Act 3: Chapter 31: Three Puppets
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Three black coffins then appeared from the jet-black magic circle.
The three coffins then started rattling around.
The one on the side opened up, revealing a human figure.
「Good grief… It isn’t a peaceful situation at all.」
The one who appeared was a man with long hair and a monocle.
He wore a leather belt around his body with bow, sword, axe, and spear strapped on that belt.
He looked at us with a gentle smile on his face.
And then, he took the sickle and chain from his leather belt.
「《Balot, The Dungeon Master》!? W-What is the living legend of the adventurer doing in this place!」
Bennett shouted the name of the long haired man.
The long haired man, Balot then waved his hand toward Bennett.
「I’m honored to hear such praise from you, Knight-sama. Well, it’s true that I’m just a gloomy man who loves to dive in the dungeon after all.」
「I never expected that I would have to use 《Puppet Coffin》 twice in a single day. But, I guess it’s only natural with this kind of opponent. Well, it’s not a big deal since I’ve both 《Red Authority Cane》 and 《Ares Hand》. This is a rare opportunity.」
Garan muttered while holding on his face but, his eyes locked on me, readied his sword.
Balot was grinning happily as he looked at Garan.
Both of them moved at the same time.
《Puppet Coffin》could be included in the ghost magic category but, it was different from the other ghost magic, the two men didn’t seem to be dead yet.
In fact, most ghost magic was a magic that binds the soul or mind of a living person.
「He doesn’t feel like to kill us…」
「Don’t you think that our opponent is looking down to us way too much?」
Balot threw the weight at the end of the chain as he spoke.
Garan hoisted his sword at the same time.
「Barrier Magic, 6th Rank《Divide》」
The white light which had amassed was fired, splitting the floor below.
It seems to be the magic that could produce a wall of light from the sword to limit the movement of his opponent.
The weight and chain from Balot suddenly wrapped around my stretched arm.
「Okay, I got him!」
Balot raised his voice happily.
The 《Divide》 struck me right from the front.
And yet, the wall of light that rushed toward me crumbled down and return to nothing as soon as it touched me.
《Lunaire’s Robe》’s magic resistance.
Low rank attack magic wouldn’t work on me.
In short, this kind of magic couldn’t even scratch me.
「… Da f*ck?」
Garan looked really surprised.
「You’re the one who got caught.」
I used the chain to pull Balot toward me.
Balot’s body pulled so easily as if he had no weigth, and headed straight toward me.
「… No way!」
I punched Balot’s face.
That punch sent Balot flying.
I forcefully tore the chain wrapped around my hand.
Balot fell on his shoulder, and then rolled times before stopping.
「You can sleep for now.」
Meanwhile, Garan swung his sword toward my exposed back.
It seems he put his everything into this swing.
I turned around and caught his sword’s blade with my forefinger and middle finger.
「… Heup! You can even do that!」
Garan shouted loudly.
He tried to pull his sword, alas, the difference between our level was more than twenty times.
I draw the sword on my hip with my free hand.
「Ugh….!」
And countered with 《Hero Sword; Gilgamesh》.
Pale blue light danced in the air.
The impact of my strike created a huge scar on the floor, all the way up till the ceiling.
Garan’s sword turned into dust due to the magical power of 《Hero Sword; Gilgamesh》.
Garan, who got sent flying by my attack, fell down on the ground.
He could barely raise his arm to the ceiling.
「Geh, I guess I… overdid it.」
I returned 《Hero Sword; Gilgamesh》 back to its sheath.
That should be enough to incapacitate those two.
Now it was the time to beat the crap out of the one who controlled Garan and Balot.
「You… Are really strong…」
Bennet who stood behind me muttered so.
I ignored him, glared at the remaining two coffins.
「How long are you going to hide in there? Shouldn’t you show yourself now?」
The lid of one of the coffins slid off which was then followed by a porcelain white arm stretched out from inside.
Finally, a girl with a bob cut and slightly cold gaze came out from the coffin.
Her evenly trimmed forelock shook and she looked at me.
「Kotone… San?」
「Oh my… Kanata.」
Kotone spoke with a slightly lonely voice and her usual expressionless face as she readied her stance with the gauntlet in her hands.
「I don’t hate you but, please do forgive me. I did say that I’m going to protect you but the situation has changed. Please escape as fast as possible since I really am going to kill you this time.」
Kotone had alreade been defeated by the user of 《Puppet Coffin》.
Now I couldn’t give my all since I had never expected this situation in which I had to fight my own acquaintance.
I took a breath to calm myself.
No, wait a minute, there should be a way to solve this problem.
Rather, this might be a blessing in disguise since the user of 《Puppet Coffin》 kept her alive to use Kotone as a pawn.
「Oh my, fufufufufufu… It’s nice to see you two getting along with each others.」
Garan propped his body, looking at Kotone and I with a vulgar smile on his face.
I couldn’t believe what I saw.
I wanted to knock him out but, I guess I miscalculated my attack.
「Don’t worry. Once this fight ends, you’re going to join our rank. Unfortunately, the knight-kun over there is far too weak. But Kanata-kun, you pass with flying flying colour.」
Balot also stands up slowly while wiping the blood on the edge of his lips.
Balot winked as he cocked his head to the side.
「Eh… Doesn’t that mean I’m the next candidate to be eliminated? Garan-dono’s position is stable, and Kotone-chan has her 《Gift Skill》. U~hm, I guess it can’t be helped.」
He spoke such a terrifying thing with an eerie smile on his face.
Though his will and personality might have been twisted, it didn’t change the fact that seeing a human say those words so easily was just creepy.
Balot then looked at his hand, and tossed his scrapped sickle chain to the side.
「That weapon is my favorite. I’ve enjoyed myself using such tricky weapons. You should consider the option to use that weapon once you get the chance, Kanata-kun.」
I bit my lips.
As expected, failing to adjust my strength twice in row was too much of a coincidence.
Maybe 《Puppet Coffin》 was a magic that manipulates the mind, so barely knocking them out won’t be so simple.
The caster might use their body till the limit.
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