The New Gate (LN)

While Shin was confronting Iira Suura, Shibaid also confronted the other god. 

Her level was higher than Iira Suura’s, and the environment was also on the god’s side. And her domineering presence was one of the highest among monsters Shibaid had fought in this world. There were other higher-level monsters, but he had to say that the god was exceptional. 

The crystal-clear wings flapped in the sky, enough to send an extremely cold chill through Shibaid. The earth, melted by 08’s attack and Iira Suura’s heat wave, was completely frozen on the spot from the cold air passed through. 

However, Shibaid was never frozen. He had already prepared to march through a blizzard so he could withstand the extreme cold that froze not only the ground but the moisture in the air. 

Before Venna Vaal could make her next move, Shibaid used his skill to turn her attention from Shin to himself. 

“How long will you keep looking at Shin?”

Gods had a tendency to target players, and Shibaid knew that. But to look away in front of an opponent that has a weapon was considered disrespectful.  His fist’s muscle squeezed his giant halberd,『Placid Moon』, and produced a clenching sound. 

His mind was calm. A guardian who protects their allies must be able to identify enemy attacks, anticipate them, and repel them. They are required to keep their composure even under difficult battle situations; it was not enough to simply stand firm with a shield. 

But right now, contrary to his mind, his emotions and body were burning hot. 

Shin’s voice, when facing the god, filled Shibaid’s heart with roaring flames. 

Even though they might fight together, Schnee or Filma usually fought beside Shin. The same was true with Girard in the past.

Shibaid sometimes drew the attention of monsters so that the vanguards could attack more easily, and sometimes he acted as a shield to protect the vanguards by blocking the monster’s attack. 

It was Shibaid’s pride to play a key role in the party, but at the same time, he was also envious of Schnee and the others who were also vanguards and fought alongside Shin. Due to his stats, he couldn’t keep up with Shin and the others in high-speed combat. Though it could be said that they were just built differently, he was still slightly envious of them; their agility was too different. 

It was no longer the case now, however.

Standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Shin, and facing a god each. This difficult situation was one that Shibaid had longed for. 

Currently, Shibaid was the only one who could single-handedly take on god’s attack without impacting the surroundings; it was inevitable that he was chosen to fight with Shin. But that didn’t change the fact that he had been entrusted with the honor of having Shin’s back. 

Venna Vaal’s tail swished, and its tip blurred. The whip-like tail was so fast that it was barely visible, yet it weighed many times more than Shibaid. With the scaly ice on the surface of the tail that was far harder than steel, it was equivalent to a massive block of iron flying at nearly the speed of sound; an attack that even the fiercest warriors would be prepared to die from. For Venna Vaal however, it was just a small measure.

In contrast, Shibaid was already in the act of swinging down his 『Placid Moon』, and his 500 years of experience fighting monsters had taught him the timing of Venna Vaal’s attack. You will pay for your recklessness if it’s not a serious attack. 

His clenched teeth grind, and every muscle fiber in his body howled in anticipation. The blade of 『Placid Moon』 turned white and shone brightly as if responding to Shibaid’s thoughts.

『Placid Moon』 collided with the tail, and the sky flashed with brilliant light. Venna Vaal’s tail was superior in both mass and speed, but Shibaid did not fall back; as if he had become one with the earth. 

Shield technique martial arts skill 【 Gaia Anchor】.

It was a skill that only anchors itself to the spot. It neither reduces the damage received nor gives reflective damage. It was a difficult skill to use, and if it did not catch the enemy’s attack, it would cause serious damage to itself. Shibaid chose it without hesitation.

Even if his opponent is a god, he will not be defeated. This thought supported Shibaid’s unyielding body.

There was piercing sound. It was a faint sound that would not reach anyone’s ears amidst the echoing sounds of battle. It was the sound of 『Placid Moon』 biting into the scaly ice.

“Ahhhhh!!”

A voice full of spirit emanates from Shibaid’s mouth. 

Before Venna Vaal could even realize the danger and turned tail, Shibaid swung away his 『Placid Moon』. When they collided, the blade only bit into the scaly ice. Just because he slashed at it did not mean that it was soft inside like a living creature. But it was softer than the scaly things that were probably used for defense. 

The white light staining the blade became a crescent-shaped slash and went deeper and deeper into the tail. By the time Venna Vaal pulled back on her tail, about 70% of it had already been sliced through. 

“Blast it!”

The tail, which had been cut in more than half by Shibaid’s strike, exploded at the cut end. 

Flame/Light art combination skill 【Sol Avalada】.

The edge of the hatchet was dyed with a white light that contained high heat. The true nature of the strike was an ultra-hot blade of light. Originally, it was a skill that blasted the place where it cut with a time delay, and it did not have the effect of making it fly in the form of a slash. 

How was this possible? It was because he watched Shin and his team’s daily training in magic manipulation and trained with them. 

The situation of fighting a strong enemy, which requires the mobilization of all the senses, elevates experience and training to the next level. This was the result of what might be called the 『Expansion of Skill Effectiveness』.

The tail, which had been shorter than the main body, was torn off by the explosion, and the rest of the remaining tail was shattered as cracks spread through the entire tail. It was only the part near the tip but even so, 3 mels have been obliterated. 

(I got a feel for it.)

The frustrating feeling of something missing from the daily training disappeared, and Shibaid felt the click into gear.

It was not so easy to instantly apply all of his skills, but he was still convinced that he had taken another step forward. He readied his 『Placid Moon』 and moved forward. If he kept his distance, there was a high possibility that he would be hit by a ranged attack. Daring to jump into the opponent’s vicinity, he controls his aggro. 

『Placid Moon』 shone white again, and Venna Vaal’s beautiful face made of ice, turned toward Shibaid. Having her tail slashed off, she seemed to recognize Shibaid as an enemy. 

In the short time it took to approach, Venna Vaal’s tail regenerated. Like Iira Suura, this one could not be defeated unless it was completely cut down. 

Venna Vaal’s mouth opened. The mouth had no teeth or tongue, and ice pricks grew from top to bottom. There was no cavity leading into the body like a throat. The mouth was also an attacking organ. 

Venna Vaal’s mouth emits a white breath followed by cold air. It was one of Venna Vaal’s special moves, which bore the name of 【Death Frost Breath】 and was even lower in temperature than the cold air released earlier. She had no intention of sparing it, even if only one enemy existed.

It spreads in a nearly straight line in front of Venna Vaal, and if Shibaid dodges it, it will have an effect behind him.

Shin and Schnee were out of range. But Tiera and the others were within range. Yuzuha and Kagerou were there, too, at a distance. It was not a move that couldn’t be dodged if you noticed it right away.

However, it would be meaningless to leave it to them if they were to dodge it that way. Shin, who was fighting next to him, cut off the flames so they wouldn’t hit Tiera and the others.

(How could I, the stronghold of our defence, fail to do the same thing?)

His body responded exactly to the accelerating thoughts. Applying full strength to his body, Shibaid jumped. Venna Vaal had just started exhaling and had not even reached her chest limit. He decided to rush in there with the attack-blocking barrier deployed around him. Holding 『Great Shell Shield of Collision』 in his left hand as if it were a knuckle guard, he lunged forward. 

The breath had the characteristic of not being affected by wind, but the breath itself had neither weight nor physical impact. The barrier pushed through the fraction of breath that was exhaled. The barrier that touched the breath instantly freezes and cracks.

The barrier shattered almost at the same time that Shibaid flew out in front of Venna Vaal’s face.

Although dispersed by the barrier, the breath itself did not disappear. What remained in the atmosphere and what was still being exhaled came close to lulling Shibaid into a deathly sleep. 

Shibaid was not intimidated, however. With the momentum of his leap, he slammed the 『Great Shell Shield of Collision』 toward the open mouth.

Venna Vaal’s face was thrown back with a loud crash. The weight of Shibaid himself, his equipment, and the leaping force of his full strength had turned into a huge cannonball.

Her beautiful face was crushed and cracked by the impact, and her 【Death Frost Breath】 was canceled.

She probably didn’t expect that he would be leaping right into the middle of her special move; Venna Vaal’s reaction was slow.

One wrong move and his whole body would have frozen before contact, and the impact of the collision could have shattered it into pieces. But Shibaid had seized the opportunity to take that risk. 

The wings on Venna Vaal’s back and her limp tail moved to strike Shibaid down. But Shibaid’s action was faster than any of them. His left arm and the 『Great Shell Shield of Collision』 were used to break through the 【Death Frost Breath】. Then what about his right arm?

“Ooooooooh!!!”

A dash of spirit.

Even though he couldn’t leap infinitely like Shin, even Shibaid could use the【Flying Shadow】.

He caught the momentum of striking Venna Vaal with a foothold that appears in the air, and leaps again to the face of the knocked away. He then hit Venna Vaal in the face with his 『Placid Moon』, which was imbued with the light of 【Sol Avalada】.

The glowing white blade dug into the tip of Venna Vaal’s crushed nose. It did not stop at the surface, as it did when it caught the tail, but went deep into the insides. The white light shone though the open holes on her nose.

The light, which became a slash, cut through Venna Vaal’s head, crossed her throat, and reached her chest. The white light permeated all of its cuts.

In the short time before the explosion, Shibaid kicked Venna Vaal in the face and leapt into the air again. He pulled back the 『Placid Moon』 he had struck and gripped the middle of the hilt.

The muscles in his right arm groaned. The 『Placid Moon』 turned blue in response.

“Hmph!”

『Placid Moon』, clad in a blue light, flew through the air like a meteor as he threw with all his might. 

The speed was so fast that it seemed to scorch the atmosphere; it took less than a second to reach the target. 

『Placid Moon』 flew into the cut from the last slash and entered the insides of Venna Vaal. 

At the same time as the 【Sol Avalada】’s explosion, he released the power stored in himself. 

Spear/Flame art combination skill 【Blinkia】.

This was a skill for throwing a projectile that causes the weapon to explode in a certain area, starting from the point where it stopped. What would happen if it coincided with the explosion of the【Sol Avalada】?

The first sound was the explosion. Then, a shock passed through Shibaid’s body. Shibaid landed on the ground, gripping the 『Placid Moon』 that had returned to his hand.

The explosion’s flames cleared immediately; Venna Vaal’s body was made of ice, so there was no burning element other than the explosion from the skill.

The blast blew away most of her upper body, leaving only part of her abdomen. Her wings were also cracked, probably due to the explosion’s impact.

“Mwah!”

If it were a regular monster, this would be the end. However, the tail of the lower half of her body, which was still intact, struck the 『Great Shell Shield of Collision』, which Shibaid had quickly raised.

The tail, which shattered the barrier and came at him, was deflected at an angle.

By the time he shifted his gaze from the tail to the upper half of her body, Venna Vaal had already regenerated to the neck.

Shibaid readjusts his weapon. He knew he couldn’t defeat it just by blowing it up once. He would fight with all his might, over and over again, until she was defeated. 

He moved forward with his 『Placid Moon』 poised. Many of Venna Vaal’s special moves, such as the 【Death Frost Breath】, have a widespread effect. Closing the distance was to Shibaid’s advantage. 

The tail that was deflected comes at Shibaid again.

It was the more powerful and faster tip that came at him. The ice scales stand on end like a hammer with a sting.

At the same time as the tail, a particle of ice formed above her head. It was the skill 【Cold Pile】, used to scatter ice piles the size of a fist. She would send ice piles from almost all directions to stop his movement, and then reap him off with her tail.

Shibaid deployed a barrier around himself but did not stop moving forward.

If he stayed where he was, the ice piles would target everything but his feet.

However, the closer he got to Venna Vaal, the more his huge body would somewhat reduce the line of fire. All that remained was to attack it while deploying barriers on the remainder.

As expected, the first one to fly at him was an ice pike.

A common barrier would not stop it, but rather puncture it like a piece of paper. Still, this time it could not fully demonstrate its role. The barrier, which had a narrower range and was deployed more firmly, could withstand the barrage of ice piles like a torrential downpour.

Leaving the protection of the ice piles to the barriers, Shibaid held 『Placid Moon』upright. The scenery around the blade was distorted by the compression of the magic power of the darkness.

Three types of combination skill 【Heavy Glow】.

The tail and the 『Placid Moon』 both struck with great force.

The tail and the  『Placid Moon』 collided, but what was heard was not a hard collision sound, but a sound similar to a bang. Next came the sound of ice shattering.

The ice, with its scales inverted, was crumbling all the way down to where muscles and bones would be if it were a living creature. 

Even with this much destruction, the blade of the 『Placid Moon』 had not even been chipped. 

It was only natural as the 『Placid Moon』 and the tail did not touch directly in the first place.

The 【Heavy Glow】 was a technique that compresses and surrounds the weapon with wind mixed with the dark attribute and then strikes it. The skill blew away the target before the weapon touched it, making it an effective technique for those who could not be touched directly. 

It was also a hammering skill used with maces and hammers, but it could be used with most melee weapons as long as they were of a certain size and weight.

The most important feature of this skill was that its power increased with the strength of the wielder’s muscles; it was a good match for Shibaid, which focuses on physical attack and defense.

The tip of the tail shattered, and Shibaid was about to strike the lower half of her body as it was, but his intuition made him choose to evade the spot.

What descended after a delay was a white haze of cold air. Its true identity was 【Death Frost Breath】.

With Shibaid’s attention focused on her tail and his vision blocked by the ice piles, Venna Vaal delivered a special move from a blind spot. Because of her huge size, her mouth, which was the source of 【Death Frost Breath】, was far above Shibaid’s head.

The closer he gets, the more difficult it becomes to see the attack. Whether it was intended or not, it was an effective method of attack against Shibaid, who fought alone.

“…”

As Shibaid was about to make his next move, a ball of water poured down on the 【Death Frost Breath】.

It was water skill 【Water Splash】. 

The ball of water burst in mid-air when it collided with the ice piles that were raining down on Shibaid, becoming like a shower. And when coming in contact with the breath, the water ball immediately freezes and covers the breath like a curtain of ice. The insubstantial exhaled breath was coated with liquid to prevent further spreading. 

This technique was developed as a temporary measure during the game era. It shattered quickly, so it only buys time for a couple of actions. But that was enough for now.

“I wondered if I could beat it before you could?”

“If you beat me to it, I’d lose confidence.”

Shibaid said to Shin standing next to him. There was already no sign of Iira Suura.

Venna Vaal and Iira Suura, the latter was less compatible with the current environment and was at a lower level.

In addition, Shin had higher stats than Shibaid.

It was not a competition, but it would be more than disappointing if he could not beat Iira Suura first, Shin chuckled as he held up the 『Scorching Blade』 he had retrieved.