Meanwhile, in the area where the Sylph fairies were hiding, they too were left speechless and shocked by the sheer damage Shido had inflicted. Like the Salamanders, the fleeting thought that he might be cheating crossed their minds, but they quickly dismissed it since cheating was impossible in this game.
The only conclusion they could reach was that Shido must possess a unique skill capable of dealing such devastating damage.
Both groups began to accept the reality before them, but one question lingered in everyone's minds: what kind of identity did Shido have in real life to possess such extraordinary abilities and skills?
Yet, on the Sylphs side, the players didn't notice that their respected leader was staring intensely at Shido who was fighting against the Field Boss as her pupils turned the shape of a heart.
'Ahh~ How wonderful~ How handsome~'
Her eyes screamed nothing but love, love, love, though she quickly realized how inappropriate her expression was and forced herself to regain composure. Still, she couldn't fully hide it since her face remained flushed red.
Fortunately, it was quite dark underground and her comrades were entirely focused on battle, so no one noticed her disgraceful expression.
Once she had composed herself, Sakuya continued to watch the battle between Shido and the Field Boss, just like the other players.
...
"…How long has the battle been going on?"
"…About 40 seconds, sir," a Salamander player answered Eugene with a wry smile causing Eugene to fell silent.
"..." Eugene.
Like Eugene, they also couldn't believe that the battle was only about 40 seconds.
Why are they stressing about 40 seconds, you ask?
Because Shido have emptied another two bars of HP of the Field Boss within that short span of time!
Still, even as they marveled at Shido's insane damage and swordmanship, the Salamanders and Sylphs remained focused on their objectives. Yet the appearance of a monster like Shido forced a slight change in their plans.
They weren't aiming to defeat the Field Boss themselves, they intended to steal it from Shido. Both the Salamanders and Sylphs shared this thought. And though Sakuya had taken a liking to Shido, she was ultimately the leader of her race, and duty compelled her to attempt to seize the Field Boss from him.
'I'm sorry, dear, but we'll be the ones taking the Field Boss. Don't worry, this Onee-san will make it up to you later~'
Although Sakuya's primary intention was to act in the interest of her race, her motives weren't entirely pure.
The respected leader of the Sylphs Fairy race was actually having a lewd thought.
...
The battle was unfolding at a breakneck pace, and every player was on edge, waiting for their leaders' command to attack. Nervous gulps echoed through the cavern, mixed with the booming sounds of clashing and explosions.
Still all of them were nervous because they would not only face the Field Boss, but also the player who could very well be the final boss of the game.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!
ROOOOOOOOOAAAAAAARR!!!
As the battle between Shido and the Field Boss coming to an end since the Field Boss now was down to only have forty percent of its final HP bar, Eugene and Sakuya decided it was time to make their move.
"ALL PLAYERS, CHARGE!!!" 2x
"Platoon 1 and 2, focus on the Boss! Platoon 3, 4, and 5, come with me. We're taking down that monster!"
Eugene's voice boomed with might as he gave his orders. The moment his words fell, he kicked off the ground and shot forward like a crimson blur, his speed impressive but still nowhere near Shido's.
Like Eugene, Sakuya also commanded her army and placed more people to deal with Shido than the Field Boss, as she also believed that Shido was far more dangerous than the Field Boss.
However, just as both races began executing their coordinated attack, Shido only smirked faintly.
"So, you've finally decided to come out of hiding, huh?"
His voice was calm, yet there was a hint of amusement in his tone.
The Field Boss ignored the players charging toward it and began gathering energy in its mouth, preparing to unleash its most powerful attack on Shido.
Since it had been fighting Shido all this time, all the aggro was locked on locked so it completely ignored the incoming players.
In response, Shido calmly sheathed his sword and rested it at his waist as if he was waiting for somthing, which confused the players. Still, they didn't falter and continued with their plan.
Unlike the rest of the players, Eugene and Sakuya sensed that something was off when Shido sheathed his sword. However, the moment they saw his smirk, they realized he might have been aware of them from the very beginning and was merely playing with them.
Even though Eugene and Sakuya was dumbfounded, they still reacted fast and called out their army. However, they were a second too late.
"Retreat!!!"
"Go back!!!"
The players were confused and halted in their tracks, wondering what was wrong with their leaders, but they still followed their command and quickly retreated.
Yet...
"Too late."
Shido's voice was low, but it resonated in their minds as if directly transmitted, allowing everyone to hear him clearly.
And, just as he said, it truly was too late. Under the gaze of every player in the area, Shido began to draw his sword once more. For some reason, everything around them seemed to move in slow motion, until they heard Shido speak again.
"Original Sword Skill <
As Shido's words fell, a massive explosion erupted, followed by a violent shockwave as twenty purple slashes suddenly appeared across the Field Boss's body.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!
"Arrgh!"
"Ah! Help us!"
"...Oh shit, I'm dead."
Shido's attack didn't target only the Field Boss since this new Original Sword Skill of his could function as either a single-target or an AoE strike. This time, Shido used the latter, intent on wiping out the other players as well.
The Field Boss tried to let out a roar after failing to release its attack, but in the next moment, its massive dragon form shattered into countless fragments of light, along with the unfortunate players who failed to dodge in time.
...
Shido ignored the system notifications he receive from defeating the Field Boss and the loot he gained from the players he killed and turned around, smiling at the remaining players who had survived. Yet, despite smiling normally, his smile somehow resembled that of a demon, making their hair stand on end, especially as they recalled the devastating OSS he had just unleashed.
While many players died because of his attack, many players were still left. However, they were trembling in shock since Shido's aura now seemed nothing short of a demon.
A Sword Demon!
"Now then, how about we continue."
As Shido words fell, he began walking slowly towards them with <
Even though it was just a game, they couldn't help but feel as if it were reality, as Shido's intimidating aura seeped their virtual bodies making them more nervous.
With Shido facing them, the dim light from the lava that had erupted after he shattered the ground illuminated his back. His features were obscured by shadow, yet there was one thing they could see clearly.
His eyes. Those glowing, eerie purple eyes that pierced through the darkness.
Eugene and Sakuya were no different. Cold sweat trickled down Eugene's back, but as a warrior, he steeled himself to fight. Sakuya, on the other hand, even though she was also tense, there was also a hint of excitement as a strange shiver erupted on her body, especially when Shido's cold gaze landed on her.
"Hnh~!"
"..." Shido
'What's with this woman? Why is she looking at me like I'm a delicious lamb?'
Shido felt a bit uneasy when Sakuya looked at him with fierce eyes and a flushed face, which was quite different from her usual elegant appearance.
Meanwhile, Eugene couldn't care much about what Sakuya was thinking as he have something more important to think and that is how to defeat the demon in front of them.
Shido suddenly halted his steps for a moment and recalled a certain line from one of the anime he watched before which caused him to feel that it was kind of funny. Still, he slowly raised one hand and pointed toward the sky while facing every player of Salamanders and Sylphs combined.
"Remember my name, for I, Setsuna, am the one who stands atop all races."
The players who heard him, including Eugene and Sakuya, were momentarily speechless. Despite themselves, they couldn't deny that Shido's words sounded incredibly cool.
Yet even so, they continue their attack.
"Everyone! Attack!!!"
When Shido entered their range, the Salamander warriors charged forward to engage him, while the mages began chanting in unison, combining their spells to unleash their strongest magic against him.
The Slyph also joined the fray under the command of Sakuya who somehow recovered again from her inner struggle.
However, in the end, the result?
Complete annihilation.