Vol 4: Chapter 28
The mediator and I stared down each other for about 10 seconds.
Then the mediator kicked the ground and broke into a dash. The ground which was already gouged was further gouged out by his kick.
「—Run!」
「—We’ll get dragged in!」
「—Help me!」
The military personnel ran away from the scene screaming.
The evil boss woman was hidden behind the cloud of dust, but I can’t afford to worry about her right now.
『Sheee!』
When the mediator’s right hook came for my face, I bent down and dodged it. I was supposed to have completely dodged his attack, but I felt my hair being pulled back by the air pressure.
The mediator followed up his attack with a left straight – if I try to defend it, my bones will turn into fine dust.
–Ginnn.
I tried to slash the mediator’s left arm with my dagger, but it failed to cut his arm despite having mithril in its blade. I was only able to deflect his arm up.
「Then how about this then?」
If physical attack does not work — I reach my hand towards the mediator’s defenseless chest and release【Lightning Magic】.
『Gah』
Lightning attack circulated through the mediator’s body, emitting a bluish light.
A part of the lightning that I couldn’t control burned my left hand which I immediately healed with【Healing Magic】.
「——Kuh.」
I instantly jumped back.
Instead of collapsing, the mediator threw a yakuza kick with his right foot.
I temporarily created distance between us.
Smoke spouted out of his armor instead of the black flames, but the mediator was glaring at me sharply.
(He is quite strong.)
He seems to be much stronger than when I fought him in the Kruvan Holy Kingdom.
At that time, the Holy King and the Border Earl were the main attackers, but the mediator didn’t move as quickly nor was he as tough as he is now.
I don’t know if it was because he took over Louis’ body, or because this is his home ground.
(In terms of strength, he is on par with a “dragon”.)
It is said that dragons are the mediator in the “Front World”. Then, the mediator in the “Back World” may have a name other than “mediator”, but I don’t know what it is.
I only know that he is a humanoid, eerie bastard.
『Is that all you’ve got?』
The mediator put his right hand on his neck and cracked his neck. Smoke escaped through the gaps in his armor, and flames once again started spouting out.
『If you thought of defeating a mediator with that kind of magic, you are beyond pathetic.』
「…………」
『Your movement is better than the average human, but that’s the extent of it. Now, die.』
The mediator charged at me again. His punches followed a simple trajectory and were easy to dodge—but that simplistic attack was the most troublesome.
It does not give me time to catch my breath.
And I couldn’t find a gap to escape out of the flurry of attacks.
Speaking of, I was analyzing the mediator with【World Ruler】while avoiding his attacks.
(The armor is almost completely made of mithril. Its dark purple colour is the result of a special processing… A processing to dramatically increase the hardness. The black flame spouting out is the mediator’s very life force. Beyond the armor, the presence of bones or muscles cannot be confirmed.)
The dragon was a creature close to a reptile.
If so, what kind of a creature is the mediator?
(This is a sorcery-based creature.)
It is similar in nature to the Juggernaut I fought in the “Labyrinth of Fear”.
The mediator has much higher intelligence than that automaton—and it can make decisions and act like an actual living creature.
Although the structure is completely different from that of the Juggernaut, there are some things in common.
(If I crush the core in his body, he will die.)
I wonder what kind of mechanism it works on? In the Lev Magic Empire, something like the Juggernaut would be considered a “Heroic Gear”, but a mediator is even more impressive.
How much can I unravel with【World Ruler】?
In terms of Overlimit, the mediator may be the equal to a 9-star skill orb.
(But I am certain it must have been made by someone.)
I dodged the mediator’s kick and used【Wind Magic】to create distance, but in the blink of an eye, the mediator closed the distance and threw a punch.
『Your attacks will not work. You can run as much as you want, but I don’t get fatigued.』
「Is it really okay for you to give me such a hint?」
『There are all kinds of Child of Disaster. You seem to be the powerless kind.』
「Oh is that so–」
I evaded the mediator’s attack and released a full power roundhouse kick by making my body like a spring and with correction from【Support Magic】.
The kick landed on the mediator’s belly, blowing him away into a pile of debris, kicking up a cloud of dust.
「—Seems like I was underestimated.」
『Something is not right. You, how many skill orbs do you have?』
The mediator tossed away the debris piled on him and stood up without a scratch.
To break that mithril armor, I would also need a mithril weapon—well, that’s impossible.
「Hurry it up already. Didn’t you say you wanted to eliminate me? Or are you going to run away if I say I’ve got 100 or 200 skills?」
『…………』
It was simply a cheap provocation, but it succeeded in taunting the mediator. …Is this thing really a sorcery-based creature? It feels very much like a normal creature.
『Die!!』
The mediator jumped up by kicking the debris underneath, and rushed at me from the sky at high velocity.
A movement that implies high faith in its own armor. The mediator probably believes that it will never break.
(Even if his fighting ability is high…)
I raised my right hand.
I cannot miss this chance.
What I shot out was –【Fire Magic】.
The highest level of magic I learned,【Fire Magic ★★★★】.
Flames surged up due to pure heat condensation. It transformed into a huge hellfire and enveloped the mediator.
『Fool, I said that magic doesn’t work.』
The mediator slipped through the flames.
(…His intelligence is low.)
I grinned.
