Chapter 345: O Dragon, O Dragon! Part 10

"So, to sum it up, the monsters that come out of the crystals range from total trash mobs to extremely tough enemies. I'll leave the searching to the Elves (Forest-folks), but the condition for breaking them is that Tottori or Deep Slaughter must do it, or if they're busy, I have to be nearby."

Having just finished off a monster that looked like a gorilla with a lion's mane and bull horns—a creature that, in any other setting, could easily become the most terrifying low-kicking cat-puncher—with a savanna-style low kick of my own, I explained the plan to the Forest-folks gathering one after another.

"Emul, take Her Highness over there and escort her to the designated point. After that, act as a mobile unit and provide backup wherever the battle lines are struggling."

"Yes, sir!"

"Listen up, everyone. I plan to support your resolve with everything I have, and I have absolutely no intention of letting a single one of you die from here on out. Let's take back this place with everyone... Well, considering we lack literally everything right now, we'll have to return to the frontline base first, but let's rebuild the Forest-folk village together!"

Yeah! The voices of the Forest-folks echoed across the area.

...A furious roar from the "Scar" echoed from the distance, causing every single one of them to flinch and jump in fear, but I'll graciously overlook that for now.

"Now then, it sounds like a voice calling for my help just rang out... I'm counting on you, Tottori."

"I mean, I'll do my best, but... shouldn't I be asking if You're going to be alright?"

"Leave it to me. When it comes to triggering MvM fights, I've got a lot of experience."

Actually, for this operation, Tottori and the others are handling the far more important role. Buying time with a simple nursing play is nothing to me.

"Hey, what about meee? Don't I get some kind of, you know, arousing words of encouragement or something?"

"Just drag as many enemies as you can into your suicide bombing."

"Oi, oi, even I'm about to cry at that, you knooow...? Well, whatever. If this battle goes well, let's go on a date, Sunraku-kuuuun...?"

"I'll make you dead."

"A love to die for...!"

Leaving aside Deep Slaughter, who had started squirming disgustingly, I reluctantly turned my body toward Faer-filiya.

"Your Highness, when I heard you volunteered to act as a decoy yourself, I honestly couldn't believe my ears... Please, take care of yourself. From here on out, it will be a fierce battle, so I implore you to hide away alongside His Majesty."

"Yes... However, Sunraku-sama, one last thing."

"Hmm? ...I mean, what is it?"

"I pray for your fortune in battle... You are my hero!"

『I pray... for your fortune in battle. You are my hero!』

"Nngeh."

That's the sub-heroine's final line in the story right before she gets written out, the one who survived your evil clutches until the very endeeeeeeerd!!

You bastard! You absolute bastard! You're the last person who should be allowed to say that!!
Because you, Faer-kuso, were such an absolute piece of garbage, the sub-heroine won the popularity poll by an overwhelming landslide! You! Protecting you (being used as your meat shield), the sub-heroine got cursed by the final boss, and you just abandoned her on a deserted island, you absolute scumbaaaaag!!!!

Putting everything I had into suppressing the largest typhoon of the century currently raging in my heart so it wouldn't show on my face, I bowed my head and forced out a response, barely maintaining my roleplay.

"Th... Tha, Th-aank you, I am honored..."

Unforgivable. This is absolutely unforgivable, Amachi Ritsu... You, this is... This is an incident that will enrage the three thousand five hundred heroic spirits who voted for Sub-Heroine (Sharahar-chan)...! For the record, I voted for Sharahar too.

Alright, bring it on! Suddenly, I'm overflowing with the motivation to Kill (Do This)! If I can't punch Amachi Ritsu or Arfiliya, then my only option is to beat the absolute living hell out of you!!

"Alriiiiiight, everyone commence operations! We're gonna beat that solid-red bastard into the ground!!"

Anger can serve as a substitute for gaming motivation. Completely convinced of this fact, I arrived at the vast grassland field on the outskirts of the village—what could easily be considered the most dangerous place in the entire Forest-folk village right now.

Even with Tottori, the Forest-folks, and Emul joining up, the fact remains that there are less than five players here. Unless the three players are overworked to their absolute limits, we cannot win this battle. Yet even so, there is a top-priority objective that requires investing one-third of our fighting force—namely, me.

"PiKyakyakyakyakya!!"

"Here's a late entry, oraah!!"

As a preemptive strike, I slammed an iron fist of Airgetlam (Silver Light) squarely into the eyeball of the dragon head currently biting into one of the three necks.
Then, switching my equipment and pulling an HP recovery potion out of Inventoria, I threw it directly at the spot where damage effects were bursting out from the Three-Headed T-Rex... the "Scar".

"It's on me. No thanks needed."

" " "Gururururururu......" " "

"Scar" glared at me, the sudden intruder. But considering you have an enemy right in front of you taking far higher priority than a tiny bug like a human, you better make good use of this helping human hand, alright?

"It's nursing play. I'll let you have the MVP (Lead Role), so please, contribute to the firepower to your heart's content."

Now, let me show you, Devouring Great Crimson Clad. The Lv.99 Extend Monster Assisting Techniques of a suckerfish!!

" " "Guroroaaaaaaaah!!" " "

With a roar that overlapped three voices into one, "Scar" charged at the Devouring Great Crimson Clad. A physical damage output calculated by simple, straightforward math pushed the Devouring Great Crimson Clad's massive body backward.
However, the Devouring Great Crimson Clad literally had more numbers in terms of hands and mouths. Being at point-blank range also meant being perfectly within the Devouring Great Crimson Clad's preferred range, where the motion of "Devouring" holds massive significance.

"QoaaaaaAAA...!"

With a wet squelch, the massive maw split vertically down the Devouring Great Crimson Clad's torso opened wide horizontally. Its target was likely the center neck of "Scar".
Multiple necks from the Devouring Great Crimson Clad tangled themselves around "Scar" as if grappling it, dragging its center neck into the range of that horrific maw.

"And that's where I come in... Right!!"

Moonlight, Managarmr Pride (Pride of the Moon Wolf), and the Gilta Brille (Brilliant Scorpion Gauntlets)... You could truly say that the night is my main stage.

Crystal bullets fired by the magic power accumulated from bathing in the moonlight transformed into pillars exactly as I willed. No matter how grotesque its form, as long as it stands on its legs, its sheer mass leaves room for its balance to be broken.
If I launch a follow-up attack on its hind legs—already destabilized by the interference of the massive crystal pillars—using fists enhanced by skills, it will have no choice but to lose its posture and interrupt its motion.

"How about that, Mr. 'Scar'!? My brilliant assist!!"

It seemed both the crystal pillars and the Devouring Great Crimson Clad were nothing but an eyesore to it, as a roaring tail sliced through the wind right above my head. An attack like a whip embodying sheer destructive force pulverized the crystal pillars and slammed into the Devouring Great Crimson Clad. If I had been standing on my tiptoes, I would have ended up like a reverse Daruma Otoshi... Actually, that would just be a decapitation, wouldn't it?

"Kuh... So this isn't enough to deepen our bond yet, huh...!"

I pride myself on having built a bond with the Crystal Scorpions that couldn't possibly be any deeper, but that's only because of countless visits and ball-game tournaments. I wonder if they've built an anti-me pattern? They've started utilizing simple but effective tactics like trapping hunts, and they're gradually getting more refined. Sorry about that, other players.

No, none of that matters right now. Right now, I need to grind "Scar's" affection rating. First of all, if it decides "I'll just get rid of this guy first!" and attacks me, everything goes out the window. I need to make it see the utility value in my existence.

In other games, the key is how effectively you can force aggro onto a target, but in ShanFro's case, depending on the monster, some have incredibly high-tier AI. For those types, you could practically call them NPCs, just without the ability to speak.

"If that's the case, then there's room to use primitive communication: 'Showing through actions'."

In a game you know like the back of your hand, you can play multiplayer even without saying a word. In other words, abandoning language! Humans and monsters can understand each other through actions...!
Oh? "Scar"-kun is spitting out some sticky vo... phlegm from his mouth? What's going on? How should I put this... It's a disgusting marble color mixing yellow, white, and black, so it looks even more like v... p-phlegm, honestly.

"Uh-huh, uh-huh, spreading vomit all over the surrounding area including the Devouring Great Crimson Clad?"

For some reason, the three heads pointed upward and snapped their jaws open and shut, open and shut... Oh my, I thought it was vomit, but this actually looks like fat? Mixed with something else... And what's more, there's currently black smoke-like breath leaking from its mouths... Oi, wait a second, hey.

SNAP!!

"Noooooooooooo!?"

Uhahahaha! Are you an idiot!? Are you an absolute idiot!!?
That dinosaur just recreated napalm using vomit! This has to be the number one absolute worst attack a monster living in a sea of trees could possibly use!

Beasts fear fire, while humans are drawn to it. And an emotion that cannot be contained merely as simple terror is what humans define as "Awe."
Seeing such a funky move pulled off right in front of me, I have no choice but to get my tension heated up as well.
Not to be outdone by the massive volume of the Devouring Great Crimson Clad screaming as it turned into a human torch, I also raised a cheer.

"Nice, nice, aren't you putting on a flashy show! Man, with a hidden trump card like this, you really could wipe out an alliance of hardcore gamers!!"

It seems not only the Devouring Great Crimson Clad's entire body, but my heart had caught fire as well.
This is it. This is the classic "Buy time until our side can use its decisive ultimate weapon!" development. Seeing the ultimate weapon from the front row is just as important as winning the battle.
With an ultimate move this thrilling, if I don't support it now, when will I?

"Alright, keep firing away, 'Scar'! I'll provide all the help you need!"

Author's Afterword

• "Scar-kun's" Trump Card
  Extracts oil from the fat of prey it has consumed, mixes it with a highly flammable substance generated internally, and spits it out. Then, by slamming its jaws against the ground and gnashing its teeth together, it creates sparks to instantly ignite the mixture—a biological napalm. Since its ancestor was the horribly fuel-inefficient Burning T-Rex, it has a strong synergy with the fire attribute.
  In short, Scorch's Flame Core.