Divine Luck: SSS-Rank Battle Maid Harem

The rat king had been lenient enough to wait until Zach got back on his feet before attacking again, but that was all the grace he would give Zach before attacking again. He thrust at Zach's leg this time.

Zach stepped to the side, and when the rat king redirected his spear, Zach's sword came down to meet it.

It wasn't a perfect block. Far from it. Zach wasn't even sure if he could call it that since he had just struck the spear's shaft with his sword before the spear could hit his thigh, hoping he would be strong enough to block it.

Fortunately, Zach's strike and the barrier around in front of his thigh were enough together.

Zach didn't bother trying to shove away the spear and destabilize the rat king or make him lose his grip on his weapon. He let the rat king pull back his spear again without stopping him. He did, however, take a step forward. He had to make up for the distance he lost when getting knocked back, after all.

The rat king thrust again, but he was ready for Zach's block this time and intentionally swatted at the sword to knock it aside before jabbing Zach in the chest.

Two layers of barrier were enough to prevent the spear from touching Zach again.

But Zach could feel the accumulation of internal injuries he sustained from having his barriers broken. Unfortunately, he didn't have the leeway to tear them down himself before the rat king destroyed them. He needed every bit of defense he could use.

He had to stop wasting time and put into plan one of the only two ideas he had.

Since the rat king was strong but not an overwhelming unit of brute force, Zach was going to go for the first idea.

It was inspired by the dome that prevented the others from interfering in their duel and Zach from escaping, as well as the blow that had pushed Zach back with his barrier.

Just like the barriers moved when he moved, he would move if a barrier in close proximity to his body moved. That meant the opposite would be true as well.

If a barrier close to his body didn't move, neither would he.

He couldn't see much use for that when using it on himself.

But there was no need to only use barriers on himself or his allies.

He could use them on his enemies to separate them from their allies, as the rat king had done. That meant he could use them on his enemies for other purposes, too.

It would take a lot of mental strength and determination since he would lose if he failed, but Zach had to try. He wanted to try. It would make things a lot easier going forward.

Zach looked at the rat king like he was trying to stare him to death. He inched forward until the rat king was about to unleash another thrust.

'Now!'

Zach had to lock down the rat king when there was as little movement and force behind his movements as possible. That would be the moment he changed directions on his arms and spear from pulling back to lunging forward with a thrust.

That was when Zach had to put up a string of barriers around the rat king and freeze him and his limbs in place.

And that's exactly what Zach did.

The rat king stiffened and glanced down at its body in surprise.

With these barriers, Zach only cared about rigidity, stiffness, and durability. The rat king couldn't be allowed to break them, even if he was stronger than he appeared.

A total of ten yellow barriers the size of paper arks were spread out over the rat king's body, making it almost impossible for it to move.

Zach could feel his head and heart throb from the exertion and pressure. But he didn't let the barriers waver for even a second. Right now, it was a battle between the rat king's physical strength and his mental strength.

Zach stepped forward and raised his sword with both hands.

He could see the rat king desperately try to break free. Veins popped on his forehead, neck, chest, arms, and legs. He heard his barriers begin to creak and crack from the rat king's strength.

Zach let his sword fall diagonally onto the rat king's neck, cutting it halfway through, and it was not a moment too late as his barriers broke at the same time.

Blood rushed up Zach's throat and out of his mouth due to the backlash. Zach stumbled forward and spat the blood on the ground.

He realized he was steadying himself against the rat king and quickly looked up. He was face to face with the rat king, who slowly raised his hand.

Zach heard someone shout his name and then several loud thuds.

Zach met the rat king's clear eyes. They were different from the other monsters. They were intelligent.

The rat king grabbed the sword lodged in his neck and yanked it out, letting it drop to the floor.

The rat king stood still with his arms limp at his sides, the light in his eyes slowly fading. And when the light was completely gone, the clatter of his sword dropping to the ground rang out.

The dome around them came down.

The rat king had lost. Zach had won.

One victor. One loser.

One standing. One toppling to the floor.

'"Zach!"' Lexi and Nora cried out at the same time as Zach fell.

"Master!" Yanael also cried out as they all ran toward Zach. Lexi arrived first. She made it before Zach could hit his head on the floor.

She grabbed him and gently placed him on the floor. She ripped open his shirt and inspected the wound on his chest.

Lexi frowned. It was far too light and superficial to have made him collapse, but it was the only wound he had.

"What happened to him?!" Lexi shouted her question at Nora and Yanael, who had also arrived.

"He gets a backlash whenever his barriers break. His insides are in a mess right now." Yanael quickly answered Lexi's question.

"I-I'm *blegh* fine." Zach threw up another squirt of blood as he tried to tell them he wasn't dying.

The blood coming out of his mouth was not helping his case.

Lexi frowned and tilted his head to the side so he wouldn't choke on the blood. She then placed her hand on Zach's chest. Red light came from her palm for a few moments before she concentrated.

"Enhanced Recovery."