EP.83
Taking Down A-grade with C-grade (3)
The boss monster had changed.
It wasn’t Grizzly Drake anymore; it was Red Drake.
Instead of gray fur, it had crimson scales.
The creature was growling at me, an uninvited guest in the boss room.
‘Why did it change?’
The monsters inside the dungeon, once cleared, would respawn a week later. While there wasn’t much known about this system where monsters were reborn like a game, there were some common rules regarding respawning. For instance, after the initial clear, the ‘rest room’ would no longer open, and if the dungeon’s boss had a gimmick, that gimmick would disappear. These were rules that had been discovered through the efforts of dungeon explorers over time.
Even if the gimmick of ‘magic immunity’ disappeared, the boss had to remain the same.
However, nowhere in these rules did it say that the boss monster could change.
‘Could it be because of the dragon’s magic stone?’
A reasonable inference crossed my mind.
The magic stones that filled the [Forgotten Stone of a Dragon] were all Sub-dragon monster magic stones. And the monsters corresponding to Sub-dragon had never been disclosed to the Holder community. Grizzly Drake, Swirl Leviathan, The Mountain Serpent. They were all monsters for which no information had ever been found.
So, if Grizzly Drake was uniquely occupying the position of the first dungeon as an Sub-drake, and Red Drake was originally the boss monster of this dungeon, the current situation was actually normal.
‘Then could the Forest Covered by Snakes…’
There was a possibility that the boss monster there had changed as well. Unfortunately, that dungeon belonged to <Judgment of Fire>, not me, so I would have to request a separate dispatch to the clan to find out later.
-Grrr!!
While I was organizing my thoughts for a moment, Red Drake’s body moved. It confirmed my presence in the boss room. Soon after, it launched a charge.
I looked at [Goblin’s Bronze Shield] with the intention of using my weapon change technique, but I stopped it as I realized something was amiss.
‘Too fast?’
Red Drake’s speed was so excessive that it seemed impossible with just agility stats. It couldn’t be categorized as a Rune Movement either. I was more familiar with that type of rune than anyone else.
“It’s a dash.”
It was only described as a charging rune. Regardless of its level, its speed was too fast, even considering the use of the rune. Perhaps it was a higher-level charging rune than [Sprint].
‘For now, the dagger…’
I threw the dagger at my waist, just in case, to see if the opponent only had a charging rune or if it also had [Ruthless Charge].
Clang! Clang!
‘As expected.’
As I expected, it also had [Ruthless Charge]. My thrown daggers were deflected without dealing any damage. Physical attacks were being ignored.
Afterward, Red Drake continued to accelerate, running faster as if using me as a medium, and before I knew it, it was right in front of me.
-Grrr!!
“Phew…!”
I used [Agile Agility] at the right moment. I had no intention of blocking its charge with the shield. Even though the creature had changed, Red Drake was still an A-grade monster with high strength and speed, and with the assistance of the charging rune, its destructive power would be beyond imagination. Trying to block it with my shield, even with my defensive runes and skills, would be a very careless idea.
Kwaaang!!
-Gruuhhh…
‘Crazy. I almost got obliterated.’
Just a second ago, the spot where I had been standing was completely demolished. I narrowly avoided Red Drake’s charge. Despite most of my primary attributes being over 40 and approaching an average B-grade attribute level of 50, there was still a significant gap between me and the A-grade Red Drake. Therefore, the rune responsible for its incredible speed in charging was not easy to evade.
‘I need a solution quickly…’
While dodging the charge, I quickly devised a plan. The best strategy was to feed it my core skill combo, just like when I defeated The Mountain Serpent. This involved using [Hide Attack] from [Stealth] to deplete its stamina and deliver effective damage and then follow up with the ultimate skill, [Sky-Shattering Heavenly Sword], for a decisive additional strike. As I experienced before, when executed correctly, this combo had tremendous power.
However, there was a problem; I couldn’t use [Stealth]. The boss room was cramped, providing no hiding spots, and Red Drake was relentlessly charging, making it difficult to disappear from its sight.
I also didn’t have any comrades to assist me like before, so it was challenging to execute the combo effortlessly.
‘I used [Declaration of Domination] already, damn it.”’
Using [Oppression]’s [Declaration of Domination] was another option, but unfortunately, it was still on cooldown. After consecutive hunts against B-grade monsters, not all of my skills were ready, even though I was in peak condition.
‘I have to use Earth-type magic runes.’
There was ultimately one remaining option: utilizing [Fragmented Earth Garden] to transform the ground. If I could split or move the ground along its charging path, it would inevitably halt its charge, opening up the path for my strategy.
What I lacked at the moment is evasion or tanking ability; not damage.
-Grrruuhh!!
Red Drake prepared to charge again. Its body turned a deep red.
‘It wasn’t red because of fire, but because it was charging like a madman…’
It was so ridiculous that I couldn’t help but laugh.
From the term ‘Red’, I had naturally assumed it was a creature that used fire, like a Sizzling Salamander. However, it turned out that Red Drake, of all things, was a creature that utilized charging, much like the B-grade Centaur.
Fortunately, there was no ‘Magic Immunity’ gimmick like with Grizzly Drake… However, the power of its charge and the difficulty of stopping it made it unexpectedly more challenging than Grizzly Drake.
-Grrrrr…!!
It charged once more. With its high speed and the use of a charging rune, it was a rapid dash. If I hesitated for even a moment, it would reach me just like before.
‘Protrusion..!!’
I swiftly used [Fragmented Earth Garden]. My target was the protrusion of the ground along its charging path. It was like creating rocks or boulders, making a section of the ground rise.
Graggggg-
Although my proficiency was still lacking, I managed to create a raised section of the ground along the path where it was expected to charge.
If the charge continued as planned, Red Drake would certainly collide with the raised ground and come to a stop. I needed to take advantage of this.
I concentrated my magic to prepare for the follow-up attack.
-Grrruuuhh…!!
“Huh?”
It turned. Not mentally or anything like that… It physically turned during the charge.
Red Drake moved as if it was rotating half of the protruding ground along its charging path, then continued charging toward me.
No, seriously, what is this?
‘Can it change its path during the charge?’
This confirmed it. The rune it possessed wasn’t [Sprint]. My [Sprint] rune couldn’t change the charging path. If I tried, it would immediately cancel the charging assist from [Sprint]. It could only charge in one direction, and if it was canceled, I had to adopt a charging stance and then move again.
However, Red Drake changed its path during the charge and didn’t significantly slow down. It was undoubtedly a higher-level charging rune than [Sprint].
‘I should at least raise my shield.’
I had already missed the timing for evasion, and considering the previous situation, there was a good chance I could get caught in its charge during an evasion attempt. Right now, I had to face that charge, whether it meant life or death.
I summoned [Goblin’s Bronze Shield] using weapon change technique and immediately followed with the skill [Iron Wall Defense].
But that wasn’t the end.
‘Attack is the best defense…!’
Simply repeating evasion and defense wouldn’t give me a chance to turn the tide. While I held the shield, I also drew magic power into it.
[Fiery Flame] and [Penetrating Brain Strike].
Two elemental magic attacks flowed through the shield to the sides.
Fire on the left, lightning on the right.
I prepared these double magic attacks just in case.
If the shield could withstand this collision…
Red Drake’s body might not endure it either.
-Grrr, Grruuhh…!!
Crashing sounds—
Kwaang!
“Kuh, ugh…!!”
The shield crumpled, and the tremendous destructive power struck my body. Excruciating pain, beyond imagination. Experiencing that pain firsthand, I could realize something.
‘Ah… The Ruthless Charge effect…’
[Ruthless Charge] wasn’t just about ignoring physical attacks during a charge. If a charge was successful, it had the additional effect of inflicting double the power of the user’s strength on the target. While it wasn’t overly powerful due to various constraints, if it succeeded, it had a devastating effect. With an A-grade monster’s tremendous stats, the impact was doubled.
It had pierced through even [Iron Wall Defense] and struck me. My body was being battered.
-Grr, Grrruuuhh…!!
Of course, Red Drake wasn’t unscathed either. The two magic attacks I had prepared had an effect. Its scales were burning from the flames, and its body twitched as if it had been electrocuted. Clearly, without a magic immunity gimmick and being a creature focused on charging and attack power, it was vulnerable to magic attacks.
-Grruuuh…!!
Red Drake charged at me again.
I closely observed its movements, despite the [Lizard’s Scales] and [Hardening] remaining from the previous encounter. Blocking it directly with my body seemed like a challenge.
I’d felt the bone-chilling pain when I tried to block it with the shield just now.
I had to avoid it somehow. I would evade at the last moment with [Agile Agility], then use magic attacks and the ultimate skill to finish it off.
If my predictions were correct, just one more successful attack like the one before…
I might be able to defeat it.
“Come on, you little lizard.”
I stared straight at it, not missing a moment of its charge.
For the very last evasion, to ensure that I avoided it completely.
-Grr, Grrruuuhh…!!
And just like that, as Red Drake charged towards me as if it were insane…
It stopped.
“What”
Due to the abrupt halt, dust and debris covered Red Drake’s surroundings. It stopped so suddenly. Literally. Its ferocious charge came to an immediate standstill.
And it stared directly into my eyes.
Trembling all over.
As if…
It was in a ‘rigid’ state.
“What the hell is going on with this guy?”
The sight was so bizarre that, for a moment, I forgot about counterattacking. Why on earth was this happening?
