Chapter 19: Prepare for Trouble & Make it Double!
"Multi-Thorn Bind!"
Immediately as the battle began, I constricted the two Jacksons in place which gave Yura the opportunity to attack.
"Critical Strike! Double Slash!" he struck the black Jackson with the Ritual Dagger of the Accursed on hand, causing the monster to be inflicted with Curse right away.
Yura's luck points must be really high to have it be applied on the first strike. Amazing.
Also, addressing the two monsters individually as "The Jackson" when both of them have the same name is quite confusing. So I'm just going to call them Black and White respectively.
"Hex! Multi-Firebomb!"
While Yura was dealing with Black, I attacked White with my strongest spell and depleted quite a big chunk of its HP.
The first time I faced the Jackson, I did not have any damage bonus skills. Only when I defeated it, did I get Underdog and Lone Wolf.
Although Lone Wolf won't be active since I'm in a party with Yura, Underdog would still increase the damage I deal since the two Jacksons are higher in level compared to me.
I also did not have Multi-Casting when I first faced it, so the amount of damage I can deal per second has increased further with the Underdog skill in effect.
I can win against White. I know it. The problem, however, is Black behind me.
The moment I looked back to check on Yura, Black broke free of its binding and launched a kick at Yura while he was in the middle of his attack.
"Magic Shield!"
I casted a barrier in between them. Parrying Black's foot away and also giving Yura a foothold to spring himself in the air to attack Black's face directly.
"Bleeding Strike!"
A deep gash opened across Black's face as censored blood in the form of black mist spewed out of there like a fountain. Its HP has started decreasing slowly as Yura's attack seemed to have applied the Bleed effect.
Speaking of which, Thorn Bind also has a chance to apply Bleed onto my opponents. However, not once have I seen it be successful in doing so.
While I was watching Yura in action, White behind me has also broke free from the Thorn Bind as it proceeded to deliver a flurry of punches at me; its opponent.
"Moon Walk."
I teleported out of there immediately. Making White punch nothing but the ground.
As I appeared behind it, ready to strike its back, I noticed a grin forming on its face as its spoke with malice.
"Hee Hee~"
A bad feeling climbed up my spine. Before I knew it, I had instinctively ducked down as White spun around and almost struck me with its backhand. Causing the trees behind me to rattle and almost break from its stump from the sheer force of the attack alone.
That... That was close! If that had hit me directly, my HP would have either been dropped to the red or stopped at one with Knight's Last Stand saving me.
"Haste!"
I increased my movement speed and sprung myself forward, just as White was about to drop the hammer down onto me. Then I quickly turned around and aimed my staff in between its legs.
"Multi-Firebomb!"
White's HP decreased greatly again as my back slid on the ground since I wasn't able to land on my feet in the position I was in. But, I quickly got up. Ready to attack again, when I suddenly hear Yura's voice screaming at me.
"Miss Yoru, behind you!"
"Huh?"
I looked back and saw Black charging at me, ignoring Yura in the process.
It switched its target!?
It then brandished its claws and struck.
"****!"
I twisted my body and narrowly avoided serious damage from the attack as the tip of the claws merely scratched me. However, due to the way I evaded Black's attack, I wasn't in a position to dodge White, that had already recovered from the crotch explosion I gave it, as it sent a fast strike at me.
"Moon Walk!"
My mind acted fast and used Moon Walk before I realised it. Teleporting myself to Yura's side as he checks on my condition.
"That was close. Are you alright, Miss Yoru?"
"No... I'm not."
Despite teleporting myself out of that predicament, I still took some serious damage from White's punch as it landed for a split second before the skill teleported me.
Therefore, my HP is currently less than half now.
I would have quickly drank a potion. However, Black did not give me that chance as its body shone brightly to teleport itself behind Yura and I.
Because I knew where it appeared from, I pushed Yura out of the way to save him and turned around to face Black, which was about to strike me with its claws.
"Magic Shield!"
Perfectly timed, the attack was successfully parried. I then countered with Power Blow to push the boss back to get some distance. However, that's when White approached me from behind with its fists flying straight at me.
I stepped to the side. Dodging the attack... or so I thought.
"Wha—"
Somehow, despite evading the attack, I still got hit by something invisible. Putting my health in the red as I got sent flying to Black, ready to tear me into shreds while I'm in mid-air.
I can't dodge!
"Moon Walk!"
I teleported to the ground. Avoiding Black's first strike. However, it then followed up with the next, coming down at me.
"Magic Shield!"
I deployed a barrier next. But my timing was off. Causing the attack to be blocked instead of parried.
While I was holding back Black's claw with my Magic Shield, White saw the opportunity and came at me again.
If it was just one, I could win. But dealing with two at the same time is difficult as expected.
Fortunately, that's when Yura jumped in and saved me.
"Power Blow!"
He struck Black in the arm, pushing it off of me and quickly turned to White use his next skill.
"Smokescreen!"
The area was suddenly covered in thick smoke. Yet, for some reason, I could see clearly in it whereas the two Jacksons seemed to be unable to as they have started flailing their arms around, either trying to find us with their random attacks or as an attempt to clear out the smoke all around them.
"Are you alright, Miss Yoru?" Yura quietly asked.
"Yeah, I'm fine now. You've saved me. Thanks." I quietly replied, patting him on the head.
"My Smokescreen skill won't last long though. We should try to run now while we still can." Yura suggested. However, seeing this skill of his has given me a plan on how to beat them.
"Not yet." I said. "Not before I try something." I elaborated. "This skill of yours just gave me an idea. Tell me, Yura, how long does your Smokescreen skill last?"
"T-Ten seconds."
"And the cooldown time? Or does it use MP?"
"It has a cooldown time of forty seconds." Yura answered with a concerned look. "Miss Yoru, what are you planning to do?" he asked. However, I smiled and stood up instead. Patting his head one more time.
Forty seconds. So it will be thirty seconds once the smokescreen fades. That's good enough.
"Yura, listen closely. I'm going to act as a distraction and have those two face me again. While I do that, I want you to apply whatever debuffs you can inflict onto them without drawing their attention to you. And once you can use your Smokescreen skill again, inform me first and I'll tell you when to use it."
"You're still going to fight!?"
"Of course. After all, why should I run when there is a chance for victory right in front of me?" I said, looking at him.
"Trust me and I'll guarantee you that we'll win."
Yura's eyes glistened with awe when I said that. He then stood up with a look of confidence mixed with a small hint of fear and said, "Ok. I trust you, Miss Yoru. Let's beat them together!"
"Now I like the sound of that."
I took out some MP potions to replenish my MP, while leaving my HP, which is in the red, alone.
"Umm, shouldn't you drink some HP potions as well?"
"No. For this plan to work, I need my HP as it is. "
Yura's Smokescreen was about to fade. I walked up to the two Jacksons as it did and called out to them.
"Hey, you creeps! Over here!"
The two Jacksons turned to me. With a sadistic look on their faces, they emitted their clear intent to end me as they attacked with their mouths open. Initiating their breath attacks.
""Hee Hee~""
Their breath attacks were fired and I stood still as I watched it come. But before their attacks landed, I activated one of my recently acquired skills from after I had defeated Gaius.
"Final Push!"
Their attacks then landed. Creating a cloud of smoke at my location.
The two Jacksons, who thought they'd killed me, were smirking with glee. Only to have it ruined when the cloud faded and they saw me standing without taking any damage, despite their attacks clearly hitting me.
Of course, this was due to Final Push. A skill which makes me invulnerable for thirty seconds and increases my damage output by some percent.
So now... it's payback time.
"Heh."