Zariel’s lightning attack worked like a stunned grenade. It blinded the demon. Getting the opportunity, Shika leaped behind the demon. She then attempted to slash him.
The demon’s senses were sharp. Even though he was momentarily blind, he easily dodged the attack. Although he managed to evade the attack, the immense magical powers flowing from the Daiken still inflicted some unexpected damages, freezing his claws, which then shattered like crystals.
"Tsk!" he grunted and gathered dark energy around him. He then created a massive sphere with the energy—and it appeared to destroy anything in its path.
"Withstand this. Dark—"
His words were cut short and the dark energy sphere he had formed exploded, wrapping himself with his attack.
Zariel’s and my attacks were in a perfect spot. I had hit his forehead when he was distracted by Shika—and Zariel’s tremendous thunder energy overloaded the attack before the demon could unleash it.
I immediately released a couple of arrows afterward. Cutting through the wind and dodging my arrows, the demon rushed at me.
[Skill Gauge: 60%]
"You specimen!" he growled like a wild beast.
"Zariel," I called out as he closed in.
"Roger boss!"
The demon’s claws were now about a hand or two away from me. They were headed straight for my neck. He was pissed, yet he smiled like it didn’t bother him.
His claws were about to touch my skin. I hold back my smile. Before his impression could change, a strong pull of thunder clashed him like a tidal wave, surging teeth-shattering thunder through his entire body.
Affected by the attack, he fell back at a distance. He might’ve thought it’d be a safe place and he could recover before attacking us again.
His anticipation was wrong. The place where he fell back was the same place Shika was waiting with her Daiken.
As soon as he did, Shika struck him again, piercing the Daiken through his torso. Before his blood could shower like a waterfall—though I wondered if he had blood or not—his body started freezing.
The magical abilities of the Daiken spread like a virus through his abdomen and then headed for his chest.
"Dammit!" he frowned and flew upwards.
He was strong as well. With his magical powers, he suppressed the effects of the Frost Daiken—and healed his wounds in the process.
"Shika!"
Calling her name was enough. She understood what to do next. She nodded.
Meanwhile, I looked at Zariel. She gave me a nod too.
Utilizing my archery abilities as much as I could, I created an arrow capable of piercing through anything. It was unimaginably strong.
I released the string and it headed for his lower limbs.
Yes, my aim was at his lower limbs. There was a reason for it though.
The demon predicted that. He was nimble and evaded the arrow only to get hit by Zariel’s lighting afterward, which she unleashed with me.
[Skill Gauge: 73%]
’He’s annoyed us enough. It’s time for a payback.’ I whispered to myself, ’If my strategy works, then... three, two, one! Here it comes!’
"Frost Annihilation Lance!" Shika screamed. ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡᴀɴᴛ ᴛᴏ ʀᴇᴀᴅ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs, ᴘʟᴇᴀsᴇ ᴠɪsɪᴛ novｅlfire.net
As my countdown ended, a lance—crafted from unbreakable ice—penetrated through the demon’s chest, freezing his skin as if it had encountered lower than the absolute temperature.
The lance was very similar to my Valaic Blue, but it was sharper, stronger, and better.
She created it and threw it at him, borrowing the necessary strength from the Frost Daiken.
She was using the Daiken so well, that I supposed that the demon wouldn’t be able to predict it—and it happened.
He couldn’t predict that Shika could use a long-range attack. Whether he stood on the snowy ground or flew in the sky, there was no possible safe place for him now. Every place was an opening for us. We took full advantage of it.
"I told you, didn’t I? The things I’m good at, you won’t be liking it." I said to him, pointing another similar arrow at him, "If you accept your defeat quietly, we’ll consider giving you a painless death. It’s up to you whether you choose the easy way or the hard way."
"Right, right. Keh-keh-kehhh!" he laughed, pulling out the lance from his chest "As if I need your mercy, specimen. But hey, don’t waste that pity. Very soon, you’ll be needing it for yourself."
Smoke emitted from his body and his wounds began healing at a faster rate than before.
"This is my predatory ground. No prey left these grounds unharmed. I didn’t let anyone. It’s true, yeah, that you’re stronger than the opponents I’ve faced until now. But that doesn’t give you the certainty of overpowering me. In the end, you’ll vanquish."
"So what? It’s your predatory ground, so what?" I chuckled, "I’ve hunted down a lot of predator in their predatory ground. Don’t think you’d be any exceptional either."
"That arrogance... It’ll become the reason for your extinction."
The demon then leaped on me like a raging storm. Zariel and Shika waited for my next instruction.
The demon closed in again, his hands coated with dark energy and his eyes gazing at me with fury. This time there was an additional barrier around him—perhaps it was meant to protect him from the other’s intervention.
Of course, I was confident, he would do something like that. I waited for him to do something like that. Now that his focus was entirely on me, I had already prepared my trump card.
[Class Shifter (Stage III) has been used]
[Class Assassin (Tier 6); AGI: 61(+20)]
The move I had in mind would reduce my ’Skill Gauge’ by 50. Since it already crossed 70 and there was no further need for any ultimate moves, I gambled it.
The demon’s nails—coated with dark energy, were about to touch my eye.
’The opening is great!’ I thought and used one of the assassin class-based moves—listed under the ’Coordination Manipulation’ skills.
"Shift Coordination!"
I murmured.
[Coordination Confirmed]
Within the short interval, my coordination was shifted to where Shika stood and hers where I stood.
With immense power releasing from the Daiken Shika faced the demon in my place.
Before the demon’s attack could reach her, she swung the Daiken swiftly and enormous ice energy was unleashed, sending shockwaves through her surroundings.