How to Use the Lord's Future Diary

Chapter 178

Leisha was, by everyone's acknowledgment, the strongest person in Johnson Territory.Especially when it came to controlling Aura.

The black storm of Aura that symbolized her was like a massive natural disaster.

'And yet... it's completely fine?'

Until now, the only one who had ever blocked one of Leisha's attacks was the Empire's Regent, Octosia.

Even then, it had only been possible because she used what appeared to be an enormous shield from the ancient era.

No one had ever taken a direct hit like this and remained completely unharmed.

"Bear! This bastard has Aura Resistance!"

Most Out-of-Class Monsters possessed a unique ability.

For example, the master of the Forest of Illusions, Argeus of Illusions, had the power to show hallucinations to anyone within a certain range.

The Fallen Yggdrasil possessed the ability to cause plants to grow abnormally while transforming them into monsters.

And the recently active Lightning Jupitelio of the south undoubtedly controlled lightning.

The title attached to an Out-of-Class Monster usually described its unique ability.

And the Gnoll Lord before us...

Seemed to be an individual with extraordinarily high defense.

Just as Leisha guessed, it appeared to specialize in resisting Aura.

'Seriously?'

'An Out-of-Class Monster with Aura Resistance?'

'You've got to be kidding me.'

A monster's body became tougher in proportion to its rank.

The durability of high-ranking monsters was truly terrifying.

To deal with monsters like that efficiently, humans relied on Aura.

But now...

An Out-of-Class Monster with Aura Resistance?

Judging from the injuries it had taken from the Fire Bombs, it wasn't invincible.

But if it could shrug off Leisha's strike like that...

There was no way we could kill it quickly.

Considering this battle was essentially a race against time...

This was an absolutely devastating variable.

"Haa..."

Even now, Leisha was weaving around its attacks while repeatedly striking it with Aura-enhanced punches.

But the damage didn't seem to be accumulating.

Either the damage was insignificant...

Or it was healing almost as fast as it was injured.

Naturally, Out-of-Class Monsters possessed incredible regenerative abilities as well.

If even Leisha's Aura was being neutralized like this...

Mine would fare no better.

Compared to hers, my Aura was pitifully weak.

Then...

I'd have to find another method.

'Pure physical force...'

Fighting an Out-of-Class Monster using nothing but brute strength was undeniably foolish.

But at this point...

It was our only option.

Ordinary Aura attacks wouldn't even leave a scratch.

Fortunately...

This just happened to be my specialty.

"Haaah!!"

I drew every last trace of Aura back into my body.

The muscles throughout my body greedily devoured it.

This was the method Leisha had taught me before...

Using Aura to reinforce the body itself.

Iron had been born with an exceptionally powerful physique.

I'd spent more than ten years training using the Bear Tribe's martial techniques—the race said to possess the greatest physical abilities among all Beastmen.

That training was what allowed me to become a Master.

Then...

By continuously consuming the Black Lion Tribe's secret medicinal herb, Vitality Grass, I advanced another step beyond that.

When it came to raw physical strength...

Even Leisha couldn't match me.

She was a Great Warrior of the Black Lion Tribe with astonishing physical abilities herself.

But...

I existed on an entirely different level.

-Clang!

While the Gnoll Lord's attention remained focused on Leisha, I rushed in and slammed my greatsword into its side.

I ignored Aura entirely.

I simply struck with pure strength.

My opponent was an Out-of-Class Monster.

The impact sounded like smashing a steel pillar with a club.

The violent vibration traveled through my arms, shoulders, and waist.

I was the one who attacked...

Yet somehow I was the one in agony.

-GRCKKKK!

Still...

The attack wasn't ineffective.

The Gnoll Lord...

Who hadn't reacted to anything Leisha had done...

Finally let out something that resembled an actual scream.

It appeared to possess tremendous resistance to Aura.

But that didn't mean every physical attack was meaningless.

"Bear!"

From that moment onward...

The Gnoll Lord targeted only me.

Apparently it judged me to be the greater threat.

Exactly what I'd hoped for.

Because if she had even a little breathing room...

That woman would undoubtedly come up with something.

She was only hesitating now because she'd been caught off guard by its Aura Resistance.

She wasn't the kind of woman who'd simply lose.

'Choosing Iron over Leisha...'

'Somehow that feels oddly satisfying.'

For the first time in a while...

It really felt like I was earning my keep.

-GRRRR!!

'Watch out, Master!'

Of course...

It wasn't all good news.

Against an Out-of-Class Monster...

One clean hit meant certain death.

Meanwhile...

I'd need to hit it dozens of times before the damage became noticeable.

It was an incredibly unfair fight.

Thankfully...

The endless sea of flames was slowly consuming the monster.

Though that luxury only lasted as long as the Fire Resistance Potion continued working.

-Clang!!

-Clang!!!

-Kugh!

I raised my concentration to its absolute limit.

Deflecting its attacks...

I struck its side again...

Drawing another scream from it.

Every time that gigantic warhammer brushed past me...

The hairs on my body stood on end.

Yet...

That only pushed my concentration even higher.

My legs.

My waist.

My arms.

Every part of my body moved exactly as I intended.

It felt as though I'd cast off an enormous burden.

This body...

Which continued greedily absorbing Aura even now...

Performed far better than I'd ever imagined.

To think...

I'd spent all this time obsessing over channeling Aura into my greatsword.

It almost felt tragic.

I finally understood...

How to truly use this body.

-Clang!

Of course...

This tactic only worked because my greatsword was an ancient relic possessing the Indestructible attribute.

If I'd tried this with an ordinary weapon...

It would've bent or shattered long ago.

That was just how absurdly durable an Out-of-Class Monster's body was.

'This is endless.'

Even now...

I was steadily accumulating damage.

If the battle continued like this...

Eventually...

I'd bring it down.

The problem...

Was time.

If the Fire Resistance Potion wore off first...

The result would be catastrophic.

Unfortunately...

Time wasn't on my side.

"Lord Iron!"

Just as I began feeling we needed another variable...

Irene appeared.

Her enormous warhammer...

Covered in the dark crimson blood of however many Gnolls she'd already killed...

Burned with blazing fire Aura.

Riding together with her Flame Horse as though they were one...

She shot toward us like a streak of fire...

Before smashing her gigantic warhammer into the Gnoll Lord's head.

-KAZZZ!!

A strike as swift as lightning.

This time...

The damage was substantial.

The Gnoll Lord let out an enormous scream.

As expected...

Elemental Aura.

Especially under environmental conditions like these...

Nothing was more effective.

Even now...

Irene was absorbing every surrounding flame into herself.

-GRK!!

Enraged...

The Gnoll Lord charged at Irene.

Its massive warhammer descended toward her head.

-Boom!

Still mounted upon her Flame Horse...

Irene slid gracefully aside, avoiding the attack before swinging her hammer again.

She and her Flame Horse moved as a single entity.

Her horsemanship had reached a divine realm.

Scattering flames in every direction...

The way Irene danced around the Gnoll Lord resembled a fairy of fire.

-A fairy...?

-Really?

'Granted...'

'No fairy swings around a gigantic warhammer like that.'

'This is our chance.'

The Gnoll Lord's attention had shifted completely toward Irene.

Thanks to her...

I finally had room to breathe.

Until now...

I'd been forced to hold something back to dodge its attacks.

Not anymore.

This time...

I swung my greatsword with every ounce of strength I possessed.

-CLANG!!!!

The best place to hit...

Was always where you'd already struck before.

My greatsword drove directly into the same spot on its side I'd hit over and over again.

Repeated attacks had already weakened the area.

'Tch... still not enough.'

I swung with enough force to tear open its side.

But...

It fell just short.

The greatsword penetrated deep into its body...

Yet failed to overcome that final resistance.

Even now...

I was desperately trying to force it in deeper.

But...

It was slowly being pushed back out.

This was becoming troublesome.

We'd practically finished cooking this monster...

Yet still lacked the decisive blow.

And then—

-Roar!!

Leisha...

Who had remained silent until now...

Unleashed another Lion's Roar.

The black storm of Aura surged once more.

The violently swirling black Aura gradually gathered into her fist.

Compressed to its absolute limit...

The Aura sharpened into something like a drill.

-K... K... Kugh...

Gathering every last bit of Aura...

Leisha charged.

The Gnoll Lord possessed overwhelming resistance to Aura.

But...

This attack was different.

Leisha's Aura pierced straight through its skull.

Releasing one final mournful cry...

The giant slowly collapsed.

The Gnoll Lord...

Fell completely silent.

Our victory.

"So..."

"It wasn't actually immune to Aura."

"...Wasn't it?"

"I needed some time to compress my Aura."

"It wasn't easy."

"At this level..."

"I think I could even pierce that Imperial woman's shield."

"I've learned something useful."

Everyone knew that compressing Aura increased its penetrating power.

Just as concentrating flavor deepened its taste.

But...

That was easier said than done.

Compressing Aura to that extent was extraordinarily difficult.

If it were easy...

Everyone and their dog would be doing it.

-Didn't she just say it wasn't easy?

'Yeah.'

'But her expression said the exact opposite.'

-We survived.

-What are you complaining about?

'I'm pretty sure this battle was supposed to be my level-up event.'

'So why does Leisha get the last hit again?'

If I had to guess...

Leisha had advanced another step through this battle as well.

She was carefully examining her Aura with an unmistakably satisfied expression.

Saying something was difficult while wearing that proud face...

Only made it sound like humble bragging.

Seriously...

That woman was such a monster.

-I can already see your future, Master.

-The male who gets beaten by his wife.

'...Shut... huh?'

But...

The real surprise wasn't Leisha.

-Wooooong.

Every flame in the surrounding area was flowing toward Irene...

Who had delivered her own decisive strike against the Gnoll Lord.

She simply stood there motionless...

Absorbing every flame as though she'd realized something.

"Irene has advanced another step."

"She's become a Master."

"Ah."

"Yeah."

"I suppose it was about time."

Irene had stood only a single step away from Masterhood.

She'd been an elite Knight on the very threshold.

It seemed this battle had finally pushed her across the line.

"Now the problem is time."

Another Master in the territory was certainly wonderful news.

The problem...

Was our current situation.

When I became a Master...

It had taken me quite a while before I fully regained my senses.

We didn't have that kind of luxury while standing inside an inferno.

There wasn't much time left before the Fire Resistance Potions wore off.

"That's only because your realm advanced so suddenly."

"Really?"

"Irene had already finished preparing herself."

"So she'll wake up quickly."

Irene had spent an entire year standing on the threshold of Masterhood.

According to Leisha...

She wouldn't need much time to stabilize herself.

"...This feels strange."

"It should."

"You've become a Master."

"I see..."

"Hmm..."

"What is it?"

"I feel..."

"Like I really want to let something out."

"That's because you've absorbed too much fire."

"The timing couldn't be better."

"So go ahead."

"Release it all."

Just as Leisha predicted...

Irene quickly regained her senses.

Her first comment...

Was that she desperately wanted to unleash everything inside her.

Thinking about it...

It made perfect sense.

Even now...

She was continuously absorbing all the surrounding flames.

Rather than endlessly taking them in...

It would be healthier to release them properly.

"So the situation is..."

And now...

Was the perfect time for her to unleash those flames.