ポタルゲが前脚の鉤爪を振るい、倒れたままのイザベラを狙う。
俺は素早く彼女の前に出て、盾の表面で鉤爪の攻撃を受け流した。
だが、殺し切れなかった衝撃が響いてくる。
「ぐぅっ! 早く立て、イザベラ!」
続くポタルゲの攻撃を、俺は剣で弾くように捌く。
「〈パリィ〉!」
奴の鉤爪が、俺のすぐ横の床を抉る。
この隙に反撃に出ようかと思ったが、俺の機動力では反撃が間に合わない。
リーチが違い過ぎるのだ。
スカルロードのときよりはレベル差は開いていないし、魔法型の分、攻撃力と素早さが控え目のためどうにか形にはなっているものの、それでもジリ貧だ。
イザベラが立ち上がり、剣を構えてポタルゲへ接近した。
ルーチェもまた、彼女の動きに合わせるようにポタルゲの足許へと駆けて、死角へ回り込もうとしていた。
「ギュウウウウ......!」
ポタルゲの頭上に大きな魔法陣が展開される。
次の瞬間、暴風が吹き荒れた。
「ぐっ! これは風魔法......〈ガスト〉か!」
俺は吹き飛ばされそうになったが、背を丸め、床に刃を突き立ててその場に踏み止まった。
「ぐうっ!」
だが、後方にいたスノウはどうにか耐えられていたものの、イザベラとルーチェは駄目だった。
風に投げ出され、部屋の隅へと飛ばされていく。
無理もない......重騎士の俺でさえ、どうにかその場に留まるのが限界なのだ。
「接近した状況をリセットされた......!」
これで時間が稼がれてる間に、またポタルゲが回復していく。
その間、俺達ばかりが一方的にHPを消耗させられていく。
勝ち筋があまりに細すぎる。
......現状、俺とイザベラが盾役になり、スノウが後方より魔法攻撃で気を逸らし、ルーチェが隙を潜って〈ダイススラスト〉を当てるしかない。
ただ......この戦法で、タフなポタルゲ相手に押し切れる気が、俺にはどうにもしなかった。
俺も〈死線の暴竜〉で一気に攻めるべきか?
いや、盾役二人で気を引くのが現状精一杯だ。
俺が攻撃に出ても、盾役が減った状態では、ルーチェも俺もまともに攻撃に出られなくなる。
短期決戦を仕掛けるには、タフで立ち回りの堅いポタルゲ相手には苦しい。
倒し切る前に、最低でも俺かルーチェのどちらかは命を落とすことになる。
暴風に対して一人残った俺へと、ポタルゲが鉤爪での攻撃を仕掛けてくる。
重さに耐えられず盾が逸れたところに、至近距離より〈シルフカッター〉を叩き込まれた。
俺は鎧で受けることになり、後方へと飛ばされた。
胸部に、鈍い痛みが走る。
ポタルゲは、HP、防御力が高く、行動パターンも慎重で堅い。
まるで奴の守りを崩せる気がしなかった。
この状況を覆すためのピースが足りない。
「クソ......せめて〈死神の凶手〉があれば、まだ勝算があったのに」
元々俺とルーチェはその〈
あのスキルツリーがあれば、ルーチェの攻撃面の性能が大幅に上がる。
そうすれば短期決戦狙いで一気に仕掛けることができただろう。
もしもグリムリーパーからドロップしていれば、ここまで苦しい戦いを強いられることはなかったはずだ。
「〈死神の凶手〉......?」
イザベラが反応した。
「あ、あります! それでしたら、私が持っています!」
スノウが叫んだ。
「なっ......!」
確かに......スノウ達は、俺達より長く狩りをして回っていたのだ。
恐らくは、昨日か一昨日より。
その点を考えれば、彼女達がグリムリーパーより〈死神の凶手〉の〈
「頼む、それをルーチェへ渡してくれ! 金なら、相場の何倍でも後で払ってみせる!」
俺はポタルゲの鉤爪を〈パリィ〉で死に物狂いに捌きながら、そう叫んだ。
「道化師の方......これを!」
スノウは迷いなく〈魔法袋〉より一冊の本を取り出し、素早くルーチェへと投げた。
ルーチェがその本を手で掴む。
恐らくあれが〈死神の凶手〉の〈
〉にマナを込めるイメージだ! 〈攻撃力上昇〉を消してスキルツリーに加えたら、スキルポイントを全て振ってくれ!」
恐らくあれから、レベル三つ、四つ程は上がっているはずだ。
スキルポイントは【20】以上余っている。
それだけあれば、充分〈死神の凶手〉の序盤のスキルを入手できる。
「は、はいっ!」
ルーチェの手許が光る。
ルーチェが〈死神の凶手〉を手に入れた証である。
いつかは絶対に手に入れたいと考えていたが、まさかこんな形で入手することになるとは思わなかった。
〈死神の凶手〉のスキルツリーを取得できる。
研ぎ澄まされたその刃には死神が宿る。
ただ一振りで命を奪う、絶死の凶刃。
狙った獲物を決して逃がしはしない。
〉の説明文である。
〈死神の凶手〉はクリティカル攻撃の強化を中心としたスキルツリーだ。
普通に使っても強いが、安定性に欠くため採用率はさほど高くない。
だが、桁外れに高い幸運力と、出目次第でクリティカルを確定させる〈ダイススラスト〉のスキルを有しているルーチェがこのスキルツリーを得れば、その意味は大きく変わる。
俺はこの瞬間、既に勝利を確信していた。
「土壇場なのは不安だが、一気に決めるぞルーチェ!」
The Podarge swung one of its front talons, targeting Izabella.
I quickly jumped in front of her and used my shield to deflect the hit.
However, I couldn't avoid the force of the impact entirely.
"Guuh! Hurry up and stand, Izabella!"
I used my sword to slap aside the next attack of the Podarge.
"[Parry]!"
Its talons carved out a chunk of the floor right next to me.
I thought about taking the opportunity to go for a counterattack, but my speed was not enough for that.
Its reach was simply too long.
Even though this opponent was not as far ahead of me in level as the Skull Lord was, and with it being a magic type its Attack and Agility were not that high either, we were slowly but steadily losing ground in this fight.
Izabella stood up again, readied her sword, and charged at the Podarge.
Luce also tried to adapt her movement to Izabella and get close to the Podarge via its blind spot at the same time.
"Gyuuuuuuh........!"
A large magic circle was deployed above the Podarge's head.
The next moment, a windstorm swept through the area.
"Guh! This is wind magic.....the [Gust]!"
I was almost blown back, but I curled up, stuck my sword into the ground and just managed to hold out.
"Guh!"
However, although Snow in the back managed to hold out somehow, Izabella and Luce couldn't.
They were thrown back by the wind, landing in the corners of the room.
It's no wonder.....even I, as a Heavy Knight, was barely able to stay my ground.
"It reset any progress of us getting closer to it.....!"
With the time it managed to buy, the Podarge will be recovering.
In the meantime, our HPs will just keep being whittled away.
Our chances of winning are simply too miniscule.
....at this point, all we can do is keep Izabella and me in a tanking role, while Snow tries to distract it from the back via magic attacks, and Luce watches out for an opening to use [Dice Thrust].
However....I don't think we could pull through against a Podarge with that tactic.
Should I just rush it with [Half-Dead Savage Dragon]?
No, we barely can hold out with two tanks at the moment already.
Even if I switch to offense, Luce and I wouldn't be able to properly attack with the number of tanks having gone down.
Trying to go for a short fight against a tough and cautious Podarge is very much not easy.
Before we could take it down, either Luce or I would fall victim to it for sure.
Since I was the only one that remained near after the windstorm, the Podarge attacked me with its talons next.
I was unable to keep my shield steady against the monster's bulk, so when my shield was out of the way, it sent a [Sylph Cutter] at me from a point blank range.
My armor took the hit which sent me flying backwards.
A dull pain shot through my chest.
The Podarge has high HP and Defense, and its movement patterns are also cautious and defensive.
I couldn't think of any ways of surmounting that defense with what we had right now.
We are missing a critical piece to overcome this situation.
"Shit....if we at least had the [Reaper Assassin], then we would've had a chance."
Luce and I came to this place in hopes of obtaining that Skill Book to begin with.
If she had that Skill Tree, then her offensive capabilities would skyrocket.
With that, we would've been able to try for a short fight with everyone pitching in.
If only it dropped from a Grim Reaper, then this wouldn't have devolved into a difficult fight like this.
"[Reaper Assassin].....?"
Izabella reacted to my words.
"I-I have one! I have one of those right here!"
Snow shouted.
"What-.....!"
Indeed....Snow's party was hunting longer in here than us at this point.
Most likely since yesterday, or even the day before that.
If we count that in, then it wouldn't be that strange that they would be able to get a [Reaper Assassin] Skill Book from a Grim Reaper.
"Give that to Luce, please! As for the money, I promise I will pay many times its Market Value if needed after this!"
I shouted as I kept desperately diverting the talon attacks of the Podarge with [Parry].
"The Clown there.....take this!"
Snow took out a book from her Magic Bag without any hesitation and hurriedly threw it to Luce.
She caught the book between her hands.
That was most likely the Skill Book for the [Reaper Assassin].
"You just picture imbuing mana into it! Once you erase [Attack UP] and add the other Skill Tree, then allocate all Skill Points you have into it!"
She most likely leveled up three or four times since then already.
That means she should have at least [(20)]  points at the ready.
More than enough to get all the early Skills of the [Reaper Assassin] Skill Tree.
"Y-yes!"
Luce's hands lit up.
It was the sign that Luce obtained the [Reaper Assassin] Skill Tree.
I was planning on having her get it someday for sure, but I didn't think it would happen like this.
Allows the acquisition of the <Reaper Assassin>  Skill Tree.
A Reaper dwells in your blade that was honed to the limit.
It takes a life in a single hit; an assassin's blade of certain death.
A prey you have your sights on can never escape you.
This was the description of the [Reaper Assassin] Skill Book.
The [Reaper Assassin] Skill Tree is focused on boosting the power of critical hits.
It's pretty strong even when used normally, but thanks to its inconsistent damage, not many people use it in general.
However, if it's used by Luce, who has an abnormally high Luck, and is able to use [Dice Thrust] with a potentially guaranteed critical, depending on the rolled number, then the story changes.
At that moment, I was already certain of our victory.
"Having to deal with something like this just after you got a new Skill Tree is quite troublesome, but we will be taking care of this now, Luce!"
The Reincarnated Heavy Knight Who Was Exiled After A Supposed Big Miss Is Unparalleled With His Game Knowledge
大ハズレだと追放された転生重騎士はゲーム知識で無双する
https://www.novelupdates.com/series/the-reincarnated-heavy-knight-who-was-exiled-after-a-supposed-big-miss-is-unparalleled-with-his-game-knowledge/
Action Adventure Fantasy Romance Shounen
Abandoned Children Adapted to Manga Adventurers Alchemy Arrogant Characters Artifacts Blacksmith Calm Protagonist Clever Protagonist Determined Protagonist Dungeons Fallen Nobility Fantasy World Game Elements Guilds Hot-blooded Protagonist Level System Love Interest Falls in Love First Lucky Protagonist Male Protagonist Mystery Solving Naive Protagonist Nobles Poor to Rich Previous Life Talent Reincarnated in a Game World Romantic Subplot Skill Books Strategic Battles Strong Love Interests Strong to Stronger Sword Wielder Underestimated Protagonist Weak to Strong
https://ncode.syosetu.com/n8465gx/
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