“Garooo!”
“(〖Replicant Form〗, Shape Lock!)”
The serrated-like parts growing on the “Ancient King’s” back.
It rotated them at high speed, using them to slash as it rolled forward.
Defending against it was a green spear, replicated, extended to a certain degree, and then shape-locked.
By matching the spearhead to the serrated teeth, I succeeded in greatly reducing the momentum of the charge.
In that gap, I escaped to the side and fired a Lightning Strike.
It was deflected by the scales as before, but I felt a definite response.
“(Alright, even if I can’t inflict a wound, I can reach its 〔Soul (Arche)〕)”
By increasing the frequency of using my 【Unique Skill】, I realized that instantly killing it was possible.
Well, it’s like trying to till a field with a single plow, a task so difficult it’s practically impossible.
“(Other Demon Beasts would weaken while being hit by Lightning Strikes, but…)”
“Gyuaaaaaaa!”
“(You’re not that easy, are you?)”
The “Ancient King” thrust its long, sharp claws into the ground, piercing through the surface of the Mana Crystal, and blades of rock shot out from all around.
Since it didn’t have defense ignore, I didn’t take damage, but the impact of the hits threw me off balance.
“Gyogii!”
“(〖Super Leap〗, Shape Lock, 〖Block〗!)”
What followed was a simple Charge, and then a bite.
I narrowly dodged the fangs that were approaching while gouging the earth, and then solidified my defense.
Even if the fangs didn’t hit, it was difficult to completely avoid the “Ancient King’s” massive body.
I was hit by its claws and sent flying.
“(Ouch… the decrease in 〖Life〗 is about fifty. For now, its output is higher than mine.)”
Shape Lock… I haven’t had 【Thunderous Cycle of Rise and Fall】 for long. It doesn’t even come close to the output of the “Ancient King’s” 〖Fangs〗.
This time, I only got a wound like being pricked by a needle because I didn’t touch the fangs, but I shudder to think what would have happened if I had been bitten.
“(Then there’s only one thing to do!)”
Using the distance I created, I hit it with two or three Lightning Strikes, and at the same time, I leaped high into the sky.
I can’t win if I’m bothered by the blades of the earth again.
The “Ancient King” also immediately jumped up and approached to bite.
I dodged it widely. The “Ancient King’s” bite has an area-expanding effect.
“(Not being able to see the bite marks in the air is a little scary.)”
The bite marks so far had been carved in a crescent shape in front of the “Ancient King’s” face.
Since I can’t reconfirm the range in the air, I have to make sure not to forget it.
While thinking about that, I unleashed a Lightning Strike on the defenseless “Ancient King’s” back.
I had circled around to its back while using the momentum from dodging the previous bite.
The “Ancient King” also has excellent mobility in the air, but even so, if I get directly behind it, I should be able to attack it unilaterally for a while.
That’s what I thought, but it wasn’t that easy.
“Garururuooo!”
“(Whoa, what’s that, it’s so cool!)”
The plate-like bones growing from its back to its tail, very similar to those of a Stegosaurus.
They glowed dark purple, and the next moment, countless beams were released.
The dark beams didn’t ignore defense, but they had a speed that I couldn’t dodge and enough power to throw me off balance.
The 〖Mana〗 consumption also seemed heavy, but it was a powerful means of attack.
“Guooo!”
“(Damn, I’m jealous of all the things you have!)”
Taking advantage of the slight opening created by the dark purple beams, the “Ancient King” turned.
It bared its fangs at me again.
“(Well, but versatility isn’t your exclusive privilege!)”
“Gagu!?”
The approaching “Ancient King” suddenly gagged.
That was because of the triangular cone that had flown into its throat—one of my Drones. I had used 〖Mimicry〗 to blend it into the sky and hide it.
If it’s going to use its body’s characteristics, then I’ll follow suit.
“(【Thunderous Cycle of Rise and Fall】!)”
“Gugugooooo!”
Taking advantage of the opponent’s distraction, I escaped from the charge’s trajectory and activated my 【Unique Skill】.
Lightning leaked from the gaps in the “Ancient King’s” clenched fangs. Lightning can be emitted even from a Drone.
Even from inside the body, ‘Invariance’ can’t be broken, but since it’s touching the body, it’s easier to kill instantly.
“(Lightning Strike! Lightning Strike! Ligh—)”
“Graaa!”
“(–Ouch, you did it, you bastard!)”
The Drone that had infiltrated its body was entangled by its tongue and crushed.
The “Ancient King” has a 〖Skill〗 that forcibly ‘Transforms’ targets at close range. It must have used that.
The crushed Drone automatically revived thanks to the 〖Life〗 in 〖Stockpile〗.
If this keeps up, my 〖Stockpile〗 will be needlessly depleted, so I hurriedly activated Shape Lock.
I was able to suppress the damage from ‘Transformation’, but since I need to keep pouring power into Shape Lock, I don’t have the leeway to use instant-kill lightning.
It also seems difficult to escape from inside its mouth, so that leaves me with seven Drones.
“Guooo!”
“(Oops, I won’t let you fly away that easily.)”
Four Drones that I had secretly sent out struck the wings of the “Ancient King,” which was about to flap them greatly to close the distance.
After that, they continued to impact the wings while concealing their presence, disrupting its flight posture. It was just like what I had experienced on the ground.
The “Ancient King” thrashed around for a while trying to knock down the Drones, but since my main body kept interfering, it seemed to give up and turned back towards me.
It charged straight at me, but thanks to the interference, its speed was somewhat dulled.
Thanks to that, I had more room to secure my distance, and I was able to bombard it with Lightning Strikes from the Drones while maintaining my distance.
However, after flying a little, my movements suddenly stopped.
I had hit that invisible pillar again.
“(Tch, again? But this is—)”
“Graa!”
“(–Crap, 〖Super Leap〗!)”
I kicked off the air and leaped to the side, narrowly avoiding the fangs.
The “Ancient King” passed by as if there was no invisible pillar, turned, and chased after me.
The distance closed in an instant, but I somehow managed to create distance again by using feints and Drones.
“(That pillar, it doesn’t hit the “Ancient King” itself. It didn’t even flinch when it stopped me, so it’s more of a 〖Skill〗 than a special part.)”
It’s making the air ‘Invariant’… but the activation conditions are a mystery. If it could be used anywhere at any time, there should be more effective uses for it.
“(Hmm, a set-up type… does it need to be set up in advance? 〖S(Sparkle) U(Aproot)〗!)”
While parrying the “Ancient King’s” fierce attacks, I fired magic bullets in all directions.
The power was almost non-existent, but I was able to shorten the charge time by that much.
The 〖Mana〗 bullets each traveled through the atmosphere with slightly different trajectories, combing through the area.
As I tracked the magic bullets with 〖L(Lock-on) AIM〗, I could see magic bullets disappearing unnaturally.
“(Oops, if I keep going this way, it’ll be a dense area. Change of course.)”
I changed direction while dodging the flying claw attacks.
I flew towards the direction where the forest remained. That is, the area that had not been the battlefield so far. I know from the magic bullet radar that there are no invisible pillars here.
“(If my prediction of it being a set-up type is correct, then it makes sense that there are no pillars in places where the “Ancient King” hasn’t been during the battle. The next thing is the set-up conditions, but…!)”
The “Ancient King’s” speed suddenly increased.
It kicked off the air with its feet, as if it had used 〖Air Jump〗.
“(So you had a hidden card like that!)”
The Drones were shaken off. The distance closed faster than a blink.
It’s bad to take the fangs’ attack with my body. I took out a Mana Crystal shield on the spur of the moment. But I don’t have the time to apply Shape Lock.
I immediately kicked the crystal shield away and retreated, and right after, the fangs pierced through the crystal shield.
I somehow managed to get past the “Ancient King” that was still chasing after me, and I noticed something when I was able to use the Drones for interference again.
The crystal shield isn’t falling.
It’s staying there as if it’s been sewn into the void.
“(! So that’s it!?)”
Looking at the marks of the fangs pierced into the crystal shield, a hypothesis formed.
“(Could it be that it’s using ‘Invariance’ on the air or space itself?)”
Perhaps because I had seen Paula’s magic so many times, I was able to accept the idea easily.
If it’s leaving the bite marks it made in the air (space) as they are, then it makes sense that there’s nothing much to catch on to.
“(I see, I see, if you can do that, then I can too…)”
And just as the mystery behind my stagnation was solved, I found a breakthrough.