I Became A Collaborative Character In The Game

Chapter 48 – Night of Mana 3

—–CROW—–

Luther’s new weapon, the chainsaw axe, was no ordinary weapon.

While the world of Dragon Hunter Origin had many large weapons designed to fight dragons, such a massive axe was rare.

It was so large and heavy that it would be difficult to wield even with strength-enhancing magic.

Furthermore, Luther’s axe had a rotating blade, increasing its difficulty of use even more.

[Activating Nanosuit’s strength enhancement function.]

[Distributing the load throughout the body.]

Without the complete Nanosuit, even Luther wouldn’t be able to handle the chainsaw axe.

But now, things were different.

Thanks to the Nanosuit covering his entire body, Luther could use strength enhancement on a completely different level.

Gripping the chainsaw axe with both hands, Luther felt its heavy weight as he kicked off the ground.

Through his face mask, he saw the Demon King Valakia turning away from the mana vortex as if fleeing.

[Target is attempting to leave the battlefield.]

[320 meters until it escapes the mana vortex’s influence.]

It was impossible not to notice the mana vortex, which had grown to a diameter of several dozen meters.

With all the mana in the surrounding area being sucked into the mana vortex, it was natural for Valakia to try to escape.

[The mana vortex will be maintained for approximately 14 minutes.]

[Target is moving!]

Luther saw it too.

The Demon King Valakia, over 30 meters long, stood over 10 meters tall at the shoulder.  But because its entire body was made of bare bones, its movements seemed incredibly surreal.

“Integra!”

[High-speed movement, commencing!]

-Bang!

Luther’s body shot diagonally upwards as he kicked off the ground.

At the same time, the thrusters attached to his backpack and legs ignited under Integra’s control.

Luther soared through the air, practically flying.

[Distance to target: approximately 200 meters.]

[Target is approximately 260 meters from escaping the mana vortex.]

[Initiating second jump!]

Covering dozens of meters in an instant, Luther kicked off the ground again.

With a feeling of the ground disappearing beneath his feet, he soared through the air once more.

“Groan-”

As he moved further away from the mana vortex, the darkness surrounding Valakia’s body began to return, albeit faintly.

The sight of darkness thinly coating the white bones was truly grotesque.

-Bang!

Luther made his third jump.

Despite the roaring sound behind him, Valakia continued forward without looking back.

[Distance to target: approximately 100 meters!]

Membranes began to form on Valakia’s wings.

If it got any further, it would definitely take flight again.

“Integra! Missile!”

[Firing!]

Luther launched the missile attached to his left arm as he jumped again.

The missile struck the joint connecting Valakia’s wing and body, exploding in a burst of flames.

“Groan!”

Valakia, which had been moving blindly forward, reflexively looked back.

And at that moment, Luther made his final jump.

Staring directly at the turning monster, he swung the chainsaw axe with all his might.

-Clang!

Sparks flew as the saw blade rotated.

Valakia’s wing bone, struck by the chainsaw axe, snapped and broke, and its right wing plummeted to the ground.

“Groan!”

Valakia roared and twisted its body.

Luther used the thrusters on his feet to change direction mid-air, dodging Valakia’s thrashing.

“Ha…”

Landing on the ground, Luther rolled to stabilize himself and looked at the turning Valakia.

[Target is approximately 150 meters from escaping the mana vortex’s influence.]

[A powerful energy reaction is detected in the center of the target’s chest.]

Integra was right.

Unlike the other parts of its body, which were thinly coated in darkness, the area inside its ribcage was filled with darkness.

The Demon King Valakia’s core must be located there.

Luther took a deep breath.

Valakia, with one wing severed, was thrashing its tail wildly, devastating the surroundings.

Broken trees rolled across the ground, and a thick cloud of dust filled the air.

“Gra!”

And finally, Valakia found Luther.

A sinister yellow light gleamed within its skull.

Luther looked at Valakia and thought.

Its power had been drastically reduced by the mana vortex.

It couldn’t use the flames of death, nor could it command the undead army.

Even unleashing its deathly aura would be difficult.

But it was still the Demon King Valakia.

Even in this state, its power surpassed Balboa and Astra.

[The target’s tail is splitting!]

As Integra said, Valakia’s tail suddenly split into three, and each part, like a snake, lashed out at Luther.

[Displaying predicted trajectories.]

[You must approach the target!]

The tails rained down from above.

Luther dashed forward, dodging the first tail, and swung the chainsaw axe wide, deflecting the tail attacking from the left.

-Clang!

Sparks flew from the saw blade again.

Luther and Integra didn’t waste the recoil from the impact.

Instantly calculating the optimal route with her superhuman processing power, Integra combined the recoil with the thrusters’ propulsion to move Luther.

-Boom!

The third tail struck the ground harmlessly, and Luther reached the space directly beneath Valakia.

“Gra!”

Valakia couldn’t attack Luther at such close range.

So, it tried to create distance, but Luther was faster.

[Activating Invisibility Mode!]

Luther’s body vanished.

As the startled Valakia hesitated, Luther kicked off the ground, closing the distance.

He climbed onto Valakia’s body, using its thigh bone as a foothold.

[1!]

[0!]

Invisibility Mode ended.

Valakia saw Luther leaping towards its chest.

Luther’s hands gripped the furiously rotating chainsaw axe.

“Graaa!”

Valakia roared, but it was too late.

Luther, leaping high, spun his body and struck Valakia’s chest.

-Riiip!

The chainsaw axe collided with the ribcage.

Several ribs broke and shattered, falling to the ground, but he couldn’t completely cut through the darkness.

Luther spun several more times in mid-air before landing. Valakia extended both arms towards him.

Javelin-like bones shot out from its arms.

[Master!]

Luther swung the chainsaw axe with all his might at the bones hurtling towards him at terrifying speed, but he couldn’t block them all.

-Thud! Thud! Thud!

The first bone was deflected, and the second bone grazed the chainsaw axe’s blade.

As the third bone collided with the chainsaw axe, the fourth and fifth bones rained down on Luther’s head.

-Crack!

Luther gave up on deflecting them.

Instead, he pulled the giant chainsaw axe closer, using it as a shield to protect his head and body.  But this too had its limits.

The seventh and eighth bones suddenly exploded.

Amidst the deafening roar, Luther realized he was tumbling across the ground, caught in the explosion.

Thanks to the Nanosuit covering his entire body, he was unharmed for now, but he didn’t know what would happen if he continued to take hits.

Luther pushed himself up and looked up.

What he saw wasn’t the ninth bone, but Valakia’s gaping maw.

“Graaaaaaa-!”

Black flames erupted from Valakia’s mouth.

It wasn’t the full-fledged flames of death, but it was still a powerful attack.

He couldn’t dodge.

Could he block it?

Luther instinctively raised his left arm, and Integra deployed the shield, but it was far too small to cover his entire body.

The flames raining down from the sky engulfed Luther.

Or rather, they almost did.

-Clang! Clang! Clang!

Three magic swords intersected the flames and Luther.

Luther and Integra seized the opportunity created by the momentary gap and quickly retreated using the backpack’s thrusters.

Giant magic swords embedded in the ground.

They were clearly three of Arma’s four magic swords, Wind, Water, Earth, Fire: the wind sword, Windham; the water sword, Ceres; and the fire sword, Salia.

But how?

Arma should still be incapacitated.

With the mana vortex active, using the flight ability of the four magic swords was impossible.

But instead of questioning it, Luther and Integra smiled.

They realized who had helped them.

[“Karen!”]

-Bang!

The fourth magic sword—the earth sword, Barros—struck the darkness surrounding Valakia’s chest.

Integra located Karen’s position.

Her telekinesis, still active even within the mana vortex, had opened a path for Luther.

Valakia screamed.

It swung its three tails again, and instead of picking up the dropped chainsaw axe, Luther charged forward and grabbed the fire sword, Salia, the closest of the three magic swords.

-Crack!

The three tails slammed into the ground.

But Luther, having jumped to avoid the tails, activated his backpack boosters and shouted,

“Integra!”

[Deploying heavy flamethrower!]

Giant flames erupted from Luther’s left arm, blinding Valakia.

The monster faltered, and Luther aimed Salia, gripped in his right hand, at Valakia’s chest.

Just then,

[Master! Brace for impact—!]

-Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

The desperate Valakia detonated its own ribs.

Luther couldn’t escape the chain explosion of over ten bones.

His Nanosuit’s armor shattered and peeled away as if hit by claymores, and his entire body was covered in blood.

But Valakia wasn’t unscathed either.

Having lost all its ribs, it stumbled backward and collapsed.

“Ugh.”

Luther, sprawled on the ground, gasped for air.

His head spun from the explosion.

His left arm wouldn’t move, probably due to embedded shrapnel, and a burning pain throughout his body threatened to make him lose consciousness.

He wanted to close his eyes.

He wanted to just fall asleep.

But Luther gritted his teeth.

If he lost consciousness here, everything would be over.

Him, Integra, and the fate of this world, heading towards destruction!

[Administering adrenaline.]

[Administering painkillers.]

[Initiating self-healing.]

[Hang in there, Master!]

Integra’s voice roused him again.

The adrenaline injected into his bloodstream boosted his spirits, and the painkillers dulled the pain.

Luther pushed himself up.

He tightened his grip on the fire sword, Salia, which he hadn’t let go of even during the explosion.

“Gra!”

Valakia rose as well and opened its mouth.

It was about to unleash another blast of black flames.  Luther instinctively sensed it and charged forward with all his might.

He would press the attack.

He would strike at its chest.

A normal stab wouldn’t be enough.

He needed a much stronger attack to dispel the darkness within its chest.

“Luther!”

He heard Karen’s voice from afar.

So, Luther continued his charge towards Valakia.

And at that moment, Karen understood.

Having watched Luther’s battles countless times, she instinctively grasped his thoughts.

Black flames gathered in Valakia’s mouth.

Luther kicked off the ground, and instead of controlling the magic swords embedded in the ground, Karen focused her telekinesis on Luther.

-Thud!

Luther kicked off the telekinetic platform.

Valakia reflexively raised its head to follow Luther, who soared higher than its head.  Luther raised his right arm, gripping Salia, towards the sky and shouted,

“Integra!”

[Combine Sequence!]

[Access code: Pile Bunker!]

-Bang!

The backpack on Luther’s back launched and combined with his right arm.

At the same time, the fire sword, Salia, replaced the Pile Bunker’s spike.

Valakia looked at Luther.

Luther looked at Valakia as well.

Staring directly into its eyes, he spun his body and kicked off another telekinetic platform created by Karen, charging forward.

“Graaaa-!”

Black flames erupted from Valakia’s throat.

At the same time, Luther’s fist, armed with the fire sword Salia, struck Valakia’s chest.

-Boom!

The darkness shuddered as his fist connected.

Darkness, like blood, gushed from the wound pierced by Salia.

But it wasn’t over yet.

The real attack was about to begin.

Luther propelled himself forward with the remaining thrusters.

Karen supported him with her telekinesis, and Integra detonated the explosives.

-Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

The Pile Bunker’s explosives detonated consecutively, driving the fire sword Salia deeper into Valakia’s chest.

With each explosion, the darkness shuddered, as if exploding, and Valakia screamed.

“Graaa!”

Black flames erupted from its mouth along with its scream, soaring into the sky.

But Luther didn’t stop.

He roared along with Integra and detonated the final explosive!

-Boom!

The fire sword, Salia, was launched from the Pile Bunker.

The already shuddering darkness within Valakia couldn’t withstand Salia’s charge.

-Pierce!

The fire sword Salia pierced the darkness.

It pierced Valakia’s heart, hidden deep within, shattering it as it went.

It completely destroyed its only heart.

“Graaaaaaaaaa-!”

Valakia shrieked and threw back its head.

Black flames erupted from its mouth, engulfing the sky.  It was its final death throe.

-Rumble-!

The Demon King Valakia’s body collapsed.

The bare bones, revealed with the dissipation of the darkness, shattered and crumbled, turning into dust and scattering in the wind.

“Ha…”

Luther, landing on the ground—no, rolling across the ground before collapsing—exhaled.

Through his face mask, he saw Valakia’s bone dust scattering in the wind and the shimmering purple sky.

[Acquired a large amount of combat data.]

[Target’s life signs have completely vanished.]

[Master, you have won.]

Integra’s gentle voice was more welcome than ever.

And as if sensing his feelings, Integra continued in an excited tone,

[That was truly amazing!]

[I’m certain a great change has just occurred in the world of Dragon Hunter Origin!]

[I award Master, who achieved such a feat, 2 shop points!]

Her kind and affectionate voice brought a smile to Luther’s face, but he tilted his head slightly at her last words.

“Wait, only 2 points?”

He didn’t know how many points were needed for a reward or what the reward was, but only 2 points for this?

Integra giggled at Luther’s question, then appeared before him through augmented reality.

[My shop points are precious, you know.]

And she winked playfully.

Luther chuckled and reached out to Integra.

“Integra.”

[Yes, Master.]

“We won.”

They had defeated the Demon King Valakia on the very day it awakened.

They had prevented the destruction of Venus City and the western region.

His heart pounded.

His chest swelled with emotion.

He had suddenly been thrust into a world identical to a game and forced to fight against a predetermined doom, but at this moment, he could genuinely rejoice.

He had changed the future.

He had slightly altered the trajectory towards destruction.

With his own hands, he had saved countless lives.

Integra quietly watched Luther’s face.

She tilted her head as she looked at his bright smile, then smiled gently and reached out to his cheek, knowing she couldn’t touch him.

[Yes, Master. We won.]

[This is our victory.]

Whispering sweetly, Integra suddenly giggled.

She had expected Luther to smile back, but he had fainted with a smile on his face.

She understood.

Today’s battle had been that difficult, and that amazing.

[Sleep well, Master.]

Whispering softly again, Integra stroked the air as if caressing Luther’s cheek.

The wind blew.

As the mana vortex gradually dispersed, the Night of Mana drew to a close.

—–CROW—–