by Park Saenal
‘What is the level of the real intermediate boss?’
According to Lauel’s report, the Overgeared members had explored the Temple of Shadows and Galgunos’ Temple. They found that the ‘intermediate boss’ who appeared on the first floor of the temple was ‘war god follower who escaped from the grave.’
This ‘intermediate boss’ was dangerous. Their attack power and agility were comparable to Grid’s, their defense was similar to Vantner’s, and they had a health of at least nine million. They even possessed the skill of unconditional counterattack. It was one skill, but the skill was too fraudulent. The basic specs were also high, so it was advised to avoid a one-on-one fight.
Yes, Lauel and the Overgeared members misunderstood that the war god followers who escaped from the grave were the intermediate bosses because of how strong they were. In fact, they were also a threat to Grid.
Then what was the truth? This powerful boss monster wasn’t the intermediate boss. Based on the number that appeared, they were elite monsters. They were below the second-grade war god follower who was called by Galgunos. In other words, it was unknown how powerful the true intermediate boss was.
‘I can get a hint from the name.’ Grid’s thoughts accelerated. ‘They can use two skills. The followers who escaped from the grave only have the counterattack, but the one approaching right now has another difficulty.
‘In normal dungeons, the difference between elite monsters and the intermediate boss is at least 30–60 levels. A monster’s stats scale up by level, meaning the difference with the player’s stats will be significant.
‘Now, the most important thing is health. It will be really hard if they have twice the health. If the combo of Blackening, Blacksmith’s Rage, Flash, and Linked Kill Wave Pinnacle doesn’t kill it, I have to be prepared to die.’
His accelerated thoughts didn’t lead him to an answer. If everything could be solved by thinking, there would be no war or hunger in the world.
“Damn. I’ll find out soon.”
Grid currently didn’t have any information. He didn’t know if the war god follower who had learned two secret techniques was undead or alive like the war god followers who escaped from the grave. Its secret techniques were also unknown. Basically, Grid didn’t know anything, and it was meaningless to think.
In this sort of situation, he knew from experience that it was better to just empty his head. Grid wasn’t prideful or arrogant. He was a veteran who hadn’t stopped playing Satisfy since the day he started Satisfy.
“Blackening. Quick Movements. Blacksmith’s Rage.”
The wall in front of Grid collapsed, and a zombie in an old cloak appeared over the wall. The war god follower who had learned two secret techniques was also an undead. Grid responded calmly. He struck the war god follower with a basic attack from his sword. After doing so, he didn’t get a notice that the durability of the sword was reduced, that his health was lost, or that a fracture had occurred. Fortunately, it meant that the attack power of the intermediate boss was equal or lower than Grid’s attack power.
However, he couldn’t be relieved for long. Grid swung his sword at the war god followers continuously. As a result…
[You have suffered 7,930 damage.]
[The target has received 9,950 damage.]
[You have been counterattacked by a mysterious technique. You have suffered 9,950 damage.]
In two seconds, Grid dealt one attack and was hit by one. He was able to get a glimpse of the attack power and speed of the war god follower. The problem was the counterattack skill possessed by the war god followers. The war god followers responded to Grid at a transcendent speed once they registered that they were hit. They returned the same amount of damage that Grid had dealt.
‘Up to here is like the war god follower who escaped from the grave.’
The health was still difficult to gauge. Only 10,000 damage was dealt, so the health gauge of the war god follower didn’t go down. Grid’s brain worked more fiercely. ‘What will be the other skill?’
He would be at a disadvantage if this went on longer. It was the same with dealing with the war god follower who escaped from the grave. The damn followers of the war god were monsters who boasted the same specs as Grid’s buff state. This meant the fight had to be decided while his buffs were still maintained.
‘No, I have a bit more time to spare.’
Grid unleashed fierce blows toward the war god follower while turning his gaze toward his still dazed companions. These people who would wake up after 45 seconds were solid insurance for Grid.
‘I’m not alone.’
Grid’s eyes flashed fiercely. He had many questions. The lich Galgunos was a servant of a great demon. Who was the great demon that he served? Where did he get the bodies of the war god followers from, and why was he using the war god followers as experimental bodies? The followers of the war god were looking for the Sword Grave. What was waiting in the Sword Grave?
Grid had to pursue victory if he wanted to find the answer to all these questions.
“Ah.” Grid, who longed for victory and had a passion for combat, noticed that it was time for a new challenge. He used the ‘illusion’ ability of Belial’s Power that he had ignored so far. Grid hadn’t used it because he thought it was out of the range of his ability. Now seemed like the right time.
A new resolution and a spirit of challenge were required in order to reach a higher place. Grid didn’t want to stagnate. He had to challenge it, especially when thinking of the demon king subjugation. Grid suffered every time the war god follower counterattacked. The war god follower’s health gauge was fine, while Grid’s health had fallen by half. Grid even started feeling gratitude for the +8 defense that his inner underwear gave him. He was that desperate.
“Belial’s Power.”
Thus, he used the power he had been ignoring. No, he ‘challenged’ the power.
[The power of the great demon Belial summoned in the Rune of Darkness has been opened!]
[It is impossible for a human to digest all three of Belial’s powers.]
[You are in a half-demon state. Your body has endured the pressure of immense power. However, it is still impossible for a human to digest all three of Belial’s powers at the same time.]
[You can use one of Belial’s three powers of: Darkness, fire, or illusion.]
[You have chosen the power of illusion!]
[The passive skill ‘Queen of Mocking and Violation’ will be maintained for 2 minutes, and Queen’s Distortion is now activated. Another magic will be activated if your intelligence exceeds 4,000.]
[Your intelligence is low. It is difficult to control Queen’s Distortion.]
“Grid…?”
One minute had passed since Grid alone endured the attacks of the war god follower who had learned two secret techniques. It was time for Chris, Pon, and Regas to regain their minds. However, the three of them weren’t fully aware that the negative states had been lifted.
It was because they saw five Grids, not one. They were confused like they had been drugged.
Chapter 933
[Queen of Mocking and Violation]
[Once health falls below 50%, an illusion will be summoned with every further 10% decrease in health.
The health, defense, and agility of the clone are affected by your body’s current health, defense, and agility. However, its attack power is fixed at 10% of the body. Additionally, the skills of the clone are limited to basic skills.
Every time you summon an illusion, it will show hallucinations to all the surrounding people. They won’t be able to distinguish between your body and the illusion.
A target who attacks the clone will have 30% of the damage the target dealt reflected. However, it won’t lead to death.]
The third of Belial’s powers was a near perfect illusion magic. It summoned a clone every time the caster lost health. All targets in the area couldn’t distinguish between the two of them. The target that attacked the illusion would receive reflected damage.
Additionally, the clones copied most of the stats of the main body.
All the effects were as good as gold. He would be a pushover if he used such a skill and couldn’t devastate the enemy. However, Grid never used this skill in actual combat. Was it because he was a pushover? No, it was because the skill was extremely difficult to control.
The disadvantage of this versatile skill was simple and clear. It was difficult.
[You have suffered 8,190 damage.]
[The target has received 12,200 damage.]
[You have been counterattacked by a mysterious technique.]
[You have suffered 12,200 damage.]
[An illusion has been summoned with the effect of Queen of Mocking and Violation.]
The body, which was wounded from exchanging blows with the war god follower, divided into two.
“…?” The war god follower stopped. It lost his aggro since Grid was split into two, and it became hard to tell which of the two Grids were real. The situation was good up to here. Grid was like the main character in a movie. It seemed as if the two Grids would work together to blow away the follower of the war god.
However, Grid stood still and couldn’t move. Of course, it was hard to move. His ‘vision’ was divided into two.
‘…Um.’
This was why Grid never used the power of lies. Every time an illusion was summoned, Grid had not only his own vision but the vision of the illusion as well. The really fortunate thing was that there was no crazy demand of ‘I have to control the illusion.’
That’s right. Grid watched in real time what the illusion was doing through the illusion’s eyes, thinking and deciding how to cooperate with the illusion. This was a difficult problem.
“Urgh…!” Grid’s illusion got hit, and the vision of one of the two Grids changed as he was blown through the air. One side of Grid saw the war god follower in front of him, while the other saw the crown of the follower’s head. He got motion sickness. This wasn’t a problem solved by closing one eye. His divided vision remained the same even if he closed one eye. The split screen was just smaller.
The follower of the war god was blocking the illusion’s attacks. The illusion had attracted its aggro. It was a natural result as Grid was standing still while the illusion moved swiftly. Now the follower of the war god was ignoring him as a fake. The more blows that the follower and the clone exchanged, the more nervous Grid felt. It was hard to adapt because the shared vision with the illusion was shaky and made him dizzy.
Still, Grid had to concentrate. He shared the vision of the illusion, and once the war god follower revealed a clear gap, he would enter the battle and change the flow.
‘Steady yourself. Steady yourself, Grid! I have to hit it as much as possible before the buff ends!’
Grid started to raise his concentration. The clone used Link, and the war god follower was hit continuously. The war god follower couldn’t defend against each one and allowed seven consecutive attacks. It wasn’t a good thing from Grid’s standpoint. If the illusion who had 10% of Grid’s attack power could kill the war god follower, Grid wouldn’t have suffered such damage from it.
On the other hand…
The clone couldn’t cope with the war god follower’s immediate counterattack and subsequent strikes. The bloody clone turned to ashes. In the process, the war god follower also suffered tens of thousands of reflected damage. At that moment…
“Flash!” Grid overcame the war god follower and activated the light elemental while rushing forward. The light elemental flew to the war god follower and released a bright light that blinded it.
“Linked Kill Wave Pinnacle!” Grid used his ultimate attack, and his continuous strikes pierced the war god follower.
[The target has received 490,580 damage.]
[The target has received 511,900 damage…]
“Kiyaaaaaah!” The blind follower received a lot of damage, failed to counterattack, and struggled with the pain. Grid followed up with the movements of Wave. The dozens of energy blades tore at the war god follower and then gathered in the air.
“…Battle gear mountain…!”
The war god follower wasn’t aware of the intense aura that had gathered above its head. The war god follower recovered from the blindness and roared, “Where?!”
Then Pinnacle fell like a lightning bolt.
[The target has received 3,040,580 damage.]
The war god follower was hit by the blow and sent stumbling. The follower’s posture was so bad it was surprising the follower didn’t drop its sword. Ignoring the rules of physics, the war god follower triggered the counterattack skill despite the apparently unstable posture of the sword. It reflected the damage of Linked Kill Wave Pinnacle! Then Grid followed up with his next play.
“Revolve.”
It was too close to Grid. Grid had dealt with many war god followers using Linked Kill Wave Pinnacle and had a perfect grasp of the timing for Revolve.
[The target has received 3,040,580 damage.]
The war god follower suffered even more damage because of Grid’s counterattack. In fact, the war god follower suffered damage it shouldn’t have had to bear originally and once again stumbled. If it had been a war god follower who escaped from the grave, it would’ve died by now.
‘Crazy. It is as I expected.’
Grid was currently facing the war god follower who had learned two secret techniques. The intermediate boss of this dungeon probably had twice as much health as the follower who escaped from the grave. Grid hit it with the ultimate skill and the reflected counterattack damage, but the follower still had half its health remaining.
The war god follower once again roared angrily, “I… Battle gear mountain…! Guide me!!”
The act of its counterattack being returned was a situation beyond the common sense of the war god follower. The war god follower felt a big threat come from Grid and showed its second skill.
“?!”
This was after the Linked Kill Wave Pinnacle combo. Grid had secured a safe distance from the war god follower and was restoring his breathing. Now his eyes widened. The sword had increased in size. The war god follower took only one step, yet the rusty sword it wielded stretched out over the three-meter distance.
Was this a magic trick? Grid got a chill, but it was too late for him to take evasive action. The sufficient distance that Grid had secured caught his ankle instead. He was relaxed, so his response to the unexpected situation was one step too late.
[You have suffered 19,250 damage.]
“Ugh!” Grid groaned as his chest was cut by the sword as the war god follower showed three times more attack power than usual. The war god follower took one more step, and the sword once again increased in size.
[An illusion has been summoned with the effect of Queen of Mocking and Violation.]
Grid’s body shook and split in two, causing the war god follower to once again lose its focus. The second skill of the war god follower couldn’t reach Grid and struck the ground between Grid and his illusion. Grid observed the sword stuck in the ground and discovered its identity. ‘Aura.’
It wasn’t a growing sword. An aura that was dozens of centimeters stretched out from the tip of the sword, making the sword stretch. This was a sword that could change its length in real time. It was obviously a tricky technique. The attack power had tripled, so Grid would die after being hit several times. An ordinary player wouldn’t be able to go against the war god follower who had learned two secret techniques.
However, Grid was accustomed to aura. He knew its potential better than anyone else. This was due to what Piaro had told him. Why had Piaro placed Hurent near him, and what was the extent of Hurent’s abilities? Piaro had described the characteristics of aura to Grid in the process of making sure that Grid fully understood.
Thus, Grid wasn’t confused when the sword embedded in the ground suddenly changed to the form of a mace and sharp thorns stretched out from the mace. He easily avoided the thorns as if he had predicted
it, even pulling his own illusion away. If the war god follower were alive, it would be panicked about how its secret technique was avoided.
This wasn’t the case though as the war god follower Grid was fighting was an undead. It had no thoughts and wasn’t upset by Grid dodging its blow. The war god follower just kept wielding its sword. The aura at the end of the sword changed every time. Sometimes it was a mace, a spear, or even a whip. Grid’s body became more and more wounded as he moved tirelessly.
[An illusion has been summoned with the effect of Queen of Mocking and Violation.]
[An illusion has been summoned with the effect of Queen of Mocking and Violation.]
[An illusion has been summoned with the effect of Queen of Mocking….]
Grid’s vision was split into five. It meant he had summoned four illusions. In the process, the war god follower missed its target several times, attacking an illusion and suffering from reflection damage.
“Pant… Pant…” Grid had a headache. His mental power was exhausted from dealing with five fields of view.
‘It would be hard for Kraugel’s grandfather, not Kraugel, to adapt,’ Grid thought sincerely.
“Link.”
“Kill.”
“Wave.”
“Pinnacle.”
Grid’s illusions surrounded the war god follower and started a sword dance. The visions of the illusions were shared by Grid, and he barely gulped. One illusion used Link, another used Kill, one more used Wave, and the last one used Pinnacle. Their fates were determined as they could only exercise one-tenth of Grid’s attack power. This meant they would only deal slight damage to the war god followed before being hit by the counterattack and disappearing. They were just like flies from the perspective of the war god follower.
Yet what if the flies were actually wasps? The illusions couldn’t avoid dying from the counterattacks, but what if their damage to the war god follower could exceed the predicted levels? The illusions’ deaths wouldn’t be in vain.
‘Sigh. Sigh. Sigh. Let’s go. I can do it.’
Out of the five fields of views that Grid was currently seeing, the ‘main body’ was at the center. He watched his illusions use skills on the war god follower. At this moment, Grid cast a spell, “Distortion.”