Chapter 276: Dekan is Even More Ridiculous Than the Enemy |
After Dekan and the other two joined the battlefield, Clay received support, and the situation significantly improved.
Cloix could provide continuous healing for Clay, slowing down the overload of Clay's 【Super-Speed Regeneration】 and reducing his magic consumption.
At the same time, because Dekan summoned the 【Ruined Poet】 to multiply the pain tenfold, the healing also efficiently enraged Clay.
“What kind of supports are you guys?!!”
Clay couldn't see, and he felt that although he was being healed.
He was in excruciating pain!!
How could there be such a sinister healer!
As Clay's anger continued to rise, his attack power grew stronger and stronger.
The Chief Warden no longer dared to underestimate Clay's threat to her.
Unfortunately, there was a huge gap in stats between Rank 8 and Rank 9.
Even in a direct clash of strength, she could crush Clay.
But the real trouble wasn't just Clay.
It was these three supports who had joined the battlefield.
Their formation was one frontliner, one mid-guard, and two backliners.
Besides Clay, who was at the front, Morion would stand closer to the Chief Warden to prevent her from breaking through Clay's defense line to prioritize killing Cloix and Dekan in the back.
Whenever the Chief Warden wanted to bypass Clay to kill the healer first.
Morion would block the Chief Warden, disrupting her offensive rhythm, and then Clay would immediately chase after her again to block her.
The Chief Warden had already felt the evilness of these three supports.
Let's not even talk about the healer with the ridiculously high healing output who could constantly enrage the warrior.
There was a sinister support who could make her feel extreme pain when she was hit!
Although this pain wasn't enough to greatly affect her with her Rank 9 mental strength, it really made her feel like fighting these few people was like being in prison.
What frustrated her the most was the Rank 5 trickster in the mid-guard, who could clearly be killed in one hit.
But she just couldn't hit him no matter what she did!
Several times she had almost bypassed Clay and found an opportunity to kill the two backliners, only to be interrupted by this juggling mid-guard.
In fact, Dekan knew that Morion's evasion was due to the reward he had obtained in the last Shadow World, 【The Secret Tale of the Waning Holy Rite】, Countess Lilislina's epic spell passive, the ultimate evasion ability.
【Blood Phantom】
【Category: Spell Card】
【Grade: Orange Epic】
【Rank: 5】
【Passive Effect: As long as there is a possibility of evasion, gain 3 chances of ultimate evasion every 10 seconds.】
【Note: This is the key reason why Countess Lilislina was able to survive when the blood clan was on the verge of extinction.】
Morion, who possessed Countess Lilislina's evasion ability, had other spell cards that were also basically life-saving cards.
Even if Dekan wanted to mess with him, it would be very difficult without help.
So although Morion was not of much use in a frontal battle.
With his extremely strong survivability, he could act as an acrobatic evasion tank, helping Clay share some of the pressure while protecting the backline.
Occasionally, he could also add some control and use the 【Bandit Goblin】 card set to harass the Chief Warden.
He was a special kind of support who specialized in messing with people's mentality.
“You guys!”
The Chief Warden finally couldn't help but roar in anger.
Although these few people were not strong when separated.
But when they were together, they could indeed hold their own against her!
The only weakness of this team of four was their attack power.
They couldn't inflict threatening damage on her.
But she couldn't be held up either.
The Chief Warden now felt more and more.
Since a jailer could bring a prisoner to this level.
Then the Saintess of Darkness must have been brought over as well!
The true purpose of this group of people was very likely to rescue the Saintess of Darkness!
As the battle between the two sides gradually became a back-and-forth affair.
Clay was getting stronger and stronger, and seemed to be about to enter a new state.
The Chief Warden could vaguely feel that if Clay triggered a certain effect, she would truly be threatened by Clay's gradually increasing damage.
At that time, she would have to focus her body and mind entirely on the battle.
Even if the Saintess of Darkness started to escape and rush towards the portal, she would not have time to care!
“You guys asked for this!”
The Chief Warden seemed to have been forced into a corner by Dekan and the others.
She decisively chose to enter a state of limit release before Clay entered the true damage state!
As the Chief Warden's blindfold was removed by her own hands.
Dekan understood that the BOSS had been forced into its second phase by them.
She had opened her eyes.
The moment she opened her eyes, she was first surprised to see the three humans.
Then she looked towards the direction of the portal's safe zone.
When she saw the Saintess of Darkness, she was also completely certain of this group's purpose.
Then, the Chief Warden's bright demon pupils instantly locked onto the little succubus jailer, Dekan.
The Chief Warden's eyes were full of killing intent, as if they were a piece of ice soul fished out from a thousand-year-old cold pool, exceptionally cold.
Now the four of them could finally see the Chief Warden's full appearance.
She was not ugly, and there were no scars on her face.
In other words, she had a flawless, peerless face.
Consistent with the information Dekan had previously obtained, the Chief Warden was not blind, but had sealed her own eyes.
Her eyes had no special characteristics or spells.
What lifting the restriction brought was sight!
At this time.
The Chief Warden, who had regained her sight.
Her overall combat power seemed to have risen several levels.
In an instant, she nimbly bypassed Clay.
The Chief Warden in this state was the combat power possessed by a complete Rank 9 anti-mage!
Although Clay wanted to pursue the Chief Warden at all costs, even if it meant receiving a fatal injury, the Chief Warden this time did not even choose to seize the opening Clay had sold, but instead charged towards Dekan with a determined goal, even if she had to take a hit from Clay in return.
This time, Morion was also dodged by the Chief Warden.
She did not even deign to attack Morion.
She went straight for Dekan and Cloix!
Dekan, who did not have time to wait for Clay and Morion to come and support, could only choose to stand in front of Cloix.
And Dekan was the first to be ambushed by the Chief Warden.
Fortunately, he could use 900 Devil Points to be immune to one attack.
Just as Dekan was preparing to use his Crown of Thorns' life-saving effect to sell himself once, triggering the 60x pain feedback, while also helping Cloix block the attack.
Dekan's pupils flickered, as if he had noticed something.
He quickly chose to spend 9000 Devil Points to teleport back into the safe barrier and become a fountain commander.
If he had used the 60x pain feedback just now, given the exaggerated mental strength of a Rank 9, it might not have been enough to stun her. At most, it might have only made her unable to move for a few seconds, and the specific control duration could not be estimated.
It might not even have been possible to use this opportunity to adjust their formation.
In the current situation.
The combat power of the full-state Chief Warden was too terrifying.
If they couldn't find a countermeasure, continuing to fight head-on was hopeless!
However, based on the Chief Warden's movement patterns he had observed just now, and combining it with the few pieces of information collected from the previous eight levels, he began to deduce.
He seemed to have an idea about the Chief Warden's weakness.
“Use plan 15, branch 6!”
Dekan shouted and commanded.
The three on the battlefield, although they didn't know why Dekan chose to retreat to the fountain when the BOSS entered its second phase, they all decisively carried out Dekan's instructions.
15-6 was one of Dekan's tactical countermeasures against the Chief Warden.
It could only be used when several spells were effective.
Previously, they had tested that the Chief Warden was an anti-mage.
This plan was thus established.
On the battlefield.
First, Morion activated the 【Silencing Barrier】 that Dekan had lent him to seal the Chief Warden's hearing.
Then, Cloix deployed the 【Shadow Forbidden Zone】 barrier to seal the vision of everyone within range.
At the same time, Clay also smashed the special effect aromatherapy that Dekan had specially bought from the third level with Devil Points to interfere with the Chief Warden's sense of smell.
Now everyone was in a state where their sight, hearing, and smell were all lost.
The battle between the Chief Warden and Clay returned to its initial state.
Although both of them could fight without vision.
But the Chief Warden, without using her eyes, relied more on magic detection and auditory feedback.
And Clay, fighting without his eyes, relied more on aura perception and a warrior's instinct.
With both sides having their sight, hearing, and smell sealed, the Chief Warden was actually at a relative disadvantage.
“How many seconds can you trap me like this?!”
The Chief Warden was obviously extremely annoyed by these unheard-of sinister spells.
But she had already guessed.
This group of guys wanted to make one last gamble.
By simultaneously using several strange spells she had never seen before, before she could break them, they would forcibly create an opportunity for the Saintess of Darkness to escape!
Within the dark shadow barrier, the great battle was once again on the verge of breaking out.
…
In the distance.
Dekan, within the safe zone, looked completely calm.
He did not instruct Cornelia to take this opportunity to rush out with the Saintess of Darkness at all.
It seemed like this was the last wave of attack from the Beautiful Mind Squad.
But in reality.
Dekan was calmly using the life spell 【Heat Detection】, which geologists would use, to peek at the general battle movements within the 【Shadow Barrier】.
“Sure enough, the offensive has become fierce again. I'm finally sure what the Chief Warden's weakness is…”
Dekan stopped his exploration and murmured to himself.
“Wh?”
Cornelia didn't understand.
Dekan: “Fierce, not fierce.”
He compressed the entire sentence "Previously, when the Chief Warden had her eyes sealed, although she lost her sight, her attacks were fierce. However, after unsealing, although her combat ability greatly increased, her attacks were not as fierce at all. Now, after entering the shadow barrier and losing her sight, her attacks have become fierce again" into three words for Cornelia.
After all, he didn't have the ability to stop time and explain like in those animes.
He had to convey the information as quickly as possible.
Cornelia tilted her head: “Hmm?”
She didn't understand. The first thing the Chief Warden did after unsealing was to try and kill Dekan, so how could Dekan still feel that her attacks weren't fierce?
Dekan: “Difference.” (There is a difference. After she unsealed and regained her sight, she was only fierce towards me. However, after regaining her sight and having full combat ability, she held back against the other three and didn't really go for the kill.)
Cornelia was confused for a while.
She seemed to be thinking about why the Chief Warden would treat Dekan differently, and what the difference was between Dekan and the other three.
Logically speaking, the Chief Warden should have understood from the very beginning that the priority target to kill was Cloix, the healer who supported the team's balance, not Dekan.
Why did it suddenly change?
It was as if…
She could only choose Dekan as the target of her attack?
“Oh!”
Instantly, Cornelia clapped her hands as if in a sudden realization.
She understood.
The difference between Dekan's current state and the other three was either race or gender.
But the problem was clearly not race.
Because Cornelia had previously noticed that the Chief Warden had looked at her and the Saintess of Darkness the moment she opened her eyes, and their gazes had met.
The Chief Warden's eyes were also filled with killing intent, without a trace of mercy, just like how she had looked at Dekan.
However, the Chief Warden then held back against Clay, Morion, and Cloix.
Her gaze had even softened a lot!
And it wasn't just Dekan who had noticed.
Cornelia now also recalled the sense of incongruity that accompanied the Chief Warden's momentary surprise, gentle gaze, and restrained offensive rhythm after seeing the three of them.
Although Cornelia felt that this conclusion was ridiculous.
But the answer was indeed very obvious.
The Chief Warden's weakness…
Was that she couldn't bear to harm handsome men!!
Although it was absurd, it matched all the information they had previously collected.
The Chief Warden's eyes were fine, yet she had to seal her own eyes to reduce her combat power.
If it was because seeing a handsome man would make her unable to act, then it was established!
And in Artis' previous information, the Rank 8 Holy Knight who was able to defeat the Chief Warden in a one-on-one duel must have been extremely handsome!
This showed that the Chief Warden had a major problem, and a very serious one at that.
Before she realized this problem back then, she could actually be solo-killed by a Rank 8 Holy Knight.
Then with this fatal weakness, the Chief Warden.
Even if she had Rank 9 combat power, the Demon King could not possibly let her go to the front lines to throw her life away!
She was too easily countered and targeted!
The most suitable job for her was to guard the rear of the Demon Realm in a place where she wouldn't encounter handsome human experts.
After that disastrous defeat.
The Chief Warden had also been working hard to cultivate and adapt to fighting without sight.
As long as she closed her eyes.
Although she would lose a large part of her combat power, she would have no weaknesses.
The current Chief Warden would not lose even if she encountered a handsome Rank 8 Holy Knight.
Because she had already learned how to fight without her eyes.
“It's still Zhuge Clay's big fault…”
Dekan covered his forehead.
This guy Clay was a real saboteur when he messed up!!
If they had known this information earlier.
They wouldn't have had to almost empty their card library before realizing the Chief Warden's weakness!
But seeing how reliable Clay was on the ninth level, Dekan didn't know what to say to Clay anymore.
Such a strange man, Dekan had never seen another one.
At the same time, Dekan also finally completely understood the true mechanism of this level.
The final level tested not only strength but also the overall advantage the jailer had gained in the previous eight levels.
If a jailer could obtain high-priced information with a great advantage in the five non-eviction zones above and connect them.
They would deduce that the Chief Warden's weakness was her inability to resist handsome men.
Then there would be no need to force their way through.
Instead, they could choose to use tactics, inducing or forcing the Chief Warden to remove her faceplate blindfold.
Then, by disguising themselves as handsome men, they could naturally catch the Chief Warden off guard, when her attacks were restrained, and seize the opportunity to escape.
But here came the problem.
If it was a jailer who challenged normally.
They could use this method to greatly reduce the difficulty of clearing the ninth level.
But the problem now was.
Dekan and the others' mission objective was for everyone to escape.
Even if Cloix could use 【Forced Dispel】 to remove Dekan's 【Blood Mimicry】 and turn Dekan back into his human male form.
There was no way to disguise Cornelia and the Saintess of Darkness as men for a while.
PART 2
There was no disguise artist here.
Even if the Saintess of Darkness really had this acrobatic skill, she was the type who would not cooperate at all.
So under the Chief Warden's "gender distinction" mechanism, the presence of two females in the team became the most difficult point to clear this level.
Once they tried to escape.
The Chief Warden would not prioritize attacking Clay and the others, but would focus all her attacks on instantly killing Cornelia and the Saintess of Darkness.
With the Chief Warden in her eye-opening state, the four of them simply could not hold her off.
And the most crucial point was that due to the previous lack of information, they had already missed the perfect opportunity.
The best opportunity to deal with the Chief Warden was a first-encounter kill.
In the end, when all their cards were played and their spells were broken by the Chief Warden, they would have no way to fight.
Now.
In order to test out the information.
They had paid too great a price.
The countermeasure cards that could have a tactical effect on the Chief Warden had basically all been used and broken.
Once the seals on her sight, hearing, and smell were broken by the Chief Warden, these magics would no longer be effective against her.
A dead end was approaching.
“Hehe, now that you know her weakness, so what?”
The Saintess of Darkness sneered twice, taunting Dekan.
The Saintess of Darkness, who had been knocked unconscious by them, had regained consciousness amidst the fierce and continuous sounds of battle.
Seeing that this group of people was actually fighting with the Chief Warden, the Saintess of Darkness was just gloating.
Anyway, this group of people just wanted to take her to another demon's den.
Besides returning her to the human kingdom, this group of people could take her to any hellish place.
She did not even want to leave this Demon Realm Prison anymore.
So, this group of people being blocked by the Chief Warden, a case of demons fighting among themselves, was naturally something the Saintess of Darkness was happy to see.
Even though her body was still paralyzed and unable to move, and she could not understand the abstract conversation between Dekan and Cornelia, she had also guessed the Chief Warden's weakness from the situation just now.
And she had analyzed the current situation—
This group of people was about to lose. As long as they still wanted to take her with them, it was almost impossible to break out!
“Heh.”
Dekan couldn't be bothered with the Saintess of Darkness, and shook his head with a confident smile.
“Just watch. How could I not have anticipated this situation?”
Afterward.
Dekan actually prioritized purchasing some strange supplies from the third level's special delivery at the portal.
Cornelia also understood how to help Dekan.
She tacitly began to move these supplies to the entrance of the barrier.
Saintess of Darkness: “???”
Although she had been in a daze on the eighth level, she was aware that this group of people had discussed tactics for a long time.
But it couldn't be that they had even considered this situation, right?
What on earth is in your head?
Are you guys trying to say that "as long as the imagination is strong enough, you can achieve perfect planning through exhaustive methods"?
And what on earth are you planning to do with these bizarre props you bought?!
The Saintess of Darkness wanted to complain but stopped. She gradually felt unable to understand.
Just as the Saintess of Darkness was bewildered.
Dekan, with the help of the super porter Cornelia, had finally prepared everything.
And soon, he finally stepped out of the safe zone again.
He fearlessly joined the battlefield once more.
Dekan looked at the battlefield in the distance.
The Chief Warden had already succeeded in breaking several spells at this time.
But the Chief Warden was no longer a match for these three people.
She indeed had a major problem.
After opening her eyes, she was completely unable to harm handsome men, and would even become infatuated with them, mesmerized by them.
Her halberd was about to pierce Clay's chest, but she would stop her hand and look at Clay with some heartache.
Then the Chief Warden closed her eyes in conflict.
After closing her eyes, although she could kill the energy-body-like enemies in her magic detection, with her sight lost and her combat power decreased, she would be held back by this unconventional warrior-priest-mage combination.
However.
The moment the Chief Warden saw Dekan leave the safe zone, she charged towards Dekan crazily.
“How dare you run out!”
In her opinion.
Dekan's actions were undoubtedly a death wish!
“Use plan 42, branch 1!”
Dekan showed no signs of panic and instructed the three on the battlefield.
The three of them responded in unison. They, who were already chasing behind the Chief Warden, rushed towards Dekan with all their might.
Although the three men in a hundred-meter race could not possibly outrun the Chief Warden.
But at this time.
The Chief Warden, who had sight and visual judgment.
Could be controlled by the 【Captain De’erkan】 Gray Demon Miss type!
Even if the Chief Warden's hatred for Dekan was not deep, after all, Dekan was the sinister support who had tormented her for a while.
He could control her for a second or two.
Soon, the Chief Warden was controlled.
But also because the hatred was not enough.
Dekan could not achieve continuous control through 【Captain De’erkan】.
He could only intermittently give the Chief Warden some interference.
However, just this brief opportunity was enough.
The interfered Chief Warden was caught up to by the three of them.
To the Chief Warden's surprise.
These three people did not try to block her.
Instead, they surpassed her.
Their target was actually to reach Dekan's side first.
“No matter what tricks you're playing! You can't escape anymore!”
The Chief Warden finally broke free from the control and roared.
She started to charge towards Dekan again.
Even if someone blocked for Dekan, she would bypass them and kill this succubus!
“Good thing I have you, my old trump card.”
Dekan calmly looked at the spell card 【Solar Flare】 in his hand and said.
This spell card, which Dekan had developed himself, he had been saving and had not used it.
It could still be effective against the Chief Warden at least once!
Knowing what Dekan was about to do, all the team members closed their eyes.
The ninth level turned into a world of light.
“Ah ah!”
The Chief Warden was obviously also momentarily blinded by this super flashbang.
This spell, besides interfering with vision, was more about messing with one's mentality!
Although she temporarily lost her sight, after a brief pause, she charged forward regardless.
At the same time, she tried hard to blink her eyes, and her vision, which had been shaken by the flash, was gradually recovering.
Now, 【Solar Flare】 had also been successfully analyzed by her.
It would no longer be effective against her.
She was also sure that this group of people had probably used up most of the spells they could use.
The situation had become one-sided.
Now.
When she reached Dekan's side in her full state with her eyes open, it would be Dekan's death!
And those two human female prisoners hiding behind the safe zone.
Were just fish in a barrel.
As long as the Demon King returned, he would naturally grab them from the safe zone!
It seemed these guys still had the delusion of making a final gamble.
Then let her see what other methods they had to turn the tide!
…
In the real world's broadcast hall.
“I can't see! What's happening!”
“This is almost a dead end, right? Their spell card library is basically empty. They can't win with just summon cards and equipment cards, let alone taking away Cornelia and the Saintess of Darkness!”
“Just pass this last level and it's over! Go for it!”
The audience's shouts rose and fell.
At this most critical moment of the Rank 7 Shadow World.
Dekan's small team was in a desperate situation.
The longer the battle with the Chief Warden, the more disadvantageous it became.
If they couldn't seize the opportunity before the complete collapse, there would be no room for recovery.
And now, overall, Dekan and the others had lost a great opportunity due to the lack of information.
The situation was on the verge of collapse.
Some viewers had already figured out the Chief Warden's weakness.
And some people who were proficient in "Deke-nese" had translated the conversation between Dekan and Cornelia.
But they all knew.
No one would have guessed in this direction for such a ridiculous weakness of the Chief Warden!
In addition, they had to achieve the two harsh conditions of rescuing the Saintess of Darkness and having everyone escape, which increased the difficulty of the ninth level countless times.
A mechanism that could have been used has now become a burden.
It seemed they only had one possible way to win.
And that was to kill the Chief Warden.
But now it seemed.
They, who had almost emptied their card library, could no longer win against the Chief Warden.
However.
The challenger was Dekan.
So for some strange reason, it always felt like there was still a chance…
After all, Dekan could always come up with something creative.
Because Dekan, in order to hide his own response habits, had not chosen to start a live broadcast for the audience to see when he was arranging his tactics earlier.
So the audience didn't know if Dekan had a response plan.
For a moment, they couldn't think of how Dekan could save the situation.
Even if Dekan really had a way.
There was only one chance left.
To win against the Chief Warden, they had to win this wave!
…
The ninth level prison dojo.
The dazzling light that had turned the entire prison level into pure white finally faded completely.
The Chief Warden opened her eyes while sensing the enemy's position through magic detection.
She felt her shaky vision gradually becoming clearer.
However.
Chief Warden: “…?”
She found that the entrance of the portal at this time had become completely different from before.
In the dim dojo, there was actually an area filled with warm tones and bright light.
A pleasant fragrance wafted from that direction.
And unlike the relatively simple dojo, a rather gorgeous carpet had been laid on the ground at the entrance of the portal.
At the end of the carpet was a luxurious sofa, a low long table, and many decorations.
The scene before her was somewhat similar to the style of the third level's 【Demon King Granted Restaurant】.
It was just more exaggerated, more gorgeous.
It was all because of the champagne tower on the gorgeous and wide low table in front of the sofa.
A pyramid several layers high was built with tall, slender tulip-shaped champagne glasses.
It perfectly brought out the elegance of the champagne while preserving its bubbles and aroma.
“This, this is…?”
Before she could express her confusion, the next second, the Chief Warden was shocked by a scene even more eye-catching than this scene of debauchery.
She saw the four people who had just been fighting with her.
Now they had all changed into a new set of handsome and dashing clothes.
They even looked quite elegant.
They stood in two lines and politely gestured to the Chief Warden, inviting her to take a seat on this luxurious sofa that was exclusively for her.
“You! You!! What on earth are you doing!!!”
The Chief Warden's expression and trembling voice could not hide the turmoil raging in her heart like a tidal wave.
Out of her duty as the Chief Warden, she desperately controlled her feet to take two steps back.
She wanted to close her eyes and not be bewitched by this terrifying illusion.
But she tried repeatedly and only managed to squint, unable to bring herself to close her eyes completely.
As she struggled.
A handsome young man with pearly wood-colored hair had a faint smile on his lips, with danger hidden deep in his pupils. He looked directly at the Chief Warden and said to her:
“Miss, would you like to have a drink with us? We won't wait for you if you're late.”
And before the Chief Warden could shake her head, a gentle and elegant young man with no sense of threat said to her in a calm tone:
“You must be tired. You can sit down and have a good rest.”
The next second.
A black-haired young man with a wild look in his eyes looked quite impatient, raised his chin slightly, and said domineeringly:
“Gorgeous, rational, and moving female demon, I permit you to come to my side.”
In the process of the Chief Warden's growing panic, she had overlooked a problem.
The little succubus from before had disappeared.
The 【Blood Mimicry】 on his body had been dispelled by 【Forced Dispel】.
At this time, there was an additional beautiful boy with gray hair and blue eyes. He had a business-like smile on his face, but there was no smile in his eyes. His tone was polite with a hint of disgust:
“Whether you come over or not, at least please stay away from me.”
As the words of the few people fell.
The Chief Warden seemed to have completely lost her composure.
“Ah… ah…”
The Chief Warden's eyes widened, her face was flushed, and she began to breathe rapidly.
“What kind of illusion is this!!”
Although reason told her that she absolutely could not go along with this absurd scene.
But it was as if there was an irresistible instinct that made her want to sit on that sofa and have a drink and a chat with these handsome men of different styles, even if it meant death!
“Waah!!”
In the end.
The Chief Warden still could not resist the temptation and rushed forward regardless.
At some point just now, a feeling of reason snapping had surged in her mind.
She knew someone had cast a spell on her.
But she no longer had the mind to analyze this spell!
She just wanted to get drunk today and not have to face her secret love in her dreams!!!
“Hmph hmph.”
The last gray-haired, blue-eyed boy, who had gone around behind the sofa and pushed out a small trolley carrying poisoned wine, finally could not help but reveal a little devil-like smile.
“Welcome to the Demon King Granted Restaurant—Ninth Level Branch.”