CH 71

[Yuri-chan, the Devilish Girl!!!]

——I ran across the battlefield toward the massive castle carved out of rock.

The seal on my skill had come undone and I had regrown my cut-off arm with the Event Recovery Potion. I was in perfect condition.

No… better than perfect, you could say.

“Thanks, everyone…!” I muttered looking back at my comrades battling behind me, fighting spirit burning more fiercely than usual in my heart.

Right now, I felt like I wouldn’t lose to anyone, and I wouldn’t. After all, the many players I had made friends with since starting the game had gone above and beyond to open the way for me. It made me unbelievably happy.

So…!

“As a token of my gratitude, I’ve gotta put up the best fight ever! Right, baldhead!!!”

The massive rock castle finally came into view. As I rushed there, I unleashed all 130 of my explosive weapons!

The castle and everything in it would no doubt be obliterated once they landed. The explosive swords and spears clad in a reddish-black glow rained down on the castle like a meteor shower.

But—!

“Sheesh, you plannin’ to end it all before we even begin or what? At least, say hi first, will ya!!!”

In the next moment, the massive rock castle exploded from inside.

And then a ‘gauntlet’ emitting jet-black light shot out of the castle. While releasing a sonic boom behind it, it blasted away my explosive weapons one after another.

The hell, that’s a genuine rocket punch?!

“It packs quite a punch, but… you sure it’s a good idea to destroy your own castle? That surprised me more, in fact.”

“Haha, don’t fuss about the small details. And besides, Zansword is protecting the Guild Core, anyway.”

A reply came from the other side of the resulting dust cloud.

Then he made his appearance while crushing the broken pieces of the massive castle under his feet like sugar candy as he walked over.

“Yo, Yuri. Seems like everything I’ve prepared isn’t enough to kill you, huh? You persistent bastard.”

“Yo, baldhead. You say so, but you’ve got a grin on your face, you know?”

As we had small talk, we had our murderous intents and fighting spirits clashed with each other.

Seemed like he was fully prepared to fight, too. He approached while cracking his neck.

Before we started the fight, however, there was one thing I’d like to ask him… the pair of gauntlets giving off a jet-black light on his hands had me real curious.

One of those gauntlets should have been the one that dealt with my explosive weapons earlier. How come a complete pair was on him now? And they seemed oddly familiar.

“Emitting a jet-black light… and is able to return to the owner instantly… ah, no way, you?!”

“Finally figured it out huh, Yuri? Yeah, you guessed it right. I chose ‘Summoner’ as my second job! My fists are many times stronger now compared to our last battle with a monster dwelling in ‘em, so you’d better watch out!”

The moment he struck his fist into his palm—POOOOOOOOW!—a loud explosive noise sounded.

I see… the rocket punch from earlier was the result of the combination of the job trait of the melee job ‘Power Grappler’ that increased the power of fists and the destructive power of a possession-type monster.

And even if the gauntlet flew far away, Summoner’s art ‘Summon Return’ could bring it back to the user’s hand immediately.

This guy seemed to have come up with a rather interesting build, but… of all jobs, he ended up picking Summoner, huh.

“Oi, didn’t you make fun of Summoner when we first met?”

“Heh, the me from that day has long gone.

“…Yuri, meeting you changed my perspective. No matter what your job is, no matter what skill you use, I’m never gonna look down on them no more, and above all, you taught me the joy of fighting with everything I’ve got.”

Clenching his fists powerfully, the baldhead took a stance, facing me.

“Now, let’s get it started, Yuri! Let’s show the audience how fun it is to fight to the death!”

“…Yeah, that’s a good idea, baldhead! Let’s show everyone what fighting with everything you’ve got is like!”

Our intents to kill each other were overflowing…!

The moment our blazing passions reached the limit, we both broke into a run at the same time—!

““Uooooooooooooooooooooooo!””

We slammed our fists into each other’s as the broken pieces of the massive castle flew about.

Unfortunately, no matter how much destructive power he had, I had the ‘God-Slaying Fist’. Because of that, his blow lost its power and he should be sent flying by the ‘Demon King’s Surge’ skill, but—

“Hng?! You’re not blown away…?!”

“Hahaha, sorry to disappoint you, Yuri! I’ve also got the ‘God-Slaying Fist’!”

“What did you say?!”

The moment I was shocked, a gentle pain ran through my lower abdomen.

Taking advantage of the moment I blanked out in surprise, his other fist sank into my stomach.

The baldhead then heavily stomped on the ground and an explosion-like impact struck me—!

“Take this, Yuri! Activate art, ‘Special Technique・Sky-Reaching Cannon’!”

“Gahaaaa?!”

It felt like I had taken a bombshell at point-blank range. I was sent flying dozens of meters while enjoying the sensation of the inside of my stomach being burst into pieces.

Though I was able to avoid instant death with my ‘Tenacity’ skill, I bounced off the ground over and over again.

As I did, the baldhead rushed in at an unbelievable speed.

“Time to work, ‘Ponne d’Arc’! Let’s kill the shit out of Yuri, haaaaaaaaa!!!”

“Uremeshiaaaaa!!!”

In response to the baldhead’s words, jet-black particles gushed out from his boots.

Tch, that bastard, he got a monster possessing his boots as I did, huh.

To not shy away from copying other people’s build… I’m impressed, baldhead!

“But I’ve got no plan to lose!!!”

I struck the ground and stopped my momentum by force with the effect of the ‘God-Slaying Fist’ skill.

I then glared at the baldhead who was already almost right in front of me and activated my new skill!

“Activate skill, ‘Arms Dealer’! Swap and fill all 200 slots of my item box with weapons!

“And then, ‘Arms Barrier’, fully activate!”

“Whaaaat?!”

In the next moment, a total of 200 weapons shot off from around me!

The baldhead instantly unleashed a flurry of punches. He parried the swords and spears shot at almost point-blank distance one after another, but he only got two hands. Hailed by the rain of weapons, his body gradually accumulated more and more wounds.

To up the pressure, I raised my fists, and then—as I continued to shoot the weapons—I released my own flurry of punches at him!

“Haha, it doesn’t matter that my punching power is lacking, this way I’ll still get to kill you with my hands!”

“Why would a bow user be so fixated on beating his opponent hand-to-hand?! Use your bow like normal bow users do, idiot!!!”

Even as he complained, the baldhead’s punching speed was getting faster. Oh yeah, this bastard had plenty of skills that increased his attack power and speed as his HP decreased.

What was terrifying about this bastard was his motor nerves. They allowed him to perfectly control even his avatar whose physical abilities were slowly reaching the inhuman realm.

He accurately parried my fists and the torrential rain of weapons that continued to fire at point-blank range, and as his speed increased, his wound gradually stopped increasing, too.

Ahh, this is what I love so much about you, baldhead!

““Die, buddy!!!””

Our fists—packed with all our might—collided with each other as wide grins spread across our faces.

And then, at last, we were about to throw our fists at each other’s face—but at that time…

“Activate art, ‘Flying Swallow Slash’!”

““—?!””

Sensing the incoming attack, we conveyed our thoughts to each other without even exchanging eye contact.

At the same time, we redirected the fists we had sent to each other’s faces toward the incoming flying slash, destroying it.

——Then, with a frightening look on his face, the baldhead roared at the crook who had released it.

“Ya bastard… gettin’ in the way of mine and Yuri’s bonding, what’s your deal?! Zanswooooord!”

Standing there was the self-proclaimed top player, Zansword, in a samurai outfit.

Earlier the baldhead said that he had entrusted the task of protecting the Guild Core to him, what was he doing here, then?

As the baldhead and I focused on him, Zansword made large strides toward us, and then…

“Ahh—I can’t stand it anymore, that is my deal! I don’t have room to care about some Guild Core!

“The memory of that passionate night with you, Yuri—it makes my blood boils unbearably!!!”

He threw away his scabbard like a madman! Then he pointed his sword at me before breaking into a run with bloodshot eyes!

“Don’t you get in my way, baldhead! She is mine (prey)!!!”

“Motherfucker, what did you say?!”

The baldhead was outraged by his words.

And so, a three-way battle unfolded!