The reason I said I would fight all four at once was simple. Even if they defeated all four in an individual tournament, they would not accept it. I decided there was only one way to convince them: by throwing them a treat they couldn't digest without swallowing it.
«Ah, I'll say this in advance. If I lose, I will resign from the position of commander». In other words, this was an opportunity for them to eliminate a competitor from the stage. «Why doesn't anyone say anything? Aren't you sure you can win, even if the four of you fight together?»
When I launched some more provocation, my opponents began to react.
«Acepto», dijo Akurava.
«That? Why should we confront just one person like this?».
«He's saying he's quitting, so why should we argue?».
«Mrs. Akurava is right». The deputy commander supported the dwarf woman, turning this into a democratic vote.
At this, the knight nodded in disgust and the paladin remained silent, which seemed to be his way of expressing his approval. They probably knew it too. This situation might end up being a little awkward to explain to others, but it was an opportunity to easily knock out a competitor.
«Riehen Schuitz, right?», Akurava asked.
«¿Sí?»
«You're going to have to keep your promise».
«Of course. If I lose, I will submit to the leadership of whomever you choose. But...»
«You want this to go both ways, right? Okay. If by chance you beat us all, you will get the position you are looking for».
After that, I asked the three of them apart from Akurava to make sure they agreed to these terms as well, and just like that, a verbal contract was made. Although it wasn't in writing, I had a more reliable notary than anyone else, so I didn't worry at all.
«That's all, then. Lord Tercerion, is there a suitable place?» akurava asked.
«Of course».
The marquis didn't seem worried about me in the slightest as he lent us the mansion's training grounds. Although it probably wasn't because he trusted me one hundred percent. It was just that, if I failed because of my recklessness, he could still gain something. For example, I could use this failure as an excuse to tighten my leash and micromanage myself.
«Then I'll wait for you outside», said the marquis.
When I got to training camp, I put on the equipment.
[You have equipped yourself with a Great Battle Shield of Adamantium. Your total item level has increased by +1750].
I started with the shield that I bought for a large sum when I returned from the past.
[You have equipped yourself with an iron breastplate. Your total item level has increased by +150.]
[You have equipped Iron Leggings: your total item level has increased by +75.]
[You have equipped War Boots: your total item level has increased by +45.]
I bought this equipment cheap because I had no money at the time. Now that I have money, I should exchange it all for adamantium.
[You have equipped el no 87: Kraul's Demon Crusher. You have increased total object level en +4800].
When I left for training camp in full armor, the other four appeared one by one as they finished their own preparations.
«It's very strange, isn't it? Now I feel more comfortable with this than with cloth clothes», said the gentleman.
«That means your body has gotten used to it, since you wear it more often than everyday clothes».
Its equipment seemed expensive even at first glance. But no matter how well cared for it was, the wear and signs of use on the joints were noticeable. I looked at his team.
Wow, they even came fully equipped with accessories.
Yes, I assumed they would have brought them in their subspaces, even if they came dressed in suits. Otherwise, they would not have been able to call themselves adventurers.
«But things on the other side seem... very different than I expected.»
«I thought it was the Blood Spirit man. I guess he didn't buy him armor».
«Riehen Schuitz, do you really intend to fight with that team?»
The four of them made strange faces at my ordinary iron equipment. However, their gazes were closer to surprise than contempt. They probably didn't expect him to look so disheveled when he was here on the marquis' recommendation.
«No hay problem.
What was the problem with iron armor? It wouldn't make a significant difference in this battle. To be honest, I was a little embarrassed by his appearance, but when I thought about it, it wasn't that big of a problem.
«Okay, fight me.»
Logically, it was the people who ended up getting kicked in the butt who were the most embarrassing, right?
***
There was a popular saying that a battle between teachers was decided in a split second. I, of course, did not agree. Maybe it was a life or death fight between knights, of course, but I was a full-fledged tank. Where it really shone was in the lengthening battles. But at least at first, this wasn't much different from the struggle between teachers that came to mind without warning.
All conversation suddenly evaporated. Everyone stayed at a distance from each other. The eyelids blinked less frequently. Eyes met and a strong tension settled. Muscles trained during years of actual combat contracted to spring into action at any moment, and beads of sweat gradually formed on the weapons-wielding hands.
Slip.
Our keen senses captured even the slightest movement. This was one of the reasons why many-on-one battles were difficult. There were too many things to pay attention to.
Yeah, so instead...
«How long are you going to stand there like this?»
The moment I asked that question and saw my opponents move to answer, I took advantage of that single breath to kick the ground and lunge forward. My first target was the knight who had taken the most aggressive position in front. The guy was forced to swallow whatever he was going to say and narrowed his eyes. It seemed like he had hurt his pride by choosing him as his first target.
¡Whooom!
The aura of a skilled knight who was in the prime of life enveloped his sword in an instant and turned towards me. Labyrinth or city, it was an aura that would have pierced most armored warriors like tofu.
[You have launched Iron Fortress.]
[The Evolutionary Shell effect has increased 1.5 times.]
Raise my shield to block it.
"Kak!
When the sword bounced instead of passing through everything in its path as he was sure it usually did, the knight seemed startled. But since he was a soldier trained in live combat, that surprise only lasted for a moment.
¡Whippp!
The knight took advantage of the rebound to spin in the air and swing his sword against me again. The target this time was the lower part of my body, difficult to block with a shield. To be more precise, I was aiming for the area around my calf covered by iron leggings.
Did you think adamantium was the problem?
It was a very quick decision after just one exchange. The problem was that it was not correct.
"Kak!
Are you underestimating iron?
My opponent was using big, flashy moves and leaving a lot of openings, so I took the opportunity to kick him in the chin.
¡Bang!
His body floated in the air from the blow at just the right angle to hit with my hammer.
[Jun Arshen has released Light of Protection.]
Damn sea.
¡Kwa claim!
Just in time, divine power sprang into action, a shield of light appeared just above the knight's head to block my hammer. Taking advantage of the gap they had left him, the knight retreated. Even after almost dying, this guy seemed more worried about something else. «How...?»
Gosh, why are all gentlemen the same? Although I guess it's pretty surprising to block an aura with iron armor.
Anyway, instead of carrying high-end products, it was more important to make yourself a high-end product.
«The equipment itself is ordinary no matter how you look at it.»
«So it must be the reason for this strange phenomenon.»
Right. Not only did Union increase my team's Physical Stamina, but Evolutionary Shell and Iron Skin were also at play here. Although, while the adamantium shield did not have a single scratch from the knight's blow, the iron armor had some deep ones.
«I don't know what kind of essence he has, but being able to stop an aura... seems like his confidence wasn't entirely unfounded».
Akurava and the deputy commander quickly exchanged their thoughts as they watched me from a short distance. «I have some guesses, although I don't know why its effects would extend to your team. Mr. Calla, would you try to shoot him with an arrow?».
Following Akurava's instructions, the deputy commander, who was dressed from head to toe in dragon skin armor, tightened his bowstring. Have you already noticed my resistance to swords?
[James Calla has released Penetrating Light].
As soon as the light began to gather around the arrowhead, I covered my body with the shield to defend myself. That was because if I tried to trust my eyesight, it would be too late.
¡Watch!
The arrow of light shot out with a brief whip sound. Since I blocked it in time with my shield, I didn't take any damage.
«The arrowhead entered». However, the arrowhead dug deep into the adamantium shield, which had not even been scratched by the aura before. At that, Akurava shouted: «Swords don't work on this man».
Yikes, I'll run out of cards at this rate.
¡Bang!
The paladin, who continued to charge forward even after I pushed the knight back earlier, approached. The main defenses of this type were a large shield and a mace. Yes, it was a fundamental combination for any respectable tank.
¡Kwa claim!
Instead of using his weapon, the paladin made a wall with his shield and tried to stop me in my tracks.
Pushhh.
However, it seemed like his basic Strength stat wasn't very high, because he was pushed back as soon as we collided, with his feet crawling on the ground. Unfortunately, it didn't go very far.
[Jun Arshen has released Divine Opening.]
[Jun Arshen has released Growing Power.]
[Jun Arshen has released Blessing of the Sun.]
Like the self-healing tanks that were all paladins, he used divine power in quick succession, a white light gushing out from his body.
«What incredible strength». As soon as he stopped being pushed back, he took a moment to pay me a compliment.
Gosh, that hurts my pride. Still, I guess what matters is that I've reached the distance I set out to do.
[You have launched Transcendence.]
[You have cast Eye of the Storm.]
My grappling ability really shined in PVP. The maximum radius was twenty meters, but my reason for getting so close was simple: the shorter the distance, the harder it was to react in time.
¡Whiiiiip!
A strong gust of wind arose despite the calm of the afternoon.
«Ah...!» My target was the deputy commander in the rear. When you fought one against many, it was normal to attack the rear first.
And that armor makes me want to destroy it.
In exchange for granting the wearer considerable Mana Resistance, the dragon skin was vulnerable to physical attacks. Simply put, a single blow would put him at death's door.
[You have launched gigantization. Your threat level and physical attributes increase in proportion to your size increase].
Activating the skill I had been saving until now, I used my Increased Strength to push the paladin.
Jump.
Then I jumped towards the archer who was thrown by the gust of wind. With the reach that gigantization had given me, I struck with the hammer before the archer could react.
[Jun Arshen has released Light of Protection].
The paladin I defeated again used the divine spell he used earlier to save the knight.
[He has used a transformation type ability. Due to the Evolutionary Shell effect, the amount of Soul Power consumed by the ability is halved, and your highest stat increases by 1.5 times].
This was going to be different because the hit I had blocked earlier was a normal hit.
[You have launched Balancing. The damage you deal with blunt weapons has increased significantly in proportion to your Muscle Strength].
¡Crackkk!
The moment my hammer touched it, the barrier shattered like glass.
¡Crack!
The deputy commander collapsed to the ground, oozing blood from his cracked forehead. Not a knight, not a tank, not even the ninth floor adventurer Akurava had been able to avoid this stroke of misfortune.
When there was an awkward silence, I counted quietly: «One less, for now». Three of the four high-level adventurers now remained.
Hmm, maybe the gentleman shouldn't count? Anyway, now the important thing begins.
Despite having eliminated one of the four powerful fighters, I did not let my guard down and prepared again. I knew this was a head start. After all, the marquis had told me a lot about these guys, but they knew very little about me.
In that sense, this situation was somewhat ironic. Although he had not died instantly, the deputy commander had been seriously injured and knocked out. To think that the guy who preached that information was the most important thing during the previous lunch would be eliminated first because he didn't have enough information.
Although I can't say exactly that they removed it.
In the Dungeon and Stone universe, you could come back to life as long as you didn't die.
[Jun Arshen has released Hand of Regeneration.]
A pure white glow poured out from the paladin's body and flowed towards the unconscious deputy commander. Since he didn't have any nullification effect like Shield Barbarian, he already assumed that this guy would inevitably be cured.
The short game will not work.
I immediately abandoned the idea of giving it my all to finish this fight before my opponents could recover. For starters, I hadn't pinned my hopes on such a landslide victory. After all, how was I going to destroy four high-level adventurers by myself just because I had a good constitution? Everything had a price. That was the only truth in this cruel world.
«Aaaaaah!» I ran forward, brandishing my hammer.
Bang.
The paladin stopped me.
¡Whooom!
At that moment, someone flew up and raised the gun in his hands. It was the knight who had been pushed before. It seemed like he had changed his equipment at that time because he was now holding a hammer instead of a sword. It was funny to see a knight using a normal weapon instead of an aura. This had to be what separated highly talented individuals from the rest: responding appropriately to whatever situation they found themselves in.
¡Kwa claim!
The blunt weapon hit my shoulder. The physical impact itself wasn't that bad, but the moment it hit me, a heat soaked my bones. It took me less than a second to figure out why.
Who carries something like that as a reserve weapon?
No. 761: Loam's Furnace Hammer was a three-digit numerical object. His ability consisted of accumulating additional Fire Penetration damage in proportion to the user's physical strength. Still, he could cope thanks to the Flame Resistance.
«Haaaaah!» With a scream, I activated Wild Burst. Using my temporarily increased physical stats, I kicked the paladin once more in an attempt to push him back.
Why doesn't it move?
My brain, pickled from having dedicated my twenty years to Dungeon and Stone, wondered and answered this at the same time.
[Jun Arshen has released Sacred Descent.]
So you have already activated it. This is definitely going to be hard.
It seemed like the rest had completely raised their guard after seeing one of them fall. From now on, it wouldn't be easy for me to beat the paladin in terms of strength.
[Titana Akurava ha usado el no 1911: Rails of Bolsillo Roto de Fabler].
Even the dwarf lady, who had been observing the situation, now joined the battle seriously. For reference, this lady was essentially an attacker. The dwarves, who treated numbered items as essential, were as efficient in this position as they were as warriors.
[Up to five minutes of cooling time has disappeared.]
For example, that watch typically only gave you a 70% reduction in cooldown time if you weren't a dwarf. Since she was from the ninth floor, it was safe to say that she had all the basic elements necessary for optimal construction, apart from this one as well.
So what was this lady's crown jewel?
[Titana Akurava ha lanzado Vampire Awl.]
Oh right. That.
The rank two ability consumed little MP, dealt decent damage, and even sucked the target's MP, but typically lost points due to its cooldown.
¡Wiiiip!
A giant punch flew towards me. Normally it would be better to avoid it, but a paladin and a knight were caging me on both sides.
¡Kwa claim!
So I blocked it with my shield. Although she was functionally a mage, an ability like this was classified as physical damage. My arm hurt a little, but it was nothing I couldn't stand. The problem was that the blockage left my side unprotected. As soon as there was an opening, the paladin and the knight hit me with their weapons.
¡Kwa claim!
One instantly made me feel like my entire body was on fire.
¡Kwa claim!
The other tore my Physical Stamina and even damaged my bones. Well, with the Sacred Descent, his Strength Statistics were probably double mine now.
Yes, let's abandon the defense.
I made a quick decision. If they were going to hit me twice for blocking once, it was better for me to be hit three times and receive at least one hit from me. Also, thanks to phase seven of the Spiritual Footprint, my healing factor was pretty decent now.
¡Kwa claim!
I blocked the big attacks with my shield and brandished my hammer. My three remaining opponents seemed to take it as a threat, as they began throwing new abilities at me in an attempt to corner me. To make matters worse, the subcommander rejoined the fray thanks to the paladin's healing.
«If you're awake, use your bow!»
¡Kwa claim!
My shield was going well, but my iron armor was not as durable and was damaged in several places.
Whip! Stab!
As the arrows penetrated those weak points, my wounds increased.
¡Whoosh!
After being hit so many times by the High Heat Hammer, the heat that had been bearable before was no longer so bearable.
¡Kwa claim!
Every time the paladin's mace hit me, I felt like my bones were turning to dust. Well, maybe it was because they were being crushed and healed simultaneously. It was probably that.
«Are you smiling?»
The more firepower they threw at me, the more I smiled. I hoped it would at least be that hard after all.
Spit!
I accidentally bit my tongue when I was hit with the hammer earlier, causing blood to flow from my mouth like a fountain. It was a shame he didn't have acidic blood anymore, but at least he could block their view, right?
«...Monstruo.»
«I have to admit, you are definitely stronger than me.» As the dogfight dragged on, the gentleman spoke. «But even you can't beat four people at once. Surrender».
You would like.
I could see that they were panting with exhaustion too. Meanwhile, I still had plenty of MP left.
[You have launched Soul Immersion. Your Soul Power will regenerate at a rate proportional to the amount of Soul Power you have consumed].
My PM, which had almost hit rock bottom, filled up again. The battle continued for hours.
«Why doesn't it collapse?», asked aloud the gentleman who smugly suggested that I surrender.
«It is... as if drinking from a sacred spring», the paladin murmured almost to himself.
«That's enough. Don't you already know that you can't win?». The dwarf lady seemed fed up with my stubbornness.
«We'll void our deal from earlier, so why don't we end this here?». The archer seemed to want to put an end to this relentless battle as soon as possible.
«All of you... are talking too much. Are you afraid of losing?»
While they wasted their breath trying to convince me, I focused on only two things: what I could do, and what I had to do right now.
«Get off once and for all!»
[Titana Akurava has released Vampire Punch.]
[James Calla has released Penetrating Light.]
[Jun Arshen has released Hand of Regeneration.]
And as I held on, held on, and held on a little longer, the moment I had been waiting for finally arrived.
[Titana Akurava's Soul Power is insufficient. Vampire Awl has been disabled].
[James Calla's Soul Power is insufficient. Penetrating Light has been deactivated].
[Jun Arshen's Soul Power is insufficient. Hand of Regeneration has been deactivated].
In the end, the one left standing was the strongest.