Chapter 166: One Percent From Hell (1)

"Rain of Light!"

"Earth Spikes!"

Both unleashed wide-range attacks.

Chai fired a single concentrated arrow toward the ceiling. It was formed entirely from pure mana, an enormous amount of it compressed into a single projectile.

The arrow exploded high above them.

Dozens of smaller arrows burst from it and rained down upon the heads of the frozen knights.

Schierke, meanwhile, cast an intermediate-level spell that summoned sharpened stone spikes from the ground.

They erupted beneath the frozen statues and pierced straight through them with ease.

"Ice is these knights’ weakness. It completely destroys their defenses, making them easy to penetrate..."

"And the same applies to you, Aldebaran!"

I charged toward the Knight Commander and launched my final ten swords at him.

Despite his slowed movements, he deflected six with his sword. The other four struck him directly, but they were too weak to inflict any meaningful damage.

Still...

They had accomplished their purpose.

They allowed me to unleash my strongest attack one final time.

Overcharge: 10/10

"Say goodbye to that precious armor of yours!!!"

Swinging the Executioner’s Sword with every ounce of strength I possessed, I attacked the Knight Commander one last time.

Crimson lightning erupted around him.

Aldebaran defended with his flaming sword as usual, but he was far slower now. He couldn’t stop me from forcing his blade backward and cutting directly into his armor.

That imposing black armor shattered before my eyes as easily as glass.

Fragments broke away and scattered across the ground at my feet.

Aldebaran unleashed a monstrous howl as the blow struck him.

And I hadn’t merely destroyed his armor.

Serpents of crimson lightning tore through the opening and ravaged his exposed body, carving dozens of deep wounds into him as his health began plummeting.

The effects of lightning and ice had combined.

He was practically paralyzed.

And I immediately realized that this was the perfect opportunity to attack him and inflict as much damage as possible.

Unfortunately, I was no longer in any condition to unleash another major attack.

Overcharge was spent, my right arm was broken, and even my Aura Armor had faded after fighting Aldebaran for so long.

Fortunately...

I wasn’t alone.

A thick hand suddenly grabbed the back of my hunting coat and yanked me away from Aldebaran.

Turning my head, I realized it was Raiden.

"You did well, Ethan."

"You can leave the rest to us."

The moment he finished speaking, the surviving Hunters charged in from every direction, rushing past us and descending upon Aldebaran.

Aura Armor enveloped every one of them.

They attacked him relentlessly from all sides, taking full advantage of his slowed movements.

Checking the Knight Commander’s health, I realized his health bar had fallen below half in the blink of an eye.

Most of that damage had come from my Overcharge and Luna’s ice.

And now...

Only a quarter remained.

We were winning.

"Big Brother, take this."

I had retreated far enough from the Knight Commander to reach the rear line where the mages and archers were positioned.

Chai extended his hand and offered me one of the few flasks Asterion had brought with him.

At first, I hesitated to take it.

But in the end, I decided to use it.

The damage I had sustained was far from minor.

I swallowed the burning contents of the flask and immediately felt heat flood through my body as my injuries began to heal, especially the fracture in my right arm.

"Ugh... I feel alive again. Thanks."

I tossed the empty flask aside and stabbed the Executioner’s Sword into the ground before stretching my body slightly.

Chai nodded before returning his attention to the battle, firing mana arrows at the Knight Commander whenever an opening presented itself.

Schierke was nearby as well, using her magic to manipulate the earth beneath Aldebaran and restrict his movements.

Despite her strange personality, she was remarkably effective.

Excellent support.

And judging by the direction the battle had taken...

Victory was close.

Four Hunters had surrounded him in close combat.

Raiden and Alicia, alongside two others from different teams.

Chai and Schierke attacked him from range.

And I intended to return to the battle shortly, adding even more pressure.

We were genuinely on the verge of winning without losing a single life.

Eight Hunters had entered this place.

And all eight of us would walk out.

It would be nice...

If things really ended that way.

"But the game was never this easy... was it?"

A strained smile crossed my face as I realized the second phase still hadn’t begun.

Pulling the Executioner’s Sword from the frozen ground, I was about to return to the fight when a familiar figure stepped in front of me and extended an arm, blocking my path.

"Luna?"

My magic teacher stood directly before me, refusing to let me go any farther.

"And where exactly do you think you’re going?" she asked.

I pointed toward Aldebaran.

"I’m going back to the fight."

Luna sighed lightly, as though she had expected that answer from the beginning.

"Stay where you are. We didn’t waste one of those precious flasks on you just so you could run back in and get injured again."

Then she added,

"I know you’re worried about his second phase, but you don’t have to handle everything yourself."

Oops.

Apparently I had said that last part out loud.

Specifically the part about the second phase.

"So what do you suggest?"

"That I sit here and do nothing?"

The battle was still raging while we spoke, and even six Hunters were barely managing to keep the weakened Knight Commander under control.

Most of the credit went to Alicia and her exceptional swordsmanship, along with Raiden, who endured the majority of the damage.

Without those two...

The Knight Commander would have already broken through them.

Luna looked at me, then toward Aldebaran, before finally answering.

"I’ll deal with him."

"So just watch until his second phase begins."

Using Wise Raven Insight on her, I discovered that Luna had already restored her mana completely.

She could fight at full strength without any issue whatsoever.

Her Blessing was practically a glitch.