Side Character Who Became the Pseudo-Protagonist

Chapter 49: Dead On Arrival (2)

’How could a girl, not even a student of our Academy—who also had never even entered a Gate before—know about this monster’s weakness?’

Well, I could’ve been assuming things. But considering her condition, there was no way she could’ve entered a Gate. The atmospheric Logos alone would’ve caused her immense pain.

Even so, a part of me wanted to believe her.

"Alright, what do you have in mind?"

Lucy nodded, continuing on. "I...I can sense the monster’s physical condition. It’s under some kind of influence and unable to control itself properly.."

"Its core is darting around the body like crazy, seemingly with no control at all. But there’s a pattern..." she said softly, putting a hand onto her head. "If we can get the monster to commit to a lunge, the core always moves to the back of its head, where its skin tissue is the softest."

"That’s our best chance."

...

’She can sense its physical information, along with identifying where its core is from this far away? That accurately?’

Yet the more I thought about it, the more it made sense.

[Material Sight] also allowed me to see Logos to a certain degree.

Since she was from the same family as Lohan, who possesses the Wanderer’s Eyes, maybe her sensitivity was some kind of evolution of [Material Sight].

Though I wouldn’t consider it an upgrade. Trading your normal vision to be able to look at pure Logos sounds more like a curse to me.

Still, her plan was feasible, and we needed to end this fight fast before the fight spilled outside and things became even worse.

"I’ll relay the plan to the others." I glanced toward the overturned furniture around her. "You stay here and hold on tight."

I turned back toward the fight. Though it seemed the others had already grown tired of waiting for me.

Cecilia rushed in first, flames erupting beneath her feet as she shot toward the Half Behemoth’s exposed side.

[Spell Sequence Initializing: Tier 1 Heat Enhancement Type—]

[Ignition Rush]

Closing the distance clearly wasn’t the problem for her. Getting close enough to actually hit the damn thing was.

The Behemoth twisted on its six limbs and swung one of its enormous arms. Cecilia was moving too fast to change her trajectory now, so all she could do was cross both arms and brace herself.

BOOM—!

The impact swatted her out of the air.

"Cecilia!"

She crashed through a table and rolled across the floor, only barely managing to cover herself in flames before hitting the far wall of the café.

Though her attack created an opening.

With the monster’s entire body twisted after its attack, Ruby had a clear shot at the exposed underside of its abdomen.

[Spell Sequence Initializing: Tier 1 Offensive Pressure Type Spell—]

[Aqua Piercer]

Logos flowed around her Bracelet before converging in her hand and turning into compressed water, then morphing into a violently rotating lance as it shot across the area.

Despite its size, the thing planted two of its lower limbs against the floor and threw its body sideways. Or at least, it tried to.

TONK—!

The Behemoth slammed headfirst into a translucent wall that flashed into existence directly in its path, causing the stream of pressurized water to pierce straight through its stomach.

SHLK—!

Black blood sprayed from the hole torn through its stomach. Yet, there was not even a hint of hesitation or pain. It didn’t even bother looking down...as if the wound never existed at all.

It was evidently clear that our group was becoming more tired the longer we fought. Heavy breathing and slouched backs were enough to communicate that to me easily.

So, with all the gusto I could muster, I yelled out.

"Guys! Buy me an opening. I need it to lunge!"

"That’s your plan?!" Cecilia yelled, pulling herself out of the rubble.

"The core moves into the back of its head whenever it commits to one!"

Apparently, that was all the convincing they needed.

Aidan’s three swords immediately spread throughout the café, taking positions around the Half Behemoth.

"Then where do you want it?"

I glanced around the ruined interior.

The entrance was blocked by the truck. The civilians had already escaped through the windows, and enough open space remained between the counter and the far wall for the monster to build up speed.

More importantly, there was nothing behind me except rubble.

"Straight through the middle!"

"Lohan!"

"I heard him."

Several talismans slipped between his fingers. Rather than throwing them at the monster, he scattered them across the floor on either side of the café.

"Lightning Prison!"

Arcs of electricity erupted between them, forming two crackling walls that narrowed the entire room into a single path.

The Half Behemoth turned toward the nearest opening.

Colette’s barrier appeared there first.

TONK—!

Its head slammed against the translucent surface, forcing it back toward the center.

Aidan’s swords struck next.

One blade carved into its exposed flank from the left. The other two attacked from the right, repeatedly tearing through the same open wound Ruby had created.

The monster twisted between them, unable to decide which direction to face. By the time it realized only one path remained, its target was obvious.

I felt like a matador in this moment, holding the red flag as it charged toward me. Though I had neither the confidence nor experience that a matador had...

Still, it would have to do.

The entire café shook as six limbs propelled its enormous body forward.

[Spell Sequence Initializing: Tier 1 Physical Enhancement Type—]

[Boost]

I launched myself toward it.

And without any signal from me, Colette knew exactly what I was thinking.

Suddenly, a translucent platform appeared beneath my foot at the perfect timing, allowing me to step on it and launch myself into the air—

Straight above the Behemoth’s head.

And all I had to do now...

Was pull the trigger.

[Spell Sequence Initializing: Innate Structural Disruption Type—]

[Overload]

BANG—!

Blue Logos carrying the sequence pierced right through the softened tissue and struck the dense concentration of Logos moving underneath it.

At first, I thought nothing happened, but I was quickly proven wrong.

KRRRRK—!

A chain of violent ruptures spread from the back of the Half Behemoth’s skull, racing down its spine and throughout all six of its limbs.

Its body seized underneath me. But with the momentum, the entire thing slammed straight into the back of the café, before finally...

Going limp.

Meanwhile, I actually flew in the opposite direction.

Colette tried to form another formation to catch me, though "catch" was being quite generous. I simply bounced off the barrier and collapsed onto the floor.

"Ow..."

I remained flat on my back, staring at what was left of the café’s ceiling, suddenly having an epiphany about the entire thing.

This was supposed to be my day off...