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The Gryphon carrying me streaks through the skies above the throng of adventurers and monsters below.
Our destination is the north side of the royal capital.
To the biggest beast of this large-scale dungeon collapse—the Titan.
A giant over fifty meters tall—the Titan—and before it, centered on Almugard, adventurers are holding back the monsters’ advance.
But if the Titan reaches the front lines, it’s not hard to imagine the power balance tipping instantly to the monsters’ side.
“I’ve left enough Shadow on the battlefield. If we can just deal with the Titan, the sheer numbers of Shadows should wipe out the monsters.”
Every time we draw near the Titan, I get the illusion that a real mountain is moving.
I down MP Potions, secure enough MP――and finally we make contact.
“GROOOOOOOOOOAAAR!!!!”
The Titan’s roar.
Just that makes me feel as if birds could be knocked from the sky by the force.
“Gryphon—attack.”
“Kyeee!”
But our Gryphon was also a boss of an A-rank dungeon.
It won’t fall that easily.
The Gryphon flaps its eagle wings and sends a storm of feathers flying.
――Kiin!
“Its surface is as hard as bedrock…”
The Gryphon’s steel feathers, which would pierce a person’s soft skin easily and make them poor for a featherbed.
But they all bounce off without a single one sticking.
“Then use magic attacks.”
The Gryphon next unleashes a Wind-element spell.
However—that too seems to have no effect whatsoever.
“So neither physical nor magical attacks work…?”
“GROOOOOOOOOOAAAR!!!!”
Even if no damage is being inflicted, the noise is still bothersome.
The Titan thrusts its fist toward the Gryphon.
“Kyeee!?!?”
Literally, a bird-dropping-force punch lands on the Gryphon.
One hit reduces the Gryphon’s HP to 0 and it perishes.
“But—thanks to that, I got on.”
Just before the fist reached the Gryphon, I kicked off its back and leapt.
I land on the Titan’s arm.
“To you I might be like an ant… but don’t underestimate ants, got it?”
Suddenly—my shadow spreads out over the Titan.
From there spill forth――countless Shadows.
Not ten or a hundred.
By diving into dungeons daily and steadily accumulating Shadow, and by massively increasing my minions during this collapse, the total exceeds a thousand!
A mass of Shadows crawl up the Titan’s fist, wrist, forearm, biceps, shoulder—climbing.
From afar, the Titan’s right arm would probably look dyed pitch black.
Those with weapons use them; those without use fangs and claws to damage the Titan’s hide.
Many Shadow are shaken off, but those that survive the fall cling to its feet and climb again.
‘However—there still seems to be no damage, doesn’t there?’
“If I’d known, I should’ve brought the heavy-hitter Shadow too.”
Powerful Shadows like Minotaur, Windine, and Dullahan were left near the royal capital to support the adventurers.
The only remaining heavy-hitter Shadow is the Gryphon; the rest are mere grunts.
To hurt the Titan, it seems we have to land one huge blow.
“Gryphon—come!”
I spend 1000 MP to resummon the Gryphon that perished by the Titan’s fist.
I land on its back midair, mount it, and steer the Gryphon under the Titan’s legs.
I ready a blade whose edge gleams crimson—the cursed blade 《Dread’s Crimson Moon》.
According to Ekarraat, this cursed blade shows its true value when soaked in blood.
Its power has been proven—enough to lay Vanargand to rest.
“First I’ll cripple its legs and stop it moving!”
I draw the blade across the inside of my elbow, coat it in blood—and drive it into the Titan’s ankle!
“《Moon-Annihilating Cleave (Immortal Blood Pain)》!”
――But.
――Kiin!
It feels like striking a thick slab of rock and being repelled.
I aimed for the Achilles tendon, but there’s no sign its stride has been impeded.
“It’s too hard, right!?”
As expected of a cursed blade, 《Dread’s Crimson Moon》 has no nicks, but if even my maximum force can’t wound it, we need to rethink the plan.
“GROOOOOOOOOOAAAR!!!!”
The Titan emits a deafening roar—and the rocky surface of its body bubbles up and swells.
“What the hell was that…!?”
The raised areas become sharp rock—and it dons spiky rock armor over its body like an enraged hedgehog.
Then countless spikes are fired out—in all directions!
“It can use Earth-element magic attacks too!?”
“Gryphon! Curl your wings and block the incoming rocks!”
“Kyeee!!”
The Gryphon uses its rigid feathers to stop the Titan’s ranged attack.
However—the spiked rocks pierce the Gryphon’s wings easily and, without losing momentum, impale the Gryphon’s face!
“Kyeee!?!?”
The Gryphon perishes for the second time today.
As it disperses into black mist, I’m thrown into the air and begin to fall.
“Tch! Resummoning heavy-hitters eats MP, so I don’t want to do it much…!”
That said, it’s impossible to challenge a massive giant without a Gryphon capable of high-speed flight.
I spend MP and resummon it.
I replenish MP with potions and resummon the Shadows that were largely perished by the earlier magic attack.
The Shadows bravely cling to the Titan, but still it doesn’t look like they’re doing any damage.
“Even if they respawn infinitely, at this rate they’re only buying time—can’t Ekarraat’s attack do something?”
‘If even 《Dread’s Crimson Moon》 couldn’t wound it—then even I couldn’t do it. My proud claws would chip away.’
Damn… what should I do.
Think.
Think.
Think.
“……..”
“Have you come up with any good ideas?”
“—Two, I think.”
But to do that, we need to stop that thing—the Titan—from moving.
While I’m wondering how to stop it――
――DOGOooooooooon!!!!
“GROOOOOOOOOOAAAR!?!?”
――――A tremendous impact rings out from the Titan, and for some reason the Titan screams and drops to one knee.
“What happened!?”
With only grunt Shadow lacking their heavy hitters, no matter how many band together, they can’t possibly make the Titan cry out.
I watch the Titan’s feet intently from atop the Gryphon.
Then—I find it.
An adventurer in full ebony-colored full mail, surrounded by countless Shadows yet charging without fear, swinging a giant blade better described as a sheet of steel than a greatsword.
“Sid! Now!”
――Humanity’s strongest.
――Almugard Eldorado.
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