Chapter 85 – The Gulliver Brothers!
As Shin Akira stared at the four figures standing before him, a faint smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. His expression was a mix of amusement and curiosity.
These were the Four Warriors of Burning Gold—elite members of the Freya Familia. Their ranks were comparable to the twin sisters Tione and Tiona from the Loki Familia.
Each of them was a Level 5 adventurer. But with their synchronized teamwork honed over countless battles, they had the ability to challenge—and even defeat—adventurers at Level 6.
What made them even more dangerous was their unwavering devotion to Freya. Their fanatic loyalty wasn't inferior to Ottar's—perhaps, in some ways, even more extreme. To them, anyone who caught the goddess's eye was a threat that had to be eliminated.
Even in the original story, they made it clear—they disliked Bell. Though they obeyed Freya's order to destroy the Ishtar Familia, they refused to help Bell, driven by jealousy over their goddess's attention toward him.
"Akira-nii… Who are they?"
Bell's voice trembled slightly. From the moment those four men appeared, he could sense it—they hadn't come in peace.
"They're here for me, Bell. Step back."
"But—"
"Fall back."
"…Okay."
Faced with Akira's firm, commanding tone, Bell could only bite his lip and step aside.
Frustration brewed in his chest. Why was he so weak? Why couldn't he do anything when the person he admired like an older brother was in danger?
"Did Freya send you? Or are you acting on your own?"
"This is our decision. The goddess has nothing to do with it."
The eldest of the four answered coldly, his eyes brimming with hatred and rejection as they locked onto Akira.
Meanwhile, his three brothers silently moved into position, surrounding Akira from the remaining three directions. They formed a perfect four-point pincer formation—cutting off any escape.
Akira observed them calmly, the corner of his mouth curling into a relaxed smile. There wasn't even a hint of worry on his face.
"The last time Freya tried to detain me, Ottar nearly lost his life. So, what now? Are you here to avenge him? Or do you think I only won by sheer luck?"
"Enough talking! Ottar told us everything. Your strength comes from a magical artifact. You're weak without it."
"I see… So that's what you're betting on. Too bad. If this had happened half a month ago, you might've been right. But now—"
"Don't waste time! Attack!"
At the eldest brother's shout, the four moved in perfect unison.
From every direction, deadly weapons closed in: a massive sword, a heavy warhammer, a giant axe, and a long spear.
"Akira-nii! Watch out!"
Bell shouted in panic, but there was nothing else he could do.
Yet, Akira remained composed. His eyes tracked every incoming strike without flinching.
In a flash, the shadow beneath Akira's feet spread wide—like ink spilling across the ground—swallowing the floor beneath him.
From four directions, heavy impacts rang out.
Four towering figures, forged from pure darkness, erupted from the shadows—each one blocking a different weapon.
"What the hell are those?!"
The eldest brother growled in surprise at the sudden appearance of the enormous shadow guardians.
But he didn't hesitate. With a powerful swing, he cleaved through the shadow giant, dispersing it into a swirl of black mist.
The other three did the same. Within seconds, the four shadow constructs had been completely destroyed.
Akira watched without disappointment. He knew their individual power wasn't particularly strong.
They weren't summoned to win—they were summoned to stall. And they had served that purpose perfectly.
"So that's the shadow creature Ottar mentioned? Pathetic. No matter how many you summon, they're still just bugs waiting to be squashed."
"Oh? Even if I summon more, you still think they're meaningless?"
Akira's smile deepened. The four brothers suddenly felt something ominous creep into their hearts.
The shadows around the floor began to stir, writhing like living creatures.
Dozens of Shadowkhan warriors began rising—one after another.
Ten… twenty… thirty… until they filled most of the seventh floor of the Dungeon.
Though the floor was spacious, even it had limits. And given the size of these towering warriors, there was only so much room.
In mere moments, the entire tide of battle had reversed.
Akira was no longer the one surrounded.
The Gulliver Brothers were now the ones trapped—encircled by an army of Shadowkhan.
"So this is the strategy Ottar spoke of? You summon these creatures to buy time while your own power builds. Clever."
"No... that was the strategy I used against Ottar. This time, it's different. I'm not even using the artifact anymore."
"…Are you saying we're not even worth as much as Ottar?"
Akira's words lit a fuse in all four of them.
Like many of Freya's chosen, the Gulliver Brothers were prideful. Chosen by the goddess herself, they carried immense arrogance. Even though they were still Level 5s, they never saw Ottar—a Level 7—as superior.
"Yup~ If that's how you want to take it, be my guest."
Akira shrugged nonchalantly, then nodded as if affirming something deeply thought-out.
"You bastard!"
"You smug freak!"
"I'll tear you apart!"
"You're dead meat!"
Their rage exploded.
All four charged straight into the mass of Shadowkhan, cutting down the warriors one after another with brutal precision.
But every time a shadow fell, another rose to take its place. No matter how many they defeated, they couldn't push forward.
Suddenly, a strange sound echoed—a rapid, slithering scrape.
While the brothers were occupied, Akira had begun his second phase of summoning.
A new type of creature appeared—Leech Khan—perched on the broad shoulders of the Sumo Khan warriors.
Two of them stood on each Sumo Khan, each wielding weapons and preparing to throw.
Though Akira hadn't yet mastered a shadow-based version of the Gate of Babylon, this tactic worked just as well.
The Leech Khan launched weapons from every direction.
Spears. Swords. Staves. Daggers. Arrows.
A full arsenal rained down.
Now, the Gulliver Brothers weren't just dodging the Sumo Khans' fists—they were under attack from the sky, from every angle.
"There's no end to them! We'll be wiped out if this keeps up!"
"Then what do we do!?"
"Go for Grer! These things are all his summons. If he dies, they vanish!"
"Good idea. Grer, go!"
"On it!"
With their years of combat experience together, the four brothers quickly moved into their next plan without hesitation.
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