True Body: HP -6 … +3
While Grace (aka me) and Ian were spending some quality father-son time practicing attack moves and leveling up with quests…
Slash, slash, slash!!!
"Grahhh!!!"
"Wait!? What's that… Grace! Get back!!"
"Urk! A giant Picho!"
Out of nowhere, an Elite Picho burst out of the forest, charging straight at Grace!
Sure, I'd prepared a bit since I knew spoilers beforehand, but to avoid suspicion from the goddesses, I had to take a hit or two. With Grace's body, there's no way I could outrun it in this short window.
"Graaah!!!"
Chomp!! Slash!!
"Hmph… You okay, Grace?"
"Ian!"
I didn't expect Ian to throw himself in front of me so fast, wrapping me in a gentle embrace like some romantic anime hero taking a hit for the heroine…
"How'd you get here!? [Knockout]!"
BOOM!!!
"GRAAAHHH!!!"
Thud!
The burly old man, stabbed in the shoulder by its beak, tensed his arm to lock the Elite Picho's neck. Releasing his hold on me, he clenched his fist and slammed it into the Elite Picho's face with full force, sending it rolling several meters… knocked out cold.
That's right. Even if this Elite Picho got buffed from Level 5-7 to 12, Ian's over Level 500…
"Ian, I'm so sorry! Are you okay!?"
"Heh… It's nothing, Grace. My HP didn't even drop to 90, armor or no armor."
"Phew, thank goodness, Ian!!"
Hug!!
"Urk… Hold on, Grace…"
The soft-skinned boy with a face pretty enough to be a girl and a slender, delicate frame leapt into the arms of the muscular old man who'd just saved his life. Ian's tough-guy look faltered, turning into a blushing uncle vibe… Man, I wasn't teasing him, I swear! I was genuinely worried… I feel bad…
"It's fine now, Grace. Just stay away from that thing. It's probably just knocked out…"
"Don't you need a bandage first…?"
"No need. My regen's high enough… Let me borrow your sword. I'll finish it off, then we'll report to the guild about weird monsters like this popping up near the city and attacking first."
"Here, Ian…"
In the Heavens
"Phew, that was close. Good thing that guy protected Grace…"
"Well, well! How many of us chipped in for that one, Cozy?"
"29, I think, Freeze. Ufufu."
"4 points to buff monsters around there, 29 of them… That's about right. I thought we'd at least nick that poop-throwing kid."
"Hey~ Why not go harder, everyone? Give Melt a little thrill! Jikikiki."
"Whoa~ Great idea, Dash! I'm in!"
"Meow! Count me in! Sniff, you joining, meow~?"
"Ihihi, sounds fun! Sure, how about 10 points each for laughs?"
"That'd buff those weak monsters to Very Boss level, huh?"
"Freeze, Cozy, Umbra, Dash, Sniff, Blush, Meow, everyone… Stop it!"
"Melt~ Melt, Melt~ It's just a little fun! At most, the new monsters get buffed and try to attack that guy. He's got help, right? Ihihihi."
"That poop-thrower's already high-level, and his bodyguard's stupidly strong. Very Boss monsters around there won't cut it… How about foreign or mutated ones? 25 points, anyone object?"
"Freeze!!!! No, no!!!"
"Hell yeah!! Mutated it is! 25 points, I'm in! Hahaha!"
"Whoa~ 25 points, plus 3x festival bonus, that's 100 points! A whole swarm of mutated monsters, even if they're from weak ones… Should warm up Grace's crew, right, Melt~? Ufufu."
"Look on the bright side, Melt! If your poop-thrower blocks them all, his level'll skyrocket! Jikikiki."
"25… points, festival… 29 people, no, don't do it! Please, let Grace go! I'm begging you! I'll… sob… I'll bow if I have to, just please!"
"Come on, Melt. Thousands of years ago, you had fun killing other people's heroes, didn't you?"
"…But… that was…"
"Meow! Seeing you bow isn't half as fun as watching your hero or his helper get hurt, meow~."
"Right!" x10+
"Then I'll start… 25 points to—"
Collapse! Hug!!!
"No, don't!!! Freeze! Please, sob, I'm begging, begging!!"
"Pathetic, Melt… Can't you muster half the sass you had a thousand years ago?"
"Sob… That was…"
"Ufufu, I'll do it for you, Freeze. 25 points, direct attack on Player 10 of Server 10!"
"No!!!"
"25 points, direct attack on Player 10 of Server 10!" x28
"No, no!! Grace!!!! Grace!!!!"
"Graaah!!! [Graaah]"
"[Piyong]!!!!"
"[Buuf]!!!"
Clang! Crash! Boom!!!
"What the…"
"Grace, Grace! Hide behind me…"
"Y-Yes…"
But in the split second Grace (aka me) handed the sword to Ian, the deafening roars of monsters echoed from every direction in the forest…
End of Chapter 95
25 Points Direct Attack on Player 10 of Server 10