Hero Route 2

"Something's not right," Anyi muttered, feigning confusion.

"Thump! Thump! Thump!!"

The Skeleton Executioner charged toward them, its movements heavy yet swift.

"Taunt!" Layton stepped forward, raising his shield to intercept the attack.

A thunderous boom echoed as the blow connected, and though Layton braced himself, strain etched his features.

"Its attack… is surprisingly heavy!" he said through gritted teeth.

"How heavy?"

A white light flashed in Anyi's hand, summoning the slime sword. Slime oozed forth, coating the Skeleton Executioner's hands, spreading to its shoulders, and finally enveloping its skull-like face.

The creature instinctively thrashed, attempting to shake off the sticky substance.

Layton, his breath heavy, said, "If its Strength is 30, mine should be higher! But fighting it feels like its Strength is greater than mine!"

The Skeleton Executioner paused mid-struggle. Though its eyes were nothing but empty sockets, it didn't need them—it relied on its soul to sense its enemies. Realizing this, it ceased its futile thrashing and resumed its attack.

Anyi glanced toward Ariana and the others. Miruku's slender form darted through the shadows, her daggers clashing with the Howling Succubus's claws. Then, a faint light shimmered around Ariana—a sign of victory.

He nodded to himself. "Layton, let's finish this."

"Boom!!"

The Skeleton Executioner's axe came crashing down. Layton raised his shield to block, the sheer force causing his legs to buckle as if a massive weight had been dropped onto him.

"I don't understand," Layton grunted. "My Strength is higher, but it feels like I'm being overpowered!"

Anyi's expression didn't waver. He understood the source of the problem.

[Passive Skill: Weight

Skill Description: Enters [Weight] status, all actions become heavier.]

"It's the Skeleton Executioner's passive skill," Anyi explained calmly. "Its attacks aren't stronger than yours—it's the Weight status making them feel heavier. The effect doesn't increase its physical power, but it makes its every move feel overwhelming."

"Clang! Clang!"

Anyi struck twice at the Skeleton Executioner's legs, his blade leaving faint scratches on its armor.

"This one's straightforward," Anyi said, voice measured. "Unlike the Bull Demon, it doesn't have special mechanics. In higher-level Tales, the Skeleton Executioner is a common soldier. This one is just a grunt with higher-than-average stats. Normal attack, normal attack, normal attack—that's all it has."

Layton nodded, though frustration flickered in his eyes.

[Sword Hero: Use the slime shield. Deflect its axe to the ground. When its movements pause, I'll kill it.]

"Got it!"

Layton swapped the bone shield for the slime shield. As the Skeleton Executioner's massive axe descended—

"Hm?"

Deflect? How am I supposed to deflect it?!

"Bang!!"

The axe collided with the slime shield. The weapon tore through it, sending a jarring impact up Layton's arms. Pain flared as his health dropped by 100 points.

Layton stumbled back, clutching his hands.

Anyi darted forward, calm and focused.

"Watch closely," he said, eyes gleaming. "I'll only show you once."

In an instant, his slime sword morphed, reshaping into a shield.

Layton's eyes widened. "Wait! Your Durability—!"

Anyi's Durability, even with Goblin equipment and the Encourage buff, was less than 20. Layton knew this. Blocking the Skeleton Executioner's attack with slime alone was unthinkable!

Before Layton could warn him, the axe fell—

"Boom——!!"

At the last moment, the slime shield expanded, surging outward like a tidal wave. Anyi leaned to the side, guiding the giant axe downward with a fluid motion. The weapon crashed to the ground harmlessly.

Layton blinked, stunned.

"???"

He barely processed what had happened.

Anyi dusted himself off, smirking. "I told you—I'd only show you once."

Layton stared blankly. Show what?! Who learned anything?!

But...

"You just said that we only need to make it stop, right?!" Layton shouted, his voice echoing as he sidestepped to avoid a stray swing of the Skeleton Executioner's axe. 

Anyi, busy weaving through the creature's heavy blows, didn't respond verbally. He gave a short nod from a distance. 

"Okay!" Layton grinned, his confidence blazing like a beacon. 

"I just thought of a super simple method! A foolproof way to make it stop!" 

The Skeleton Executioner's hollow sockets locked onto him as Layton raised his voice triumphantly.

"That is— 

Taunt!!" 

A white light flickered in Layton's hand as he dismissed the slime shield. Stretching his arms wide, he faced the towering skeleton, his stance daring and bold. 

"Come on, you bony monster!!" 

The magic took effect immediately. The Skeleton Executioner turned its focus to Layton, abandoning its relentless pursuit of Anyi. Its movements were deliberate, every step exuding murderous intent as it charged. 

"Haha—Good! Just in time!" Layton shouted, spreading his legs into a braced stance. 

Anyi paused mid-dodge, his brow furrowing. Was Layton really planning to take the hit just to create an opening? 

The air crackled with tension as the Skeleton Executioner raised its colossal axe high and swung it down with deadly force— 

"Hmph!" 

Layton roared, leaping forward in a strange, almost comical motion, his legs spreading wide in midair. As he dove, white light burst from his hands— 

「Equip Goblin Centurion Bone Shield!!」 

The massive bone shield materialized just as Layton landed. 

"Boom!" 

The impact reverberated as Layton fell forward, using the shield to pin the Executioner's axe firmly into the ground. He pressed down with all his might, locking the blade in place. 

"Right! Now!!!" he bellowed. 

Anyi moved like a gust of wind, his boots barely touching the Skeleton Executioner's armor as he sprinted up its body. In one fluid motion, he leaped onto its shoulder, positioning himself with surgical precision. 

The creature's skeletal hands strained to free the trapped axe, but it was too late. 

「Equip Goblin Centurion Greatsword.」 

White light shimmered again, and a gleaming silver-white greatsword appeared in Anyi's grasp. 

He raised the weapon high, its edge glinting ominously. 

"Cleave the Earth." 

"Boom——!!!" 

The greatsword struck with a thunderous crash, the sound more akin to boulders colliding than metal on bone. The force dented the Executioner's nape armor deeply, the damage visible but not yet fatal. 

From afar, Ariana and the others had finally dispatched their foes. 

The Skeleton Mage, watching the Executioner from a safe distance, felt a surge of hope upon seeing Anyi's attack fail to break through. 

「Good! He can't penetrate the Executioner's defense!」 

Relief washed over the Skeleton Mage. It was short-lived. 

Ariana, her staff glowing with holy energy, began to channel [Holy Light Embodiment], her lips forming the incantation. But before the spell could fully materialize— 

A faint, golden light enveloped Anyi, shimmering softly yet powerfully. 

Ariana froze, eyes wide in shock. 

「I didn't cast that!」 she gasped.

The holy light suffused Anyi's greatsword, transforming its aura entirely. 

At that moment, he raised the weapon once more, the silver-white blade now blazing with divine radiance. 

[Skill: Chop Down + Holy Light Embodiment 

Combined Skill Activated;] 

"Divine Punishment."