Hellmode ~A Hardcore Gamer Becomes Peerless in Another World with Retro Game Settings~

As the walls started getting brighter, they moved to the center of the building where the Wind God Vess was. The ground beneath them looked like a grid of graph paper.

The Wind God Vess was floating in front of them, looking away uninterested.

"We'll get through today."

Standing in front of Luvanka, Shea declared with determination.

'I'm tired of hearing you say that all the time. Though actually, it was fun.'

"It was fun?"

Shea began wondering just how long Vess had been confined there with nothing to do. It was easy to imagine it had been long enough to break the mind of a human.

'We're getting through this.'

While Shea pondered about Vess' words, Luvanka also spoke from behind her. He did not want Shea to get too lost in thought.

'Let's follow the plan.'

'I know.'

'Come, and then give up like always.'

Using Full Beast Mode, Shea used her thick hind legs to leap at Vess. The platform was 5 meters wide, and the next one was 50 meters away, but she jumped from one to another without issue.

Vess started wrapping his hands in blades of wind. He was trying to find a way to stop Shea from going in circles around him. But then she suddenly switched directions and jumped straight at him.

While Vess was looking at Shea, Luvanka came from behind him.

'Your plan is too simple! Wind God Iron-cutting Flash!!'

Vess used a Skill on Luvanka that was jumping at him from behind.

'Absolute Defense.'

Instead of attacking, Luvanka had a defensive stance, using his 6 arms to protect his face and body.

His body hardened and the fur on his body became tougher than steel. But Vess was so powerful that he still ended up bleeding.

'Luvanka?!'

'Don't worry! End this!!'

The two small tornado blades coming from Vess' arms could not fully defeat Luvanka in one hit.

'Hmph, so you tried to distract me!!'

While Vess was using a Skill, Shea tried leaping closer. But Vess had anticipated that.

'Humph!'

'Whirlwind Legs!'

Vess' attack was faster than Shea's.

'Ghah?!'

Vess started spinning around with his legs stretched out, his body covered in blades of wind. The Skill [Wind God Iron-cutting Flash] involved few movements, so he could use another Skill soon after. But Shea had gotten really close.

Vess then stopped the Skill and turned around, facing Shea. He also used momentum from turning around to swing a fist at Shea.

Vess' attack speed was much faster than Shea or Luvanka's, so his fist dug itself into Shea's stomach. That made all the Mana gathered in Shea's hand vanish as she was sent flying back.

'Shea! Are you okay!!'

'I'm fine! Do you think you can activate it?'

'No, it's not enough! Let's keep going for a bit longer!!'

The hit was powerful enough to break Shea's bones, but the Skill [Full Beast Mode] healed her. Shea and Luvanka then stepped back and looked for another chance to attack.

'Oh, so you're trying to confuse me. Or are you planning something else?'

Vess observed their movements with curiosity, but did not stop attacking.

Shea and Luvanka continued circling around Vess, standing on opposite sides of him, trying to attack whenever possible.

Luvanka had Absolute Defense, so he had the role of tanking Skills. After 30 minutes of that, Shea found a moment to attack.

'Enough! Stop running around! Whirlwind Legs!!'

When Shea and Luvanka jumped at the same time towards Vess, he used the Skill [Whirlwind Legs].

Shea and Luvanka got badly hurt and were sent flying away.| Their bodies were bleeding profusely, and Luvanka used one of his Special Skills.

'Now! Beast Blood!!'

The blood gathered in Luvanka's 6 fists, forming into incredibly hard knuckles.

'Alright! That looks like it's enough!'

'Of course. I'd say it's like 30%!! Now, [Mythical Beast Mode]!'

The Special Skill [Beast Blood] brought out abilities compatible with Luvanka's personality an karma. Allen had sighed a lot when he experimented with it.

[Effects of the Special Skill Beast Blood] -Can only be activated with less than 50% Strength -All the blood lost gathers in his 6 arms as knuckles of blood -If his and his companions' Strength is less than 50%, +50000 Attack, +50% Critical Chance -If his and his companions' Strength is less than 40%, +60000 Attack, +60% Critical Chance -If his and his companions' Strength is less than 30%, +70000 Attack, +70% Critical Chance -If his and his companions' Strength is less than 20%, +80000 Attack, +80% Critical Chance -If his and his companions' Strength is less than 10%, +90000 Attack, +90% Critical Chance -It counts as a weapon, so it isn't treated as a buff or magic -A single companion is enough to count for it -The effect lasts for 1 hour -The cooldown is 1 hour

There was a specific condition to use Luvanka's Special Skill [Beast Blood], so it was not usable in most situations.

There were usually healers and spirits present too, so it was hard to know the remaining Strength of companions.

It was also hard to know how much damage enemy Skills did, or if there were critical hits.

Letting their Strength go below half in the Earth Labyrinth was out of the question, so Allen had not found a chance to use it in a fight.

But the fight with Vess was different. They had been fighting him for 17 days, so by now they were familiar with Vess' damage output. Shea had identified how powerful that ability could be, so she had tried to find a way to make sure the effect of [Beast Blood] would be the strongest for the fight.

'The actual fight starts now.'

Luvanka said in Mythical Beast Mode.

'Yes, we'll fight our way to the next floor.'

'I don't know what you're doing, but do you think you'll win like that?'

The Special Skill [Beast Blood] and Awakened Skill [Mythical Beast Mode] only lasted for 1 hour. They needed to get a 10 hit combo within that time and use the Divine Technique [Ruthless Leopard God Attack] on Vess.

'Hmph!!'

Luvanka swung his fist at Vess, who also punched back and made sparks fly between them. That usually happened when someone had a lot of Endurance.

Shea watched and started to feel optimistic.

Luvanka was finally strong enough to push Vess back with his attacks.

'Alright! We can win!!'

She watched how Luvanka had gotten strong enough to push Vess back.

'You think this will make any difference? Whirlwind Legs!!'

'Asura Charge!!'

'Nghuh! Don't get carried away!!'

'Mghah?!'

Vess activated the Skill [Whirlwind Legs], so Luvanka tried using the Special Skill [Asura Charge] to fight against it. Vess' upper and lower body spun in opposite directions, using his whole body to attack, but Luvanka's Attack was higher and he pushed Vess back.

But Shea was on that side, and Vess got ready to kick her as he was sent in that direction. Shea tried to block with her arms, but she could not avoid being kicked back.

By then the Divine Power of the Skill [Whirlwind Legs] had dispersed, so it was only a basic kick. Shea twisted her body in mid-air and landed.

Connecting Skills into a combo did not only involve hitting the enemy. The Skill Level and usability of Attack Skills also played a role.

[Conditions for activating Attack Skills (whether they can hit the opponent)] -If the Skill Level is high, then the movements to activate the Skill are faster and easier to hit -If Attack is higher, then it's possible to overpower a Skill even if it was activated at the same time* -If Endurance is higher, then a Skill can be activated even while being hit by a Skill -If Agility is higher, one can dodge enemy Skills and activate one's own *Meaning that the movements for the Skills started at the same time

The fact that Luvanka had been able to push Vess back meant that his Attack was higher.

[Wind God Vess' stats comparison] -Full Beast Mode Shea has lower Attack -Mythical Beast Mode Luvanka (Beast Blood) has higher Attack -Full Beast Mode Shea has higher Agility -Mythical Beast Mode Luvanka (Beast Blood) has lower Agility

Luvanka had higher Attack thanks to Beast Blood, and Shea had higher Agility.

'Don't get carried away so easily.'

Vess reminded them that having higher Attack did not mean they had won yet.

'Alright! Get him against the wall!! Let's use an infinite combo!!'

'Yes, it's time to overcome this trial!!'

The two shouted their plan, so Vess was able to hear them.

'The wall?'

Vess turned to look at the walls of the building in the distance.

At that moment, Shea jumped up towards Vess.