NOVEL NEXT Chapter 34
“Wow! Really? If you have a body like that in real life, you must work out hard all the time. Ugh, Bae Merong really needs to exercise too.”
“Hahaha, what’s the lady going to do with those muscles! I just did a bit of weight lifting when I had nothing else to do.”
I was cautiously advancing with Chris, taking care of the guards around the shortcut, while Bae Merong was endlessly chatting with the bus customers behind us.
“Oh, yes. You can come this way. Then you’ll need accessories with high damage reduction options, right?”
“Well, if I want to hunt the dogs of the Betarion Empire, I need to toughen up more. If I take the bus at the start of the Elite Dungeon and quickly gear up, I can chop everyone up with my axe even if they swarm me.”
The first bus customer was a Dwarf Warrior. The customer was just a little taller than Bae Merong.
While they could have customized a young face, users who chose the Dwarf race often didn’t bother with character customization.
Dwarf warriors, being born fighters, had high strength and HP stats at the cost of agility.
Dwarf warriors with control skills typically showcased their power in PVP. They were a race often seen while secretly watching the battles between factions in the Rozelia Forest.
Usually, tall people in real life played as tall human warriors, but short folks often went for Dwarves to take advantage of the higher HP stat.
I couldn’t help but feel the wall while listening to Bae Merong’s rapid-fire customer engagement rap.
Wow, you have to match the customers’ moods if you want to be a bus driver?
Noticing my disgusted expression, Chris, who was following along, giggled.
“You don’t have to go that far. If the customers are happy, they might take multiple rounds and become regulars. Bae Merong is good at being friendly, after all.”
“It’s a tough business….”
Fortunately, thanks to Bae Merong sticking close to the customer and chattering away, the heat didn’t come down on me.
Paving the way for the customer, we arrived at the Level 1 Named Enemy. There, Bae Merong delivered some important notes to the customer.
“After we defeat the first Named Enemy, you can give the bus fare, and if you want to watch, there’s a space between the tents, right? You can see from there.”
The Dwarf Warrior customer grinned and settled down in the space between the tents.
Leaving the cheerful Dwarf Warrior behind, the three bus drivers exchanged simple tactics in front of the Named battle area.
“I’ll take care of two elite soldiers with Bae Merong. Rain, you just focus on the Named. Once we handle all the elite soldiers, we’ll join in.”
“Okay.”
“The special phase will be handled by using Ice Prison skill for the first hit. For follow-ups, evade individually. Got it? By the way, did you use two party protection skills in Rain’s party?”
Ice Prison?
Hearing a skill name I had never heard before made me tilt my head.
Since I didn’t play in a party, I wasn’t familiar with other classes’ skills. I’d only seen glimpses of other classes hunting in the field or secretly watched meaty users’ group fights in Rozelia Forest’s PVP faction battlegrounds.
Anyway, it meant that the first area-wide attack wouldn’t need to be evaded as it would be blocked by a wizard’s skill.
So, we could leave one elite soldier alive and it would be fine.
I nodded up at Chris.
“I’ll give it a try.”
“I think you won’t have a problem, Rain.”
For some reason, Chris was sending me boundless trust.
[Level 33 Forward Base Vice-Captain Craksas]
[HP 2,050,410/3,000,000]
Boom!
“Alright! Here too, taken care of!”
“Bae Merong just took down two as well! Uh, wait? What’s the boss’s HP?”
I didn’t realize it would be this convenient not having to deal with the elite soldiers alongside the boss!
Excitedly, I unleashed my Starlight Slashes, chipping away at the boss’s HP.
“Rain! Damage cut! Cut! We’re heading into the special phase soon!”
“Oh, okay!”
I withdrew my sword and kept a slight distance from the boss.
“Grrr, filthy pests!”
As Bae Merong and Chris finished preparing for the special phase and reduced Craksas’s HP to below 2/3, he immediately entered the special phase.
Wuuuuuoom.
Craksas floated into the air, and potent magic began gathering in his hands.
Boom!
It soon shot out over our party’s heads.
“Now!”
Rattle, my body froze.
Boom!
“Oh.”
So this is the ‘Ice Prison’ skill.
Thanks to the party protection that Bae Merong cast, I was able to block the first attack without using an invincibility skill.
Party play, it feels easier than I expected.
The subsequent attack that came flying could not deal any damage as all three of us used Backward Evasion.
Chris and Bae Merong immediately focused on the four newly spawned elite soldiers. I faced down the grounded Craksas.
“Graaaah!”
After overcoming the second phase using the same method, it wasn’t long before Craksas fell, leaving behind an item box.
“Alright, Level 1 Named clear!”
“Mm.”
Chris was looking at me with a peculiar gaze.
But just for a moment, she soon approached me, beaming and extended her palm towards me.
“Rain, you did well.”
Tap.
I hesitantly connected my palm with Chris’s.
[Level 33 Supply Station Galroban]
[HP 149,366/2,610,000]
Bam bam bam!
Galroban’s rapid-fire pattern could now be blocked with just one final hit.
The minor attacks from Galroban did little to my character, who had finished farming at the forward base.
Even when the dagger lightly grazed my body, it only caused mild discomfort that could be healed through the Ecosstone’s leech damage. There was no need to be scared or block it saying it hurt.
“I parked the orb this time! But it looks like it will end soon!”
“Yeah, I’ll push through with the damage!”
Boom! Bam!
“Graah!”
With Galroban depleted of all HP, he sprawled out on the kitchen floor.
“Oh ho, damage reduction 12%! Is this full option?”
“Wow, congratulations, customer! The damage reduction of 12% is indeed full option!”
“Haha! I got the one thing I wanted!”
The customer, gleefully checking the newly acquired item, looked at Bae Merong who was happily celebrating beside him. I playfully struck a few Starlight Slashes into the air.
Indeed, without executing tactics and just focusing on damage, the damage output of the warrior was at a significant level.
However, there was one condition.
[Block (A)]
– Blocks attacks within a 180-degree forward angle.
– (A-rank) Successfully blocking within 0.2 seconds of skill use earns a ‘Vitality’ buff increasing all damage for 10 seconds.
The ‘Vitality’ buff from successfully achieving a Just Guard within 0.2 seconds of blocking. That’s the key.
If I can consistently maintain this Vitality buff, my warrior’s damage will soar to the skies.
The structure relies on continuously responding to attacks to increase damage output. It’s a character made for supreme tanking.
“Hmm!”
[Level 33 Forward Base Captain Zarkan]
[HP 3,180,607/3,300,000]
“Ha! You really know how to run away, don’t you?”
Bam! Bam! Bam!
“Oh.”
I was watching from a distance as Zarkan, the ranger, tanked.
Zarkan did not approach distant targets immediately but instead shot out massive magic guns. Chris skillfully stayed just out of reach of those explosions, continuously tossing charms.
Bam bam bam!
After finishing the four-hit pattern of the massive magic gun, Zarkan unleashed scattered minor magic bullets towards Chris.
Chris dodged out of the magic bullet’s splash radius and approached Zarkan. She was trying to lure him into an aerial magic bullet rain pattern.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Once Chris approached, Zarkan leapt into the air, raining magic bullets down on her.
Ta-tat!
Chris immediately used Backward Evasion to create distance, landing farthest from Zarkan’s anticipated landing spot.
Bam! Bam! Bam!
Zarkan resumed his four-hit massive magic gun pattern.
“This is the ranger tanking Zarkan.”
With her red hair flowing and a smiling face, Chris was continually throwing charms.
Even from a distance, I could see her long eyelashes.
Slightly bluish eyes. Did she customize them?
Her face, a harmonious blend of Eastern and Western beauty, was enough to make anyone fall for it.
As she moved, the flash of skin peeked through her waist-revealing outfit.
I stared at her in a daze.
As expected, when a pretty person does something, no matter what, it creates a picture.
“Alright! I think we’ve built up enough aggro now, so Bae Merong and Rain can start dealing damage too!”
“Yes!”
“Okay, okay!”
I hastily drew my sword.
This is the tactic of a ranged tank’s early invasion. It’s the process of building up enough damage first so that aggro doesn’t spike.
One downside is, in that four-hit pattern with the massive magic gun, I couldn’t procure the Vitality buff through ‘Block.’ If the warrior didn’t tank, the Vitality buff would drop, and satisfactory damage wouldn’t come out.
As I was launching Starlight Slashes at Zarkan’s body, distracted by Chris, I felt there had to be a way to increase my damage output.
Bam bam bam!
After the big magic gun’s four hits, a flood of smaller magic bullets would come next. I thought I could probably block this.
Clang!
“Oh.”
The Just Guard trigger of successfully blocking within 0.2 seconds activated, and a glow from the Vitality buff enveloped my body.
As expected, I could use this pattern.
I joyfully unleashed Starlight Slashes, laced with the Vitality buff every 10 seconds. And before long, Zarkan’s gaze, previously glued to Chris, shifted toward me.
“Grrr! Annoying little pest!”
“!?”
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Suddenly, Zarkan jumped and bombarded my head with his massive magic bullets. I quickly used Backward Evasion. The aggro target had switched to me.
Chris urgently called out to me.
“Rain! Take it easy on the damage!”
“Ah, yes!”
I withdrew my Sword Drawing technique and focused on responding to the patterns. A few seconds later, Zarkan resumed hurling massive magic bullets at Chris.
Wow, that surprised me.
Party play requires more attention than I expected.
“Hahaha! You’re all moving so fast!”
“You’re too kind! Did you get a lot of the items you wanted?”
“I managed to snag one ring with full options, but I’ll need to gather more coins, so can I use you again next time? As a PVP user, diving into dungeons isn’t really my style.”
“You’re always welcome! Thanks for today!”
The Dwarf Warrior customer had used the bus about ten times. With a satisfied smile from the quick and comfortable transport, the customer waved goodbye to Bae Merong as he exited the dungeon.
“Wow…!”
I checked the gold I received and smiled brightly.
The Zarkan bus was an excellent farming method for wealthy PVP bosses, and for an average guy like me, it was a godsend for earning money.
Way better income than selling weapons that had lost their usefulness. The bus seemed poised to be a consistent gold income source, even if it wasn’t at the absolute beginning of dungeon openings.
What if I did solo farming on the first day and then ran the bus a few days later?
Chris, who had come closer, saw my expression and began to giggle.
“So? How’s the bus income? I’m not desperate for gold, but I’m considering running the bus occasionally to help out our juniors.”
I barely calmed down my bouncy body and looked up at Chris.
Chris seemed a bit hesitant, fiddling with her hands.
Gently.
I grasped her lost-in-thought hand.
“Uh-heh!? Uh-heh!”
Chris’s beautiful face turned silly, and she let out an odd sound.
I conveyed my intentions clearly to Chris.
“Um, can I join you sometimes when there are leftover seats?”
If money is coming in so well. Just sometimes, sometimes might be okay.
I think it would be fine if I was with Sister Chris.
*
Today’s Zarkan bus operation had ended.
Rain waved goodbye to Chris, who smiled brightly, and soon vanished into the Rocky Mountain area.
Chris, grinning broadly, waved farewell to Rain.
“Sister, your expression has been quite…”
“Rain’s hands are so soft… Grrr! This synchronization rate! Ah…! I wonder what it feels like to touch him in reality…?”
Bae Merong discreetly distanced herself from the love-struck Chris.
“You know that minors are off-limits…?”
“Cough, cough. What are you talking about? It’s nothing like that!”
Chris coughed, scolding Bae Merong before her expression hardened.
“What did you notice?”
“I think Rain is going to gain so many fans if you upload a video of him doing dungeons! He’s like a living painting!”
“Pretty and cute… It’s no joke, right? But, that aside!”
“The damage output is insane! Higher than a wizard free damaging. Usually, tanks are too busy responding to patterns, so the damage dealers have to adjust their damage, right? If that’s the true damage output of a warrior, the damage dealer tier list is in for a shake-up.”
“While we were handling the elite soldiers in that Level 1 Named fight, he alone managed to chip the Named’s HP down to just before the special phase.”
“In the Level 3 Named fight, even though you hit it a minute earlier, the aggro bounced to him.”
“The evasion judgment doesn’t even trigger. With the small character customization, his agility is likely high, but I haven’t seen the boss miss an attack from Rain. Even rangers with agility build occasionally see evasion judgments.”
“The pattern response and multi-response capabilities are beyond imagination. Did you see how he handled two Chimeras while dealing damage to Zarkan? I barely managed because you were just observing, or else I would’ve shaken my shoulders and asked how he managed to do it.”
“In all ten rounds, I’ve seen him make a single mistake.”
“We have to compete with someone like that? Ugh, I’m not confident, Bae Merong.”
“This is the skill of ‘No Name’ party’s warrior, Rain.”
Rain, the girl warrior of the back.
Behind her cute appearance lay an incredible skill that was concealed.