Chapter 15: The Remnants of Samurai Hunting (Part 2)

He closed the distance with【Ground Rush】. Carrying on that momentum, the 「Nodachi」unleashed a swift slash that dug into the Plateau Lizardman’s side.
Edgar used both hands to deliver that attack.
Yet, unlike the norm, only a pitiful effect shot out from the Plateau Lizardman’s body.

「……Tsk」

There was no response.
The damage it received was only in the 2 digits.
With my current level, there’s no way to deal heavy damage with just ordinary attack, huh.
Because of Edgar’s attack just now generated Aggro, the Plateau Lizardman’s Target s.h.i.+fted from Usa to Edgar.
Gururu, as a sound rumbled in it’s throat, the Plateau Lizardman looked towards Edgar with eyes devoid of intellect.

Suddenly──
In an instant you could see the Plateau Lizardman’s throat puff up and swell, and it shot out a deadly toxin; it vomited out its 【Poison Saliva】.

A devastating attack that, if it connected, would put you into 「Poisoned Status」where you receive continuous damage.
However, the attack flew in a straight line.
Kicking off the ground with his left foot, Edgar s.h.i.+fted his center to the side.
As the putrid smell brushed against Edgar’s nostrils, the【Poison Saliva】 missed its target, and turned the place where Edgar once stood into a repulsive violet flower.

「Edgar-saaan! Minor physical attack don’t have any~ effect on Plateau Lizzardmen-!」
「I know that」

As Usa shouted out, Edgar let out a few words to himself in response.
A Lizardman’s special trait, was its extremely tough scales that protected its body like scale armor. With just low-level physical attacks, it was impossible to wound it in any way.
In order to defeat a high level Lizardman, it would be the correct choice to use magic attacks.
But, I know it.
This guy’s weakness.

Edgar once again plunged forth using【Ground Rush】.
What Edgar was met with was not a blade, but it was the other weapon that the Plateau Lizardman possessed, he was met by the「Talons」on both the Lizardman’s hands.
Simply put, he was a.s.saulted by claws.
As if trying to mow him down, the Plateau Lizardman violently swung its talons from right to left.

「Naive」

However, Edgar warped his body, he dodged the talons by a hair’s breadth.
The claws sliced through the air, it grazed off the tip of Edgar’s nose.
Having swung its right arm, the Plataeu Lizardman was carried by the momentum and its posture s.h.i.+fted; The Lizardman’s center of gravity was sent into disarray.

That’s what I was waiting for.
Visible in Edgar’s sights, was the Plateau Lizardman’s pearl-like pupils──
*Bang*, kicking his back-foot off the ground, and placed his body weight onto the tip of his sword.
The sharp blade tip of the Nodachi, as if wedging itself between the joints of scale armor, pierced through the Plateau Lizardman’s eyes.

「Gyauuu!!」

As a flashy effect spewed forth, the Plateau Lizardman let out a dreadful shriek.
It had taken damage incomparable to the attack from before.
And, it was given the abnormal status of「Blindness」──
A status effect that greatly reduces your accuracy for a fixed period of time.

「N-NO WAY!? P-Physical attacks can work on Lizardmen!?」

Usa raised her voice in astonishment.
Usa, herself, was a much lower level when compared to Plateau Lizardmen; even a normal Lizardman would prove challenging for her to defeat.
If you are low level and encounter a Lizardman, you will need a Thief or Archer who can attack from long range, or a magic-cla.s.s such as Wizard or Summoner in your Party. If your Party doesn’t have those cla.s.ses then it is best that you give up and run away; that sort of thing was written on the Wiki.

「It’s not just for Lizardmen. There’s always a method to fight against Mobs, one way or another」

Edgar s.h.i.+fted from the【Middle Stance】to the 【Upper Stance】.
【Diagonal-Slice】, a skill with a high Critical Hit rate, he swiftly let loose a slash at the squirming Plateau Lizardman’s neck.

The neck area was covered by the same scales that coated its body.
But, the moment Edgar’s【Diagonal-Slice】made contact, a special effect that resembled blood dancing in the air, indicating that Lizardman had taken damage.
With the Critical Hit amplifying the damage, the Plateau Lizardman’s HP had melted away.

「EEEEEHH, WHY!? Why did it take damage!?」
「If you want to take on a Lizardman and only have low-powered attacks at your disposal, then it’s necessary to aim for its joints」

As Edgar sealed the large Nodachi back into its saya, the Plateau Lizardman violently shook. Turning into orbs of light, it disappeared.

「T-The joints?」
「Their scales are pretty much the same as armor. Because of that, their weakness are the joints on their limbs. To get it to stop moving you have to go for their eyes first, and then you have to aim your attacks and hit in-between the gaps of their scale」
「T-Th-There’s no way that’s possible!」

So fast that you’d think her neck might come off, Usa vigorously shook her head side to side.

A Samurai’s specialty was their offensive power.
Unlike the Knight-cla.s.s and Fighter-cla.s.s with high defensive power, or the Monk-cla.s.s that has the highest HP by far, not only do Samurai have low defenses, but they also do not have much HP. Samurai were a highly offensive vanguard cla.s.s that focused on one-shot attacks.
In other words, if a Samurai were to receive an attack, and if they are unable to dodge it, then they would immediately find themselves in a critical situation.
Just like with the Plateau Lizardman they just faced , if you were to get hit by its Talon attack then it is very likely that all of your HP would be drained in just one hit. That serves to show how fragile the Samurai cla.s.s was and how they needed protection.

While overcoming that fear and pressure, like pa.s.sing through the eye of a needle, aiming for the Lizardman’s tiny pupils, and then hitting in between the gaps in its joints was completely impossible──
Since Usa was a Samurai the same as Edgar, she knew painfully well the high degree of difficulty of the technique that Edgar had just effortlessly pulled off.

「It’s true that it will require some practice, but this is a necessary technique. Especially when you go hunting Solo」
「I see. Since Master is always playing Solo, wouldn’t it be best if you learned it? That technique」
「……Uuu, you’re right」

“But that’s tooo impossiblee-“, In response to Momo’s comment, Usa’s ears depressingly hung over.
What. So this person is a loner just like me huh.
I kinda understand how she feels.

「Alright then. Usa, be on the look out for any Mobs that might come near. Sonya will come with me and search for anything that might be related to the Samurai Hunting」
「R, Roger-suu」

While still disheartened, Usa answered back.
It’s just a feeling, but there’s the possibility that more Lizardmen might show up soon.
Before they start showing up in groups, we have to hurry and search for some sort of evidence.

「…… Sonya?」

Just then, Edgar noticed that Sonya didn’t say anything in reply.
Without fail, Sonya would always answer back with a prompt reply.
However, after having a look around, even though she was there just a second ago, Sonya was nowhere to be seen.

「Usa」
「…… Hm?」

Sensing something strangely amiss, Edgar called out to Usa.
It can’t be, did she get attacked by some other Mob?
I screwed up. I should’ve been paying more attention to where Sonya was.

「Sonya has disappeared. Be careful of our surroundings」

Once again drawing his katana, Edgar advanced over to the boulder where Sonya was last seen.
And, that was when-

「…… Edgar-samaa!」
「Sonya!」

A blindspot that he couldn’t see while fighting the Lizardman, Sonya was in the shadow of the boulder.
But, she’s acting strange.
She’s grabbing at her neck and looks like she’s in pain, she’s struggling like she’s trying to escape from something.

「Is something wrong! I’m coming now!」
「……Hold up, stop right there」
「ッ!?」

Suddenly, from behind Sonya came the voice of an unknown man.
The thing that attacked Sonya was not a Mob, it was a Player huh.
Edgar immediately filled his presence with an intimidating aura.

「The way you act, it really doesn’t fit yur level, ain’t that right」
「…… You are……」

Appearing from behind Sonya was a single man.
From the looks of his indigo hooded robe he seems to be some type of magic-cla.s.s. Peeking out from within the hood where a pair of sharp cat-like pupils, he must be part Demon-race.

「AH! HIM, It’s Him, Edgar-san! He’s the one who attacked me!」

Usa frantically pointed her finger at the man standing behind Sonya.
His name was, Timberu.
It’s true that his name is similar to 「Timbre」but…… it’s not him. He’s not the Wizard who attacked Suzu-san and Megu-san. You could change your name if you paid money, but that was it. It was impossible to change your gender.
Also, this man is──

「……You, you’re a Summoner, huh」

The man’s cla.s.s wasn’t Wizard, but a different cla.s.s called Summoner.
Their outward appearance may look similar, but it was a completely separate cla.s.s from Wizard.

「Wut of it?」
「It’s nothing. You’re not the guy I’ve been searching for so I was just a bit disappointed is all」
「Dat so. As for me, you piqued my interest though」
「……Uuh」

In the instant Timberu flashed a sly grin, an expression of pain came across Sonya’s face.
Edgar finally understood what was happening to Sonya’s body.
Sonya was, her thin neck was being grasped from behind.
And, it was by the Mob Edgar has just defeated, a Plateau Lizardman──

「Let that person go. Your business is with me, right」

That is, one of the Summoner’s skill trees【Undead Magic】. He’s using that tree to make a【Servant of the Dead】huh. It’s a skill that lets you summon a follower from a Mob or Player you defeated.
I see now. Looks like he used【Servants of the Dead】 to hunt down Players and Mobs without any risk at all.

「This girl, she’s your companion ha? Nice tastes you got there. I should kill her and make her one of my servants, that would be great」
「…… Hey, this is my last warning. Let-Her-Go」

The atmosphere around Edgar changed.
As if a fire had been lit, emanating from the depths of his body was, Rage.

「Ah, how scarry~. I knew it, you’re different from all the samurai I’ve murdered so far. You ain’t scared at all by my【Servant of the Dead】…… I can tell you’ve got confidence in your skills」
「In that case, want to find out?」
「…… Go ahead. I’ll be making this woman mine」

At those words, the Plateau Lizardman began to move.
Raising Sonya up into the air, it grasped tighter around her neck.
Her armor might increase her defenses, but it was useless against the strength of the Plateau Lizardman.

「Sonya-san!」

Usa’s cry rang out, that was when.
The air began… to tremble.
For a brief instant, Usa’s ears and eyes were a.s.saulted by an intense blinding light and the sound of clas.h.i.+ng steel.
Blown by the wind, a cloud of sand flew into the sky.

「……ッ!?」

Edgar had suddenly disappeared.
There was not a single person who could grasp those movements.

「I did warn you」

By the time Timberu had realized, Edgar had already finished his deed.
Cloaked in pale-blue light, Edgar struck down the Plateau Lizardman holding Sonya with a stroke of his blade.
Using the Moon Step, he finished it off with a single attack from behind.

「Edgar-sama…… Thank you for saving me」
「Are you alright, Sonya」

While sending a dagger-like gaze at Timberu, Edgar caught Sonya with one hand as she fell down.
It will be annoying trying to explain using the Moon Step in front of Usa, but that can’t be helped.
I better think of an excuse for later.

「b.a.s.t.a.r.d…… You are……」

Seeing Edgar use the Moon Step right in front of him, Timberu let out hoa.r.s.e words.
A powerful technique that every Dragon’s Krone Player should know about, The Moon Step──
However, even knowing that, the expression on Timberu’s face was not one of trembling fear… it was of mad ecstasy.

「Hahaha, You, IT WAS YOU! I’VE FINALLY FOUND YOU!」
「…… What the?」

Found me? The h.e.l.l does that mean?
Does this man know me? From where?

「Well nevermind. I’ll have you tell me everything anyways」

There’s no use thinking about it. The one who has all the answers is the guy right in front of me after all.
This man isn’t the Wizard I’m looking for, but he’s killing samurai so there’s no doubt he is related to the「Samurai Hunting」.
If I can understand their motives, then I might get closer to finding out the true ident.i.ty of that Wizard.
In that case, let’s give him a thorough beating.
I’ve got to include payback for Sonya after all.

「Edgar-sama, please be careful. That man… he has experience」
「I know that」

Separating from Sonya, Edgar gripped his sword with both hands.
This isn’t like the PvP during the Grand Mission, it’s PvP between two skilled players.

Now then, Let’s have some fun, shall we──
Somewhere deep inside, Edgar had such a thought.