Chapter 31
"Kehehe! I'll kill them all! I'll prove I'm not a premature one!"
The Demon's Shard swung thorns made of magical energy wildly.
Have you been worrying about this for a while?
It's hard to believe it's a demon, considering how timid it is.
"...The range of erosion has expanded."
Rodelin muttered under her breath.
It must be because she felt more pressure from the now wider expanse of dark crimson earth.
Premature... No, the Demon's Shard was not stupid.
It was diligently pressuring us, eroding the surroundings.
"Keke, it's okay. Everything will go according to plan."
"...It's just that the plan is too preposterous."
"Do we have any other choice?"
"That's true but..."
Rodelin's gaze turned to my hand.
The firmly gripped mop.
She sighed, as if she still couldn't believe it.
'Fighting a demon with this is surprising enough, but to think it'll play a more important role than a sword.'
It must be unbelievable.
Especially for Rodelin, who has witnessed fights with demons firsthand.
"Keke, then let's go. The formation is as I mentioned earlier. There's only one thing to be cautious of. Everyone remembers, right?"
"Of course. If we get hit by the erosion twice, we retreat, recover, and re-enter. Definitely, after experiencing it, this seems absolutely crucial to follow."
"Alright! Let's go!"
With Luna's shout, everyone got into formation.
Me in the lead, Raymon second, Luna at the back.
Rodelin was in front of me. More precisely, slightly to the front and to the side.
Tadat-!
"Kehehe! Come on! I'll kill them all... Huh?"
The Demon's Shard's bewildered voice reached us.
It couldn't be helped. We hadn't charged at it.
Instead of charging, we were circling around the Demon's Shard.
Who would expect that the guys who had a meeting to thoroughly prepare would suddenly start running around like they're on a sports field?
It's natural to be confused.
"What on earth are you doing right now... Huh?"
The Demon's Shard couldn't finish its sentence.
It must have started to show or be felt. The fact that its territory was shrinking.
"My erosion!? How, how is this...!"
Its eyes bulged out. If it were human, it would be wide-eyed.
Then a cry close to horror echoed in the void.
"What, what are you doing!"
"Can't you see? I'm cleaning!"
"No! That's not what I mean to say!!"
Hmm, seems it needs a kind explanation.
I'm a good person, so I should explain.
That's why I came up with this strategy, back at the beginning of last week, when the semester had just started.
After becoming friends with Raymon and Luna, thanks to a parrot, we accidentally cleared the second quest.
'I used the [Clean] skill on the parrot.'
I knew about the existence and value of the parrot, but due to strategic issues, I planned to clear it only after Episode 3.
It's not much of a reward, but I used [Clean] on the parrot, and during that process, I found out.
'The [Clean] skill can erase erosion.'
It was natural that the veterans didn't know this.
You can only raise the level of the [Clean] skill to S in the latter half of the game or if you take a 'Potential Gamble.'
Although I'm not sure, there must be quite a few who obtained [Clean] through Potential Gambling.
But who in their right mind would play with [Clean]?
'They would rather choose to restart the game.'
The power of an S-grade skill was tremendous.
Just running with the mop touching the ground was enough to efficiently clean.
Rodelin, who had been watching this for a while, let out a dry laugh.
"I didn't expect erasing erosion to be this easy."
"Keke, it's just a prototype of erosion. The real erosion won't be like this."
"I know. But I can't help feeling good."
Rodelin's face lit up with a genuine smile, perhaps truly feeling good.
Considering the troubles her family's borderlands are still enduring, it makes sense.
Suddenly, while smiling, Rodelin swung her sword.
Clang!
"It seems we're in range. Everyone, increase your alertness!"
Rodelin shouted after deflecting the black thorns.
I didn't need to worry. They have the skills to block all of this.
'Everyone except me.'
For now, the plan is to keep circling and erasing the erosion.
Until Rodelin and Luna are ready to attack.
What's the distance around the Demon's Shard? About two squares of land in the game?
'Rodelin will let me know when we're in striking distance.'
Until then, my only job is to clean.
Just to note, focusing on one area is inefficient.
Because the Demon's Shard only needs to defend one spot.
Therefore, it's better to clear all sides and let Rodelin and Luna attack based on their judgment.
"You, you... damn it! Fight fair and square!"
Fair and square, coming from a demon's mouth? It's the end of the world.
And isn't fighting with just a mop fair enough?
"I've won the fight against that brat with a sacred sword! But now I'm losing to this... this...!"
"Didn't expect to lose to a mop, did you? It'll go down in all the histories. A demon being defeated by a 'mop' for the first time."
"Krgh, aaaaaah!! Die!!"
The black thorns were shot towards us.
Rodelin shattered the thorns, and Raymon deflected them, protecting me.
As I felt before, their swordsmanship skills are incredible.
"Oh, what, this feels easier than usual."
"Keke, what did I tell you."
"How, how is this happening? I just changed hands."
...Of course, it's natural. You're left-handed.
But to be able to use a sword with the left hand for the first time, that's an insane talent.
"Die! Die!"
Clang! Clang clang!
The battle of spear and shield continued.
Rodelin was concerned about different types of attacks, but the Demon's Shard only had one attack method.
Thorns made from magical energy with the power of [Demon Magic].
That's all there is.
But it can only be cleared after Episode 3.
'The dignity of the three-strikes erosion rule.'
No matter how much stamina you have, three consecutive activities on eroded land mean instant death.
You can't ignore the damage taken from the thorns and activity on the eroded land.
That's why only veterans who have enough stamina challenge it after Episode 3.
'But what if there's no erosion? How difficult would it be?'
It becomes incredibly easy.
The only method the demon had to attack were thorns made of magic.
Right now, the Demon's Shard is almost a punching bag.
"Zero, we're within striking range!"
"Good. Let's change formation!"
Rodelin and Luna shot out like arrows, positioning themselves in front and behind the Demon's Shard.
Raymon took the spot beside me, previously occupied by Rodelin.
"Earth Flip!"
"One Flash!"
Kwagagagagak-!
Black blood splattered. The Demon's Shard screamed in agony.
"Kraaagh! You, you...!"
Luna continued to attack, while Rodelin stepped back momentarily to pause her assault.
They acted so their attack timings wouldn't overlap.
Eventually, we had to.
'Take turns stepping back.'
In terms of the game, the land two squares away from where the Demon's Shard is, was too risky for me to go there and erase it.
'The probability of dodging decreases.'
The closer the distance, the lower the dodge probability, and vice versa.
That's one of the features of this game.
Moreover, I always have to keep in mind that Raymon's defense might fail.
'And there's another reason why I can't get any closer.'
"Ze, Zero! I'll step back for a bit!"
"...Keke, understood."
Raymon retreated, part of his body turned purple.
The rule of instant death after three exposures to erosion.
This applied to Rodelin and Luna as well as to Raymon.
Initially, as we circled around erasing the erosion, Rodelin and Raymon took turns to avoid the triple overlap of erosion.
But now, Raymon had to handle it alone.
'This is the problem.'
An inevitable small gap occurs.
Sooner or later, the Demon's Shard will notice this gap.
Could I not retreat with Raymon when he's hit twice by erosion?
Impossible.
'The erosion spreads faster than expected.'
Maybe it's because we are close to the Demon's Shard.
Even a short rest causes the dark crimson land to stretch rapidly.
I have to keep cleaning non-stop for Rodelin and Luna to have free land to attack.
'Time is on its side.'
The attacks of the Demon's Shard might be weak, but its AoE is unavoidable.
Rodelin might be fine, but Luna, Raymon, and I, with our lower stamina, will fall if the damage accumulates.
In other words, with Raymon as the shield and Luna as the sword active now.
'This moment is our only chance.'
I was focused on cleaning when it happened.
A black thorn pierced Raymon's defense.
Kwajik!
"Ah! So, sorry!"
It didn't touch me, but the mop was destroyed.
"Kehehe! Now you can't clean! What a sight!"
The Demon's Shard laughed as if it was enjoying the situation.
So.
I laughed along.
"Keke, thank you. I was just about to change it."
"...?"
Swoosh.
I reached into my pocket and pulled out another mop. Two, in fact.
The demon's eyes filled with shock.
It's as if it's saying, 'Why is that coming out of there?'
"Kekeke, I brought all the mops from the school!"
"..."
The demon was dumbfounded.
It's just eyes, but it was clear.
So thoroughly prepared. I'm impressive...
"...Zero."
"Yes?"
"To think you'd steal and damage the school's resources. I'm giving you one demerit point."
"..."
Rodelin scribbled something in her notebook and then resumed fighting.
A demerit point for stealing some mops.
Damn it. All because of that damn demon.
* * *
Parrot's Diary #6
"Demon! Demon!"
"A demon, where?"
"What. It's Luterus's parrot. Where did it learn such words... Shoo!"
No, really! A demon appeared!
I cried out desperately as I circled the academy.
But the reactions of others weren't much different from those kids.
No one listens to me.
"Demon! Demon!"
There's a demon.
"Save me! Friend!"
Please save me. Someone, please.
"Friend!"
Please save my only friend.
...
Three days passed.
I can no longer speak.
My body, hit by stones, hurts too much.
‘Is my friend alright?’
Staggering, I headed towards the Tomb of the Sacred Sword.
As I was about to enter through the hole where the sword was pulled, I saw something.
"What? Why is the Sacred Sword..."
A woman in a black mask stood there. No, floating.
Did she think I was just an ordinary parrot?
She kept mumbling to herself.
"Hmm, 'hidden in plain sight' strategy failed. That's unfortunate."
Strategy? Then the one who put the demon below...
"It's fine. It was just a prototype. The experiment results aren't bad. Let's just set a simple trap and leave."
It's you. You planted the demon!
"Demon!"
"Eek! What!"
I attacked with my beak, but only managed to scratch her face.
Damn, why am I so weak?
"A parrot? You dare to scratch my face!"
Crack!
A crimson energy shot towards me.
My memory ends there.
--TL Notes--
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