GILF Hunter

Chapter 462: 462 [Dice of Chaos]

Frenda’s holy magic emitted a dazzling light.

Whether it had a recovery effect or not, one could feel their body gradually becoming lighter upon receiving that light.

The room, which had been shrouded in darkness, brightened up, and the Shades loitering around retreated far away.

She had been refraining from using magic as much as possible for the battle against the Desecrator, but in this situation, there was no other choice.

Frenda felt a bone-chilling gaze fixed upon her.

A massive shadow so large one had to look up to see it.... The Desecrator turned its head and stared intently at Frenda.

Since she was an opponent using such powerful holy magic, it was only natural for it to take interest.

Thanks to all the attention shifting to Frenda, the other members gained the leeway to reposition themselves.

Ian placed Airi next to Frenda as a guard.

’Airi, keep watch for any monsters approaching and block them in advance.’

’Yes. If it’s just Shades....’

Holding her bow with a tense expression, Airi stood near Frenda and nodded.

’Monsters are coming again.’

Everyone raised their shields and formed a formation.

New Stragglers and giants emerged from the darkness in the distance. Having made it seem as though they were wiped out just before, there were indeed more hidden monsters.

Those monsters moved toward Frenda, who was emitting a tremendous light.

As a result, Rin and Lia were able to easily approach the target, the Desecrator, without being hindered by other monsters.

Rin looked up at the shadow of the massive boss monster and recalled what Ian had said.

He definitely said... that it could be taken down with about two full-power attacks.

Rin gripped her hilt tightly and pondered silently.

She was confident in landing a single attack.

So, even assuming the first attack succeeded, the second was a bit of a problem.

Twice... wouldn’t be easy. It would surely be extremely wary of her after the first hit.

The first action taken by the enemy, noticing the two approaching, was something anyone could have predicted.

The massive beast lifted its foot and stomped down.

A sense of pressure that felt like it could crush them instantly was felt, but Rin did not avoid it and calmly looked for a timing to attack.

Lia, stepping out ahead of Rin, took the hit.

She wondered if this could really be called a parry, but regardless, Lia’s strike hit the side, slightly twisting the direction of the attack.

It was shifted only very slightly, but that was enough space for the two of them to dodge.

And it was an ample opening for Rin to leap up and swing her sword at the body.

Rin’s sword sank into the Desecrator’s body.

─!

A great roar.

However, it wasn’t the threatening sound that shaved away one’s mind like before.

It was a sound containing its own pain.

’It worked!’

’Rin! Let’s go again right away!’

Rin and Lia repositioned themselves similarly to before.

Naturally, the same method didn’t work again. This time, the attack swung wide to the side.

An attack targeting Lia. Since she couldn’t take that head-on, Lia had no choice but to retreat significantly to dodge this time.

Due to that attack, Lia and Rin were suddenly separated far apart.

As if aiming for that intentionally, another attack flew toward the isolated Rin immediately. There seemed to be no time for Rin, who was unprepared, to dodge.

At that same moment, a faint barrier unfolded in front of Rin.

’Rin!’

It was Mika’s barrier, watching from behind.

With the Desecrator’s attacks that had been targeting the expedition constantly being interrupted, Mika had gained leeway and deployed a barrier containing her maximum mana as a final effort.

Mika’s barrier completely blocked the attack flying from the front.

Simultaneously, Rin’s sword flew accurately toward the spot she had struck earlier.

It was a perfect hit.

At that moment, Rin had an intuition.

...It’s not enough!

Rin’s expression hardened.

Had the opponent grown too much beyond expectations because they stalled for too long? The form of that massive shadow stared at Rin.

There was nothing that could be called a face on the thing made of pitch-black shadows. But Rin felt as if her eyes had met its right now.

Rin’s vision turned black.

After a very brief moment of dizziness, when Rin regained consciousness and lifted her head, there was nothing around her.

Truly... nothing.

’Where is...?’

The dazzling light of holy magic and the sound of allies fighting vanished in an instant.

Standing in the pitch-black darkness, Rin looked around and tried calling out the names of her comrades, but no answer came back.

She couldn’t even tell if she was standing on solid ground. It felt like she was falling endlessly into the darkness.

Could I... be dead?

It was a complete darkness so void that such a thought arose.

＊ ＊ ＊

...The light gradually faded.

Turning his head, Ian saw Frenda eventually stagger and fall to one knee on the ground.

Frenda’s mental power had finally reached its limit.

The other members were in almost the same state as Frenda, with only slight differences.

Checking the condition of the members, Ian turned his head forward. The Desecrator and Rin were frozen, eyes locked with each other.

...Was it not enough. Just by a single step.

Conquering a boss monster was always like this. Rather than an overwhelming victory or an overwhelming defeat... it was like a tightrope walk where the result was decided by one or two mistakes.

Pitch-black darkness was overflowing at the spot where the Desecrator and the two were fighting.

’Rin, wake up.’

Lia approached and spoke, but Rin was frozen like ice.

She wondered if she had been petrified, but when Lia touched her, a slight trembling and movement were felt. Guessing... she looked as if she were in a state of having fainted while standing.

The only silver lining was that the boss monster had also stopped moving along with Rin.

Lia looked up from right in front at the Desecrator, which stood frozen, letting the darkness flow out.

...Success would have been achieved with just one more attack.

However, everyone capable of dealing a decisive blow to this monster, including Rin, was in a state where they couldn’t move, having exhausted all their strength.

Perhaps this fellow knew that from the start and targeted those who were threats to him first.

The Desecrator had stopped with Rin, but the sound of new monsters approaching could be heard from afar.

The Knight Commander spoke to Ian with a weary face.

’Is it a failure? That’s unfortunate.’

’Yes. It seems so.... I’m sorry.’

’What’s there to be sorry for? Subjugation is something that always fails at first. Simply escaping with information is practically a success.’

Only Ian, who was in a position where failure was not permitted, thought that way; for the Knight Commander, such occurrences seemed more familiar when it came to subjugation.

’By the way, we’ll need to buy some time....’

The Knight Commander’s gaze turned toward where Rin and Lia were isolated in front of the boss.

As the surroundings were covered by the darkness flowing from the boss’s body, the two of them could no longer be seen.

’Is there a good way?’

’If I can just get close to that spot... I’ll be able to do something.’

’Very well. Everyone! We rescue those two and retreat! Get up!’

[Lethargy], [Fear], [Despair], [Selfishness], ....

For various reasons, most of the knights were no longer in a state to fight; only a few knights responded to the Commander’s call.

Lia lifted her head while supporting Rin.

Inside the thick darkness. The front grew darker as time passed. It was to the point where she couldn’t even distinguish the front or where the allies were located.

The darkness overflowing from the Desecrator’s body was filling the area.

It was as if water were gradually rising.

If she stayed still like this, she would be completely swallowed by the darkness and unable to escape.

Something... some light is needed.

Thinking so, Lia checked her and Rin’s belongings, but there was nothing helpful.

It seemed the Fairies couldn’t find their way in this darkness either, as she hadn’t been able to receive any items for a while.

Inside the darkness where even direction was unknown. If she just walked aimlessly, she would surely end up in the wrong place.

As a temporary measure, she tried infusing the sword with fire mana, but that wasn’t enough to illuminate even a single step ahead.

Light.... She needed something that would emit a stronger light.

Holy magic. That kind of light would have made it possible.

Thinking of that, Lia pondered silently and moved her mana as her instincts led her.

Even if it’s called divine power, it’s not that there’s something special, but rather just a unique utilization of mana, or so they said?

Whether it was thanks to spending a lot of time in and out of the temple with the Holy Knights. Though it was a blind attempt, she succeeded in converting the mana with surprising naturalness.

A dazzling light flowed from Lia’s sword, pushing back the darkness a bit more.

Along with a bit of warmth, she felt her exhausted stamina recover slightly.

Conversely, her mind became a bit more fatigued... but she could only hope to hold out until they escaped this place.

And perhaps due to the influence of that light, Rin, who had been frozen as if fainted until now, let out a small groan.

’Rin. Are you coming to? It seems the retreat signal has been given. Once we get out of here, it’ll be okay.’

’I’m sorry....’

’For what?’

’Because I... insisted. I asked the Leader, saying I could do it too. This, you should have been the one to receive it....’

In Rin’s hand was the sword she had dropped earlier. She didn’t even have the strength to grip it, but it had returned to her hand multiple times.

Lia glanced at Rin’s face, but Rin’s eyes were still blank. Rather than being in a state for conversation... she might just be mumbling what she was thinking in her subconscious.

’Yeah. I know you’re an idiot. But the Leader isn’t.’

Lia replied with a small sigh while looking ahead.

’No matter how stupid the things you say are, that person is never fooled.... Even if he pretends to be pushed over, he never gives in on the truly important things....’

She didn’t know if Rin was actually listening, but Lia replied as if venting her own frustrations.

’There’s definitely a reason. A reason why it had to be you. So wake up. We... can come here again. If even that doesn’t work, we’ll just fight in the city. There will be another way then.’

Lia continued to walk through the darkness, carrying Rin.

...Frenda called Ian in a small voice.

’Leader.... A moment, over here.’

Ian, who went to hear Frenda’s story, was suddenly pounced upon by Frenda.

Frenda, hugging Ian, pressed her lips against his.

Since there was nothing to hide them from others’ gazes, everyone who could turn their heads witnessed the scene.

In an instant, tongues intertwined and saliva flowed in.

Since there was no time to leisurely enjoy the sensation, the joined lips soon separated again before long.

’...Miss Frenda?’

’As expected, this works too... even if it’s a small amount.’

Frenda felt that her exhausted mental power had recovered, if only by a very small amount. She gained enough leeway to perhaps use a final holy magic... just once.

Violent magic was impossible, and it would at most be enough to light the way, but... for those remaining, that much was enough.

’Leader Ian. I will stay behind and stall for as much time as possible, so please take the rest of the members and retreat.’

Frenda conveyed to Ian while looking at the knights.

’...You can do that for me, right?’

’...Don’t talk nonsense. I intend to take everyone out.’

...At that moment, Tanya discovered a Fairy hurriedly flying toward her front.

The Fairy had something in its hand.

Tanya hadn’t particularly asked for anything, but Fairies sometimes brought items from somewhere on their own like this.

Tanya carefully accepted the item the Fairy brought. She remembered all the luggage she had packed for the expedition, but this was an item she had no memory of packing.

What... is this?

Tanya pondered for a moment, but the person who should receive this and worry about it was not her. Tanya immediately took it to Ian.

’Leader... the Fairies brought this.’

Ian, also not knowing the reason, accepted the item Tanya suddenly held out.

It was a die contained within a glass bottle.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

[Dice of Chaos]

- Consumable Item

- Randomly redistributes all of the user’s [Stats], [Traits], and [Potential] for the duration of one expedition.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

An item obtained from a treasure chest.

Because there was never any reason to use it, it was an item he had kept in his office drawer to ensure it wouldn’t be used by mistake.

’What... on earth is that?’

’This is....’

It was a variable that could perhaps cause a change in the current situation.

It was an item called a toy, and because it almost never demonstrated proper performance in actual combat, it was an item no one took seriously... but perhaps.

However, even if a mercenary used it, in most cases, it couldn’t exert a decisive influence.

Unless stats, equipment, and a supporting party are set according to traits, even if one suddenly gains good traits, it’s hard to demonstrate a proper effect.

The person to use this now... only one. The person who could influence the entire party.

Ian picked up the bottle himself and threw it to the floor.

As the glass bottle broke easily, the die bounced out and rolled across the floor.

The die rotated very quietly.

- Resetting potential.