Episode 165: The Ophanims’ Fierce Attack
“Guh, damn it! Fall back, fall back!!”
Matteo from Germany, who had been sitting on his rear, stood up and ordered his subordinates to retreat.
As they approached the flames, the fire grid swayed, forming an exit for people to pass through. Matteo and his men hurriedly escaped.
The Black Armor also rushed towards the opened flames. However, in the blink of an eye, the exit closed, and the flames took on a serpentine form, attacking.
The monster fended them off with its black longsword while retreating.
Charlotte of the “Ophanims,” who was watching from outside, looked at the Black Armor with a puzzled expression.
“Did you see that, Michael?”
“Yeah, terrifying strength. But more than that…”
“Yes, despite the overwhelming difference in power, why didn’t it kill the German Seekers?”
Michael agreed and nodded.
“Destroying only the weapons is more difficult, right!? What the hell is going on?”
The two were perplexed. It was clearly different from ordinary Monsters. More than anything, even when it fought them, it could have killed them if it wanted to, yet it didn’t.
As Charlotte pondered with a finger on her chin, a loud voice was heard.
“This ‘Cage of Flames’ won’t last long! Defeat the Black Armor before the cage disappears!! This is a message from Albert. I repeat…”
It was a member of “Prometheus” who was shouting. Even for Albert, maintaining such a massive spell must be difficult.
“This is no time to be thinking. Let’s go, Michael!”
“You bet!”
This time, the Seeker Clan from England entered the Birdcage. Charlotte and Michael once again faced the Black Armor.
–No matter how strange its actions, it’s still a Monster. Then all that’s left is to defeat it with everything they’ve got!
Charlotte renewed her resolve and brandished the Willow Leaf Sabers in her hands.
◇◇◇
Rui felt his body heating up. Before his eyes was the enemy to defeat, the Black Armor.
He wanted to enter immediately, but Tennoji stopped him, telling him to wait until the battle of the English Seeker Clan was over.
Certainly, if someone who couldn’t coordinate entered, they might only get in the way.
Thinking so, Rui endured.
He felt Magical Power overflowing from the “Scorching Blade” at his waist.
–You want to fight the Black Armor too, huh?
Rui held down the Katana and stared into the Birdcage. There, he saw Charlotte, the leader of the English Seeker Clan, approaching the Black Armor.
◇◇◇
The blonde woman dashed forward, charging in. Yuma took a defensive stance, producing longswords from the backs of his hands.
–Her again… I have to be careful, she was quite strong.
He deflected the Katana swung by the woman in military uniform with the longswords in his hands, timing his move.
He couldn’t hurt this person. Thinking so, Yuma raised the longsword he intended to destroy the Katana with Lightning, but the trajectory of the Katana changed.
“Eh!?”
Slashes of fire and Lightning were unleashed one after another, and Yuma was forced into a purely defensive position.
–Can she read my mind!?
“Haaah!!”
One of the Katanas held by the woman flashed violently. This was–
“Magic Gem ‘Release’! –Dragon Paratt!!”
The blow wrapped in explosive flames struck Yuma’s abdomen directly. The impact sent him flying backward, and he touched the Cage of Flames.
The flames burning his back pushed his body back, exploding mercilessly.
“Uwaaaah!!”
Yuma’s body was thrown forward, and he almost fell to his knees. He barely managed to endure, but then the black man and two other Seekers unleashed their techniques simultaneously.
He guarded, but was deflected, and once again blown backward by the impact.
He couldn’t stop even as he tried to brace himself, and he slightly touched the Cage of Flames. An explosion erupted on his back. Heat permeated his body, causing pain as if his internal organs were being burned.
Yuma endured the pain and looked ahead.
There stood the Seekers, their Magic Gems shining intensely.
◇◇◇
“It’s working… it’s working! Everyone, slam the Black Armor into Albert’s flames!!”
The Seekers of “Ophanims” began to move. Several people cooperated to attack the Black Armor, and simultaneously “Released” their Magic Gems.
The Monster was sent flying backward, touching the flames and exploding. It sputtered smoke and knelt down, staggering.
“Attack without pause! If your weapons become unusable, get out!”
As Charlotte instructed, the members of Ophanims used “Release” to push the Black Armor into the flames, inflicting damage.
Those who had finished attacking immediately retreated, replaced by those who had not yet released their Magic Gems.
Under the relentless assault, the Black Armor could only focus on defense.
–This might work!
Charlotte felt a response.
Due to the Seekers’ fierce attack, the Black Armor was slammed into Albert’s flames many times, caught in the explosions.
Even so, the Black Armor somehow endured, refusing to fall.
All the members of “Ophanims” had used up their “Release,” and only Charlotte and the Black Armor remained in the Birdcage.
She had to deliver the finishing blow.
Charlotte poured Magical Power into the Willow Leaf Saber in her left hand. She circulated Lightning Magical Power throughout her body, increasing her body’s reaction speed.
She kicked off the ground and dashed towards the Black Armor.
“Magic Gem ‘Release’!!”
The Katana unleashing Lightning shone even brighter. The blow swung by Charlotte deflected the Black Armor’s guard.
A full-force blow exploded into the wide-open abdomen.
“–Dragon Roar!!”
The Black Armor, blown away by the Lightning Strike, crashed into the Cage of Flames. The biggest explosion yet occurred.
Smoking, the Monster slowly fell.
“I did it…”
Charlotte rejoiced, but the Black Armor planted its foot with a clang, refusing to fall.
Countless blue streaks ran through its body, seeming to repel the flames. The Black Armor slowly raised its face.
Its eyes glowed eerily, and it continued to emit a tremendous amount of “Mana” from its entire body.
“Kuh.”
Charlotte’s body had reached its limit after using “Release” three times.
She glared at the Black Armor and slowly retreated. As Charlotte exited the Birdcage, two Seekers entered.
Charlotte glanced at them. They seemed to be Seekers from Japan.
One was a young man with a large spear. The other was a young man carrying a Katana at his waist.
Charlotte showed a bewildered expression. Both young men were emitting an unusual “Magical Power.”