Anser's Metamagic-enhanced Hold Monster was arguably his strongest crowd-control technique, yet even when combined with Chronal Shift, it had accomplished absolutely nothing.
'His resistances are this absurd? What about a demigod?' Anser was deeply shaken.
For the first time, he felt that the idea of mortals slaying gods might be little more than wishful thinking. At least for a mere high-level adventurer like himself, it was clearly impossible.
Divinity wasn't the only obstacle. Level itself was an enormous gulf. A higher level meant a higher life force, bringing countless hidden advantages that naturally suppressed lower-level adventurers.
Even cantrips displayed vastly different levels of power depending on the caster's level.
His trump card had failed spectacularly, but Anser refused to be discouraged.
If control magic wasn't enough, then he'd overwhelm the enemy with raw offense.
His expression turned cold. Raising one hand slightly, he fired a green ray from his fingertips.
Metamagic: Empowered Quickened Spell, Empowered Subtle Spell, Maximized Spell, Seeking Spell + Disintegrate!
The man in black armor seemed prepared. His feet stopped abruptly as he changed direction in an instant.
But the green ray bent slightly in midair and struck—the shield in his hand.
"Urghhhh—!"
A flash of green light erupted across the man's body. With a thud, he dropped to one knee.
Blood-red fissures split across his exposed skin. His eyes bulged outward, and bloody tears streamed from the corners of his eyes.
A long, agonized howl escaped his throat.
[You cast Disintegrate on Bane's Godsworn. Bane's Godsworn was hit and took 61 force damage. Current Hit Points: 141/216.]
'Heh. A shield can't block Disintegrate.'
Anser had clearly seen the man twist sideways and raise his shoulder.
Not every ray could be stopped by a shield—especially not Disintegrate.
A disintegration ray was composed of force energy. Upon impact, it acted directly upon the target as a whole, destroying and unraveling the underlying structure of matter itself. Conventional armor offered no protection against it.
"Finger of Death!" (Elvish)
An urgent incantation rang out beside him.
A glow saturated with negative energy enveloped the black-armored man.
Brunhilde let out a harsh breath, her wand pointed at the Godsworn of the evil deity, only to discover that he appeared completely unaffected.
The man suddenly lifted his head.
Layer after layer of magical radiance flared across his body, and his injuries visibly improved.
With a cold sneer, his gaze swept past Anser before locking onto the holy symbol on Brunhilde's forehead.
Anser had no time to think.
He immediately fired another Seeking Disintegrate.
The black-armored man exploded into motion.
At the same time, he hurled his black shield forward.
The room was small, and the distance between them was minimal. Once the massive shield left his hand, it completely blocked the tracking angle of the disintegration ray, effectively providing total cover.
The green ray struck the shield and burst into a flash of emerald light.
The shield remained completely unharmed.
Two meters away, the black-armored man lunged forward almost as if he had teleported.
Catching the shield out of the air, he swung it directly at Anser's face.
Anser raised his arm to intercept.
The two shields collided with a deafening clang.
The impact numbed his arm and sent a wave of pain through it, forcing him back a step.
The black-armored man pressed the attack.
His longsword darted out from the shield's blind spot, thrusting upward toward Anser's eye socket.
Fast.
Vicious.
Under his Transcendent Form, Anser's body reacted faster than his thoughts.
Ignoring the incoming strike entirely, he slashed upward at his opponent's throat.
The black-armored man didn't dare trade injuries.
He could only raise his shield to block.
One wore heavy armor and the other none at all, yet in terms of sheer durability, the difference between them couldn't have been greater.
From a corner of the room, Brunhilde watched in astonishment.
The two were moving too quickly for her to follow in detail, but she could tell that Anser had forced the enemy back without suffering so much as a scratch.
She wasn't merely spectating.
Struggling to gather primal magic, she rapidly assembled a spell model.
"Raulothim's Psychic Lance!" (Elvish)
As the elegant Elvish incantation echoed through the room, a glittering psionic spear erupted from her forehead.
It curved around Anser and instantly pierced the black-armored man's head, leaving him no opportunity to evade.
The black-armored man let out a muffled grunt and froze for a moment. More bloody tears trickled from the corners of his eyes.
Mental spells were almost impossible to dodge. The only option was to endure them head-on, and even a successful save usually came with some degree of damage.
After making one mistake, Brunhilde had opted for a more reliable spell.
And it was proving remarkably effective.
Anser had no intention of wasting such a good opportunity.
Focusing his mind, he cast immediately.
In the blink of an eye, a green disintegration ray shot forth.
The black-armored man had already passed the Intelligence check and hadn't entered an incapacitated state. The moment the disintegration ray appeared, he barely managed to react.
Using the same tactic as before, he thrust his shield forward and retreated at high speed.
Disintegrate failed again.
But Anser had anticipated that.
Dropping the Dragon Gold Slashing Swords, he stepped forward and forcibly grabbed the shield.
"Throw it to me!"
The black-armored man charged again while shouting at Anser.
[Bane's Godsworn casts Command on you. Forced medium-difficulty Wisdom saving throw initiated. Saving throw successful.]
Anser suddenly had an idea.
Pretending to look dazed, he loosened his grip and let the black shield drop at his feet.
The black-armored man rushed over and reached for the shield.
Suddenly, Anser's head blurred and expanded into a majestic dragon's head.
Then the jaws opened wide, unleashing a torrent of freezing breath.
The black-armored man immediately abandoned the shield, curling up and rolling aside to evade.
But the distance between them was too short.
All Anser had to do was turn his head slightly to keep the breath weapon trained on him.
[You use Cold Breath on Bane's Godsworn. Bane's Godsworn is hit and takes 53 cold damage. Current Hit Points: 138/216.]
At last, the die identified the target:
[Bane's Godsworn, Human, Level 9 Cleric (War Domain), Level 9 Fighter (Battle Master)]
'Another cleric. No wonder he's recovering so quickly.'
It was an unusual multiclass combination, but with the blessings granted to a Godsworn, both his combat ability and survivability were formidable.
As the breath attack ended, the black-armored man happened to crash through a window on the opposite side and escape the stone building.
Anser immediately pursued him.
But the moment he stepped outside, he discovered that the alley had been completely surrounded.
Royal Guards and Court Wizards filled the area.
Under the torchlight, silver armor gleamed while golden patterns shimmered across enchanted robes. The atmosphere was solemn and oppressive.
'The Bral royal family!'
At first, Anser assumed they had come to help.
After all, a Godsworn of an evil deity had appeared here.
But he watched with his own eyes as the black-armored man retreated into the ranks of the Royal Guard.
The soldiers even parted to let him pass.
The movement was natural.
Quiet.
As though it were the most normal thing in the world.
"Get back!" Brunhilde waved urgently at him the moment she saw it.
Acting on caution, Anser immediately retreated into the stone building.
The Royal Guards made no move to pursue.
Instead, they simply surrounded the building on all sides.
"What the hell is going on?" Anser frowned deeply.
The moment he arrived, he had been dragged into a fierce battle. After all that maneuvering and spellcasting, not only had he failed to take down his opponent, but now he might end up surrounded as well.
The Godsworn had been exceptionally alert.
Throughout the entire fight, he had never given Anser a clean opportunity to cast.
Anser had never found the chance to use Wall of Force.
Otherwise, he might have been able to trap him.
"We're leaving."
Brunhilde tugged on his sleeve, regretting her impulsiveness.
She had to admit that after becoming a Godsworn, she'd become a little too full of herself.
If not for Anser, she might already be a corpse.
And not the kind that could be brought back.
"Wait."
Anser suddenly remembered what Brunhilde had said when they first entered.
"Didn't you say there was another person upstairs?"
"There is. Another Godsworn."
"Then something's definitely going on here. Come on, we're going upstairs."
"Hey—"
Ignoring her objection, Anser bounded up the stairs.
At the same time, he carefully kept his shield raised in front of him, every nerve taut with tension.
The second floor was empty.
He climbed to the third.
The bedroom door stood wide open.
A man in moon-white robes sat leaning against the doorway, his tea-colored eyes fixed on Anser without blinking.
On his chest was the symbol of a pair of eyes surrounded by seven stars.
Anser's gaze shifted forward.
It landed on a bed stained with blood.
A small figure lay there.
Tattered leather armor.
Eyes closed.
Motionless.
"Osborn!"
Anser's heart shook violently.