Mr Devourer, Please Act Like a Final Boss

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Chapter 24

Rounds of exchanges continued in seconds.

Dominating the battlefield was not about reason but instinct. The chaos of swords and magic was so overwhelming that just tracking with the eyes was enough to make one dizzy. Each fighter’s body moved before their mind, focusing on thrusting, bending, and blocking. If dissected, it was a series of simple choices.

“Hey, isn’t this a bit much?”

And in the midst of it all, not a single attack pierced through Patrick.

Of course, it didn’t mean Patrick had the upper hand in the battle. Despite blocking all the attacks, Patrick was gradually being pushed back.

There was simply no room to find a chance for a counterattack. Attacks were relentless. Whenever there was a moment to find a gap, support attacks from the rear would rain down like a magical storm.

Swordsmanship was a continuous exchange of agreements, where attacks flowed into defenses and defenses immediately turned into attacks. Most of this flow was filled with defense. Even if Patrick occasionally found a gap and countered, the expeditionary force easily evaded the attacks. Patrick’s counterattacks were stiff and lacked the fluidity needed. At the level of the expeditionary force, there was no need to exert too much effort to dodge attacks.

At first, Patrick enjoyed some leisure, but gradually his words dwindled. After managing to create some distance, short swords with daggers from the left and rear targeted Patrick. Patrick quickly turned his sword, barely blocking the attacks. Although it was supposed to be perfect defense, one attack was missed, heading towards Patrick’s left shoulder.

Thunk!

A harsh impact echoed from Patrick’s right hand. The monk’s fist, which was aiming for Patrick’s shoulder, barely stopped when it reached Patrick’s right hand. The touching fists of Patrick and the monk trembled simultaneously.

At that moment, a sword traced a short path, heading towards the chest. This time, Patrick didn’t block the attack but took it directly.

Patrick, after grabbing Tanabella and lifting it high, slammed it onto the ground. Tanabella, deeply embedded in the ground, unleashed a powerful shockwave. The expeditionary members, who were preparing for the next attack in an unprotected stance, momentarily lost their balance.

A sudden small ‘opening.’

Taking advantage of it, Patrick, who rushed towards the inspector, swung Tanabella’s massive wing down onto the expeditionary member’s right hand. The monk’s right hand, severed cleanly as if a head was being cut off, fell to the ground. Patrick, who received the next blow without blocking it, grabbed Tanabella high and impaled the sword into the ground after hitting the inspector. Tanabella, deeply embedded, sent a resounding boom echoing through the cave. The expedition members, who were in a vulnerable position preparing for the next strike, swayed as their center was suddenly lost.

Patrick, who had been gradually pushed back, turned the tide of the battle with a well-timed maneuver.

“Ha.”

Rushing forward with all his might, Niphrim, after swinging Patrick away, let out a breath. Patrick, who immediately grabbed his sword and stood up, had a rather joyful expression. Admiration echoed through the cave walls, reverberating several times.

“Impressive. It’s amazing how much power can come from such a small frame.”

“Haha, this is what a Water Moon Knight looks like, amusing. Alright, I should do at least this much.”

“I feel this every time, but dealing with multiple opponents at once is indeed challenging. It’s not like I’m asking them to come out one by one, but… maybe we started this the wrong way. It would have been much easier if we had taken out around three of them at the beginning.”

Saying so, Patrick once again lifted Tanabella.

“Well, anyway, it seems like I’m going to win.”

With only one arm severed, Patrick declared with a triumphant voice. He immediately leaped into the forefront of the expeditionary force. Breaking through the magical barrier that unfolded before him, he aimed his sword at the location of the monk. The monk, who was about to counter after dodging, suddenly realized something and hastily evaded. Another shockwave erupted as Tanabella struck the ground.

“You have good judgment.”

A mocking or praising remark slipped from Patrick’s lips.

Two spells flew towards Patrick. Just two. Patrick, bending his body to easily evade them, picked up a stone and threw it in the direction where the spells came from. With a loud thud, one of the mages fell backward. Seizing the opportunity amidst the chaotic front, Patrick immediately adjusted his stance and leaped towards the next target.

“See, I told you I’d win.”

The tide of the battle naturally shifted.

After exchanging blows hundreds of times, Patrick found a gap. This gap created a change. It wasn’t a gap formed by the inspectors, but rather a hole created by the absence of rear support fire—magic support.

Hundreds of branches of magic shrapnel that were initially dividing were now merely pouring down in a few streams.

The magical support from the mages was gradually diminishing. It was an undeniable sign that their magical power was depleting.

The eyes of the Death Knight, wielding a hefty greatsword, gleamed in Patrick’s direction.

Niphrim and Patrick’s gazes met. Without hesitation, they rushed forward. The ‘gap’ had already emerged. Even facing several opponents at once, if there was a gap, it could be exploited.

In Patrick’s eyes, the Paimour Raid Force was led by Niphrim, the leader of the expedition. Niphrim served as the spiritual anchor of the expeditionary force. If he were to fall, humans would be instantly demoralized.

As Patrick rushed forward, a large shield blocked his path. Maintaining the momentum from the previous leap, he forcefully tripped the shield bearer and then skillfully sliced through the muscles of an approaching rogue. After delivering a punishing blow to the rogue writhing in pain, Patrick turned towards Niphrim.

“Well, that was quite enjoyable.”

Clang!

Sparks flew as their blades clashed, and under the impact, one inspector couldn’t withstand the force and dropped his sword.

─────Tanabella, who had been knocked away, fell to the ground, wobbling.

The item knocked away was Tanabella.

“Haha, that was close.”

Intermediate magic [Strong Body].

Niphrim grinned.

Intermediate magic [Reading Omens], intermediate magic [Light Feathers], intermediate magic [Step of Silence], intermediate magic [Boiling Blood], intermediate magic [Bone Ashes of a Famous Warrior].

Numerous buff spells enveloped Niphrim.

This time, Patrick let out an ‘Ah.’ The countless buff spells that manifested in an instant were undoubtedly accumulated steadily from before. A small gleam in the empty eye sockets targeted the wizards. It was clearly a trick from the female wizard with short green hair and a flipped robe.

The cessation of the magic onslaught wasn’t due to the wizards running out of mana but─

‘You had something else prepared.’

Patrick, turning his head slightly, glanced at where Tanabella had fallen.

Unfortunately, it was an unexpected development. No other celestial beings except Tanabella had been brought along.

Patrick remained silent, shaking his head.

The duration of those buffs isn’t that long. Among buff spells, these are rare ones without significant side effects. So, the buffs would be effective for at least a minute.

─One minute. Just need to endure for one minute.

Having completed his thought, Patrick gritted his teeth. He needed to retrieve Tanabella, whom he had let slip away. After dodging Niphrim’s attack by leaning backward, Patrick sprinted towards Tanabella. The distance wasn’t too far. He had enough time, more than enough to get it.

Low-level magic [Stiffen].

He should have been able to get it easily.

For a very brief moment, his body froze.

He took another step.

Low-level magic [Stiffen].

He froze again. Maintaining the same posture, Patrick’s neck twisted eerily. A grinding sound echoed as bones rubbed against each other. Patrick’s gaze focused on Sylvia, the girl with short green hair. When Sylvia, seemingly unafraid, stared back with her cold eyes, Patrick’s neck twisted even more grotesquely.

Low-level magic [Stiffen], [Stiffen], [Stiffen], [Stiffen], [Stiffen], [Stiffen], [Stiffen], [Stiffen], [Stiffen], [Stiffen], [Stiffen].

In no time, every wizard in the expeditionary force blocked Patrick’s movements.

As if overloaded, Patrick’s body squeaked. Amidst the numerous resistances, the sound of bones being ground and worn out echoed as Patrick forcefully took steps forward. It seemed like time was moving slowly just for him. Stiffen, move. Stiffen again, move again. Repeat and repeat.

In a situation where the invisible chains seemed to wrap around him, defying fate, Patrick stretched his arm with great effort. The distance between him and Tanabella was just as much as the width of a palm─

It got a little closer. With a bit more effort, he could reach her with outstretched arms.

And just before his arm touched Tanabella─

Thunk.

A chilly sensation pierced through Patrick’s spine.

Patrick turned his neck. Right behind him, Niphrim, who had thrust a sword into Patrick’s back, met eyes with him.

“Who said who’s going to win?”

“Well, it’s my principle.”

With a chilling madness in their eyes, they stared at each other─

Niphrim pulled out the sword that pierced Patrick’s armor. Thunk. He stuck the sword into another area. Thunk. Pulled it out again and stuck it into a different area. Thunk. Again into another area. He thrust the sword dozens of times into Patrick’s body.

Until right before the buffs ended. After thrusting the sword consecutively numerous times, finally turning Niphrim’s armor into a spider’s web, Niphrim breathed heavily. Patrick, now motionless, collapsed weakly on his knees. When Niphrim completely pulled out the sword that turned Patrick into a battered mess, Patrick knelt with no strength left. Holding the sword above Patrick’s head, Niphrim crossed a final powerful blow.

Like an executioner.

“Die.”

With a brief word, the last strike, meant to conclude the battle, was─

“Ha.”

Empty.

“Hahaha.”

So anticlimactic.

“Ah, that was fun. Really fun. I immersed myself in the acting this time.”

His palm, now nothing but bones, meets an unexpected resistance.

Certainly, there’s no way that skeleton is intact.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t intend to joke from the beginning─ No, I’ll stop lying. I did plan to joke from the beginning. I’ve been so bored for these few years. Acting is fine, and I just wanted to experience a crisis. Thanks for playing along.”

“You….”

“It was all a joke from the beginning.”

There was no time to retrieve the sword, take a defensive stance, or even respond a bit.

Before Niphrim could react momentarily, intense pain echoed in his abdomen. His mind became distant. The vision gradually darkened to black. Along with the darkening vision, the hearing slowly dulled. Only Patrick’s last words echoed endlessly in his head, like an endless dream.

How much time had passed? With pain searing through his body, Niphrim slowly opened his eyes.

A cold chill seemed to rise throughout his body, as if he were lying on a cold stone floor. Despite just regaining consciousness, the memories were vivid. The nightmarish last line still lingered in his mind, making it feel like an endless loop.

“Oh, are you up?”

Whispers of the nightmare echoed.

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