Chapter 29: The Two Shikigami

Noctis is now on the 15th floor of the Novice Stage, fighting with two shinigami named Takayoshi Hime, and Suzuhiko Hime.

Damn it, there has to be a way to suppress the passive skill of the girl. Her dancing can heal herself and her brother, and also give a major strength buff to her brother. I also need to find a way to shatter her pendant, or there'll be no end to the shield barrier that surrounds her. Support  class types may be weak in a fight, but they are the most annoying. If I can find Suzuhiko's weakness, I can change the tide of this fight.

Noctis thought as he was forced to go on the defensive, with Takayoshi getting a major buff from Suzuhiko. 

Noctis counterparried and slashed at Takayoshi, their katanas making loud clanging noises as Takayoshi kept on forcing Noctis to fight defensively. 

"Can't you see your situation is desperate? Give up, human. There is no way you can defeat me and my sister." 

Takayoshi gloated at Noctis, as lunged straight for Noctis' ribcage, which Noctis managed to deflect with a counterparry of his own. 

"Why will I, when I've already come this far? I know I still have a long way to go, but I will fight on, and I can only continue to fight on. I don't believe that both of you are unbeatable. Your sister uses nature-based healing, while you use water-based attacks with a katana enchanted with water magic. A perfect complement. However, it's a pity your sister isn't a dual type. Even a sturdy defense with no firepower will eventually crumble. "

Noctis replied back, as he realized just now that Suzuhiko is a healer with no attack power. 

He should have taken out Suzuhiko right from the start so he won't have a hard time later on. 

But he needed to close the distance with Suzuhiko to be able to land an effective hit on her with his katana, and he knew Takayoshi would give him a hard time trying. He needed to find a way fast. 

"I can see that you're an assassin spellcaster, human. But I doubt you can cast a spell on my sister with such a great distance." 

Takeyoshi taunted, as the male shikigami countered a thrust from Noctis' katana. 

"Oh, really? We'll see if I can reach your sister or not."

Noctis replied, knowing that he had to find a way to buy time one way or another while chanting a perfect spell counter to Suzuhiko. 

Let's see you fight with a replica of Orochi with a water dragon katana.

Noctis thought to himself as he fished out a summoning scroll with a dragon emblem emblazoned at the back of the scroll. 

The scroll vanished, and a human-sized replica of Orochi in human form wielding a water dragon enchanted katana came into existence. 

"I command you to attack that Shikigami." 

Noctis said, pointing at Takeyoshi. 

Takeyoshi, realizing Noctis' plan, tried to shake off the replica, but it was too late. 

The replica already unsheathed the katana, appeared beside Takeyoshi, and started parrying without warning.

Good. With Takeyoshi distracted, it can buy me enough time to strike at Suzuhiko's plant shield barrier from this distance. 

Noctis thought to himself as he started to chant. 

"Oh Orochi the dragon god, grant me the power to strike down Suzuhiko's plant shield barrier."

After Noctis finished chanting, a rune with the emblem of the thunder dragon appeared in the sky. 

Bolts of thunder struck at the barrier of thorny plants shielding Suzuhiko so hard that the plants dissipated and wilted right on the spot. 

Takeyoshi, who clearly saw it happen, could not believe his eyes. 

" How did you do it, human? I thought thunder spells are a bad matchup for plants." 

"Your opponent is that replica, not me. This is dragon thunder, not ordinary thunder, you ignorant shikigami."

Noctis gloated. 

" Why don't you just give up already, or your sister will die. She is a sitting duck right now. Too bad your sister is a tanky healer without a weapon of her own. "

Noctis said, to add insult to injury. 

" Don't you dare lay a hand on my sister." 

Takeyoshi yelled, found the replica's weak spot, and thrusted at the replica with his water-enchanted katana, making the replica spit golden blood before the replica slowly vanished from existence. 

"Awww. How moving. Too bad she'll die anyway." 

Noctis taunted Takeyoshi, and started another chant. 

"Special Holy Skill Activate: Holy Firebolts" 

A large red rune  with the symbol of a fire dragon appeared in the sky.

Firebolts came out of the rune, and struck at Suzuhiko repeatedly with such force that the support type shikigami was burned alive. 

As Suzuhiko felt herself fading away, she said "Is this to be our fate? To be killed in the past by an invader, and now by players so they can move to another level? Farewell, brother." 

Before she faded away, leaving behind a smiling bell. 

"No. How dare you kill my sister"

As Takeyoshi quickly closed the distance with Noctis, his katana was ready to deliver a fatal slash at Noctis' ribs. 

Noctis stood right there, with a tight grip on his katana, prepared to take the attack head on. 

"Dragonfire slash, 25th form." 

"Dragon dance, 60th form" 

"Your sister is dead. It's game over, you poor NPC." 

Noctis nimbly sidestepped, parried Takeyoshi's slash, then did a double feint and fatally stabbed Takeyoshi in the back. 

"How is this possible? I only wished to protect my sister from the invaders. " 

Takeyoshi managed to say faintly before he also dissipated, leaving behind his katana and his light blue ronin armor and helmet. 

Noctis picked up and examined the items dropped by the two minibosses of the 25th floor of the Novice Stage. 

The healing bell is good for healers and mage types with healing spells, and he isn't sure if it suits Takara, since Takara is a battle mage that focuses more on firepower and offense. 

The ronin armor, helmet, and katana is more suited to warrior type players, as those three items are enhanced to complement brute strength. 

He might as well auction off these items,since he didn't find them suitable. 

Noctis stored away the items in his inventory. 

He looked at his stats on the system screen.

"You leveled up- Level 16

You leveled up- Level 17

You leveled up- Level 18

You leveled up-Level 19

You leveled up-Level 20" 

"Your mastery of the active system skill Holy Firebolts reached 20 percent.

Your mastery of the passive system skill Dragon Rune Magic reached 20 percent." 

He exited the system notifications, and read Yuusei's chat. 

"Are you busy? I just finished customizing the Nemean Lion's cloak. Hurry back to my shop." 

"Actually, I just finished the 15th floor of the Novice Stage. Let me rest for a while. I'll come later." 

Noctis replied back to Yuusei. 

The customising was fast. I expected it might be done in a month or so. I hope the end result is not a disappointment, so I can proceed with my next plan. Anyway, those two shikigami had a tragic backstory. It's quite obvious from the lines they said before vanishing. Is the game creator sadistic or something? 

Noctis thought to herself as he sat under the shelter of a sawara tree.