“Shoot!”
“Kee-hee!”
“Honk honk!”
I hurriedly healed myself. Well, I’d already taken into consideration that we would take damage from those water bullets. Lilith and Perca had taken some damage too. It was impossible to expect ourselves to perfectly evade that bullet hell on our first try.
Once that attack was over, the Kappa’s behavior underwent its final change.
“Gwak gwak gwaaak!”
“A red aura! Just like Alyssa said! This is it! Carro, keep it up just a little longer!”
“Neigh-neeeigh!”
As if it had had enough of our running away, the Kappa’s face contorted in anger and its body glowed red. That red light was a sign that it was about to use a special move.
The Kappa crossed its arms into an X in front of its face before swinging them downwards as it unleashed a screeching battle cry. Bright flashes of light started shooting out from its body which then turned into red orbs that flew straight at us.
“It’s targeting...Siegfried, Rick, and me? No, it’s probably targeting Carro! Anyway, run!”
“Neigh!”
“Chirp chirp!”
I knew that the attack targeted one to three of the party members who had accumulated the most aggro, and this time, it was targeting three of us.
The red orbs didn’t move that fast, but they had a highly effective homing ability. The orbs swayed and swerved as they chased after us, just like the balls of fire that appeared in graveyards.
The scary aspect of this attack was the fact it was guaranteed to kill in one hit. Alyssa had speculated that this attack was meant to be like a real kappa’s shirikodama attack. Which was a very terrifying thought!
I tried having Carro turn invisible, but the orb continued to pursue us. I guessed that once we were targeted, there was nothing turning invisible could do. But Carro had also learned Galloping and received a power boost thanks to the emblem.
“Nice, Carro! You’re doing great!”
“Neigh-neeeigh!”
Although the red orbs came dangerously close, they never fully caught up with us. Once we managed to evade them for thirty seconds, they disappeared into nothingness.
“Phew, we survived.”
“Neeeigh.”
“Chirp chiiirp.”
Carro let out a small sigh of relief and Rick mimed wiping sweat from his brow from on top of my shoulder. Rick, you started riding in comfort on top of Carro halfway! I guess I couldn’t blame him though. The threat of being targeted with a one-hit kill attack was sure to be very nerve-racking even for monsters.
“G-Graaa...”
“Nice! Its red aura is gone!”
The events that followed unfolded exactly how we’d heard they would.
The Kappa stood motionless in the center of the playing field and its head drooped as if it had exhausted all its energy. In a normal fight, this would be our chance to attack it, but we just held still and watched it. The Kappa then started to change. Its face softened into a gentle expression. Though its kinder expression wasn’t enough to make it any less scary!
Ding-dong.
“The battle against the Kappa is over.”
“Phew, we did it.”
We had fulfilled the special conditions, prompting the announcement signaling the end of the battle. This was exactly the outcome we’d been aiming for.
“Good work, Yuto,” Siegfried congratulated me.
“Same to you. In fact, you worked way harder than us. All we did was run around in circles.”
“Well then, you should be extending your gratitude to Silver instead.”
“You’re right. Silver is the true MVP of this fight.”
“Neigh.”
“I’ll give you a carrot later.”
“Neeeigh!”
I stroked Silver, and he nuzzled me with that endearing mug of his. At moments like this, he was actually pretty cute.
“Gwak.”
“Whoa!”
“Gwak.”
At some point, the Kappa had made its way over to us. Having it appear so suddenly right next to me freaked me out. It was opening and closing its beak and reaching its hands up to me. Its demeanor appeared very friendly. Where had all its burning rage from earlier gone?
“Yuto, don’t you have something for it?”
“Whoops, I almost forgot!”
From my inventory, I took out a red cucumber. The second I did, the Kappa’s expression locked onto it. Kappas sure loved their cucumbers.
“This is for you.”
“Gwak gwak!”
The Kappa took the cucumber and raised it high above its head in triumph. It looked happy to have it.
“You have formed a bond of friendship with the Kappa. Certain skills have been unlocked.”
“Nice, everything went perfectly.”
The Kappa was also now registered in my encyclopedia.
“Oh, it seems I’ve unlocked some skills too,” Siegfried said. “Spirit Removal and Kappa Sumo. I probably won’t use either much.”
“Well yeah, I can’t see how an insta-kill technique or sumo would be useful for a knight.”
Spirit Removal dealt minor damage and had a small chance to instantly kill its target. Kappa Sumo was a martial arts technique based on sumo. Both received a bonus when used underwater, but neither was very useful.
However, our primary objective had been to encounter a yokai, so all in all I’d call the mission a huge success. If we had dealt any damage to the Kappa during the fight, this event wouldn’t have triggered.
We had unfortunately taken some damage, but apparently if you didn’t deal or sustain any damage at all, then you received a special reward. That was too hard for us to achieve, though. I had to hand it to Hamakaze for all the hard work she put into verifying these things. In fact, I wondered how many times she had to do this to achieve taking and receiving zero damage. Her persistence truly was remarkable.
“Gwak gwak.”
“Oh, see ya.”
I waved at the Kappa as it saw us off, though I couldn’t say I was that sad to part with it...
“We need to get to the safety zone before I’m forced to log out!”
“Let’s hurry!”
“Carro, you’re gonna have to run a little more!”
“Neigh-neeeigh!”
✦ ✦ ✦
Everyone follows their own code of chivalry.
All are welcome, even if Knight isn’t your job class.
Let us all uphold the spirit of chivalry.
✦ ✦ ✦
225: Lamorak
I think I will try to become a Dragon Knight. They’re strong and they can fly. What could be better?
In fact, as long as I can ride on a dragon, I don’t even care if it can fly! Even a dragon like Silver-Haired’s mole would be awesome!
✦ ✦ ✦
226: Renaud
Yeah, Dragon Knight’s not bad, but I want to be a Pegasus Knight. A knight should ride a horse.
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227: Richard
Personally, I’m interested in riding a griffin.
A lion with wings? Count me in.
✦ ✦ ✦
228: Rais
Well, I want a unicorn.
A knight astride a unicorn sounds like something out of a painting.
✦ ✦ ✦
229: Renaud
Isn’t there a myth about unicorns only letting maidens ride them?
✦ ✦ ✦
230: Lamorak
I doubt that’ll be a problem, since this is a game.
Anyway, saying it’d look like something out of a painting about yourself...
Narcissistic much?
✦ ✦ ✦
231: Rais
What’s wrong with that? I’m just talking about my avatar.
Feel free to take a screenshot.
✦ ✦ ✦
232: Richard
I’ll pass.
✦ ✦ ✦
233: Lamorak
Yeah, me too. In what world would I want a guy’s screenshot...
✦ ✦ ✦
734: Rais
Besides, if I can conquer a unicorn that normally only lets maidens ride it... Heh heh heh, not bad! Not bad at all!
✦ ✦ ✦
235: Richard
There’s a pervert in our midst!
✦ ✦ ✦
236: Renaud
Unicorns! Run away!
✦ ✦ ✦
237: Rais
Well, who said I was talking about unicorns as in horses?
Maybe I’m talking about a different kind of unicorn.
✦ ✦ ✦
238: Lamorak
What, like a mobile suit?
A beast of possibility?
✦ ✦ ✦
239: Richard
He could be talking about a narwhal.
✦ ✦ ✦
240: Renaud
Or maybe one of those hardcore idol fans?
✦ ✦ ✦
241: Lamorak
If he’s talking about idol fans, that makes his earlier comment even more perverse!
✦ ✦ ✦
242: Rais
Nyeh heh heh.
✦ ✦ ✦
243: Richard
Cut the creepy laugh! At least give us a yes or no!
✦ ✦ ✦
244: Renaud
You’re more suited for a bicorn!
✦ ✦ ✦
245: Rais
I’d be fine with that.
✦ ✦ ✦
246: Lamorak
Uh-oh, combine pervertedness and nefariousness and...
A terrible super pervert is born!
✦ ✦ ✦
247: Rais
Witness the birth of a Dark Knight who rules over all that is depraved!
✦ ✦ ✦
248: Richard
Damn it! We knights must join forces to defeat you!
✦ ✦ ✦
249: Renaud
I will lend my strength!
✦ ✦ ✦
250: Lamorak
We knights will wipe away this stain upon the honor of knighthood with our own hands!
✦ ✦ ✦
251: Rais
Mwa ha ha ha! I will make you all as depraved as me!
Never again will you shed a tear when you hear the story of Hachiko!
✦ ✦ ✦
252: Roland
Sorry for butting in just as things are getting interesting, but have you all looked at the Quick-Eared Cats’ notice board?
✦ ✦ ✦
253: Rais
No, I haven’t.
✦ ✦ ✦
254: Lamorak
Did they post something about knights?
✦ ✦ ✦
255: Richard
I heard some new information came out recently. It’s what Siegfried and Silver-Haired told the Cats’ submaster that made her scream.
Is that what you’re talking about?