Skirmish - Oni vs Wind and Lightning ②
Taking swords from my Space Storage, I fire them directly using the Shoot skill. While the Shoot skill consumes does MP, the amount is insignificant. Simply taking something out that you put into Space Storage consumes almost no MP. And while it may require a large amount of MP to create a magic sword, using one consumes nothing. In short, the amount of MP consumed by this volley of attacks is small enough that automatic recovery will replenish it instantly. Despite that, the destructive power of the magic swords when they explode is proportional to the amount of MP consumed when they are made. While magic swords have the demerit that they must be created in advance, their merit of consuming almost no MP during combat is enough to overturn it.
However, that’s all meaningless unless they’re effective against your opponents.
The swords are shot at high speed, but before they can connect the lightning surrounding the leopard dragon repels them, causing them to explode. The magic swords are being fired one after another without pause, but they’re all either being shot down like this, or alternatively they’re being avoided. It seems that the leopard dragon always has lightning coiled around his body. Then, during an attack it automatically intercepts. Thanks to that I also can’t close in without taking stupid risks. The moment you approach, the lightning would attack you. It’s an annoying ability that gives both offense and defense.
『Grr!』
On top of that, the leopard dragon himself keeps lunging at me with his fangs like this. I shoot flames from my fire sword, using the distracting to stop him. I use that opportunity to significantly open up the distance between us. Yet even that isn’t enough, and the lightning around him attacks me. I strike that using the lightning sword in the opposite hand to my fire sword. Since the lightning sword is of the same attribute, it is possible to cancel out the lightning strike. However, that’s my limit. I’m not able to force him back in this situation. Defence is taking everything I have, so I’m not able to counterattack.
Both firing my magic swords and the flames from my fire sword are thwarted by the lightning surrounding him every time. It’s more like, all this is achieving is reducing the scope of the leopard dragon’s attacks, and the current balance is just about being maintained. While we were both still uninjured, it’s clear that I was in the worse position.
In addition, I’m concerned about the movements of the other dragon. The Pteranodon-like dragon has flown up into the sky. High enough that it’s difficult to follow him by eye. He seemed to be up to something there, but I had my hands full dealing with the leopard dragon so I couldn’t follow him closely. I’m well aware that leaving him alone is not a good idea, but there’s nothing I can do.
My range of options seems large, but is actually quite limited. While my magic swords can have all sorts of tricks, against higher rank opponents the only useful abilities my magic swords have are explosively self-destructing, fire and lightning - just those three. Close range combat with my fire and lightning magic swords. And, firing a large quantity of explosive swords to oppress the enemy. Those two methods comprise my basic combat tactics. Compared to Shiro-san, Ariel-san and Sophia-san with their wide variety of attacks, my way of fighting is fixated on a brute force approach. Precisely because of that, it’s tough to face opponents with similar tactics. But well, it’s not like I literally have nothing left.
Three, two, one! Acting as if dodging the opponent’s attacks was taking everything I had, I lured him to a certain point. I barely had to act as I was virtually having to dodge with everything I had anyway, so I’ll probably deceive him. Then, the moment the leopard dragon steps on that location, it’s triggered. The ground underneath the leopard dragon explodes.
『Gyaah!?』
The leopard dragon screams in pain. The landmine sword. A variant of the explosive sword, as its name implies, it’s a magic sword that is buried underground and causes an explosion the moment an enemy steps upon it. The lightning surrounding the leopard dragon doesn’t cover the feet. So the underground landmine sword can’t be induced to explode, and probably can’t even be detected in the first place. Against a completely unnoticed attack, without doubt even the automatic interception of the surrounding lightning wouldn’t activate. In the first place, the automatic interception wouldn’t do anything against an explosion from underground even if it was activated.
The automatic interception from the surrounding lightning was extremely effective. Even my flames, something with no real form, could be shot down so it’s likely that only something with more power than the surrounding lightning could break through it. But, that’s only for things that the surrounding lightning can intercept. Instead you can just deliver an attack directly upon the leopard dragon. Using my array of magic swords to distract the leopard dragon for an instant, I set up landmine swords under the ground.
The leopard dragon retreats while trailing one of its legs. The front right leg which stepped on the landmine sword was injured. To not miss this chance I go on an all-out assault. I take out a large amount of explosive swords from my Space Storage and fire them! On top of that, I myself rushed towards the leopard dragon too.
『Nuh, GAHH!!』
However, the leopard dragon howls at an extremely loud volume, and its whole body then radiates such strong light that it could burn the eyes. When I stop instantly, he ignores the pain in his leg and leaps backwards. Fortunately I had thought to hold out the lightning sword in front of me. An impact strong enough to numb my arm was transmitted through the lightning sword, but that’s all the damage I took. Truly that is the embodiment of lightning. If I had gotten any closer, I might have been turned into charcoal.
『That hurts! Ah dammit! That really hurts you know!』
The enraged leopard dragon simply seemed to say whatever was on his mind. The leopard dragon flaps his wings, and rises up into the air. Well that sucks. Now, my landmine swords won’t be effective. That being said, his leg is still injured. It seems he either doesn’t have recovery magic or automatic HP recovery skills, or he has them but at a low level. I would like to think that this has reduced some of his mobility, but what happens now that he’s taken to the air? I had thought I’d gained an advantage, but it’s still too early to tell.
I stay on alert and glare at the leopard dragon. At that moment, I suddenly notice that the surroundings have gotten darker. I can’t confirm it as I can’t afford to take my eyes off the leopard dragon, but did the sun go behind clouds? However, it was a sunny day without a single cloud just earlier. I feel that this is not something I can afford to ignore.
As if to confirm my premonition, rain suddenly falls on my face. The rain quickly strengthens, becoming a cloudburst in an instant. I could even hear thunder on top of that.
『Geez! You took way too long!』
The leopard dragon mutters that complaint while looking up at the sky.
『Hey! Is that any way to put it when I’ve been working so hard!?』
That voice replied to the leopard dragon. It was the Pteranodon type dragon as he came swooping down. So this rain was caused by that dragon then huh!
『An underling should work themselves to the bone for the sake of their seniors, right!?』
『Who’s an underling!?』
『You, who else!?』
『Hey, aren’t I the senior one in terms of physique!?』
『Hah!』
『Did you just scorn me!?』
『Don’t nitpick over every little thing! You sissy!』
『Ah, right.』
Although the leopard dragon is injured, he’s regained his composure. There’s no way this rain was done just to put on a show. The situation is bad. In the worst case, I might have to use Wrath……
Author’s note: Tomorrow, or you could even say today, the anime broadcast starts. I’ll put up a report of my impressions of the anime afterwards, so please let me know your impressions of the anime.
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