Volume 4 Chapter 30: War of Ice and Dolls

Combat-Specialized Doll (3rd Model)

A doll pioneered for battle-use. It belongs to strategic-class weaponry, and is a model with simple controls. It's limbs are reinforced, can be used to resist a certain amount of magical damage. Able to use a maximum of 5 magic scrolls.

Although the title display has become a little troublesome, but, the information it provides is really complete, huh.

Looking at the metallic doll in front of me, I smiled.

"A Doll user, huh? I didn't actually expect to meet a Doll user in the mountains. This is really a rare occurrence~"

I fiercely pushed the doll away, and bashed it with an ice totem.

9 Ice Arrows!

9 ice arrows from different directions struck the doll which was in the air. But the result was... really horrible. It was as if nothing happened to it at all, and it's HP only dropped by a bit. The corner of my mouth twitched a bit.

Are his limbs actually made of mithril? It actually has such a high magic defense?

Ice Fall!

Bang!

After predicting the doll's movements, while he was still in the air, a giant iceberg struck its body, and the entire iceberg and the doll crashed onto the ground.

"So, how is it? How do you feel now?" I smiled as I looked at Marl.

"We can have a nice chat now, right?"

"Hmph! Do you think it would end just like this? It's not that easy!" Pa!

Suddenly, the iceberg which was holding the doll down was cut into half, and an

8-legged monster jumped out of the crack in the ice!

What the hell is that?

Subconsciously, I summoned an Ice Shield, and in the next second, two sickle-like claws came stabbing into my shield from above me!

At this moment, I took a closer look and realized, this doll's limbs actually separated into two parts. The hooks that were hidden at its center were extended out!

Wait a minute? There's only two claws here, then...

I gave up on blocking with the shield and retreated. Four sharp claws sliced the ice shield into pieces from opposite directions in an instant.

It's basically a perfect massacring machine!

When it realized it's attacks did not deal any damage to me, the doll bent over, and like a spider, it came sprinting at me while making 'pala pala' noises. It's speed was basically comparable to a chariot.

Just what is that thing driven by? Is it still a human doll?

Ice Valley!

A row of spikes protruded off the ground, and went piercing in the direction of the incoming doll. The doll bounced, and actually leapt into the sky!

But if it's in the air, it can't move freely, right?

With a wave of my hand, from among the spikes, a giant ice totem shot up into the sky and smashed straight into the doll's abdomen, hitting it back into the air. At the same time, an ice flower was blooming in the air, and the doll smashed right into the ice flower!

"With this..."

Before I could finish, I suddenly felt a cold chill behind my back. At the same time, the attack warning rang, and I pulled out my tachi as I slashed behind my back. It then collided directly with Marl's sword.

"And I forgot you were a bandit. Looks like you can't really bear to stay at the sidelines, huh."

"I have no choice, after all, from the looks of it... you're too strong. Just who are you?"

"If you want to know, you should tell me what you know. After all, I was the one who asked first."

"Hmph!"

He threw something in his hand at me, and I quickly hit it away with my tachi. But when my tachi collided with that thing, a heat wave was suddenly released!

A flame magic scroll?

I quickly leapt back to dodge, but the flames already began to spread.

Restrictor of the Frozen Earth!

An ice fog enveloped my entire body, and under the blazing flames, it condensed into water, extinguishing the flames on my body.

But, my HP dropped to a half because of the flames. Looks like he has Arcane- grade magic scrolls on him!

A LV 15 bandit actually has an Arcane-grade magic scroll with him. It's really unbelievable. Looks like there's only one possibility, and that he is actually hiding quite a lot of secrets.

For example, secrets regarding Oyado.

With this thought in mind, I spread out my Angel's wing, and recovered my HP. Then, I looked towards Marl.

He didn't attack during this period of time, rather, he ran towards the doll which was sent flying earlier, and retrieved its head. Then, he tore his shirt at the chest area, and plugged the doll's head into his own chest!

Oh my god? What the hell stimulated you to do that sort of thing?

While I was surprised, the doll's chest opened, turning into straps as they strapped around Marl's body.

"Aaaaaaaaah!!"

He painfully groaned, and in the next moment, the doll's 8 legs extended out like tentacles!

Oh my god, you actually have a fusion ability?

Before I went deeper into my thoughts, he stomped with his new legs, and actually came charging towards me.

"Ice Valley!"

Ice spikes once again went head on with him, but this time, he simply stomped the ground with his legs and dodged the attack by moving his body to the right. Then, he stomped again and renewed his charge!

Are you a flea?

9 Ice Arrows!

3 arrows flew towards him from the front, while 6 other arrows charged towards him from his back. 9 blue trails of light intersected against each other as they flew across his body.

Wait? They intersected?

When I took a closer look, he actually twisted his body in the air and dodged all 9 arrows. After they flew past his body, he twisted back into his original position, and fiercely jumped!

The machete and blade in his two hands flashed a cold light in the air. At the same time, his body suddenly spiraled, as he came charging straight towards me!

"Empiric - Ice Imperial Palace!"

A gigantic wall was erected between us in an instant. Looking at the thick wall, I finally felt my erratically beating heart calming down.

But, a strong and loud smash once again made me feel anxious! And from the sound of it, it sounds like a chainsaw!

Oh my god, is that thing actually constantly spiraling, and is trying to penetrate his way through? Although it's only an intermediate-grade magic spell, but it's also my strongest ice defensive magic spell!

And this guy is actually able to penetrate through?

This battle technique is a little too weird, right? It's completely at a different level of control compared to the Smuu siblings! Is this because it's a battle where his life is on the line?

Crack!

A line of crack actually appeared along the wall, and my heart skipped a bit, as I tightly held onto the tachi in my hand!

This guy's proficiency in controlling dolls is too much compared to a normal person's, right? He's actually using such a method to break through my ice wall?

But him being able to do something like this, is probably because his doll had a bit mithril mixed into its body, compared to the Smuu siblings' dolls. It's able to resist magic, otherwise, how is it able to break through such a solid ice wall?

The cutting noise became closer, and I immediately summoned my Ice Armor! At the same time, I tapped on the three speed buffs, Accelerate, Extreme Shadow and Elf of the Wind!

A green light enveloped my body in an instant, and at the same time, the ice wall above me cracked and revealed a hole. The spiraling doll then fell onto the ground.

Because of my current MP's limit, I can't use too many arcane spells. Since that's the case...

"Arcane - Speed Storm!!"

A green tornado rose up towards the spiralling fused Marl. The green tornado and the spiral constantly competed against each with their rotations.

The doll's spiralling axis was horizontal, while the tornado's spiralling axis was vertical. These two types of rotations which cannot come to a compromise instantly caused his rotation to be distorted.

Seeing that his speed of rotation was reducing, I smiled, and then tapped on 'Strengthen'.

"Ice Totem!"

Right after, the ice totem sent me to the side of the doll in an instant. With a wave of my tachi, I slashed at him, and he was sent flying!

He fiercely smashed into the ground, and at the same time, the 4 claws used to block my attack were shattered, and fell onto the ground next to him.

"Surrender. You don't have any way to win." "Hahahaha..."

But he immediately got up, and stared at me with his weary eyes.

"Even if that may be, I will still use all my power to fight you. Otherwise, even I survive this, they definitely wouldn't let me off... Of course, that includes you!"

After saying that, he stomped his remaining legs and once again rushed towards me!

"Haa... You're really pitiful, huh. But..."

I sighed. After keeping my tachi, I pulled out my Blasphemer.

"... Fall into the pits of endless darkness. Arcane - Unlimited - Thousand Years Frozen River!"

In the next second, an ice mountain of more than hundred meters in height appeared before me. Marl and his doll were sealed tightly inside it.

Battle Ended. All enemies defeated.

Bandit Subordinates x9 EXP Received: 900

Doll User Bandit Leader x1 EXP Received: 500

Total EXP Received: 1,400 Gold Received: 400

Item(s) Received: Identity Plate x10 Title [Bodyguard] 5/10