265 Picnic On Top Of The Walls
After some catching up, I was told that the two of us were actually allowed to form a pair since we were the "weakest" among the entire group of tamers. The others were worried that we'd mess up and decided to just bundle us together.
Well, the truth behind the matter was apparently that they wanted to have more area under their control, even if it was just increased by a small margin.
"Well, putting the two of us together makes things easier, so I'm thankful, though."
Threya said, smiling happily. The pug, still between her arms in a tight hug, released a brief bark as if in agreement with her words.
While we were exchanging words, we finally reached our post. As we reached the top of the wall, which now looked brand new after Ember accidentally fixed everything with her Void powers, the swarm of demons a little distance away caught our eyes.
"That's a lot..."
I muttered, staring in awe at the amazing number of demons. Most of them were at the 6th stage, with a rare 7th to 8th stage powerhouse mixed sparsely in between. Although it was pretty intimidating to look at, it wasn't something that the girls couldn't handle.
"Then let's divide the field. I'll take the left side; you go for the right."
Threya said, pointing around and dividing our targets evenly. Not so even, though, as the right side was where the above 6th stages were all gathered. Does this girl really want to push the difficult part on me? Well, we have more numbers, so I guess it's not a problem.
"Then, let's go!"
I shouted, about to jump down the wall, but the collar of my clothes got pulled, choking me lightly.
"Master, there's no need for you to move personally. Leave this to us."
The culprit, Ember, showed a stern expression as she gently chided me.
"But isn't it unfair to you girls if I just stay here and let you fight?"
To my question, Igni patted my shoulder, shaking her head with a wry smile.
"My Lord... That's how tamers usually fight."
"Really...? Why is it that in my memory, a lot of my acquaintances fight together with their tamed monsters?"
"Leader, those are God tamers, remember? Their caliber is way different than ours."
Even Fang started bashing me. I mean, most of my acquaintances were king-level, if not God-level, so maybe my senses got skewed. Staring at Threya, who was talking to the Pug in a low voice and not showing any interest in going into battle personally, was probably the normal route.
"... Alright. I'll let you girls handle this."
In the end, I could just sigh. As I conceded, smiles appeared on their faces before they nodded their heads in sync.
"""Leave it to us!"""
The three roared in unison before jumping down the walls, rushing to the swarm of demons. As I watched them run in formation, I noticed that Fina didn't move with them, staying by my side; she was just staring ahead with a light smile, with Yorm and Judy resting by her legs.
"You're not joining them?"
I asked, curious. Fina just chuckled, as if I were asking the obvious.
"Fufu. Will, you're forgetting this, but I'm just at the fourth stage. What can I do against those monsters?"
Fina was technically the weakest in our group. She was even weaker than Yorm and Judy in terms of battle potential. I guess it's a bit worrisome to send her into the middle of a mob of demons, so holding herself back was the best choice. I nodded my head in understanding.
"I see. Let's just cheer them on from here then."
I smiled, patting her shoulder.
The girls were currently engaged in a fierce battle. Fang and Igni were, of course, fighting in their usual manner. Fang was using shadows and moving around at blinding speed, attacking the demon's vital spots with precision.
Igni was not using her area attacks, as they would destroy even the essence crystals within the demons. Instead, she used her [Flame Clad] and wielded her claws to literally dice the monsters that got in her range.
The weirdest one was Ember's fighting method. Around her body, a mechanical-looking suit appeared. It had no weapons embedded, but it could boost her physical strength by a thousandfold. Each punch she threw was enough to grind demons into a paste as if they had been hit by an annihilator.
"So Ember threw out her previous cannon-centered battle style and is now pursuing CQC?"
Aesthetically, her previous fighting method was better. However, probably from the fight with the Succubus Lord, Namia, where she wasn't able to dent the enemy's defense, she acknowledged that her current fighting method was flawed. Long story short, she lacked power.
"That armor, or [Exoskeleton] in her words, is able to amplify the impact of her punch. She claimed that it can output as much as a million-fold of the power used."
Fina explained, and I nodded my head in understanding. She used the Slime Suit as the basis for this, definitely. Although the current design is more lightweight,
"Ember was making this. Why does she keep quiet about her inventions?"
I somewhat feel that having one like that would boost my power too. However, as I observed her battle, I realized a flaw.
"... The [Exoskeleton] can't handle its own output and is slowly disintegrating."
With every punch she released, a small crack would appear somewhere. It was almost unnoticeable, but from looking at the energy signature of the equipment, it was as clear as day.
The million-fold power it could release was probably just the theoretical limit, and if she did use it, not only the [Exoskeleton] even her body would be permanently damaged.
Judging from how fast it was breaking, Ember would probably last until noon at most before her equipment reached its limit. Just as I was thinking such things, I noticed Ember was actually using something else while sending one punch after another.
"Void Powers!"
could fight for as long as possible as her energy reserves allow.
11:07
She was actually able to simultaneously move her body and lock her equipment's state; she was even recovering its form once it reached a certain percentage of damage. This method would mean she could fight for as long as possible as her energy reserves allow.
"What a streamlined and efficient solution."
I nodded at Ember's ingenuity. Or rather, she was just using whatever was available to her. As we were watching the fight continue, an enticing scent tickled my nose. Turning to the left, there was Threya, who set up a picnic blanket, a basket full of sandwiches, and even a still-steaming cup of tea.
"..."
She's too laid-back, relaxing like that on the front lines. Rather, isn't she worried about her partner? I looked around and quickly found the little dog running at breakneck speed, leaving afterimages as it moved between the demons, biting off a large chunk of their neck in one motion.
"D*mn... As expected of an 8th stage..."
I can't help but mutter in praise. That little thing was actually still holding back, after all, and it was taking down more demons than the three of my girls combined. The difference in their raw power was evident.
"Care to have some too?"
As I was deep in awe and honestly a little envious, Threya called me, offering a cup of tea. I gazed at the girls one last time, seeing that they were steadily fighting the demons. At their current pace, they should be able to clear the wave in just an hour or so.
I sighed, took Threya's offer, and sat at one corner of her picnic blanket before accepting the offered cup of tea. Fina followed, sitting by my side, and she was also offered a cup of tea by Threya.
I didn't drink it immediately but rather enjoyed the scent first. It was mint tea, judging from the aroma. The scent was calming and honestly helpful in letting me relax. I took a small sip, enjoying the cooling sensation as it went down my throat.
"Hmmm..."
The tea was perfect. Threya must be an expert in brewing, seeing that she could bring out this much flavor while using only tools available from her storage ring, basically survival goods.
"So? What was it that's been bothering you since earlier?"
Just as I was starting to dissolve all my worries, her words suddenly brought me back to the present. Right now, I still have one thing I need to complete. To add to that, I have absolutely no idea how to approach it.
"Actually..."
While choosing my words, I explained to her how I was in need of a Psychic-type beast or monster. Of course, I left out the part regarding time travel and such, especially about Vendetta.
As I finished introducing my dilemma, Threya took another sip of her tea, emptying the cup in her hands. Slowly, she revealed her suggestion to me, making me stare at her in both awe and appreciation.
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