I didn't know why, but that monster was knocked down by just one strike I landed earlier… Even though it didn't die right away.
At least that means my attack actually affected it. If that's the case, I just need to keep attacking until it can't move anymore.
Thanks to a small Enchant effect from Cyve, that attack managed to injure the monster more.
"Yukito-sama… I think… I won't be able to help you for a while… I need to recover my body first…," said Cyve.
"W-wait, Cyve? Cyve?" I said.
Well, it seems she really can't support me anymore.
If she can't handle it, I won't force her. It's better if I fight alone so I can gain more experience.
Wait… if Cyve can't help me… how am I supposed to know how many hours are left before this fog slowly eats away at my body?
"Oi, why aren't you moving, huh? Our fight isn't over yet," I said, trying to provoke the monster a little.
I didn't have any plan to defeat it, but I would rely on my swordsmanship.
I would keep swinging and slashing at that monster, over and over again.
The monster didn't respond to my words, and once again, it summoned its skeleton army.
"Are you out of ideas… you weak monster?" I asked.
Earlier, it managed to block my attack and immediately counterattack.
But now, it only kept summoning those skeleton troops which, so far, haven't even managed to injure me at all.
Though my stamina is what's getting hurt… but with the same plan as before, I can get another hit on it.
—
The monster didn't rise again, but instead retreated further back and lowered its body.
I didn't know what it wanted to do, but I felt like it was about to do something that would make things difficult for me.
—
"Oi—" Suddenly, the monster's body began to shine.
The light was bright enough to blind me, and I couldn't clearly see what it and its skeleton troops were doing.
Don't tell me… it's trying to blow up this place?
——
Not long after, the light shrank back, and the monster's body had disappeared.
Does that mean I managed to corner it to the point it ran away?
"Wait… its skeleton troops are still here… that means…"
If it had died or run away, the skeleton troops it summoned should've disappeared along with it.
But… they're still here, which means that monster is still nearby.
"That's right…" , ???
The voice came from behind me, making my hair stand on end, and I immediately jumped forward to get away from it.
I turned around and saw a human-shaped figure wearing a full suit of iron armor covering its entire body.
I couldn't see any skin anywhere, and even its face was covered by the armor.
What is this, who is he… Don't tell me he is that monster from earlier?
Impossible, no monster can transform into a human that easily… damn it, this is getting way too serious.
"Die… anyone who dares to intrude will die here!!!" the armored figure shouted.
Even though it looked human, its soul still felt like that monster.
——
It ran toward me and tried to defeat me with its bare hands.
I kept dodging its punches—fortunately, its movements were a bit slow.
Damn it, how long is this going to go on… if this keeps up, I'll be the one who collapses first.
"Please… defeat me."
Cyve? No, that voice wasn't Cyve. It was heavier, like a man's voice.
Cyve said she was resting and wouldn't help me for a while, but I heard someone else inside my head.
Right now, only one person should be able to speak inside my head… What is this monster, really…
This is the first time I've encountered a monster that can speak and has the form of a knight in armor.
Could it be… this monster is actually a human?
Even though it said that inside my head, it still kept attacking me nonstop.
And when I had no choice, I blocked its punches with my sword. But instead of hurting its hand, my sword felt incredibly dull.
With that armor, there was no way I could pierce through it.
My sword would definitely bounce off before it could pierce the armor.
——
Fine, I'll fight him hand-to-hand.
Drang.
I threw my sword to the ground, a sign that I wanted to duel him with my fists.
Bak, bak!
Who would've thought my face would get punched immediately?
Tch, I won't lose to anyone in a fistfight.
Wait… if only I could open that faceplate, maybe I could stab him there.
Alright, I've got a good plan.
——
Yukito kept letting the monster attack him, only defending and not counterattacking at all.
As if he was letting the monster feel confident, believing it was about to finish him off.
Meanwhile, Hime and Yuu-chan managed to defeat the same type of monster Yukito was fighting.
They worked together, since their Mana and MP never seemed to decrease, and kept filling back up even after casting spells.
Yukito's face and body were already bruised from the endless punches landing on him.
But he endured, and continued executing the plan he had thought of.
——
Ughh… this seems like the right moment to finish him.
Brak
I fell backward to avoid his punch—heh, this is perfect.
Because the monster desperately wanted to attack me, it immediately climbed onto my chest.
Holding me down, stopping me from getting up or escaping.
"Got you!" I shouted.
I quickly opened his faceplate—and it worked.
I saw the face of a man with red eyes, looking vicious and ready to devour someone like a wild beast.
Without thinking, I pushed his body off me until he was no longer on top of me.
I ran toward where I had dropped my sword and aimed it at the monster's face.
"Hurry… kill me."
Again, I heard the monster's voice inside my head.
But… killing a monster with a human face by stabbing its head… I couldn't do it.
I… might be able to pierce this armor.
To keep him from escaping, I stepped on his chest with one foot, making him feel suffocated.
The armor he wore wasn't too thick, and it looked like I could still pierce through it.
I could also feel a faint trace of light-element power in my sword, leftover from Cyve's Enchant.
"Huh… alright, forgive me if I trouble you…" I said.
I raised my sword high, then stabbed his chest.
Sresh!
My sword pierced through the armor easily, as if he were wearing ordinary fabric.
His eyes, which were red a moment ago, returned to normal human eyes.
I closed them gently, hoping that if he really was a human with a tragic past, he could rest peacefully.
I lifted my foot from his body, certain that he was really dead.
If he could speak inside my head, that means he could communicate with Cyve as well.
I'll ask her about it later. I hope she'll tell me everything.