Chapter 204 Ashutaros – (4)
『Death Touch』
『Complete Summon』
He activated the Complete Summon option of Death Touch.
Although it consumed 500 mana in an instant, it was a skill that could unconditionally pull an opponent in for that very reason.
Even if he ran out of mana, he had the Nameless Sword’s inexhaustible spring effect, so he had a solid backing.
“Ugh!”
Ashutaros let out a gruff metallic sound and was immediately pulled in by Upper Rank’s Death Touch.
The sight of him being dragged in while flapping his arms in mid-air brought a wry smile to Upper Rank’s face.
No matter how cool a boss monster tries to look, it always loses its dignity when it is dragged in helplessly.
『Spatial Rift』
Since it was certain that an opponent caught in Complete Summon would be pulled in, Upper Rank was already preparing the next skill.
Spatial Rift.
This skill is easy to dodge against enemies at a distance because the movement of the rift line is visible.
However, in a situation like this, where one is being pulled right in front of them, the time to prepare is extremely short.
This was the reason Upper Rank used the Complete Summon option of Death Touch. This is because it is truly difficult to handle variables at close range.
Swish!
“Ugh!”
Ashutaros screamed, having finally lost his left arm to the spatial rift.
His left arm, which had at least appeared to be properly attached on the surface, was now gone without a trace.
With no means to stop the bleeding, red blood gushed down the severed line on his left shoulder.
To manage the situation urgently, he would have to use his right arm to somehow apply pressure to the wound.
However, facing the Upper Moon right before him, Ashutaros could not abandon the sword held in his right hand.
“…….”
From Ashutaros’s entire body as he bowed his head in resignation.
Kwa-ga-ga-ga!
A powerful storm of mana began to rise, and his eyes started to turn crimson.
It was a form of berserkerization, preparing to go berserk at the risk of his life. The Upper Moon
gripped the Nameless Sword tighter.
Ashutaros’s rampage was a pattern he had anticipated. It was the method he chose when pushed to the brink.
Click. Click.
He checked the condition of the full regeneration potions in his bosom once again. Five bottles. They were in excellent condition.
A slugfest was about to begin.
Upper Rank would enter a defensive phase, while Ashtaros would use his Berserker form to push Upper Rank back.
From now on, time was on Upper Rank's side. However, it did not seem easy to block the attacks of the now-mad Ashtaros.
Tight.
Upper Rank's hands gripping the sword tightened.
* * *
A fierce battle of offense and defense ensued.
Blood splattered in all directions.
Ashtaros deliberately ignored the injury to his left arm and unleashed a fierce assault on Upper Rank.
Upper Rank, too, fought back without backing down.
This was because an opponent in Berserker form must constantly provoke attacks to rapidly deplete their stamina.
The Berserker state was akin to a car with poor fuel efficiency but certain power output.
It allows one to run wild, but it amounts to spilling oil on the ground. In this situation, the oil could be likened to stamina.
"It really does hurt."
There is a difference between enduring with toughness and feeling no pain at all. The cuts all over his body were so severe that he had to grit his teeth.
Of course, thanks to the Seize Armor, his vital areas were perfectly protected without injury. That certainly was a significant factor.
It was because he was confident that even if he pushed himself a little, he wouldn't let vital points like his abdomen or heart be exposed in a single blow.
Watching the Upper Rank fight aggressively without backing down, Ashutaros thought something was off.
The longer he bought time, the more advantageous it would be for that guy, so why was he acting so aggressively?
Unaware of the Upper Rank's strategy, Ashutaros bit into him like a beast snatching its prey.
In the process, he lost a lot of stamina and fell to a state bordering on exhaustion in an instant.
However, since the Upper Rank had also shed a lot of blood and sustained many deep wounds, Ashutaros did not consider it a losing proposition.
He thought he had at least achieved an equivalent exchange. He judged that if things went well, he could even finish him off.
But then a variable arose.
Gulp—gulp—.
The moment Sang-hyun drank a single potion, his physical condition changed to an extent that could be described as extreme.
It was a Full Regeneration Potion.
It restored all stamina, completely healed injuries, and regenerated any lost body parts within 10 seconds.
It was an extremely expensive potion with a base auction price exceeding 25 billion won, and it could only be obtained in dungeons.
Its effectiveness was that certain.
'I really do need insurance.'
Sang-hyun smiled.
Seeing Ashutaros's half-dazed expression upon witnessing his fully recovered state filled him with even greater euphoria.
It was a victory for scalability and diversity.
With so many skill and artifact options available as countermeasures when necessary,
he was able to gain the upper hand against an enemy with a limited pool of resources.
If Ashtaros had possessed the same potions or healing skills, this calculation wouldn't have worked.
*Grind, grind.*
Ashtaros gritted his teeth.
The gap in their condition had widened to the point of being dizzying, and he found himself backed into a dead end.
He was desperate .
Attacks that were recklessly barrageing without composure were not threatening at all.
Upper Moon, relying on the difference in HP, steadfastly unleashed a Full Bash on Ashtaros. He
didn't expect to stagger him in just one or two attempts, nor did he rush.
He simply kept trying and trying again. After all, HP and time were on his side.
After repeated attempts, Ashtaros was finally staggered.
Increasing the number of hits meant that, no matter how low the probability, it was bound to happen eventually.
From that moment on, hell began for Ashtaros.
Upper Moon used Pitch Black to convert the stagger on the guy into blindness.
Next, positioning himself appropriately to the side, he unleashed an updraft to launch Ashtaros into the air. It was an airborne
attack he wouldn't have landed under normal circumstances, but having been half-exhausted and his concentration wavering, he fell victim to it.
Seeing Ashtaros floating comfortably in the air, Sanghyeon set the angle for a long-range finishing combo. The groundwork
for 『Double-Edged Sword』,
『Werther's Wrath』,
and 『Sage's Whisper』
was impeccable.
Watching Ashtaro fall after reaching his peak, Sanghyeon chained skills to finish him off in a single blow.
『Silver Moon』
—an X-shaped sword energy flew out from the blade. It was a single strike that drew upon every last bit of his mana.
■ Skill Level: Stage 5 (3.3%)
■ Skill Description: Releases a sharp X-shaped sword energy.
The power increases rapidly as the energy moves further away from the caster.
(Refer to detailed tooltip)
There is no limit to mana consumption, and Silver Moon's sword energy becomes more powerful in proportion to the amount consumed.
Upon re-examining Silver Moon's skill description, it was simple yet destructive.
Since its structure defied the laws of physics, it was bound to be unfamiliar even to Ashutaros.
Sure enough.
Ashutaros, who had tried to block Silver Moon's sword energy flying toward him while falling, was ultimately struck.
Whoosh!
He suffered a fatal penetrating wound in the shape of an X. It was a single, clean cut. His fatal mistake
was misjudging that he could easily block Silver Moon's sword energy flying from a distance.
He wished it had ended as just a simple misjudgment, but the price he would pay was none other than his life.
『Mortal's Wrath』
“Ugh!”
Ashutaros was immediately stunned by Mortal's Wrath, which squeezed in additional damage.
『Curse of Decapitation』
Using his drastically reduced health as a sacrifice, Curse of Decapitation activated, severing Ashutaros's head.
It was over.
And so, the master of this dungeon, a boss monster second to none in its difficulty, fell.
My level skyrocketed to 302.
It was the result of the S-rank title "Rapid Growth" activating, compounded by the unique nature of solo play.
"I saved the Enlightenment I had been keeping just in case. Reaching skill level 20 is no ordinary privilege."
A sigh of relief escaped me.
I thought I would have used up all my resources, but I had found an opening in Ashtaros earlier than expected.
If it weren't for the "Complete Summon" option on Death Touch, and if it weren't for the Complete Regeneration Potion,
I would still be in a back-and-forth battle right now. Certainly! The impact of the premise "Complete" was significant.
As my level surpassed 300, I was also granted a chance to enhance my skill once. It was a moment of happy dilemma.
That wasn't the only good news.
The necklace hanging around the fallen Ashtaros's neck had not oxidized and remained in place.
In other words, I could now obtain it as an artifact reward!
Furthermore, a cute-looking spirit was wandering around Upper Moon with curious eyes.
“This is seriously a huge hit, isn't it? Goddess of Fortune, can you see? Ah… you're in Korea in Siyeon’s body.”
Sanghyun, who had naturally been calling out to the Goddess amidst this string of good fortune, looked disappointed upon realizing the reality.
If the Goddess of Fortune had been watching directly from her seat in the Constellation, she would have showered him with all sorts of praise and congratulations.
However, since she had descended to the human world possessing a spirit rather than the Dimensional Order, real-time verification would be impossible.
It didn't matter anyway.
He could share this joy with her later, even if belatedly, once he returned to Korea.
“I'll just sort this out for now and head out right away.”
Sanghyun hurriedly grabbed Ashtaros's necklace—or rather, the Ashtaros Necklace. It was indeed an Epic-grade artifact.
Then, as he placed his finger on the spirit Ashuneri, she landed softly on the back of Sanghyun's hand.
She was a female fairy, and it seemed he would have to investigate her abilities step by step.
The description only read "Spirit Ashuneri," so he couldn't guess her specialized powers.
"Wow… so that means I should get lost."
Since Ashtaros's death, the debuffs had been continuously intensifying.
His HP was draining by 10 per second, and mana recovery had now become impossible by any means.
Sanghyun started running toward the exit. He
had certainly achieved his objective. It was a close call, but that made the dungeon experience even more thrilling.
Moreover, it was a good strategy that would leave a lasting impression on the Nobility Guild. Everything was satisfying.
* * *
At the same time.
The three people, who had been heading out of the dungeon by retracing their steps rather than heading for the exit, stopped in their tracks.
It was because of a message that appeared simultaneously for them.
[Dungeon Boss Monster Successfully Defeated.]
[Exits for escape are opening throughout the dungeon. Escape is permitted only for those who entered from the outside.]
“Did you… defeat Ashtaros? And you did it all by yourself?”
“The exits are opening!”
“Crazy.”
Kyle, Sarah, and Raphelen’s faces simultaneously filled with astonishment.
No matter how they thought about it, it was an unbelievable success for a solo clear.
When they left Upper Rank behind in the dungeon, the three hadn't expected him to succeed.
They simply assumed that at some point he would flee without hesitation, and that escaping wouldn't be difficult for him, given his considerable survival skills.
In other words, they thought Upper Rank would fight Ashtaros for a while and then give up.
However, the news delivered to them was not a surrender, but a catastrophic success in clearing the dungeon.
Just what kind of skills, and how many, does he possess to achieve this!
Had they captured Ashtaros, who was running rampant using the dungeon's powerful debuffs as a weapon? They couldn't even properly gauge it.
At that moment, the three thought to themselves.
Their ranks didn't match those of the Upper Ranks.
They felt that a player from the Nobility Guild, who played in a much higher tier, was needed!
It was the keen insight of the three, honed over a long time experiencing countless dungeons and players.
There could be no disagreement.
