“A-Ashihana’s dead!” I cried.
“Grooowl!”
I used the revive potion that I had thought to add to my shortcuts as fast as I could. Thank God I had done so ahead of time! Ashihana was already gone, but if this worked, then—
“I’m alive!” Ashihana cheered.
“Get away from the boss before you strike a victory pose!” I yelled.
“Eep! Good point!”
Having revived right in front of the Cerberus Lion, Ashihana ran away in a panic. Despite how convenient revive potions were, the fact that they revived a player in the spot they died, it could be pretty impractical in a boss fight. The potions also revived players at ten percent HP, which meant that sometimes there was a chance someone could go from revived to dead again in an instant.
Luckily for Ashihana, the boss was still stunned from getting hit by her powerful ax attack. Though if she had goofed around for even one more second, then she really would have wasted that revive.
“Thanks, Bear Bear! I knew even in my ghost state that you would revive me!”
“Hey, I was the one who revived you!”
I deserved some thanks too! And first of all, that was a super reckless thing to do! Though she did save me!
“I’ll pay you back for the potion later!”
“I count it as a necessary expense, so don’t worry about it! More importantly, do something about that thing behind us!”
“Grrrrr!”
Since I had been so freaked out by the Cerberus Lion, I accidentally started running in the opposite direction of where we had placed the trap. If I had just run ten more meters, I would have lured it right to the trap!
“That big move you just did, do it again! Now!”
“I can’t! It was a special move!”
“Grooowl!”
Ugh, I knew it! Of course Ashihana would use up her secret weapon to save Bear Bear! Should I be happy about that as Bear Bear’s tamer, or be mortified at her hopeless obsession?
“I’m gonna die again...!” Ashihana whimpered.
“Don’t say that!”
That’ll mean I wasted a revive potion!
Suddenly, something hit the Cerberus Lion the moment it was right at our heels, and I smelled a soft, floral scent.
“Over here, big guy!”
“S-Sukegawa!”
Sukegawa the lewd blacksmith had used the other perfume I’d given him to save us. The effect was immediate—I watched as the Cerberus Lion changed course towards Sukegawa.
“We’re safe...!”
But now Sukegawa is in danger! Or perhaps not. The boss stopped in its tracks right in front of Sukegawa. Its foot was caught tightly in a giant bear trap. Sukegawa had successfully lured it.
“Nice!” Sukegawa whooped. “Now it’s time to atta—”
“Roaaar!”
The moment Sukegawa went in for a counterattack, the Cerberus Lion easily freed itself from the trap. The trap had only worked for about two seconds. As we had expected, the traps Sukegawa made were inferior to Yadan’s.
“Roaaar!”
“Gaaaaah!”
Sukegawa turned and ran away, but the lion caught up with him and doused his back with flames. He managed to stay alive thanks to his fire resistance, but the attack had taken out half of his health.
One more attack on the lion’s part and Sukegawa was done for. At that moment, the two knights rode in to save him. But they weren’t there to attack.
“Sukegawa!” Siegfried cried.
“I suppose I’m here to help as well,” Rais said offhandedly.
I watched in amazement as the knights grabbed Sukegawa’s arms on either side, lifted him up, and then rode away. The pose Sukegawa was in made him look like he was being abducted by aliens.
“Hey, you’re dragging me on the ground!” Sukegawa protested.
“Cross your legs!” Siegfried commanded.
Rais laughed. “Hee hee, how amusing! Yes! This is wonderful!”
“What’s wonderful about this?! If I was going to link arms with anyone, I’d want it to be with a girl!” Sukegawa shot back.
“There aren’t very many female knights,” Siegfried informed him.
“I wasn’t looking for a serious answer! I was just saying stuff! Damn it!”
“Aha ha ha! You truly are entertaining! There there, both Siegfried and I are androgynous and attractive knights, don’t you think?”
“Get out of here!”
They sure were chatty for being actively chased by a boss. Though their conversation did work as a way to distract and help Sukegawa regain his cool. He began telling Siegfried and Rais where to go to lead the boss into the other traps.
Even if they didn’t work for long, it was helpful to the party to know where the boss could be momentarily stopped. Kokuten and the others secured positions near the traps so they were ready to attack when needed.
The plan worked smoothly. The Cerberus Lion, led to the traps by Siegfried and Rais, got stuck in a trap. As soon as the knights rode past, everyone else rained down the powerful attacks they were saving on the lion.
Everyone except Holland and Huey, who were still holding back their most powerful moves, that is, probably because their special attacks took a while to charge. They were passing up this opportunity to use them since they couldn’t be guaranteed to have more than a few short seconds of safety as they stood immobile.
Then, I had an idea.
“Holland, Huey!”
“What is it, Silver-Haired?”
“I set up a trap over there. Could you charge your finishing moves in front of it?”
My thought was to have Holland and Huey charge their special attacks next to Yadan’s trap so they could use them against the Cerberus Lion once it got stuck. The trap would be effective for ten seconds, which should give them plenty of time.
Once I explained everything, the pair got going immediately. I was glad they agreed with my plan so readily.
“Sieg! Rais! Lure the boss so it gets stuck in the trap in the center of the room in exactly forty-five seconds!”
“Understood!”
“A time limit, huh? A challenging mission! But also a thrilling one!”
After I told the knights what to do, I saw Holland reach the trap, brandish his sword, and begin charging his special attack. There was just something too cool about seeing a dashing knight holding a shining sword high above his head. He was giving major main character vibes.
Huey started charging his move ten seconds later. His special attack took less time to charge, so he had to start later in order for them to use their attacks simultaneously. And he looked just as cool. If Holland was a hero, Huey was a sage or dark wizard. Dark light was gathering around the staff he had thrust out in front of him, making it look as though he were going to cast some extremely powerful magic.
“Come on! This way, Lion!”
“Catch me if you can! Follow the sound of my clapping hands! Even though I can’t clap my hands right now!”
“You seem to have gotten accustomed to being carried like this, eh, Sukegawa?” Rais said teasingly.
All right! The boss is coming this way!
“Roooaaar!”
The Cerberus Lion was still in hot pursuit of Sukegawa, who was being carried by Siegfried and Rais.
“Ahhh! My ass is on fire!” Sukegawa roared.
“You’re fine! That attack doesn’t deal much damage!” Siegfried assured him.
Rais chuckled. “Hee hee. A burnt bottom? Now that is what I call a unique experience!”
“What are you talking about?! You scare me, dude!” Sukegawa wailed.
In contrast with the trio’s silly back-and-forth, Silver and Redbud were galloping at top speed, a look of pure focus on both their faces. They were a pair of outstanding horses.
The Cerberus Lion continued chasing after the knights and Sukegawa, until oddly enough, it veered to the side. Its eyes were staring straight at...me?!
The poison! Had I accumulated aggro with those poisoned meals? Sukegawa had temporarily drawn the boss’s aggro to himself with the perfume bottle, but the second I was in its line of sight, I became its target again.
I should’ve known better! Aggro control was crucial in battle!
I rushed as fast as I could to a spot that would line the boss up with the trap. Thankfully, I had made it in time, and the boss sprinted full force towards the location of the trap. That was a close one!
And soon enough, the Cerberus Lion stepped right into the trap.
“GRAAAWRRR!”
“Woo-hoo! It worked!”
“Once Holland and Huey use their specials, the rest of us will go in for an all-out assault!”
At Kokuten’s command, everyone circled around the Cerberus Lion to wait for their moment to attack. Soon after they were in position, Holland and Huey unleashed their moves.
“Ahhh! Shining Saber!”
“Darkness, burst forth! Dark Inferno Circle!”
Holland’s shining sword was undeniably cool, but Huey’s attack hit the edgy aesthetic perfectly! A magic circle appeared under the boss’s feet, out of which shot up a blast of pitch-black flames.
Rais looked at Huey’s special attack with envy in his eyes. “Hee hee. I hope I can use such a blatantly wicked spell myself someday. I wonder if spell names can be changed.”
“Never mind that! Attack!” Huey shouted.
“He’s right! Silver, charge!”
“Neeeigh!”
“Hey! Put me down first!” Sukegawa protested.