Chapter 248
(The following contains many game mechanics/combat strategy terms. The translation aims to preserve the tactical feel while making it understandable.)
The instant I confirmed Claudia had gotten a solid start, we began our move.
"Amina!!"
"I'll take center aggro!!"
First, draw its attention towards us.The flow of battle can change drastically based on hate management.
Whether you can direct the enemy's attacks or not makes a world of difference in how manageable a fight is.
Amina activated Center Light on the Tortoise Golem's back—so far, it's the standard procedure to draw the enemy in.
But from here, it changes.
"Defensive formation!!"
Assume a complete defensive posture.
The Angler Golem raised its two tower shields, taking a guarding stance.
And that's not all—Nell is also holding up a massive kite shield large enough to cover her entire body.
"The Golems and Nell will handle physical attacks! Lord and Lady Esmeralda will intercept the magic attacks!!"
And in my hand, I'm holding a magic item I don't usually use.It's a matching item with Lady Esmeralda.
A defensive staff, a magic item I asked Yami to make for us.It can deploy a Class 4 Magic Shield; if the two of us defend together, we can even block Class 6 magic.
"Defense mode, maneuver!"'Here we go-!!'
This time, we can't move around.If we move, Claudia will have to move as well to attack.
So, it's more efficient for us to focus on defense, pinning the enemy down while also dealing damage.
Although it's called a solo hunt, as long as we don't deal damage, party member assistance is permitted—typical of FBO to provide loopholes.
The Tortoise Golem's shell transformed as it shifted into defense mode.
Its head and legs retracted into the shell, and in their place, a barrier enveloping the entire body deployed.
"How long will this hold?""Just this barrier alone will last five minutes. Factoring in the time to redeploy and our ability to hold out until our stamina runs out, it should last about two hours."
From here on out, we'll be subjected to one-sided attacks.
Our success hinges solely on Claudia defeating the Celestial Stone Golem.
"If we can break its wings in the first phase, we have a path to victory."
Steeling ourselves with that resolve, we assumed our defensive formation just as the Celestial Stone Golem began to move.
"Starting with a rocket punch... not a good omen."
It pulled back its left upper arm dramatically, making a motion as if punching empty space.
What followed was a physical mass-weapon attack: its crystal arm detached and came flying at us, spinning rapidly.
"Mii-chan! Fuu-chan! I'm counting on you!"'Leave it to us~''We'll deflect it~'
The two physically-oriented Golems reacted instantly. Rather than blocking the massive incoming arm with their two tower shields, they deflected it, redirecting it toward the cliff.
The powerful arm continued its momentum backward. Thanks to being multi-legged types, they managed to hold their ground, but they were still pushed back slightly.
'Heavy—''The Golem's creaking—'
We set up our position a short distance from the cliff behind us, away from the center, but being completely immobilized certainly makes the road ahead seem treacherous.
The shields might be fine, but the Golems the spirits are using might not withstand the shock.
"Another one's coming!!"'Block it—?’"No! This time, Nell, I need you!!""Leave it to me!!"
If we keep taking consecutive hits, the Golems will break.
Nell, who has the highest vitality stat in this party, raised her kite shield, timing it with the Celestial Stone Golem's motion of raising its right upper arm to launch another attack.
"On three!!"
Nell doesn't have the mass of a Golem.If she takes it head-on, without tank-specific skills, she'll be sent flying.
However, if she times it right, ducks under, and redirects its path upward and backward, she can deflect it.It's a brute force method, using stats to compensate for the mass difference, but if it's possible, we have to do it.
It was the worst possible start with consecutive rocket punches, but we managed to buy enough time for Claudia to circle behind and throw a debuff bottle at its wing.
"It's closing in!!"
But, undeterred even with the debuff applied, the Celestial Stone Golem continued to advance toward us.
Once it starts with physical attacks, a rush of physical assaults will follow for a while.
Ideally, we'd want it to start with magic attacks to keep it pinned in long-range combat, but it seems the enemy isn't going to oblige us.
"Spirits, you two handle the right arm! No attacking, just deflect everything!!"'Got it—''We'll do our best!'"Nell, you take the left arm!""Leave it to me!!"
The Celestial Stone Golem, having retrieved its deflected arms and reattached them, charged at us fiercely and now unleashed a powerful right straight.
'Deflecting—''Next one too—!'
The Angler reacted nimbly, protecting Amina from that attack, but a following left hook was incoming.
"I won't let you!"
Nell deflected it with her kite shield, but if we stay here and keep getting pummeled, it's going to get really tough for us.
I glanced toward the wing area and saw Claudia working.
The Golem was throwing a beautiful combination of punches: right-left, left-left, right. But since its wings and arms are spatially separated entities anyway.
It didn't seem like the vibrations were a concern, as she was steadily making progress.
"Tch!"
In the meantime, one of the Celestial Stone Golem's fists struck the barrier in defense mode, shaking the entire stage.
The barrier is still holding, but it won't withstand many more direct hits.
About two minutes or so had passed.
As we continued to endure the attacks, I saw Claudia raise her fist with all her might.
And then, that raised fist slammed into the wing.
'■■■■!?'
That attack caused it to momentarily stop attacking us.If it had a face, it would probably be turning around in shock, but unfortunately, this thing has no face.
We could tell it was surprised from the strange, rattling sound it made.
If I had to put that sound into words, it'd probably be something like, "Why did that attack connect?!" in sheer astonishment.
Well, if you diligently keep using debuff items to lower its defense to the limit, even bare-handed attacks will deal damage. Plus, Claudia is currently buffed up with stat-boosting items, so her attack power is higher than usual.
With rapid, successive blows, she shattered one of the wings in no time.
The sight of the scattering crystals was quite magical and beautiful, but for the Celestial Stone Golem, it was nothing short of a disaster.With its flight capability lost, the Celestial Stone Golem lurched sideways. Trying to balance itself using the still-floating right side, it used its lower left arm to support itself on the ground.
Hate temporarily shifted toward Claudia.
"No you don't! Look at me!!"
Seeing this, Amina immediately activated Center Light to draw its aggro.
If the tanks can demonstrate their true worth and make us the primary target, the Celestial Stone Golem will have no choice but to attack us.
A magic circle of light deployed from the Golem's crystal core.
"Lady Esmeralda!""Yes, I'll match you!!"
I never thought we'd have to defend at such close range, but Lady Esmeralda and I simultaneously swung our staves, channeling mana to deploy overlapping Magic Shields.
Immediately after deployment, a thick laser of light was fired, shattering the first shield effortlessly. While the second shield held it, I deployed a third Magic Shield.As the second shattered, the third caught it, and during that time, a fourth was deployed.
"Just as Liberta predicted, eight layers were enough to block it!""Mana consumption is within acceptable limits too."
We can block magic attacks with this layered Magic Shield technique.I hope she can defeat it before our mana runs out, but I know this Golem's HP pool better than anyone here.
"Ingritt!!""Yes, I'll throw it right away!"
But it had switched from physical attack patterns to magic attack patterns.Seizing this opportunity, I gave orders to Ingritt, who was on standby. She threw a sphere she was holding at the left hand it was using to balance itself on the ground.
It burst just before making contact with the arm, splashing a yellow liquid onto the hand.
"It's special instant adhesive. It's stuck to the ground and won't come off now."
There are many ways to defeat this Golem, but when it comes down to it, immobilizing it is the most effective.
It clears the condition of not dealing damage, and it's very convenient to use.
Now, the number of usable arms is three, and.
"There's still more."
Ingritt still had plenty of adhesive left.She threw one after another, coating it in sticky glue, steadily cementing it to the ground. If another arm tried to help that stuck arm, the arms would end up glued together and become useless.
If the right arm grabs the left arm to help it, that's the end.The left and right arms stick together and won't come apart.
Half of its four arms were now unusable.
Originally, we planned to completely shut down the FA Damascus Golem using this method too, but, well, it's fine.
Amina's song drawing its attention, and the adhesive Ingritt applied.
These two things significantly reduced the hate on Claudia.
So then.
There was no way we'd let this chance slip. A loud *DOGON* impact sound rang out once, then quickly turned into a rapid succession of crushing sounds.
Not cute little sounds, but intense, rapid blows that could be called shattering noises.
Through the bluish tint of the crystal, I could see Claudia's faint shadow attacking with her entire body, trying to shatter the Celestial Stone Golem's core.
Full-power attacks while applying defense debuffs.
"Well, at this point, its only option is to purge its arms, right?"
I understand its choice to purge the arms stuck with adhesive to create distance, a risk management move to avoid being unilaterally attacked and destroyed.
This Golem can summon spare parts from the sky to regenerate.
The precursor to that motion.
If it does that, the damage we dealt will be for nothing.
But, that's exactly why we're thoroughly prepared.
Looking up, I saw objects falling from the sky.From their outline, they were undoubtedly this Golem's arms.
If they reconnect, it will regenerate.Yes, *if* they reconnect.
"Ingritt! Erase them before they connect!!""Understood!"
However, before connecting, they aren't considered part of the monster's body, and in that state, the arms are just objects without stats.
We've used this method a few times in the Damascus Golem Dungeon, so our proficiency has increased.
And since they're coming from the sky, there's no worry of hitting us by mistake.
Holding her broom, Ingritt leaped out, skillfully stepping on a non-adhesive part and jumping onto the Celestial Stone Golem's body. She then looked up, timed her jump, and leaped.
"Perfect Clean."
She swung her gleaming white broom, wiping the incoming objects from the sky out of existence.
"Alright! The next time it can summon is in one hour!! We'll grind it down before then!!"
The recast time for this summon spare parts motion is one hour. If the summoning fails, its HP won't recover either.
Two arms missing, and a wing broken.This narrows down its action patterns.
Now, as long as we avoid accidents, keep its attention on us, and let Claudia keep punching, we can win!!
Although, even in this state, its HP is just too massive and our damage is too low, so it's going to take time to take it down!!