Those deranged, vitriolic words seemed even more resentful than the "Godrick" Lynn had faced in previous loops.
Before the words had even finished hanging in the air, Godrick's bloated frame lunged forward with a speed that defied his massive bulk.
"Scatter!"
Lynn's low shout rang out almost simultaneously with Godrick's movement.
BOOM!
The massive dragon-headed axe in Godrick's grip slammed down with catastrophic force right where they had been standing a heartbeat before. The hard stone floor shattered instantly, sending shards of rock flying in every direction and leaving a terrifying, jagged crater.
"Waaaah!" Lefiya stumbled, nearly knocked off her feet by the resulting shockwave.
"He's... so fast!" Tione's pupils constricted. She quickly grabbed her sister and Lefiya, dragging them into a frantic retreat.
But Godrick didn't stop.
The dozens of grafted arms covering his body twitched to life like independent serpents. Clutching a chaotic assortment of weapons, they transformed into a whirlwind of steel, sweeping toward the four of them. Swords, spears, axes, halberds—it was a mindless, disorganized storm of metal that covered every conceivable angle.
Clang!
Tiona instinctively raised Urga to parry. The heavy blade collided with a battle-axe, and a terrifying, primal force—unlike anything she had ever experienced—surged through the length of her sword.
"Urgh?!"
It felt as though she'd been struck head-on by a battering ram. Her arms went numb, and her body was sent hurtling backward. She spun through the air several times before crashing clumsily to the ground.
"Don't try to tank it! Dodge!" Lynn's voice cut through the chaos of the battlefield like a thunderclap. "His attacks have a massive wind-up! Watch the telegraphs before you move!"
He moved like a dark phantom, weaving through the dizzying forest of weaponry. With every roll and sidestep, he cleared lethal edges by mere millimeters. In his eyes, the frenzied assault seemed to slow into frames of motion, every opening laid bare.
Ais's golden eyes remained locked on Godrick, carving Lynn's words into her mind.
Wind-up...
She forced herself to stay calm, ignoring the terrifying storm of weapons and focusing entirely on the initial movements of Godrick's flailing arms.
There!
One of Godrick's arms hoisted a massive hammer high. To Ais, the slow accumulation of power felt infinitely prolonged.
Now!
The moment the hammer began its descent, Ais slid a step to the left. The heavy head slammed into the ground, narrowly brushing past her hair.
A massive opening!
A sharp glint flashed in Ais's eyes. She lunged forward, transforming into a streak of silver as she closed the distance to Godrick's thick, trunk-like leg. Channeling every ounce of her strength, she thrust her rapier forward.
Puchi!
The tip pierced flesh, but the sensation was strangely sluggish, as if she were stabbing into toughened leather. She only managed to sink the blade two inches deep before the dense muscle and hide ground it to a halt.
Howling in pain, Godrick lashed out. One of his nearest hands, clutching a dagger, lunged at her. Having landed her blow, Ais didn't linger; she yanked her sword free and retreated instantly, narrowly evading the counterattack.
It was only a shallow, negligible scratch, but she had actually hit him.
This tiny success acted like a spark, igniting hope in the other three.
"I see..." Tione mused as she watched Ais's opening. "It's not a contest of strength, but a search for opportunity."
"B-but... he has too many hands!" Lefiya cried out in terror as she dodged.
Just as she spoke, Godrick—further enraged by Ais's successful sneak attack—began to spin his body manically. His countless arms became a whirlwind of destruction, forcing everyone to retreat toward the edges of the hall.
This guy is significantly fiercer than the Godrick back in the Lands Between.
"He's insane! This guy has completely lost it!"
Tione grabbed a dazed Lefiya and hauled her behind a massive stone pillar. A scorching gust from the cyclone grazed their backs, and the pillar's surface was instantly raked with brilliant sparks and deep gouges.
"This won't work! We can't even get close!" Tiona rolled to the other side, her arms still trembling from the impact on Urga. She hadn't quite recovered from the shock of that head-on collision.
"Hey, don't just stand there!"
Lynn's voice rang clearly over the howling gale of steel.
He hadn't retreated. Instead, like a madman dancing on a razor's edge, he utilized the brief windows of invincibility during his rolls to navigate the inner circle of Godrick's spinning assault.
"He's not invincible! Every time he turns, there's a tiny pause as he adjusts his center of gravity! Now! Hit his left leg!"
Lynn roared. His Bloodhound's Fang unleashed a crimson arc of light, striking precisely at one of Godrick's left legs. It was the very center of the whirlwind—the most dangerous spot, yet also where the defense was thinnest.
"Oooooh!"
Tiona's combat instincts overrode her fear. Letting out a wild cry, she mirrored Lynn's movements, charging in like a stampeding bull. Using her momentum, she swung Urga with everything she had at the same spot.
Clang! Puchi!
The attacks from Ais and Tione followed immediately. All four strikes landed simultaneously on the exact same point.
"Aaaargh!"
Godrick let out a pained roar as his frenzied rotation ground to a halt. His massive frame tilted to the side, his balance shattered.
Stance broken!
A massive opening!
"Now's our chance!" Tione's eyes blazed.
"I'm going to hack off every last one of those arms!" Tiona shouted excitedly, swinging her greatsword at the nearest arm—one clutching a rusted scimitar.
Under her monstrous strength, the arm was severed cleanly along with its weapon. The limb flew into the air, dissolving into flecks of light.
"It worked!" Lefiya shouted in delight.
But in that moment, Godrick let out a sudden, deafening roar that blasted them back.
"Uwah!" Tiona was sent flying the furthest. When she stabilized her stance and looked up, she witnessed a scene of absolute horror.
Under the terrified gaze of everyone present, Godrick reached out and grabbed the head of a long-dead dragon lying nearby. He ripped it off with raw, brutal force and shoved it against the stump of his severed left wrist!
"What is he doing?!" Tiona was slack-jawed.
Flesh writhed; bone and sinew fused. That massive dragon head actually came to life, grafted onto his severed arm as if it were a natural growth! The dragon's eyes snapped open, glowing with a cruel, crimson light, and the scent of sulfur began to saturate the air.
"This is bad!" For the first time, Lynn's expression darkened.
────────────────────────────────────────
Support me here: https://[email protected]/AuAuMon
Spring Sale Special – 20% OFF!
Danmachi: My Primary God is Hidetaka Miyazaki? (Simulpub – Ongoing)
Join the journey and become part of the story!
────────────────────────────────────────