Chapter 91

Real Boss Battle (3)

Toward the Blacksmith who had been struck by seven lightning bolts while soaked in rain and was electrocuted.

“Ooooooh!”

The Orc Fighter charged with a roar. The Blacksmith, realizing that magic wouldn’t work on him, also rushed forward head-on.

While the two warriors were engaged in close-quarters combat, trading blows.

Neko, who had swung her first Telekinetic Fist at the Brazz Golems charging from the right, immediately realized the problem.

‘The Brazz Golems are recovering because of the Blacksmith’s ironworks repairs!‘

This fight was completely different from when they fought Brazz Golems in the field.

The three Brazz Golems summoned now would switch positions with other golems whenever they felt threatened, desperately trying to protect their core nuclei.

Then they would recover and attack again.

“Caleb!”

“I know! Neko!”

Caleb seemed to already know about this problem. Moreover, he had already prepared a solution.

“Follow my attacks!”

He had already tucked his telekinesis wand into his belt. And.

“Corrosion.”

He cast corrosion magic.

Caleb had already used that magic to burst steam pipes before. It’s one of the most lethal magics against metallic monsters.

Metallic monsters affected by corrosion cannot be repaired.

“Telekinetic Fist!”

Neko, who caught onto the strategy, quickly struck down one Brazz Golem with her magic fist, smashing it.

“Dust Explosion!”

Caleb exploded the bouncing core nucleus.

“Caleb!”

Neko shouted.

A sword-guard golem was charging at Caleb.

“Dense Fog.”

Caleb quickly covered the golem with fog and leaped backward.

Then the golem that had been chasing Caleb through the fog suddenly froze in place. There was liquid gold on the floor.

It had been generated when the halfling druid melted.

“Telekinetic Fist!”

Neko quickly smashed that golem.

Targets gilded by liquid gold have their body composition become identical to Golden Golems. Even such a hard sword-guard golem becomes much softer. Additionally, it can’t escape to recover.

“Corrosion.”

With the corrosion magic’s cooldown returned, they attacked the third golem again.

“Hail Storm.”

Caleb froze and crushed the third golem with Hail Storm.

And the exposed core nucleus.

“Searing Ray!”

Neko burned it while shouting.

“The fourth golem is coming out again!”

“Just hold on a little longer! Yernil will take care of the doll!”

***

Thud! Thud! Thud!

The sound of the Elf’s footsteps hitting the floor echoed through the corridor.

The distance from the steelmaking process room to the production control room is about 180 meters. Even with Caleb’s legs, it can be covered in about 40 seconds.

When they had ambushed Ingelram’s party with the Watcher and raincoat, and then sprinted at full speed to prevent them from having time to replace their Memory Books, what happened then?

Even Caleb had covered it in less than 30 seconds with help from Aimus and Backstab.

The agile Ranger Elf Yernil doesn’t need that much time.

The Elf’s long legs created deer-like strides, and her lungs that had roamed through forests filled her entire body with oxygen.

Running at explosive speed, she immediately noticed the anomaly occurring during her movement.

Kurrrrrr!

Something was flowing through the pipes embedded in the ceiling.

That sound was unusual.

Because it was different from the sound of lava flowing through the pipes.

Originally, lava was supposed to flow through those pipes and pour over the molds in the steelmaking process room, but at this moment, something was flowing backward through the pipes.

Toward the production control room.

‘What could it be.‘

Something was coming.

It was coming to stop her. The Blacksmith, as the manager of the ironworks, tries to put the doll back in when it falls out of the production box. Didn’t Caleb say that?

So now, the ironworks’ monster was trying to stop Yernil, who was trying to remove that doll.

‘It can’t be the Blacksmith, right?‘

At least that humanoid monster didn’t seem capable of flowing backward through a 30-centimeter diameter pipe where lava flows.

So it must be one of the golem types.

What should she do?

Caleb had told her to avoid fighting and flee if she encountered a monster. Even though logically, Brazz Golems are born in the steelmaking process room, so there shouldn’t be any chance of encountering monsters in the production control room.

Why did Caleb say that?

He had anticipated the possibility of something chasing after Yernil. That’s why he gave such a hint. Then…

‘Let me be cautious for now.‘

Anyway, Yernil’s goal is to remove the doll and prevent additional monsters from being produced.

Combat comes after accomplishing the objective.

To achieve that, she had to reach the production control room faster than the monster in the pipes.

Fortunately, the monster had to run against the flowing lava, so it received considerable resistance and its speed was significantly slowed.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

Yernil put more force into her running feet.

Just over 10 seconds since departing from the Steel Processing Room.

Kwang!

Yernil, who had run like the wind and kicked open the Production Control Room door with all her might, was met with chaos before her eyes.

The scene where Ingelram had destroyed the Production Control Room with ground collapse.

“It’s hot!”

The entire Production Control Room had become a sauna due to the hot lava and steam.

Lava was bubbling and boiling on the floor, and rocky outcrops floated here and there like drifting rafts where one could step.

When Yernil’s team had escaped from this place earlier, they had used those as stepping stones to hop across.

Now it was time to hop in the opposite direction.

Previously, their speed had been reduced because of the priest, but if Yernil was alone, it would be instantaneous.

Thud-thud-thud!

She flew across the rocks like a gazelle, one after another, and arrived in front of the production setting machine.

Even in this chaos, the instrument panel, screens, and production setting box remained undamaged.

Hundreds of buttons filled the instrument panel. Above it were seven huge screens. They were similar to the screens that appeared in glass bottles when using Wizard’s Eye.

The screens were showing various parts of the ironworks, including the Steel Processing Room.

‘Caleb!‘

In the Steel Processing Room screen, Caleb, Neko, and the Orc Fighter were battling the Blacksmith and Brazz Golems.

There was no golden golem there.

And…

‘Aimus, Backstab, and the priest?‘

The three were running through the corridor. Toward where Yernil was now.

It felt like they were coming to back up Yernil.

Then.

‘Is it the Golden Golem coming through the pipes?‘

A loud kurrrung sound echoed from the pipes.

She might have to fight the Golden Golem here.

Yernil quickly climbed onto the wall of the production setting box.

Inside that box, which was the size of a 10-person elevator, was a huge doll. Something that looked exactly like a Brazz Golem.

“Heup!“

She pulled the doll with all her might, but it wouldn’t budge.

Previously, Aimus had pulled it out like pulling a radish, but it was beyond Yernil’s strength.

However, there was a way to do this too.

She didn’t need to completely remove it from the box. She just needed to lift the doll’s feet slightly off the ground. Then that object would be something Yernil was ‘carrying‘, so.

‘Guard Repositioning!‘

It becomes a type of equipment like armor or a bow.

Swoooosh!

Before she could feel any sense of accomplishment, a desperate sound came from the pipe nozzle.

A large amount of liquid gold was pouring toward the production control room entrance.

“Gasp!“

Yernil dragged the Brazz Golem doll along the floor and rolled it into the lava. Seeing it bubble and melt away gave her some relief.

Now, even if something happened here, there was no danger of Brazz Golems being reproduced and threatening Caleb’s side.

“Whew…“

Yernil calmly drew her bowstring. A huge golden golem stood tall at the Production Control Room entrance, holding a spear.

The instrument panel showed Aimus’s team, who had almost reached the Production Control Room. Backstab, frustrated with matching their pace, was running ahead.

***

About 15 seconds after launching Yernil.

‘Brazz Golem production has stopped.‘

“We did it!”

Neko’s face lit up as she confirmed the fire going out in the Convergence Core.

I’m happy about this too.

Well done, Yernil.

But the situation isn’t entirely pleasant.

Yernil’s team is fine. From my experience, that level of party strength can easily handle a Golden Golem.

The problem is on our side.

There are still two major problem factors.

First. The Orc Fighter’s combat power is halved.

‘Because he has no shield.’

Didn’t it get smashed when he was hit by the magic mountain hammer when we first fought here?

Thanks to that, the fight with the Blacksmith was going badly. The static coat can block magic mountains, but there’s nothing it can do about physical damage.

The Orc Fighter was being helplessly beaten by the Blacksmith, who had changed strategy to infighting with a macho hammer.

The reason he hadn’t been defeated yet was probably first due to his grit, and second due to his amazing swordsmanship.

Clang!

Like that, blocking the hammer with just one sword so brilliantly.

Damage was accumulating on the sword blade, so it wouldn’t be strange if it shattered at any moment.

And the third reason.

Puff!

Because of the static coat’s discharge.

That magic coat that wrapped around the body following the silhouette discharged when directly hit by close-range physical damage.

Just like how Golden Golems cause gilding reflection when hit by close-range physical attacks.

Then one lightning charge is consumed, but.

Kwarrung!

The Cumulonimbus group immediately recharges it, so it doesn’t matter.

The Blacksmith, soaked in rainwater and electrocuted by the discharge, staggered.

“Grr…“

“Huff…“

That’s why the Blacksmith still couldn’t kill the Orc Fighter.

Whenever he thought he had gained the upper hand, his legs would give out from the discharge.

The zombie fight continues between the Blacksmith who can’t deliver the finishing blow and the shieldless Orc Fighter.

“Oak!”

There’s one way to help that fight. Returning his shield.

“Take this!”

I threw the shield from the last Sword Golem we defeated with all my might. It started falling to the floor after just a few meters, but the Orc Fighter quickly caught it.

“Smaged’s Shield!”

He activated one shield skill. Now he should be able to resist physical attacks to some degree.

“We need to push now!”

I shouted.

Indeed, I’m being pressed for time right now.

It’s quite urgent.

The second reason our battle is unfavorable.

Actually, it’s the biggest reason.

‘The Cumulonimbus maintenance time is almost up.‘

[Turn-Based Hourglass Cooldown: 39 seconds]

The hourglass having 39 seconds left means it’s been 21 seconds since I summoned seven Cumulonimbus clouds.

The Cumulonimbus duration is 30 seconds.

So the remaining time until they disappear is only 9 seconds.

“Searing Ray!”

I summoned one Cumulonimbus and Hail Storm each as their cooldowns returned during the past 23 seconds, but that level of performance isn’t enough.

Therefore, we must definitely finish him within the remaining 9 seconds.

“Lightning Shock!”

I drive a lightning bolt into the Blacksmith.

[Turn-Based Hourglass Cooldown: 37 seconds]

7 seconds remaining.

“Dust Explosion!”

“Whirlwind!”

“Kugh!“

The attacks of the two wizards, who no longer needed to worry about Brazz Golems, concentrated on the Blacksmith.

5 seconds remaining.

The Blacksmith is also on the verge of death now.

Just one more hit.

Clang!

The Orc Fighter’s sword cut through the air and hit the floor.

The Blacksmith had retreated.

“He’s running away!”

“Telekinetic Fist!”

Neko slammed her Telekinetic Fist down on the Blacksmith’s head.

Kwang!

The Blacksmith was crushed to the floor and couldn’t be seen. The Orc Fighter rushed after him to finish him off for sure.

And I…

“Don’t chase him!”

Chills ran down my spine as I shouted.

‘We’ve been had.‘

“What?”

The Orc Fighter leaping over the Telekinetic Fist doesn’t have time to look back. He struck down with his sword at the Blacksmith, but that spot was empty.

The Telekinetic Fist didn’t connect properly either.

The Blacksmith isn’t there.

“Static Coat!”

I quickly cast magic on Neko.

1 second remaining.

Just barely before the cumulonimbus disappears.

“Superconductivity.”

I charge Neko’s coat.

Vibrations arose from the floor.

The ground turns over. The floor begins to rise.

‘Ironworks structural conversion.‘

The Blacksmith escaped while drilling a hole in the ground. It’s a pattern that appears when the difficulty gets much higher in the game too.

The Blacksmith slides through the tunnel he created underground.

Behind us.

Puff!

Magic mountain exploded behind Neko’s back.

I almost got hit too.

“Caleb! Neko!”

The Orc Fighter tried to come back to save us, but.

Kwaaaaang!

A magical barrier reminiscent of Ingelram’s earthen wall shot up from the ironworks floor. All the way to the ceiling.

In the sealed space that was completely filled without gaps.

Me, Neko, and the Blacksmith.

The two wizards were laid out like a well-prepared feast before that monster without any front-line fighters.

The seven Cumulonimbus clouds I had summoned first disappeared.

“The… The underground passage is blocked! Neko!”

The sound of the Orc Fighter pounding on the wall with his fists could be heard from beyond the wall.

“…Hehe.”

The Blacksmith, covered in blood and staggering, laughed like the grim reaper.