"What just happened?!"
That enormous explosion spread across the entire world in an instant.
Elves, goblins, dwarves, Tallfolk… every faction with the means to monitor events in this region learned of the blast's magnitude from their own agents.
This "original island," which had been cloaked in darkness due to the thick storm clouds above, had just been lit up by a flash so blinding it could have scorched retinas.
Though the explosion's area had been expertly controlled, the shockwave that followed crashed down from the highlands—snapping the trees surrounding the battlefield like twigs.
Those who had been blown over by the shockwave staggered to their feet, dazed and disoriented, only to see a massive mushroom cloud rising in the air—its shape so vast it rivaled the storm clouds above.
The mountain that had risen from the Dungeon… had also been affected by the explosion that struck Shah Dalamadur.
Already torn and scarred from the serpent coiling around it, a fresh gaping cavity now opened on its face—like a chunk of the mountain had been evaporated entirely by the blast, leaving a void so large it seemed like the entire peak might collapse any second.
"Hunters… of course it was you!"
The demon, now fused with Shah Dalamadur, had taken a substantial hit to the head from that sudden Explosion Magic. While the demon itself wasn't harmed, the damage to Shah Dalamadur weakened its chances of escaping the Arena.
"Ahhh… I'm completely out of stamina and magic…"
Kazuma, having just fired that insane arrow, had collapsed onto the ground like a rag doll.
Though the Crimson Demon transformation was still in effect, he now understood—deep in his bones—what Megumin felt every time she unleashed Explosion Magic.
And now…
Shah Dalamadur's attention had turned toward the origin of the attack.
The demon realized something critical:
If it didn't eliminate these accursed Hunters now, it would likely never escape this Arena.
Spotting Kazuma, Naofumi Iwatani, and the Canary Squad gathered in the direction of the attack, the demon acted without hesitation—maneuvering Shah Dalamadur to open its massive jaws toward them.
A pale, radiant energy began to gather within its mouth, seething with extreme heat—it was charging up its breath attack.
"We're so dead!"
Kazuma was sprawled on his belly, butt in the air, face turned sideways as he stared helplessly at the charging beam:
"We're gonna get carted! Somebody drag me outta here!!!!"
"It's too late! Something that big—its breath isn't something you can just dodge on foot." Naofumi's expression had turned grim. "It's been locked onto us since it started charging. Running now is useless!"
For him and Kazuma, it didn't matter. Even if they were incinerated by Shah Dalamadur's breath, they'd just cart and respawn.
But it wasn't just the two of them here.
"Mithrun! Help Kazuma! And then—"
Naofumi pulled out his Heavy Bowgun and slammed a palm onto his shield.
"Everyone, behind me—NOW!!!!!!! SILVER RIDGE BEAST! OVER HERE!"
At his command, the towering Silver Ridge Beast galloped to Naofumi's side, and with a flick of its trunk, hoisted him onto its back.
And Shah Dalamadur had just about finished charging.
"Kairo Retsu said it before… Shah Dalamadur's attack patterns…"
Naofumi tightened his lips. Now mounted on the Silver Ridge Beast, he began guzzling every defense-boosting potion he had before the breath attack landed.
If he couldn't tank this hit, everyone else would die. And while he didn't particularly like these stuck-up elves, leaving them to die still left a bad taste in his mouth.
At least Mithrun wasn't a bad guy.
The mounting pressure from Shah Dalamadur only made Naofumi laugh.
Come to think of it—now that he was a Hunter, this probably wouldn't be the last time he faced monsters like this. That thought… actually made the future seem kinda exciting.
"Dalamadur's attacks are mostly physical, but it can also spit blue flames…" Naofumi recited the data. "Massive fireballs, flame tornadoes… and even meteor showers from the sky…"
"Let's see if my shield and Bowgun can take it!" Naofumi grinned, stoked by the challenge. "I'm the highest-defense Shield Hero in the first-gen squad!"
"You okay?!"
Meanwhile, Mithrun wasted no time helping the limp Kazuma up. Kazuma's lips quivered as he muttered:
"Hurry… someone just… give me a hand…"
"Do you need something important?"
Patadru, puzzled, reached down and grabbed Kazuma's hand. "Is there something we can help you with?"
"Nope, this'll do just fine," Kazuma said, and with zero hesitation used his signature move on the young elf girl before him:
"Drain Touch!!"
"Yaaah!!!"
Patadru let out a scream as Kazuma drained her dry. But given an elf's frail constitution, he only regained a sliver of stamina…
"Finally got enough energy to grab some grilled meat." Kazuma, eyes tearful with gratitude, pulled a skewer from his pack and began chomping into it, rapidly recovering strength.
"You… can absorb other people's stamina?" Mithrun looked at Kazuma, then at the now completely KO'd Patadru, and suddenly had an idea:
"If everyone here contributed their stamina and magic to you… could you fire that attack again?"
"?!"
All the elves nearby stared in shock.
They never expected that Mithrun—their squad captain—would so casually throw them under the bus…
"I'm good for stamina—meat takes care of that. But magic takes longer to regenerate," Kazuma replied, for once not sounding like a total pervert. "Still, if I don't wash off the transformation spores… I should be able to get off one more shot!"
Saying that, Kazuma let go of Mithrun, chucked a piece of grilled meat at the unconscious Patadru, and scrambled over to Naofumi's position.
"Protect me, Big Brother with the shield!!!"
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