NOVEL NEXT Chapter 67
Grrrrr.
With the vibrations of the cube in the Level 2 Named Boss Room, Chris’s raid entered Area 3.
“Whoa, it’s creepy.”
Bae Merong wrapped her arms around herself and looked around.
The magic stones forming the walls of Area 3 emitted a bright red light. This lighting created a bizarre atmosphere throughout the dungeon.
“There are exactly four golems, so if we each take one, it shouldn’t be too hard.”
“At first, we wasted some time figuring out how to drop the barrier. I never expected that we’d have to use the counter to charge from the melee magic blade pattern. While we were charging magic from the minion golems, Deathy Death did a great job taking care of the Named Akan.”
At Chris’s words, Deathly Death shook his head.
“It wasn’t difficult at all. The boss’s patterns are very monotonous. After dropping the barrier, we only need to use party protection against the area-wide attack, so there weren’t any external patterns to really worry about.”
A gimmick where the barrier’s color changes on a timer.
After charging the boss with the magic of the golems, once we got close and started pummeling him, it would trigger a 10-second burst damage time. The damage time before the barrier regenerated was quite short, but since the boss’s HP was low, it wasn’t much of an issue.
Bzzzz.
When the party arrived at the first cube room in Area 3, red platform tiles rose from the ground. It was the puzzle gimmick they’ve encountered in Areas 1 and 2.
“Alright, is it my turn again?”
“They say even a worm can roll, but you really excel at puzzles.”
Cherni rolled up his sleeves and took the lead. Bae Merong giggled, watching Cherni solve the platform puzzle.
“…The Level 1 Named sleight of hand gimmick might have been visible to Rain. But the inevitable enrage pattern due to the absolute lack of damage… And for the Level 2 Named, could it really be structured for solo play?”
Lost in her thoughts, Chris mumbled, causing Deathly Death to glance over.
“Chris, you seem to be deep in thought today.”
“Huh? Oh. Deathy, what do you think?”
“What do you mean?”
“Think you could solo that Level 2 magic golem Akan?”
“What!?”
Deathly Death looked shocked. Then he crossed his arms, pondering.
“Well, since you’re the one asking, I’ll consider it… But fighting a boss with a tough pattern one-on-one is different from facing a monotonous boss with two or more simultaneously.”
“What’s the problem?”
“First of all, with multi-recognition, it’s hard to standardize one’s combat patterns. There are so many variables. For Named units that use ranged patterns, it gets even trickier. Projectile speed, timing for counters and blocks, timing for using invulnerability skills correctly—all of these can lead to thousands or even millions of variables if you mess up the distance even a little. It’s not something you’d learn just by trying repeatedly.”
“As for low HP minions or typical monsters, you can just deal with them before they hit you. You can take the minor attacks with your body. But for the Level 2 Named, the minion golems and the Named golem have the same HP. If you try to deal with the minions first, you’ll fall into the timed enrage pattern.”
The enrage pattern for the Level 2 Named is a continuous area-wide attack until the party is wiped out.
Unless Chris’s raid induced the close-pattern before discovering the charge gimmick, they had no choice but to confront the enrage pattern without breaking the barrier.
Deathly Death closed his eyes and began a battle simulation.
“Soloing the Level 2 Akan, huh. If I’m to attempt it, the biggest problem would indeed be the one minion golem I have to keep behind me. I can use the invulnerability skill with good timing, but this is a virtual reality game where visibility is restricted to the front. Can I use the invulnerability skill in time for attacks coming from behind without turning around?”
“If you’re going solo, you’ll have to face three minions along with the Named golem all at once. The magic attacks coming from behind would be the biggest issue.”
“If I try to turn around and block those, I won’t be able to see the patterns from the other three. If I get hit by the Named’s magic blade and the minions’ magic at the same time, there’s no way I’d avoid a re-quit.”
The conclusion Deathly Death reached was ‘impossible.’
While focusing on the minions for magic charging, I could just use counter skills facing forward, but eventually, to attack the boss after dropping the barrier, I’d have to move into the center of the triangle position.
I have to dodge area-wide attacks, maintain damage output without interruption until the barrier regenerates, and then smoothly transition back to charging position. Not to mention dealing with the minion patterns flying in between.
Is this really a battle method possible in solo play?
Chris shook her head in agreement.
“I really can’t see that working.”
Having passed through the last hallway, Chris’s party entered a wide boss room.
Unlike the cube-shaped rooms they’ve just been in, this was a massive circular combat area.
The magic stones carved into the walls of the boss room sparkled, alternating between the blue, green, and red lights of the areas they had passed through.
“So this is the final Named Boss Room.”
“Can we defeat Rain’s party this time?”
“It depends on us.”
Flashing a grin at her party members, Chris fixed her gaze on the center of the boss room.
The Level 1 and 2 Named had waited for the party in their respective boss rooms. However, there were no Named visible in the Level 3 Boss Room yet.
Then, as soon as all party members fully entered the boss room…
Baam! Baam!
A massive sword of light and a sword of darkness plunged into the ground. And from that spot, soon after, a radiant light and a heavy darkness energy erupted simultaneously.
Whoosh!
As the light and dark energies cleared, two entities revealed themselves.
Beings that appeared to be twice the size of an adult man, in human form, with two pairs of wings.
Their pure white and pitch-black wings radiated a hint of divinity.
Faces made of magic stone stared expressionlessly at the humans.
These were also ancient golems. They were merely crafted to resemble angels.
The ethereal white and pitch-black energies emanating from their bodies were also based on the magic of the magic stones.
But.
“My goodness.”
Chris couldn’t help but gasp at the Named status that appeared before her eyes.
Such a thing had never been seen until now.
The first time users encountered a boss structure.
It was, in fact, two separate Named entities.
[Level 3 Named]
[Level 45 Ancient Golem Archangel Dominion]
[HP 10,000,000/10,000,000]
[Level 3 Named]
[Level 45 Ancient Golem Fallen Angel Valiel]
[HP 10,000,000/10,000,000]
Flash, Boom!
While not as good as a swordsman or fighter, Onmyoji’s close combat response skills were pretty excellent.
Chris spread the large talisman forward to block ‘Archangel Dominion’s’ light blade, creating distance from the impact.
The Archangel raised his hand towards the air. Chris quickly began running to the left.
Bang, Bang, Bang!
As Chris passed by, small swords of light generated from the air plunged down. This was a ranged pattern similar to ‘Zarkan,’ the Level 3 Named from the forward base. If she kept moving, she might avoid being hit by the small swords as long as she kept her momentum.
Among the Archangel’s close-patterns, there was a pattern that laid a light floor around and halted the action. That was when she could deal maximum damage from a distance before again closing in to view the melee sword-swinging pattern, then reset by inducing back into the ranged pattern.
‘Archangel Dominion’ possessed patterns that were favorable to ranged classes for dealing damage.
The veteran Chris raid quickly established a response against the general patterns.
Chris tanked ‘Archangel Dominion,’ while Deathly Death took care of ‘Fallen Angel Valiel.’
Chris quickly glanced over each Named’s HP.
[Level 3 Named]
[Level 45 Ancient Golem Archangel Dominion]
[HP 8,800,547/10,000,000]
[Level 3 Named]
[Level 45 Ancient Golem Fallen Angel Valiel]
[HP 9,650,419/10,000,000]
“The Archangel’s HP is dropping much faster! Bae Merong, focus a bit more damage on the Fallen Angel!”
“Got it!”
Bae Merong, who had been dealing damage to the Archangel, turned her attention towards the Fallen Angel.
Whoosh, Whoosh!
Fallen Angel Valiel had no ranged attack patterns. If the tank were to fall too far behind, it would charge in with a swift attack wielding the dark sword.
“Oof! The Fallen Angel’s patterns are quick and strong! It’s better if everyone keeps some distance!”
Deathly Death was far behind, barely blocking the Fallen Angel’s attacks. Compared to the more approachable Archangel, the Fallen Angel had tricky patterns for the damage dealers to attack.
The dark blade patterns swinging from side to side had an extensive range, along with aftershocks. Any ranged dealer that thought they could approach carelessly would risk getting torn apart in an instant.
Now familiar with the Archangel’s general patterns, Chris could finally strategize.
If they could take down one of the angel golems first, the other would be relatively easy to handle afterward.
But, was that the correct strategy?
There was no telling what a lone Named might do.
However, asking if they could manage to take them down simultaneously while managing the ten million HP was also looking unlikely.
“For now, let’s proceed like this until the special pattern! Uh, wait already!?”
Bzzzz.
Light energy began to gather on the Archangel’s body. A prelude to the area-wide attack.
The HP wasn’t low enough for a special pattern to trigger yet. So this must be a timed special pattern.
“Bae Merong, Ice Prison!”
Flash!
Instantly, the party members’ bodies froze, and a powerful flash swept across the entire boss room.
In the moment after the area-wide attack passed, the Archangel performed a peculiarity.
Swish.
The Archangel looked in the direction of Deathly Death and raised his hand.
Chris shouted urgently, “Deathly! The Archangel is targeting you!”
Flash!
Before Chris could finish her sentence, a giant light sword descended onto Deathly Death’s head.
Bang!
With sharp eyes focused on the Archangel, Deathly Death instantly used backward evasion. His body slipped out of the range where the light sword struck.
Deathly Death seemed unfazed, raising his dark sword and countering the rapidly charging pattern of the Fallen Angel, “What did you say?”
“Ah, no, good job! Hehe.”
Chris smirked and began to focus on countering the Archangel’s pattern.
But she missed the fact that the huge light sword stuck into the ground targeting Deathly Death was not disappearing immediately and was glowing faintly.
The second timed special pattern approached.
This time, immediately after the Fallen Angel’s area-wide attack, a giant dark sword aimed at Chris fell from the air.
Bang!
Since she had already seen that pattern once, Chris was prepared for it. She expertly dodged the Fallen Angel’s sword.
However, after the second sword hit the ground, Chris sensed something strange.
“Deathly, the sword that got stuck over there… has it disappeared?”
“The light sword has created a land of light! The range is quite wide!”
Deathly Death’s combat area had shrunk. He was struggling harder against the Fallen Angel’s attacks than before.
“This… this isn’t good.”
The dark sword stuck around Chris was also gradually creating a field of darkness.
As the patterns progressed, the combat area was becoming narrower. The bosses’ HP was still far from being cleared.
Bang, Bang!
The third timed special pattern brought down two light swords onto Deathly Death again.
Deathly Death executed backward evasion to attempt to overlap the already placed light field.
However, since the cooldown for the second blade’s attack hadn’t reset yet, he couldn’t lay them on top of each other. Consequently, a field was generated around the Fallen Angel.
“Ugh, ugh! The combat area has become too small! Ahh!”
“Ugh!”
Bae Merong, stumbling between the light and darkness fields, was cut down by the Fallen Angel’s dark blade. Cherni dodging the dark blade, ended up touching the light field and was eliminated.
With only Chris and Deathly Death remaining, they struggled to fight on, but it was a losing battle.
Eventually, the boss room was completely covered with light and dark fields up to the fourth special phase, making it impossible to continue the strategy.