Volume 3 Chapter 12 (2/2)
Still, there was a limit to how long he could hold his breath and unless he quickly breaks through these defenses, all that awaited him was death.
As he neared the end, the golems' adjustment of the angle of their heavy-machineguns became quicker.
The Byakko read their minds and yet he still didn't have enough time to evade. So, he instead poured as much magic power as he could into his fur to increase his defense while also evading those that would almost directly hit him.
So far, he was directly hit three times and grazed seven times.
The pain assailed his entire overused body as though it was screaming from being torn apart.
Still, forcing himself with willpower, he pressed on until finally, he was at the far end of the dungeon room.
Despite being wounded all over, he smashed the Mithril Golems' weapons with his sharp claws. He then dodged the attack coming from the now unarmed golems and launched an attack of his own by biting down the golems' throats. As a result, the golems with mithril bodies were broken.
”This was quite a fun distraction.”
Laughed the Byakko as he swallowed down the mithril he chewed.
Next, he sucked in the air along with the poison mixed in it and roared.
The roar functioned both as a victory cry and as a means to dispel the air of the poison.
Afterwards, he readied himself from any enemy attack that might follow. It was not unthinkable for more golems with those weapons to appear from the next room, after all. In this way, he could react immediately to any threats.
A short while after, Zagan and his subordinate monsters entered the dungeon in groups.
The Byakko watched their numbers be reduced by the by the golems from the side tunnels as well as by stepping on the landmines laid on the ground that he didn't set off.
He only watched for he could not dare leave his current post.
If by chance there were new Mithril Golems to appear and he could not immediately respond to them, he ventured their side would take heavy losses.
Moreover, since there was another A rank monster with them, complete annihilation against things like the golems was unlikely.
And so, he patiently waited for the slow-advancing group to arrive at the other end of the room.
The [Steel] Demon Lord's desire to always want to be close to the other A rank monster was actually causing their slow advance; it could have gone faster if he just ordered for that monster to kill the golems hiding in the tunnels.
”You're finally here, temporary master. You sure took your time.”
”Why!? Why didn't you dispose of the traps and the golems?!”
Instead of words of praise or thanks, the first words that Zagan uttered were words of complaint.
Thus, Byakko's evaluation of Zagan went down by another mark. He's not the kind of Demon Lord a monster would wish it has.
”I couldn't afford to destroy them all when I was advancing. And when you arrive, I couldn't leave this place. Those are the only reasons. Wait, do you even have any clue why I can't leave this spot?”
”O-of course!” said Zagan even though he had no clue at all.
The Byakko decided that he could no longer expect anything useful out of [Steel] as he patiently waited for their entire force to go to the next floor that they now had access to.
Now, what kind of plan are you going to let me enjoy next?
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”Wight-sama, I have no excuses. We have been completely defeated. The golems that hid within the tunnels are safe for now but will soon be trapped there. They do not have much time; their numbers are far too different.”
”M'lady, do not feel down; that enemy is just too strong.”
In a residence near the end of the second room, Wight and a Dwarf Smith discussed their next course of action.
The first room was conquered almost entirely by a single monster. That fact hurt but more worrisome than that was that that monster was now headed toward them.
”M'lady, is something on your mind?”
”Yes. That monster, by some way or another, seems to be able to predict our attacks. Other than that, I have no explanation to offer on how it reacted so swiftly to our assault. It also seems to have a high-rank search magic as it was able to notice and evade the surprise attacks of the golems in the tunnels.”
”Hmm. Either it can see the future, read its enemy's minds, or just simply have extraordinary reaction speed and reflexes……… in any case, that ability, whatever it is, coupled with that monster's athleticism and its defenses, is indeed worrisome.”
They guessed what the Byakko's ability was as well as planned countermeasures against it.
As of the moment, there was no monster among them that could directly confront that Byakko, much less win. Unless they planned measures against it, they would indeed not be able to stop it.
When they reviewed all the information they had so far, there was one thing that stood out: the golems' attacks were predicted flawlessly while the nerve gas mixed in the air as well as the landmines in the ground were not. Thus, Wight valued this point to be a hint to have a better picture of that monster's ability. He asked the Dwarf Smith several questions over and over again, listened to her detailed reports and impressions until finally, he had a rough idea about his enemy's ability and how to counter it.
”The golems in the first floor are now annihilated. It looks like the Byakko is going to invade again only after it has reunited with the troops that were left behind.”
”Not only strong but wise and cautious as well. If only he blindly gone to the next room, we could have lessened the number of the troops that are catching up.”
Wight said so as he was instructing his temporary subordinates one by one. The second room was in some way his domain; it was a large graveyard labyrinth.
He did not regard himself as a strong monster but even then, there were a lot of things he could do. Especially in this place that his lord made after listening to his opinions.
”I'm scared, Wight-sama. How will we defeat that monster? It can stand up even after being directly hit by the D2's .50 caliber bullets. Moreover, it's fast and strong; it even chewed mithril. There's absolutely no way we can win.”
It seemed that the Dwarf Smith who, through the Mithril Golems, saw the fight against the Byakko had completely lost heart.
Seeing her like that, Wight put his hand—that was nothing but bones—on the Dwarf Smith's head and stroke it; an action his lord would have surely done.
”M'lady, do not worry, we can do this. First of all, our goal is to stall for time, not to defeat them. Through the countless traps and schemes we have, we will hinder their progress.”
”Fufu, yeah, you're right. I will do my best.”
The Dwarf Smith's presence of mind have been restored, feeling at ease and thinking they could hold on until their currently absent master, Procell, returns.
”There is another reason why we won't lose.”
”May I hear that reason?”
”It is because our lord, Procell-sama, commanded us to perform these strategies. Since our lord, someone powerful enough to be regarded as almighty, thinks we can do it then we can do it. There is no way our lord could be wrong.”
Wight firmly believed so from the bottom of his heart.
Even if their strategies were indeed wrong, even if things proceed worse than what their lord assumed, by his own might, he was going to make it right. He was going to make it succeed.
Surely, that's why I'm here; for my loyalty.
Now, come. From here on is the real deal. With all my strength, I will demonstrate [Creation] Demon Lord Procell's—my beloved lord, the strongest Demon Lord there is—power.