It was only a blink of an eye that Fue Toukouya was swallowed by the light.
In an instant, impossible for ordinary people to even perceive, the torrent of light vanished.
This proved that the 〖Mana〗, which the “Polar King” had spent a long time converging, was used up in an instant. Furthermore, it demonstrated the immense power of the activated 〖Skill〗.
In conclusion, most of the countermeasures Fue Toukouya took were meaningless.
〖White King’s Authority: Cold Calm Scales〗. This 〖Skill〗 inflicts cold based on the target’s heat and cold resistance.
In short, it freezes everything equally and fairly, regardless of the target’s heat or thermal conductivity.
Therefore, all of Fue Toukouya’s defenses were nullified.
And the ferocity of 〖White King’s Authority: Cold Calm Scales〗 doesn’t end there.
After the torrent of light passes, it has a terrifying effect of breaking down targets whose temperature has fallen below a certain level, transforming them into glittering ice crystals.
As mentioned earlier, there is no way to mitigate this cold, and the condition of ‘below a certain temperature’ is virtually meaningless.
A path of ice crystals was formed in the iceberg and ice field pierced by the light, and of course, Fue Toukouya was no exception.
He, who had been bathed in light all over his body, also had his body temperature fall below a certain value, which turned his flesh into light particles, causing him to suffer massive damage that robbed him of all his vast 〖Life〗.
The “Polar King,” sensing the death of the external enemy due to the disappearance of 〖Zone Control〗, left the scene, somewhat relieved from the trouble he had been put through.
—An arrow pierced his defenseless back.
◆ ◆ ◆
~Unidentified Information Log Area~
…
The distant, radiant, white jade wheel, Fue Toukouya’s 〖Last Stand〗 has been activated.
…
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~Skill Details~
Last Stand: Always provides a bonus to the power to remain in place. Once every twenty-four hours, when 〖Life〗 is completely depleted, 〖Life〗 is left at 1 instead.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Re-re-re-reli!?”
“(That hurtssssss!!)”
This time, this time, I thought I was gonna dieeeeee!!
The moment I was hit by the light, my vision went completely white!
It should have been freezing cold, but the pain was so intense that I couldn’t tell if it was hot or cold!
It really, really hurt like hell!
Even now, I have to desperately raise my tension, or I feel like I’m going to pass out from the pain!
“(But even this is better thanks to 〖Repair Moonlight〗)”
~Skill Details~
Repair Moonlight: Can emit light that consumes 〖Mana〗 to repair Artifacts. Can emit light that consumes 〖Mana〗 to repair the mind.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I, who had survived the torrent of light with 〖Last Stand〗, initially had only the bare minimum of flesh left to maintain life.
However, with 〖Repair Moonlight〗, which I had activated beforehand (…), I was able to regain about two-thirds of my volume.
It’s not just 〖Repair Moonlight〗, but recovery 〖Skills〗 have a slight time lag between use and healing.
Unlike games… no, games are like that too. There’s probably a bit of lag between using a recovery skill and the HP bar filling up.
That kind of mechanism was useful this time.
The Clione’s light instantly depleted my 〖Life〗, but the 〖Repair Moonlight〗, which I had applied like crazy beforehand, restored my 〖Life〗 and calmed my mind.
Even while writhing in pain, I was able to choose the optimal solution.
That is, 〖Stealth〗.
The Clione did not pursue.
Partly because its 〖Mana〗 was almost depleted, but also because it probably didn’t think anyone could survive that light.
Realizing this, I released 〖Zone Control〗 and waited for an opportunity to strike unexpectedly.
I really wanted to heal my wounds with 〖Repair Moonlight〗, but if I used even a little 〖Mana〗, I might be noticed.
And the moment it turned its back, I closed in with 〖Super Leap〗 and pierced it with Monoceros Drill.
“(Alright, 〖Assassination〗 also activated successfully!)”
~Skill Details~
Assassination: When attacking without being noticed by the opponent, the power is increased. When attacking without being noticed by the opponent, a certain percentage of the target’s 〖Toughness〗 is ignored.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And that’s not all.
Due to the synergistic effect of several 〖Skills〗 such as 〖Blast Dash〗, 〖Storm Strike〗, and 〖Perforation〗, the Monoceros Drill pierced deep into the Clione.
The Clione itself twitched and then began to thrash wildly.
But the Monoceros Drill did not come out, and I went on the offensive.
“(Alright! Rotation start!)”
There was no longer any need to hide 〖Mana〗, and the Artifacts installed in the weapon could also be used.
Tearing flesh and scooping out organs.
“Lulululuraaa!”
The Clione then tried to fire light bullets from the surrounding ice crystals.
But it was an attack I had seen many times. I had anticipated it and was ready to counter it at any time.
“(〖Territory〗 activate!)”
I redeployed 〖Zone Control〗 with the 〖Mana〗 I had gathered in the rear.
This area was the Clione’s 〖Zone Control〗, and doing so would inevitably cause a Kai-Geki Phenomenon.
A powerful shockwave occurred on the back side, blowing away all the ice crystals in the area.
“Riri!?”
Furthermore, the shockwave pushed me forward, and the Monoceros Drill went deeper.
At the same time, I created several ice kusarigama and inflicted cuts.
Despite being in close contact, ‘Freeze’ was not used.
“(Of course, it wouldn’t be, it doesn’t have any 〖Mana〗 left to use ‘Freeze’!)”
“Lu-lu-luuu…”
Even if you can recover endlessly with 〖Zone Control〗, it takes a considerable amount of time to store enough 〖Mana〗 for one ‘Freeze’.
In the current situation where I had almost completely exhausted my 〖Mana〗 with the torrent of light, ‘Freeze’ was unusable.
“Luu, lalaa…”
“(Whoa, seriously?)”
But the Clione was no slouch either.
It suddenly began to descend rapidly, hitting me with an ice block that was rising from below.
Due to the incredible relative speed, the Monoceros Drill was broken, and I was launched into the sky.
Of course, I knew about the 〖Skill〗 to manipulate ice and was paying attention in all directions.
But I couldn’t notice it… or rather, I couldn’t see it. That ice block really appeared suddenly out of nowhere.
“(So it’s transparency, huh? It still had cards up its sleeve, that’s something!)”
While speculating about the identity of the mysterious phenomenon, I thought about my next move.
In other words, how to deal with the Clione’s attack.
It seemed like it couldn’t afford to hold back anymore, and the Clione was using its 〖Speed〗 to the fullest, approaching in an instant.
Yes, approaching.
Having endured its trump card, it seemed that it had also made up its mind.
The full-speed movement of a 〖King Beast〗… a speed that could even rival a light bullet, I was able to follow it with my eyes. It was thanks to the blessing of 〖WWW (Waning and Waxing Wisdom)〗.
~Skill Details~
WWW (Waning and Waxing Wisdom): Always provides a bonus to the effects of analysis-type 〖Skills〗. When 〖Life〗 is reduced from its maximum value, the thinking speed is increased according to the amount of reduction. Can store Artifacts and Mana Crystals in the vicinity in another dimension.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My thinking speed was currently accelerated because my 〖Life〗 was reduced.
That’s why I was able to act with the same reaction speed as the Clione in the previous exchanges.
As I focused, the “Polar King’s” head split open, and six tube-like objects popped out.
They were called buccal cones, I think. They were the feeding appendages that common Cliones also have.
The “Polar King’s” were somewhat more ferocious in shape than those of a normal Clione, but their role was probably the same.
I used 〖Blink〗 to slip past the feeding appendages that were trying to devour me and jumped into the Clione’s mouth.
“(The worst case is that I can escape at full speed after ‘Freeze’ is restored, it’s not the time to be cautious anymore! Thunder Harvest Scythe!)”
“Lulu, luloraa!”
As I clung to its mouth to unleash an instant-kill Lightning Strike, a mysterious cold air blew at me.
Its power was greater than the ice crystal light bullets. Judging from the fact that it hadn’t used it before, it must have a short range.
While enduring it with 〖Repair Moonlight〗 and the Sunstone, I relentlessly unleashed my 【Unique Skill】.
To tear skin, rend flesh, shatter bone, and return the Arche dwelling within the marrow to the earth.
A struggle of life and death, devoid of any trickery. How long did this relentless, gritty, life-or-death exchange continue?
In a state of extreme 〖Concentration〗, even the sense of time becomes paralyzed.
In that long, fleeting moment, the one who succumbed first was—
~Unidentified Information Log Area~
…
The eternally unmelting Frozen Sea Ice Burn, Linnelean, has died.
…