“Master. A group of people is approaching.” Vampire Vamp told me.
Spoiler
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It was still our, Wilma and I, shift to keep guard, but because we were focused on random things, I had summoned Vampire Vamp to keep guard. I also summoned Dark Cat with White Tail to keep the vampire company.
Spoiler
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“People? Not monsters?” I confirmed with the vampire.
“Yes. Most are humans, but I think there is also a beast-folk in their group. There are at least five people.”
“Alright. What direction? And do you know if they are being chased by a monster or something?”
“I can’t smell one yet, and they are coming from that direction.” Vamp answered, as she pointed towards Pekkers.
“Alright. I guess we should prepare to intercept them. No way they are just traveling at this time of night, so either they are running away from something or…”
“I can now also smell monsters.” Vamp added.
“So an adventuring party running away from a monster.” I deduced. “I guess we should help them then. Wilma!”
The dwarf got a bit surprised when I suddenly raised my voice and called her, causing her to drop my mithril sword, which she had been inspecting, while drawing some designs for a new guard, grip and pommel.
“Go wake up the others. We have a monster incoming. As well as some adventuring group that is running away from it.” I told her.
I probably don’t have to wake up the others, but better safe than sorry. And either way, it is soon the time to switch, so we’d have to wake up Alice and Agunan soon anyway. And Alice and Lua can both use a spell to instantly put someone to sleep, Lua with Blood Magic and Alice with her Unique-Racial skill. The only problem being that they can’t use those spells on themselves, and you can resist it if you really want. Well, Alice can overpower resistance, if she uses more mana, but still.
“B-but… your sword. It is not usable at the moment. Shouldn’t I..?”
“Don’t worry about it. I have another.” I told her. Just go wake up the others.” I quickly ordered, as I opened my collection.
I didn’t need much, as Vamp by herself could already take care of any monsters C-rank or below, but considering that adventurers are running away from the monster, it is likely a B-rank monster. And sure, Vamp can 1v1 B-rank monsters, but I do want to try fighting a B-rank or above monster with the Red-Eyes Black Dragon Sword. So I decided to use this opportunity and I summoned the sword.
Spoiler
Must be Special Summoned with "The Claw of Hermos", using a Dragon monster. If this card is Special Summoned: Target 1 other face-up monster on the field; equip this card to it. It gains 1000 ATK, and 500 ATK/DEF for each Dragon monster on the field and in the GYs.
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I took a hold of the sword and felt power rushing from it into my body. Even with my strength being right about 2000, getting 1500 more is quite something. 1000 because of the base effect and an extra 500 as long as Agunan was close-by. And I could gain even more if I tossed dragons into the GY. Part of why I didn’t use it as my primary weapon was that strength gain. It just made my body move differently, so I wasn’t used to it. And I’m not good enough with a sword where I can quickly adjust things on the fly. And even if I was, going from my mithril arming sword, which has a blade length of about 90cm, to the massive Red-Eyes Black Dragon Sword, which has a blade length over 150 cm in length, is quite difficult.
The other card I pulled out was The Eye of Truth. I found it incredibly useful when I needed to see just a bit better and I’m honestly considering installing one into myself for some sort of vision enhancing skill. I quickly activated it, and it gave me very good night vision, so I was set to go.
Spoiler
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“I can see them. There are seven adventurers.” I told everyone. “... and five monsters. Four C-rank killer tigers and one B-rank lightning tiger.”
As I told everyone, the team was seven members strong. It seemed to be five quite big guys and two smaller people. The two small people were beast-folk. Some sort of cat-folk, I think, based on the shape of their ears and their tails. Interesting that the beast-folk children? would party up with some brawny dudes, but maybe they just are backliners, like mages or something, so having a good frontline is better for them. One of them is hugging a staff of some kind to their stomach, so that might just be the case.
But something just seemed off. While the people were running away, it didn’t look like they were really running for their lives. They weren’t in full sprint, just a fast jog. And besides that, Laura said that at the speed they are running at, there is no way they’d outrun a lightning tiger. So either the tigers are just playing with their prey, or something else is going on.
As they kept running, the adventurers seemed to spot our carriages, as they quickly turned towards us, and began yelling for help.
“... alright. Let’s help them then. Lua, Ria, Alice, Agunan, the smaller tigers are for you. Let me play with the big one.” I told them, as I leapt off of the carriage roof where I had been standing for better vision. I boosted myself with telekinesis and ‘flew’ straight towards the big tiger.
I thought about just putting my sword out in front and stabbing the tiger with my momentum, but something felt off, so instead I used telekinesis to land between the adventurers and the tiger. Then I took a stance with my sword ready to go. The tigers rush came to an end, as they stopped moving, so I decided to just stand my ground.
Now attack, tiger. Do it and I’ll negate it. Well, my card will anyway.
“Take cover!” I called the adventurers. “We will take down the tigers.”
By the time I had said that, Agunan and Ria had come to my left and right. I have to say, considering that they were on the ground and didn’t take the shortcut, I’m really impressed by their speed. I should learn the Flickering Step skill Ria has. That could come in handy.
With the two by my side, as well as Lua and Alice in position to give some covering fire, I saw no reason not to start this fight myself, so I took a few quick steps towards the lightning tiger and swung at it with my sword.
Perhaps because of my lack of technique, or maybe just the lightning tiger being fast, it was easily able to dodge my attack. But then again, that much is to be expected from a B-rank monster. It took a quick hop backwards, before launching straight at me.
But, of course, that action causes my card to activate.
Spoiler
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Negate Attack formed a barrier to block the tiger, and also would freeze it for just a moment. I had swapped from using Threatening Roar as my main defensive set card to Negate Attack, because Negate Attack does basically the same thing, but it is better for already incoming attacks, which Threatening Roar cannot stop.
Spoiler
[collapse]
With the tiger under the temporary stun of my Negate Attack, I quickly moved in and hit it with my Red-Eyes Sword. I hit the right shoulder of the tiger. The swing cut deep into the tiger, but not all the way through. Realizing that the swing likely wouldn’t take the beast down in one hit, I quickly jumped back a bit, so it cannot counter attack. But I was just a bit late, so the tiger swiped at me with its paw. I used my duel disk as a sort of a shield to block the strike, as I kept backing away. The tiger didn’t immediately chase me, instead staying where it had been as it let me back off.
The lightning tiger, clearly injured and having had its previous attack stopped by my card, didn’t seem to want to charge at me again. Instead, it began gathering power in its hide. A soft glow began emanating from it.
“Space, consolidate into a wall and protect me, Space Wall!” I quickly chanted, and I formed a barrier between me and the tiger. Sure I could just leave the attack for my set Mirror Force or Draining Shield, but I wanted to test the strength of my spell against a real monster.
Spoiler
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It might be a bit reckless, but with the total HP I have, as well as my defense, there is no way this attack will take me down, even if it would be a direct hit, so I purposefully kept the cards from activating.
Yes. I could in fact do that. I don’t know if I’ve always been able to do that with cards I’ve set on myself, but yeah. As long as I think I don’t want them to activate, they won’t, even if the condition I set for their activation would be met.
A lightning magic attack came from the tiger and struck against my Space Wall. The wall dispersed a bit of it, but some of the attack still came through. But between my own stats, the Space Wall and the Armored Crimson Boa Jacket with Lunatite parasite, I took only 95 damage from the attack. In short, nothing. It is too bad my spell couldn’t hold, but I’m working on it. Eventually it will be able to stop something like that.
I took a better hold of my sword before I moved forward and again, swung at the tiger. It tried to leap away, but I used a bit of telekinesis to keep it from moving. I couldn’t fully keep it still, but I could slow it down a bit, to the point where my sword swing just connected with it, and the tiger took another wound.
The tiger quickly moved to attack me again, this time with its paw covered in lightning. Because I saw it coming, I decided to let my Draining Shield activate, and counterattack as soon as it did.
Spoiler
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This was also a good way to get my HP back, not that I really needed it.
With the tiger now close and disoriented because of my card, I again swung my sword, aiming for the same spot I hit with the first swing. I connected a bit off from where I was aiming, but still, my sword cut deep into the tiger, eventually connecting with the previous cut and removing a decent chunk of flesh from the tiger.
With the tiger flinching from the pain, I went in with another slash. Again, I cut deep. I was careful not to let my sword get stuck, as I felt a bit like it could have been after my first strike, but perhaps because this is a living weapon, it helped to wiggle itself free as I backed off after the first strike. I don’t want another lashing from my warrior monsters about not letting go of my sword, like I did after the TinaWood incident.
With the tiger clearly suffering, I had the advantage in the fight. Powered by adrenaline, and my dragon-slaying sword, I kept up the offensive. And after a few more slashes, the tiger seemed to be on its last legs, so with one more powerful strike, I finished the beast off.
At least, that is what should have happened. But instead, the tiger in front of me began breaking apart into specks of light and soon disappeared. It reminded me a bit of one of my monsters getting destroyed.
“... what is… going on?” I questioned.
I looked away from the tiger, and tried to get an idea on what just happened. Was that tiger not a real monster?
Agunan and Ria, with backup from Alice and Lua, had taken down the four killer tigers. Their corpses were still on the ground, so they must be real. Alice, Lua, Agunan and Ria seemed fine, so that is good.
The group of adventurers… wait? Wilma? Why is there a dagger in her back? And why is that little beast-folk boy so bloody?
What happened? … Don’t tell me. He didn’t. Why would he..?
“... Go, my sword. End him.” I quietly muttered, as I looked at the little beast-folk child. I then tossed my sword towards them, and let the flying sword take care of the rest.
The Red-Eyes Black Dragon Sword flew straight, and pierced the chest of the beast-folk, exiting out the other side, leaving a big hole in the little cat-folk’s chest. I don't know if he died from that, but he very well might.
I think it might be normal for you to feel something after literally just murdering someone, but for me, at this moment, it didn’t matter. They are the ones that came to us, asking for help. Only to stab one of us in the back.
And besides, what is death, when you can resurrect people on a whim?
I rushed back towards my group, catching my flying sword back in my hand on the way there.
The adventurers, who just a minute ago seemed like they might have actually been in trouble, were now squaring up for a fight. All but one of them. The other beast-folk child seemed genuinely taken back by the fate of his … companion and didn’t seem to be in any position to fight.
Sadly for them, I’m in no mood to fight.
“Swords of Revealing Light!” I quickly activated a card I got out from my collection.
Spoiler
[collapse]
We watched as a number of swords of light formed a circle around the ‘adventuring group’, and left the frozen in place.
Now then, before I make a hole in another one of these assholes, let’s figure out what the hell just happened.
“Master. A group of people is approaching.” Vampire Vamp told me.
Spoiler
[collapse]
It was still our, Wilma and I, shift to keep guard, but because we were focused on random things, I had summoned Vampire Vamp to keep guard. I also summoned Dark Cat with White Tail to keep the vampire company.
Spoiler
[collapse]
“People? Not monsters?” I confirmed with the vampire.
“Yes. Most are humans, but I think there is also a beast-folk in their group. There are at least five people.”
“Alright. What direction? And do you know if they are being chased by a monster or something?”
“I can’t smell one yet, and they are coming from that direction.” Vamp answered, as she pointed towards Pekkers.
“Alright. I guess we should prepare to intercept them. No way they are just traveling at this time of night, so either they are running away from something or…”
“I can now also smell monsters.” Vamp added.
“So an adventuring party running away from a monster.” I deduced. “I guess we should help them then. Wilma!”
The dwarf got a bit surprised when I suddenly raised my voice and called her, causing her to drop my mithril sword, which she had been inspecting, while drawing some designs for a new guard, grip and pommel.
“Go wake up the others. We have a monster incoming. As well as some adventuring group that is running away from it.” I told her.
I probably don’t have to wake up the others, but better safe than sorry. And either way, it is soon the time to switch, so we’d have to wake up Alice and Agunan soon anyway. And Alice and Lua can both use a spell to instantly put someone to sleep, Lua with Blood Magic and Alice with her Unique-Racial skill. The only problem being that they can’t use those spells on themselves, and you can resist it if you really want. Well, Alice can overpower resistance, if she uses more mana, but still.
“B-but… your sword. It is not usable at the moment. Shouldn’t I..?”
“Don’t worry about it. I have another.” I told her. Just go wake up the others.” I quickly ordered, as I opened my collection.
I didn’t need much, as Vamp by herself could already take care of any monsters C-rank or below, but considering that adventurers are running away from the monster, it is likely a B-rank monster. And sure, Vamp can 1v1 B-rank monsters, but I do want to try fighting a B-rank or above monster with the Red-Eyes Black Dragon Sword. So I decided to use this opportunity and I summoned the sword.
Spoiler
Must be Special Summoned with "The Claw of Hermos", using a Dragon monster. If this card is Special Summoned: Target 1 other face-up monster on the field; equip this card to it. It gains 1000 ATK, and 500 ATK/DEF for each Dragon monster on the field and in the GYs.
[collapse]
I took a hold of the sword and felt power rushing from it into my body. Even with my strength being right about 2000, getting 1500 more is quite something. 1000 because of the base effect and an extra 500 as long as Agunan was close-by. And I could gain even more if I tossed dragons into the GY. Part of why I didn’t use it as my primary weapon was that strength gain. It just made my body move differently, so I wasn’t used to it. And I’m not good enough with a sword where I can quickly adjust things on the fly. And even if I was, going from my mithril arming sword, which has a blade length of about 90cm, to the massive Red-Eyes Black Dragon Sword, which has a blade length over 150 cm in length, is quite difficult.
The other card I pulled out was The Eye of Truth. I found it incredibly useful when I needed to see just a bit better and I’m honestly considering installing one into myself for some sort of vision enhancing skill. I quickly activated it, and it gave me very good night vision, so I was set to go.
Spoiler
[collapse]
“I can see them. There are seven adventurers.” I told everyone. “... and five monsters. Four C-rank killer tigers and one B-rank lightning tiger.”
As I told everyone, the team was seven members strong. It seemed to be five quite big guys and two smaller people. The two small people were beast-folk. Some sort of cat-folk, I think, based on the shape of their ears and their tails. Interesting that the beast-folk children? would party up with some brawny dudes, but maybe they just are backliners, like mages or something, so having a good frontline is better for them. One of them is hugging a staff of some kind to their stomach, so that might just be the case.
But something just seemed off. While the people were running away, it didn’t look like they were really running for their lives. They weren’t in full sprint, just a fast jog. And besides that, Laura said that at the speed they are running at, there is no way they’d outrun a lightning tiger. So either the tigers are just playing with their prey, or something else is going on.
As they kept running, the adventurers seemed to spot our carriages, as they quickly turned towards us, and began yelling for help.
“... alright. Let’s help them then. Lua, Ria, Alice, Agunan, the smaller tigers are for you. Let me play with the big one.” I told them, as I leapt off of the carriage roof where I had been standing for better vision. I boosted myself with telekinesis and ‘flew’ straight towards the big tiger.
I thought about just putting my sword out in front and stabbing the tiger with my momentum, but something felt off, so instead I used telekinesis to land between the adventurers and the tiger. Then I took a stance with my sword ready to go. The tigers rush came to an end, as they stopped moving, so I decided to just stand my ground.
Now attack, tiger. Do it and I’ll negate it. Well, my card will anyway.
“Take cover!” I called the adventurers. “We will take down the tigers.”
By the time I had said that, Agunan and Ria had come to my left and right. I have to say, considering that they were on the ground and didn’t take the shortcut, I’m really impressed by their speed. I should learn the Flickering Step skill Ria has. That could come in handy.
With the two by my side, as well as Lua and Alice in position to give some covering fire, I saw no reason not to start this fight myself, so I took a few quick steps towards the lightning tiger and swung at it with my sword.
Perhaps because of my lack of technique, or maybe just the lightning tiger being fast, it was easily able to dodge my attack. But then again, that much is to be expected from a B-rank monster. It took a quick hop backwards, before launching straight at me.
But, of course, that action causes my card to activate.
Spoiler
[collapse]
Negate Attack formed a barrier to block the tiger, and also would freeze it for just a moment. I had swapped from using Threatening Roar as my main defensive set card to Negate Attack, because Negate Attack does basically the same thing, but it is better for already incoming attacks, which Threatening Roar cannot stop.
Spoiler
[collapse]
With the tiger under the temporary stun of my Negate Attack, I quickly moved in and hit it with my Red-Eyes Sword. I hit the right shoulder of the tiger. The swing cut deep into the tiger, but not all the way through. Realizing that the swing likely wouldn’t take the beast down in one hit, I quickly jumped back a bit, so it cannot counter attack. But I was just a bit late, so the tiger swiped at me with its paw. I used my duel disk as a sort of a shield to block the strike, as I kept backing away. The tiger didn’t immediately chase me, instead staying where it had been as it let me back off.
The lightning tiger, clearly injured and having had its previous attack stopped by my card, didn’t seem to want to charge at me again. Instead, it began gathering power in its hide. A soft glow began emanating from it.
“Space, consolidate into a wall and protect me, Space Wall!” I quickly chanted, and I formed a barrier between me and the tiger. Sure I could just leave the attack for my set Mirror Force or Draining Shield, but I wanted to test the strength of my spell against a real monster.
Spoiler
[collapse]
It might be a bit reckless, but with the total HP I have, as well as my defense, there is no way this attack will take me down, even if it would be a direct hit, so I purposefully kept the cards from activating.
Yes. I could in fact do that. I don’t know if I’ve always been able to do that with cards I’ve set on myself, but yeah. As long as I think I don’t want them to activate, they won’t, even if the condition I set for their activation would be met.
A lightning magic attack came from the tiger and struck against my Space Wall. The wall dispersed a bit of it, but some of the attack still came through. But between my own stats, the Space Wall and the Armored Crimson Boa Jacket with Lunatite parasite, I took only 95 damage from the attack. In short, nothing. It is too bad my spell couldn’t hold, but I’m working on it. Eventually it will be able to stop something like that.
I took a better hold of my sword before I moved forward and again, swung at the tiger. It tried to leap away, but I used a bit of telekinesis to keep it from moving. I couldn’t fully keep it still, but I could slow it down a bit, to the point where my sword swing just connected with it, and the tiger took another wound.
The tiger quickly moved to attack me again, this time with its paw covered in lightning. Because I saw it coming, I decided to let my Draining Shield activate, and counterattack as soon as it did.
Spoiler
[collapse]
This was also a good way to get my HP back, not that I really needed it.
With the tiger now close and disoriented because of my card, I again swung my sword, aiming for the same spot I hit with the first swing. I connected a bit off from where I was aiming, but still, my sword cut deep into the tiger, eventually connecting with the previous cut and removing a decent chunk of flesh from the tiger.
With the tiger flinching from the pain, I went in with another slash. Again, I cut deep. I was careful not to let my sword get stuck, as I felt a bit like it could have been after my first strike, but perhaps because this is a living weapon, it helped to wiggle itself free as I backed off after the first strike. I don’t want another lashing from my warrior monsters about not letting go of my sword, like I did after the TinaWood incident.
With the tiger clearly suffering, I had the advantage in the fight. Powered by adrenaline, and my dragon-slaying sword, I kept up the offensive. And after a few more slashes, the tiger seemed to be on its last legs, so with one more powerful strike, I finished the beast off.
At least, that is what should have happened. But instead, the tiger in front of me began breaking apart into specks of light and soon disappeared. It reminded me a bit of one of my monsters getting destroyed.
“... what is… going on?” I questioned.
I looked away from the tiger, and tried to get an idea on what just happened. Was that tiger not a real monster?
Agunan and Ria, with backup from Alice and Lua, had taken down the four killer tigers. Their corpses were still on the ground, so they must be real. Alice, Lua, Agunan and Ria seemed fine, so that is good.
The group of adventurers… wait? Wilma? Why is there a dagger in her back? And why is that little beast-folk boy so bloody?
What happened? … Don’t tell me. He didn’t. Why would he..?
“... Go, my sword. End him.” I quietly muttered, as I looked at the little beast-folk child. I then tossed my sword towards them, and let the flying sword take care of the rest.
The Red-Eyes Black Dragon Sword flew straight, and pierced the chest of the beast-folk, exiting out the other side, leaving a big hole in the little cat-folk’s chest. I don't know if he died from that, but he very well might.
I think it might be normal for you to feel something after literally just murdering someone, but for me, at this moment, it didn’t matter. They are the ones that came to us, asking for help. Only to stab one of us in the back.
And besides, what is death, when you can resurrect people on a whim?
I rushed back towards my group, catching my flying sword back in my hand on the way there.
The adventurers, who just a minute ago seemed like they might have actually been in trouble, were now squaring up for a fight. All but one of them. The other beast-folk child seemed genuinely taken back by the fate of his … companion and didn’t seem to be in any position to fight.
Sadly for them, I’m in no mood to fight.
“Swords of Revealing Light!” I quickly activated a card I got out from my collection.
Spoiler
[collapse]
We watched as a number of swords of light formed a circle around the ‘adventuring group’, and left the frozen in place.
Now then, before I make a hole in another one of these assholes, let’s figure out what the hell just happened.
