While dodging the Boss Mantis’s sweeping scythe, Alec maneuvered behind it and unleashed a powerful blow.

“Hah!”

Activating 【Fierce Strike】, he smashed a club into one of its hind legs.
The deafening sound of impact reverberated through the area, as though shattering solid rock.
It was 【Fierce Strike】 enhanced with 【Prayer】.
The resulting force was formidable, without question.

However…

“Tch! August!”

Despite landing the attack, Alec was almost thrown off balance by the recoil from the Boss’s hardened shell. But this wasn’t unexpected; he had prepared for it after several repetitions. From the opposite side, August slashed with a blessing-imbued strike, diverting the Boss’s focus.
Their teamwork was excellent.

Meanwhile, the three lightly armored fighters darted in between the heavyweights’ assaults, chipping away at the enemy and supporting their companions.

“Hmm…”

Rather than keeping distance, they deliberately stayed close, drawing out the Boss’s attacks and turning them into opportunities for counterattacks—a strategy previously employed against Cymodoki.

Back then, Alec bore the brunt of Cymodoki’s attacks with his shield. However, while Cymodoki’s attacks were akin to blunt strikes, the Boss Mantis wielded bladed weapons. To account for the possibility of being sliced, Alec prioritized evasion this time.
This approach wouldn’t have worked in the former stronghold.

Currently, the primary task was to shatter the Boss’s outer shell, likely its carapace.

I recalled the method for defeating dragon types taught long ago:

The first step was to break their hardened, magic-resistant scales. This exposed the softer skin beneath, allowing attacks to penetrate. Magic would also become effective, enabling gradual infliction of severe damage. A painstaking process, but necessary to bring down such a foe.

The same applied to Lesser Dragons. Breaking through their carapace came first. Heavy, blunt weapons were more effective than blades, which is why Alec led the charge while others supported him.

Yet, despite their efforts, progress was slow. Attacks landed but failed to gain momentum.

Perhaps it was time for me to step into my fourth role.

“!?!”

Fiora’s ball-shaped magic spell exploded against the Boss’s side as it swung its scythe.

Although the carapace rendered magic ineffective, physical effects such as shockwaves, heat, and wind could still disrupt its movements. Fiora capitalized on these phenomena to open up opportunities.

Her precise interventions allowed Alec to increase the frequency of his strikes, and at last, cracks began to form on the carapace.

It seemed the time had come for me to act.

◇

After Fiora joined the offensive, the battle shifted slightly.

The monsters paralyzed by 【Purple Wings】 remained incapacitated. If slain, respawning monsters would arrive without being affected by paralysis—a natural occurrence but a troublesome one, forcing us to fend off both the Boss and its reinforcements until the paralysis took effect again.

As such, the decision was made to leave the paralyzed monsters alone and continually reapply the paralysis poison from 【Purple Wings】.

“Still not moving, huh?”

I rose close to the ceiling to survey the room. All visible monsters lay motionless—a testament to the skill of the 【Purple Wings】 user.

Meanwhile, the Boss Mantis continued to swing its scythe wildly. Though the room’s monsters were neutralized, the battle lacked a decisive turning point.

My fourth role—targeting openings and intervening—was ready to be deployed. After observing the fight, I had identified a weak point to exploit.

“Here goes!”

I fired a soft, glowing light. It was my signal to join the fray.

Fiora glanced my way and gave a small nod. She shifted her aim, ceasing her scythe-targeting spells to provide me an opening.

Timing my descent… now!

I activated 【Ankle Bracelet】 and lunged toward the Boss. My target was its raised arm!

“Whoa… w-whoa-whoa-whoa!?”

I successfully latched onto the Mantis’s arm with 【Ankle Bracelet】, but it swung me along with the limb.

Past monsters tended to freeze or flinch when something latched onto them. However, this Boss—both an Archdemon and a Lesser Dragon—showed no such reaction. Perhaps because it was an insect-type, its response was fundamentally different.

Thanks to Alec and the others maintaining their distance, I avoided crashing into anyone during the wild swings. Still, that was close!

Regardless, I secured my position. It was time to attack.

“Take this!”

I activated 【Shadow Blade】 and 【Crimson Wasp Needle】.

Although the carapace shielded much of the Boss’s body, its joints were exposed to allow movement. These areas lacked the glossy blackness of the carapace, confirming their vulnerability.

With three distinct types of attacks—【Shadow Blade】, 【Crimson Wasp Needle】, and poison—I had a good chance of penetrating its defenses.

Ideally, I could sever the limb. But even if I couldn’t, damaging the joint would hinder its movements. This would give Alec and the others the opportunity to focus on their attacks, making the battle significantly safer for everyone.

Hmm.

This role of mine feels quite critical…!

————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Sera: 【Hideout】 +1【Prayer】【Mira’s Blessing】【Wind’s Garb】・【Floating Orb】+1【Shadow Sword】【Scarlet Wasp Needle】【Fairy’s Eyes】【Dragon’s Lungs】【Amber Sword】【Danrem’s Thread】【Snake’s Tail】【Ankle Bracelet】【Amber Shield】【Purple Wings】・3 cards

Seriana: 【Range Identification】・【】・28 cards
Elena: 【】・【Green Fang】【Amber Sword】・3 cards
Alec: 【Power Strike】・【Red Shield】【Fierce Horned Trumpet】・5 cards