Online In Another World

“I’ll take his focus,” Lawrence said, glancing back, “However, I will need your support, my dear friends. This man is quite the troublesome opponent.”

“You’ve got it,” he nodded.

“I want a piece of this creep myself!” Reno added.

As the three readied themself for the fight, Oswell had already initiated the fight–dashing forward as he closed the distance between himself and the clown-like adventurer within a single moment.

“You’re talking as if you can contend with me, jester,” Oswell said with a look of utter bloodlust embedded in his eyes, “Please, show me where that unwarranted confidence comes from.”

There was only just enough time for Lawrence to raise his blade to guard against the heavy downward strike from the cobalt steel that Oswell wielded, but even then it seemed he struggled to block the attack.

“As expected of a Mountain God Style user–you’re quite the brawny one,” Lawrence smiled.

Though the clown’s smile was immediately stifled as he spat up his own saliva and air; Oswell’s blade might’ve been stopped, but the excommunicated adventurer still used his free left hand to strike the clown in the gut.

“Pyuh!” Lawrence let out.

“I’m tearing you apart limb-from-limb first, jester,” Oswell threatened._.

As Lawrence’s guard was broken, another swing of the criminal ringleader’s blade sailed in, but was stopped as the boy summoned a countermeasure: a binding of stone, shaped like chains, wrapped around Oswell’s right bicep.

“–!” Oswell glanced at his sword-wielding arm that had been restrained.

He yelled out to Reno, “Now!”

Reno nodded, “Yeah!”

Springing forward with that nimbleness that seemed as if the wind was carrying the girl forward, she aimed her dagger for the man’s neck, but even restrained, he proved to be as potent as ever. As Oswell drew in a breath, the young boy recognized it, knowing what was coming–

Father’s done that one before, it’s…! He realized.

“Get back!” He warned.

But it was too late as words were far too slow for such quick exchanges; as Reno drew close and the man filled his lungs with air, Oswell stomped his boot down, unleashing such a tremendous stomp that the stone cracked and a shock wave propelled outward, stunning the girl briefly.

In that time, Oswell breathed in again, flexing his right arm as he roared out before breaking free from the rock-formed chains.

What is this…? He’s too strong! He’s a lower rank than Father–keep it together! He thought.

He took the initiative, despite primarily being a spell caster, he launched himself forward with a burst of air, closing the distance between him and Oswell.

This sudden closing of the gap seemed to catch the man off-guard, giving him the chance to cast another quick spell as he knocked the bottom of his staff against the ground.

“–?” Oswell looked down at him, partly through committing to another sword strike.

Wait…below? Oswell sensed.

But, the realization came a moment too late for the ringleader as from below, a protrusion of stone in the form of a fist shot up, uppercutting Oswell with hefty force.

“Pyuh-!” Oswell spit out blood.

Attempting to seize the opportunity while the man was momentarily lifted in the air from the force of the unforeseen uppercut, the orange-haired clown launched forward, using his wriggly blade like a whip.

“…It won’t be that easy!” Oswell growled out.

Reaching behind his back, the wanted adventurer drew a small blade, using it to toss forward with pinpoint precision–deflecting Lawrence’s attempted strike.

“Oh! How surprising!” Lawrence let out.

Oswell flipped back, putting some distance between himself and the three as he rubbed his bruised jaw, moving it side-to-side.

“Not bad. Think you broke it,” Oswell said before spitting out blood.

“–‘ He didn’t respond.

–Again, Oswell shot forward with that unpredictable speed, rushing by both Reno and Lawrence as he aimed specifically for the boy.

Me?…He’s trying to close the distance and take me out first because of my spells. Still, it won’t be that simple! He thought.

He invoked another spell as he squeezed his catalyst, causing the stone beneath Oswell’s boots to shift and sink into clingy mud.

“–!” Oswell looked down in surprise.

It was not unlike quicksand; becoming tighter and pulling the man’s boots deeper the more he struggled.

From both of the man’s sides, Reno and Lawrence closed in with the edges of their blades aimed at Oswell’s neck.

Still, the man proved to be a devil on the battlefield as he managed to somehow leap out from the trap of swallowing mud, evading the strikes, but not before tossing a few throwing knives out–hitting Reno in the arm and Lawrence in the stomach.

“Oh!” Lawrence let out.

“Gh…!” Reno winced.

What did he do?! He wondered.

As he looked closer, he realized what the man had done in order to escape what seemed like a certain finisher: Oswell landed back down on the stone with his bare feet now.

He abandoned his boots!? He realized.

Reno reached to the thin knife that hit her shoulder, about to pull it out, but was stopped as the orange-haired man called out:

“Don’t remove that knife, my friend!” Lawrence advised.

“Huh…? Why?!” Reno said, clearly in pain and discomfort.

“These are special “Dinger Knives”–they tear at your flesh if you tear them out–they’re meant to cause quite a hefty amount of blood loss! Keep it in until the battle is over! I know it may be uncomfortable, my friend, but be strong!” Lawrence told the girl.

Reno seemed hesitant, but nodded, “…Okay!”

Though talk was sparse as Oswell nearly managed to cleave both of them in two as he rushed in with a mighty slash, but was stopped only by the boy countering in time with a barrage of stone shards shot at Oswell.

“Tch…!” Oswell clicked his tongue.

The criminal ex-adventurer was forced to halt his attack and evade the sharp, spear-like shards of stone that shot at him with velocity amplified by wind magic.

Despite being middle-aged, and seeming older than Julius, Oswell moved as if he was in his prime of the youth, with a body to fit that perspective as he moved with nimbleness and deflected the stone shards he couldn’t dodge with his blade.

He’s strong, but not unbeatable. This is doable! He thought.