A speed that belied its massive frame.
The Black Dragon closed the 10-meter distance in an instant. Its left hand, extended back, twitched as it revealed its claws. I tightened my grip on the shield.
"Belkist."
"I'm aware!"
WHOOSH!
A left hand as thick as a log swung.
I lowered my stance and thrust the shield forward.
KRAAAANG!
The shield buckled instantly, blade-like marks gouged into it.
A shock strong enough to send my whole body flying surged through me. I had to take several steps back to avoid falling. Simultaneously, its right hand swung. Belkist and Nerisa closed in.
FWOOSH!
While the two of them and I neutralized the attack, flames directly struck the Black Dragon's face, but…
[This monster is immune to magic attacks!]
Along with the sound effect, an immunity message popped up.
"Next, the tail!"
I withdrew the shield and hastily retreated.
Its tail, arched high like a scorpion's, swept across the front. The blade-sharp tail brushed over the prone Belkist's head. A few strands of severed hair fluttered down.
"What should we do, if attacks don't work!"
CRASH!
The right claw tore through the spot where Belkist had been.
Belkist quickly rolled across the sandy ground, escaping the range. I parried the left hand aimed at Belkist with my sword. A strong recoil transmitted through it.
Ping-ping-ping-ping!
Jena, having switched to her shortbow, fired arrows ceaselessly, but it was no use. Shattered arrow fragments fell limply.
The Black Dragon's left hand swung.
I twisted my body and narrowly dodged. Long, sharp claws were attached to each finger. The attack range was extraordinarily wide. The right hand was no different. The scales on its tail were as sharp as blades.
I retreated significantly.
The Black Dragon's mouth opened and bit down on the spot where I had stood. Saw-like teeth, revealed inside its jaw, glinted white. Simultaneously, its left hand, right hand, and tail—it used its entire body as a weapon to drive us back.
'The target of its attacks is...'
I analyzed its attack patterns.
The main targets were me and Belkist. It tended to deal with those in front first. It didn't touch Jena and Iolka. I spoke while dodging its claws.
"Jena, Iolka, get as far away from me as possible."
"Ah, okay!"
The two hurriedly moved away.
"You two, go as well."
The left and right hands swung together. Ten claws swept through the entire space.
I deflected two claws with my shield and sword, then hid in the revealed gap. Sand, churned up by the claws, shot high into the air.
"What do you mean, go?"
"Exactly what I said. I'll handle this bastard alone."
"What? Are you mad?"
KAGAGAK!
Belkist deflected the descending tail with his sword.
Nerisa, behind Belkist, threw a poison-coated dagger. The dagger, aimed at a gap in the scales, bounced off.
[This monster is immune to physical attacks!]
"This thing tends to attack only one person. If everyone engages, it's a waste of stamina. And…"
I looked at the Black Dragon's scales embedded in a corner of the field.
A black aura seeped out from the scales. The black aura swelled like smoke and took on a human form. However, though it had a human shape, its appearance was extremely blurry.
[Tainted Shadow Lv. 14] X ???
"You all have something else to do, don't you?"
The shadow's hands had black claws.
Black smoke also billowed from other scales embedded in the sand.
Belkist saw this and clicked his tongue.
"Alright, I get it. We just need to hold out while dealing with those things?"
"Right. There's definitely a way…"
CRACK!
A claw slammed into the shield.
My shoulder creaked. I continued,
"…to make it happen."
"We'll leave it to you."
"Alright then."
Belkist and Nerisa pulled back.
Shadows were quickly gathering around the two who had moved away earlier.
Iolka clutched her forehead.
"What is this now?!"
Belkist's sword pierced a shadow's head.
The shadow dissolved, flickering.
"Attacks work on these things. We'll deal with them appropriately."
"We just need to hold on until an opportunity arises!"
Jena's expression hardened as she nocked an arrow.
The four of them gathered in one place, forming a defensive formation. Belkist and Nerisa in the front, Jena and Iolka in the rear. It was a square formation they had practiced for situations without me. They began to eliminate the gathering shadows one by one.
'They're doing well.'
Their training hadn't been for naught.
They were calmly handling a situation that, at first glance, seemed hopeless.
'Physical immunity. Magic immunity.'
"KRAAANG!"
The Black Dragon let out a roar.
Its body spun once like a top. Not just its claws, tail, and teeth, but every single sharp scale was no different from a weapon. The swept-up sand scattered in all directions.
CLANG!
I parried a claw with my shield and retreated a few steps. I bent my upper body. The tail swept past. I moved sideways. Its jaws snapped shut. It was now attacking only me.
This was better, actually.
It would be more troublesome if Iolka, with her lower self-defense, drew aggro. I dodged and parried its attacks, identifying its patterns.
'Scale barrage. Melee physical. Minion summon.'
Bosses in Pick Me Up had set phases and patterns.
This one had shown exactly three patterns: spewing scales, swinging its claws and tail, and summoning minions.
'Not complicated.'
A few more might be added later, but this was manageable.
It was bearable, aside from the damn condition of being immune to all attacks.
"Kuaaaaah!"
The Black Dragon roared right in front of me.
Intense pressure hit my ears. I jammed my sword into its neck.
[This monster is immune to physical attacks!]
"Still, this is fucking annoying."
I gritted my teeth and smiled.
A claw grazed my thigh.
The reinforced iron plate and leather were torn like paper, and my flesh was gouged.
['Han(★★)' is now Bleeding. His health will decrease periodically.]
Jumping back, I sheathed my sword.
Then I took out a potion and sprinkled it on the wound. I carelessly tossed the empty glass bottle aside. It was approaching.
'I can't last long.'
Neither I nor the other members.
"Bearable" meant not dying immediately, not that it was easy.
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
With each swing of its claws, the shield dented.
If it had been an ordinary shield from the workshop, it would have shattered long ago. The joint in my left arm throbbed with a dull ache. The tail grazed my side. The leather armor tore.
Attacks don't work.
Moreover, not only dodging but also blocking was difficult. The impact of one hit was like a cannonball. If my equipment's performance had been poor or my stats low, I would have been a bloody mess on the ground long ago. Left hand and right hand. Head and tail. I was defending by exploiting gaps in its possible patterns, but…
['Han(★★)' is now Bleeding. His health will decrease periodically.]
The second bleeding message appeared.
This time, I couldn't find an opportunity to drink a potion.
"Oppa is in danger…"
"Worry about yourselves!"
I shouted without looking back.
There was no small number of scales buried in the sand. If they weren't dealt with in time, their numbers would pile up and become troublesome.
Three minutes passed like that.
Finally, unable to bear it any longer, Iolka screamed.
"What in the world is this! Attacks don't work! Strange things keep appearing! Are you telling us to die?!"
I glanced back.
Blood was flowing from a tear in Iolka's clothes. The complexions of the other three were also not good. The shadows kept rising.
I struck the Black Dragon's eye with my sword.
[This monster is immune to physical attacks!]
'…Shit.'
The Black Dragon's pupils narrowed as if in mockery.
I hurriedly rolled. Its claws and tail dug deep into the ground. Sand erupted like a fountain. Somehow I avoided a fatal wound, but my new armor was already tattered like scrap metal. I shouted.
"Hold on just a little longer!"
"How long do we have to wait!"
Belkist's voice was laced with annoyance.
'I don't know that either.'
I swallowed the rest of my words.
There was no leeway. The Black Dragon was relentlessly attacking me without a moment's rest. It wasn't an enemy I could afford to let my mind wander against for long. All I could do was barely hold on and survey my surroundings.
'Wait.'
I muttered inwardly.
An invincible enemy. Endless shadow summons. A battle situation that seemed utterly hopeless.
But the situation was gradually changing.
First, the spectators.
Numerous chairs had appeared on the castle wall. And in the chairs sat dozens of soldiers clad in armor. As if they were watching our fight.
Second…
"…!"
I leaned back.
A claw lunged like a spear. A small wound appeared on my neck. The Black Dragon charged at me. It seemed like it was trying to crush me with its whole body. I pushed off with the balls of my feet and leaped. A few meters of distance opened up.
"I felt it when I watched your fight, Senior, but quite an interesting mission has come up this time as well," Belkist, who was behind me, said.
His lowered sword blade was covered in black blood.
"Can we really kill that thing?"
"You've gotten quite talkative."
I took a shallow, steadying breath.
Pain washed over me. My entire body was already covered in minor wounds. The Black Dragon had risen and was looking at me. Its red eyes shone ominously.
[Field Composition Complete!]
[Master, rearguard deployment is now possible.]
[Extend a helping hand to the heroes in crisis!]
Green holograms etched letters into the air.
[Selecting Rearguard.]
[Designated Parties - 'Party 1 (In Sortie)', 'Party 2', 'Party 3'....]
FLASH!
A mass of white light appeared in one corner of the castle wall.
Everyone's gaze simultaneously turned towards it.
'They're late.'
I smiled.
['Party 2' has been selected.]
[Configured Members - 'Ediss(★★★)', 'Roderick(★★★)'....]
[Deploy to mission?]
[Yes(Selected) / No]
The light blazed brilliantly, as if enveloping the entire field.
And from within the light, figures walked out one by one. Jena, who had been staring blankly, brightened.
"Those people are… Party 2!"
Ediss, at the forefront, spotted us below the castle wall.
Her expression stiffened slightly.
"Han? But that thing is…"
"Regrettably,"
There was no time to explain.
"Kuaaah!"
The Black Dragon charged.
I quickly moved away from Party 1's vicinity. The Black Dragon followed, its forelegs moving back and forth. I blocked its swinging tail with my shield.
CRUNCH!
The shield flew from my left hand.
Unusable. The shield, dented all over, split in half and embedded itself in the sand. The only main weapon left was my sword. If I lost this too, it would be dangerous.
"Hyung-nim!"
Aaron rushed forward urgently.
A transparent wall blocked his path.
Above the castle wall.
The arena below.
The two were divided fields.
"You understand the situation, right?"
With my back against the castle wall, I spoke to Ediss above.
Ediss, looking between me, Party 1 in the middle of the arena, the Black Dragon, and the top of the castle wall, nodded. Shhling. With a soft sound, two daggers spun on Ediss's palms.
"Party 2, prepare for battle."
"Target?"
In response to Roderick's question, Ediss pointed to a small altar at the end of the castle wall.
A goddess statue stood on the altar, and a faint red light hovered around it.
[Human Soldier Lv.18] X 18
[Human Knight Lv.20] X 5
The soldiers sitting in the chairs all stood up at once.
Their murderous gazes turned towards the members of Party 2. Roderick, Usher, and Aaron drew their spears and swords. The archer who had newly joined Party 2 also nocked an arrow to his bow.
"I'm counting on you."
I muttered and dashed out.
Ediss's dagger pierced the forehead of the soldier at the very front. To Ediss's left and right, Roderick and Aaron swung their spears widely. The struck soldiers vomited blood and collapsed.
"KRAANG!"
The Black Dragon's claw struck the castle wall.
No shield. Blocking had become difficult. I focused all my senses on its every movement.
'The vanguard takes the boss. The rearguard takes the object.'
A multi-stage mission.
I swung my sword downwards.
[This monster is immune to physical attacks!]
It was still immune.