Chapter 29:

King of All Trades

Brought into my Unfinished Game World


Dave's words of encouragement still echoed in Alpha's mind as he steadied his grip on his sword.

Alpha raised his free hand toward Suzaku and Kuria, his voice cutting through the tension.

— [deflect_projectile_6]!

A shimmering barrier materialized around both women, creating a protective dome that would deflect incoming arrows. Alpha turned to Kuria without lowering his guard.

— Feed the barrier with your mana so Maat cannot reach you. Can you maintain it?

Kuria nodded, her hands already glowing with golden energy as she channeled power into the defensive spell.

— I can hold it as long as necessary.

Before Alpha could move away, Kuria reached out with her free hand and touched his shoulder.

— [swift_movement_8]! [mana_flow_enhancement_9]!

Alpha felt the familiar warmth of her support magic flow through him. His movements became lighter and more fluid, while a steady stream of mana regeneration began replenishing his magical reserves.

— Thank you, Alpha said gratefully.

Satisfied that his allies were protected, Alpha shifted his focus to Grimjaw. He raised his hand again, this time targeting the tall demon who still held Bolg in his grip.

— [sleeping_scent_7]!

A sweet, cloying fragrance began to drift through the air around Grimjaw. The demon's rotating masks slowed their hypnotic spin as the spell took effect. His red minotaur mask seemed to droop slightly, and his unnaturally long fingers began to loosen around Bolg's throat.

Grimjaw's head swayed as drowsiness crept through his system, his grip weakening with each passing second.

Bolg immediately extended his hand toward his embedded spear.

— [weapon_recall]!

The spear yanked itself free from the tree trunk and flew back to his grasp. Without hesitation, Bolg raised the weapon to strike down the drowsy demon while he was vulnerable.

But before the blade could find its mark, an arrow whistled through the air and struck Grimjaw in the side of his head with its blunt end. The impact jolted him awake instantly, his masks resuming their rapid rotation.

Grimjaw immediately released Bolg and took a couple of quick steps backward. In one fluid motion, he reached up and switched from the red minotaur mask to the laughing gargoyle mask. His posture shifted as the new mask's abilities took hold.

Bolg's spear thrust forward, but instead of piercing flesh, the weapon struck Grimjaw's forearm with a metallic clang. The gargoyle mask had granted him enhanced physical resistance, absorbing the impact of the attack.

Maat's voice carried from the grove with obvious satisfaction.

— You did not think I would let you eliminate him so easily, did you?

Alpha abandoned his defensive position and charged forward, his sword crackling with energy.

— [lightning_jolt_4]!

A bolt of electricity arced from Alpha's blade toward Grimjaw. The tall demon immediately reached up and switched from the laughing gargoyle mask to the weeping phoenix. The magical attack struck him squarely in the chest, but instead of causing damage, the phoenix mask absorbed the electrical energy completely.

Bolg pressed his advantage, not giving Grimjaw a moment to recover. His spear became a blur as he launched a relentless series of thrusts at the demon's torso and limbs. Each strike forced Grimjaw to twist and dodge, the absorbed lightning energy swirling visibly within the phoenix mask's painted tears.

— [rapid_thrust_combination]! Bolg called out, his spear moving so fast it created afterimages in the air.

Grimjaw stumbled backward under the assault, unable to switch masks while defending against the continuous barrage of attacks. The phoenix mask continued to glow brighter as it stored Alpha's magical energy, but Bolg's physical strikes kept him from utilizing the absorbed power.

Maat fired several arrows from above, forcing Bolg to step back and break his relentless assault. The brief respite allowed Grimjaw to steady himself, though the phoenix mask still pulsed with stored lightning.

Alpha immediately abandoned his support position and dashed toward the grove where Maat remained hidden.

— [blind_6]!

The spell struck Maat squarely as he prepared another volley. The demon archer cursed as darkness clouded his vision, his next shots going wide of their intended targets.

Alpha pressed his advantage, his sword cutting through the air in precise arcs. The blade grazed Maat's shoulder, then his arm, then his leg as the blinded assassin struggled to evade attacks he could not see coming.

Maat extended his hands desperately, calling back his scattered arrows. The projectiles flew to him and began rotating in tight circles around his body, creating a defensive barrier while simultaneously providing offensive options at close range.

Alpha stepped back slightly and switched tactics.

— [lightning_jolt_4]! [lightning_jolt_4]! [lightning_jolt_4]!

The rapid succession of electrical attacks crackled through the air. Some bolts struck Maat directly, causing him to cry out in pain. Others were deflected by the spinning arrows, creating bright sparks as metal met magic.

Maat's breathing became ragged as he struggled to maintain his defensive formation while still partially blinded. For the first time since the ambush began, the confident assassin was clearly panicking.

Grimjaw! Get over here and help me! Maat shouted desperately, his spinning arrows deflecting another lightning bolt.

Grimjaw immediately abandoned his position and rushed toward Maat's location. As he ran, he reached up and switched from the glowing phoenix mask to the screaming banshee mask. The stored lightning energy from Alpha's earlier attack began to swirl around the new mask, preparing to unleash devastating magical retaliation.

But Alpha had been watching Grimjaw's mask rotations carefully throughout the fight. He raised his hand just as the tall demon prepared to cast his enhanced spell.

— [silence_7]! shouts Alpha.

The spell struck Grimjaw before he could release the banshee's scream. His mouth opened wide, but no sound emerged. The stored magical energy flickered and died within the banshee mask as the silence effect made spellcasting impossible.

Grimjaw's eyes widened with shock and frustration as he realized his most powerful counter-attack had been completely neutralized.

In desperation, he reached up toward the snarling dragon mask, his last resort to break free from the status effects and end this fight quickly.

But Dave had been waiting for exactly this moment. While the demons were focused on combat, he had quietly scrambled the stat values across all of Grimjaw's masks, redistributing them randomly.

Grimjaw switched to the dragon mask with a look of grim determination, expecting to feel the rush of ultimate power flowing through him. Instead, he felt... nothing. The mask that should have granted him overwhelming strength for one critical minute was now completely empty of any enhancements.

— Now! Alpha shouted, recognizing the opening.

Bolg needed no further encouragement. Both warriors launched themselves at the suddenly defenseless demon. Alpha struck with the flat of his blade while Bolg used the blunt end of his spear shaft, and Grimjaw collapsed unconscious without the protection he had expected.

Bolg caught Alpha's eye and nodded gratefully, acknowledging that his companion had remembered his request about avoiding unnecessary killing.

Maat's voice cracked with disbelief from behind his spinning arrows.

— Impossible! That mask should have made him invincible!

The spinning arrows suddenly dropped to the ground as Maat activated his invisibility skill. His body shimmered and vanished completely as he attempted to flee from the battle.

— He is getting away! Bolg called out, eyeing the area for any sign of movement.

Kuria raised her staff, golden light pulsing from its crystal.

— [scan_8]!

A wave of revealing energy spread across the battlefield. Maat became outlined in a faint golden glow, his position clearly visible as he sprinted toward the deeper forest.

Bolg immediately launched himself high into the air, then hurled his spear with precision. The weapon embedded itself in the ground directly in Maat's path, forcing the fleeing demon to skid to a halt.

Without hesitation, Bolg activated his dash ability, shooting downward toward his spear's location. As he descended, the weight enhancements that Dave had transferred from the heavy armor to his light leather gear took full effect.

Bolg crashed into Maat with the crushing force of full plate armor, but the agility and speed of leather. The impact drove the assassin into the ground, knocking him unconscious instantly.

Bolg stood up slowly, breathing heavily from the exertion.

— That should end this fight.

Don.Coals
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