With their weapons prepared, the group pressed forward again. The closer they got to where Yhorm resided, the more cautiously they moved, as more monsters started appearing along the way.
Not only were there gargoyles, but also other creatures, some akin to mages, capable of hurling powerful fireballs. Since this was not a game, even a single fireball could blast a large area, forcing the group to tread carefully.
"Tiona, a gargoyle is coming! Time to test out your hunting bow!"
The Onion Knight had often mentioned that the Demon-Hunting Bow was designed specifically to combat undead and dark creatures. Naturally, it was time to put that claim to the test. Upon hearing this, Tiona immediately loaded one of the spear-like demon-hunting arrows onto the massive bow.
The amount of strength required to draw the bowstring was indeed immense, but with Tiona's power, it wasn't a problem. She aimed the bow at the incoming gargoyle.
As the gargoyle descended from the sky, before it could even react, Tiona released the hunting arrow. The arrow shot forward like a bolt of lightning, piercing the gargoyle's body and sending it flying backward.
Boom!
The arrow, along with the gargoyle, slammed into the wall, pinning it firmly in place. Tiona had aimed for the head, and the arrow pierced straight through, nailing the creature to the wall and killing it instantly with overwhelming force.
"Incredible! It pierced through its skin so easily. Ordinary arrows would struggle to even pierce its eyes!"
Finn exclaimed in admiration. Up until now, they had to gang up on gargoyles to defeat them because their defenses were too strong.
But now, even though they hadn't tested the creature's wing defense, the sheer power of the arrow was astonishing.
"Well, of course," the Onion Knight chimed in. "The Demon-Hunting Bow and its arrows are imbued with special power, specifically for dealing with demons and undead creatures. I've even seen someone pierce a gargoyle's wing with one of these arrows before."
"It's a shame I'm not proficient with bows, otherwise I'd be quite interested in this Great Demon-Hunting Bow myself!"
He admired the bow's destructive force, which is capable of killing monsters in one shot.
"This is amazing! It feels so satisfying to take down monsters this easily. All the gargoyles we meet from now on are mine!"
Tiona said, brimming with excitement. Taking down a monster so swiftly with the bow filled her with joy, and it was a refreshing change from their usual struggles. Even though no one was competing with her for the kills, Tiona's enthusiasm was palpable.
Normally, she might have been teased or bullied for claiming all the kills, but today, the group was unusually quiet. Everyone was focused on what they needed, and no one minded letting Tiona handle the gargoyles, they didn't have the patience to deal with such tough, armored creatures anyway.
Soon, the group gathered the remaining Demon-Hunting arrows and wings from the dead gargoyles. These materials were valuable. This wasn't like a game where arrows couldn't be retrieved after use. Here, in the real world, the arrows could be reused as long as they weren't damaged.
The power imbued in the arrows didn't dissipate either, unless the arrows were broken. If they did get damaged, they could simply reforge them with other reinforced arrow shafts to make them usable again.
Of course, if the arrows were beyond repair, there would be no choice but to accept the loss.
As they continued their journey, Tiona ended up handling most of the monsters they encountered. She even started using regular arrows from the Great Demon-Hunting Bow to deal with ordinary creatures. She was thoroughly enjoying herself, taking down enemies with ease.
"Damn it, why is there no bow made for us dwarves?!"
Gareth muttered in frustration. The Demon-Hunting Bow was initially meant for him, but his short stature and short arms made it impossible for him to use.
" There's nothing we can do about it," the Onion Knight replied helplessly. "After all, in this world, there are no dwarves!"
They had blacksmiths, yes, but not from the dwarf race, as most were humans or Titans. The dwarven race didn't exist in this world, so finding weapons tailored for someone like Gareth or Finn meant they had to stick to more conventional weapons.
Bows and arrows were out of the question, since no one imagined a person of their size wielding them when the weapons were crafted.
"Ahem... Let's keep moving. Titan King Yhorm is just ahead!"
Finn coughed, hiding his own envy. He too wished for a weapon suited to him, but alas, nothing was available. They had already cleared the two gargoyles, the numerous sorcerers, and even the pesky mimic chests lurking outside the chamber. Now, the only thing left was Yhorm, who is seated at the heart of the palace.
"Yes, let's go. But once we enter, don't interfere unless I can't handle it. If I really can't make it, just... send my old friend on his way!
He didn't want to rely on others for help, but he knew it was impossible for him to kill Yhorm on his own. Yhorm wasn't just any Titan, he was one of the Lords of Cinder. Even with the power of the Storm Ruler in hand, defeating Yhorm would be no easy feat.
However, the Onion Knight wanted to face his old friend alone. If the chance came, he would be the one to end Yhorm's life. If not, he would trust the others to finish the job.
"We understand. Let's go!"
Finn responded, and the group nodded in agreement. This was a personal matter for the Onion Knight, and they respected his wish to face Yhorm first!
Together, they stepped into the grand palace, a vast hall that led to an enormous throne. Sitting upon the throne was Yhorm, a towering Titan, with sparks of fire flickering across his body. Beside him lay a colossal greatsword. This was Yhorm, the Lord of Cinder.
"My old friend... you've finally come. I've waited a long time for this," Yhorm spoke, his deep voice echoing throughout the hall. This wasn't a game, and Yhorm wasn't a mindless boss. He had his own consciousness and wisdom, which is why he addressed the Onion Knight directly.
"I didn't want to come either, but I made a promise to you," the Onion Knight responded, his voice carrying the weight of an old, unfulfilled vow.
"As for them," he continued, gesturing toward the group, "They're my friends. Without their help, I wouldn't have made it here. I might've gotten lost halfway!"
"Really? They must be capable, indeed. But enough talk. Let's begin," Yhorm said impatiently, grabbing his massive sword and charging forward.
At the same time, the Onion Knight summoned the power of the Storm Ruler, creating a massive surge of wind. The Storm Ruler's gust slammed into Yhorm, forcing the Titan King to stagger backward, his balance momentarily disrupted.
Though the Storm Ruler was a weapon specifically designed to counter giants, Yhorm was no ordinary giant. As the Titan King and a Lord of Cinder, his power was far greater than that of typical giants, and while the Storm Ruler had an effect on him, it was lessened compared to its usual devastating force.