[…….Fuuu, you really are a strange man. Not only were you composed in front of that Human-Faced, you even look happy for some reason.]

“U- Umu…” Eve growled.

[However, I could now understand the reason why you said that the Human-Faced’s attack won’t reach where we are. Nevertheless, that only tells us that we’re safe as long as we stay here. Unless we can figure out a way to beat that thing, we can’t move away from here.]

Eve’s words were plausible.

I look back into the room where we stayed last night.

[I don’t think we can expect any other escape route.]

There were no hidden doors within that room.

There was only an altar in the innermost part of the room.

Perhaps, this ruins doesn’t have any other roles aside from being used for rituals.

Therefore, it isn’t practical to go back inside and waste our time looking for another escape route.

[Do all of you mind if everyone just lives happily inside that moldy room for a while?]

I joked.

Eve’s ears twitched.

[Mhmm?  Do you mean to wait for that Human-Faced to leave?]

[……Well, we wouldn’t have any problem with food even when this turns into a war of attrition.]

We still have the food sent by my leather bag.

It would send us some once a day.

That food could then be shared with everyone.

With that, I think it would be possible to survive for a fairly long time.

[Though I say that, I don’t intend to do such a thing. I would be troubled if that as*hole conveniently dies with ease.]

I didn’t tell Eve about my revenge.

Therefore, I blurred some information with what I said.

Seras who was holding her arms to lighten up her nervousness, unassumingly raised her hand.

[Umm, how about using that combination ability you used before with Pigimaru-dono?]

[Pii.]

Pop!

Pigimaru’s protrusion popped out from under my robe.

I lightly pat the tip of the protrusion.

[Pyyuuuu~♪]

[Even if I use the combination ability that I used on those battles against the Black Dragon Knights and the Ashinto— I would probably lose against that thing in terms of speed. All of Pigimaru’s protrusion would end up just getting knocked down.]

On those two battles, I had the element of surprise.

On the other hand, I can’t make use of the element of surprise in our current situation.

Also, I doubt that I could even match the speed of the attack of its tentacles with my Paralyze.

If those tentacles were parts of the Human-Faced, it may be enough range for my Paralyze to reach.

I could set my skill to match with the tentacles that are going to approach when it attacks.

However, even the “return” of those tentacles were extraordinarily fast.

It’s the so-called super fast hit and away tactics.

The tentacles would have probably ran away from my range even before I could finish saying “Paralyze”.

The speed may have dropped sharply just before it is stored in the mouths of the faces with sewn eyes.

At that time though, my Abnormal State Skills won’t reach it anymore…

The opponent’s movement is even faster than the time it takes for me to fulfill the activation condition of speaking the name of my skill.

I also had the same problem back when I’m facing the Soul Eater.

That was my bottleneck at that time.

I’ve already had it in mind when I mentioned “losing in terms of speed” earlier.

The point is…

[The opponent doesn’t have any gaps.]

Yes, it is necessary for us to make a gap first.

With a meek expression on her face, Seras put her white hand on her mouth.

[Hmm… A gap huh…]

[Seras.]

[Eh? What is it?]

[Could you prepare your bow and arrows?]

[—Acknowledged.]

Seras started preparing her bow and arrows.

Eve asked.

[Touka, is she going to shoot arrows again?]

[Well, yeah. However, she will be aiming for another place.]

I point towards a distance a bit away from the Human-Faced.

Finished with her preparations, Seras stepped forward with the bow prepared in her hands.

[I’m going to shoot towards that place, right?]

[I’m not going to give any signal this time. I will leave the timing to you.]

[Understood.]

Seras draws her bow to the limit.

[……………..]

No matter how many times I look at it, just the act of drawing her bow makes her look like she’s really in a painting.

In other words, her form was that beautiful.

There wasn’t any distortion in her movements.

Is it the characteristic of elves who are good with bow and arrows?

Or perhaps, is it the result of having a personality that doesn’t have any distortion?

It’s a big difference from me who is already distorted.

In the next moment…

Whizz!

The arrow has been released.

Swwoooppp—- Smasshhhh!

The arrow was shattered into pieces again.

[………….Heeeeh.]

When the Human-Faced first shattered the arrow with its tentacles, I had estimated its range based on what I see.

And the place where I told her to fire her arrow this time is outside its range.

How would it react with such an action?

The Human-Faced responded to the flying arrow, slightly moving from where it stood before crushing the arrow.

It doesn’t seem like it would just remain sitting there.

And, there’s one more thing I wanted to check—

[Good, good… It has moved from its place.]

The speed of its movement.

We’ve yet to see the Human-Faced itself move from its place.

Would it be quick?

Or would it be slow?

I wanted to know about this.

And…

[It seems just outrunning it would also be difficult…]

Even with its large body, it’s unpleasantly fast.

If it were slow on its feet, we could have just escaped.

Or perhaps, we could even easily use something as a decoy.

[As expected of the Human-Faced… It has specs that fits its reputation as the most frightening monster. However…]

When it moved, something delayed it.

“Something” that could potentially be a clue to killing the Human-Faced.

I placed my hand over my mouth.

My index finger crisply moved.

What could it be?

What is it that delayed it?

I need to remember.

The moment when the Human-Faced moved and attacked…

[———–I see.]

Now, I understand.

I found it— the chance that I need.

Seras gazed at the tentacles of the Human-Faced.

Pondering, she murmured.

[That time when it struck that arrow just now… Something’s different from the first one, something out of place…]

As expected of the well-known Princess Knight.

It seems Seras also didn’t overlook “that moment”.

[Seras.]

Looking at the tentacles returning back to the mouths of the faces with sewn eyes, I said.

[Your hunch is right.]

I pick up a pebble near my feet.

And then, vigorously threw the stone in its direction.

When that pebble hit the surface of the stairway, it bounced a bit before falling.

[Eh?]

Baffled, Seras frowned.

[It didn’t move this time……?]

The Human-Faced didn’t even react towards the flying stone.

[Muumuuu…. Muuuuunnnn…. mmuuuuu…]

It was just groaning creepily like before.

[I see. If it’s too far from its tentacles, it won’t react huh.]

It won’t just reflexively react to every single thing by hitting it with its tentacle huh.

Or is it because I don’t really have the intention of attacking it with the stone before?

After it ascertained the intent, it would then possibly decide whether to move or not.

If that is so, it is necessary for us to make a move that it could determine as an “attack”.

[Pigimaru.]

[Pigii!]

Instructing Pigimaru, we started our preparations.

[Touka-dono? As I thought… You’re going to use that power?]

————Crreeeeaaaakkkkk—————

[I certainly won’t be able to win against it if I did the same thing I did in those battles against Civit and the Ashinto. However… After I saw the Human-Faced’s movement earlier, I thought of a means through this.]

Troublesome attacks seem to be meaningless against the Human-Faced.

Therefore, this battle would be settled in just a really short time.

————Crreeeeaaaakkkkk—————

As long as I could see the bright light of victory, I no longer need to be stingy with my methods anymore.

The turning point of this match is in just a moment—

[Mhmm… This form, I’ve only heard of it from Seras before but…]

[Hmm? Ah, speaking of which, this should be the first time Eve had seen our combination technique huh.]

[U- Umu. Is it alright to say that this form is a fusion of humans and monsters… I see. So this is the power that has destroyed that Ashinto?]

[Rather than fusion, it feels more like a “connection”. Well… I also feel like this looks like a fusion.]

————Crreeeeaaaakkkkk—————

Alright.

Preparations complete.

[Seras, can I ask you to shoot your arrow over there again?]

[Once more? Understood.]

Seras takes out an arrow from the quiver on her shoulder.

I then went close to her ear.

[Could you shoot it just barely outside of its range? I want to make it think that you have the intention of attacking it as much as possible.]

I asked with a whisper.

Just in case that the Human-Faced could understand what it hears.

Preparing her bow, Seras whispers back.

[No problem. So, it would be better if I release my fighting spirit, right? Then, please leave it to me.]

I finished leaving that task to her.

After my signal, Seras would fire an arrow again.

Her target would still be the same place as last time.

Somewhere a little bit out of range from the Human-Faced’s tentacles—–

[!]

Seras became surprised after she shot her arrow.

On the other hand— My attack which had already been prepared also failed.

[Pii?]

[……It also didn’t move this time huh.]

The first arrow was struck by the tentacle.

However, it didn’t respond to the second arrow.

This b*stard…

[It also decided that it didn’t need to move for this huh.]

It may have sensed that we were trying to infer something.

Unlike the pebble that I’ve thrown before, she should have released her fighting spirit towards that thing…

I see.

This Human-Faced isn’t as thick headed as I thought.

[In the end…]

I looked back— towards Slei behind me.

[From now on, we need to make an “attack worthy to make it take out its tentacles”.]

Not just a fake, but a “real attack”.

It can’t be helped.

At that moment, Slei trotted forward.

[Pakkyyuuu~]

She turned her crystal part that functions as her magic supply towards me.

[…………….]

Wait, don’t tell me…

Did it manage to know what I was planning to do now?

[……Slei, I’m going to apologize for now.]

[Pakyuu!]

Its cry was filled with excitement.

There weren’t any complaints nor fear.

Fuuuuuu…

A small smile spontaneously leaked out.

In this situation, how can it behave like this?

As much as I’m thankful, I kind of dislike how it could have such courage…

The only thing I could see from Slei’s eyes was trust.

That is… absolute trust in me.

[……………..]

Even if it hurts my heart, I don’t have any choice but to rely on Slei.

I turned around.

[Seras, Eve, I am now going to—]

[Touka.]

Eve grabbed my shoulder.

[That role, leave that to me.]

It seems that they’ve also realized what I was thinking.

Eve walked around outside the ruins.

[That guy won’t move with just a half-hearted trick anymore.]

[……Are you sure?]

[Fufu, even so, I was still the person who was once called as the “Strongest” Blood Champion in Monroy. Moreover—]

Eve looked towards Slei.

[I am far more superior to you in handling horses.]

That is… a fact that I can’t refute.

[……It would be dangerous.]

[Fuuuu— Of course, I fully know that. Besides, even you yourself should know about it already. The more you concentrate on that single move of yours, the better our chance of winning will be.]

“Fuuuu….” I exhaled.

[I understand.]

Whether it’s Slei or Eve…

It seems both of their decisions were resolved.

I deepened my connection with Pigimaru once more.

———–Creeeaaakkk, cccrrraaaacccckkkk, Plop———-

I can’t afford to lose the two of them in this place.

Without a doubt.

[Slei, Eve.]

Just like an oath, I said.

[I am also fully resolved.]

I started supplying my magic energy into Slei’s jewel.

This would be a certain kill.

I would kill it without exception.

[——————————–]

Against the Human-Faced, commence attack.