Chapter 113: Iron Hammer to the Mud Doll Who Dresses Up

"Did I just fall behind the trend of games these days because I played too many Trash Games...? Too many self-regenerating enemies..."

Scorpions, Omega Box... Self-regenerating enemies shouldn't appear this frequently, right?

Despite the slapdash design that looked like someone roughly formed a human shape with blocks, its AI was quite excellent. To think it would do something dexterous like autotomy (self-amputation) of an arm to use as a decoy while attempting self-repair. Because of the rough assembly, it could detach and reattach its body easier than a plastic model with loose joints, so it took more time than expected.

But thanks to that, I could test newly learned and evolved skills, so it's plus-minus zero...... No, maybe slightly negative.

Even so, the power of Level 99 is tremendous. Taking twenty minutes was due to it being a Rare Enemy and a solo kill, but conversely, it means I gained the specs to continue fighting for twenty minutes.

Fighting for twenty minutes without taking any significant damage other than chip damage... if I ignore the fact that fighting itself was a loss of time, I pride myself on defeating it in the fastest time possible with my current stats, skills, and equipment combination.

The dropped item was some kind of parts item I don't really understand, but showing it to Bilac should be fine. I run toward the exit of this area, the end of the giant skeleton towering above, blocked by various piled-up debris.

"Almost time for the Area Boss..."

Overdress Golem. Due to its characteristics, it uses the junk and rubble it wears for both offense and defense, its body properties change randomly, and on top of that, except for one point, its entire body is like Reactive Armor, so damage doesn't pass through properly... But thanks to the "Weak Point" discovered as players defeated it repeatedly, the Overdress Golem, which was a late-game boss before the update, is now said to be weaker than the first area boss "Gluttonous Giant Serpent" that all players fight first.

Running through to the end, the tail end of the giant skeleton which is the terminus of the Ruins of Past Glory... It looks like rubble piled up on top of something huge that was crushed. And in the very center of that mountain of rubble, a circular field opened roundly like a hole—that is the Overdress Golem's dwelling, the final barrier players must cross.

"No other players around; lucky."

Without hesitation, I jump into the boss area and ready the Marsh Daggers [Mod. II]. Since my level is higher, Togetsu cannot exert its effect. The Empire Bee Twin Blades are not good at "slashing" motions due to their design. I won't use the Brilliant Scorpion Gauntlets (Gilta Brille) right now for a certain reason. Considering agility and handling, the Decapitation Sword was also excluded, and the Marsh Daggers were chosen as the final answer, but... Oops, looks like the boss is coming out.

Ahead of my gaze, the mountain of rubble blocking the exit of this area suddenly begins to collapse. But watching for a while, it's immediately clear that this is not a natural collapse.

It's nothing special; that wasn't a wall. The Guardian (Landlord) of this place noticed the rude intruder and woke up. Not a landslide, but a humanoid shape maintaining only the upper body with a melted lower body; rubble worn in layers on its mud-like body wriggles in conjunction with its movements.

The first thing I feel is... big. Its gigantic body, far surpassing the size of Lycaon or Kirin, makes me feel like I'm facing a mountain. And that recognition is not wrong.

From now on, I am going to climb a mountain.

"If I recall, the fastest subjugation time on record is one minute... Let's aim for sub-one minute while doing a TA (Time Attack)!"

The now customary opening skill stacking. Ignition, Self-Harm Acceleration (Nitrogain) spam, Further Acceleration (Climax Boost)... In addition to the standard combo, I activate new skills in succession.

Activating "Possessed by Yoshitsune" (Shanaou-tsuki), evolved from the "Boat Jump" skill where skill level increase meant increased jump count; now it strengthens jumps continuously for thirty seconds. Having essentially transformed into a buff skill, the activation timing and usage method changed significantly.

Layering "Reckless Fighting Spirit" (Burai Touki), which strengthens weapon attack correction when equipped with a weapon and reduces weapon durability consumption rate. A skill that makes Ascetic Monks (OiKatzo) cry; serves you right.

Aside from these, the mobility of Me (Sunraku), who possesses mostly skills used for maneuvering, has reached almost the point of realizing my ideal. Reaching close range to the Overdress Golem, I look up and laugh at the giant body trying to crush me with a body press while playing a dissonance of rubble scraping against each other.

"Fifteen seconds. First, circle behind... Here comes my original chart!"

By mastering the Vorpal Art, the Secret Art changed to Hidden Mystery. Formerly named Vorpal Blade Arts [Water Mirror Moon], a skill that only sent slash attacks behind, upon obtaining the name Vorpal Secret Art [Fading Mirror], its nature inverted completely.

Instead of sending Slashes (Hate) behind, it leaves only Slashes (Hate) on the spot.

In other words, a formless Decoy. Even though my main body is circling behind, the Overdress Golem persistently unleashes body presses on the spot where I was. Normally, a tank would manage hate while the main light warrior attacks during that time, but... the current me can achieve that solo.

Is it irony or karma that I, an honorary citizen of Rabituza, am circling behind while hopping like a rabbit due to the effect of Possessed by Yoshitsune? But circling behind, looking up... a crane, roof, pillar, part of a broken wall, sword, vehicle of unknown shape, some kind of gun barrel, parts likely from a Wooden Horse Golem... Ah, it ruthlessly makes even its own kind part of its body? Scary.

Debris swallowed by mud, becoming part of the giant. This might be the true meaning of the Ruins of Past Glory. I scan the back of the Overdress Golem I'm about to climb and determine the route.

"Twenty-three seconds. Climb to the top in five seconds!"

Seven seconds remaining until Possessed by Yoshitsune ends. Activate necessary skills in two seconds and urgently prepare for a Five Second (300 Frame) climb.

Comfortable moves even on unstable footing: Off-Road activate. Reduce stamina consumed by actions while feet are off the ground: Acrobat activate. Incident angle? Refraction angle? Ignore and ricochet: Ricochet Step activate. No foothold? Then just step on the sky: Skywalker aka Flit Float planned for activation depending on situation.

"Twenty-five seconds. Let's go!"

Start... Step on the edge of the wooden horse and jump. One second elapsed. Kick the broken window frame and jump further. Two seconds elapsed. Slide up a pillar, step on a sword, use the handle of an unknown vehicle as an improvised foothold. Three seconds elapsed. Jump sideways to avoid the obstructing gun barrel, step on air with Flit Float, and take the shortest route with an acute detour. Four seconds elapsed. Step on the gun barrel I overtook to the rear and jump, thrusting the Marsh Dagger into the slightly exposed bare skin of the Overdress Golem and activating a skill.

Great of Climb, which adds correction to the stabbed dagger during climbing and adds acceleration. Plus Trial Traverse, which adds the masochist-friendly effect of "reducing self-weight load the steeper the climb." Climbing the foothold-less mud skin with light movements unlike climbing, I finally arrive at the target coordinates... atop the crane.

"Thirty seconds. The real deal starts here...!"

Although it looks like a crane assembled from steel beams, a giant wheel is attached to its tip. That, what was it... that huge heavy machinery. The one that usually flames up or explodes flashily in Hollywood movies.

This giant excavation wheel... numerous player verifications have proven it can be destroyed. And the destroyed wheel, obeying the physics engine, crashes straight down............ right onto the Overdress Golem's brainpan.

I can't help but think what a stupid weakness, but since you can't destroy the wheel unless you combine climbing skills and destruction skills, it's not broken as a design.

The wheel is fixed from the left and right by parts like a bicycle's front fork. Destroying these two forks makes the wheel fall down, but this strategy only works when the Overdress Golem is in a forward-leaning posture.

Then what to do? Simple. Finish the job before it gets up.

"Thirty-three seconds. First from the right...!"

Layering attack skills, I slam a critical flurry I want to praise myself for into the rusted metal............!

Kakakakakakan!

"Crap, harder than I thought!"

Dammit, was the insufficiently strengthened Marsh Dagger not up to the task? Switch to Brilliant Scorpion Gauntlets and unleash a rush.

Forty-five seconds. Destroy the right fork... Can I make it in fifteen seconds!? No, running to the left side won't make it... In that case!

"[Firing-up]!!"

I grasped the general performance during the fight with the Omega Box. Recognizing the voice shouted while thrusting the fist straight down, the left gauntlet activates. Parts of the gauntlet slide, and the pale silver crystal of the Crystal Scorpion hidden inside increases its brilliance in response to the filled magic power.

Immediately after, a small glint from the metacarpal bone of the middle finger (in human terms) pierces the crack in the right front fork at my feet, which was barely supported by the left side and enduring collapse. Naturally, it's not a lenient weapon that ends with this. This is Sowing. The sown seed obeys the laws of nature and grows.........!

"Now... let's fly. [Growing-up]!!"

According to the description text of the Brilliant Scorpion Gauntlets... or rather, likely common to Legacy Weapons:

---In the Divine Age, the philosophy upheld in all things was "Control" and "Activation." It is said that old weapons controlled the power of the materials used, and by activating their true power, converged various powers into the form of a weapon.

In that case, the power held by the left fist harboring the power of the Crystal Scorpion is, namely:

"Rapidly growing the fired Crystal Bullet to generate a Pillar...!"

The left fist strikes the foothold. And the sensing ability of the Crystal Scorpion, which I experienced enough to be sick of, was inherited by this fist and crystal.

The moment the Crystal Bullet sensing vibration emitted light itself for an instant. My body was launched up by the giant pillar shot from directly below, dancing in the air───!

Author's Afterword
THE PERVERT DANCING IN THE AIR

Giant heavy machinery exploding or burning flashily in Hollywood movies is nice, isn't it...!
By the way, what the Overdress Golem has on its back is a Bucket Wheel Excavator. Okay? It's a Bucket Wheel Excavator! Please refrain from calling it Gogma*ios!

By the way, the fastest record for Overdress Golem TA is by a multi-person party; the protagonist doing it solo is crazy. Or rather, his movements are crazy.