"Then let us go, Slei."
Eve, mounted on the horse, gripped the reins.
In her other hand she held a bow.
A quiver was strapped to her back.
"I am fairly confident in my skill with the bow as well. Though I am nowhere near Seras."
She also had her sword sheathed and hanging at Slei's side, just in case.
Incidentally, the reins and other tack had been handmade by Seras.
She said she had been able to make them ever since she lived in the elf country.
Seras had modestly said,
"It is only a simple makeshift version,"
but to me it looked more than adequate.
I stroked the flank of Slei, who had transformed into the giant black horse of her third form.
"I am counting on you."
Slei gave a quiet nod.
Next, I spoke to Eve.
"Making that thing judge that 'there is intent to attack' will definitely achieve our goal. However—"
Eve thrust out the hand holding the bow.
As if to stop me.
"You do not need to say anything more. I am fully aware of the danger."
Seras stepped forward a little.
"I will provide a small amount of assistance with the power of the wind spirits. It will be like a slight tailwind."
"Umu, I appreciate it."
"As for me, it will be as I explained earlier— Are you ready, Pigi-maru?"
"Pi!"
Our preparations here were already complete.
All that remained was—
"..."
Whether that thing would take the bait.
△
There is a lot of free time while traveling through the Demon Zone.
There are also many things I want to do with that free time.
For example, verifying the skill [Freeze].
Or learning combat techniques from Seras and Eve.
However, I had been spending that time on something else.
The combined technique with Pigi-maru.
The time had been spent on further verification and experiments with that technique.
The Black Dragon Knight Order battle.
The Ashinto battle.
Status abnormality skills have the drawback of enemies outside their range.
The combined technique with Pigi-maru fills that gap.
Is there a way to make better use of this technique?
During breaks and other free time in the Demon Zone, I had devoted myself to verifying and experimenting with it.
▽
—Gyuru, Kyuru—
I gathered several of Pigi-maru's tentacles extending from my back into one bundle.
What I gained from the verification and experiments was the effect produced by bundling the tentacles into a single one.
Maneuverability increased dramatically.
Above all, what improved was speed.
If there was only one target, this was better.
However, to decide the match against that humanoid type, it was still short by about one beat.
But if I could create even that one-beat opening—
"It will reach."
Doka!
Slei kicked off the ground with force and leaped.
With a neigh, it burst out onto the slope of the ruins.
The neigh was probably to draw the humanoid type's attention.
Slei raced down the slope at terrifying speed.
On its back, Eve was holding her bow ready.
Eve's killing intent was more than sufficient.
In fact, if the timing was right, Eve would probably attack with an arrow.
"..."
Still, it is impressive how she maintains her posture despite that unbalanced state.
No, more than that—
"Fast."
There was even awe in Seras's voice.
However, my eyes were no longer on Slei.
I could only imagine its speed and running form from the sound of hooves reaching my ears.
Right now, I could not afford to look away.
So as not to miss that single instant.
And then—
"Mu!? Mu! Mu! MuMumu—! MuUuuuuuuu—!"
It moved.
The humanoid type moved, aiming toward Slei and Eve.
An opening had been created.
Of course, I did not miss it.
—Gyuru, Hyu—
Almost reflexively, I launched the now darker-colored Pigi-maru tentacles.
"—A!? Aaaa—!? Hiiiii—!"
The humanoid type noticed our movement.
It noticed.
The humanoid type came to an abrupt stop, and the sewn face simultaneously spat out a large number of tentacles at ultra-high speed.
It was like an explosive deployment of tentacles by the humanoid type.
But,
It was already too late.
I caught it—it reached.
Within range.
"――――[Pa-ra-la-y-ze]――――"
—Crack, snap—
"Mu... mu, Mu, muGiii...! I... ii... i..."
Plop.
A single drop of sweat ran down my chin.
Fuuu.
My halted breathing returned.
"Barely... it reached... somehow..."
It seemed to have gone according to my calculations.
□
There was one important point to this attack.
The key to the strategy lay in a certain "property" of that humanoid type.
The true nature of the strange discomfort Seras felt right after releasing the second arrow.
What I had noticed at that moment.
The first arrow had been fired from the front and smashed.
The second arrow had been aimed just barely outside the range and also smashed.
"Zuru—Bashu!"
At that time, the humanoid type had moved.
It moved first, then spat out its tentacles to attack.
Yes.
It was not while moving.
It was after moving.
In short, that humanoid type could not attack by spitting out its tentacles unless it had finished moving.
That meant an opening was created precisely during its "movement."
That was the opening we could exploit.
Even with Pigi-maru's tentacles bundled into one for increased speed, without that one-beat opening it would have been impossible to bring that thing into the range of [Paralyze].
Therefore, we first needed to make it move from that spot.
More precisely, we needed to draw out an "attack after moving."
However, that thing did not react to the third arrow, which had been meant to lure it into moving.
It had realized it was a feint.
As a result, we had no choice but to ask Slei and Eve to act as decoys.
But,
▽
"Slei and Eve are safe, and I managed to paralyze it..."
Step by step, I descended the stairs.
"If you ask whether I could have done it alone this time... it would have been tough."
When I reached the front of the humanoid type, I spoke while closely observing its agonized, pale expression.
Even though it was a smiling face, it was pale.
Truly.
It was not funny at all.
I thrust out my hand.
"[Berserk]"
Paralysis grant and berserk grant.
By nature, this was also a sure-kill combination.
"Mu, Muoo—"
Whoosh, shuuuuuuuuuaaaaaaaa—!
Like a massive geyser, blue blood sprayed spectacularly into the sky.
"It is still only one, so of course it is not complete... but with this—"
Turning my back to the blue rain, I faced Seras, Eve, Slei, and the others.
And I said,
"The humanoid type of the Golden-Eyed Demon Zone has been defeated."
[Level has increased.]
[LV 1797 → LV 1903]