The Record of Hyoren Enjo’s Journey in Another World

Chapter 223

The Unstoppable Charge

Date : Day 9 of Deepwinter 1024 Aethellgard Concord Year.

The third floor Guardian prepared to charge again.

The blindfolded Goblin Rider slowly raised its head, seemingly scanning the battlefield despite the cloth covering its eyes. Then, with a flick of its reins, it ordered the Blancorn to charge at Arianna. The one with the highest amount of Aethell out of four of them.

Hyoren's dark eyes widened.

Again…?

It had only been a few minutes since he had used Provoke to redirect both the Blancorn and the Goblin Rider's hostility toward him.

Provoke should last for quite some time…  

Unless someone else took over the enemy's attention by dealing a huge amount of aggro.

Like when Arianna or Jackey landed a particularly powerful attack. But this time, the effect had already worn off.

Don't tell me...

Hyoren's eyes narrowed.

Does the anti-magic field reduce the duration of Provoke too?

"Damn it."

He raised his shield.

"Provoke!"

A wave of Aethell washed over the arena.

The Blancorn abruptly stopped its charge toward Arianna. The Goblin Rider flicked the reins, and the massive white beast immediately turned. Its horn swung toward Hyoren.

Then it charged again.

Hyoren's expression became grim.

I can't stop it…

Not completely. 

He had already experienced the power behind that charge. Trying to brace against it with his shield again was simply too dangerous. Tanking those charges is suicide. The thought came naturally. But then another thought followed.

Then I don't have to…

Hyoren's gaze briefly dropped toward his shield.

He had always considered himself the party's tank. He wanted to remain that way. But being the tank didn't mean he had to stubbornly keep his shield equipped in every situation.

And that reminded him of a conversation he'd had with Ina several weeks ago.

***

They had been sitting together in the manor's library. They were reading books and enjoying the day.

Hyoren had been reading when a thought suddenly crossed his mind.

"Hey, Ina. I was thinking..."

Ina immediately raised her head.

"What is it, Hyoren?"

Hyoren smiled.

"During the battle in Riverville Town, I ditched my role as the tank for a while. I carried the flag of Freedom Party instead and focused on strengthening our party and the other combatants."

He closed the book he had been reading.

"I think that made me realize something."

He glanced down at his left arm, his shield arm.

"I still want to be a tank most of the time. I like being the one who stands in front and protects everyone."

He paused.

"But there might be times when I need to fight differently. Like what happened in Riverville Town."

He looked at Ina.

"I might need to use Étendard Sacré du Lys again someday. Or maybe I just need to switch to my spear during a fight."

He frowned slightly.

"The problem is switching between them."

Ina tilted her head.

"Switching?"

Hyoren nodded.

"Yeah."

He gestured with his left hand.

"If I keep my shield equipped, I can tank properly. But if I need to use my spear, I have to put the shield away and take the spear out of my Storage Bag."

He sighed.

"Doing that in the middle of a battle takes too much time."

Ina's lips slowly curled into a smile.

"I know a perfect thing for you, Hyoren."

Hyoren blinked.

"You do?"

Ina nodded confidently.

"Leave it to me."

***

The memory faded. The Blancorn was already approaching.

Hyoren's eyes sharpened.

He didn't need to choose between being a tank and being a warrior. His shield could remain his primary weapon. But when the situation demanded something else, he could simply switch.

I'll use my shield when I need to draw its attention and reapply Provoke.

He gripped his shield tighter.

When I don't need it... I'll fight with the spear.

His left finger brushed against the new ring on his hand.

It was the magic tool Ina had bought from Gilded Scale. A simple and undecorated golden ring covered with intricate runic inscriptions—Ring of Arsenals. The magic tool could hold two weapons or shields. Whenever its user willed it, the equipped weapon would automatically switch.

Exactly what Hyoren needed.

He poured Aethell into the ring.

"Swap. Shield to Spear."

His Steel Kite Shield suddenly disappeared from his left arm. In its place appeared a pure-white mithril spear—Étendard Sacré du Lys. A flag was tied near the top of the spear. The banner of Freedom Party. The banner of Aetovacus.

The moment the spear appeared, the effect of the flag bearer ability took effect as well.

The banner would strengthen everyone around its bearer when they accepted that person as their leader. And there was no question who the leader of Freedom Party was. Everyone here accepted Hyoren as theirs.

The white banner fluttered behind him.

Hyoren tightened his grip. Dawn Breaker remained in his right hand. Étendard Sacré du Lys rested firmly on his left.

The Blancorn thundered toward him.

Hyoren lowered his stance.

I can't tank this.

His eyes narrowed.

So I won't.

He wouldn't abandon his role as the party's tank. He would simply become more flexible. If he couldn't stop the charge, he would evade it. If he couldn't stand his ground, he would move.

For this battle, Hyoren would fight as something more than a simple shield-bearing tank.

A flexible frontline fighter.

The Blancorn's six legs hammered against the stone floor. Its massive horn pointed directly at him.

Hyoren's grip tightened around both weapons.

"Come."

His eyes locked onto the approaching guardian.

"Let's see what you've got.”

***

The Blancorn charged.

Its six legs hammered against the stone floor, each impact sending a heavy thud through the arena as the massive beast lowered its horn and surged toward Hyoren.

Hyoren waited.

He didn't raise his shield as he wasn't equipped with it. He didn't try to stop it. He simply focused. Closer. Closer.

Then—at the very last moment, Hyoren shifted his weight and stepped sharply to the side. The Blancorn thundered past him. The tip of its horn missed him by mere inches.

Without the Steel Kite Shield weighing down his left arm, Hyoren could move far more freely. His body felt lighter, faster. He had fought like this before, and the difference was immediately obvious.

But he wasn't finished. His dark eyes followed the Goblin Rider.

I see you...

He already knew what came next.

The Blancorn's charge was only the first part of the attack. Just like before, the Goblin Rider would follow up with its massive lance.

Hyoren twisted his body.

The white lance came sweeping toward him. He swung Étendard Sacré du Lys. The white banner fluttered violently behind the mithril spear as the two weapons met.

CLANG!

Mithril spear struck white lance. The impact rang across the arena. The Goblin Rider's attack was successfully parried.

Hyoren immediately followed through.

As the Blancorn swept past him, he stepped forward and swung Dawn Breaker toward its exposed side.

"Quick Slash."

SQUELCH!

The sword cut into the Blancorn's thick hide. The wound wasn't deep. But it was enough.

For the first time, Hyoren's attack had connected cleanly. 

The dark aura of Enchant Maledict seeped into the wound. A faint, ominous energy spread through the Blancorn's body.

One stack…

If Hyoren could continue landing attacks, the debuff would gradually accumulate. Its speed. Its attack. Its defense. All of them would slowly decline.

The Blancorn didn't stop charging.

But it visibly flinched. Its massive body jerked slightly as it felt the damage. For the first time, the white beast had been properly wounded.

And Jackey wasn't about to let that opportunity pass.

He grinned.

"Got you!"

The Cat-clan Beastkin sprang from the side. His body rose into the air as both axes flashed.

"Cross Slash!"

The Goblin Rider reacted immediately.

But unlike before, it couldn't twist its lance around quickly enough because it just recovered from attacking Hyoren.

Jackey's attack landed.

SCREEECK!

Both axes tore into the Blancorn's opposite side. A fresh gash opened across its thick white fur.

Jackey's eyes lit up.

But the Goblin Rider's lance immediately came swinging toward him. Jackey's tabby cat ears snapped backward.

"Tch!"

He abandoned his follow-up and jumped away, narrowly avoiding the massive weapon. He landed several meters away and quickly regained his footing.

But Freedom Party didn't stop.

Elise had already drawn another arrow. She pulled the string back, her emerald eyes following the Blancorn's movement.

"Charge Wind Arrow."

SWOOSH!

A green streak shot across the arena. The arrow struck the Blancorn.

SQUELCH.

Poison seeped into the wound.

The anti-magic field still weakened the magical portion of the attack, but the poison itself continued to take effect.

At almost the same moment, Arianna finished her casting. She raised her Quadraflux Weaver toward the guardian.

"Water Cutter."

An orb of water suddenly materialized beside the Blancorn. The orb compressed. Then—a high-pressure stream of water erupted from it.

BHIZZT!

The abrasive jet carved into the Blancorn's side, tearing through fur and flesh. The anti-magic field dampened the spell's power. The damage was nowhere near what Arianna could normally inflict. But it still wounded the guardian.

Arianna's eyes sharpened.

It worked. The Blancorn could be damaged. Not easily. Not quickly. But it could be hurt.

Hyoren glanced across the battlefield.

Elise's poison was taking effect. Arianna's magic could still inflict damage. Jackey could carve into the Blancorn with his physical attacks. And Hyoren's Enchant Maledict could gradually weaken it further.

They didn't need to defeat it with one overwhelming attack. They simply needed to keep fighting. Slowly. Steadily.

One wound at a time.

Hyoren tightened his grip around Dawn Breaker and Étendard Sacré du Lys.

A faint smile appeared on his face.

So that's how we'll do this.

The Blancorn turned around. Its wounds were already beginning to recover under the effect of its regeneration.

But Freedom Party had already learned the most important thing. They could hurt it.

And as long as they could hurt it—they could defeat it.

The battle had only just begun.

***

Hyoren watched the guardian closely.

The blindfolded goblin rider's expression had not changed even once.

It simply followed its instinct as a Floor Guardian, carrying out the role it had been given. Just like the other guardians they had encountered, it possessed no apparent self-will. It existed as a test for adventurers attempting to advance to the next floor.

Unlike monsters on the surface, which could still feel fear and pain, the guardian never showed either.

His gaze wandered to the massive white beast. 

The Blancorn's wounds were already beginning to close. The flesh beneath its thick white fur slowly knitted itself back together, the regeneration gradually erasing the damage they had inflicted.

But the poison remained. So did the compounding effect from Jackey's Bloody Axe.

For my Enchant Maledict...

He glanced at the Blancorn.

The dark aura that had previously seeped into its body was already gone. His eyes narrowed slightly.

So that's that…

The duration had already ended.

It seemed Enchant Maledict was practically useless against this guardian. Even if he reapplied it, the anti-magic effect would likely shorten its duration to the point where maintaining the debuff would be impossible.

And just like before, Provoke had already worn off as well.

The Blancorn's attention began drifting toward Arianna again.

Hyoren immediately reached for the Ring of Arsenal on his left hand.

“Swap. Spear for shield.”

A faint pulse of Aethell passed through the ring.

The Étendard Sacré du Lys disappeared from his left hand. His Steel Kite Shield appeared in its place.

Hyoren immediately raised it.

“Provoke.”

A wave of Aethell washed over the guardian.

The Blancorn's attention snapped back toward him.

Good…

Without wasting another moment, Hyoren activated the Ring of Arsenal again.

“Swap. Shield for spear.”

The shield disappeared. The white mithril spear bearing the banner of Freedom Party returned to his hand.

Hyoren tightened his grip.

By now, they had found their rhythm.

He would draw the guardian's attention with Provoke, then discard his shield once the Blancorn committed to its charge. From there, he relied on his own speed to evade the charge and the goblin rider's lance.

Whenever he needed to redirect the guardian again, the shield returned. Then disappeared. Again and again. It had become a routine.

The Blancorn charged. Hyoren moved. The lance followed. He parried. He counterattacked.

And the others immediately followed the opening.

“Power Slash!”

Jackey's Bloody Axe came down hard against the Blancorn's side.

SCREEECK!

Another wound opened beneath its thick fur. The compounding effect of the Bloody Axe continued to build.

Jackey immediately pulled back and jumped away as the goblin rider's massive lance swept through the space where he had been standing.

“Come on.”

He clicked his tongue, but there was no frustration in his expression anymore. He already knew the pattern. He simply waited for the next opening.

Arianna continued her assault from a distance.

“Wind Arrow.”

A thin green projectile flew toward the Blancorn. And another. Sometimes she switched to Water Cutter, sending an abrasive stream of water crashing into the guardian's body.

The anti-magic field weakened every spell that reached it.

But Arianna had stopped expecting her magic to deal overwhelming damage. She only needed to keep contributing.

Elise did the same.

Her Moonveil Bow continued to sing as she fired arrow after arrow.

“Charge Wind Arrow.”

SWOOSH!

The arrow struck the Blancorn's body. Purple poison slowly spread from the wound. Another arrow followed.

Hyoren noticed the faint purple discoloration around the places where Elise's arrows had struck.

Three poison arrows now.

The Blancorn barely reacted. But it was becoming slightly slower. Just barely.

My Enchant Maledict is useless.

Hyoren watched the guardian's movements.

But at least Elise's poison is working.

Her poison consisted of both neurotoxin and actual poison. The former gradually interfered with the monster's movement while the latter continued to damage its body. Normally, the combination would have been considerably more effective.

But the Blancorn was simply too massive.

Even after accumulating several doses, the effect was still small. Still, it was working. And that was enough.

Hyoren tightened his grip on the mithril spear. Elise's poison. Jackey's Bloody Axe. Arianna's spells. And his own ability to keep the guardian occupied.

They couldn't overwhelm the Blancorn.

Not quickly. But they didn't need to. They only needed to keep going. The battle had become a contest of endurance.

Freedom Party had finally settled into a rhythm.

A slow one. A demanding one. But one they could maintain. And as long as they could maintain it, the Guardian would continue to weaken.

Even if only little by little.

***

But as the battle dragged on, Hyoren's expression gradually became more grim.

The Blancorn charged again.

Its massive body thundered across the arena, six legs pounding against the stone as it lowered its horn.

Hyoren watched it carefully.

“The Blancorn is too massive…”

He narrowed his dark eyes.

“Elise's poison should already be weakening it enough, but…”

He glanced toward the beast.

At least ten poisoned arrows had already struck the Blancorn. Purple discoloration remained around several of the wounds, proof that Elise's poison was still working. Yet the damage they had inflicted earlier was almost completely gone.

The Blancorn's regeneration was simply too strong. The wounds slowly closed, flesh knitting itself back together as though the battle had never happened.

The poison is indeed working… But the earlier poison has already lost its effect...

Hyoren evaded another charge.

The Blancorn passed by him, its massive body carrying it across the arena.

They could damage it. That much was certain.

But how long can we keep doing this…?

Hyoren's gaze remained fixed on the Guardian.

They had been fighting for quite some time already. Yet the Blancorn still looked strong. It was slower than before. Elise's poison had definitely taken effect. But not enough. Not nearly enough.

Hyoren parried another lance attack and immediately counterattacked while his companions continued their assault.

The Blancorn was wounded again. More damage accumulated. But some of it was already being healed.

And the poison's potency continued to diminish as time passed.

Hyoren clicked his tongue.

The Guardian's current state… based on the wound it has now… If I could borrow the gaming terms…

His eyes narrowed as he assessed the Guardian.

I think the Blancorn still has more than seventy… no… eighty percent HP left…

That realization weighed heavily on him.

They had already been fighting for a long time. Yet they had barely made a dent.

The Guardian remained relentless. It was clearly slower now, but its movements were still powerful enough to force Hyoren to remain completely focused on every charge.

And their other attacks weren't producing much better results.

Arianna and Elise had started directing some of their attacks toward the Goblin Rider instead.

But just as Arianna had warned them, the Goblin Rider's white armor was made of mithril. Arianna's spells struck the armor and lost their power. Elise's arrows bounced away with sharp metallic clangs after their magical effects were completely dampened.

Hyoren watched with a grim expression as the Blancorn slammed into the arena wall again.

BOOM!

Dust rose around its massive body. The white beast shook its head. Then it was already preparing to charge again.

Again…

Hyoren felt his own fatigue accumulating.

He glanced toward his companions.

Arianna's forehead was already slightly drenched with sweat. She had been repeatedly casting spell after spell throughout the battle.

Jackey still looked energetic, but Hyoren knew the Cat-clan Beastkin wasn't actually unaffected. His fatigue had to be accumulating as well.

Elise still looked relatively fine. But she had been constantly moving around the arena, searching for angles to fire her arrows while avoiding the Guardian's attacks.

None of them could keep this up forever.

Hyoren rolled one shoulder.

“And I'm getting tired too…”

He looked down briefly at his weapons.

Throughout the battle, he had been constantly switching between shield and spear, taking the Guardian's attention, evading its charges, parrying its lance, and counterattacking whenever an opening appeared.

It worked. But every movement required concentration. Every charge demanded perfect timing. One mistake could be fatal.

And the longer the battle continued, the harder it would become to maintain that precision.

Hyoren raised his eyes again.

The Blancorn had already turned around. The Goblin Rider lowered its lance. Another charge was coming.

Hyoren's expression hardened.

They could damage it. Slowly. Surely. But the Guardian could heal that damage. The poison would eventually lose its effect. Their Aethell reserves would continue to decrease.

And their fatigue would only grow.

We can't keep doing this forever.

The Blancorn began its charge.

Hyoren tightened his grip.

We need to do something.

***

As the Blancorn slammed into the arena wall again, the thunderous impact echoed throughout the chamber.

BOOM!

Dust scattered from the stone wall. The massive beast barely seemed bothered. It shook its head, recovered from the impact, and began turning around once more.

Hyoren watched it.

Then—a sudden spark of inspiration flashed through his mind.

A wall…

His eyes narrowed.

What about we stop its charge with a wall…?

His gaze immediately shifted toward Arianna.

The crimson-haired mage was still standing near the arena wall, her Quadraflux Weaver firmly in hand.

Hyoren knew she had a spell that might work—Earth Wall. A spell Arianna frequently used when they were exploring the dungeon. She could raise a wall to block a passage, prevent enemies from attacking them from behind, or funnel a horde into a narrower path.

But this time, they wouldn't use it to block the enemy. They would use it to stop the charge.

What if we use it…?

Hyoren's eyes remained fixed on Arianna.

The idea was simple. The execution was anything but.

The timing will be hard…

Earth Wall was a third-tier spell. Unlike a simple projectile, it required concentration and took time to manifest.

If Arianna raised the wall too early, the Goblin Rider would simply change the Blancorn's trajectory and go around it. 

Too late—the wall wouldn't have enough time to appear. And then the Blancorn would simply smash straight through their formation.

Hyoren's expression became serious.

It's risky…

But there was one thing he could rely on. His party member. He knew his party members well.

He looked at the crimson-haired mage.

She's a genius Quad Elemental Mage. The prodigy who had graduated from Aethellium Arcanum Academy with an exceeding-expectation grade. If anyone in their party could pull off the timing of the spell—it was her.

Hyoren tightened his grip around his shield and Dawn Breaker.

I believe she can do it…

He made his decision.

“Everyone! Change of plan!”

The others immediately turned their attention toward him.

Hyoren looked toward Arianna.

There wasn't much time. The Blancorn had already finished turning around. The Goblin Rider lowered its lance.

“Arianna!”

His voice carried across the arena.

“Could you stop the Guardian’s charge with your Earth Wall?”

For a split second, Arianna said nothing. Her eyes flicked toward the Blancorn. Then toward Hyoren. She understood immediately what he was asking. It would be difficult. Very difficult.

But her grip around Quadraflux Weaver tightened.

“It will be hard…”

She took a breath.

“But I'll try!”

Hyoren nodded. That was enough. He trusted her. Without wasting another second, Hyoren focused on the Guardian.

“Provoke.”

A wave of Aethell spread toward the Blancorn.

The Guardian's attention shifted toward him. The Goblin Rider lowered its lance. The Blancorn's six legs dug into the arena floor.

Then—it charged.

Hyoren planted his feet and prepared himself.

This time, however, he wasn't simply trying to evade the charge. He was giving Arianna the opening she needed.

***

Arianna heard Hyoren's order. Her fingers tightened around the Quadraflux Weaver.

Earth Wall. She knew the spell. She had practiced it countless times. She knew exactly how the spell worked, how much Aethell it required, and how long it normally took before the magic could fully manifest.

But knowing a spell and using it under these circumstances were two completely different things.

Her light blue eyes immediately turned toward the Floor Guardian—the Goblin Rider and the Blancorn.

My normal Earth Wall takes at least two seconds to manifest…

Her lips moved quietly as she calculated.

Two seconds…

That was all the time she needed. It was actually a fast activation for this kind of spell. But in this situation, those two seconds felt incredibly slow.

The Blancorn started to prepare for another charge, its six powerful legs pounding against the stone floor. Each step sent a dull tremor through the arena.

Arianna's eyes narrowed.

Distance. Speed. Trajectory. She quickly estimated each one.

If she started too early, the Blancorn would notice the obstruction and change its trajectory. If she started too late, the wall wouldn't have enough time to fully manifest.

And if the wall was too thin—it would simply be smashed apart.

Tight timing…

Arianna took a slow breath. Then she saw Hyoren.

He had already stepped forward and used Provoke. The wave of Aethell washed over the guardian. The blindfolded Goblin Rider immediately shifted its attention toward him and pointed its massive white lance. The Blancorn also lowered its head. Its horn pointed straight at Hyoren.

Then—it charged.

Arianna's expression became focused.

Now!

She raised the Quadraflux Weaver.

Her mind immediately began constructing the spell. The image of the Earth Wall's Runic Array appeared clearly within her mind.

This was the third-tier Earth Magic spell she had chosen to learn under the recommendation of her teacher, Headmistress Thavenessia.

A familiar voice echoed through her memory.

“As a mage, you need a spell to defend yourself! Don't be defenseless.”

Arianna could almost see the stern expression of her teacher.

“Don’t rely on others to tank or hold back the enemy for you.”

The memory continued.

“This spell can stop an enemy's advance while you prepare another spell. So study it well!”

Arianna's lips curved into a small smile.

“I understand, Headmistress…”

The memory faded.

Her attention returned completely to the battlefield. The runic array began taking shape inside her mind. A third-tier spell required eight runic arrays to properly construct its effect. It would take her longer concentration compared to her lower tier spells.

Earth. Wall. Point. Thick. Height. Matter. Shape. Area.

Each rune had its own purpose.

Earth. The foundation of the spell—the element that would be created.

Wall. The basic form of the spell.

Point. Where the wall would manifest.

Thick. Its thickness and, consequently, much of its durability. 

Height. Whether it's five meters tall, or just one meter tall.

Matter. Whether it would be loose earth or hardened stone.

Shape. The wall's structure. Whether it is curved or straight. Whether it is a simple or decorated wall.

And finally—Area. How large an area the wall would cover.

Arianna understood every part.

Normally, she would use a balance approach on each parameter. But she didn't need a large wall. She didn't need a tall wall.

She only needed enough.

One meter…

Her eyes remained fixed on the approaching Blancorn.

One meter is enough.

She adjusted the spell's parameters.

I'll prioritize construction speed and thickness.

The wall didn't need to cover the entire arena. It didn't need to become some massive fortress wall. It only needed to appear at the exact right moment.

Arianna continued calculating.

The Blancorn was getting closer to Hyoren. The distance was shrinking rapidly. Her mind tracked its speed while simultaneously completing the Runic Array.

One second. Not yet. Half a second. Still not.

The Blancorn lowered its head even further. Its horn aimed directly at Hyoren.

Arianna's light blue eyes sharpened.

Now!

The final image of the spell completed itself inside her mind. The orb on top of her Quadraflux Weaver flashed.

“Earth Wall.”

A burst of Aethell surged from her staff.

The stone in front of the Blancorn suddenly trembled. Then—a one-meter-tall stone wall erupted from the ground directly in front of the charging monster.

Almost instantly.

Arianna had sacrificed height and area.

Everything had been poured into making the wall appear as quickly as possible while keeping it thick and sturdy enough to withstand the impact.

And the timing was perfect.

BOOM!

The Blancorn slammed directly into the newly formed wall. The impact shook the entire arena. Dust exploded outward, briefly obscuring the battlefield. The stone wall cracked violently. But it held. The Blancorn's massive horn punched into the stone and became lodged inside it. 

Its charge finally stopped.

For the first time since the battle began—the guardian's relentless momentum had been halted.

***

The dust slowly settled.

Through the thinning cloud, Hyoren caught sight of the Blancorn. The massive white beast was still there, its horn buried deep inside the cracked stone wall. Pieces of earth were already breaking away around its head, and the entire wall trembled under its strength.

It wouldn't hold for long. But that didn't matter.

What mattered was that the Blancorn—and the Goblin Rider atop it—had finally been stopped in the middle of their charge.

The Goblin Rider swayed on its mount, clearly disoriented. It seemed the guardian hadn't expected its massive mount to be stopped so suddenly.

Hyoren immediately recognized the opening.

“Everyone, attack!”

No one needed to be told twice. They already moved.

Hyoren moved first.

“Swap. Shield to spear!”

His steel kite shield vanished from his left hand, replaced by his mithril spear. He lowered the spear toward the Blancorn.

“Piercing Thrust!”

His body shot forward.

A pale-blue flash followed the tip of his spear as he propelled himself a few meters across the arena. The banner of Aetovacus soared as he moved.

SQUELCH!

The mithril spear plunged deeply into the Blancorn's exposed side. The beast jerked from the impact.

Hyoren quickly pulled his spear free and immediately followed with another attack.

“Quick Slash!”

SQUELCH!

His Dawn Breaker carved across the same side, opening another wound.

The Goblin Rider finally recovered from its brief disorientation. Its lance came swinging toward Hyoren.

Hyoren turned his body and brought his mithril spear up.

CLANG!

The two weapons collided. The force of the impact ran through his arms, but Hyoren held his ground.

And on the opposite side—Jackey had already moved.

The Blancorn was still struggling against the crumbling Earth Wall, while the Goblin Rider was occupied with Hyoren.

That gave Jackey enough time to unleash his attack.

He bent his knees. Then he jumped.

“Cross Slash!”

SCREEECK!

Both axes struck the Blancorn's side. Before the beast could even recover, Jackey twisted his body and swung again.

“Power Slash!”

SCREEECK!

The Bloody Axe tore into the previous wound.

This time, the gash went considerably deeper. The compounding effect that had been building since the beginning of the battle was finally showing its weight.

Jackey landed and immediately prepared to retreat.

Meanwhile, Elise was already moving.

She rushed closer to the Blancorn, Moonveil Bow in hand.

She didn't bother trying to strengthen her arrows with Enchant Magic. There was no point wasting Aethell on magical effects that would be heavily diminished by the Blancorn's anti-magic field.

Right now, she only needed one thing—stacking as much poison as possible.

Her bowstring snapped again and again with a loud twang.

SQUELCH.

SQUELCH.

SQUELCH.

One poisoned arrow after another buried itself into the Blancorn's body.

The beast was already covered in wounds. Now more poison was entering its blood.

Arianna remained slightly farther back.

The previous Earth Wall had taken a considerable amount of Aethell and concentration to cast. She quickly raised a blue magic potion to her lips and drank.

Her light blue eyes remained fixed on the battlefield.

She understood that her ordinary offensive magic wouldn't contribute much against the Blancorn. So she wouldn't waste her Aethell. She would save it. 

For another Earth Wall.

Another chance to stop the charge. That was far more valuable right now.

Then—the Earth Wall finally gave way with a loud sound.

CRACK!

The Blancorn violently pulled its horn free. Chunks of stone collapsed around its head.

The Floor Guardian finally broke free.

Hyoren parried one final thrust from the Goblin Rider’s lance before immediately jumping backward.

“Everyone, retreat!”

The others reacted at once.

The Blancorn surged forward and crushed the remains of the Earth Wall beneath its six legs.

BOOM!

Stone fragments scattered across the arena.

The guardian was free again.

But Hyoren wasn't afraid. He stood several meters away, Dawn Breaker in his right hand and his mithril spear in his left. A grin slowly appeared on his face.

We finally did it…

The Blancorn's body was covered in fresh wounds. Deep gashes from Jackey's Bloody Axe. Poison arrows from Elise. And wounds inflicted by his own attacks.

Blood was flowing down the beast's white fur.

Its natural regeneration was already working. The wounds were slowly closing. But there were simply too many of them.

For the first time since the battle began, the damage they had inflicted during a single engagement was significant. Far more than what they had managed through all their previous careful exchanges.

Hyoren tightened his grip on both weapons.

“We can do this, everyone!”

Jackey raised both axes.

“Yeah!”

Elise smiled and nodded as she drew another arrow.

“Mm!”

Arianna tightened her grip around the Quadraflux Weaver.

“Understood, Leader. I will stop its charge attack again!”

Freedom Party stood on the colosseum-like arena fighting the third Floor Guardian.

Their bodies were tired. Their Aethell reserves were being consumed. The battle had already dragged on far longer than they wanted.

But their morale had changed completely. They had finally found it. A way to stop the Blancorn's greatest advantage. A way to break its charge.

The unstoppable charge finally could be stopped.