Yoshiya's POV
The air was heavy with dust and panic. My lungs burned as I forced another barrier into existence, golden light forming a dome just in time to catch falling debris. The shockwave from the Kobold King's last attack had ripped Korvath apart — buildings were crumbling, screams echoed in every direction, and even the bravest adventurers looked ready to run.
Beside me, Omina lay half-conscious, her body still recovering from Berserk. I knelt beside her, hands trembling as I channeled everything into a Mana Shield. It wrapped around us in a translucent blue shell, the hum of energy sharp and high-pitched. My mana reserves screamed in protest.
> "You're not falling here," I whispered, more to myself than to her.
The Kobold King towered in the center of the square like a nightmare made flesh, its massive sword buried into the ground, glowing faintly with red energy. Seikaku's arrows clattered uselessly against its armor. The Paladin—Boss—was barely standing, his shield reduced to splinters. The Red Mage hovered on the periphery, her grin gone, eyes sharp with focused fury.
We weren't winning.
But we weren't running either.
---
A sharp whistle cut through the chaos. I looked up to see Seikaku, standing on the wreckage of a watchtower, eyes narrowed like a hawk sighting prey. Mireina Katsumi crouched beside him, working furiously with her alchemy kit.
> "Seikaku!" I yelled. "Any bright ideas?"
He didn't waste time with words. His hand rose, pointing at a single segment near the King's left underarm, where plates of armor overlapped. For a moment, I didn't understand—then I saw it. When the King swung earlier, a joint had flexed just enough to expose a faint gap.
> "…Weak point. 2.3 seconds per swing window," he called down, short and precise.
My pulse quickened. A plan formed, almost instinctively.
> "Boss! Red Mage! We need a distraction!" I shouted, voice cracking through the chaos.
The Paladin spat blood and raised his hammer. "Tch. Finally some direction. Knights—on me!"
The Red Mage smirked, spinning her staff with renewed fire. "About time we burned something important."
---
The diversion began.
Boss led a charge straight at the King, divine energy radiating from his battered form. His hammer struck the King's shin like a thunderclap. At the same time, the Red Mage unleashed a spiraling column of flame, forcing the King to lift its shield to block.
For the first time, the King's attention split.
Seikaku moved. He crouched low, calculating each breath, his bow drawn with surgical precision. Mireina's enchantment lit the arrow with a faint silver-blue glow — a penetrating alchemical compound meant to drill through dense armor.
> "…Wind resistance minimal. Timing optimal. Target locked."
I could barely hear him, but I didn't need to. I felt it.
> Now, Seikaku.
The King swung its sword in a wide arc at Boss. Seikaku's eyes flashed.
> Release.
The arrow cut through the air, slicing past the Red Mage's flames. For a heartbeat, time seemed to slow — then the arrow slammed into the exposed gap.
> CRACK—!
The King staggered, letting out a guttural growl as dark, tar-like blood spurted from the wound. Its shield arm faltered slightly. The entire square paused. For the first time… they saw it bleed.
> "We hit it!" someone shouted.
"The monster's not invincible!"
A ripple of hope spread through the battered adventurers.
But the victory was fragile.
The King's head turned sharply toward Seikaku's perch. Its eyes burned with focused rage. The pressure in the air spiked like a storm about to break. I slammed both hands against the ground and pushed my Mana Shield to maximum, expanding it outward like a shimmering dome that covered Omina and several civilians still hiding nearby.
> "Come on… hold… HOLD!" I roared, pouring everything into the shield. My vision blurred from the mana drain, but the barrier solidified like tempered glass.
The King took a step back, raising its sword with both hands. Its muscles bulged. Blood dripped from the wound, but it didn't back down — it adapted.
Seikaku nocked another arrow. Boss barked new commands. The Red Mage laughed manically, fire swirling like a cyclone around her. For the first time all night, we were no longer scattered individuals. We were a unit.
---
The Kobold King tilted its head back.
And then it ROARED.
The sound was like a living shockwave, vibrating through stone, flesh, and bone alike. Windows exploded. Ground cracked. My shield flickered under the force of the roar alone. It wasn't just noise — it was dominance made sound, a beast refusing to accept defeat.
I gritted my teeth, shielding Omina tighter. "This isn't over… not yet."