[Now then… Let’s go, Slei.]

On horseback, Eve held the reins with one hand.

She holds a bow with the other.

There’s also her quiver on her back.

[I’m also quite confident with my skills with the bow. Well, it’s still far from reaching Seras’ skill.]

Her sword has been sheathed beside Slei for the time being.

Incidentally, the harnesses such as the reins were handmade by Seras.

It seems that she has made something like that before back in the Elves’ country.

As for Seras…

“These were just something simple we could use for the meantime.”

She was pretty humble when she said that, but it looks good enough for me.

I gently stroked Slei’s flank, who was currently turned into her third form, a huge black horse.

[I’ll be relying on you.]

Slei quietly nodded.

Then, I spoke to Eve.

[If that thing judges something “has an intention to attack”, then you would have certainly fulfilled our goal. However—]

Eve sticks out her hand that was holding her bow.

It’s like she told me to stop.

[You don’t need to say anything anymore.  I know how dangerous it will be.]

Seras stepped forward for a bit.

[It may only help just a bit, but I will also support you with my wind spirit and increase your speed. I could only turn the wind to your favor though.]

[Umu, that would be thankful.]

[Well, I’ve already told you about it before but— Are you ready, Pigimaru?]

[Pii!]

My preparations were already in place.

All that’s left is…

[……………..]

Whether that thing would “bite” or not.

△

I had a lot of free time while we’re walking through the Demon Zone.

I often want to make use of those spare times.

For example, verifying the skill <Freeze>.

I’ve also been learning some combat techniques from Seras and Eve.

However, I was also spending some time doing other things.

Like the combination technique with Pigimaru.

I spent some time for further verification and experimentation.

The battle against the Black Dragon Knights.

The battle against the Ashinto.

My Abnormal State Skill has a bottleneck that limits me from casting it to enemies out of my range.

The combination technique with Pigimaru completely fills up this hole.

Is there any better way for me to use this technique?

During my spare time like when we were taking a break in our travels through the Demon Zone, I was spending my time verifying and experimenting.

▽

—————–wriggle, wiggle——————

I weaved together several of Pigimaru’s tentacles that sprung out of my back into one.

What I’ve learned through verification and experiments was the effects of bundling multiple tentacles into one.

The ease of controlling these tentacles have remarkably improved.

The one with the greatest improvement would be its speed.

This is comparably better when I only have one target.

However, just having this wouldn’t decide whether I could beat that Human-Faced.

But if we could push through that one opening—

[I would be able to reach that thing.]

Stomp!

Vigorously kicking off the ground, Slei leapt.

With a loud neigh, she leapt off towards the slope of the ruins.

That neigh is to attract the attention of the Human-Faced.

With an earth-shattering speed, Slei galloped on the slanted surface.

While still on horseback, Eve began preparing her bow.

Eve was releasing enough fighting intent.

Or rather, with the right timing, Eve could even attack with an arrow.

[…………………]

However, her stance didn’t break even when she’s in an unbalanced situation.

Or rather…

[—-She’s really fast.]

I could hear some awe from Seras’ voice.

However, I am no longer looking towards Slei.

Based on the sound of hooves that reached my ears, I could only imagine how fast they were and their appearance while they ran.

The others probably couldn’t take their eyes on them right now.

And it’s all so that the others don’t overlook them at that moment.

Then…

[Muu!? Muu! Muu! Muumuuumuuuuuuu~! Muuuuuuuuuuuunnnnnnnnnnnn!]

——————–It moved.

Aiming towards Slei and Eve’s direction, the Human-Faced moved.

It happened.

The opening that we need.

As a matter of course, I will not overlook that opening.

——–rrruummmbbbllleeee, whooossshhh——–

Almost reflexively, the Pigimaru’s dark colored tentacles launched itself.

[——Ahhh! Ahaaaahhhhhhaaa!? Hiiiiiieeeeeeeeehhhhh!]

The Human-Faced seems to have noticed our movements.

It just noticed us.

The Human-Faced abruptly stops and spat out large amounts of really fast tentacles from the faces with sewn eyes.

Just like an explosion, the Human-Faced’s tentacles spread out.

However…

It’s already too late.

We’ve grasped it—– we got through.

It’s finally within my range.

[——–<Paralyze>———-]

——-crraaaccckllleee, ccrrraaacckkk———

[Muuu…….muumuuu… muuuugggggiiiieehh…. iiiiieeeeh….]

Plunk!

A drop of sweat ran down to my chin.

And I exhaled.

The breathing that I’ve been holding in finally comes back.

[It seems we barely… made it through… somehow…]

It appears that they’ve carried it out just as we planned.

□

There is one important point in this attack.

The key factor to subjugating it would be “a certain nature” of the Human-Faced.

Immediately after releasing her second arrow, Seras realized that sense of discomfort that she felt.

That’s also when I found out.

The first arrow was knocked down to the ground from the front.

And then, the second arrow was knocked down while it’s shot from just outside its range.

“Slurrrppp—- Splash!”

At that time, the Human-Faced moved.

After moving, it spat out its tentacles to attack us.

That’s right…

–that’s while it’s not moving.

–only after it moved.

The point is that the Human-Faced can’t spat out its tentacles and attack us “only until after it moved”.

That is to say, an opening would be created only while it’s “moving”.

That was that thing’s opening that we will take advantage of.

And even if I increase the speed of Pigimaru’s tentacles by weaving them into one, if it weren’t for the opening in that moment, it would be impossible to catch him within the range of my <Paralyze>.

Therefore, we first have to make it move from its place.

In other words, it was necessary to make it “attack after moving”.

However, that thing didn’t respond when we tried luring it into moving with the third arrow.

It had judged that arrow as fake.

As a result, I had to rely on Slei and Eve as they take the role of a decoy.

However…

▽

[With Slei and Eve still safe, I was able to paralyze it…]

One after another, we began going down the staircase.

[This time… if someone asked me if I could have done this alone, it would be quite difficult.]

As I walked in front of the Human-Faced, I looked closely at its face that had turned pale and I could see anguish from its face.

Though it had turned pale, it still had that smile on its face.

Geez.

I can’t even get a laugh out of it.

I held out my hand.

[<Berserk>]

Paralysis and Berserk.

In terms of its properties, this could also be a certain kill combination.

[Muuu, muuuuoooooo——-]

Guuuuuuuuusssssshhhhhhhhhh——!

Just like an enormous geyser, blue blood grandly spouted out towards the sky.

[There’s just one spouting out, so I naturally can’t call this something perfect but… Anyway, this is—-]

With the blue rain behind my back, I turned around towards Seras, Eve and Slei.

And then, I spoke.

[The Golden Demon Zone’s Human-Faced, subjugation complete.]

<Your level has increased.>

<Lv 1797 → Lv 1903>