up a [Wait] hand signal .

Then--the demon cast Material Detection magic .

A peculiar mana was discharged before flying off into the distance .

"What was that magic?"

While saying that . . . I calculate the object of the spell from its mana pattern .

And it's exactly what I predicted it would be .

--The [Key] to the [Coffin of Sealing] .

Without the [Key], we won't be able to open the [Coffin of Sealing] nor can we carry it far .

The demon used that spell in order to ascertain that .

"Oh that's to clear people off . It would be a bother if someone trespa.s.ses in the heat of battle, don't you think?"

The demon looked satisfied while lying through its teeth .

Looks like it didn't find the [Key] .

Advertis.e.m.e.ntWhile keeping an eye on it . . . I made a gesture toward Giruas .

The route to the hidden room has been wrenched open thanks to the destruction we caused .

" . . . Got it . "

Giruas, visibly upset to be stuck with his luggage carrier role in front of a powerful opponent, was heading inside a hole in the wall when--

A high speed attack magic was shot chantlessly .

--High speed attack magic .

A magic that pursues cast speed above all else at the expense of power and accuracy .

However--when used by a demon of this cla.s.s, the magic's power and accuracy exceeds that of magic cast by ordinary demons .

"Wh-"

Ordinary human can't even react to this magic .

Giruas noticed and reacted to it--but perceiving that he couldn't dodge it, he moved his center of ma.s.s to avoid a direct hit to his vital .

A moment later, the defensive magic I had cast took effect, repelling the high speed attack magic .

"Hou . . . You blocked that . "

Demon Giwald sounded impressed .

It probably didn't think its magic would be blocked .

"Go now, hurry . "

" . . Yea . "

Looks like the exchange just now has made Giruas realize that this battle is beyond his capability .

He ran toward the hidden room without looking back .

I shoot [Mana Jammer] at demon Giwald while taking a sidelong glance at that .

It's a magic to disarray mana control resulting in casting failure .

This magic usually gets augmented on arrows to compensate for range . . .   But I shoot at it directly this time .

[Mana Jammer] won't work well on demons of this cla.s.s .

It'll only make their magic construction 0 . 5 seconds longer at most .

That would have been enough time to deal great damage on ordinary demons . . . But against this demon, that much time gets us virtually nothing .

But it should give us enough time for Giruas to bring back the [Coffin of Sealing] .

"Sooi!"

Following after me, Iris thrust her spear toward demon Giwald .

The demon gripped her spear and stared at me .

"I see . . . Buying time for your thieving friend huh . "

--It found out our goals .

However, demon Giwald shows no sign of panicking .

Neither does it makes a move to deal with Giruas .

The demon understands that we don't possess the [Key] to the [Coffin of Sealing] .

Hence, it must have chosen to slowly but surely kill us .

No matter how high up a demon on the ladder, a moment carelessness could still bring their ruin . . . by way of peculiar magic .

I have no means for such right now, but this demon Giwald has no way of knowing that fact .

Hence, it's going to make full use of its advantage in mana and stamina to surely kill us in a protracted battle . . .

That must be this demon's plan .

It's going as I antic.i.p.ated so far .

As I a.n.a.lyzed the flow of battle, Alma's arrow flew off .

With the hand that didn't grab Iris's spear, demon Giwald caught the arrow .

" . . . Another jamming magic huh . "

The demon shot a high speed attack magic over Iris's shoulder toward Ruli and Alma .

I clashed it with my own attack magic I instantaneously cast, diverting its trajectory .

" . . . What an annoying formation . "

After having so many of its attack magic repelled .

Demon Giwald muttered in vexation .

Our formation this time specializes in buying time .

In such, I take the advance position, Iris the support, while Alma and Ruli are holding the rear position .

Since I'm in charge of deciding our strategy at the forefront, this affords us aggressive yet flexible tactics to be deployed at will .