Chapter 11 - Ursine

Leonardo Novalion, basement former residence of Count Conrad

Realizing the failure of his attack, Ursine tried to retreat, but a hand that had blocked his attack now gripped his right hand tightly. No matter how hard the bear tried, he couldn't move.

"Hahaha, gotcha! Did you think just because my saga is not here, I am helpless now,?" Barbarossa taunted "Now, destroy that bear, Kreyja!"

Upon hearing his master's command, the creature called Kreyja pulled its left hand that was gripping Ursine's right hand, causing the large bear's body to be pulled forward. Then its free left hand tried to reach for the bear's body.

"Heavenly weight!" Barbarossa exclaimed, activating a skill possessed by the creature, his puppet.

Clack.

After that, I felt as if I had fallen and suddenly was pulled forward by an invisible force, a strong gravitational force.

Shortly thereafter, I felt my body sway forward and move toward the direction of the increasingly strong pull.

"Guuhh!"

On the other side, the creature's right hand only grasped empty air in front of it when Ursine managed to escape its reach.

In a big lump, Ursine immediately retreated backward and caught me who fell forward using his left hand.

After a while, the effect of the skill disappeared when the gravitational force that pulled me forward suddenly disappeared.

Ursine lowered me, and now we were back in our initial position, in front of the door facing the exit hallway earlier.

I looked around. Barbarossa, the creature that suddenly appeared, the third princess who laying on the altar, and even the blood that was puddled underneath them, it seemed that besides the two of us, the environment was not affected by the gravitational force.

"...are you okay?" I asked, looking at Ursine.

His right hand disappeared, and on his right shoulder where his right hand used to be, only the inner part of Ursine's metal machine was visible.

The bear only nodded in response to my question.

Ursine had managed to free himself from the trap by sacrificing his right hand.

"I'm sorry," I said.

But now was not the time to feel regret. I looked ahead again.

With Ursine who had previously blocked my view now back in front of me, I could now clearly see the appearance of the creature named Kreyja and understand why it could suddenly appear. The creature was a full black armor with a scary design, but in the gaps of the open armor, no one wearing it was visible.

So, like Ursine, the creature was not a living creature; it might have been retrieved from storage by Barbarossa just as Ursine was about to strike her.

'I can't see Ursine's right hand. Shouldn't the armor be holding it? Did the skill just destroy Ursine's right hand? If so, what happens if Ursine can't escape?'

"Ahhh, it's a shame, isn't it?" Barbarossa said, seemingly unaffected by his failure earlier. "But are you sure that spectrum is called Ursine, because to me, the creature looks more like a gecko than a bear"

"..."

Barbarossa grinned, clearly enjoying my reaction.

"In that case, what name is more suitable for you? Ah, how about Spectrum gecko?"

I felt my blood boil at his insult. "You talk too much for someone who hides behind a puppet."

"Ahahaha," Barbarossa let out deep laugh, undeterred by my anger "at least my puppets are mine, which means they are my strength! I'm better than you who shamelessly borrow strength from others."

I clenched my fists, struggling to contain my frustration.

"Shut up."

"Aha, you're angry because you can't deny my statement? Are you perhaps a teenager who has just entered puberty? LOL"

"I'll kill you-"

(Calm down Leo)

A calming voice from the earphone I wore on my left ear interrupted me mid-sentence.

(Take a deep breath)

I paused, trying to regulate my breathing as the voice continued. (Don't you see that she's trying to provoke you? You can't let him get under your skin.)

(I know that damn it!) I snapped back, my frustration evident.

(Then you need remain calm, your opponent is a superior, don't forget that.) Rex replied.

I took a deep breath, trying to center myself (So What should I do?)

(Just trust everything to Ursine) Rex replied confidently.

(DAMN IT!) I exclaimed. ripping the earpiece from my ear, throwing it to the ground and stomping on it.

"Ah," I muttered, my voice heavy with regret.

"I really shouldn't have done that."

I couldn't help but replay the events in my mind, wishing that I could go back and undo what had been done

"HAHAHA, you're such an idiot, but also so funny," Barbarossa laughed even harder.

Well, at least now I could think clearly.

I looked at Barbarossa and her fully armor doll again. Why weren't they taking the opportunity to attack us? Was he wary of Ursine, or was she just biding his time?

I glanced at the princess who was still crucified. She was still alive as I could see her chest rising and falling as if she was breathing, but it wouldn't be surprising if she died soon due to losing so much blood.

Damn it, I didn't have much time left.

But if I instructed Ursine to attack again, I didn't know what trap Barbarossa had prepared.

Damn, damn, damn, what should I do?

There was no other choice, I decided to trust Rex.

"Ursine!" I yelled.

Upon hearing my command, Ursine immediately charged towards them, using its three remaining legs to run.

On the other hand, Kreyja prepared it stance to defend against Ursine's attack. Just like before, kreyja prepared to withstand the bear's blows.

"Mmaaagggneeticic Waavveee"

It was more of a growl than words, but after Ursine said it, a wave of energy swept in all directions from Ursine as its center.

After the waves swept over Kreyja, and there was the sound of iron clashing. In an instant, Kreyja's stance collapsed as her hands and feet clung to her body.

Ursine confronted Kreyja and immediately struck her with its right hand, causing Kreyja's armor to shatter into pieces.

Continuing its momentum, Ursine rushed towards Barbarossa, striking him and causing him to crash into the wall of the room.

Without wasting time, Ursine ran straight towards the altar, pulling out the nail that held the princess's hand and destroying the shackles that held her feet and neck. Then, as the bear was about to pull out the knife that was stuck in its chest...

"Don't do that!" I shouted, but it too late.

I Ran toward

"What the hell are you doing, you stupid bear? Don't you hear that the Princess will die if you remove that knife...?" My words became smaller at the end of the sentence after I realized something.

Why did I blindly trust the enemy's words?

I quickly took out a Heal Potion and fed it to the princess. The wound on her chest immediately closed up and the color returned to her skin.

I also removed my "beginner adventurer series" torso from my equipment field and put it on Celeste's clothes.

<NPC has joined the party>

<Celeste R. Astrea has joined your party>

Ah, so that means that NPCs can also join a party.

Let me check Celeste's status, I'm afraid she might have been hit by an unnoticed debuff.

"What is this?" I asked incredulously.

On Celeste's status screen, everything except her name was covered by a black box, including her level and HP.

But nobody here can answer my question. For now, I'll just put it out of my mind because this quest is not yet complete. So anyway, let's get out of here. It would be bad if we stay here-

"Magic Power Magnification-Digging."

I don't know where I heard those words.

Crack.

Suddenly, the floor beneath us collapsed as if there was nothing holding it up, and below me I could see an endless abyss. I didn't react in time and was about to fall.

But Ursine was different from me. In the start of our fall, Ursine grabbed Celeste's shoulder with his left hand and bit my shoulder. Then he threw both of us out of the newly-formed abyss. I landed and tumbled on the ground until finally hitting the wall. It took me a moment to come to my senses.

"...what actually happened?"

I managed to process the visual information from the fast-paced event, but I couldn't understand what had just happened. In an instant, I had been thrown out of the safe zone - the back of Ursine - into the dangerous area.