A clear, hard sound rang out.
———eep> ]
I finished saying the name of the skill.
However……
He isn’t there anymore.
[———– < Paralyze > ———–]
I activated it in front of me.
Thereupon, I immediately activated <Paralyze> to my left, right and behind me.
[…………………..]
However, the figure of a man sleeping because of my skill didn’t appear.
He also didn’t appear paralyzed……
The man remained out of my sight.
Perhaps, did he “vanish” while he’s in a state of sleep or paralysis?
Even if that’s so, he had disappeared somewhere out of my sight.
[Are you alright!?]
Seras shouted, sword at the ready.
[Yeah…… Thanks to you, I’m alright.]
The time that I had managed to catch sight of the man……
It was only at the moment of impact when Seras received the man’s sword with her own.
The moment their two swords collided, the man “vanished”.
Looking at that……
I guess I could say that he had withdrawn abnormally fast.
When their swords collided, I had activated my <Sleep>.
However……
Before I could finish saying the name of my skill, he disappeared.
In an instant, that is.
[Your reaction speed saved me.]
[It’s just that, even with my Regalia of the Spirits, I could barely block his strike. To be honest…… His speed is terrifying. I’m doubting if I even saw things right.]
[Indeed——— He was too fast.]
Keeping my vigilance high, I looked around.
He isn’t around.
There also isn’t any place nearby where he could hide.
There shouldn’t be any place like that.
[Pigimaru, how is it?]
[P- Pinyuiii~~……]
It seems like Pigimaru was unable to sense him either.
[Seras.]
[M- My apologies…… but I couldn’t feel any presence.]
Yes……
[His presence couldn’t be felt huh……?]
Teleportation?
……I’m unable to see him.
However, if he had been in my range, my skill would have taken its effect on him.
That’s why, with that in mind, I had fired off my <Paralyze> earlier.
However, in the first place……
From the beginning, the enemy had managed to read that the range of my spell was about 30 meters.
So, even if he’s close by, he would be at least 30 meters away.
Above all, there’s the problem with “my recognition” in order to use my skill.
All of my skills other than <Slow> requires me to have my enemy “within my recognition”.
With my arm facing the target……
They need to be within my recognition → I would then say the skill name → Skill Activation
This process is necessary.
Even if it’s teleportation, the speed of his withdrawal……
My recognition speed is just too slow to become aware of him.
What should I do?
For me to strike that sneaky mole, I need to use my skill that needed a preliminary actions to use—————
No, that would be impossible.
As expected, the condition that I needed to “have my target within my recognition” is a bottleneck.
[So this is John Doe……]
Fortunately……
Even though she was on defense, Seras can just barely react to him.
In that case though, how is that we would attack?
Using the combination technique with Pigimaru…… I’m not sure if that would be effective.
There is a high probability that he would judge my change in appearance as dangerous.
It’s possible that once I activate it, the enemy will take as much distance as he could.
This enemy……
He’s just too incompatible with my Abnormal State Skills.
The hurdle of me, having my enemy within my recognition itself, is high.
Is he still here?
Or was it that he isn’t here anymore?
I can’t even tell.
It’s also difficult to tell from the footprints around us.
There were already a lot of footprints left by the 6th Cavalry.
Standing in this place, there’s also the problem that I couldn’t properly hear if anyone approaches.
The groaning of the Sixth’s soldiers lying around just drowns it.
Even if there is the slightest footstep or breathing sound that may resound with his movements, I couldn’t detect it with them around.
No———– Even if that’s so……
I should be able to hear the sound of his footsteps.
Could it be that he has an ability that makes it incapable for others to recognize the sound of his movements?
There are good reasons for me to think so.
Heck, I couldn’t even see the sword or any equipment in the hand of the enemy.
It was as if……
“All perceptions in phenomena and objects related to John Doe had been inhibited.”
Could it be…… I wouldn’t be able to recognize footprints that are more than five meters away?
[Seras.]
With my analysis of the current situation in mind, I conveyed it to Seras.
[————Instant Teleportation…… or perhaps, total inhibition of “perception” itself regarding John Doe huh.]
[But if it’s teleportation, then he must have teleported from quite the distance. In that case, he should be observing the situation somewhere……]
We are at a higher platform with no obstacles hindering the view of the nearby vicinity.
If he had a teleportation ability, it means that he had teleported from a very distant place.
However, if he was that far away……
Would he even be able to see us?
If that’s the case……
[It’s highly likely that he had a recognition inhibiting ability……]
[H- However…… He was visible when he attacked.]
[That is…….]
For a few moments, I pondered.
[……It was possible that his ability…… “gets nullified when he gets within a few meters of another person”.]
There’s no point in him going to the trouble of deactivating his ability when he gets close.
Then, it’s reasonable for me to assume that this was the case.
……Presence……
That’s right.
If the essence of his ability is “presence”……
It would be something that gets harder to erase the close he gets to others.
In other words, his ability is to dilute his presence to the limit……
It’s an ability to make others unaware of his very existence huh?
[……………………]
What the heck is this?
It’s like he went to the extreme of becoming a mob that he’s erasing his very existence.
Leaning close to Seras’ ear, I whispered.
[The Sixth fellows lying around could be used as “obstacles” for the enemy…… Thanks to them, the easiest routes to attack should be reasonably limited. In other words, we might be able to narrow down some of the routes where he could attack.]
Keeping her voice low, Seras kept her gaze forward.
[I see…… Indeed.]
Anyway, the problem would be his overwhelming speed of attack and withdrawal.
As long as we couldn’t deal with that, it would be difficult for us to win.
[…………………….]
Walking behind Seras, I then placed my hand on her back.
“I’m going to use <Slow> now.”
With my current action, Seras seemed to have guessed my action.”
As long as they’re within about 1 meter radius from me, people within the range of my <Slow> could move.
They could also move if they’re judged to be “in contact” with me.
For example, Pigimaru is “in contact” with me, so he can normally move.
With this……
No matter where he comes from, Pigimaru’s reaction time will be faster than his actions.
Seras will be slower once she leaves the meter radius though.
Therefore, the distance she can swing her sword and the range she can move are limited.
But as long as she is within my range, she can move “fast”.
With my hand still on Seras’ back, I brought my other hand on the hilt of the dagger at my waist.
Perhaps……
It would also be good if I could kill him myself.
The problem with <Slow> is that I couldn’t use other skills while it’s active.
However, the effects of my skills that have already been activated will not disappear.
Thus, the effects of the skills on the Sixth fellows lying around will persist.
The other drawback would be the huge amount of MP consumed while activating.
It will continue activating while consuming my MP, and it will only automatically stop once it has consumed 5000 MP.
In addition, once I use it, it would enter a cooldown time.
But for now, I want to have time for me to safely conjure up a plan.
At least, for the time when <Slow> consumes 5000 of my MP……
[———– < Slow > ———–]
With the safety level increased…… It becomes easier to concentrate on thinking.
I can use this time to assess the enemy’s capabilities and devise a countermeasure.
Or perhaps, while <Slow> is activated———–
It would also be good if either Seras or I can finish off the slowed John Doe.
[Status Open.]
With my status displayed, I could check my MP consumption.
Now then……
How are you going to come out, John Doe?
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