[Unexpected Struggle]

Fire Arrows fired by Dayle hits the approaching huge-bodied monsters.

They don’t flinch at all…

Are they even get damaged by the magic, I wonder?

Perhaps a magic with power at the level of Fire Arrow doesn’t work at all on them.

They close the distance at a speed so fast to the point of being unbelievable coming from their bodies that did not flinch even when taking Flame Arrows head-on.

[Master, they did not flinch to my restraining attack!] (Dayle)

“Try again with a more powerful magic.” (Frick)

[U-understood—. ■▲〇※■▲〇※] (Dayle)

When the chant is finished, Frozen Circle is activated.

A cold mist springs up from the ground, freezing the feet of the monsters that have invaded the circle and slowing them down——or so it should.

They forcibly pulled their frozen legs from the ground!?

[Master! I cannot stop them! Moreover, there is something kind of strange about——] (Dayle)

The monsters who quickly narrowed the distance between us take a stance, sticking out their right arms toward me.

Seeing cylindrical devices fitted to their right arms, I’m struck by a bad premonition and start the chanting of Wind Barrier.

At that moment, the right arms of the monsters shine in the darkness of the night.

My activated Wind Barrier shatters into pieces, even the Protect Guard that I activated before rushing over here is shattered in one shot, and due to the impact, I get blown away, rolling on the ground.

“Ouch… Even Protect Guard was broken in one shot. The things on their right arms are those, it seems. But looks like that they can’t fire continuously. That is the only saving grace, huh.” (Frick)

Having immediately stand up, I’m relieved at the fact that the attacking monsters don’t show any signs of firing for the second time, the cylinders fitted to their right arms emitting pale light and smoke.

If such attacks are fired continuous at my barrier-less body, I would end up being blown into pieces.

I need to be careful of the weapons on their right arms.

In that case, it may be better to engage them in close combat and not let them take that stance again.

That said, before that, let’s make golem substitute to confuse the opponents.

“Be clad in mine mana and take the same appearance as mine. Avatar.” (Frick)

I try to project my figure at the golem created by Summon Golem with Fake, a magic to alter the appearance of a thing or a person.

I’ve practiced it a lot secretly from Cinzia, with this, it should be hard to tell which is the golem and which is me.

Its similarity to me is pretty high, and though its evasion ability is not bad, compared to the clone charged with magic power, its power is lower and it also can’t use magic.

I’m satisfied that the magic that I had secretly practiced during the trip is successfully activated.

The number of my clones that are created out of the ground is eight, it seems that I wouldn’t be able to control more than this well without more practice.

[Master, I will support you. ■▲〇※■▲〇※] (Dayle)

Dayle creates white mist of Illusion Mist in front of the approaching monsters, robbing them of their sight.

Taking that opening, I once again activate the shattered and dispersed Protect Guard and Wind Barrier, before leading my clones to narrow the distance to the monsters.

Having narrowed the distance, I throw my clones at the monsters.

The monsters, which are several times bigger than a human both horizontally and vertically, show agility that doesn’t suit their bodies, dodging the slashes of the clones.

You’re kidding me… to be able to perform such evasive movements with such a large body.

Just what kind of body do you guys have!

Even while thinking about such things, I approach one who shows an opening and swing my blade cladded in Flame Sword, activated by Dayle, to the side of the monster.

[S-so hard. It’s harder than the previous unpalatable monsters—. It makes a screeeeching sound when hit.] (Dayle)

Even though it received Dayle’s blade which could cut iron easily, the monster’s side isn’t even scratched, and the magic power of the Flame Sword that couldn’t penetrate into the inside of its body only explodes on the outside.

“Its skin might be thicker than the previous Abyss Walke——” (Frick)

Without giving me the time to check damage dealt to it, the attacked monster swings its thick arm, aiming to crush my head.

The monster’s arm, with the sound of cutting through the wind, passes above my head, grazing it.

[Master! The other one is sticking out its right arm like before!] (Dayle)

Dayle takes my attention, who is dodging the attack, with a voice close to screaming.

The pale light and smoke have subsided.

So, if they disappear, that means they could fire again.

Wait, I don’t have time to look at it calmly like this.

Aiming at the monster who starts to stick out its right arm, I gather my clones.

The monster can’t aim because it doesn’t know which one is my real body, but when it aims at one, its right arm shines.

This is, unavoidable, huh…

Because it is on the verge of being destroyed, I separate my consciousness from the targeted clone.

At the next moment, the body of the clone turns into very small pieces and disappears.

Since I haven’t found a way to damage their bodies, it’s better to break the weapons on their arms first, huh…

If I keep being targeted by that, no matter how many lives I have, it won’t be enough.

Even while being bewildered by the unexpected strength that the monsters displayed, I desperately think of a way to defeat them.