Chapter 145.2. Tir na nOg
As we advance while looking at the closed doors evenly spaced along the long corridor, we reach a floor resembling an airport inspection area.
There are arched automatic ticket gates with built-in metal detectors. Next to them are inspection desks for placing luggage. However, the guards standing there with the eerie flames flickering in their eye sockets make it quite different from what I've seen at airports before.
[These are prototype Hon'yarara. They lack intelligence and can only perform simple actions. However, their power is genuine, and their combat capabilities are thought to rival those of B-rank entities.]
"They're just grunts meant to subdue unruly individuals. They're all about toughness and power. Originally, they were meant for apprehending suspicious persons."
Shizuku explains matter-of-factly, without any emotion, while Mufun and Yukihana puff out their chests proudly.
[We named them Proto-Ereleton. That's what we decided to call them. Since we can't say their names.]
"Thanks for the information without triggering any forbidden rules."
Naming them seems to not violate any forbidden rules. Nice one, Shizuku. Are these skeletons using elements?
"But leaving such eerie things in the residential area..."
[The Doctor didn't care about appearances, so his companions would dress them up. Like foxes, cats, and tofu. Unfortunately, they didn't go as far as dressing them up.]
"What's tofu?"
I understand the sentiment behind dressing them up. Seeing such eerie things would likely give you nightmares in the middle of the night.
"They're coming!"
[Accelerator]
The Proto-Ereleton infuses mana into its body, leaving afterimages as it accelerates towards us.
"Mike!"
"Meow~"
The Meow Meow Squad gathers together and approaches the Proto-Ereleton. Despite their attack formation, the Proto-Ereleton focuses mana in its left hand.
"Huh?!"
Mike, sensing danger from its actions, hides in the shadows. While the other Meow Meow Squad tries to attack without concern, the Proto-Ereleton swings its left hand horizontally.
[Flash]
With a sharp sound of air being split, a black trajectory follows the path of the swung hand.
The Meow Meow Squad caught in that trajectory are severed and dissolve away as if melting. Despite being more defensively sturdy than the Armed Shadow Tigers, they're easily dispatched as if they were mere shadows.
[Combat! The Proto-Ereletons I know couldn't use combat or magic!]
"Well, it must have been part of their design. Yukihana and the others have never seen them fight. Selica must have known about this design."
Shizuku says with a surprised expression as she watches, while Yukihana speaks with a bitter face.
The Proto-Ereleton approaches while creating dents in the metal floor. There are still plenty of Nyannyans left, with the Shadow Snake entangling, the Shadow Crow pecking, and the Shadow Tiger and Shadow Cat trying to crush with bites.
[Circle Rush]
Another Proto-Ereleton charges in, rotating its body and using its fists to crush the Nyannyans.
[Accelerator]
[Force Concentration]
However, that was a chance. Yukihana accelerates like a beast and thrusts her fist into its skull. With a crack, a fissure forms in the Proto-Ereleton's skull.
[Dark Tusk]
Miki leaps out from the shadows and extends her sharp dark fangs into the fissure. She then flips upside down, performing a sideways rotation, widening the crack in the Proto-Ereleton's skull and shattering it.
As the shattered black bones fall to the ground, another one flies off with a thud and strikes Miki.
"Mya~!"
Taking a blow that caves in its torso, Mike is slammed onto the floor.
"Get back, Mike!"
I command, and Mike retreats into the shadows for safety. Ignoring the fallen Mike, the Proto-Ereleton continues its attack, kicking toward Yukihana.
"Tch!"
Yukihana crosses her arms to block the attack, but the force pushes her back. The Proto-Ereleton continues its assault, throwing punches and mixing in kicks.
"Is Yukihana-chan going to lose?!"
Facing the relentless assault, Yukihana counters with her own punches against the enemy's punches and kicks with kicks.
The Proto-Ereleton is slightly overwhelmed by her attacks, and its posture falters. Seeing this, Yukihana's eyes gleam with determination.
[Wild Assault]
[Wild Assault]
Yukihana uses her combat skills to generate a gust of wind and deliver a barrage of rapid punches. The Proto-Ereleton, still off balance, uses the same technique.
The sound of meat being vigorously pounded rings out as the two clash. Both sustain damage.
[Massive Dark Lance]
From the side, a jet-black spear resembling a crystal flies in and impales the Proto-Ereleton's torso, shattering it into pieces and splitting its body apart.
With clanking sounds, the Proto-Ereleton, now split into two, falls to the ground, extinguishing the flames in its eye sockets and ceasing its movements.
"To withstand Yukihana-chan's attacks, you must be quite formidable."
Yukihana smiles with a hint of blood flowing from her mouth, wiping it away roughly with her sleeve.
"Make sure to drink a lower-level potion."
Seeing that the damage isn't too severe, I retrieve a lower-level potion from the equivalent exchange store and toss it over. Yukihana obediently gulps it down.
"That thing's ridiculously strong... Huh? What's wrong, Shizuku?"
While looking at the defeated entities, I furrow my brows at their strength, noticing Shizuku's troubled expression. Did something weird happen?
[Proto-Ereletons can't use combat or magic. I have all combat knowledge installed in me. So, I've already assessed the Proto-Ereletons' capabilities. They're not like those with empty heads and energy stored in their chests.]
"Losers with washboard chests often bark the loudest."
Shizuku casually disses Yukihana, who defiantly flaunts her chest with a smirk. On this point, the two will never see eye to eye.
"But isn't this a bad situation?"
[Serika-chan's knowledge might be interfering... It's possible she was developing new Ereletons.]
"That's... quite likely."
If it's her, she might indeed have been developing them. I sigh at the realization that the danger level has skyrocketed. Isn't there a settings screen somewhere to switch to easy mode?
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