The Nameless King found it challenging to gain the upper hand against the relentless assault he faced, even with his powerful skills and ability to summon lightning. The sheer number of opponents made it hard for him to handle. After all, each time he unleashed a bolt of lightning, the attackers were forced to retreat, allowing him brief reprieves.
Seizing these moments of calm, he managed to break free from the encirclement and, with a precise strike, thrust his spear into Bete's abdomen.
"Bete!"
The others, startled, hurriedly withdrew with Bete in tow, realizing this wasn't the time to continue fighting.
"Be careful of that guy, I have an estus flask here, so the wound isn't a big deal!"
Though annoyed, Bete wasn't overly concerned. Despite the large wound, with the estus flask and potent healing herbs, he would recover swiftly as long as the injury wasn't fatal or irreversible.
Indeed, the existence of such powerful healing items in this otherworldly realm was remarkable. In many ways, they had transformed into exceptional tools for restoring health.
Realizing this, the others remained on high alert but couldn't avoid a sense of unease. After all, this wasn't just a game, and they were beginning to understand just how brutal reality could be.
In games, a boss fight usually involved a controlled environment where you either fought the boss one-on-one or with NPC assistance. But here, in the real world, things were far more unpredictable. Just then, the Nameless King whistled sharply.
As a sovereign in his own right, the Nameless King ruled over this ancient domain atop a formidable dragon. Although they had previously cleared out many creatures in the area, there was no guarantee that none remained hidden. Sure enough, soon after his signal, a host of serpents and rock turtles came rushing toward them.
Among them was even a wyvern that had been lurking nearby, now emerging with several other creatures.
"This is bad! So many monsters weren't cleared, and now there's even a wyvern with him! We're already at a disadvantage. Now, it's a full-blown crisis!"
Seeing the swarm of enemies, everyone felt a chilling dread.
"No matter what, we must keep fighting. Everyone, protect Riveria and Lefiya at all costs. They are our main offense now, and you need to eliminate these monsters quickly, otherwise, we'll end up facing both the Nameless King and the horde simultaneously!"
They clustered together, forming a protective circle around Riveria and Lefiya. Although some others had minor magic abilities, the most potent spells with large-scale destructive power belonged only to the two of them.
They were the group's best hope of wiping out the advancing creatures, giving them a shot at turning their focus back on the Nameless King.
In this world, even if some people wielded magic, it rarely had the power or scale to match what they were used to in Orario.
Those who had played the game knew that despite the magic classes available, most players ultimately relied on swordsmanship because their mana reserves were so limited.
Even with items like elemental ash bottles to boost mana, they couldn't do without health potions. In the game, players could sacrifice mana potions to stock up on health potions, but the reverse was impossible.
This restriction made things trickier here. Magic in this world, while useful, wasn't as powerful as in the game, and many spells were merely supplemental due to their limited potency.
With the monsters' higher levels, close combat was the more effective option for most of the fighters, who excelled at melee attacks.
Only Riveria and Lefiya had large-area spells capable of dealing mass damage, so the group shielded them closely, hoping they could clear out the lesser creatures swiftly and turn their attention to the Nameless King.
No one had expected that he would summon reinforcements, a horde including a wyvern. It was a testament to the benefits of his kingly status, wielding authority without fear of opposition.
While Ais and the others formed their strategies, the Nameless King wasn't going to passively wait. With a straightforward plan, he struck again, unleashing a blast of lightning from the sky.
Though Gareth had been vigilant, the swarm of creatures around them kept him occupied, leaving him momentarily flustered. Even Tiona's large shield nearly failed to deflect some of the creatures, showing just how precarious their situation had become.
Moreover, the Nameless King seized the opportunity, descending from the sky in a direct assault before Riveria and Lefiya could complete their incantations.
With the other adventurers preoccupied with fending off various enemies, they were too distracted to protect Riveria and Lefiya. If this strike landed, the two of them would almost certainly not survive.
"No!"
Ais and the others cried out in desperation, disregarding their own injuries as they attempted to intercept the attack and save their allies. But the Nameless King's descent was swift, and his blow was aimed directly at Riveria and Lefiya's heads.
"They're my friend no matter what, it's too unreasonable for you to kill them just like that!"
Just as despair gripped the group, a golden light erupted, enveloping the Nameless King and blasting him back. The impact shattered much of his armor and snapped his weapon in two.
"Just now...that was Asahi-sama's voice!"
Everyone recognized the familiar voice, it was Asahi's. In fact, it wasn't actually his voice, but rather a protective force he had imbued within them, a life-saving power.
Asahi had always held a fondness for them, considering them friends. He couldn't bear to see them perish, so he left them with this hidden strength. However, this power would only activate in moments of true mortal peril, as it just.
If the Nameless King's attack had landed as intended, Riveria and Lefiya would have died. The latent power surged in response to this dire threat, generating a shockwave that flung the Nameless King back and severely wounded him.
His weapon shattered, and his body was battered, which is a pitiful sight.
"Let's finish off these enemies! Asahi-sama is really reliable, but we owe him one now!"
Grateful though they were, the adventurers had no time for thanks, and they immediately focused on dispatching the remaining enemies. With the Nameless King gravely injured, this was the perfect chance they couldn't afford to waste.