Chapter 83: Fight it out!

“Do you think it’ll be that easy!”  

The impersonating wolf-girl grabs the hilt by her slim waist, pulling a sinister looking barbed whip that dances through the air like a vicious snake, smacking the water pool below with a loud wet splash. It’s clear from the surprised look on Rei’s face that this is not Anya’s usual weapon.  

“Focus kids, I’ll setup a barrier on the coffin so you can fight to your hearts content without worrying about disturbing the deceased.” Doll Jasper wordlessly casts a spell on Folami’s coffin, and a shimmering circular shield expands several diameters, even pushing Anya further away. To this she seems thoroughly annoyed but says nothing, studying them carefully with her whip in hand, ready to strike at any moment.  

“Draw your swords Rei, remember we have to fight with conviction to save everyone, or we may even die here as well.” Eren reminds his partner, worried tangled feelings may get in the way and ruin things.  

“I know.” From the looks of it, the warning may have been unnecessary. Rei’s red twin blades are already drawn and ready for battle.  

[Strength boost] [Haste] [Critical Hit]  

To support his nephew, Jasper casts three support spells in quick succession, boosting his overall close combat stats. First, a yellow aura followed by blue and then finally red burst from within Rei as his current potential unlocks for a limited time.  

“Thank you Uncle.” 

“Don’t keep flapping your gums and start swinging those expensive toys I gave you before the buffs run out!”  

“Yes sir!” With that said Rei takes on his usual role as tank, charging at the wolf-girl standing in the pool of water. Like a snake lying in wait, her whip shoots out of the water, splattering scattered water bullets everywhere while aiming for Rei’s exposed side. Despite his extraordinary speed, even in this disorienting moment with water particles acting as a lethal smoke screen to distract him from her sneak attack, Rei expertly twists his waist and leans forward to avoid the barbed tail end of her whip. She frowns, finally realizing how troublesome it is to pin down a supercharged version of him.  

“Stop jumping around like a fly and sit still for me why don’t you!” She harshly yanks her whip back, shifting its final trajectory with a deft flick of her thin wrist. Eren is shocked to see the menacing whip make its way over to her despite the wide distance but quickly decides to place her enchanted staff in front to take the hit on her behalf. While she may not have the strength to trounce a chicken, as a Garrod, she always has the advantage of wealth. The durability of her new meteorite staff can take several hits and nullify an attack as long as it lands squarely on the staff and not the mage.  

“That’s a nasty whip you’ve got there, Rei be careful!”  

The possessed Anya smiles, “thank you for the compliment sister. It’s got a few features I’d like us to test out together if you don’t mind.” 

Eren rolls her eyes for the backhanded ‘sister’ endearment. The intruder definitely knows something about Rei’s future harem collection. “Who’s your sister, keep your strange toys to yourself, I won’t be joining you.” 

[Dark hands!] 

Familiar dark hands begin to rise from the floor, grabbing hold of Anya’s ankles, slowing climbing higher as though trying to engulf her whole. The unsettling sight doesn’t cause the impostor to freak out like the king’s men, instead she gives Ariellia a weird smile before pulling back her whip, skillfully winding it around herself like a mini tornado of wind. The generated wind blades of her storm decimate Ariellia’s dark hands, shredding them faster than they can regenerate, eating into Eren’s mana in the process.  

“Leave her alone.” Rei rushes in to take the heat off his wife, engaging the spinning tornado with whirling twin blades of his own, disrupting the whips rhythm and breaking her move with a shrill clang. Anya jumps back, seeking distance to catch her breath after such a fierce clash.  

“Guess I’ll start using that now.” 

“That?” Jasper had been watching the ever-changing tides of battle the entire time, he’s quick to pick up on her sudden change of plans.  

“Rei stop her!” 

“Too late, item set bonus activate!” 

[Anya? Uses ‘item’: Thorn Orb to summon a Mirefang]  

Shit, the warning came far too late. Before Rei could rush in to interrupt her spellwork the ghostly apparition of a Mirefang spawned by her side. The giant sabertoothed lynx monster obediently nuzzled her like a tamed cat, showing favor to its master, never considering how disgusting it may look to innocent bystanders with its hideously decayed body.  

“Sic ’em boy” the impostor grins, snapping her whip with sickening delight as Rei is forced into a corner.  Can he shield Ariellia and Jasper from her whip while taking on the tireless undead beast summoned by the orb? The thought is enough to make a seasoned tank balk, let alone a self-trained orphan who’s yet to officially be knighted. Eren already resigned herself to the grueling slugfest ahead, readying her staff to take a few more hits when Rei lets out a loud declaration that warms her heart.  

“I won’t let you hurt her!” To back his need for power, his aura once again explodes, and dragon horns of light appear on his head. A spiked tail soon follows. He voluntarily entered his dragon lord mode for the first time without losing himself to instinct.  

The sharp whip that was meant for Ariellia’s pretty face got deflected by a fierce slap of his tail, while his twin blades clashed heavily with the mirefang’s large claws, lighting the place up with heated sparks. A bold strategy to defend his wife while fighting on two fronts at once.  

“Impressive, but how long can you keep that up dear. I wouldn’t want you to lose steam too soon, might affect your performance in front of your wife you know.” The vile body snatcher has the gall to smirk, raising everyone’s animosity towards her with one sentence.  

“None of that bullshit, his wife approves” with her pointy elf ears tinted red, Eren casts a slew of spells to hide her embarrassment. [Dark Hands!] [Dark Drain!] 

She hopes to drain the impostor’s mana reserves, hoping they can finally restrain her without resorting to deadly force.  

[Anya? uses ‘Item’: The Rose of Unending Woes to taunt all enemies on the field]  

Damn, this is so frustrating. Why are these demon lord relics so damn annoying! Anya is seemingly able to use them on the fly without any warning or backlash. Why hasn’t her tank of mana run dry yet? 

Because of her thoughtless actions, their synchronized team dynamics fell into chaos. Eren thankfully had the foresight to buy the jade scorpion, which deflected the mind-altering state that would have made her charge head long into battle seeking an early death without caring for defense. Once again, spending her vast wealth saved her life. For Rei, it took a bit longer to dispel. Dragons are aggressive by nature and hard to control or contain once angered. In his crazed state he repeatedly launched several mindless attacks at Anya, completely leaving himself open to the mirefang’s razor sharp maws and claws. It goes to show just how much he was holding back to save Anya. Once he lost his mind, his attacks became vicious, unleashing skills like star fall and judgement, making the imposter frantically dodge and defend to save her own skin.  

It isn’t until Jasper cast a [cooling breeze] support spell that his senses returned. It’s fortunate that in his dragon lord mode, he’s much sturdier and can take hard hits, otherwise Rei would have been mauled to death by the Mirefang.  

“It would be wise not to use that skill again child”  

“Noted.” Even the impostor had no choice but to agree with Jasper, breathing heavily. In the awkward silence to follow a loud shout draws their attention to the large double doors. 

“My lady forgive my rudeness, I have come to defend you!” 

Clad, the crazy honest bumbling knight appeared just in time. Eren smiles in appreciation of his timing, realizing they had left him to find his own way back to the castle in their haste.    

[Anya? Uses ‘item’: Thorn Orb to summon lady Oya...soul is not whole...a penalty shall be placed...all stats are halved.] 

‘Oh come on, you’ve got to be kidding me!’  

Eren gaps at the new apparition taking shape by Anya’s side. It’s the sweet old matron she knows with her usual church robes...but the menacing spiked knuckle gloves on her hands, and the tall iron pole by her side don’t fit the kind matron’s image at all. This strange impostor gives ‘Hellboss’ a whole new meaning. What level of difficulty is this! Are we still in the beginner city?