If there's one biggest difference between Aster's ti and the current generation, that is the absence of standard gas. Of course, it's not like it completely disappeared from circulation, but only a few have ti to spare playing gas.
As such, the "standard" procedures for hunting certain monsters have been lost, and treated as "arcane knowledge."
The use of healing on undead monsters to damage them was one of those. Of course, using holy elent attacks was a commonly discovered trait, but nobody would even think of healing the enemy, after all. As such, it beca a forgotten knowledge lost due to the long passage of ti.
"Haaap!"
Now that the eight mummies were hit by the healing spell, their bodies beca sluggish, almost losing half of their mobility. Furthermore, their defenses beca literally paper-like, making it easy for everyone else to damage them.
"Holy Smite!"
"Void Palm!"
"Twin Fang!"
In concert with Aster, the three girls rained down concentrated attacks on the closest mummy. As one would expect, it couldn't survive over everyone's combined might, as its body started to dissolve into an incorrigible at blob on the ground, releasing dangerous-looking purple smoke.
"Lory! Put on your mask properly!" Aster warned.
With one look, he could tell that it was either cursed or poisoned, but the air purifier in their masks should be able to block it out, at least.
After seeing her readjust her mask, Aster turned to the next mummy and swung his sword.
"...!"
But after the weakening effect of the heal ended, even after activating his Physical Enchant and enhancing his strength, his sword barely scratched the bandages wrapping the enemies.
*SQUELCH!*
Rather than slashing attacks, Liz and Tina's blunt attacks were more effective, deforming the mummy under their combined might. Kali, similar to Aster, could no longer damage the mummies, so she changed her plan to slowing down and distracting the rest instead.
"Minor Area Heal!"
As if she were waiting for the timing, Cassy's second heal ca over and hit three of the seven remaining mummies. They got weakened once more, and Aster and the rest didn't waste this chance.
Aster, Tina, and Liz, all picked a single target each, and let out their strongest attack.
"Mana Slash!"
"Holy Smite!"
"Void Palm!"
Other than Tina's target, the other two fell in one strike, showing the difference in their damage output. Of course, Aster didn't waste the chance, and chained his swing, reaching Tina's target. Unable to protect itself, its body got bisected diagonally, falling to the ground and dissolving like the rest.
"That's half of them down! Let's go!"
The mummies were unable to even try and attack them, dying helplessly. However, seeing them chase Kali around, with each swing of their arms destroying the tiled floor, it was obvious that their strength was way beyond their party's.
'We're lucky we have Cassy's heal, or else, it might've been dangerous.' Aster thought.
While the four remaining mummies chased Kali, Lory started casting Great Weaken Defense on one of them. Even without coordinating with the rest, everyone moved as if they were controlled by a single being.
As soon as her curse landed, Aster, Liz, and Tina rained down their attacks, destroying another distracted mummy.
"Minor Area Heal!"
And finally, Cassy's heal landed right in the middle of the last three, even including Kali in its range. The three mummies stiffened as their bodies released great amounts of black smoke.
Soon enough, the three attackers arrived. With Kali joining in and counterattacking, all three were destroyed just like that in a split second!
"Haaa... Haa... Ha..."
The four vanguards panted heavily from moving around. Even Liz, who had the highest CON among them, had sweat dripping down her neck. It was proof enough that the fight, although just a short one, required them to give their all, literally!
"..."
But Aster didn't lower his guard and kept his gaze on the last sarcophagus. If the eight below were able to attack them, then that one should be able to too.
Suddenly, without warning, Aster felt chills.
"Everyone! Take potions and recover, fast!"
He warned as he grabbed a stamina recovery potion himself, and chugged its content in one go. Everyone turned to where Aster was looking and prepared their weapons, ready to respond to anything that would co their way.
However, a few seconds passed without anything happening.
'A false alarm?' Aster mused, but his arms still had goosebumps all over them. 'No, I'm sure that one is about to move!'
He could feel the enemy's presence—sothing more powerful than even the eight mummies combined. However, he forgot to consider one thing. That was the strength he could feel, despite it not leaving its sarcophagus yet!
*CRACK!*
Suddenly, the face part of the sarcophagus cracked, spreading from the head to the toe part in a flash. Fragnt by fragnt, pieces fell off, gradually revealing the monster hidden inside.
"...!"
The monster inside it was almost as big as the sarcophagus. Its height was over 4.5 ters, with a body that was almost perfectly preserved, without a part rotting at all. However, the only thing that Aster didn't expect, was that the enemy was not a zombie, but looked like a giant Pharaoh instead.
It had healthy-looking chocolate brown skin and piercing red eyes that stared back at Aster despite her wearing a jackal headdress. She had perfect proportions, almost as if she were a famous gravure model.
Cold sweat soaked Aster's back as he felt the almost unbelievable amount of mana emanating from the figure.
[Invaders... So you're the ones who woke up.]
The pharao's voice echoed directly inside their heads, but the enemy didn't simply relay its words but also inflicted them with extre discomfort.
"Agh!"
Aster felt like his head was being split open; his vision flashed white from pain for a mont!
"M-Minor... Area Heal!"
Cassy's healing ca at that mont, quickly removing the headache they were suffering from. Everyone panted heavily, feeling the gap between their strengths even before they fought.
"Retreat!"
And of course, Aster didn't think twice and commanded everyone to escape. If they fought, he was quite sure that they would only end up wiped out.
Everyone ran fast, returning to the door behind them, which had closed earlier. Tina and Liz stood guard, with Aster in their middle, keeping watch of the rear.
*BAM!*
However, the door was locked shut. It didn't open, and neither did it budge from Kali pushing at it!
"Vornak Kryzor Miltryn Scalvok Hyslor!" Aster even tried the passphrase, but the door didn't even respond.
"No way..."
Despair slowly swallowed them, as the pharaoh stepped forward, walking to where they were—their death was approaching.
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