Episode 82: Like an Oni God
To keep the Varlin coming from all directions at bay, Yuma spun his Pickel horizontally, building up centrifugal force.
At maximum acceleration, he released the Pickel.
The massive hammer flew with terrifying speed, striking a Varlin directly in the face. The monster died instantly, turning to sand before it could even scream.
A string of Liquid Metal was wrapped around the Pickel’s handle. Yuma pulled on the string, returning the Pickel to his hand.
Turning to face a Varlin that had attacked from behind, he swung the Pickel horizontally.
The sharp pick pierced the torso, and the monster vanished into sand with a deathly shriek.
As he tried to follow up with another attack, a Varlin firmly grabbed the Pickel’s handle.
“What!?”
The Pickel wouldn’t budge against its powerful grip. While he struggled to pull it free, other Varlin closed in.
“Damn it!”
Yuma unleashed the full power of the Bloodstained Ore (Bloody Ore). His entire body was covered in red veins.
He struck the Varlin’s face with his left fist. The monster staggered back, spitting blood, but refused to release the Pickel.
Yuma let go of the Pickel with his right hand and extended the Longsword equipped on his gauntlet. He thrust it into the Varlin’s chest as if punching it.
It coughed up blood, but it seemed that simply stabbing it with the Longsword wasn’t enough to kill it.
Another Varlin reached for him from behind. Yuma pulled out the Longsword and parried the approaching Varlin’s hand with a backhand blow.
He raised the Longsword in his right hand and slashed down at the monster’s head.
The Varlin raised its arm to block, but the Longsword bit deeply into its arm. However, the Longsword became stuck in the steel arm.
Even as Yuma panicked, the surrounding Varlin continued to attack.
“UOOOOOOOOOOOH!”
Yuma forced the Longsword down with all his might. He severed the Varlin’s arm and kicked the screaming monster in the stomach with all his strength.
The Varlin rolled across the ground, turning to sand as it went.
Turning around, he saw the Pickel lying at the feet of the approaching Varlin. Yuma extended three fingers like thorns, wrapping them around the Pickel’s handle.
He pulled his arm back, and the Pickel returned with tremendous force. He gripped the handle firmly and slammed the hammerhead into the approaching monster.
He felt the sensation of the Varlin’s steel body, bones, and internal organs being crushed in his hand.
The monster collapsed to the ground, turning to sand. Just as he thought he could manage, the red veins disappeared from his body.
“Ah!?”
Time was up. He had used up all the power of the three Bloodstained Ores (Bloody Ore).
Yuma grimaced at the sight of the remaining Varlin, but—
“Yuma, over here!”
The president, Kanzaki-san, who had been collecting Demon Ore from the places where the Varlin had died, called out to Yuma.
Yuma kept the Varlin at bay as he ran towards the president.
“I’ll draw their attention. Swallow all of these in the meantime!”
The president handed him seven Bloodstained Ores (Bloody Ore). The president immediately raised his Hexagonal Rod and charged towards the Varlin.
“Come on, you apes! I’m your opponent!”
Several Varlin reached out to grab the president. The president tried to shake them off, pouring Water Magical Power into the Hexagonal Rod.
He swung the blue-glowing rod, striking the Varlin’s bodies and arms.
Droplets of water flew everywhere. Thanks to the president’s flashy performance, the Varlin’s attention was completely diverted from Yuma.
“Now’s my chance…”
Yuma opened his mouth like a Metallization monster and swallowed all seven Demon Ores. He could open his mouth and throat wide using his Liquid Metallization ability.
He had learned in advance that Demon Ore could be ingested while Metallized.
After swallowing everything in one gulp, his stomach throbbed with heat.
It seemed that he had absorbed them without any problems. Looking up, he saw the president surrounded by Varlin and struggling.
Yuma focused his power and channeled the red veins throughout his body. Then, to help the president, he ran with all his might.
◇◇◇
“Damn it! These guys are tough, and there’s no end to them!”
President Kanzaki-san swung his Hexagonal Rod, keeping the Varlin at bay. Even striking them with the Magic Enchanted Armament imbued with Water Magic didn’t seem to damage them.
Faced with their sheer toughness, Kanzaki-san felt sweat trickling from his forehead to his cheeks.
—So Yuma was fighting against these monsters… These aren’t the kind of monsters you fight in close combat.
Just as he was surrounded and had nowhere left to run, a shadow approached from behind the Varlin with terrifying speed.
The light that raced through the dimly lit Cave looked like a red Lightning.
“President!”
“Yuma!”
The hammer that Yuma swung down struck a Varlin directly in the back. A Crushing Impact resounded.
The monster’s body was crushed, and it turned to sand. Twisting his body, Yuma used the momentum to send another Varlin flying with a swing of his hammer.
The monster that crashed into the rocky wall also vanished into sand.
Still facing the attacking Varlin, he swung the hammer up from below.
The pick part pierced its jaw. With that momentum, he lifted the monster’s body and slammed it into the ground.
This time, it turned to sand in a single blow.
It had all happened in just five seconds. As Kanzaki-san stared in amazement—
“President, I’ll take it from here! Please evacuate to a safe place.”
“O-Okay. Understood.”
Kanzaki-san slipped past Yuma and returned to the shadow of the rock where Aisha-san was hiding.
Yuma’s battle from there was a fierce onslaught, truly like an Oni God. There was no need to lend a hand anymore.
That’s how overwhelmingly powerful he was.