Hellmode ~A Hardcore Gamer Becomes Peerless in Another World with Retro Game Settings~

After gearing themselves to teeth, along with the special adjustment via Peromas's divine technique 'Fortune Charm,' Allen teleported himself and his team behind the huge 10 meter tree like the previous time.

The silent, and sudden strike was something he had thought to avoid a rush attack from Nestirad and earn the chance to enter the combat with an edge. With the status and reach of Nestirad, they would have a hard time gaining a favourable position promptly.

But it appeared he had learned from their confrontation. (T/N - Changing It to He for Nestirad since author confirmed here)

*Creaaak*

All of a sudden, the tree, in whose shadow Allen and his team had teleported to, suddenly received a fierce blow from the opposite end, and introduced a huge vertical crevice in the middle. Within the same moment, the incarnation of despair, Nestirad, showed himself from that gap.

(So that's it, huh. Considering he's a field boss, stamina is something easy to recover. And it has been learning from our previous fights.)

After a glance at Nestirad, having recovered from all the grave injured they'd inflicted, Allen commented.

Everything within the perception of Allen suddenly flowed like he was in a slow-motion mode. Meanwhile, the tree, having snapped from its trunk, collapsed on the ground.

While his comrades were struck with dumbfoundedness, Allen realised Nestirad shared the similarities with field bosses he knew.

«You savages. You have the audacity to arrive and interfere in my search for lost things yet again!!»

(Huh, what in the world is he searching for? He kept repeating that phrase.)

Dragonewts had no idea what exactly he was searching for either. He was offered gifts and offerings, yet he showed no interest in them. Allen had even heard gods tried to offer their prayer, but it was all in vain.

Allen, too, had no idea what exactly Nestirad was searching for.

"Kyaaaa! It's hereee!! Rosalina hates the guts of this guyyyy!!"

The first movement was shown by Rosalina, whose life revolve around her instinct. She discarded her comrades, turned her back to Nestirad and escaped with the highest speed she could muster up.

"Hey, get away, Formar! We're here to fight, not to cover me!!"

"...Your safety is my foremost priority, Sophiarone-sama."

Meanwhile, Formar took Sophie into his arms and opened the distance, moving in the direction of Rosalina. Sophie, however, showed her intention to fight.

«Great, Rosalina, Sophie, retreat backward! You, too, Keel. And Permoas, step in the middle position! You're going too far behind!!»

Unlike their previous battle, it was the worst way to step into combat, however Alllen quickly commanded to reign in the situation and pushed to create their planned formation.

The rearguard consisted of the members who couldn't have tanked even one normal attack from Nestirad, or the healer or buffer. They were the lifeline of the group; they couldn't afford to have any mishaps.

Allen captured the whole situation from Bird E's 3rd POV, and commanded everyone to take back the initiative back in their hands.

"Ugh, I really don't think I can do much alone......"

(The experience from battle really shows in this situation huh. Moreover, it would be difficult for Haku and Magla to follow with a breath attack when formation is so chaotic...)

"Hey, Peromas. You're not exactly making it easier for me to move. See, let's retreat together, so stop holding on to my hem!!"

Keel's annoyed voice resounded as Permoas had him for his shield and opening distance against Nestirad. Keel had been moving to rearguard after listening to Allen.

Given their long-standing friendship that dates back to the academy, leader Allen's command was something he always paid attention to during a battle. However Peromas had no way to know the ropes of the situation with his paltry experience, now apparent as he grabbed on to Keel, almost half-crying.

Even in the academy district, Allen and team had engaged in battle against heretic students, or threw gauntlets against S-rank dungeons. However Peromas stood away from all the battle. Though he might have married his beloved, changed jobs, or even overcome trials of god, this was one thing that never changed about him. So it went without saying, the incarnation of destruction Nestirad was, he had Permas completely terrified.

"...Hmph. I can feel you using yet another nuisance way of fighting."

Nestirad murmured as his gaze went past the vanguard like Allen and toward the rearguard.

(Damn, so it remembers the rearguard is the most vulnerable point of formation.)

"On your move, Dogora, Kurena. Keep him engaged!!"

"I know it already. Full Breeze!!"

"Aye, gotcha! Dimensional Disruption!!"

Dogora and Kurena, taking hints from Allen's few words, promptly made their move. They deployed what was their impactful skill and rushed toward Nestirad.

"Don't get in my way!"

"Gaargh!!"

"Rrrgh!"

But Nestirad only swipes with his left hand, swatting them away like they're some bugs. Sparks flew as the two's slashes clashed against Nestirad's palm, however he received no damage. In the end, along with their weapons, Kurena and Dogora were blown away.

After getting hindrances out of the way, he marched toward the rearguard.

«Focus on rearguard!»

"Sophie! Spirit Garb!!"

The sudden situation had even taken Shea and Luck, who had plenty of experience against Nestirad, and showed no sign of moving.

If no one steps forward, everything would drop on the shoulders of Kurena and Dogora. The two were still slamming their barrage of their attack on Nestirad, however Nestirad remained unfazed in his march, seemingly receiving no damage.

"Hey, just listen to get away—"

"Gaaahhh!?"

Keel was left to support Peromas, but in a chaotic situation, he found Nestirad already closing on him.

«Buzz away! You annoying ants!!»

He made a sweeping attack with right hand, and caught both Keel and Peromas in action.

It appeared Nestirad was all set to break their formation.

«Rgh, there's no helping about it, Merle. Fall backward, everyone. Lubank, protect the rearguard. Get him, Macris!!"

Allen sent his signal to Macris, whom he had already assigned to attack with his special technique the instant he noticed cracks in the giant tree.

«Behoooold! Freeze Canon!»

As the danger loomed on Keel and Peromas, Macris launched his special technique «Freeze Canon» and took an aim at the Nestirad's head who had already breached into mid-guard spot.

With speed comparable to breath attack, Freeze Canon Hit Nested squarely on his face.

«Hmph. You think you can win with just that? You lowlife!!»

However Nestirad cared nothing for such, or maybe he just didn't feel' the impact as the icicle was momentarily pulverized and disappeared along with the brilliance of ice shards.

(There really is no stopping him without buff huh.)

Despite the attack on head, Nestirad continued.

It appeared that even the tremendous firepower was nothing but mosquito's bite without debuffs.

Meanwhile, Nestirad's aim had settled on Sophie and Rosalina.

On the other hand, Keel shook off Peromas, who fell on his knees, his two hands supporting him on the ground. Standing in the mid-guard, they're right in the way of Nestirad.

—Thud. Thud.

Not a single attack of allies seemed to have made a dent on Nestirad.

(This could be the worst possible start. We might have to temporarily back off!)

There was no point of battle if all of their initiative had been lost. And as their leader, Allen's duty was to accept one's flow and retreat immediately.

Peromas's legs gave up as he saw the impending doom. Out of terror, he reflexively took out a gold coin from the magic bag tied against his waist.

"I'm not going down like thaaaaaaa!! True Coin Pitcher!!"

With all hope lost, Peromas activated his one skill that was completely reliant on luck. The coin in his grasp had already changed from mere gold coin to white-gold coin, and at last to Lustrous gold coin under the influence of «Opportunist», changing its value.

The «Opportunist» effect was to raise a coin's value which was dependent on skill level.

*Crackling.*

The gold coin (let's just call it that for now, though it was 'Lustrous' Gold Coin now) began to glow and emit a cracking sound as it ruptured in Peromas's fist.

Peromas rose to his feet, and brought down his raised fist---or so it appeared, but to Peromas, it was like the hand was no longer under his control as a strange sensation seized him. He didn't know where the strength was overflowing from, or maybe he was having a dream, but at the end, he couldn't stop himself.

*Boom!*

The gold coin, launched from Peromas's hand, shot forward with a deafening roar, as though it were a cannon, pushing all the air in front of it. And at the end of his target was Nestirad.

«Now, what? A mere stone? You ant really do overestimate---gggaaaahh!!»

Peromas's gold coin struck against the left hand of Nestirad, who had thought of it as mere stone and was intending to swat it away. However the gold coin instead wedged itself into the back of its hand, and stuck to him like an inseparable magnet.

Furthermore, the momentum carried his arm to twist and strike against his body, and just as everyone had breathed a sigh of relief that Nestirad had at last stopped, the momentum further carried him and blew him away, pushing his body into the air like some sort of balloon.

"What the? Isn't luck just too... much!?)

"Hey, what in the world---accck damn!"

Dogora was desperately catching from behind when he suddenly saw Nestirad's back crashing toward his direction. A grunt escaped his body as Dogora threw his body on the ground before he could be caught in it, and with a totally clueless expression, he turned to look in the direction and saw a dumbfounded Peromas, his hand still outstretched in a coin throw motion.

*Rumble*

*Thuud*

It all appeared like a good few minutes had passed however only a moment had passed. In fact, the tree that had received the strike from Nestirad and was split into half finally dropped to the ground, raising a loud rumbling.

In sync with it, Nestirad had also made to bite the dust in the same moment.

After all was said and done, Peromas dropped his gaze to his hands, his body trembling. It appeared that he couldn't quite comprehend what just transpired, while stuck in a kneeling position.

«Did you see, everyone?! This was the hidden power of Peromas!! He came like a hero and easily blew away Nestirad, saving us from clutches!!»

(But of course, I was the one who trained him, hahaha.)

Just as everyone had been further lost in unbelievable happening, Allen brought them back with his shout.

At long lost, they'd managed to tighten their formation.

"Spirit Garb---Jigen-sama! Please be the shield for Luck!!"

The others didn't let this opening go to wind. Sophie called for the blessing of Luck.

And Luck, wrapped in the protection of the Great Spirit of Space, slashed down at the fallen Nestirad with his sacred artifact.

"Aha, good save, Peromas. Cursed Strike!! Tsk, just one attack isn't enough huh!"

(Hmm, so 300,000 stats in luck isn't enough for guaranteed proc huh. In that case, we just have to push for more attacks. It's clear Nestirad can't be taken down by the same strategy twice.)

After being intercepted by Nestirad the instant they'd teleported, alarms had already rung inside Allen's head. He was now more and more determined to take down Nestirad with the 100 combo technique.

«Peromas, it seems we have to go with the plan. Time for Daruma prayer!!»

"H-huh? Alright. Daruma Prayer!!"

*Puff.*

Receiving Allen's command, Peromas activated his skill «Daruma Prayer.»

Soon, white-eyed daruma figure appeared above Peromas's head.

«Shalt Thou desired for your wish to be granted, toss two coins.»

The Daruma, with no pupils, opened its mouth wide and tilted its entire body so that Peromus could see its face. It spoke to him from above his head.

"A-Alright. True Coin Pitcher!!"

*Booom!* 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

«Gaaah!»

Once again, Nestirad received a blow of gold coin.This time on his shoulder.

He had tried to dodge of course, but the gold coin was too small in contrast to his big frame, so he was an easy target.

As soon as a gold coin struck Nestirad, one of the two white eyes of Daruma turned black.

«Ohoho. Thou art a splendid shooter. What dost thou wish?»

"Err, let's wait. I will pitch another gold coin and get you both eyes black."

«Very well. Toss another gold coin, and thou may wish!»

"Alright."

Peromas replied assertively in contrast to the grinning Daruma over his head.

With the virtue of Peromas's radiating fortune, while there was some hiccup, the curtain rises on Allen Party vs Nestirad Round #2.