What I summoned was a low-level slime. It seems that synthesized monsters can be quite useful in situations like this.
Slithering along the ground, the slime met its end the moment it stepped onto the trap, crushed by falling rocks before vanishing into thin air. The trap was successfully disarmed.
“Alright, we can move forward now.”
“With three of us, there are various ways to disarm traps,” Sei-nee remarked, her tone impressed.
Miu ran along the wall, Sei-nee destroyed the trap, and I triggered it—each of us had our own method of disarming. However, I couldn’t shake the feeling that those with a natural sense for trap disarming were still superior as we continued to expand our search area.
Then, we found what we were looking for.
“—That’s the [Lazou Phantom Knight].”
“—Is that a fireball?”
“Yes, attacking that will cause it to appear, but the type that emerges is random among four possibilities.”
“Attacking it, huh? You mentioned there are four types, but what are they?”
“There are warriors wielding swords, axes, spears, and staves. However, as I said, the emergence is random, so it’s possible to get duplicate parts of the key. We’ll just have to be patient.”
“Random, huh…”
“What’s wrong, Yun-chan?”
“No, it’s just a question—or rather, curiosity. I thought of a way to investigate whether it’s truly random or not.”
I had sold the Search Orb and didn’t have it on hand. There was no way to examine what that fireball was right here and now.
If only I had the Search Orb, I would regret selling it after coming this far. But I couldn’t think of any other means to investigate.
Miu tugged at the hem of my clothes, looking up at me. “I have a Search Orb in my inventory. I didn’t use it, so it’s just sitting there. Want to borrow it?”
I was slightly taken aback by Miu’s tilted head and her upturned gaze.
—”Is it really okay? That’s your share, isn’t it?”
“It’s an item we got because you were here, Yun-nee. Besides, I told you before, I intended to give it to you.”
“Thank you. I’ll make good use of it.”
I accepted the crystal orb from Miu. Seeing me do something, Sei-nee entrusted me with the task.
I used the Search Orb Miu had given me to satisfy my personal curiosity.
“Alright, Search Orb. Reveal the true nature of that fireball.”
The crystal orb I held emitted particles of light, swirling around the fireball before fading away. Then, information about the fireball appeared in our menu.
“Is that all? It’s not truly random, then.”
“It’s a B-type. There are three others: sword, spear, and staff types. But if we can identify them this way, it might help us determine the types of other random MOBs.”
We discovered that the Phantom Knights born from the fireball had no randomness and could be identified beforehand. However, I couldn’t help but feel a bit indifferent about this newfound knowledge. Sensing my expression, Sei-nee offered reassurance.
“Don’t worry, Yun-chan. There must be other situations where this little trick can be useful. The Phantom Knight is new to us, so it’s a bit inefficient right now.”
“With this kind of thing, it’s all about trial and error! You’ll be fine, Yun-nee! The Phantom Knight is just a stepping stone!”
As I exchanged words with Sei, Miu and Sei-nee casually dismissed the Phantom Knight as if it were nothing. I felt that dragging out the battle would be pointless, so I took the initiative and shot an arrow at the fireball.
As the arrow struck, dark particles coalesced around the fireball, transforming into a figure clad in metal armor. I stood my ground, eager to test how much my strength could affect the Phantom Knight, and unleashed my arrow at the first opportunity.
The arrow was deflected by the dark mass.
“Tch! Not yet!”
I shouted, continuing to confuse the enemy as I moved diagonally backward to create some distance. Instead of simply retreating, I aimed to extend the distance slightly by moving diagonally. I wasn’t sure if this tactic would work against this opponent, but when facing someone I couldn’t take down in one hit, I would buy time and attack with numbers.
The Phantom Knight advanced toward me, occasionally swatting away arrows that flew at it with its thick bow. However, unlike players, its humanoid movements were clumsy and lacked fluidity, leaving openings for me to exploit. I managed to land two arrows on its armor, but it still wasn’t enough to bring it down.
As the Phantom Knight closed in, ignoring my dwindling HP, I retreated, glancing at Miu, who looked ready to jump in at any moment, while Sei-nee prepared her magic, ready to intervene.
Then I found myself cornered against the wall, with no escape.
Seeing the Phantom Knight wind up for a strike aimed at my head, I shouted, “Now!”
I dove to the side, evading the overhead attack. At the same time, I targeted the Phantom Knight’s feet and unleashed a spell.
A level 0 action interference spell of the Dark Attribute, “Mud Pool.”
The Phantom Knight, having lunged forward with a powerful strike, found its feet ensnared in the mud that had formed beneath it, unable to escape.
It struggled, lifting its legs in an attempt to free itself from the muck, but its movements were awkward and erratic, reminiscent of a crazed marionette.
“Now it’s a one-sided game!”
I took advantage of the situation, shooting arrows into the back of the Phantom Knight. Each time it tried to regain its footing, I unleashed a knockback-inducing bow technique, turning it into a pincushion.
As I accumulated small amounts of damage, I finally brought the Phantom Knight down.
“Yun-nee, I can’t believe you trapped it like that! When did you become so ruthless?”
“Who’s being ruthless?”
I protested Miu’s words, knowing she was joking. To win solo against an enemy that outclassed me in stats and level, I had to prepare every trick and item I could muster.
“By the way, Yun-chan, how would you deal with floating enemies that can’t be trapped by Mud Pool?”
“Hmm, right. Mud Pool is useless against floating foes. I’ll have to think of a countermeasure for that.”
Sei-nee’s comment made me ponder what to do. If the enemy was floating in the air, I could just knock them down to the ground.
“Miu, you sure say some extreme things.”
“Well, in Yun-chan’s case, would you shoot them down with arrows?”
“No, no, no! Sei-nee, don’t join in!” I thought to myself. Well, if we encounter a floating enemy, I’ll figure it out then. We resumed our search for the Phantom Knights.
Fortunately, we soon spotted two fireballs nearby.
“What should we do about those?”
“Isn’t it easier to take them down simultaneously? I’ll handle one, so Miu-chan and Yun-chan can take care of the other.”
“Got it. I’ll summon it.” (Rapid Fire Bow, Second Style)
I released two arrows in one breath, accurately piercing the centers of both fireballs, causing the Phantom Knights to emerge.
This time, it was the sword and staff patterns. If we could find the spear pattern, we’d be ready to challenge the boss.
“Alright, I’ll take on the staff knight. You two handle the sword knight.”
“Understood. (Enchant) Attack, Speed.”
Miu received my attack and speed enchantments, launching herself forward like a bullet.
Miu clashed fiercely with the knight wielding a longsword, while Sei-nee moved sideways, initiating a relentless barrage of water spells. She deflected the knight’s attacks with a water barrier she created, firing off three water projectiles for every one attack that came her way, all while preparing even more spells behind her.
“Sei-nee is so relaxed. And Miu! How long are you going to play around?”
“Sorry! I didn’t mean to get caught!”
Miu was engaged in a fierce battle with the Phantom Knight, but even when opportunities for counterattacks arose, she hesitated to act. Honestly…
“Hurry up and finish it. (Curse) Defense.”
As I cast the curse spell on the Phantom Knight, Miu readied herself.
“I know what to do. Fifth Breaker!”
In a single flash, she unleashed five slashes, rapidly depleting the Phantom Knight’s HP. Even in its dual-formed state, it was disheartening to see how easily she defeated the Phantom Knight I had struggled to bring down with countless arrows.
“Looks like everyone is doing fine. Next time we find a Phantom Knight, let’s take it down together.”
“Sounds good! I can’t wait to fight the boss, so let’s go!”
With Miu raising her hand in excitement, I couldn’t help but smile as we searched for the next Phantom Knight. However, the next one we found was a knight wielding a sword or bow, not the spear we needed.
By the time we finally found the fourth one, we had already grown accustomed to battling the Phantom Knights. With Miu and Sei-nee lending their support, the enhanced firepower of the two made quick work of the Phantom Knight, who vanished in mere minutes.
Deep within the stairs leading to the lower levels of the second layer, there existed a boss chamber, a place one would never reach without a specific purpose.
“Alright, let’s start preparing,” Sei-nee said, holding two fragments of the key. Miu and I each took one, aligning our pieces together.
As we combined the fragments, the key regained its original form, taking on a circular shape.
“This is the key to fight the boss,” Sei-nee explained.
“That’s right. This is the ‘Selector’s Key.’ When we insert it into this groove…”
As Sei-nee placed the key into the circular indentation, it began to move on its own once she released it.
A heavy sound echoed from within the walls, and the rocky barrier before us slid aside, revealing a dark opening beyond.
“The boss, ‘Selector Mastil Dane,’ is a massive living armor. It wields a staff in its right hand and a lance in its left, capable of both physical and magical attacks.”
“Hey, I know it’s a bit late to ask, but are we really okay without a tank?”
I voiced my concern about our current party composition: one frontline fighter and two backline support. The balance was far from ideal. We had managed to progress this far thanks to our individual skills and levels, but I knew that a boss wouldn’t be so easily dealt with.
“True, but this time, not having a tank might actually be the right choice,” Sei-nee replied.
I tilted my head at her statement. Ideally, strong parties should have designated roles, so why would the opposite be correct? I tried to seek an answer, but Miu’s words made me reconsider.
“But both Sei-nee and I need to face challenges to level up effectively! We have to confront difficulties!”
“If we lose, we’ll have to start all over by defeating the Spirit Knight again,” Sei-nee said with a wry smile, causing me to swallow the question I had intended to ask. The thought of having to defeat the Spirit Knight again made me hesitate.
“Alright then, let’s go!”
“Before that, both of you, use this.”
We all consumed Enhancement Pills and cast Enchantments in preparation. I didn’t think victory would come easily, but I had no intention of losing. With our double enhancements, we pressed onward.
With Miu leading the way, we relied on the brightness of the glowing orb to navigate. Ahead of us knelt a suit of armor, wielding a staff and a long spear. It towered over three meters, a size impossible for a human. The living armor, with its dark, weathered wooden staff and a spear that looked as if it had been carved directly from stone, stood ready.
Its full-face helmet concealed its features, but a single red eye glowed ominously, glaring at us. It felt more like a robot or a Golem than a spirit.
“I am the warrior of this age, Saga…”
The Selector’s voice crackled like a broken radio, mixing with static.
“Hey, can we skip the conversation and go for a preemptive strike?”
“That’s not a good idea. If we attack before the dialogue ends, it’ll enter a permanent state of rage, increasing its attack power.”
I missed the Phantom Knight’s lines due to the casual banter between Miu and Sei-nee.
“Who dares to challenge me… Seinteis!”
Mastil Dane charged at us, spear poised to strike. I admired its fluid movements, even more graceful than a Golem, but Miu and Sei-nee intended to deal as much damage as possible with magic before it closed the distance.
“Solar Ray!”
“Maelstrom!”
Miu’s laser pierced through Mastil Dane’s limbs, while Sei-nee’s swirling vortex crushed down from above, engulfing it.
“Curse! Mind!”
Adding a Curse to amplify our damage, I respected the relentless advance of Mastil Dane as it pushed through the barrage of spells. I aimed my arrows at the exposed arm emerging from the vortex.
“Miu-chan, target locked! I’ll draw its attention!”
As the vortex dissipated, Mastil Dane became fully visible. Sei-nee executed a series of backsteps to maintain distance, while I circled around, shooting arrows to inflict damage on its upper body. Miu, standing in front of the boss, deflected a downward spear attack with her blade, using her height to her advantage. She skillfully redirected the spear’s horizontal swing, grazing Mastil Dane’s body.
We danced around the battlefield, closing the distance. Miu and Sei-nee targeted the high position of the boss, intercepting the dark projectiles launched from its staff, causing them to explode and creating openings for further attacks.
At times, when dark projectiles slipped past our defenses, Sei-nee’s rapid-fire strikes kept the pressure on, gradually whittling down Mastil Dane’s health. Miu occasionally took minor damage from close-range attacks but managed to heal herself. As Mastil Dane’s HP dipped below seventy, I felt we could push through.
Just then, it made a different move. Stopping all magical attacks, it took a large step back, turning partially away.
“What is it doing?” I wondered, shooting arrows from behind. I saw Mastil Dane hoisting its spear, aiming it directly at Sei-nee.
“Sei-nee! Dodge!”
Sei-nee understood my intent perfectly, darting to the side. The spear, thrown with incredible force, embedded itself into the wall, shattering the surroundings. Yet, it didn’t stop there; Mastil Dane charged forward with all its weight.
Miu, who had been holding her ground, was kicked aside by the sheer mass, soaring through the air. I saw her brace herself with her arms, regaining her posture mid-flight.
“Yun, I—”
“Clay Shield!”
At Miu’s command, I hastily conjured a defensive earthen wall just before her landing spot.
Using the wall as a springboard, Miu leaped back into the fray, aiming for Mastil Dane.
“Haah!”
She kicked off the wall, slicing through the full-face helmet of Mastil Dane, switching our positions. The wall I created crumbled under the force of the charge, and the blow from Mastil Dane’s spear sent a gust of wind my way.
“I can’t believe it would target Sei-nee, the spellcaster, right off the bat. Sei-nee, are you okay?”
“I’m fine. Miu-chan didn’t take any damage either. I’m just a bit tired this time.”
The two of them drank MP Potions, recovering the Magic Points lost from using their Skills, all while keeping a wary eye on Mastil Dane.
Turning back, Mastil Dane readied its spear, still with nearly seventy HP remaining. We had to strategize carefully. If we burdened Miu with all the frontline duties, her concentration might falter, leading to a direct hit. But neither I nor Sei-nee could take her place.
“It can’t be helped. Sei-nee, I’ll hold it off while you unleash your strongest attack.”
“I can do that, but are you sure you’re okay?”
“As long as Miu can recover, we’ll be fine.”
“Plus, I have the Substitute Jewel Ring, so I can definitely withstand one hit.”
Now, it was time to act decisively. I couldn’t use anything too complicated.
“Speed!”
I cast an Enchant on myself and closed in on Mastil Dane’s feet, lowering my stance to increase my speed. As I approached, it swung its staff down like a club, but I dodged it and slipped past the armor.
“Whoa, that was close!”
As I circled behind, I narrowly avoided a thrust from the spear’s tip, jumping to evade while setting up my next move.
“Yun-chan, I’m ready!”
“Just a bit more. Now! Clay Shield!”
I activated the Magic Gem surrounding Mastil Dane. Four mounds of earth rose up, encasing it and limiting its ability to wield its long weapon effectively.
“Ice Lance!”
In response to Sei-nee’s chant, dozens of water lances materialized, hovering in the air. After I dashed out of their line of fire, the water lances sliced through the air, crashing into Mastil Dane along with the earthen mounds.
Then, I triggered the hidden explosives I had set within the earthen barriers.
“Explode! Bomb!”
A chain reaction of explosions erupted around Mastil Dane, dealing even more damage.
“Wow, what a sight! This is incredible!”
The earth shattered, and from the swirling clouds of dirt, Mastil Dane emerged. Launching a barrage of dark projectiles, he charged toward Sei-nee, spear poised for an attack.
With only twenty percent of her Health Points remaining, Miu stepped forward.
“Miu-chan!”
Mastil Dane lifted his spear, shifting his weight back for a moment. I activated an Enchant.
“(Addition) Defense!”
Sei-nee was unable to assist Miu, preoccupied with countering the dark projectiles. I targeted Miu with the ability of [Eye of the Object] from a distance, layering the defensive enchantment over her.
In the next instant, Miu knelt as she took the full force of the descending spear. Just as I thought she had endured, Mastil Dane thrust his staff at her, striking her as she resisted the spear.
The wooden staff jabbed sharply, breaking her posture. Miu was slammed to the ground by the blow from above.
“Miu!”
Rizo shouted, “What the hell is going on?” As he stood, he instinctively swung his sword, deflecting a series of attacks from the enemy.
Miu rolled on the ground, creating distance. The series of attacks had brought her HP dangerously low.
Normally, I would immediately cast Healing Magic, but now I couldn’t heal her right away, and I felt a weight in my shoulders.
Taking deep breaths, I focused on recovering with a High Potion and an MP Potion.
[Why is my MP dropping as well as my HP?]
Miu’s panting was the reason I couldn’t use Healing Magic. There was another reason too.
“That guy was healing at the same time he attacked.”
Mastil Dane, who should have had only twenty percent HP left, had recovered to thirty percent.
[That’s the effect of the staff he’s holding in his left hand. It has the abilities of [HP Absorption] and [MP Absorption]. So, it’s better to fight by evading rather than enduring.]
I nodded at Sei-nee’s explanation, which came with a cough.
Until now, Miu had been partially attacking with her spear. The absorption occurred with the strikes from the staff. Moreover, the staff was primarily magical. While Sei-nee and I were safe from magical damage due to our rapid attacks, if there was physical damage, it could still be absorbed.
If there was a tank to endure the hits, it could turn into a long battle.
With Mastil Dane still at thirty percent HP, I felt we needed to press the attack.
[I really want that staff. It has damage absorption effects.]
Whether she knew my worries or not, Sei-nee chuckled lightly, and I couldn’t help but smile. Here I was, weak and anxious, while the strong Sei-nee seemed unfazed. So, I decided to trust her and fight.
“Sei-nee, I’ll rely on your commands.”
[Please take care of me too, Sei-nee.]
As Miu and I called out to Sei-nee, she smiled and nodded.
“Yun-chan, can you immobilize him like before?”
“I don’t have a Magic Gem for [Clay Shield], but I can do it another way. In that case, just cast your magic without worrying about the situation.”
“Miu-chan, make sure you don’t get hit by the staff’s attacks. I’ll finish things off in the end.”
Mastil Dane swung his spear in front of us, waiting for our conversation to conclude. Following Sei-nee’s instructions, Miu and I dashed forward. Miu approached from the left of the spear, while I moved in from the right of the staff, drawing a fox-like pattern as we closed in.
I retrieved my bow, nocking an arrow. As I ran, I dodged the incoming dark projectiles, using arrows to trigger unavoidable attacks.
As Miu engaged in a clash with Mastil Dane, I entered the attack range just as the staff thrust forward with a gust of wind.
I couldn’t evade it. Instead, I stepped forward, trying to time my strike perfectly. However, the staff grazed my forehead, producing a sound like shattering glass, rendering my attack ineffective.
Thanks to the effect of the [Substitute Jewel Ring], I took no damage as I closed in and scattered a large number of stones from my Inventory.
“Come forth, Slimes! (Summon!)”
In response to my call, colorful gelatinous creatures appeared. I gave a single command to the assorted slimes of various sizes and colors.
“Attach to his right foot!”
The slimes slithered across the ground, advancing toward Mastil Dane, who swung his staff down to strike them. The slimes caught in the attack were crushed, their cores destroyed, and their HP absorbed by Mastil Dane.
[With the HP absorption from the slimes, my arrow attacks will still yield plenty of returns!]
Using the slimes as a wall, I continued to fire arrows. With Miu drawing Mastil Dane’s attention, the horde of slimes reached his right foot. Even as he tried to crush the slimes with his staff and spear, their low HP and resistance to physical attacks meant they could absorb enough damage to keep going. In that opening, Miu landed a series of strikes, and if the slimes were left unattended, they would pile up, creating a spear of slime around Mastil Dane’s foot.
And then, I—
[Mud Pool]
Just like the generation of a mud pit, I created a mire at Mastil Dane’s left foot, restricting his movement. With his left foot immobilized by the slimes, Mastil Dane had to pivot on his right foot as he prepared to clash with Miu. In that moment, he stepped into the mud.
[Miu! Fall back!]
To prevent any allies from getting caught in the (Mud Pool), I called Miu back.
Meanwhile, Mastil Dane, unable to control his body from the momentum of his spear, was pulled backward. Now, it was time to finish this.
“Last! Huge Slime! (Summon)!”
The stones I tossed into the air transformed into a gigantic slime, descending toward Mastil Dane.
Four Huge Slimes landed on his head, right arm, left shoulder, and chest, restricting his movements.
“Sei-nee, are you ready?”
“Just a little more!”
The slimes, pinned beneath the living armor, struggled to break free. Yet, the obedient slimes continued to burn their created lives without retreating. It was a fitting name for a special attack.
No matter how many slimes were crushed, it wasn’t enough to counter the healing.
And just when the slimes’ restraints began to weaken, the moment we had been waiting for arrived.
“Yun-chan, go!”
“Sei-nee, do it! If you don’t finish him off, I’ll deliver the final blow!”
“Diamond Dust!”
In an instant, everything turned white, starting from the slimes. The slimes were coated in white, creating a world of water. A foreboding sound echoed, like something shattering, as Mastil Dane’s movements began to slow. The slimes binding his limbs became futile, and the continuous damage chipped away at his HP.
However, Sei-nee’s magic fell just short. Miu and I dashed forward, climbing up Mastil Dane’s body.
“Here’s your payback for slamming me into the ground! (Armor Break!)”
With a powerful swing, my one-handed sword struck like glass, piercing Mastil Dane’s chest and leaving a gaping hole. Yet, I aimed my arrow at the unyielding mono-eye behind the full-face helmet.
“It’s over.” (Bow Technique: One Arrow Continuation!)
An arrow pierced through his head, becoming the decisive blow that caused Mastil Dane’s body to disintegrate into particles. The slimes, obliterated by Sei-nee’s freezing magic, shattered as well, scattering light in all directions.
“Yay! We did it! We won!”
Miu shouted as she ran toward Sei-nee, who caught her with open arms. Miu buried her face in Sei-nee’s chest, showing a silly expression as Sei-nee affectionately patted her head. However, since Miu had cheered first, I lost my chance to shout in triumph.
“Yun-chan, come here too!”
“Alright, alright. I’m coming.”
Called by Sei-nee, I walked over. I never expected my strength would be enough to take down a boss. I had relied on borrowed power and used unconventional tactics, but that was because my own strength was lacking. Next time I fought, I wanted to win through proper means. With that thought, I stumbled into the mud.
“…I got caught in my own trap!”
The Mud Pool I had created at Mastil Dane’s left foot didn’t disappear along with the summoned slimes; it remained. As I stepped into my own trap, I sank deeper, feeling the muck beneath my feet, and I called out for Miu and Sei-nee.
“…Miu, Sei-nee. Help me!”
“Yun-nee, that’s so uncool!”
“Yun-chan, there’s no helping it, huh?”
Miyu gazed at me with narrowed eyes, while Sei-nee, despite her words, seemed pleased to be relied upon.
As I reached out to grasp the hands of the two approaching me, trying to escape,
“Wait, wait! Why can’t we get out!? Mmm!”
“Ah, whoa! Kyaah!”
Miyu and Sei-nee, pulling on my hand, found themselves drawn back toward me by the strong grip of the Mud Pool.
I embraced the two of them, but we lost our balance and fell back into the muddy depths. Covered in muck, we looked at each other, blinking in surprise before bursting into laughter.
“Hahaha, what is this? This is a mess!”
“Geez, it’s all Yun-nee’s fault! I want to be mad, but… heehee, ahahaha!”
“In the end… ah, this is so much fun. Thank you, Yun-chan!”
Sei-nee, laughing to the point of tears, wiped her eyes with her fingers, but I felt like I should be the one thanking her. Thus, our Guild Quest to defeat the boss, the Chosen One Mastil Dane, came to a close. Although it ended in a rather chaotic manner, we had achieved our goal, so that was good enough.
Who would have thought that despite planning to use everything up, there would be survivors? As the effects of the Mud Pool faded, what awaited us were the slimes we had sent in as expendable troops. Most of them had been crushed by Mastil Dane or obliterated by Sei-nee’s magic, but two had managed to survive: a Water Attribute Pubble Slime and an Earth Attribute Mud Slime.
“Are we lucky, or did they just take too long to attack…?”