Broken smirked, seeing the shock etched on Archer’s face. He was just about to land the blow, a strike that would certainly deal heavy damage to an archer caught off guard in close range, especially without any support to protect him.
“Enough!” a commanding voice rang out from across the room. It was Marlene.
But Broken showed no intention of stopping his attack. Just as he was about to strike, a swift shadow, the wolf, darted across the room, engulfing Archer and dragging him into the floor. The archer vanished in an instant, leaving Broken with his pickaxe halted mid-swing.
“The fight is over,” Marlene declared, her voice cutting through the tension.
Broken quickly deactivated the Water Domain, the torrents of water retracting in a swift, fluid motion back into his cape. The room returned to normal, but everyone was still in shock, stunned by how quickly everything had unfolded.
From the other side of the room, a magic circle appeared on the floor. Moments later, a massive Demon Beast wolf emerged, depositing Archer back onto the ground. The archer knelt there, trembling, his face pale with fear and disbelief.
The room remained silent for a few tense moments as everyone waited to see what would happen next. Broken walked slowly toward Archer, who was still kneeling on the floor, his face pale.
“Marlene interrupted our fight,” Broken said coldly, standing over Archer. “Are you still not satisfied with the result?”
Archer looked up at him, his face twisted in a mix of anger and fear. “Damn you… fuck you!” he spat, his voice shaking as he scooted backward on the ground, trembling with frustration.
Subaru stepped forward, trying to break the tense atmosphere with an awkward laugh. “Hey, guys, maybe it’s time we head out, huh?” he said, glancing between Broken and Archer. “We’ve got a schedule to stick to, right?”
Everyone seemed to get the message. Slowly, they began moving, some helping Archer to his feet. The group quickly filed out of the room, leaving the inn behind. The sudden battle had shaken them, and now, after witnessing Broken’s capabilities, some of the complaints about him had noticeably quieted down.
Broken took his place at the back of the formation, acting as a semi-tanker to guard the rear, while Subaru walked beside him.
The group made their way through the city in silence. No one spoke, their minds still replaying the events from earlier. Archer, in particular, looked shaken as he stumbled along, occasionally bumping into demons on the street. A few of them shoved him aside roughly. “Get out of my way, asshole!” one demon snarled, pushing Archer down.
Eventually, they left the bustling town behind and found themselves on the dry, dusty road leading to the forest. The pace picked up as the path became clearer, free from the congestion of the demon-filled city.
“Hahaha, Broken… I’m really curious about how many cool items you’ve got,” Subaru said with a grin, loud enough for everyone to hear.
“Not as many as you’d think,” Broken replied quietly.
“Really? But that cape you were wearing earlier was amazing!” Subaru continued, referencing the Flowing Tide Cape, which was no longer visible since Broken had reverted to his normal appearance.
“Thanks.”
“No, seriously. But I have to ask-your Water Domain, damn, that was incredible! Everyone inside it struggled to move. I’m curious about what else you can do with it. Hahaha,” Subaru rambled on with his usual enthusiasm. “Tell me, can you control water like an avatar or something? Hahaha… How big is the domain, exactly? I really want to know more. I’m a mage, you know, so this kind of stuff really interests me.”
“You’re prying on purpose, aren’t you?” Broken responded, giving him a side glance.
“Oh, really? No, no! Hahaha, I’m just genuinely impressed,” Subaru laughed.
They entered the forest in a well-prepared formation, with Marlene positioned at the center to ensure she could issue commands whenever needed. The team picked up the pace as monsters began to emerge from all directions.
They swiftly dealt with each incoming threat. The tanker cast buffs to strengthen the team, while the support roles enhanced their stats and abilities. The fighters eagerly charged forward to meet the monsters head-on.
Meanwhile, Broken held the rear with his trusty Iron Solemn Pickaxe. When a group of monsters approached from behind, he activated his skill.
[Quake Strike (Active Skill) Lv. 1]
He slammed the pickaxe into the ground, sending shockwaves through the earth. The force of the quake launched several monsters backward, disorienting them. Without hesitation, Broken darted forward, finishing them off with quick, precise strikes. Despite the pickaxe being primarily a mining tool, he wielded it with remarkable ease. The monsters, with levels in the 180s, fell quickly under his efficient blows.
As the team continued their journey, some of the members couldn’t help but notice Broken’s performance. He had barely shown a fraction of his potential, yet he was effortlessly fighting with a pickaxe. Was he joking, or was there something more to this strange choice of weapon? “Broken…” Subaru continued. “Are you really planning to keep fighting with that pickaxe? You have a spear, right?”
Broken checked the durability of the pickaxe. It wasn’t too bad yet, but he knew the durability would drop significantly if he kept using it against monsters. “You’re right, I can’t keep using this for too long,” he admitted, storing the pickaxe in his inventory.
“Now, I’m sure you’ll switch to something more… proper, right? Haha.” Subaru grinned, expecting a spear to appear.
But instead, another pickaxe materialized in Broken’s hand. This one was stunning-an artifact with glittering gems embedded in the handle, its aura glowing with a faint blue light. “Wait, when I said a proper weapon, I meant a spear,” Subaru said, blinking in surprise. “For now, I’m more comfortable using this pickaxe,” Broken replied calmly, offering no further explanation as he secured it on his back.
Subaru still looked skeptical. “Broken-what kind of pickaxe is that? I didn’t even know pickaxes could look like that… What material is it made from? Why is it so beautiful? Are you really sure about fighting with a pickaxe?”
“Yes,” Broken replied calmly.
Just then, another wave of monsters attacked from all sides. This time, everyone’s attention was fixed on Broken, and they were curious to see what that remarkable pickaxe could do.
Five monsters charged at him simultaneously. Broken didn’t flinch. Instead, he prepared to cast one of his less flashy but deadly skills.
[Terra Fury (Active Skill)]
The air around the Bedrock Breaker Pickaxe seemed to crack as Broken slammed it into the first monster. The impact was devastating, tearing through the creature and leaving it nearly obliterated. A powerful shockwave rippled outward from the strike, hitting the other monsters with brutal force, sending them flying backward as if they’d been caught in an
explosion.
Without hesitation, Broken leaped again, bringing the pickaxe down with another crushing
blow.
[Quake Strike (Active Skill) Lv. 1]
The ground shattered under his strike, launching the monsters into the air and stunning them. Broken moved swiftly, picking them off one by one with precise hits from his pickaxe. In mere seconds, all five monsters disintegrated into pixels, obliterated before the others had even
managed to kill a single one.
The rest of the team stood in disbelief, their mouths agape. One thought echoed in their minds: What kind of pickaxe deals that kind of damage?
Once the monsters were dealt with, they resumed their journey. Subaru, unable to contain his excitement, became even more curious. “Broken, please tell me the grade… hahaha, I’m dying
to know.”
Hearing this, everyone subtly focused their attention, eager to hear his answer.
“If I told you it’s Legendary-grade, would you believe me?”
“No way! Who would go through the trouble of crafting a Legendary-grade pickaxe?” Subaru
laughed awkwardly.
“Alright, then, it’s Common-grade.”
“That’s even less believable!” Subaru retorted, and the others silently agreed.
Their journey through the forest grew increasingly troublesome as the monsters appearing were progressively higher in level. The group began to run low on stamina. Their energy drained faster than expected. By the time the sun reached its peak, they decided to rest for a
while.
During the break, Marlene approached Broken and mentioned that they were getting close to their destination. “We’re nearly there,” she said. “The cave ahead should be the perfect place for you to hatch the egg.”