I'm the Only Totem in Another World - Chapter 165

Chapter 165: The Ancient Serpent （6）

Hanna carefully observed the Slime Demon’s mask.

High-ranking demons aren’t dangerous just because of their physical strength. There are some high-ranking demons, like this one, that are smaller than even mid-ranking demons. They’re dangerous because they possess powerful abilities that can overturn their size disadvantage.

Their abilities are so bizarre that one might think, ‘Don’t know its ability? Then you gotta die.’

Fortunately, they had figured out this demon’s ability.

The strong acid that shoots out like a water gun from the mouth of that mask, which strangely resembles a traditional Korean mask, is its ability. It’s an acid so powerful that it can melt a high-level Paladin’s head in an instant, and so fast that it’s hard to dodge.

‘It was trying to protect that mask.’

When Jackson, with his characteristically flashy swordsmanship, cut down the tentacles and advanced towards the mask, the demon tried to block him by spreading its tentacles wide like a shield. It didn’t seem like it was afraid of losing its powerful attack method. Its movements were quite flustered.

They had to consider the possibility that the mask was its weakness.

‘Now the tentacles are manageable.’

Although its attacks were fast and deadly, they weren’t at a speed she couldn’t adapt to. Thanks to the effect of the level 5 skill ‘Blessing of Strength,’ her physical abilities were doubled, and on top of that, Close-Range Spy’s buff increased her stats by another 0.5 times.

Attacks that she would normally have allowed could now be dodged with a little focus.

It seemed that what some Paladin had said was true: that because buff and debuff skills stack, the more people gather together, the stronger they become exponentially.

The problem was the strong acid. She couldn’t even react until Bella Unni’s face melted.

The only saving grace was that it couldn’t fire continuously. If it could, Hanna wouldn’t be able to stand in front of it like this.

‘It must be an ability that needs a charging time.’

She felt sorry for Bella Unni who had been hit, but this was the perfect opportunity.

‘I can do this.’

If she could just buy some time, Jackson and Gukbap would join her. If the three of them attacked together, they might be able to break the mask.

‘It would have been more certain with four.’

She wished Bella’s younger sister would quickly recover and join them, but it didn’t seem likely. They were sisters who had spent their whole lives together. It must feel like half of her body had been blown away.

‘Ssibal.’

It wasn’t that she didn’t understand, but in a situation like this, it was just frustrating.

“I’ll buy us some time. Join me as soon as you feel better!”

Just as Hanna, her mind made up, was about to charge in…

“Reinforcements! Reinforcements have arrived!”

Gukbap, who was healing his injuries inside the blue field created by the Totem, shouted.

“Here we come!”

Barbarian warriors, including the Milk Jug Youth, Dodo, were riding towards them on horseback. Dodo’s body was marked with Malak’s blessing, the ‘Strengthening Tattoo.’

This was it. With the help of the barbarian warriors, their chances of winning increased greatly.

“Milk Jug! Help us!”

The guy she had been planning to scold was now a welcome sight.

“Who’s Milk Jug! You’re the one with milk jugs!”

Dodo, fuming, drew his dagger. The barbarian warriors on horseback surrounded the Slime Demon.

“Aim for the mask! The mask is its weakness!”

Hanna didn’t forget to quickly relay the information.

Clatter! Clatter!

The warriors formed a circle around the demon, planning to take turns attacking.

The Slime Demon, knowing that a hasty attack would leave it vulnerable, retracted its outstretched tentacles and assumed a defensive posture.

Kya-reuk!

The other demons didn’t stay idle. Mid to low-ranking demons tried to invade through the holes in the wall to protect the Slime Demon.

Squeal~!

At that moment, Paya and Tteunteuni appeared above them. They had flown in undetected using their stealth ability.

“Tteunteuni!”

Tteunteuni dropped a round object. It was the explosive Luna and Harry had made.

Boom━!

“Haa!”

The explosion was the signal. Hanna and the warriors charged towards the Slime Demon simultaneously.

Whoosh!

The best defense is a good offense. To stop their advance, the demon swung its thorny tentacles around.

“Ugh!”

“Argh!”

Several warriors were hit by the demon’s tentacles. They tried to block with their shields, but the tentacles pierced through their shields and bodies.

It was a valuable sacrifice and a sad opportunity. Hanna, who had cut down several tentacles, tried to push deeper.

She thought now was her chance, while the demon was distracted by the others.

…However, high-ranking demons were once gods, transcendent beings with a certain level of intelligence.

They may have fallen to the level of mortals after losing the means to maintain their divinity, but that didn’t mean their intelligence had declined.

The demon knew that Hanna was the strongest force here. It was the Slime Demon’s strategy to make Hanna think this way.

Swoosh!

A tentacle shot towards Hanna. She tried to dodge it easily, but the tentacle suddenly changed shape.

Rustle!

Like a pufferfish inflating its body and revealing its thorns, the tentacle swelled up and shot out sharp thorns.

“Ugh…!”

She had noticed the thorns before they flew and moved quickly, but she couldn’t dodge them all. Sharp thorns pierced through her left leg.

As Hanna rolled on the ground, the next tentacle approached. It was a death blow.

As Hanna watched the approaching tentacle with a look of despair, …

“Hiya!”

A muscular warrior swung her twin axes and cut down the tentacle.

Her name was Hella, the chieftain of the Ashgrey Fog Tribe and Siu’s swordsmanship teacher.

“Die, tentacle monster!”

Dodo, wielding his daggers, distracted the Slime Demon. He may not have had powerful skills like the Paladins, but years of honed combat skills didn’t betray him.

With the ‘Strengthening Tattoo,’ Dodo had physical abilities comparable to the Paladins. Dodging the tentacles here and there, he was truly a nimble warrior.

“Are you alright?”

Hella extended her hand. Hanna grabbed it and climbed onto her horse.

“Can you fight?”

“My arm isn’t injured. Just get me close to it.”

Hanna, who had stopped the bleeding with a bandage, clenched her sword and glared at the Slime Demon. She was receiving the effect of the ‘Healing Totem,’ so her wounds would heal soon.

“Such a bold Paladin. Here we go!”

Hella, with a grin, urged her horse forward. She was a head taller than Hanna.

Hanna felt a little annoyed, remembering Rake who had looked down at her so arrogantly.

“Netkama! We’re here!”

“You all held out well!”

“I’m going to kill you…!”

Gukbap, Jackson, and Bella also joined the fight.

They attacked and retreated, slowly pushing forward, but a decisive blow was hard to come by.

‘If this goes on and the acid’s cooldown ends, we’re doomed.’

Hanna, feeling a little anxious, narrowed her eyes. It was an attack that even high-level Paladins couldn’t dodge. Whoever became the target would surely die.

“Ah, finally!”

Hella, who had been diligently fending off the tentacles, looked back and smiled.

“Sorry for the delay! I was healing the wounded!”

Morning Tent Erection Knight and Siu waved at Hella and Hanna.

Behind him stood a gracefully aged middle-aged woman and an elderly man. They were Solra, the Priestess of the Ashgrey Fog Tribe, and Goga, the former Priest.

“Rapadanimo, Tuvala Serinoda…”

“Demon! Demon! I’ll rip off your mask and kill you! Big mask!”

Unlike the composed Solra, Goga seemed to have lost his mind.

The two Priests chanted spells and reached out towards the Slime Demon. The magic they used was telekinesis. They could control invisible hands to hold the target in place for a short time.

It was a powerful spell, but it came with a heavy price and had a short duration.

“All… all warriors…”

Blood started to trickle from Goga’s nose, even though it hadn’t been long since he had used the spell.

“Let’s go!”

Hanna, Hella, Dodo, and Dina’s Special Forces charged.

“Judgment’s Strike!”

Hanna, who had reached the front of the mask with Hella, used her skill. It was a level 6 single-target attack skill, the most powerful one she currently possessed.

A white blade aura formed on Hanna’s sword and shot towards the mask.

Crack━!

The mask, struck by the blade aura, split in half. The Slime Demon’s movements stopped.

Just as Hanna was certain of victory…

With an ominous groaning sound, the Slime’s body swelled up.

“Uh…!”

Hanna recalled the attack that had pierced her leg earlier. The tentacle had swelled up like this before showering her with sharp thorns.

“Ru, run!”

It was too late to dodge now, but she couldn’t help but shout.

There was a way for everyone to survive. If two people, or maybe even one, sacrificed themselves, everyone else could live. They just needed to hug the Slime, like covering themselves with a grenade. But that person would take the thorns head-on and die.

Someone had to be sacrificed. But Hanna didn’t want to be the victim.

‘I haven’t even seen Sanz’s face yet…’

It was her lingering regret in this world.

As she hesitated, a man jumped forward.

It was Gukbap, the user who went by the nickname Ppooppooppeung in the community. He threw away his weapon, which resembled a pork cutlet hammer, and hugged the Slime Demon.

Hanna couldn’t even react to the sudden event that happened in such a short time.

Soon, countless thorns pierced through Gukbap’s body.