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Why don’t we go hunt the Strongest Monster?

Sorleon casually suggested that during their victory celebration, the tone of his voice so casual it was almost like he was asking to go to karaoke. And so both Lua Cheia and Nord Glacier went into the forest together and headed for the cave where the monster had its den.

“So…is that it?”
“Yes, it should be…”

Sorleon asked, and Crim replied with little confidence.

There was a monster in front of them…but it was not the same black beast Crim had fought before.

Its body was oozing blood, turning its fur red. Drool streamed from its mouth, dangling around as the monster waddled aimlessly in the cave. It clearly did not look to be behaving normally, and it had lost all of the majesty of being the forest’s apex predator.

A bad premonition ran through Crim’s mind as she examined the monster and…

“Ermm…” A worrying and uncertain mumble left Crim’s mouth. “This is bad…the monster has actually powered up since the time I defeated it.”
“Hell yeah!”
“Why would anyone get so happy about that?!”

Rather than being afraid, Sorleon’s face lit up like a child on Christmas, inciting a quick reaction from Crim.

◇◇◇

“Alright, I’ll be turning the camera on now so give us a good show and don’t just die, okay?”
“Yes, we’ll be counting on you too though, Producer Ryunosuke.”

Reinhard quickly replied to Ryunosuke. Ryunosuke had finished his real life job and managed to get into the game, so he had also come along to broadcast the boss fight the two guilds were conducting together.

Knowing all of her movements would be broadcasted made Crim feel slightly nervous, but it was not enough to make her skills worse, and she continued doing some stretching exercises.

Everyone quickly switched out their equipment for their best. All ten of them in full combat gear looked really impressive, which was why Ryunosuke wanted to record them even before the fight started.

Eventually everyone was ready, and they stepped forward to challenge the enemy.

“Crim, your magic level is still pretty low, isn’t it? Are you sure you’ll have a good weapon?”
“Yes, no need for concern. Come, Bloody Blade!”

Saying that, Crim held her hand out, blood gushing forth from it and taking the form of a scythe. Blood Blade was the ability unlocked with 70 Points in Blood Magic. It turned one’s blood into a blade, and absorbed some of the blood from enemies hit.

After spinning the scythe around a few times, Crim looked at Sorleon with a smug look, since he had been worried earlier.

“…Well, I guess you’ll be fine. Anyway, let’s go, everyone!!” Sorleon was taking command this time, and after his shout everyone gave energetic replies as they followed him.

Their formation had the rear guard attacking from one side, while the main tank Lueger went from the opposite side. Sorleon was also with him as a sub-tank, in case something happened to him.

Between the boss and the rear guard was Freya too, ready to defend them if the boss turned against the rear guard.

Other than that, Crim and the other frontliners were around the monster, watching their position to make sure there was a clear line of fire between the monster and the backlines. Ernesta stayed a distance away, as she had a bigger range, and she would be watching out for any smaller foes that might spawn into the fight.

Frey and the other rear liners were standing behind Freya, further away. It was a rather common formation to take against bosses.

As everyone moved to position, the monster let out a freakish roar before breaking into a mad dash before lunging at Lueger, its burly front legs that were thick like logs and lined with terrifying claws swinging down onto him.

There was a heavy thud as Lueger blocked with his shield, but the pressure was so immense that the rocky ground beneath him cracked.

“Ghuh…” Lueger let out a deep grunt, as he tried to keep his shield in place, but his HP bar had already shrunk by a third.

…He’s gotten way too strong now!!

Crim’s immediate response was that thought. Thinking back to her first time fighting the Strongest Monster, just that attack alone would have flattened her like a pancake.

At least Freya and Reinhard were there to quickly restore Lueger’s HP with their healing magic, but if someone else like Crim or Hinagiku who were squishier had taken that hit, it could have easily cost them their life.

“You really are crazy talented to take this thing alone, huh?!”
“Such a feat would be impossible even for me! It’s just gotten far stronger since then!!”

Hearing Sorleon’s sarcastic comment, Crim shouted back, as that would have been clearly impossible. It was almost like the bear had been so frustrated with losing last time that it went into a crazy training regime to not lose again.

But overall it was still the same monster. It still had overwhelming physical strength that it used to attack all the time, and its thick fur that was resilient like steel gave it strong defenses.

Those were all straightforward and basic traits though, and it did not have much in terms of complicated attacks, so as long as everyone remained calm they would chip away its health without issue.

Or at least that was what everyone thought…

“Ghrhaaaaaahhhahhhhhhhhwwwrrrrrrr!!!” The monster roared while spitting out blood, a black writhing pattern appearing on its red stained fur, while a dark crimson magic circle appeared beneath it.

“Magic?!”

Usually monsters like that were not able to use magic, so that took everyone by surprise, and then a red wave shot out around the monster, showing what type of attack was coming.

*It’s a spreading area of effect attack! *

Seeing that, everyone quickly jumped back.

A moment later, a pitch black half sphere erupted from the monster and grew until it swallowed the entire cave.

“Seriously, even its attack patterns have gotten powered up?! Is everyone alright?!” Crim was the first one to recover from the hit, and as she complained about it again, the rest also regained their bearings and answered positively.

She glanced around quickly just to verify that no one had died.

“I’ll heal you now! Area Heal!”

Freya quickly activated her large area healing magic. But before it was done, the main tank Lueger was already moving into action.

“…Flash!”