We were alarmed by the sudden appearance of the "devil".

--Astima? Messer Devil?

Questions in my mind. But that can wait.
I shout.

'All hands, battle stance! They're coming!

I step forward for the two rear guards with their backs to the door. I run into the messer-devil.

'--"Hardening"!

Right before he slashed at me, Messerdevil muttered something. Then he caught my sword with his left arm.

--He caught me with his arm!

When I looked closely, I saw that among the brown skin all over my body, only my arms were shining dully in silver.

--A technique to turn flesh into steel!

Messerdevil's right fist is closing in. I ready the buckler on my left arm,

'--Defensive Shield!

Prine's defensive magic gives her a boost in defense. But..,

GUN!

The whole shield is blown away as hard as it can. He rolls on the ground and falls to his knees.

--Buckler is on his ......!

It was cracked. No longer usable.

'You blocked it. I was going to finish you off with a single blow. ......'

Messerdevil walks in randomly. Gigi-san steps in front of the two rear guards. But a clown who has lost his weapon can never make it.

I stand up and say

'...... please cover me!

'Master Rana.'
'Ra-kun!

Gigi, Martina, and Prine look at me.

This guy is out of his league. I don't know if it's a bug or what, but it's not the kind of enemy you'd find in the fifth layer.
I can't afford to hide my abilities any longer.

I breathed in and out.

I'm going for it.

I'll take him down myself. ......!

Messerdevil opened his mouth.

'...... do it, human.

Again, I kicked the ground.



'--quick!
'--Slowly, Slowly, Slowly!

'Nuh ......!

Martina's agility magic and Prine's slow magic were cast simultaneously.
My body became as light as the wind, while Messerdevil's body must have become as heavy as lead.

--Covert!

You can't use a mithril sword to fight. But the Thief skill does not.
I repeatedly sidestep while under the effects of agility magic, and when I enter the enemy's blind spot, I activate my covert.
I kill any sign of the demon and pounce on it.

--I get it!

I swung my mithril sword and sliced through the enemy's left flank. Black blood spurts out. But it's shallow.
He twisted in the nick of time. How responsive he is, even though he is enchanted! But..,

--Not yet!

He evades a counterattacking fist and slashes again.
It cuts deeply into his thigh. The demon falls to its knees.

Here!

MUH!

A blow aimed at his neck was stopped just in time by a steel arm. It only cut the skin slightly.

Rana!

Gigi shouts as she leaps backward to avoid the Messerdevil's fist. Cover me.

Several playing cards approach the enemy at a frightening speed, like throwing knives. Messerdevil swatted away some of them, but the ones he couldn't prevent were deeply embedded in his skin.

Nuh!

And there it goes again,

'--Firelight!

An oversized fireball was fired by Prine.

Noooooo!

'--Quick!

Martina extended the duration of her agility magic by overlaying it on top of the others.

I head toward the enemy, who is engulfed in flames, and deliver the coup de grace.

I crawl low to the ground and hold my sword at the ready.

--After the head, I turned to ......!

I launched a thrust into the heart of the demon that could not be untangled from the fire. The timing was inevitable. I killed it. I thought so.

Immediately after,

'Soooooo ......!

The enemy took a deep breath ( ).

BAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

My eyes go blank. My whole body aches. My freedom is taken away. The attack is dodged, and my body rolls on the ground, passing through the side of the enemy with the momentum of the rush.

--What happened?