Now that Cipher had decided who would be the "main body," she naturally needed to familiarize herself with her new form in preparation for any potential battles. She took a deep breath and slowly shifted her mental focus onto Mydei. Immediately, the previously stiff, automaton-like figure began to come to life.
"Ahem..." Mydei coughed, hearing the deep male voice emerge from his throat. He looked down at his thick, muscular arms, their sharply defined contours a testament to overwhelming strength. Just looking at them made him feel like he could punch through steel.
"This is excessive..." He felt like he could shatter steel with a single punch. After a few simple stretches, he found everything surprisingly comfortable, except for his shoes, which had inexplicably transformed into flat-soled footwear.
The next step was paramount: testing Mydei's abilities. He raised his right hand, and a small, red, diamond-shaped crystal materialized in his palm. He had no idea what it was—only that it seemed to be a manifestation of the Strife power?
He could manipulate the crystal at will, transforming it into a weapon or using it for direct attacks.
He vaguely recalled that Strife might also possess the ability to imbue life into stone golems. In the game, players encountered enemies called Furiae Warriors and Furiae Praetors in Castrum Kremnos—were those the same thing?
Mydei himself also possessed the power of immortality. However, it was difficult to test these abilities now. There were no pre-carved stone golems nearby, and he certainly wasn't about to stab himself in the heart out of boredom.
Though many questions remained unanswered, time was limited. Understanding the red crystal's primary functions was sufficient for now.
His consciousness returned to Cipher's body. With a thought, she retracted Mydei into her Account Warehouse, silently slipped on her shoes, and prepared to leave.
Perhaps from her earlier exertion, her shoes felt slightly damp. She grimaced. "Once this is over, I'm giving these shoes a thorough cleaning!"
In a flash of light, Cipher instantly vanished from Cloudsea City, sprinting northward. Soon, a small hill came into view, topped by nearly a hundred fully armed soldiers.
They had formed a circle around the Old King, whom Cipher recognized. He stood at the center of the hill, cradling a cyan-blue book in his hands and muttering incantations in an unintelligible language.
It wasn't the Common Tongue, so Cipher couldn't understand a word—just a string of gibberish. What kind of bird language is that? she wondered.
Simultaneously, a blue pentagram magic circle beneath the Old King pulsed outward, steadily expanding. So, this is the so-called Hell Book?
It wasn't quite what Cipher had imagined. She had pictured a crimson tome bound in human skin, its cover bearing a tortured face.
As she watched, Cipher wondered if she could simply charge forward, slit the King's throat, snatch the book, and escape. If Aria and the others hadn't arrived yet, wouldn't that bring this whole mess to an end?
So, after all that grueling effort, her clothes nearly drenched in sweat, what had she really accomplished?
Hmm... Remembering the blissful expressions of the refugees outside Cloudsea City as they were rescued, Cipher decided that even if it hadn't been about boosting her fame, her actions had been entirely worthwhile.
Just as she was contemplating her next move, Cipher's cat ears twitched slightly. She glanced upward and spotted a small black dot in the sky. Its position was cunningly chosen—directly beneath the sun. Looking up into the blinding glare would make it nearly impossible to keep her eyes open.
Cipher narrowed her eyes. If I can't see clearly, I'll use my hearing. She detected two distinct breathing patterns and the sound of flapping wings—someone riding a flying creature, observing the area from above.
In an instant, Cipher deduced the rider's identity: most likely an Imperial soldier. She recalled her earlier puzzlement: Cloudsea City was the heart of the Grand Duchy of Kandela, and both the White-Bearded Old Mage and Douglas had insisted that an Imperial Army must be nearby. But how had that army managed to infiltrate?
It now seemed highly probable that the Imperial Army was an airborne unit.
In other words, the Imperials were likely to arrive here soon. This gave Cipher an idea.
She couldn't let her Mydei identity go to waste; he needed to make a splash. And what better opportunity than this?
When the Grand Duchy of Kandela, the Hero Party, and the Imperial Army converged, all vying for the Hell Book, she could have Mydei perform a deus ex machina, descending from the sky to demonstrate his overwhelming power while casually fabricating a fearsome backstory to intimidate everyone. Wouldn't that skyrocket her fame?
With this plan in mind, Cipher first went to a nearby grove, "released" Mydei, and temporarily stored him there. It sounded strange, but since Cipher couldn't multitask her consciousness, this was the most accurate way to describe it.
Then she returned to the hilltop, found a hiding spot, and settled in to observe the King's movements while awaiting the impending conflict.
Soon, the three members of the Hero Party, the three White-Bearded Old Mages, and Dio—a group of seven—came into Cipher's view. They had successfully evaded the soldiers pursuing them from the city gate and arrived at her location.
Cipher waved at them and called out, "Over here! Over here!"
Instantly, everyone except the three White-Bearded Old Mages, who were unaware of the situation, froze in shock. Dio blurted out, "Didn't you say you'd catch up later? How did you get ahead of us?!"
"That's not important!" Cipher pointed toward the distant hill. "The King is over there, holding what must be the Hell Book. Shouldn't we stop him immediately?"
Only then did the group turn their attention to the hill. Douglas, seeing the hundred-plus soldiers standing at the ready, clicked his tongue and muttered, "Looks like we're in for a tough fight..."
Though outnumbered, these soldiers were the King's elite personal guard. Each wore full plate armor, carried a sword in their left hand and a shield in their right, and had a crossbow slung across their back.
Not to mention the King possessed a Divine Artifact, brimming with power and ready to unleash its devastating force. In contrast, Cipher's group numbered only eight, a stark disadvantage by any measure.
But there was no choice. Despite the overwhelming odds, they had to steel themselves and press onward. Douglas took a deep breath, cradling his Holy Symbol against his chest, and knelt in prayer. Soon, a golden light materialized before him, coalescing into a floating, luminous half-suit of armor.
This was the Third-Level Divine Spell, Guardian of Faith. It could be understood as summoning a "knight," consisting only of an upper torso that floated slowly. The construct obeyed the summoner's commands, attacking or defending as directed. Its hollow, armor-only form made it exceptionally difficult to destroy.
(TL Note: 3rd level instead of 4th in this world. Broken I say)
The only ways to defeat it were to dismember it completely or endure until the spell's divine power expired. Even killing the caster after the spell's activation wouldn't dispel the Guardian of Faith.
Douglas then cast a Third-Level Divine Spell, "Spiritual Weapon," summoning a massive golden hammer that floated in the air, radiating light. He could control the weapon with his mind, directing it to strike, or wield it himself.
This exhausted Douglas's "Grace Value" for the day, leaving him unable to cast any more Divine Magic. "I'll lead the charge and draw as much of the soldiers' attention as possible," he declared. "The rest is up to you."
Dio exclaimed in surprise, "Over a hundred enemies, and you're going in alone? Are you crazy?"
Douglas laughed heartily. "What's there to fear? Followers of the God of War never flinch from battle!"
Aria chimed in, "Exactly! Just over a hundred enemies? In legends, heroes face far more terrifying foes! If they weren't afraid, why should we be? I'm with you!"
Feidric cast multiple layers of protective shields on Douglas and Aria before warning, "Be careful."
With that, Douglas and Aria charged forward, while the others remained behind cover. After all, out of the eight of them, they were the only two melee fighters.
The remaining six consisted of four wizards, a thief with questionable combat prowess, and an eccentric bard.
It wouldn't be wise to send the wizards charging into battle, would it?
But then, Dio unexpectedly stepped out of cover and strolled toward the front lines, a faint smile playing on his lips. He murmured softly, "Such a splendid spectacle... wouldn't it be a waste not to get a closer look?"
This drew the attention of Cipher and Feidric, who exchanged wary glances with Dio.
Meanwhile, Douglas and Aria had already engaged the outermost soldiers. Douglas wielded his battleaxe in one hand and a massive warhammer in the other, swinging the enormous weapons as effortlessly as if they were weightless. With each swing, the air crackled with the resounding whoosh of their passage.
Against enemies clad in full plate armor, a massive warhammer was naturally the best choice. A single blow could send them flying, the impact jarring the armored figure inside and leaving them dazed and disoriented. While not lethal, it was enough to incapacitate them temporarily.
As for Aria, armor was irrelevant. A single Divine Smite would unleash a roaring torrent of Magic Power capable of warping metal armor outright, leaving its occupant either dead or maimed.
The suddenness of the attack left the Old King, positioned at the center of the Magic Circle, utterly bewildered. After a brief moment of stunned silence, he bellowed, "Quick! Eliminate these intruders!"
Hearing the command, nearby soldiers swarmed towards Aria and Douglas, while those farther away raised their crossbows and took aim. A hail of arrows rained down upon the pair.
Yet every arrow was intercepted by a translucent shield before it could strike. Feidric kept his gaze fixed on Aria and Douglas, ready to reinforce the barrier the moment it showed signs of weakening.
In a sense, the soldiers had to deplete Feidric's "Blue Bar" before they could truly harm Aria and Douglas.
Just seconds into the battle, the Old King spotted Dio standing behind Aria and Douglas. His face twisted with fury. "Damn it! Weren't you supposed to help me complete the ritual? You disappeared early this morning! What the hell are you doing?!"
"Hurry up and help me eliminate these damned attackers!"
Cipher's brow furrowed slightly. As I suspected, she thought silently. Dio's sudden appearance had always seemed suspicious, and now it appeared there was indeed something amiss. She eyed him warily, ready to strike at the slightest odd move.
However, Dio merely stopped in place when he heard the Old King's command. He took out his violin and began to play before the assembled crowd.
A somber melody, heavy with sorrow, filled the air.
"♪~~♪~~♪~~"
A melancholic little tune played.jpg
But it was just music; nothing else happened.
Seeing the Old King's face, as dark and gloomy as a massive black cauldron, Dio burst into laughter. "That expression! Hahaha! Doesn't it perfectly match the music?"
The scene made Cipher, who had been poised to charge, stumble. This bizarre turn of events left her utterly bewildered, but she couldn't deny that the mournful tune playing in her ears did seem oddly fitting with the Old King's grim expression.
The Old King ground his teeth. "What do you mean?! Don't you want the Hell Book anymore?!"
Dio shook his head, grinning widely. "Need you even ask? Of course not! The very fact that you'd extend such an invitation to me—a Bard—proves you understand nothing about Bards, nothing about this Divine Artifact that belongs to us."
"You don't even know what its true effect is, yet you've wasted five years here, causing countless deaths, all for this ridiculous scheme?"
"I have no idea what you're trying to accomplish, but without a doubt, this is the funniest joke I've ever heard in my life!"
"Damn it! Damn it all!" the Old King roared in fury. "Quickly, kill him! Kill this charlatan!"
Several soldiers immediately charged at Dio. He simply shrugged, stopped playing his mournful tune, and raised his bow high. A brilliant golden magic power materialized around it, coalescing into the shimmering outline of a longsword.
He calmly strode toward the soldiers, muttering, "Wouldn't this technique sound more impressive if I shouted it out? Ahem..."
"Divine Smite!!!"
PS: Dio's class is Bard - College of Lore (Level 11).