Reincarnated in the game world ~ A gamer's beginning to [Dungeon job hunting recommendation]-Chapter 657Vol. 11 - - Trailblazing Vanguard

The Crusader boy seemed to be acting as healer's guard. With limited healers on their side, they knew they couldn't afford any mishap. Knights were known for their lack of ranged offense methods, so it was a solid move—...Wait, was it a solid move? I wasn't so sure now.

Anyway, we ignored the Crusader, who was just a fancy shield at this point, and targeted the rest of the members behind him. ...You know what, I think they really did fumble on that move.

"Rika, lead the vanguard!"

"Leave it to me!"

——«Trailblazing Vanguard Princess Marshal»

Rika's new job, and much to its name, it specialised in cleaving the path open as the vanguard. The job also offered a passive skill of the same name, and when activated, it enhanced every stat by a multiplier of 1.2 times.

Vanguard was the first spear, and in a way, also the first shield in a group battle. An important position. Vanguard's fall could also break the entire team, so it was important to choose someone proficient in it. Hence, tanks were often chosen to lead them.

But what if there was an unyielding attacker of the same attribute? One not only formidable in defense, but boasted even strength to topple the opponent's vanguard? As long as the vanguard could hold their ground, half of the war was as good as won already.

Rika's advanced job was precisely that. She stepped forward, facing a knight with a big shield, and a broadsword on one hand. It was typically impossible to equip a broadsword on one hand. The opponent must be—

"A «Templar Knight»."

Aegis whispered by my side.

The opponent's vanguard was «Crusader», but since we ignored him, the real heavyweight now stepped up. Templar Knight offered strong physical attacks, while also boasting well-balanced stats.

«Fallen Knight» and «Paladin» stood in their position behind him. Renandal-senpai was seen at the tail end of their formation. ...Were they planning to charge as soon as they stopped «Templar Knight»? Then again, there was a doubt if «Templar Knight» could even stop «Trailblazing Vanguard Princess Marshal».

"Prepare yourself! Cutting through my way—«Twin Slash - Crimson Flames Sword Bloom»!"

Rika opened the curtain on the battle by invoking her skill, an area wide skill that played out in a straight line. It was a 4th order skill, allowing her to finally have means of ranged attack.

Two giant swords materialised in the air, each wrapped in crimson flames, and swung downward as if to cleave to the ground itself. It must have been an incredulous sight from the receiver's end, to face two giant swords, each ten metres in length, burning in fire.

This skill targeted not only the tank, but the entire group. A perfect skill to break open opponents' vanguard, and that was what Rika had in mind.

"«Temple Guard»! Haa!!"

However, the «Templar Knight» held his great shield up from the horse, manifesting a huge invisible shield, and received that attack. It was hard to say if it was the difference in their experience, regardless the Templar Knight tanked Rika's attack without breaking into sweat.

Since Rika's attack was mid-range physical attack, it eludes the absorption effect of Crusader's skill, though as evident, stopping its track also resulted in preventing the entire group from being attacked. Unfortunately, Rika's attack ended up in vain.

But beyond that, it didn't hurt the strategy in any way. It would've been nice if it could do some damage, but since it didn't, Rika closed the distance in the meantime, reaching at sword length.

"You! «Overbeating Strike»!"

The Templar Crusader promptly noticed it, and intercepted Rika with her own move, alas that was a fumble from his end.

"«Parry»!"

"Tch!"

Rika deflected the skill with her defensive skill, easily pushing away the broadsword. It didn't do anything more, but since the objective was to prevent «Templar Knight» from adjusting his grip on the shield, it was enough.

The«Templar Knight»'s guard was extremely tough, armed with a Great Shield and heavy armor. Even the horse was equipped with armoured equipment. The «Templar Knight» invoked his defensive skill, but Rika had already anticipated it.

"«Human-Horse Solidarity»!"

"«One Slash - Break Guard»!"

Rika's skill carried a disruptive momentum when her opponent activated defensive skill, and broke his defense.

By synchronising timing, launching «One Slash - Break Guard» precisely while the opponent's skill was in the activation phase disrupted its rhythm, causing it to fumble. A successful break guard also added a knockback effect.

Well, this trick was effective only at close range, and the move must be made immediately after the opponent had invoked defensive skill but vice-versa, the pay-off was incredible.

Rika was trying to bait her opponent into using defensive skill all along, and it went just as she had planned. The knockback effect wasn't that much, but even a step back was enough to exploit the opportunity.

"«Sword Draw - Flash»!"

"!!"

Rika didn't let the opportunity go to waste, and immediately pursued her opponent with a slash faster than eyes could follow. As soon as the attack made contact, plus with knockback effect, «Templar Knight» was pushed into Downed state. The latter's face wore a gobsmacked expression, as if he had still been trying to process what happened.

It was a perfect execution. I did guide her in it.

The Break Guard skill was a one complete action from slashing to sheathing at the end. if she had activated the follow-up skill only after drawing the sword again, then that would've given the opponent a brief window to recover from knockback, rendering the effort moot.

It was important which skill she had chosen at that moment.

The «Sword Draw - Flash» was a quick sword draw style of technique, incorporating the action of unsheathing and slashing at an incredible speed. It was fast, in the realm that even if the opponent had seen her activating her skill, Rika's sword would've already been at later's throat.

Of course, the downside was the need to re-sheath it again, opening a window of counter. But that was all within calculation. Beside, it might be an offensive skill however it was rarely ever used just for simple attack. One of the main purposes was in itself to exploit this brief window, to be used in combo alongside Break Guard.

It was also on Rika to time both of the skills in perfect execution, and she achieved it brilliantly.

"Wha—!"

"This is the end! «Twin Sword - Frost Crescent Slash»!"

Unfortunately for her opponent, the Downed condition was just the prelude for Rika to unleash her true offensive.

After executive Flash, Rika invoked an area wide attack in fan shape. She held her two swords together, and manifested a giant blade of ice. She swung her sword into a sweeping gesture.

Healer was too far, but the length of icy swords were enough to reach Renandal-senpai. The attack engulfed not only «Templar Knight», but even the whole group.

—Cleaving the vanguard. It was the reason why her job was named so.

"«Holy Shiii—gaahhh!?"

It was a critical hit against the «Paladin» boy. He had attempted to use defensive skill, but Rika's offense proved too fast for him. He could've achieved it if he had foreseen this, but this was why Rika went full combo from single target to area wide sweep at once.

Meanwhile, «Templar Knight» was too shocked to take any action.

"Grrrrrhhh!"

«Templar Knight» was too shocked to take any action, and that left Renandal-senpai. Unfortunately, he showed why he was their guildmaster.

"«Spear Swipe»! Haaaa!"

Renandal used a spear technique, and deflected the incoming icy sword with an upward swing.

"Continue!"

"Bloody Slasher!"

"We can't let them keep up with their ranged attacks over and again. —«Defense»!"

The Fallen Knight immediately delivered a blood red slash our way, but it stopped by my defense skill.

"Recovery!"

"«Holy Recover»!"

"«Area Heal»!"

Renandal-senpai hurriedly reigned in the situation, and delivered instruction. Their healer invoked healing skills on «Templar Knight» and «Paladin».

I knew it. We needed to snipe their healer first. But it's enough! Rika had already cleaved an opening on the opponent's vanguard, so it was our turn to take the stage. First objective, bring down that healer!

"I am stepping up!"

"I am taking over from here!"

Renandal-senpai and my voice overlapped. Renandal-senpai also stepped forward to shoulder vanguard when Rika and I pushed forward.

Riding atop the white armoured horse, the spear in Renandal-senpai gave off a glow. It was the omen of skill activation surprisingly, even though there was still quite a distance between us—no, wait a minute!

"!! Rika, in complete defense now!"

I recognised that skill action. Well, technically I saw it in game, but I vividly recall that skill gesture. It was the fifth order skill of «Peerless Knight».

"«Thousand Spear Charge»!"

It was as if tens—no, hundreds of thousands of spears had suddenly materialised as they swoop into our direction like raging wind.

T/N - Well damn, I thought the chapter was updated. I guess site kinda messed up yesterday.