NOVEL NEXT Chapter 66
Whoosh!
Tentacles came at me from all directions.
If I were to deal with each one individually, my stamina would evaporate first, leading to my defeat.
‘Cutting off those tentacles in the game was a blunder.’
So, the right answer is to cut them just enough to secure a minimal passageway and aim for the ‘main body.’
I concentrated my energy in both legs and explosively unleashed it.
Boom!
A rush that surprised even me in its velocity.
Focusing my mind, I conveyed my will to Black Lotus.
The shadows split with hesitation into two swords.
I imbued the hand holding the sword with the will of the wind.
「Wind Slash」
As many tentacle strands were cut away, the main body was sliced.
The Chimera has decent stamina and regeneration, but its defense is rather lacking.
Even with the relatively low lethality of 「Wind Slash,」 its body was torn like paper.
It’s useless!
The divided Chimera’s body began to coalesce anew into various monstrous forms.
Goblin, Orc, Gargoyle, Gnoll, Werewolf…
“Ha.”
The real tricky part of the Chimera is this.
It separates its body to create the ‘monsters’ it has ‘learned.’
Not only does it gain numerical superiority, but it also forces you to learn how to fight against various monsters.
“Guess they do call it a newbie grinder.”
If I partied with other NPCs, the difficulty would at least lessen a bit.
But in the current situation, even that is not easy.
‘So am I just out of options?’
Not at all.
If there had been no method other than ‘fighting together from the start,’ I wouldn’t even be saying I’m fighting the Chimera alone.
‘I actually preferred solo play from the beginning.’
In the Valdeon Saga, NPCs can die.
Once an NPC dies, they cannot be resurrected until the next round, and if they are a variable NPC, it’s a permanent goodbye.
It’s quite similar to death in reality.
“……”
Even if it’s just a game.
I wasn’t accustomed to forming bonds that disappear so pointlessy.
So I fought alone unless it was an absolutely unavoidable situation.
Gradually, through repeated rounds and the passage of time.
‘It’s completed.’
A perfect solo攻略 guide.
“Yahhh!”
“Grrr!”
The divided monsters lunged at me.
It was a tumultuous number, more than a typical monster wave.
Swish!
No problem.
I had been saving up for this day.
From deep within my dantian.
I drew forth that azure essence.
Fwoosh-!
The chilling aura that freezes all, received from Reina.
Cold Air
“Phew…!”
As I exhaled, white steam burst forth.
“Grrk?!”
The approaching monsters hesitated.
It must be the first time they’re encountering such energy.
‘Remember this.’
That graceful motion Reina showed that day.
The freezing power that beautifully shattered and froze the air.
Thud-!
It felt like my heart was freezing.
A piercing pain gripped my lungs.
But I must endure.
Those who aim to freeze others must be prepared to be frozen themselves.
A family motto passed down from Winter Ga.
To properly wield this brutally cold power, I too must be prepared to be frozen.
Hissssss!
It felt like cold water was pouring into my veins.
Clenching my fist, almost ready to break.
“Huff…!”
I swung my sword.
「Frost Strike: Release」
A blue energy surged out from my center.
Crackle!
In an instant, the area froze solid, forming a slippery ice sheet.
“Cough…!”
“Grrgahh!”
The divided entities were swept away by my sword strike and froze solid.
All those creatures became a line of icy statues.
“Ugh…! Croak! Keuh!”
The pressure encasing my body forced me to collapse on the ground.
A metallic taste spread in my mouth.
“Ugh!”
It wasn’t until I spat out the blood that my consciousness gradually returned.
‘As expected.’
It was insane.
I chuckled bitterly as I looked around my icy kingdom.
‘「Frost Strike: Release」isn’t just a refined sword technique.’
Since I had never handled 「Frost Strike」 itself, I obviously didn’t have the proficiency to trigger a refined version of it.
「Frost Strike: Release」can be described as my own created technique.
‘No, wait.’
If I called this ignorant technique a technique, Reina might beat me up.
I merely released all the cold air I had integrated into 「Frost Strike.」
It was a risky endeavor that could have genuinely led to my frozen demise.
“Things turned out well.”
Thanks to that, I managed to incapacitate the many divided Chimeras simultaneously.
Ignoring the coldness enveloping my chest, I passed through the frozen Chimera’s ranks.
“Killing each of these one by one serves no purpose.”
Among them, the one that can actually take damage is just the main body.
“Black Lotus, I’m counting on you.”
“Swish!”
The sword-turned Black Lotus quickly transformed back into a snake and began to scout the surroundings.
Less than a minute passed.
“Swish~ Swish~!”
Black Lotus pinpointed the divided entity presumed to be the main body.
“…Ha! This crazy bastard.”
I couldn’t help but snicker at the sight of the main body.
Transformed into a tiny goblin resembling a human newborn, it was being carried on the back of another goblin split.
It looked quite like a sleeping baby, frozen in place.
“Have you really mastered it this quickly?”
Intelligent creatures tend to take care of their young or juvenile kin.
They usually do not attack recklessly.
It was clearly aimed at exploiting that aspect.
‘Truly.’
Disgusting and terrifying to the point of trembling.
Suppressing the intense emotions boiling within me.
“This ends phase two.”
I thrust my sword into the main body’s chest.
Crimson liquid oozed out.
Yahhhhh!
A deafening scream pierced my ears.
I gazed at the writhing Chimera without changing my expression.
You bastard!!
How dare you! How dare you Naruuuuul!
The core of the Chimera is the ‘nucleus’ within.
Specifically, it’s the area where the initial ‘erosion’ occurred that has now become its nucleus.
‘In any case.’
That is their weakness.
And I just sliced it in half.
I will definitely kill you!
I will make you suffer eternally in the realm!
I spat out lines reminiscent of a third-rate villain.
I purposely said it with a sarcastic tone.
“Go ahead. I’ll just strike you down like I did just now.”
The Chimera, whose core was attacked, hurriedly began the process of repairing its core.
Simultaneously, its survival instincts were triggered as if desperately seeking to survive.
Grrr!
Transforming into the strongest creature it has learned.
‘At this stage, the Chimera consumes vitality rapidly.’
It’s a sort of final form.
As long as they protect the core, they can still recover.
Grrr!
A viscous black liquid began to gather around the shattered core.
‘Now, here’s a quiz.’
What does a boss monster that changes its form usually turn into at the end?
A huge dragon?
A legendary knight who died long ago?
A missing great sage?
No, none of that.
The answer is—
‘Me.’
Crack! Crash!
From the mass, human arms and legs sprang forth.
Surprisingly, they matched exactly the color of human skin.
It’s proof that the Chimera’s mutation ability has reached its peak.
“Isn’t that a bit cliché?”
Facing an enemy that looks just like the protagonist.
In a fantasy game, it’s something encountered at least once, and in the Valdeon Saga, the Chimera has done just that.
Grrr! Thwack!
The Chimera made a raucous sound as it completed its transformation.
A perfectly human-shaped monster.
“U-uh…?”
I couldn’t help but be flustered at that appearance.
“W-why that form…?”
Standing atop the debris was the Chimera in human form.
With slightly long ash-colored hair and a delicate, attractive face.
That one looking down at me with an icy gaze while wielding a sword is…!
“Alben Oldair!”
Why did it transform not into ‘Ran Black,’ but into ‘Alben Oldair’?
“In this devilish form, I shall thoroughly belittle you.”
“No…”
Hearing such sinister words in Alben’s voice and face felt so surreal.
‘Is the [Veil of the Hypocrite] malfunctioning?’
…That cannot be.
I’ve faced the Chimera countless times while wearing the [Veil of the Hypocrite], but never has it transformed into the form prior to its appearance.
‘What in the world is happening?’
Without a moment to organize my bewildered thoughts.
“Are you just going to stand there like an idiot?”
It.
The Chimera.
‘Alben.’
Delivered its sword strike.
Boom!
A purple-tinged sword strike.
“What…!”
I barely managed to evade, but the confusion only intensified.
‘I don’t have such a sword technique.’
Plus, if it’s ‘purple’ then surely…
‘The Witch’s power!’
At least, that much became clear.
The fact that the Chimera had mutated doesn’t refer to ‘myself that I know.’
That Alben is an aspect of Alben I don’t know.
It is me yet not me.
“Damn, this is complicated…!”
Putting my situation assessment on hold.
First, taking that wretched thing down is my priority.
This time, I would act without any thought of retreat….
“Ran!”
“I’ve come to help!”
Suddenly, a voice came from behind.
Turning around, I saw Angela and Jane returning.
Next to them was…
‘Elma.’
So she had been looking for me too.
“I figured leaving it all to my junior wasn’t right!”
“I’ve regained my energy! I can help too!”
Angela lit up, holding her sword and standing tall.
“Fufufu. Now that we’re here, our junior should rest behind their senior! Right, Elma?”
“……”
“…Elma?”
Jane called out again to the silent Elma.
Yet Elma remained quiet.
“Elma? Are you…?”
“Al… ben…?”
Elma Oldair.
Her breathing was heavy and rapid.
“Senior?”
Even when I called her, Elma didn’t respond.
Slowly, she reached out, step by step.
“Alben…? Is it really… Alben…?”
As if entranced, she moved forward.