Entering the Game with a Cheat Physique

45th Monster Festival (7)

45th Monster Festival (7)

*KWA-aaaNG!*

My clashing fist trembles.

The lion’s forepaw, three times bigger than my fist, loomed.

The instant we clashed, shockwaves ripped through my entire body.

I bite back the groan trying to claw its way out.

Can’t let the momentum break here.

Right behind, its flurry of blows comes crashing down…!

*BANG*, *CRASH*!

The moment my right arm recoils, the left lashes out. I deflect the left, and the right hook comes again. A power struggle; it tries to just smash me down and break my stance.

Its movements are eerily human.

Not just overwhelming force, but calculated skill, aiming to topple me.

But I won’t let it.

Every single time, my body reacts and moves in sync─!

—*GRRR, GRRR*.

Many volleys exchanged.

After rapid attacks, almost too fast to see, the beast takes a step back and growls.

As if puzzled.

Its eyes seem to question me.

‘You, of all things, are putting up a good defense,’ they seem to say.

‘…Of course, you little shit.’

How much *Song of Sword and Magic* do you think I’ve played?

I know the first encounter moves of the act 1 boss like the back of my hand.

No, more than that.

I, a hardcore player, wouldn’t possibly NOT know the attack patterns of the ‘Nemean Lion’!

“……”

The sound of sharp intakes of breath from nearby.

It was Isolette and Irina’s reaction, about to join the fight.

They intended to help.

But they couldn’t move.

In the dozen or so seconds of my clash with the lion, the floor had been obliterated.

The meticulously designed floor of Olympia was destroyed, and the stage was reduced to powder.

They realized it then.

‘This is on another level.’

The monster before me was a named one, a named one of named ones.

A single moment of carelessness, and my neck would be sliced clean off.

That’s why I reassured them with conviction.

“It’s alright.”

“……”

“I’ll block its attacks. You two focus solely on landing effective hits.”

“Senior. But that’s…”

Isolet’s worried voice.

Her gaze sweeps over my entire body.

“……”

Olympia’s stylish uniform was already tattered.

Just the shockwave from the explosion had ripped her clothes, revealing glimpses of her skin beneath.

They were stained and dirty with sweat and blood.

—I hadn’t taken any direct damage.

Just the impact alone had damaged my undergarments.

“……Understood.”

Even so, Isolet didn’t interfere any further.

She closed and reopened her eyes once, steeling her resolve before stepping forward.

Unnecessary words were avoided.

That was one of her strengths.

“But, how are we supposed to land any hits? Even with your fierce attacks, its skin doesn’t have a single scratch.”

“Yeah, it’s difficult to inflict damage with my attacks.”

The lion’s skin had a hard skin.

Superior to the previous werewolf’s, it halved the damage with physical resistance (Medium) and magical resistance (Medium).

Unless I could cut through its skin with a sharp blade, I wouldn’t be able to reach its flesh.

That meant my punches wouldn’t work.

“So, Isolet, you open it up. You cut through its skin with your blade, and Irina will blast magic in there.”

“Similar to the werewolf fight.”

“That’s right. Do it exactly like before. I’ll draw all of its aggro, so you two just focus on attacking.”

Watching his movements as we talk.

The lion is incredibly relaxed.

He must know we’re strategizing against him.

Knowing, yet not acting.

The leisure of the strong—no, of the ruler.

A monster ruling over monsters.

That’s why he’s only now preparing to act.

…That gaze that sometimes catches Helene, he’s probably sizing her up as prey too, another ruler.

“He’s coming!”

“You idiot, don’t you dare die! I won’t let you!”

*Thwack!*

The lion kicks off the ground again.

Staring directly at him as he flies toward me, I kick off too.

*

Whizz!

The lion’s palm brushes over my head.

Herak ducked just before impact, bending low.

Whoosh…

The sound of displaced air rushes out belatedly.

A close-call feat, but the return is huge.

*Scrape!*

Isolet’s sword slashes the lion’s thigh.

His skin splits, revealing red flesh underneath, but it’s not deep.

‘It’s like, trying to cut through rock…!’

Isolet, almost losing her grip on the sword due to its resistance, tightens her hold again.

We’ve been attacking, but it’s not working well.

Similar to the nature of a werewolf but on a different level.

If his skin was bark, the lion’s skin is hard rock.

For humans, it would be an uphill battle just trying to pierce him with a sword…!

“Irina!”

“I know!”

Isoleth’s shout is echoed by Irina.

Sparks fly off the lion’s skin.

White energy crackles wildly, then abruptly transforms into a sharp lightning bolt, ripping through its hide.

─Krrrrrr!

The lion lets out a groan, wracked with pain.

But it’s shallow.

Not a fatal wound by any means.

Already, the lion’s body bears several slashes.

Though they haven’t been able to cut deep, Isoleth is undeniably leaving her mark.

And if Irina uses magic on those spots, the damage will only intensify.

─Even so, this strategy always feels like walking a tightrope.

Their attack is entirely predicated on the lion not retaliating.

The lion’s full attention, for now, is locked onto Herac─!

“Senpai!”

Isoleth’s scream.

The lion drops to all fours.

The beast, which had held its bipedal stance until now, has shifted its posture.

Its attack pattern is changing!

─Krrraagh!

Like a wild lion hunting herbivores.

The ‘Nemean Lion’ leaps into the air, jaws gaping wide.

Herac before it is already greatly weakened.

While defending against the lion’s attacks, he hasn’t hesitated to strike, hoping to aid them.

The price is clear, the blood erupting from within him painting his skin crimson.

At this rate, his body will break before his will…!

And just like that.

The lion’s maw was about to tear into Herac’s neck.

Thwack!

Between the wide-open jaws, among the sharp teeth.

A straight passage leading to the back of his throat.

There, Herak flicked his finger.

“Tanjigong.”

Herak Leonhardt’s only long-range attack.

Most of the students within the academy already knew it.

But—the ‘Nemean Lion’ he had just faced had no way of knowing.

—KRaaaWNG!

THWACK!

A dangerous sound reverberated from within the lion’s body.

The impact, shaking its innards completely beneath its tough hide, sent the lion writhing and rolling on the ground.

CRASH, CRASH-CRASH…

The weakened ground buckled from the recoil.

THUD!

Seeing that, Herak’s legs gave way.

As Herak collapsed, as if kneeling, Helene rushed to his side.

“Mr. Herak, Mr. Herak! Are you okay…?!”

“Kuh—*cough*, yes.”

Even as he coughed up blood, his gaze was sharp.

Helene pulled Herak back, who was still ready to fight, with all her might.

“Stop! That last one was enough to be effective! Mr. Herak, you need to step back and rest…!”

“Not yet, *cough*, Your Highness.”

But, shaking off Helene’s small hand.

Herak stood tall once more in his place.

“…”

—It’s coming.

Isolet and Irina both felt it.

The lion, which had been rolling on the ground, rose again.

A stream of blood trickled from its maw.

But that, was definitely not enough to make them feel safe!

—GRRR, GRRR.

The lion pulls its right arm back.

Herak knew that stance.

‘A pattern that appears when the first act boss’s health drops below a certain threshold.’

One of two things.

A lightning-fast swipe of its claws, ‘Magic Claw.’

Its characteristic was a long cast time.

It was clearly visible that it was gathering power, so players would rush in to exploit the opening.

Of course, they should, too.

“Isolet. Use ‘Charge’. You have to do it now when the opening appears.”

“Yes.”

“Irina. Use ‘Rewind’. Even if you still have magic power to spare, you must use it without hesitation when you see an opening.”

“……Okay.”

Isolet and Irina.

The unique powers they gained in the secret room.

Herak ordered them to use it.

Ssshhh……

Red energy flickers from Isolet’s sword.

She pours her power in to the limit.

She sees it too.

The lion’s movements are large, showing a gap.

She doesn’t know the reason.

But, she can’t just stand still after seeing the opening in front of her.

Whoosh─

Blue magic surges from Irina’s whole body.

The magic consumption that had increased from using spells up until now instantly decreases.

If they pour all their magic after Isolet’s Charge, they should be able to deal a critical blow.

Still, Irina remains suspicious.

─Why is the lion swinging with such large movements?

“…….”

A touch-and-go situation.

A stand-off, each poised for a killing blow.

Then.

The lion’s jaws gaped wide open.

And it unleashed the same roar as before.

─KRaaaH!

An earth-shattering bellow.

In that instant, Isolet and Irina’s minds snapped.

Like snuffing out a candle, the light of reason vanished from their pupils.

Isolet, who was gathering her strength.

And Irina, who had been casting spells one after another behind her.

Both lost their reason, their arrows now aimed at Herak.

─The 1st Act Boss’s second pattern, ‘Monster Fear.’

Originally a domination power applied only to other monsters.

But when the lion’s health drops below a certain point, it inflicts a ‘Rampage’ state on the player party too.

In the original game, it was a malicious pattern where you just had to watch your allies get slaughtered.

But Herak Leonhardt’s body cheat, ‘Strong Heart,’ blocked this status ailment.

And the moment he recognized the pattern, he met it head-on, bellowing.

“Snap out of it!”

【Howling】.

A skill gained from processing 【Werewolf Lungs】, nullifying status ailments for allies.

“……!”

Reason immediately returned to Isolet and Irina’s eyes.

They were briefly flustered after regaining their senses, but they continued their actions.

Their aim, the lion far away, about to swipe with its claws.

To bring it down, they’d pour every ounce of their strength.

─Grrrrr.

The lion snorted.

To Herak, it sounded more like ‘Not bad.’

He didn’t particularly care about being acknowledged by a monster, though.

─The situation is the same as before.

Herak defends against the lion’s attack, the remaining two attack the lion.

The lion breaks through Herak, shattering his defense.

That is,

Herak, mustn’t fall…ever!

—KRaaaH!

The lion leaps, swinging its paw.

Simultaneously, a claw slash tears through the floor, surging towards Herak.

TUDADADAK!

The slash flies, leaving a massive scar on the floor.

But Herak, too, is already prepared.

Gathering his remaining strength, the shockwave of his fist cancels it out…!

CHIZZZIT…BANG!

The two forces collide, shaking the arena.

“Guh!”

Herak’s fist mostly nullifies the slash, but not entirely.

The remaining power tears Herak’s body to shreds.

—But, that’s the end of it.

“Here I go!”

Isolet’s sword strike.

With the power of ‘Charge’ pushed to its limit, she cuts into the lion’s abdomen.

—KRWOO!

The abdomen splits open smoothly, as if cutting tofu.

Blood oozes out, revealing its innards, as Irina casts her magic in response.

“Ice Flower!”

A chill rushes into the abdomen.

A single ice flower blooms, then spreads like a spider web from the abdomen, freezing it over.

At the same time, fire, lightning, and other magic spells explode one after another, shattering the ice.

—Krrr…

The lion.

Loses its strength there, and finally slumps.

*

“……Sir! Herak Sir!”

A voice, wet with tears, reached me.

A voice I knew well.

Probably Helene.

“Herak Sir, are you awake…?! You mustn’t die!”

I opened my eyes, which had been closed.

A woman was there, her face crumpled in distress.

Helene, tears streaming down her face as she looked at me.

It was strangely beautiful.

‘I must have passed out.’

It was certainly a fierce battle.

Just the exchange of blows alone was enough to burst my skin.

So, passing out like this wouldn’t be strange, would it?

…Even so, letting my guard down would be foolish.

A moment of unconsciousness could be enough for the tides of battle to turn.

I asked, my voice hoarse,

“The fight… how did it go?”

“The two of them brought it down. The lion isn’t moving anymore. So Herak Sir, you can now─”

“…Kuh.”

Helene seemed to have already relaxed, thinking of taking me to the temple.

But after hearing that information, I couldn’t help but laugh.

‘Damn it.’

Well, I did say with my own mouth that it wouldn’t fall with just the heroines.

The b*stard’s not dead yet.

— In ＜Song of Swords and Magic＞, the act 1 boss has a ‘play dead’ pattern.

It looks like it’s down, but it’s actually not dead.

If it truly dies, its body disappears, leaving only its heart.

“Cough, *khh*!”

“No, you shouldn’t get up! Stay still!”

“No.”

He chuckles, raising a hand.

He places it on Helene’s head, where tears are dripping.

“……”

He whispered to her, eyes wide.

“With that b*stard targeting the Princess, how could I possibly close my eyes?”

Just as he said.

The lion slowly rose to its feet.

—Grrr…

It was already out of its mind.

Driven this far, it wouldn’t be able to distinguish reality.

Now the lion’s only target is Helene.

A beast only rushing towards its prey, its original hunt.

To stop it, I have to go.

Isolet and Irina are already exhausted, unconscious.

“Herak-ssi…”

He roughly pats Helene’s head and steps forward.

He moves in front of her, like a guard, but the lion doesn’t see me.

It’s looking at Helene behind me.

“You want to touch her?”

—Grrr, grrr…

“Not a chance.”

—She’s not a woman someone like you can lay a hand on.

The moment I finished speaking, the lion and I surged forward.

The lion spreads its arms wide.

It intends to crush me by embracing me as is.

Recognizing that, I slip past towards its abdomen.

Frostbitten scars, with pieces of ice falling from them.

Irina’s handiwork.

Yes, just perfect.

Yeah, this is the right way to handle a frozen hunk of meat.

“Fire Punch.”

Flame coiled around my hand.

I lashed it across the lion’s gut, detonating it.

…The fight was over.

The giant lion was dead now.

Its corpse vanished like magic, leaving only a heart behind.

A heart thrumming like it’s still alive, a top-tier item.

…Even so, Helene didn’t give a damn about such an item.

Her golden pupils were fixated solely on the man.

A man standing tall, body covered in wounds, blood dripping from every inch.

A hero who’d thrown himself into the fray to protect Princess Helene.

She watches his slumped back, unconscious and still.

“Ah…”

A ragged breath escaped Helene’s lips.

It was strange.

It was enough, knowing he was her fated one.

She’d had no complaints about him being the partner guided by the [Heavenly Aura].

Truthfully, she hadn’t felt any love for Herak as an individual.

But now.

“So this is, ‘falling in love’…”

Today, for the first time.

The princess understood love.