Chapter 131.2 - Battle in Goma''s Castle


    「That was so close.」


    「Are you okay, Kotori?」


    「I…I''m okay!」


    Though the defensive wall was mostly destroyed, it barely managed to protect them from the me tornado. The hot wind wasn''t the only reason the three girls were sweating profusely.


    Since Sakura and Ryouko were your orthodox spellcaster type, this was their first experience in closebat. Even though a fire-breathing monster wasn''t that rare in this dungeon, a monster that used a magic wand, and magic was actually a rare case.


    And the one who fought that rare monster, the me magician type gogma, were that duo or trio since Kotori was included.


    The magician-type gogma who swung around its magic wand which looked like a bishop''s staff as it fired one fireball after another had already surpassed Cerberus'' heat radiation in terms of heat alone.


    Even though their side had two spellcasters, one hit from gogma''s fire arrow was enough to incapacitate them. On the other hand, in spite of being a magician type with a big frame, the gogma''s toughness far surpassed their expectation. In spite of scalding and bleeding from all over the ce after receiving so many 『Lux Sagitta』 and 『Ice Sagitta』, it was unperturbed, as if all of their attacks was only on the level of a scratch.


    On the other hand, the pair of girls raised defensive magic as soon as Kotori sensed that the gogma was about to fire a spell more powerful than an intermediate spell. The gogma''s timing in invoking its spell was that of an experiencedbatant.


    Both Sakura and Ryouko were forced into a defensive battle by gogma''s firepower. Though it wasn''t that strange if they lost to their far more superior opponent long time ago, they barely survived thanks to 『Sage』 Kotori''s assistance in reading their opponent''s move with 『Magical Power Analysis』.


    Kotori let herrades know the timing for attack and defense, moreover, she was also the one who did covering fire for herrades when they were about to be attacked by gogma as soon as they showed an opening, and was also assisting Yuuto in one way or another.


    「A deadlock huh…」


    「But, we''re in a better situation thanks to Sakura’s healing magic.」


    Their sole advantage over the gogmas was the fact that they had Sakura, a healer.


    Though Sakura was an amateur when it came to closebat as a magician, she mastered a little bit of swordsmanship since she always saw the spar between Asuna and Yuuto, their vanguard. Thanks to that experience, she could use 『Healing Light』 on Yuuto who fought a fierce battle against four-armed gogma when he needed it.


    「But now, we''re also on the side that needs reinforcement.」


    「The best we can do right now is keep this guy at bay. We''ve no choice but to wait for Asuna and Minami to make a breakthrough in this situation.」


    It was vexing but the three couldn''t do anything since they simplycked the firepower to defeat their opponent and assist their ally.


    「We''ve no choice… but to believe in them.」


    Despite her vexation, Sakura couldn''t help but ept the fact that shecked firepower and needed herrade''s assistance while sending 『Healing Light』 to Asuna and Minami who fought a fierce battle beside them.


    「O-Ou~… eh, it''s not hurting anymore!?」


    「Sakura''s healing magic huh. That was close, Natsukawa.」


    「Shank you~u, Sakura-cha~n!」


    Though Natsukawa Minami seemed to be as cheerful as usual, it was in fact a facade to prevent her heart from breaking under this situation. She was really grateful for Sakura''s 『Healing Light』 which came in time but, she barely hanging in there with just a light graze from gogma''s attack.


    「FUOGAA! MUGOO, UOGAAAA!」


    The gogma who fought against Minami and Asuna was a swordsman type with a wind elemental magic sword like the one used by the four-armed gogma. That gogma wasn''t just big, it was really fast on top of that. The enchanted sword fired 『Air Sagitta』 whichbined with exquisite swordy had cornered Minami and Asuna.


    「Nevertheless, this is a tough one huh.」


    「Uuh, still long way to go~.」


    In this situation, where the two vanguards fought against one opponent, they were lucky that the battle urred in wide space.


    The swordsman gogma was powerful but the duo received assistance from Sakura in the form of healing magic and Kotori''s warning when their opponent was about to use the ability of the wind sword. Thus, the two could fight calmly while raising their vignce on their opponent''s special attack.


    Minami stabbed on the gogma''s back with her 『Wild Van Dead Knife』, and then released electric shock, the 『Shock Bolt』, and added poison stocked in 『Sea Demon''s Water Current Whip』.


    Asuna made an even deeper cut with 『Purification Sword』 and forced massive bleeding with 『me Red Saber』.


    The swordsman gogma who received relentless attacks of the two had its movement impeded due to the poison in its flesh, there were countless cutting wounds on its skin, moreover, there were scalding wounds all over its body. But, the way it acted… as if those wounds were trivial.


    「BUGA, BUGO, VUNGAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!」


    Its war cry hadn''t weakened at all. Rather, it seemed to be more fired up the more blood it shed.


    And yet, it still managed to block the attack aimed at its vital spots such as the head, just like a mad warrior who maintained its sanity in berserk mode.


    「We just need tond a critical hit to end this fight as soon as possible and yet…」


    「Geez, this guy is so~ persistent! Just drop dead already!」


    The two of them had no other choice but to keep inflicting wound after wound to the swordsman gogma while keeping in mind the fact that they''re racing against time.


    Namely, the fact that they couldn''t go to help Yuuto, and theirrades unless they defeated their opponent as fast as possible―― Yes, everyone''s thoughts in that ce were united. Everyone did their best, fighting a desperate battle that they never experienced before.


    Sakura, Ryoko, Asuna, Minami, including Yuuto, everyone waspletely focused on the opponent before them. Thus, they failed to realize.


    The giant four-armed gogma vs Yuuto. Magician gogma vs Sakura, Ryoko, and Kotori. The swordsman gogma vs Asuna and Minami.


    They forgot the fact that there were still two gogmas left in that ce.


    The hammer wielder gogma and the axe wielder gogma. Even with the best partyposition, they fought one gogma at most. They failed to realize that it was a fight in which one single enemy was enough to overturn the stalemate.


    But every single one of the party was too upied with the enemy before them.


    Thus bringing a question, where had those axe wielder gogmas and hammer wielder gogmas disappeared to?


    Or rather, why they didn''t help the other gogmas. The answer was… because they''re too upied with the enemy in front of them.


    A fierce battle to death unfolded in one corner of that extremely spacious room, the 『Berserker』, Futaba Meiko fought against those two gogmas by herself.


    ===


    「Haah… Haah…」


    As expected, it depleted her stamina at a rapid pace.


    They were blessed with sessive victories as ofte, including powerful enemies like living armor, but thanks to their powerful line-up, they never experienced hardship during the battle.


    But now, in a situation in which she couldn''t hope for the other''s party members'' assistance, she was pitted against two gogmas at the same time, defeating both of them might be as hard as defeating the four-armed gogma.


    She didn''t even receive healing magic from Sakura. No matter how powerful her base stats had be after receiving『Berserker』 vocation, it didn''t mean that she didn''t have a hard time fighting against two gogmas at the same time without any assistance at all.


    「I''ve never experienced this kind of situation aside from the battle against the armored bear.」


    She recalled that thest time she fought with her life on the line was when she fought the armored bear right before they met Souma Sakura and Co.


    「Haa… I wonder what is Kotaro-kun doing right now…」


    The only moment she could rx her mind was when she recalled about him. Her chest was overflowing with love whenever she thought about him, and that joy would turn into dread and anxiety that was enough to make her cry in the next moment.


    In short, she was showing signs of emotional instability. Ironically, the person herself was aware of that.


    And yet, Meiko kept swinging her weapon, burying one enemy after another, her face was as docile as a sheep despite facing storms of weapons that were brandished with killing intent to kill her as if the battle itself was a trivial matter to her.


    「UOGA!」


    Sure enough, the zing axe-wielding gogma started to increase the power behind its attack.


    But due to how skillful Meiko used her ck shield, adjusting the angle of her shield right before the moment of impact, the attack ended up sliding down instead of striking down the shield. The zing edge of the edge ended up striking the stone floor in vain instead of striking its real target.


    「MUGAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!」


    The other gogma used that chance to swing its hammer which could pulverize everything with its powerful impact towards Meiko.


    「Uhm, whoopsie!」


    Meiko used her jet-ck halberd. Though the de that was attached to its spear length handle was too big for humans, it was still too smallpared to the hammer that was forged to match the gogma''s huge stature.


    Meiko skillfully manipted that halberd with one hand, crossing blows right from the front with the hammer that was swung with gogma''s both hands, repelling it.


    Every single one of her swings was not only empowered with her berserker strength but also added her martial art, 『Shock』 too.


    「Fu-haa…」


    「BGRRRRRRRRRR…」


    「MGGGRRRR…」


    Strong, both Meiko and the two gogmas felt the same. Their battle might look like an unfair battle of two against one but, in fact, it was a deadlock for both sides.


    As a 『Berserker』, Meiko had the highest physical damage amongst the member of Yuuto''s team. It wasn''t self-conceited, but a fact, even Meiko realized that fact.


    And her power was enough to kill a gogma who was far higher and heavier than her in a single hit in a one-on-one battle.


    But from the gogma''s perspective, Meiko with her superhuman strength that rivaled them despite being a human was their greatest threat. Their instinct had told them that they would lose against her in a one-on-one battle.


    They actually felt relieved that the two of them were the ones who dealt with this terrifyingly powerful woman allowing the battle to enter a state of deadlock. Since their side was starting to gain an upper hand in the other battle, all they needed to do was hold this woman in this ce until theirrades finished off the woman''srades. By then, they could use their superior number to defeat the woman, a despicable but just act.


    Strangely, the line of thought of the gomas was no different from Yuuto and Co, the humans.


    「If it''s going to be like that time, I guess I''ve no choice but to use that――」


    Knowing that her side was the one that was slowly being cornered, Meiko reached the conclusion that she needed a temporary power-up to break the deadlock.


    Meiko made that decision as she parried her opponent''s onught. She wasn''t scared. Instead, she felt some sort of joy within.


    The reason being the trump card that she was going to use was the one given by Kotaro.


    「Lend me your power―― Kotaro-kun!」


    She took out a small leather bag from her pouch in the gap between the two gogmas'' attacks. The content of that leather bag was a white powder.


    This was the second time she used it after the battle against the armored bear.


    Yes, the thing she took out was gomas'' infamous doping, the 『Reagent Ｘ』 which was given to her by Koutaro as the trump card in case Meiko was overwhelmed by her opponent.