Defense specialization and joining in?
Too long, so short.
A grievous mistake occurred; correction made.
"Finish this quickly...!"
Crom advances, holding his large shield.
He does not block the descending sword with his shield, but evades it.
Immediately afterward, he blocks the axe attack with the shield, but is thrown back by the impact.
"Kk...!"
Crom checks his shield.
Unlike Maple or Sally, his shield will break if overused.
It remains intact for now, but sustained heavy blows could break it.
Crom retreats to a position beyond the reach of attack.
"【Spirit Cannon】!"
The attack cannot reach Shiroppu’s position, so Crom directs Shiroppu’s laser at the boss.
Yet the laser is deflected entirely by the crossed sword and axe defense.
Must close the distance...!
Unable to defeat the boss with ranged attacks, Crom advances once more.
Great Nature!
The boss crosses sword and axe to block Shiroppu’s vines. All vines are deflected. Yet Crom slips through beneath.
Crom closes to melee range.
Flame Slash!
Crom slashes. The boss returns with a counter-slash from the longsword.
Crom has a great shield.
The boss’s attack does not reach him.
As Shiroppu’s Great Nature severs, the black skeleton attacks from sword and axe. No pause is allowed.
Pierce!
The dagger pierces the boss’s armor. Boss’s HP drops to twenty percent.
At that moment.
Black spikes radiate outward from the boss.
Crom instinctively raised his great shield to defend himself. The following longsword strike, combined with the impact, shattered the shield with a crack.
"Frederica will scold me for this!"
The blade vanished in a single strike. Crom cut once, barely avoiding damage.
At that moment, Shiroppu’s Great Nature broke.
Without the great shield, Crom could not block both sword and axe attacks.
He shifted position, avoiding the axe, and struck the boss with the sword alone.
The boss’s longsword and Crom’s short blade exchanged blows, reducing each other’s HP.
An instant later, a violent impact struck Crom from behind. His HP bar, even his armor, was torn away.
Yet Crom did not fall.
The Great Nature—Unyielding Guardian—left him with one HP remaining.
"Flame Slash!"
With his HP at the limit, Crom swung his short blade.
Still, the boss’s HP bar held one-tenth of its original strength.
The second axe and sword attack strikes Crom.
Even with Battle Healing, HP recovery comes too late.
"【Spirit Light】!"
Crom's chosen medal skill.
The final card held deep within his hand.
For ten seconds, sacred light descends upon him, nullifying all damage.
"Can't die here? Not yet!"
Defensive stance abandoned, Crom lunges with full force. The boss does the same, but fails to cut through Crom's last sliver of HP.
Crom's short blade slices diagonally across the boss's face.
Immediately after, the boss's blue eye light fades out.
The boss vanishes, dissolving into light alongside the obsidian skeleton.
"Hah... tough... guess big shields are for defense only."
Before Crom, who sits, a magic circle and a large coffin appear.
Crom steps back instinctively, summoning Shiroppu.
“If this is a monster, I’ll rely on cover… better drink a potion.”
Crom restores his HP, then slowly lifts the coffin lid.
Inside lies a skeleton wrapped in equipment of crimson-black hue.
It shows no sign of stirring.
“What… is this the reward?”
Crom touches the gear with cautious fingers, then stores it in his inventory.
“Unique… series? This is…”
[Bloodstained Skull]
[Soul Eater]
[Unbreakable]
[VIT +25]
[Bloodstained White Armor]
[Dead or Alive]
[Unbreakable]
[VIT +25][HP +100]
[Headless]
[Life Eater]
[Unbreakable]
[STR +30]
[Ghost Wall]
[Soul Siphon]
[Unbreakable]
[VIT +20] [HP +100]
"Strong... flawless, except for the name and appearance, which feel cursed... and the short blade? That's not a sword—it's a cleaver."
Crom speaks, fitting on the full set of gear.
A bloodstained skull mouth covering the lower half of his face.
Armor once pure white.
A large, bloodstained cleaver, as if meant to sever a head.
A massive shield carved with skulls.
"Check the skills... time to return."
[Soul Eater]
Recovers 10% of maximum HP upon defeating a monster or player.
[Dead or Alive]
When HP reaches zero, survives with 1 HP at 50% chance.
[Life Eater]
Recovers 1/3 of damage dealt as HP.
[Soul Siphon]
Recovers 3% HP upon taking damage from an attack.
Crom finishes checking his skills. He returns the ring to Shiroppu and mounts the magic circle. He leaves the dungeon.