Chapter 39: Job Holder

The Monster followed a particular fighting style. But I can’t be for sure if I’m correct or not.
Also, I don’t have much leeway to be thinking of such things.

The Monster once again crossed its arms. The flame is likely coming.
But there’s still another 25 seconds left――I can’t use Cancel on him yet.
However, we were saved by the fact that it makes large motions. Both Angie and I noticed the monsters movements, and jump to the left and right.
The next instant, a wall of fire filled up the s.p.a.ce where Angie and I had just separated from each other.
We managed to dodge it but the heat was intense. The temperature rose up greatly, and sweat formed on my forehead.
But we can’t keep only evading. I used Step Cancel to suddenly teleport by the Monster’s side.
Only 20 seconds left――

On the other side of the monster I could see Angie. She accelerated herself with her spirit animal’s wind.
Using both swords I diagonally slashed into the Monster’s side, and using Cancel I following up Double Slicer with an X-Slicer.
Angie coated her sword with Sylphid Dance and pelted the other side with the power of wind.

But―― The thing didn’t even flinch. The Monster then stopped its fire breath, and it unexpectedly took a step back.

「It worked!」(Angie)

A look of hope spread across Angie’s face. But――This is.

10 seconds left―― It’s no use, I won’t make it!

「ANGIE! DODGE IT!」(Hitto)

Perhaps she heard me, Angie leapt far to the rear, and I also jumped back. At almost the same time the Monster began swinging its giant hammer wildly.
It wasn’t an attack aimed at a target. It randomly swung the hammer in front of it. Although it recklessly swung around, the attacks pretty much covered the entire area in front of it.
The sound of the hammer smacking the round echoed in our ears several times. As if he was playing whack-a-mole, the force created countless dents in the floor.

「d.a.m.nit! What’s with this guy? This is crazy!」(Angie)

Angie bit her lips as she grew annoyed. That said, while the monster continued to flail about, 10 seconds have pa.s.sed―― We managed to recover for now.

「Mad Rush――」(Hitto)

I whispered the skill name that the monster was using.
“What?” Angie said in reply.

「Power Howling into Dunk Attack, and also Mad Rush―― The flames are a different matter, but do these skills ring any bells? Angie?」(Hitto)

Hearing my words Angie looked shocked.

「No way…… It can’t be――」(Angie)

「It seems you have noticed. Yes, everything this monster has done are Warrior Skills――」(Hitto)

Warrior: in the game it was a Upper-Cla.s.s Job from the Fighter cla.s.s. They had extreme arm strength and sort of looked like stupid muscle-heads. Well, that’s pretty much the image they gave.

「Hitto, are you trying to say that this monster has the Warrior Job?」(Angie)

「Yea, that’s exactly it. There’s pretty much no mistaking it」(Hitto)

「That’s absurd! Impossible! Even if it’s a Unique Species, I’ve never heard of a monster holding job t.i.tles before!」(Angie)

That’s right, even in the game there were no monsters that had job t.i.tles.
However, if it used each skill individually then it would be a different matter, but to use 3 different skills at once, there’s no other way of thinking about it.

「GUUUoOOOO!」

Kuu! Angie’s expression warped. And the Monster used a second Power Howling to raise it’s strength further.

「Angie! Let’s focus on defeating him first! Do you have some sort of finishing blow?」(Hitto)

Haa? Angie’s eyes opened wide. But now’s not the time to be speechless.

「Do you have one? I’m sure you do! Something that can defeat him in one move!」(Hitto)

「Ah Y-Yeah, I have just one. But it’s impossible, in order to use it I need to spend time concentrating. Against this thing I won’t have the time to――」(Angie)

「It’s fine! Listen Angie, just do what I say!」(Hitto)

I told Angie my battle plan.

「Will that work? But――」(Angie)
「Believe in me, Angie! Here it comes!」(Hitto)

The Monster once again crossed its arms. As such Angie and I separated and dodged the flames. And then I ran up to the Monster and stood about 10 steps away from it. From the magic bag I pulled out the Spiral Heavy Crossbow.

Bracing it against my shoulder, I shot off rapid-fire Cancels. The bolts flew into the Monster’s side one after another, but they only stuck halfway in before stopping.

That goes to show how solid this Monster’s body is. And as expected, even with this attack the Monster shows no signs of faltering.
If this were a game the Monster would be like a Tank that doesn’t even feel knock-back.

But, there’s no problem. My aim isn’t to deal damage.
Instead of that―― Yes! I turned my way! It then lowered its waist, and leapt into the air! It flew at me with the giant hammer raised overhead.
The Warrior skill Dunk Attack, it was an attack that utilized the force of a jump.
But that force is incredibly powerful. In terms of pure strength it is the most powerful Warrior skill.

I know from witnessing it earlier. If I get it by it straight on then I will certainly be killed.
But, I have to keep pulling it along. Until Angie finishes her preparations―― A large shadow was cast on me. It felt as if a boulder was falling down on me.

But, I confirmed it! Angie is in position. While she was concentrating―― I faced the Monster and once again activated Cancel.

In that instant―― The Monster that should have been in the air disappeared, and he stood where he was before he jumped.
And although I couldn’t see his face, he must be fl.u.s.tered. The bigger and larger the opponent moves before being hit by Cancel, the longer they show an “opening”.

I can’t use Cancel on the Monster for another 30 seconds. But, that’s a different story for Angie!
And Angie is currently right behind the fl.u.s.tered Monster. From what I can see she is ama.s.sing power to fire off her skill.

And on that―― I used Cancel!

「Wha-!? This is――」(Angie)

In surprise Angie’s jade-like eyes were wide open.
Angie’s guardian spirit, its shape suddenly changed and covered her entire body like armor.

“Elemental Link”―― So that was the Special Skill she chose huh.
Even in the game it was a powerful skill that could be called a “finishing blow”.
The activation took a long time to complete, and the energy consumption was also intense, but it had a far more powerful effect than a normal skill

“Special Skills” were something that individual High-Cla.s.s and above Jobs possessed.
Just learning the skill required quite a bit of effort and determination. So she was able to acquire it somehow huh? That question still remains, but it looks like she will be fine.
Well, Angie latent abilities are quite high level, so I guess it’s alright for her to use it.

And to prepare this Special Skill requires a considerable amount of time―― But with Me in the mix the time can easily be reduced.
If I use Cancel then the charging time will become 0 after all.

「T-This, is it because of Hitto’s powers?」(Angie)

「That’s right! But if I use it once it will take time until I can use it again! So use it to finish this!」(Hitto)

After all, the time interval increases when used on magic or skills with powerful effects.
Because I used Cancel on this skill, it seems like I have to wait one minute before I can use Cancel on Angie again.
But, with a number that big, I expect great things from it.

「U-Understood! I’ll end this! Here I come! Sylphid Dance!」(Angie)

Since she was waiting for the Monster to return to its old position, Angie activated her skill immediately. The offensive skill that she is probably most proficient in clashed against the Monster.

Angie’s strikes were powered up by the Elemental Link, compared to earlier her strength is leaps and bounds higher.

With rotating around like a righteous gale, she stepped in circles with her enemy as the center. Carried by the wind, her blade flew so fast that I almost couldn’t keep up and it repeatedly a.s.saulted the Monster.

Matching with Angie’s movements, a vortex started to form in the surroundings, and it soon turned into a tornado.
A deafening roar of wind resounded. Like a storm the wind pressure devastated the surroundings, if I let down my guard then I might be blown away as well.

Being torn to pieces by that storm, the Monsters screams rang out in the area.
He never made a single noise when we landed other attacks, but now his cries signal the end of this battle.

And from within that tornado came an elegant battle maiden dancing in midair.
Rotating once in the air she landed by my feet, and at the same time the skill effect ended and her full body shield fell apart, and returned into to form of a small wolf.
Was that the only energy that was consumed I wonder.

「aaah!」
「Whoa!」

Her legs buckled, and as her balance crumbled I supported her. This is the second time today.

「I, I’m sorry. I, recently learned that skill, so, I really am pathetic」(Angie)
「That isn’t true at all. It was thanks to Angie that we defeated it」(Hitto)

The tornado dissipated, and there stood the mysterious Monster, its body covered with blood as it fell to the floor on its back.
It won’t be getting up again.

「Don’t be stupid…… It was because of Hitto’s power that I was able to defeat it―― If Hitto wasn’t here then I would be……」(Angie)

Angie raised her face, and looked at me with the jade-green eyes.
The moist eyes, I couldn’t take my gaze off of them. As if I was being sucked in――

「Goshujin-samaーーーー!」

Snapping back to reality, Angie and I quickly separated, and we turned to face different walls
I-It’s not what you think! Just now was uhh that thing! We were just basking in our victory!

「Haa, haa, I’m so glad Goshujin-sama is alright――」

When I turned to look at her, Melissa was catching her breath. Afterwards she wiped her eye with her finger, and showed me a look of relief.
It seems she was really worried about me.

And, I greeted Melissa with a warm smile as she ran over to me.

「Melissa, thanks for worrying about me. But it’s alright now. We defeated that Monster, and with this the mines should be operational again」(Hitto)

「Yes―― But it may be rude of me to say, but I am more happy to hear of Goshujin-sama’s safety. In addition――」(Melissa)

Melissa turned to face Angie.

「I’m also glad that Angie is alright――」(Melissa)

Melissa looked at her with a smile of relief.
…… But, Angie only turned away from Melissa’s gaze.

「U-Umu! Hitto’s strength was very big you know! A-As expected of, M-Melissa’s, G,Goshujin-sama[1], right!」(Angie)

That’s not it! Why are you so fl.u.s.tered! Why are you hiding from Melissa’s gaze, rather, why can’t you even face her! You’re wrong! The thing before is not like that, you hear! We didn’t even do anything!

「…… Ano, did something happen?」(Melissa)

「It’s nothing, Melissa!」(Hitto)
「It is nothing at all Melissa!」(Angie)

H,Hey! Why are our voices in-sync now of all times!

「O-Okay then……」(Melissa)

Not good, she looks a bit suspicious. In that case now I should-!

「Alrighty! At any rate we should collect the materials we need! We have to report back to the Guild too!」(Hitto)

「U-Understood, you are right, Goshujin-sama. Allow me to help you out」(Melissa)

「Y-yes that’s right. Then I will a.s.sist as well」(Angie)

Phew, I distracted her somehow…… Well, either way―― guess we should collect some materials huh.

TL Side Note: Wow, we actually had a proper fight scene :O.

It’s been a fun year, be sure to come back in the next one!

Footnotes

1.

TL note: I just want to put it out there that “Goshujin-sama” can also mean Husband in certain contexts.