Ch.41 Helper, Players Vs Area Boss. Part 6 《Sakidori Midori》

TL note :

Should've done this ages ago, but I made a separation between Midori's magician and others' magician.

Since Midori's is closer to the ones you see on TV doing magic tricks instead of actual magic, I'm keeping hers as "magician".

Meanwhile, I changed all the others to "mage", since they're using the classic fantasy magic.

This change have been applied retroactively.

Ok, enough about that, let's continue the story, shall we?

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Sakidori Midori's POV

I want to keep using bombs, but it takes 60 seconds for <Replacement Magic> to be usable again.

These bombs are a little heavy and not suitable to throw by hand, so I have to kill time while I wait... I can't just slack off while everyone else is seriously trying to fight the turtle, so I thought.

During the 60 seconds cooldown, I need to deal damage with other attacks.

I take out an ordinary knife from my magic sack, hold it in my hand, and throw it with all my might at the turtle's hind legs.

"No matter how many times I see it, it's just a boomerang"

The thrown knife managed to injure the turtle's leg and then spins back towards me. However, it won't change its shape for ease of catching, so it takes some skill to grab it.

However, since I chose the beastman race, my dynamic vision and physical abilities should be higher than those of other races, making it easier for me to grasp these things than players who chose humans as their race.

Where will the rotating handle come from?

"Yes, catch successful."

This boomerang-like phenomenon isn't caused by a skill, it's caused by a title.

The title is "Welcome to the Guild, Returnee." It's a somewhat irritating title, but if I set it in the title column, there's a moderate chance that anything I throw will come back to me.

However, there is a condition: the thrown object must hit something along the way before it can be returned. According to the explanation, it uses the recoil to return the object.

If I throw it, it will come back. That's all it does, but something this simple can be a powerful effect. There are many uses for it, so I set it quite often. Of course, I didn't set it when I threw the stone, because it would come back.

Then I throw the knife that has returned to my hand again.

If the knife was using recoil, it would have dug into the flesh and not returned, but this turtle's flesh was tough. Therefore, the knife only made a shallow cut and then bounced back.

"This knife is also quite sharp."

I caught the knife as it came back to me, and when I prepared to throw it again, I saw the three players who had withdrawn from the battle.

I wondered if they had recovered properly, and beckoned them over. I also wanted information about the turtle.

As soon as I beckoned, they noticed and came running towards me.

"Ah, you're here. Have you recovered properly?"

The knife I threw on my way here came back to me, so I catch it. And I throw it again, steadily dealing damage even if it's only a small amount.

"Thank you so much for stepping in to help!"

"Really, thank you very much!" "Thank you very much!"

"Well, we should help each other when in trouble."

I know that was a cheesy line, but we're in the same boat when we're in trouble. I get help from someone when I'm in trouble too. This time it was them.

"Thanks to you, all three of us were able to recover our strength."

"That's the best thing. Oh, by the way, there's something I'd like to ask you."

Now that they've recovered safely, we should move on to finding out more about the turtle in question.

So, they told me about the turtle, and I learned three things. These three are the types of attacks it will do.

The first is a bite attack. It's not a fast attack, but once you've been bitten, you would be swung around and it'll do whatever it wants until it lets go. This isn't a problem as long as we're not fighting it head-on.

The second attack is a slash. Its claws glow purple and it fires magic that slices through anyone it hits. It has five toes on its front legs and four on its hing legs, so it's easier to get hit in head-on combat.

The third attack is a beam. It seems to come out of its mouth. It wasn't emitted for a long time, but this long-range attack is also designed for frontal combat.

Perhaps they had no means of attacking enemies to the side or rear, or perhaps they had only ever fought head-on, and so they hadn't even think of that.

"I see. It seems it still has other methods of attack, but I get to hear some of them thanks to you three. Thank you for teaching me."

"No, not at all..."

"Sakidori Midori-san, what should we do now? Should we attack head-on?"

Kaito-san asks me that, but what should we do?

Takemaru simply assigned me the role of guerrilla, and I received no instructions on how to act. All I did was doing whatever I want and attack without any strategy.

It's usually like that when I form a party. Everyone is free to do what they want.

"All I did was just probing around while attacking... I'm sorry, but could you ask Takemaru over there?"

So, if you want to hear instructions, please go to Takemaru.

"Understood"

He said that and tried to leave immediately, so I called out to him to wait.

Thinking about it, I need one more person here to attack with me. If they all go straight to Takemaru and it turns into a frontal battle, I'll have to attack on the right side by myself. Vester-san, who was throwing stones on top of the turtle, has also gone to the front.

Should I go to the front too? No, but if everyone gathers together, there's a chance that we'll all be wiped out by the turtle's attack. I should keep attacking here afterall.

"Um, Mimia is... ah, can I call your name as is?"

"it's okay"

"It's okay to call us like that as well."

"I understand. So, Mimia has a short staff, so you're a mage, right?"

"That's right. Most of the magic I remember is offensive magic."

She had a staff that compensated for things like magical power, so I thought that might be the case and when I asked, it turned out to be true.

I nod, then looks at Mimia and asks if she would like to join me in attacking the turtle over here.

Now that I know some of the turtle's attack methods, I'll try close combat. The sides and back seem safe.

In that case, it would be good if there was someone who could use magic. That's what I somehow thought.

"Um, I understand. Should Onii... Should Shuuto and the others stay here too?"

"No, four people in one place is a lot, and on top of that, this turtle is so big. It's better to spread ourselves out as we're attacking it rather than sticking together, as that will give us more areas to atrack. It's more annoying for the enemy too."

According to Takemaru's instructions, our attacks can be split into 4 or 3 locations. Or at the very minimum 2. The front and this location.

Even if the attacks come from two places, it's unlikely that a turtle could deal with both at the same time. In other words, from the enemy's perspective, while it's dealing with one place, it gets attacked in other place, and when it tries to deal with that, it'll be attacked somewhere else. It's frustrating to be constantly attacked from all over the place. And the longer it continues, the more stressful it becomes.

The scattered attacks also serve as mental attacks.

They say that mental attacks can be more effective than physical attacks.

"I decided this on a whim, but I'd appreciate it if you could attack the turtles here with me, Mimia."

"Yes"

Furthermore, if we are separated into groups of a certain number, we won't all die at once. It's important to avoid any risks that can be avoided.

Surely that turtle doesn't have an area attack, right?

"Well, before we part ways, I'll invite you to our party, would you like to join?"

Saying this, I fiddle with the window and invite the three to the party. A window will now appear in front of them, asking whether they want to accept or not.

Shortly afterwards, their name is added to the party list.

From top to bottom: me, Takemaru, Vester, Shuuto, Kaito, and Mimia.

A party of 6 was formed here.

After joining the party, the two boys exchanged a few words and ran off, heading for the enemy's front side, right where Takemaru was.

"Do you know any buff-type magic?"

After seeing the two of them off, I speak up. It would be handy to have one.

"About 2. I'm still an apprentice, but I'm mainly learning offensive ones."

"By the way, can I ask what those 2 are?"

"They're <Muscle Up Magic> and <Durability Up Magic>"

A spell that increases attack and defense power. I see.

"Can I have that buff applied to me now?"

"Ah, yes. So you're going to attack."

I have been throwing my knife ever since those boys left though.

Well, I'll stop the long-range attacks for now, it's time for close combat. I'll do my best with the buffs I've been given.

Turtle, please don't attack me without even looking at me.

"Just increase my attack power, please."

"I understand. <Muscle Up Magic> Ok, all done."

My body is enveloped in a red aura. This steam-like effect is a bit distracting. Later, when I try to find a way to hide it on the menu screen or somewhere... But, If I can't see it, I wouldn't know if the effect has worn off or not.

"Thanks. Mimia, please attack as you see fit. Feel free to do so. Ah, just don't hit me."

"Got it. I'll tryy to attack without hitting you."

I don't want any intentional friendly fire, so I'm just warning her just in case. I don't think that's going to happen though. She seems like a good kid.

"Well then, shall we go? <Cutting Magic>"

"Yes. <Little Fire>"

Holding the magical sword in my right hand, I run towards the turtle, step on the ground a little in front of the target's hind legs, and with that momentum, swing the sword like an Iaijutsu sword, even though it is not sheathed.

"First slash!"

With a whoosh, I slashed at the turtle's leg. Where I hit, the skin tears slightly, and blood spurts out from the wound.

A little while later, a small flame slowly flew over to the spot next to it and hit it. There was no explosion or anything, but it definitely hit it.

It looks like the fireball that often appears attached to ghosts.

It's an attack that doesn't even tell if it's causing burns, but it's likely that it's done some damage.

"Second slash!"

I turn my wrist and slash siagonally from right to left. Then I thrusts...

"Nuwaa?!"

I was trying to connect and attack but was interrupted when its legs retracted into the shell. If I had continued poking it, I might have hit it, but I stopped because I thought it was going to attack.

"...It doesn't seem like an attack."

"Yes. Maybe something happened up front."

I kept my distance and watched the turtle closely, hoping to dodge its attacks, but I didn't see any change other than it putting its feet away.

Let's wait and see. If it doesn't retaliate, I'll continue my attack.

"Oh, that's right..."

Looking at the acquired skills section, I could see that <Replacement Magic> is available now.

I could have used when I was attacking with my sword. What a waste.

I quickly take out a stone and throw it to the shell.

"Oh, it's returning. Oops... caught it. Phew."

I forgot to remove the title. I open up the status screen and remove the "Welcome to the Guild, Returnee" title that I had set in the title column. Now I can throw the stones again.

"Yeet... oh, that was a good shot."

"That's impressive."

Now, everything is ready. I hope it turns out beautifully.

Well, if you can use it, then use it, yes bomb.

"Have a safe trip, second bomb. <Replacement Magic>"

The stone inside the shell gets replaced with a lit bomb. It's bigger than the first one and contained more gunpowder.

However, the explosion would never reach Takemaru and the others, because I have thrown in just the right place to not reach them.

"I'm expecting some more damage than the last one. Mimia, step back a bit."

"Eh, ah, yes."

The two of us run backwards. Immediately afterwards, there's an explosion behind them with a "Baaaaam!"

I felt a piece of shell or something hit me on the back.

"That was quite powerful."

"Y-you're right. I was surprised."

When I turn around, black smoke is rising from the gaps in the shell.

When I appraise the turtle, it seems to have taken a fair amount of damage and is now heavily damaged. If I keep going like this, it won't take too long to defeat it.

"Okay, let's keep attacking. I'll be back."

I return to my original position with Mimia and resumed my attack.

I use my skill to create a sword again and stab the foot inside.

"Thrust thrust thrust thrust thrust thrust thrust thrust thrust thrust thrust thrust!!!"

"... This is scary... Li- <Little Fire> <Little Fire> <Little Fire> <Little Fire>!!"

Mimia was a little taken aback by my abnormal thrusting attack, but she imitated me and cast a barrage of magic.

As a result, the small fire entered the shell of the hind leg, where it was aimed, and hit the same spot repeatedly. A small fire is still fire. It was dark and hard to see, but it was likely a severe burn.

"Huh?! What?!"

Just as I stopped thrusting and tried to wipe the sweat from my face, it happened.

Suddenly, the turtle's huge body trembled, and its legs, which were supposed to be tucked inside, popped out, and they seemed to be loose and relaxed.

"It doesn't seem like an attack. What exactly?"

"The opponent's stamina seems to be quite low, so maybe that's why?"

"I wonder... I don't know, but it's a good chance to attack."

"Shall we chase it down?"

"Shall we do it?"

Hearing Mimia's "yes" in response, I readied my sword once again.

The opponent's stamina has been significantly reduced. Keep It up and help us by wearing yourself down. Turtle-san.

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〘Title: Welcome to the Guild, Returnee〙

A title that can be obtained by leaving a guild you have joined and then rejoining the same guild.

With this title set, there is a moderate chance that anything you throw will come back to you. However, it won't come back unless it hits something first. This is because it uses the recoil to return.

〘Magic: Muscle Up Magic〙

A spell exclusive for mages.

A spell that slightly increases attack power on yourself or a designated ally for 30 seconds.

MP cost: 20

〘Magic: Durability Up Magic〙

A spell exclusive for mages.

A spell that slightly increases the defensive power of yourself or a designated target for 30 seconds.

MP cost: 20

〘Magic: Little Fire〙

A spell exclusive for mages.

A spell that creates a small fire like those that come with ghosts.

The fire is weak, but when the fires overlap, they become a flame and burn intensely.

MP cost: 5

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