Chapter 372

"Oh, my..." Lucia's voice broke behind him, her mouth slightly agape. Whether she was surprised by the sight of the massive beast soaring upward or the realization that its trajectory was aimed straight at them, Ian couldn't tell.

—It doesn't seem like a good time to stand and watch.

The whisper came as Ian glanced back at Lucia.

"Let's run," said Ian.

Lucia blinked, startled, before quickly turning and sprinting down the slope. Despite the uneven terrain, her speed was impressive—expected, given that her body still kept the strength of an apostle.

Following her at a steady distance, Ian turned his gaze upward.

Rumble, boom...

Having reached the peak of its leap, the massive beast's colossal form tilted downward. The creature's back, with multiple humps resembling those of a camel, emitted a mist that intertwined with purple magic, carving an otherworldly trajectory into the air.

I'm such a hypocrite.

A faint chuckle brushed past Ian’s lips. The thought of needing the Blessing of Battle had crossed his mind. If Karha had been watching, he would have surely granted Ian a blessing to face an opponent like this.

After all his complaints, here he was, regretting that he didn’t have it in a situation like this. Of course, it was a pointless regret. He had to push through now using only the abilities he had honed and built up himself.

Bwoooooom!

The beast's roar reverberated through the air. Simultaneously, Ian finally understood why the beast was tilting toward them.

The ash-gray, long-limbed creature still clung to the massive beast's neck. Its four elongated forelimbs wrapped tightly around the neck like a vise, pressing its body flush against the beast's flesh.

Why there, of all places?

The way the creature's torso seemed to writhe and undulate wasn't an illusion. Its body, after all, was its head. From its movements, it was clear it was gnawing into the massive beast's neck.

The cracks radiating from the contact point of the ash-gray creature and the beast's hardened, mud-like hide confirmed as much. What was surprising, however, was that the hide hadn't torn or shattered despite the assault. This suggested that the beast's skin was far tougher and thicker than it appeared.

Boom—Zztztz!

Brilliant violet light flashed from the massive beast's head as it descended—emanating from the chaotic array of horns and the glowing eyes scattered across its grotesque face.

For some reason, Ian could faintly sense the beast's pain, rage, and instinctual madness. Perhaps its descent into chaos had something to do with Ian's chaos power.

Damn it, seriously.

Swallowing a sigh, Ian slowed his pace.

He had concluded that completely escaping the fallout of the beast's crash was impossible. The distance they'd already gained was enough to avoid being crushed, but now they had to prepare to endure the impact.

Swoosh—

Ian, casting Whirling Barrier, slowed his pace to a walk as he prepared the Glacier Wall. Even amid this, he cast an urgent glance at Lucia, who kept running without stopping.

"Yog!"

The name slipped out instinctively, and a low chuckle echoed in his mind.

—How delightful it is to hear you call me by name.

What a time to act so smug

, Ian thought, his brow furrowing as the whisper continued.

—Stop running and lie flat, Lucy.

Lucia hesitated at last, slowing her pace and glancing back. There was Ian, already standing still and watching her.

His glowing blue eyes narrowed as he turned fully away from her, presenting his back. Lifting his golden shield high, Ian's movement directed Lucia's gaze beyond him to the massive beast hurtling downward, ignoring all sense of distance.

Finally comprehending the meaning of the whisper, Lucia dropped to the ground in alarm.

Crack—

Ian's outstretched hand released a surge of magic. A towering Glacier Wall erupted before him with incredible speed, blocking his path ahead.

But the colossal beast, veiled in violet mist, hit the ground faster than the wall could fully form.

Boom!

A shockwave infused with violet magic exploded outward in concentric circles. Dust and debris, like a suffocating mist, scattered in all directions.

Rumble

.

Ian crouched, tilting his stance while his Platinum Barrier completely covered his upper body almost simultaneously.

Crack-crack-crack!

Cracks spider-webbed across the surface of the Glacier Wall before it shattered into countless pieces, scattering explosively.

Behind the wall, a massive whirlwind centered on Ian collided with the shockwave. Even so, it couldn't fully neutralize the impact.

Thud-thud-thud-thud!

A force pushed Ian backward; his boots skidded across the ground as he gritted his teeth, nearly cracking them. Bracing his left arm with his right hand, he held the Platinum Barrier steady.

Fucking...damn...it!

Even amidst the chaos, Ian couldn't help but think that if this were a game, he would have already died by now.

After crossing the Black Wall, he failed to defeat even the first field-named monster he encountered. It wasn't just because it had a strong and complex pattern, but because he couldn't deal with the status effects that kept occurring unpredictably.

In some ways, it was even harder than facing the Heaven Defier. At least back then, status effects didn't occur out of nowhere while he was using a skill.

That was when he resorted to looking up strategy guides and realized that, unlike before, endless repetition and prolonged endurance tactics wouldn't be enough to defeat this boss.

Rumble—

Ian's backward slide gradually slowed to a halt, leaving plowed marks on the ground. Still, he remained upright. His near-superhuman strength and sense of balance were likely the reason.

Even without divine blessings, Ian's stats were already leagues beyond those of an ordinary human.

—Let me be kind and tell you in advance. Lucy is safe. Once again, your choice was correct.

Fingers from Ian's right hand, gripping his left forearm, twitched as Yog flicked its tongue.

–If you focus, you'll feel it too, friend.

Ian, who had been frowning, quickly realized the truth of Yog's whisper.

Without looking back, he could sense Lucia crouching not far behind him. She had probably rolled along the ground, unlike him, but at least she was safe.

That was likely thanks to the blood terminal. Just as his emotions had affected Lucia, Ian now experienced some secondary effects himself.

There might be more side effects Yog hasn't mentioned.

For now, though, this particular side effect was proving useful. The crushing pressure on his body lifted entirely.

Tasting blood in his mouth, Ian lowered the Platinum Barrier until it covered only his lower field of vision. The wind swept away the thick dust cloud, significantly improving visibility. The valley lay in complete disarray, and beyond it, the massive beast's collapsed form became visible.

Its half-buried body sprawled across the ground, as though it had sunk into the earth. Ian realized a force had pushed him back at least several dozen meters.

No wonder my feet were burning.

As the thought crossed his mind, the silhouette of a gray figure stirred atop the massive beast's body. It was the long-armed beast that had earlier shoved the colossal creature over the cliff.

Though smaller than the massive beast, it still appeared two or three times the size of an ogre.

Screech!

Standing atop the massive beast, the creature let out a scream that grated against Ian's eardrums. The ear-scratching screams that had been echoing earlier were its doing.

It spread its grotesquely thick and elongated four arms wide, the hook-like claws at their ends glowing with a faint, reddish shimmer.

Swoosh—

Simultaneously, a massive crimson glare lit up across its flat, gray body. Its eyes, more akin to those of a demon than a beast, gleamed blood-red. The vertically slit third eye on its forehead was no different.

Its abdomen opened into a gaping maw lined with teeth that resembled countless interlinked fishing hooks.

Each time it screamed, a reddish vapor spewed from the center of its gaping maw. This breath carried some magical effect.

Screech!

A second screech echoed from behind the creature. There was another one. The mist exhaled by the massive beast must have obscured the second creature from view.

However, this was hardly the most pressing concern for Ian.

So they've finally noticed me.

The crimson glow of the long-armed beast's eyes locked onto Ian. Meeting its gaze, Ian immediately understood: the creature had marked him in its mind. There would be no avoiding a fight with it now.

Swoosh—

That was when the massive beast's half-buried head rose, its violet glow reigniting.

Crack!

Its enormous head lifted from the ground, the spiraling, chaotic horns glowing violet once more. A gaping maw, splitting vertically through the center of its head, yawned open like a colossal set of gills.

Boom!

A roar filled with magical power erupted immediately after. Although Ian had heard it several times before, he only now realized the roar's shockwaves carried a paralyzing effect.

The only reason he had been unaffected so far was likely because he had been just outside the range of its waves.

Shit.

As Ian felt his entire body go numb, his brows furrowed slightly.

—You know, I've been thinking.

A whisper, unnervingly calm at the situation, crept into Ian's mind.

—Those things look like they'd burn well, and the big one doesn't seem tough beyond its surface, does it?

Even in his paralyzed state, Ian's eyes gleamed.

That snake—is it pinpointing the weaknesses of these beasts? Is that its intended role in the game?

At that moment, the massive beast raised its elongated neck completely, revealing the long-armed creature crushed beneath it.

Pssss.

The creature's body was flattened as if it had been crushed entirely. Broken bones jutted out through its hide in several places, and sticky black fluids oozed from the wounds.

Crack, cr-crunch.

Yet somehow, it was still alive. Its elongated arms, clutching the beast's neck, remained firmly in place.

Or maybe it's wedged in so deep it can't let go.

Screech!

The massive beast whipped its head downward like a lash, aiming to crush the creature clinging to its neck entirely.

Thoom!

The shockwave that followed wasn't as devastating as its earlier movements, but was powerful enough. Ian's rigid body slid backward again.

Had he not been crouched, he would have toppled over by now. Yet his gaze remained fixed on the massive beast and the long-armed creature that was relentlessly tearing into its flank.

Whoever wins, we'll be next. so better act fast while they're still fighting.

As his thoughts continued, his fingertips twitched. The paralysis was gradually wearing off.

Fsss—

Just as Ian focused his mind on summoning magic, an irritating sound of air being torn apart reached his ears. Several winged draconic beasts, which had been circling high to avoid the shockwaves, were now descending, flapping their wings.

So it wasn't just the long-armed ones that noticed us.

Ian realized these creatures had also spotted his group. No doubt they had determined that Ian and Lucia were far easier prey than the ones battling below.

The moment Ian looked up at them, he began moving forward.

—Oh? What are you thinking, friend?

Yog whispered as if realizing that Ian was advancing toward the beasts.

"What else?" Ian muttered as he stared at the creatures ahead, his magic-fueled eyes gleaming.

His steps quickened, and before long, his right hand grasped a black sword drawn from his subspace storage. Red light swirled faintly in his magically charged eyes.

—I get that you're planning to fight, but shouldn't retreating come first right now? Looks like you're about to be surrounded.

Yog wasn't wrong. At the moment, Ian was like a moth flying straight into the flames.

However, retreat wasn't an option.

The high-tier magic he began preparing had little range, and no matter how much his recovery rate had improved, his magic wasn't abundant enough to sustain a prolonged battle. The only way to inflict damage on as many monsters as possible with each spell was this.

I really don't want to do this either.

And behind him was Lucia. While Ian didn't doubt her combat capabilities, she wouldn't be much help without the ability to use divine power.

As the sensation gradually returned to his body, Ian ran faster and faster. By now, he was moving at nearly a full sprint.

—The incoming speed is fast. At this rate, they won't just surround you—they'll block your path first.

Yog's whispers continued as if it had realized there was no longer any point in trying to dissuade him. Of course, it wasn't for Ian's sake—it was likely doing its best to ensure its survival.

Four or five will clash with me. Only if I can just get past them somehow.

Ian was already well aware of the danger. His intuition was sending chills down his spine with its persistent warnings.

However, he couldn't prepare a different spell now.

Unless he had boosted his Parallel Thinking attribute or mastered the advanced Dual Casting technique, using two spells simultaneously was impossible.

Canceling the spell he was preparing wasn't an option either. In the middle of that horde, there would be no time to complete a high-tier spell like this.

Screech!

The lead draconic beast screeched as it dove sharply, its long, pitch-black beak snapping open to reveal rows of jagged teeth. Their single, glowing red eye traced a straight path through the air, locked entirely on Ian. Every other beast's gaze followed suit, targeting him.

Whoosh—

At that moment, a sudden brightness flared behind Ian. Startled, Ian turned his head.

Lucia was running toward him, apparently unaffected by the paralysis. Whether she had resisted it or simply avoided it by lying flat on the ground earlier, he couldn't tell.

"Keep running, Sir Ian!" Lucia shouted as their eyes met.

In her right hand, she gripped a flail. But what caught Ian's attention was her left hand, raised high above her head with fingers spread wide.

Fwoooosh—

A Fireball blazed brilliantly in her palm, growing rapidly in size.

"Leave the rear to me!" She yelled as the flames fed hungrily on the magic power surging from her grasp.