CH.185 VS. Giant Orc
<span style="font-weight:400">“Here. You should hold onto these two cards for now.” I said to Ria as I handed her Element Valkyrie and Firebird. They will be good for her to start with and if she does well with them, I might just give her the Sacred Phoenix of Nephthyster.
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[copse]
<span style="font-weight:400">“... where should I hold them?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Your fanny pack, your pocket. Anywhere really, as long as they won’t identally fall out of there. And you should already know how to use them, right?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Just say the name? Oh. I can actually read it now.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Yeah. You need Card Summoner to be able to read them. You also can’t use the ones with that protective sleeve on them without Card Summoner.” Both of her cards actually have a toploader, but small difference.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Okay. Should I summon them now?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Not just yet. Let me summon a few monsters first. I picked a few with weapons that you might enjoy using.”
<hr>
<span style="font-weight:400">“... they are alright, but I don’t think they are for me.” Ria said after testing out the twin daggers of Ninja Grandmaster Sasuke and the arm des of Performance of Sword. I had also let her test out my mithril sword, but she didn’t like that either.
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[copse]
<span style="font-weight:400">“I see. That’s too bad. Thanks, you two. You can go back now.” I said before I unsummoned the two monsters. “Let’s try these next. Cestus of Da.” I activated an equip spell that summoned two weapons that were not too far from punch daggers. Just a bit over sized.
Spoiler
[copse]
<span style="font-weight:400">As they came out of the card, I took a hold of them so they wouldn’t fall to the ground. Compared to their size, they were actually quite light, so they shouldn’t get in the way of Ria’s fighting style.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Here. Test these out.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Sure.” Ria moved to receive the weapons from me, but as soon as they were fully in her hands. “Ah!” She let out a little scream and dropped them.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Ria! What happened?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“They just hurt me.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“The weapons?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Yes.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“... okay. Why?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“You should tell me that.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Is it because they are an equip spell? Did it get equipped to me when I activated it? It shouldn’t be that. I have given equips to other people before. Like when I gave that guard the Legendary Sword during the wyvern incident.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Alice, could you try picking them up?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“... do I have to? Won’t they hurt me as well?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“I’m not sure, so I’d like to find out. This is the first time an equip has hurt someone. I do have an idea as to why it might have, but that also doesn’t fit how I’ve been able to use them previously.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“... fine, but if they hurt me, I’ll expect an apology gift.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Sure. If they hurt you, I’ll give you an extra card. Is that fine?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Yes.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Alice moved to pick up the fallen Cestus of Da. She picked them up and seemed to be holding them with no problem.
<span style="font-weight:400">“... they don’t hurt?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Why do you seem surprised by that? They shouldn’t hurt. That is the norm.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Then why did they hurt me?”
<span style="font-weight:400">… yeah. That is the question.
<span style="font-weight:400">(Laura, any ideas?)
<span style="font-weight:400">(One. Her race. She is a dhampir and Cestus of Da is only for Fairy-type monsters. That difference could cause the damage.)
<span style="font-weight:400">(But neither Alice or I are fairies.)
<span style="font-weight:400">(But you are humans. Humans are an adaptable, neutral race. The cards might not treat you as any race in particr, so you can equip any of the usually limited cards.)
<span style="font-weight:400">(... okay. So humans can use everything, but Ria can’t use fairy equips as she is half-undead?)
<span style="font-weight:400">(Yes. That could be the case.)
<span style="font-weight:400">(Well, let’s assume so until we have more data.)
<span style="font-weight:400">“... sorry Ria, this one is on me. I didn’t take your race into consideration.” I said.
<span style="font-weight:400">“What do you mean?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Those des are made for fairies. And while a human can use them, a dhampir seemingly cannot, as you are basically half vampire.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“I see. Well, I don’t think I’d have liked them anyway. They are too big and bulky.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Perhaps some gauntlets will really be the best. Something like these. Armed Dragon LV5.”
Spoiler
[copse]
<span style="font-weight:400">What do you mean I can’t do that? Why not? Armed Dragon LV5 doesn’t have to be summoned by the effect of its LV3 version, so I can.
<span style="font-weight:400">My new dragon wasn’t thatrge,pared to most of my others. It only stood at about 7 meters tall. Sure, it is stillrge, butpared to most of my actuallyrge dragons, this is quite manageable.
<span style="font-weight:400">“B-Brian! You can’t just summon a dragon out of nowhere.” Aliceined.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Why not? It isn’t even thatrge. And it’s just to show some gauntlets to Ria. So Ria, what do you think? Would something like that work?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“... I think so. But I want to test them out first. And I think those ones are way toorge for me.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Don’t worry about that part. As long as you think they’ll be good, I’ll get you some. I just need to go and buy some iron, then summon a monster to forge it into something you can use.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Did I hear that correctly? You can summon something that can forge?” Paulina walked in and asked. I didn’t notice as I was focused on Ria. “Also, why is there a dragon here?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“... because I summoned the dragon. And yes, I have an iron cksmith on my list of summonable monsters.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“I see. I suppose that isn’t overly strange for you. Do you want to borrow the knight orders smithy? I can arrange that for you.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“... Yes, please. I’ll pay for it as well.” I honestly thought I might have to find one I can rent for a month or something.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I think as long as you pay for the materials, it will be fine.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Sure. Honestly, that will be a huge help.” At least until I get the DDF smithy done. And I’ll still need materials for the DDF smithy.
<span style="font-weight:400">At least I won’t need an anvil as Iron cksmith Kotetsues with one, but I’ll need basically everything else. A forge, some tools, a quench tank, etc.
<hr>
<span style="font-weight:400">“Giant Orc.” I summoned the monster Ria wanted to fight against.
Spoiler
[copse]
<span style="font-weight:400">“Is that a greater orc?” Paulina asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">“... The card calls it a giant orc, but it might be.” I said.
<span style="font-weight:400">This thing was a lotrger than the orcs we have fought this far. The native orcs are around three meters tall, but this thing is four. A full meter taller. It wielded arge bone like a club.
<span style="font-weight:400">“You two sure about this? This might be a little too much. I can trade it for something weaker.” I offered Alice and Ria.
<span style="font-weight:400">“... Can Mana kill it?” Alice asked carefully.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Not sure, but maybe.” I answered. Of course normally Dark Magician Girl has less attack than Giant Orc, but Mana has the book installed. And I don’t know if she can gain attack with her ability, even if there are no Dark Magicians in the GY. There is also the negative ability of Giant Orc to consider. If Mana can force the orc into ‘defense mode’, it should be no problem.
<span style="font-weight:400">“This orc is that strong?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Yeah. It has a lot of power, but it also has a big weakness. If you can exploit that weakness, I’m sure you can win.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“What weakness?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“If I tell you, then this wouldn’t be good training.” Well, it still would be. They would still have to get the orc to go into defense somehow. And honestly, I have no idea how to do that.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Perhaps I should help you as well. We can do it together.” Paulina offered.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Would you really?” Alice asked. “That’s fine, right Brian?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Sure, I don’t really care. I’ll also stop the orc if it goes too far.” I also do want to see Paulina fight, so this is going to be nice. I know I saw a bit back at the orc settlement, but that was just her firing a few spells.
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<span style="font-weight:400">“Begin!” I called out to start the practice fight.
<span style="font-weight:400">I had given my orc the order that it was not to attack anyone that had gone down, but other than that, anything was fair game. I didn’t want to make it too easy and I could help them recover even if the worst happened.
<span style="font-weight:400">As I gave the signal, the orc began walking towards the trio.
<span style="font-weight:400">Alice and Paulina stood their ground and began throwing spells at it, but Ria took off running so she could get to a better position. The spells were doing some damage, but the orc didn’t seem to care that much and was just walking through them.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Alice, use shade.” Paulina instructed.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Yes. Dark, embrace us, Shade.” Alice quickly chanted and the area around the orc was engulfed by darkness. The darkness didn’t extend much past the orc, so the rest of us could see everything.
<span style="font-weight:400">But the orc didn’t seem to care about its new environment. It is dark attribute, so perhaps a little darkness doesn’t bother it too much. It is also a fiend, so I think it resides within the Yami room of the factory.
Spoiler
[copse]
<span style="font-weight:400">“It. It didn’t stop!” Alice panicked a bit as the orc kept walking towards them.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Earth Wall!” Paulina quick casted a spell, raising the ground to make a wall between them and the orc. “That can happen. Some monsters don''t care about spells like shade.” She then exined to Alice.
<span style="font-weight:400">The orc didn’t care about the shadows, or the wall that had appeared and kept moving. In fact, after the wall came up, it elerated and tackled the earth wall, causing it to crumble.
<span style="font-weight:400">As the dust from the wall was settling, the shadows caused by shade also lifted, so I could actually see the orc again. It didn’t really seem hurt at all, even though it just charged through a wall, but it was a bit disorientated and had to take a few seconds to catch its surroundings.
<span style="font-weight:400">Alice and Paulina used that time to take some more distance, and Ria took that chance to finally charge in.
<span style="font-weight:400">With her eyes glowing slightly, she used Flicker Step to get behind the orc and jumped up to its neck. Using her legs to hold on, she pierced her fingers into the orcs eyes, blinding the monster.
<span style="font-weight:400">GRAAW
<span style="font-weight:400">The orc let out a scream and dropped its bone. It then used both of its hands to try to get to Ria, but as soon as Ria saw theming, she jumped off of the orc and took some distance.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Stone Spear!”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Dark Spear!”
<span style="font-weight:400">Two spear spells came from the magicians as soon as Ria jumped off of the orc.
<span style="font-weight:400">The stone spear hit the orc in the right shoulder, causing a small wound, but Alice’s Dark Spear hit it in the stomach and actually pierced quite deep. Her Magician’s Power skill must be working overtime again.
<span style="font-weight:400">GRAAW
<span style="font-weight:400">The orc roared again. It held its pierced eyes with one hand, and ced the other onto its bleeding wound on its stomach.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Alice, another one.” Paulina said, and began a chant. “Stones, gather and fly as my spear, Stone Spear!”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Dark, form a spear and strike my enemy, Dark Spear!” Alice followed her lead.
<span style="font-weight:400">Again, both of the spellsnded. If I’d have to say, Alice’s did just a bit more damage, but this time, it was more difficult to tell. Maybe Paulina was holding back with herst spell, or maybe the orcs shoulder is just tougher.
<span style="font-weight:400">The orc then moved to pick up its bone again. And as it opened its eyes, I saw that it once again had its eyes intact. It had regenerated them. I didn’t know it could do that. Even the wound from Alice’s first spear in the orc''s stomach had begun to regenerate somewhat.
<span style="font-weight:400">The orc then charged at the two mages. Not walking like it had been, but a full on sprint. And it was fast. For something sorge, it can move quickly.
<span style="font-weight:400">Paulina began dodging to the left and pushed Alice to the right to get her moving as well. They made arge enough of a space between them where had the orc still been blind and operating based on the direction the attacks came from, it would have charged through the empty area where they had been.
<span style="font-weight:400">But as it could see once again, it saw what the two were doing and chose to go after Alice. Probably because Alice’s spears do slightly more damage.
<span style="font-weight:400">As the orc approached Alice, it readied its bone for a strike onto her.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Dark Shield.” Alice quick casted a defensive spell before the orc had time to bring the bone down.
<span style="font-weight:400">But as the bone came down it first hit the wall and shattered both the wall and the bone. But a remaining piece of the bone hit Alice, throwing her back a few meters.
<span style="font-weight:400">“ALICE!” Paulina called out.
<span style="font-weight:400">I considered stopping the practice match right now, but as the orc turned away from the downed Alice, I don’t think that is strictly necessary. Alice also didn’t receive a full blow, so she should still be alive. Hopefully.
<span style="font-weight:400">I guess I should add a little detail. The reason Threatening Roar or Spellbinding Circle didn’t automatically activate is because I removed both of them before the match. They are too much of a crutch for Alice and she shouldn’t rely on them most of the time, so I don’t want her developing any bad habits. When we are out there, doing actual adventuring work, is one thing, but as this is basically a practice match I said it would be better if she couldn’t rely on them.
<span style="font-weight:400">“You two! The fight is still on! I’ll take care of Alice!” I called out to the two still activebatants, as I ran to the fallen Alice. On the way, I took the Guardian Angel Joan that I had already put into my pocket out, ced it on my Duel Disk, and summoned her. “Heal her.”
<span style="font-weight:400">I looked Alice over as Guardian Angel Joan got to work. She didn’t have any obvious punctures, probably because she has on the leather armor she got from her father. But that amount of blunt impact trauma would still cause some damage.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Is she?” I asked the angel.
<span style="font-weight:400">“She’ll be fine. She lost a lot of HP, but it wasn’t a lethal blow.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Good.”
<span style="font-weight:400">I turned back to the fight.
<span style="font-weight:400">Another stone spear from Paulina was flying towards the orc. And then another. And they were doing a lot more damage than they had been.
<span style="font-weight:400">The spears, that had previously only prated a bit, were now piercing all the way through the orc.
<span style="font-weight:400">As the orc approached Paulina, Ria came back into the fight. With theplete passthroughs of the spears, she had plenty of opportunity to go in and use blood magic to draw out more of the orcs blood. Shetched onto the orc''s back and the wound that had been bleeding only a bit began gushing out blood like someone had fully opened a slightly leaking faucet.
<span style="font-weight:400">The orc tried to get to Ria, but getting to the middle of your own back isn’t the easiest thing. Especially as Paulina was still casting spells. She had swapped from her spear spell to a stone toss, something with more impact force, but less prating force. Good call on her part as friendly fire is most certainly on and over pration is a thing.
<span style="font-weight:400">The orc, for its part, tried to get Ria off of its back, but it proved to be impossible. Perhaps because of the blood loss, or maybe because of the rocks hitting it in the head, it was getting more and more disorientated.
<span style="font-weight:400">But then the orc seemed to catch its second wind and it struck the ground with its right hand, pulling out a fresh bone from the card that had appeared at its feet when it did. With the bone back in its hand, it seemed ready to strike again.
<span style="font-weight:400">Its first move with its new bone was to strike its own back, and Ria who was clinging to said back. The bone impacted Ria hard and shattered. Those things aren’t very durable. Ria let go off the orc and fell to the ground. Like with Alice, the orc ignored her for the future and turned its eyes onto Paulina.
<span style="font-weight:400">I pulled up Ria’s status through my own and saw that she still had just over 200 HP remaining, so she was fine enough for now. She still needed healing quite badly, but it wasn’t like she would die in a few seconds or anything. I then had Laura minimize the status screen so that only Ria’s HP was visible. I should have asked Laura to do this earlier. Having active HP bars like this is super useful.
<span style="font-weight:400">Paulina, as thestbatant standing, stared down the orc that was waddling towards her. The orc was clearly moving slower than it had even at the beginning of the fight because of the mixture of blood loss and all of those stones hitting it in the face.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Earth, crush my enemies, Earth Crush!” Paulina chanted, causing two bs of ground to raise and mp around the orc.
<span style="font-weight:400">The orc must have been pretty low on HP already, as that final spell did it in, and the orc vanished into specks of light.
<span style="font-weight:400">Battle over. Winners, Alice, Ria and Paulina.
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