N-M Chapter 168 : Chapter 168
Chapter 168 : Chapter 168
Chapter 168
At the Sword Demon's provocation, letting his sword hang loose and twitching his hand, a crimson fighting spirit rose from the Legion Commander's body like heat haze.
- Kukhuh. Do I look funny to you.
The first to react to the Legion Commander's fighting spirit were the Orcs prostrating themselves around him.
- Grrrk!
- Kyaaaak!
Orcs twisting their bodies and struggling like trampled insects.
“Yo, Young Lord? That looks quite dangerous. We should run away too…….”
“It’s fine.”
“Pardon? Looking at those guys rolling their eyes back and trembling, it doesn’t look fine at all?”
Of course it is.
Fighting spirit is power accumulated through battle and achievements.
Fighting spirit, which is a history and proof of slaughter accumulated over a lifetime, has different passive effects at each stage, and at the end lie those very 『Oppression 』 and 『Contempt for the Weak 』.
The effect is causing the status condition 『Instant Death 』 with a probability on life forms of a lower grade than oneself.
You might think it’s ridiculous, but it’s real.
I’m telling you, Instant Death is attached as an effect to a passive skill?
‘At first, I cursed asking if this made sense.’
But thinking about it, it's not incomprehensible.
Didn’t Jeremy just almost die from the pressure?
Whether it’s Contempt for the Weak or whatever, ultimately it’s just the previous effect becoming slightly stronger.
‘Above all, it’s not even a power one can control.’
Unlike humans who grow through ‘training’, fighting spirit is closer to an ‘achievement’.
An achievement and rank as a warrior proven by winning battles and killing opponents.
Then, fighting whom did they achieve such rank?
- Grrrk!
- Kuaaak! Kuaaaak!
“…Uh? Uh?! Young Lord, aren’t those dead? They look dead?! Are you sure we’re okay?”
The answer is Orcs.
No matter how you package it, ultimately it is power gained while fighting amongst themselves.
Naturally, the ones most affected first and foremost by fighting spirit are also Orcs.
“I said it’s fine.”
When getting wiped out a few times without being able to do anything at first, it’s a skill that makes you lament about a kusoge (crap game), but after seeing the ending screen dozens of times, you naturally come to realize.
‘Ultimately, it’s a skill you can avoid by increasing Mental Resistance.’
Raising Mental Resistance is difficult, but if the targets are just one or two people, it’s not entirely impossible.
If there’s really no way, one can raid the Magic Tower and steal Mental Resistance artifacts to use, or increase intimacy with Elves and obtain World Tree leaves.
‘But it’s impossible for Orcs to raise Mental Resistance.’
Unless an Orc suddenly converts to religion, raising Mental Resistance is impossible.
Ultimately, if the strategy is planned well, you can use the opponent’s technique to induce only the enemies to die.
Extremely speaking, if you taunt with a few high-ranking knights and then charge into enemy lines, you could wipe out one or two units.
‘If I informed the King or Lords of this information, they would have used it really well. I didn’t use it much because it’s a strategy that sacrifices knights.’
Sacrificing knights is stupid.
The death of a high-ranking knight is a fatal loss of power.
“Young Lord? You really have a plan, right? We’re not dying, right? My chest feels weirdly tight and I’m anxious…….”
* * *
‘The mana is unstable.’
Since crimson heat haze rose from the body of that so-called Legion Commander, the atmospheric mana has been trembling.
Is that all?
Orcs crawling on the ground are dying everywhere.
Watching Orcs die while clutching their necks with a ‘Grrrk’, the fear from a moment ago resurfaced, and my body trembled like an aspen tree.
Death by overwhelming aura.
Truly a dog’s death.
For those ferocious Orcs to die while crawling on the floor without even lifting their heads.
The anxiety that it would be his turn once they all died encroached on his mind.
“Young Lord? You really have a plan, right? We’re not dying, right? My chest feels weirdly tight and I’m anxious…….”
He called the Young Lord to shake off the anxiety somehow.
Not a wise choice.
Because the reason they remained here was entirely because of the Young Lord.
Plus, isn’t he a human who lets out an untrustworthy laugh and has an atmosphere not easily approachable?
Whenever he saw the Young Lord's unlucky-ly handsome face, a wizard’s intuition pricked him.
He was clearly the type of person absolutely to be avoided, like the seniors of the Magic Tower who were expelled for running wild claiming to research the mysteries of the human body or realize the truth of magical science.
It’s absolutely not jealousy because of his face.
Really, if it weren’t for the Vice Tower Lord’s trickery, he would have been a human he’d avoid for life.
‘But he did save my life once…….’
Even though he is a strangely untrustworthy person.
Even though he is a person who gives a strangely uncomfortable feeling.
The only one to trust right now is that Young Lord.
‘Right, he knew Mr. Doll’s ability which even I didn’t know, and he saved me too.’
“Y-Young Lord? If you could tell me the plan…….”
“Ah, right. I should tell you.”
The Young Lord, immersed in the battle between Mr. Doll and the Legion Commander which had begun at some point, continued absentmindedly.
“『Oppression』 is a higher rank skill of 『Suppression 』 so the effects are similar, right? Then wouldn't the countermeasures be similar too?”
Oppression? Suppression? Skill? What are those?
“I-I don’t know what you are talking about.”
As Jeremy asked back at the incomprehensible explanation, the Young Lord continued without taking his eyes off the battle.
“Ah, you wouldn't know if I put it this way. Sorry. So... that means it’s a kind of mental attack, right? Like the aura of an Archmage or a Sword Master.”
Recalling the charm embedded in Mireska’s mana, Jeremy nodded.
“There is a way to break most mental attacks.”
Whether wizards will be wizards, Jeremy, whose intellectual curiosity grew larger than the anxiety of death, asked quickly.
“I have seen research that a Cleric’s Blessing can counter mental attacks.”
“Hmm, Blessing too, and Divine artifacts generally have high mental-related effects. Also like the World Tree leaf you just ate.”
Only then realizing that the leaf he ate was a World Tree leaf, Jeremy’s jaw dropped.
“What? I ate what?!”
“Huh? World Tree leaf. Ah, don’t worry. There are still plenty left so if your condition worsens, I’ll give you more.”
World Tree leaf?
Could he really mean the World Tree, the Goddess of Benevolence and Philanthropy remaining on the continent?
Which was said to have taken root in the continent for the prosperity of humanity and nature?
“Ugh... to think I ate such a divine body... Wait, if Elves find out I damaged divinity without a ritual, they won't stay still!”
As Jeremy asked with a pale face, Ian answered as if asking what nonsense that was.
“Hmm? They’ll probably like it? Though they said preferably crush it with black hair and even spit on it before eating.”
‘...Huh? Is that how Elf rituals are?’
Shocked by the new knowledge, he shook his head.
Because there was something more important right now.
“Plan! Please explain the plan first!”
“Hmm. So, simply put, increasing mental power isn't the only way to break mental attacks.”
“Pardon? Then……?”
“Even if mental power is 0, you don't receive mental attacks.”
Grinning, the Young Lord took out that whistle.
The artifact said to be a modified kingdom official whistle with a wavelength that ‘drives Orcs crazy’.
“D-Don’t tell me…….”
“Would a crazy Orc have mental power? Or not?”
Only now could he understand.
What the plan the Young Lord had been hiding was.
“D-Does it not have it?”
Smirking, the Young Lord stood up and blew the whistle vigorously.
- Peeeeeeeeeeeeeek!
Simultaneously, the cries of Orcs resonated from all directions.
That crazy human is drawing in crazy Orcs.
* * *
- Kuaaak!
- Grrrk!
Orcs who rushed following the whistle sound fell like fallen leaves the moment they stepped inside the Legion Commander’s ‘range’.
- Grrk? Kukh, kukh!
When the fallen Orcs rolled their eyes as if unable to understand, it was already too late.
Their bodies wouldn't move due to the fighting spirit of the Legion Commander battling the Sword Demon.
Under the pressure where one couldn’t even breathe, bewilderment, despair, and pain flashed across the faces of the fallen Orcs.
Jeremy shivered and looked aside at the death so vain that one wondered if these were the enemies they fought desperately against just moments ago.
The Young Lord, as if having no interest whatsoever in the Orcs’ deaths, was only watching the fight between the Legion Commander and Mr. Doll.
Even though the distance was so great they looked as small as millet seeds even using vision-enhancing magic, and it was a battle so chaotic one couldn't tell what was what, the Young Lord watched the battle with a face more serious than ever.
“Um... Everyone is dead.”
When he said that, the Young Lord mechanically took out the whistle and put it in his mouth.
Jeremy's role was merely to assist so the whistle sound spread as far as possible using magic.
‘This is... the Young Lord’s plan.’
Seeing more Orc corpses than fallen leaves, Jeremy had no choice but to nod.
Although he was filled with worries about how to escape just tens of minutes ago, he couldn't ignore the reality unfolded before his eyes.
He really intends to win this battle.
‘Come to think of it…….’
The words the knight of the Moner family habitually said came to mind.
Was it ‘Moner wins in the end’?
Though he thought it was just spewing stupid knightly nonsense…….
Glancing at Ian, Jeremy thought.
‘Maybe not.’
* * *
I can’t take my eyes off the battle.
It’s cool.
No, it’s beautiful.
‘I’ve never thought this way before though…….’
Although I learned ‘Bell Cut (Vertical Slash)’ from the Count, the basis of my swordsmanship lies in the Ghost King’s trait, Dark Emperor , so it can’t be helped.
To the Ghost King, weapons were merely tools, and both forms and styles of handling weapons were merely processes to achieve a goal.
One can tell just by looking at Sal (Killing), which concentrates mana on a single point, or Cham (Slashing), which layers mana repeatedly for a single strike; both are filled with the will to kill the opponent in one blow.
‘Dark Sword is a sword that focuses only on taking the target without even considering clashing weapons.’
Sword Demon’s swordsmanship was the exact opposite.
Using the opponent’s force, deflecting, and parrying.
Swordsmanship that deceives the eyes and senses to open gaps.
- Annoying pest! Just die already!
He absolutely does not retreat even from an opponent with overwhelming power.
Reading the rushing Legion Commander’s movement, and deflecting the axe midway.
Kwaaaaang!
The Legion Commander’s fighting spirit exploded outward, but that was proof of failure.
‘Blocked midway again!’
Surprisingly, the Sword Demon is canceling all skills before activation.
With just that swordsmanship, the Sword Demon, mere doll without mana, occupied the position of a Bad Ending.
Since he cancels all skills before activation, the opponent has to fight with pure martial arts, so naturally the Sword Demon with a higher level of martial arts wins.
‘When I met him as an enemy, I thought it was unreasonableness itself!’
Seen from an ally’s perspective, there is no swordsmanship more beautiful than that.
Swordsmanship that thoroughly toys with the opponent from the position of the weak.
The Sword Demon’s sword, having parried the axe by a paper-thin margin, dug into the Legion Commander’s body and poked the chest with a thud.
The character written on the forehead was 十 (Ten).
“Tsk, it’s already over.”
“Pardon? Maybe if he bought time, but Mr. Doll doesn't have Aura so he wouldn't win…….”
When Jeremy, who was using magic to amplify the whistle sound, glanced at the battlefield, he saw a dark red Aura rising from the Sword Demon's sword.
“Au, Aura? Impossible! Mr. Doll can’t use mana!”
At Jeremy’s words, Ian shook his head.
That isn't mana.
That is the fighting spirit the Sword Demon's sword has absorbed until now.
‘At least he said so himself in the game.’
I don't know the condition, but if the Sword Demon strikes the same point ten times, the Sword Demon's sword gains the energy the opponent has spent so far.
Aura, mana, fighting spirit, even divine power.
- Wh, What? How do you have the warrior’s soul……!
The sword dyed with the Legion Commander's fighting spirit accumulated from blocking dozens of skills surged toward the opponent like a shot.
- Th, This trivial thing!
Realizing it was extraordinary, the Legion Commander hurriedly blocked with his axe and protected his body with fighting spirit, but it was already too late.
Crunch!
The sword, leaving the doll's hand, pierced the heart it had struck 10 times.
Watching the doll trample the Orc’s shoulder and pull out the sword, Ian thought.
‘Is that... satisfied?’
Though emotions couldn't possibly be seen on a face made for a doll, somehow, it looked like a satisfied face.