Hellmode ~A Hardcore Gamer Becomes Peerless in Another World with Retro Game Settings~

Chapter 538: Battle with the Spirit Beasts (2)

Allen's team focused on defending to accomplish one goal, to exhaust the enemy's Mana and Spiritual Power.

Allen's Magic Eater could absorb the Mana of enemies, and Spectral Slash destroyed their Mana while dealing damage that scales with Intelligence, but it had one more effect.

It also could destroy the Spiritual Power of the target.

Now Fabre was starting to appear hesitant to attack again.

(I'm glad I planned for a case where I can't Appraise their stats. At least I know that Mana can't regenerate in this realm.)

Mana would not regenerate in the divine realm, so Allen focused on getting rid of that and their Spiritual Power. There was a chance the Spirit Beasts were using them for their Skills.

Though he also had no solid proof that his attacks were actually having that effect.

"Alright, you know what to do, Sophie, Luck!!"

Hearing that, Sophie and Luck channeled all their Mana into spirits.

"Of course, Master Allen! Light Great Spirit Light!!"

A female spirit wearing brass armor like a Greek mythological character appeared.

'Turn to light to break down everything!!'

The Light Great Spirit gathered all of Sophie's Mana and turned it into a burst of light that shot at Rosen, who began to shake his head wildly as the light hit him, rustling the healing leaves.

"I won't let you. Kaka, burn him down!!"

'Alright! Burn down!!'

The Fire Great Spirit sent scorching balls of fire at Rosen's head, burning the healing leaves.

'AAAAaaAaaaa!!'

While he screamed, Allen had already rushed up to him.

(Splitting up to attack from different locations was your downfall. The healer is always the first target, and I'll burn you to a crisp!!)

Since Rosen and Fabre had tried to attack from different sides, Allen's strategy became easier.

"Spectral Explosive Attack!!"

Large flames shaped like skulls emanated from Allen's sword. Graham's Spectral Skills were boosted by Allen's immense Intelligence, gaining overwhelming power.

'AAAAAAAAaaAaaa!!'

Allen used a fire element attack with his orichalcum sword on Rosen.

Rosen's trunk shattered and his entire body was set ablaze.

(Hm? Is it coming to help Rosen? Wait no.)

Sophie and Luck were recovering their Mana with a Heaven's Blessing.

Meanwhile a Wraith A summon watched Fabre's movements from a corner of the cave.

Fabre's slime body bunched up and lunged at Sophie and Luck behind Allen.

"Sophie, Luck, raise your defenses."

"Huh?! A-alright!!"

The three had focused their attacks on Rosen, so Fabre had stayed in their blind spot.

Allen warned Sophie and Luck about that, then went back to finish Rosen off.

(No, I don't think that's going to make it on time. Maybe it's actually…)

Fabre had already lunged forward, but before striking she seemed to grin before launching herself high into the air.

"I knew it. It was a feint."

Fabre went high above Sophie and Luck, and even passed above Allen.

Her target was not Sophie or Luck, but Rosen that was taking all of Allen's attacks.

Fabre landed on top of Rosen, covering his body with her slime body.

"What just happened?"

"He's being covered…"

Luck and Sophie watched in shock as the two Spirit Beasts combined into one.

Rosen's trunk changed colors to a strange purple, while producing red, green and black fruits.

Meanwhile Fabre changed forms into what looked like a giant salamander carrying Rosen, her body producing venomous warts that oozed a strange sludge.

A third of their combined body was a tree, and the rest the salamander, being around 30 meters long in total.

'It would be so much easier if you just give up and die in peace…'

The Great Spirit God Easley's voice was still calm, but was sounding more evil.

(So it's one of those enemies with a tree or mushroom on their backs. That brings back bad memories.)

Allen had fought countless enemies of various types in his past life, but all which had plants or mushrooms growing on them always had a shared trait.

'Gyekokokokoko!!!'

While everyone watched, the combined Spirit Beast began to shake its body, letting the fruits fall into its mouth and swallowing them. Shortly after Mana began overflowing from its body.

"Does that mean they recovered their Mana?"

"It looks similar to a Heaven's Blessing."

Sophie and Luck also understood the situation. The fruits regenerated Mana.

(Alright, I wonder if my attacks will work now.)

Allen rushed ahead, striking the Spirit Beast's forehead with Spectral Slash.

'Gyeopah?!'

(Good…wait no, it's really tough. Hmph!)

The salamander part looked soft, but was way harder than Rosen or Fabre earlier.

Their stats had increased by merging, which included their Endurance.

Allen tried to pull his sword out and jump back, but a large tongue came out from the mouth, striking Allen in the stomach.

The orichalcum armor Habarak made shattered and Allen began taking damage, his bones breaking and organs rupturing.

(This hurts like hell. I guess I can't strike it head on.)

Allen's Endurance was not as high as his Intelligence, but he had Physical Resistance from his summons' Blessings. Still, the merged Spirit Beasts were stronger.

"Lord Tonies, heal him!!"

'Leave it to me!!'

As Allen was sent flying back, Tonies' water began to heal him completely and erasing the pain.

"I can deal damage to it, but it heals right away. The long tongue also has plenty of range."

Allen relayed the information he gathered to Sophie and Luck.

"We'll have to stand back even more then."

"Yes, that's a good idea. Though it doesn't look like a very fast enemy…"

Luck and Sophie had less defensive stats than Allen, so they stood back even more.

The cave was a dome with a radius of more than 1 kilometer, giving them plenty of space.

The salamander looked clumsy and the tree on its back heavy, so it did not look like a nimble enemy.

While Allen thought of how to defeat it, the Spirit Beast began to shake its hips.

(Shaking hips is Rosen's trademark.)

The tree began to produce green fruits, which the salamander ate and healed the cut Allen left.

"Now that's just showing off."

Luck was the one to analyze the Spirit Beast's movement now. It clearly had more than enough Strength left, but it was so confident it would win that it still healed like that while grinning.

Its eyes began to look at Allen's team, the eyes moving independently like a chameleon's.

'Gyoko.'

It chuckled and produced black fruits, which fell from the branches.

Everyone watched attentively, seeing the warts on the salamander's body squeeze and shoot out black sludge.

The black sludge quickly evaporated into the air, increasing in volume around the Spirit Beast.

"It's a poison attack. Careful everyone!!"

It was Allen's first time seeing that attack, but he knew that was most likely what it was.

The black gas quickly wafted towards Allen.

The Spirit Beast remained still, so Allen checked his Grimoire and saw his Strength was going down.

"D-damnit! <em class="chakra-text css-0">Cough cough!!"

Allen also started to feel the change in his body as he coughed the black gas.

He also saw [Lethal Poison] in his status effects.

(Seriously? I'm using Aromatic Vegetables but they're Super Lethal Poisoned?)

Allen's status was [Lethal Poison], but Luck and Sophie's was [Super Lethal Poison].

'What's this poison?!'

Luck quickly summoned the Poison Great Spirit Mouton, who emitted a yellow gas to neutralize the black gas, but it was not effective.

A Great Spirit was not powerful enough to neutralize the poison of two Spirit Gods.

But it still managed to change Luck and Sophie's status from [Super Lethal Poison] to [Lethal Poison], and Allen's from [Lethal Poison] to [Poison].

Allen used multiple Aromatic Vegetables, but the black gas was still there and reapplied the effects.

'Gyeko gyeko!'

The Spirit Beast kept cackling, sure of its victory.

(So it can heal itself, it's hard to attack it, and it can produce enough poison to fill the cave.)

Allen did not have many options in a situation like that.

"Luck, you keep Mouton out, and Sophie you keep Tonies out."

"Hey, how are we going to attack like that though? It just keeps healing itself."

"This will be a battle against time."

Allen's orders were to just focus entirely on defending now.

"We'll just keep waiting for a chance to strike until Merus returns."

The fight against the powerful Spirit Beasts merged would continue.