Thanks to all the times they fought together in the past, Soul Howl knew to add that platform. That way the wall’s cannons would shoot down anything that approached, making it extremely difficult for the enemy to stop Leticia’s singing.
Standing on that platform, Leticia began to sing. Her music, which carried a mysterious power, could be heard from the entire arena regardless of distance, buffing those she deemed as allies. In this case, it was a damage mitigation effect.
「Now we just sit back and watch for now.」
「Yes, we’ll have to see if its behavior changes as we think it will or not.」
Machina Guardian’s attack patterns would usually change depending on how much damage it took. Usually the last phase would be using the Laser Beam it used against the golems, which happened once its HP was reduced to twenty percent. Though it had used it regardless the night before.
Knowing that, Soul Howl and Mira decided it was best to observe what happened from a distance first.
Mira used the Distant View Skill she had just learned from the Encyclopedia of Skills to observe the fight between Machina Guardian and Isenfald and the Sisters.
Soul Howl had also learned that Skill from Mira, and he used it to adjust the aim of the cannons, continuing to offer support during the fight.
Machina Guardian had both weak and strong attacks. If it attacked with little wind up, it would be a weak attack, and a bigger wind up meant a stronger attack. Soul Howl carefully watched every single movement it made, knowing when he could attack and when he had to wait.
That also helped to not get blown away by any attacks.
The fight went on like that for two hours, and it was all going according to plan so far. They calculated they had chipped away forty percent of its HP and its movement patterns changed, and it started using more attacks, but that was still within the realm of what Mira and Soul Howl knew. So far there had not been any unexpected reactions.
As it started using new attacks, the number of losses in the army also increased. But they were mostly Ashen Knights, which Mira could easily summon back. Maybe she would miss a few summons, but the number of Ashen Knights would remain largely constant. That also depleted her mana faster though, so from time to time she would need to go hide behind the wall to use Meditation and recover her mana.
Cait Sith and Pegasus had also fulfilled their role flawlessly, so now the effect of Binding Arcana Circle was empowering all of Mina’s summons. The only downside was that the effect would wear off after half an hour, and then Cait Sith and Pegasus would need to place Magic Sealing Stones again.
But as long as they were active, Isenfald, the Valkyrie Sisters, and the Ashen Knights would have a decent boost to their power. It also regenerated the protective barrier on summons, letting them fight for longer. Though Machina Guardian’s attacks were so powerful that the barriers would shatter on impact, so they could not afford to get careless either.
All of that was part of the plan. Mira’s strategy was to continue the fight like that until at least half of Machina Guardian’s HP was gone.
「Having to deal with every time it goes berserk is getting annoying.」
「I’m impressed your army is still standing after three rounds of that though.」
Players referred to one set of attacks as running berserk, which involved wild swings of all its eight legs, before jumping into the air and using its weight to crush down whatever was below, together with an explosion. Machina Guardian had done that three times against the army so far.
Even the toughest players would get defeated almost instantly by that, so the Ashen Knights also could not survive. After three times of that, forty percent of them had been taken out, even though Mira had replenished a troop’s worth already.
If the army had been made of Dark Knights, there would be none left, such was the power of a berserk Machina Guardian. That sixty percent still remained went to show how much the defense from Holy Knights helped the Ashen Knights.
「As annoying as it is, it also gives us the perfect opening, however.」
「I know. I wouldn’t be surprised if I just chipped off 2% of its HP right now.」
At the end of the berserk attack, the explosion would send Machina Guardian’s body flying, and it would take five seconds to stand back up. That was enough time for Soul Howl and Mira to attack.
At that moment, Alfina would command the Ashen Knights to rush at Machina Guardian, while she and her sisters also attacked with everything they had.
An instant before Machina Guardian was done standing up, the Ashen Knights would all scurry back, allowing the spear of light created by Alfina and her sisters to strike.
Then there would be another bright flash, followed by a loud roar. That was Isenfald’s Dragon Breath, hitting squarely on Machina Guardian.
Then immediately after all the cannons from the wall would fire.
「Oh, it seems we’re at the halfway mark now.」
「Right. Time for the second phase.」
Machina Guardian looked like a large robotic spider, and the area where its eyes would be turned from blue to green. Soul Howl and Mira noticed it as they observed the battlefield.
Machina Guardian lifted its body with a lot of force, and then its back split apart. Or rather, it was opened, releasing multiple figures that spread through the battlefield.
「They’re out.」
「Yes, still according to plan.」
There were five figures, resembling the Mechanical Prowler, and called Mechanical Protectors. They were roughly as strong as the Prowler, and appeared once Machina Guardian was brought down to half health.
Their arrival had been anticipated though. This was still the same as all the previous fights with Machina Guardian they experienced in the past. Mira watched that unfold, her army quickly surrounding each of the five.
Each of the five Protectors had a different weapon. The Sisters all had a sword, but that was mainly their secondary weapon, while also having a unique specialized weapon.
Mira quickly observed what the Protectors held, making sure a Valkyrie with the right weapon faced them. The eldest Alfina and second eldest Eletina continued to fight Machina Guardian, while the remaining Sisters took care of the Protectors.
The Sisters’ command over the army of Ashen Knights was impeccable, the troops splitting off and surrounding the Protectors before they could do anything to counterattack.
Anyone strong enough to attempt fighting Machina Guardian was powerful enough to defeat a Protector single-handedly if they were careful, as that enemy was roughly equivalent to the Mechanical Prowler. But not dealing with them immediately could lead to the Protectors working together, and eventually merging into a more difficult enemy, so it was necessary to get rid of them as soon as possible.
