Wolnir Holy Sword!

"El—"

Sally almost blurted out Elsa's real name in her haste.

That said, why did Elsa choose to use a pseudonym in the first place? Anyway, she just kept using it and went with it.

The Overlord's miasma flowed towards the ground, and even if people wanted to help, they were powerless to do so and had to take refuge as soon as possible.

Ordinary Magic Shield cannot block miasma, and it is unknown what attribute this attack belongs to in magic. To figure out an attribute shield that can resist it requires multiple attempts and a bit of luck.

At least for now, the mercenaries don't have time to think about these things.

Elsa

Sally looked at the others. There were ten people still alive, but as he was thinking, another one died. Elsa's fate was now unknown.

Finally, he made a quick decision.

"Abandon the attack, focus all your efforts on survival!"

That's right. Since we can't win no matter what, we might as well stall for time. The longer we stall, the more of Overlord Wolnir's moves we'll see, and the more experience we'll gain for the next battle.

"Also, never get too close to the Overlord!"

They were worried that the Teleportation Crystal would malfunction after falling into the abyss, leading to their actual death. So they figured it was better to be killed by the giant skeleton. Even if they turned into mincemeat, they could be resurrected, and it would just cost them a few more coins.

They were overthinking it, because Gong Qiying wouldn't release the real abyss to harm people.

Fortunately, the area for the boss battle was large enough for them to run around in.

Once they stopped trying to attack, the mercenaries' ability to escape became apparent. They darted out like rabbits, scattering all over the battlefield. After all, on the battlefield, in addition to martial arts, escape skills are an essential course for Warrior.

I wonder if the mercenaries, as they scattered and fled, ever thought back to the days they spent happily chasing after the Mysterious Hooded Man and women.

Sally's tactics did work at first; he keenly sensed that Overlord Wolnir's lower body was tightly connected to the abyss, making it seem inconvenient to reveal.

Although he didn't understand the reason, it didn't stop him from using this characteristic. With only the upper body, the Overlord's range of movement would be restricted. Once the mercenaries had escaped to a certain distance, the only thing to be wary of was the miasma.

A brilliant plan! As expected of me, I was able to come up with such a flawless plan on the spot!

This way, we can keep the Overlord occupied and learn as much of the enemy's characteristics as possible. The speed of the Assault Team members is not to be underestimated.

"Bang!"

The giant skeletal hand suddenly slammed down on the ground, which looked like the sound of a weapon striking the ground, but Sally immediately sensed danger.

The next second, Black Flame, like snakes, rose and coiled around the Overlord's body. The raging black flames further accentuated the king's majesty, while the twisted humanity and cries that flashed through the flames added a sense of terror to his kingly aura, just like his identity as a tyrant!

This is the curse he discovered: the Black Serpent!

Several thick black serpents of flame spread across the ground, rushing towards the slowest mercenaries with lightning speed. If they touched even a single spark of fire, death awaited them.

"Ahh!"

The fire soared into the sky, fueled by the mercenaries' bodies, creating towering pillars of flame!

In the blink of an eye, the number of survivors plummeted to three.

"I," Sally, almost broke the norms of good upbringing and swore.

Damn it, I should have known better. How could a mighty Overlord only spew miasma and clap his hands? He must have even more terrifying tricks up his sleeve!

With only two companions left, Sally broke out in a cold sweat. If the Overlord used this tactic again, they would be wiped out.

"Run, keep running!"

Without him saying anything, the two remaining mercenaries spontaneously began to flee for their lives.

At that moment, the abyss surged even more violently, forming waves that eroded a large area outwards. Overlord Wolnir used this opportunity to advance, instantly closing the distance between himself and the mercenaries.

So you can move!

Before Sally could recover from his shock, Wolnir waved his hand and released a cloud of black mist. A group of Skeleton Warrior fell from the mist and chased after Sally with nimble steps.

Large monsters are often accompanied by smaller monsters, but surprisingly, the Zane Dungeon, which has always liked to break the rules, has chosen to follow the mainstream design in this respect.

Fortunately, only Skeleton Warrior were summoned; if it had been a whole group of Carthus Warrior...

Just as Sally had this thought, a group of Carthus Warrior poked their heads out from the black mist.

"."

He made up his mind: give up thinking!

From this, he understood that to have the power to fight the Overlord Wolnir, he had to fill the area's maximum number of people, and they couldn't be weaklings; at the very least, they had to be all elites.

Furthermore, it's necessary to consider the synergy between different professions, the compatibility of magic, and so on.

Wait, why am I starting to think again!

He fought with the charging Skeleton Warrior and finally managed to shake them off. But then he saw the Overlord Wolnir riding the terrifying demon god through the abyss, charging towards him with overwhelming force. With a wave of his hand, he unleashed a storm of skeletons mixed with miasma, making it impossible for him to stop for even a moment.

The last two survivors were also swallowed up by the skeletons, and looking around, he was the only one left.

He was stunned for a moment, not wanting to react even when the Skeleton Warrior ran up to him.

I'm going to take down Overlord Wolnir?

I?

The Spell: Black Serpent attacked once again, and this time he had no way to escape.

Well, I've done my best to gather this intelligence, and at least I can give the commander an explanation.

Just as he calmly accepted death, a loud bang was heard, the heavy sound seemingly making the entire space tremble.

A soft light shone in front of him, and Sally opened his eyes with some confusion, only to find something that was both strange and familiar.

It was a greatsword that could be called a door panel without a doubt, the weapon Elsa often used, but its current appearance made Sally unsure of its identity.

The surface of the greatsword was covered with red patterns. Although it was a scarlet color, the light it emitted was gentle, and under the light, the wounds on his body were rapidly healing.

The black snake was actually destroyed by that attack?

"Elsa?"

With no one else present, Sally spoke the name of the girl who had pulled out the greatsword without any hesitation.

"Hmm." Elsa's clothes were mostly torn, her long black hair was messy, and with the greatsword she was carrying and her fierce expression, she looked quite like Warrior.

She gripped the sword hilt tightly with both hands, and with a sweeping motion, a burst of red light erupted, instantly wiping out the nearby Skeleton Warrior. This power was no less than that of King Rank wide-range attack spell.

"You rest here, I'll take care of the rest."

Elsa moved with lightning speed, wielding the greatsword as if it were a straight sword. Each swing unleashed a massive shockwave, mowing down the Carthus Warrior as easily as cutting grass.

The effects of [Carthus Beacon Fire] and [Pontiff's Right Eye] appeared on her; who would have thought that a greatsword warrior would also have a day when combo bonuses were available?

Even a higher-ranking Carthus Warrior couldn't last a single round against her; her combat prowess was now many levels higher than before.

Perhaps I really could test my skills against the Sword Saint Gapar!

As she was being washed by the miasma of death and pulled by the abyss, she heard the screams of the mercenaries and the speculation that the abyss might cause the Teleportation Crystal to malfunction.

The thought of protecting her companions burned fiercely in her heart, stronger than ever before. When she came to her senses, the greatsword had already changed its appearance.

"What's going on?"

Sally stared at the other's Avatar figure, and something involuntarily came to mind. He then stared intently at the greatsword.

"Could it be Divine Artifact of the Brave?"

Every Brave possesses Divine Artifact, but it must be awakened before it can be used. Elsa has never awakened Divine Artifact before.

Could it be that her Divine Artifact awakened at this moment, after encountering an unprecedentedly powerful enemy?

Its imposing appearance certainly lived up to people's imagination of Divine Artifact.

"Wrong."

Sally suddenly shook his head. Divine Artifact are unique weapons that far surpass any equipment. Judging from the healing, shockwave, and other effects that the greatsword has shown so far, it is only equivalent to the power of a "weapon". How can this be?

Does this mean that there's a concept of awakening being only half-awakened?

Never mind, only protagonists get the privilege of unleashing their full potential in dire situations. Once this happens, it means a desperate counterattack is about to take place!

Sally looked at Elsa and clenched his fists involuntarily. When he saw her break through the black flames and spin her greatsword in mid-air like a red meteor hurtling towards Wolnir, he couldn't help but raise his fist and shout:

"Go!"

As the sound rang out, Overlord Wolnir seemed to be encouraged and moved as well.

Wait, I'm not cheering you on, please don't move!

He raised his right hand, and the pervasive darkness stirred, as if something was about to break through the earth.

The next moment, a holy and pure light burst forth from the ground, dispelling the darkness from the abyss for a moment. Everyone who was touched by the light felt a sense of peace, as if blessed by the gods.

In the pure white light, a massive sword appeared as if summoned, and was firmly grasped by Wolnir.

[Wolnir Holy Sword]!

The Original Holy Sword Corrupted by the Abyss

[After Wolnir fell into the abyss, he was terrified of the true darkness and prayed to God for the first time in his life. This was one of the relics he had taken from the priests he had murdered in the past.]

It's quite incongruous that the Overlord Wolnir appearance is as terrifying as a demon god, wields a weapon that looks incredibly holy.

But holding the sword, he straightened his upper body, his tall figure looking down on everything, the black and white colors intertwined on his body, creating an indescribable awe.

If his previous crouching posture was terrifying, then now, wielding the holy sword, he completely displayed the demeanor of a hegemon. His domineering aura was irresistible, making one wonder just how powerful and domineering he must be in his prime!

Facing the red meteor that the Brave had transformed into, the Wolnir Holy Sword, wreathed in endless divine light, swung upwards in a slashing motion!

This was probably the third most spectacular scene Sally had ever seen in her life.

Crimson lightning and white divine light intertwined and collided, mixed with twisted abyss and death miasma. The nearest Carthus Warrior were reduced to dust in the collision, while the Skeleton Warrior a little further away were smashed to pieces by the shockwave and scattered all over the ground. And then...

"I*!"

The shockwave was coming straight for Sally!

No, I haven't seen the end of this battle of the strong yet, I'm not satisfied—

Before he could even finish thinking, he was thrown away by the shockwave, the Skeleton Warrior's shattered bones piercing him like a hedgehog.

Before he even landed, he transformed into a streak of light and returned to the campfire in his final moments before leaving.

He saw Wolnir's body stiffen for a moment, but the holy sword then continued to dance, finally smashing the red meteor to the ground!

The red lightning bolt erupted for a final moment before vanishing into thin air.

It still didn't work? What happened to the promise that a sudden burst of power would guarantee victory?!

This is probably the difference between Weekly Shonen Jump and Sea Tiger Warrior.

The dark space gradually fell silent. The ancient overlord returned the holy sword and his body disappeared into the darkness.

A moment later, the Three Corpse Artificer Bonfire.

"Alright, stop being stubborn. You only lost once. The team leader will help you win it back next time."

Sally and the other mercenaries all wore smiles and offered words of comfort.

Surrounded by them, the Hero Elsa sat silently, hugging her knees, with a giant sword broken in two beside her, its blade long since lost its luster.

A string of tiny pearls slid down her cheeks.

Elsa, who hadn't cried since the great tragedy she suffered in her childhood, finally broke down again.