A Boss or Mini-Boss's Weakened State signified their increased susceptibility to more damage due to natural DEF suffering some debuffs.
Unlike before, where skills were the primary source of large amounts of damage, one could inflict ample damage upon a weakened opponent with simple basic attacks.
Furthermore, these monsters couldn't generate additional aggro value while in a weakened condition.
Because of how helpless they became, the duration of this state was fleeting, ranging from 5 to 30 seconds, which was dependent on the monster's rank.
Guraha's Health plummeted like an open drain faucet as the team unleashed a steady, overwhelming damage output. However, due to Kieran and Altair's accelerated actions, the Stamina drained quickly.
Since dungeons usually lasted a considerable amount of time, players were granted reduced consumption, but it wasn't enough to offset the consumption of players that performed exhaustive movements.
Fortunately, Kieran, Altair, and Aspaira's attacks emptied Guraha's Health Bar before it could recover from its weak condition.
〈System: You have gained 9,200 EXP.〉
〈System: You have leveled up! [Lv.13 → Lv.14]〉
〈System: You have received 5 Unassigned Attribute Points and 2 Skill Points.〉
〈System: You have leveled up! [Lv.14 → Lv.15]〉
〈System: You have received 5 Unassigned Attribute Points and 2 Skill Points.〉
[Experience: 520/9,200]
Because Kieran was higher than the others, Guraha's EXP Value was lower, amounting to 4,600. Altair and the others received 6,000 EXP.
Considering that he possessed the Medallion of Growth, Kieran didn't stress this situation.
Guraha dropped plenty of loot, but it couldn't be gathered because of Shibak's presence. After Guraha's death, Shibak released a deafening roar.
Kieran recalled that if players killed one Mini-Boss, the other would receive a moderate boost in their attributes because they were mates.
Once this information was made public, all players chose to deal with Shibak in the end because if Guraha grew faster, it would be a pain to overcome. In Shibak's case, his DEF would increase accordingly.
Following Shibak's roar, the crystalline armor covering its body expanded to cover most of its body. Its joints and other areas were left vulnerable to promote mobility.
So, Kieran readily chose Shibak as the last one to face. Subsequently, the crystal armor covering Shibak's body grew further.
Although leveling up twice returned a decent amount of his Stamina, Kieran understood that Shibak's increased DEF meant the battle would be drawn out, even if he could use Savage Break often to reduce it.
All of a sudden, Shibak targeted Kieran with a quick charge. The outcome made Kieran furrow his brows before quickly recalling what was wrong.
'Although Altair delivered the fatal blow, Shibak is chasing me due to the previous aggro value,' Kieran thought.
Aggro values within Zenith Online were a tricky subject that took some time to understand. It wasn't the value themselves that were tricky, but how to reset and manipulate them. Every monster was different, but aggro generally began dissipating after 30 seconds and vanished after 2 minutes.
However, Shibak's aggro wouldn't vanish or dissipate if Guraha was killed and vice versa.
After recalling this information, Kieran stepped back and avoided Shibak's smash while retaliating with a spinning slash. Unfortunately, the outcome made everyone's expression darken.
-1
"Oh! What the hell? Why are you dealing one damage?!" Sithik shrieked in fright.
Kieran's damage was the team's driving force! If his high Attack Power couldn't penetrate Shibak's current DEF, was this even clearable?!
"Calm down," Kieran uttered coolly. "The run is salvageable solely because of my presence and hers."
Kieran pointed at Aspaira, who returned a blank gaze. Unlike Kieran, Aspaira was privy to the varying types of DEF in Zenith Online.
"Me?" Aspaira muttered.
"Yes. As I said before, your Magic Power is pivotal in this run. If it weren't, I wouldn't have spent hours looking for a suitable Mage."
After speaking, Kieran executed three more slashes that ranged from 1 to 4 damage.
Again, Kieran slashed his sword.
The test confirmed that Shibak's DEF and Damage Reduction were the only things that increased because Shibak failed to match Kieran's AGI. If he had limitless Stamina, Kieran could easily solo Shibak, but he didn't, so that possibility didn't exist.
"Altair, ignore AGI for the time being. We need to increase our damage to assist Aspaira," Kieran said.
"Ah… you're suggesting I dump it all into STR?! I can do that, my good sir," Altair said excitedly. The high AGI playstyle was fantastic, but Altair began to feel the drawbacks of lacking STR, which was unacceptable for all physical classes.
Different from Guraha, Shibak didn't possess any troublesome skills; its redeeming quality was its DEF. Players chose Shibak as the second opponent with a 100% selection rate for this very reason.
"Aspaira, you'll lead with your spells while Altair and I act as the distraction to deal assistive damage. Understood?"
"Understood, Aatrox," Aspaira expressed, gripping her staff.
Once he gave the order, Kieran and Altair split apart, targeting Shibak's left and right side while keeping its front clear for Aspaira to aim her spells. Because she kept Kieran's advice in mind, she saved her SP and didn't use it to level up her spells.
As such, Aspaira's damage only skyrocketed when she managed to land a Critical Hit with a Fireball or Aqua Bullet. But, her constant spell usage forced her to drink another Beginner Mana Potion.
One Fireball cost four times the Mana of Kieran's Force Slash.
Fortunately, a Mage's primary stat was Intelligence, so their Mana Pool eclipsed a Warrior's.
Once Kieran used Savage Break, the string of -1 to -4 damage increased to -9 to -15. This further increased when either Kieran or Altair used a skill.
By employing a tactic where they constantly moved, Kieran managed to bring the team's average DPS above 30. But there were times when Shibak was unapproachable due to its frantic fits.
Roughly ten minutes later, Shibak's large body fell with a mighty tremor before rewarding a decent amount of EXP and generous loot.
〈System: You have gained 8,700 EXP.〉
〈System: You have leveled up! [Lv.15 → Lv.16]〉
〈System: You have received 5 Unassigned Attribute Points and 2 Skill Points.〉
[Experience: 20/15,000]
Aside from curiousness regarding the loot, everyone sighed and deflated. Ten minutes of constant fighting was enough to exhaust anyone. Kieran and Altair, especially, took the time to recover their Stamina.
Due to Shibak and Guraha's identity as Mini-Bosses, their loot surpassed Hrulhar's. Although Kieran didn't see any skill books within the haul, he noted several Uncommon Items and a few Rare Items based on their luster.
Aside from the equipment, there were a few materials and approximately 13 Silver Coins.
A majority of the items were geared toward a tank since Shibak was an opponent that dropped tank-based loot. It was similar to how Hrulhar dropped Thief-exclusive loot.
Fortunately, aside from a Rare Shield and pieces of Plate Armor, Shibak also dropped Heavy Armor Top, Bottom, and Shoes that were much better than Kieran's current equipment.
When he changed into it, the color of his suit became much brighter, and some of his attributes received a respective boost.
Next, Kieran found the last Rare item—a ring.
「 Crystalline Ring (Accessory)
Item Rank: Rare
Item Level: 15
Health +60
Defense +15
Item Ability «Hardened Skin» - Allows the user to obtain a 10% Damage Reduction for 20 seconds. This ability can only be used once every 30 seconds.
Description: A ring chiseled from a crystal material that promotes stability, improving the user's solidity. 」
The ring was primarily gray in color, but it possessed dark yellow engravings throughout the inner space. Overall, Kieran grinned because this ring made it so he wouldn't need to dump an insane amount of Attribute Points inside Vitality and Endurance.
"Take it," Altair shrugged.
"Yeah. I think that item is best in your hands since there isn't a tank on the team," Sithik agreed.
"You deserve the items since despite being the most valuable party member, you've changed your items the least," Aspaira voiced.
Since the party agreed with the notion of his taking it, Kieran didn't stand on ceremony.
「Name: Aatrox
Lv.16 (Experience: 20/15,000)
Class: Warrior
Title(s): None
----------------------------
[«Stats»]-
Health: 325/325 (0.2 HP regen/sec)
Mana: 155/155 (0.16 MP regen/sec)
Stamina: 69/119 (0.1 Stamina regen/sec)
Attack Power: 142
Defense: 135
-----------------------------
[«Attributes»]-
»Strength: 55 (43 + 12 + 0)
»Intelligence: 25 (25 + 0 + 0)
»Agility: 50 (42 + 8 + 0)
»Endurance: 33 (13 + 20 + 0)
»Control: 30 (30 + 0 + 0)
»Vitality: 33 (18 + 15 + 0)
»Perception: 50 (50 + 0 + 0)
[Unassigned Stat Point: 20]
[Skill Points: 8] 」
Kieran's stats were outstanding for his level, but he knew that feeling joy over a Starter Character's inferior parameters was in vain.
Perhaps only after he could promote his class would he feel some satisfaction.
Following the loot distribution, Kieran remained in place and recovered. Not because he didn't want to visit the dungeon boss, but because this boss was unique.
Ten minutes later, numerous towering trees fell and sent intense quakes through the entire forest. Amidst the earthquakes, thunderous steps resounded throughout the forest.
Except for Kieran, the party's expression paled after catching wind of an enormous shadow cast by a bear over 4 meters tall.
The dungeon's final boss had arrived!
Make sure to point out any spelling errors, grammar errors, or numbers/information that wasn't properly updated so I can immediately rectify those issues.
Thank you, guys!
P.S: A LOT of game terminology will appear in the novel, because well, I'm a gamer. :shrug:
The appearance of the towering bear put everyone on high alert, including Kieran. Like the party's reaction, the stream was in a similar uproar.
Of course, Kieran didn't have the stream chat open, or it would just be one massive distraction.
However, he couldn't just turn off his party member's mouths. Therefore, he was forced to listen to their articulated astonishment.
"Damn, this thing is like a bulldozer or something. How in the hell can a bear get that big? Surely it hasn't taken some kind of mutated Viagra, right?" Altair murmured while also analyzing the Boss.
The towering bear's appearance was a mixture of Guraha and Shibak amplified a few times over. As a genuine Boss, it released a fearsome presence.
The crystalline armor surrounding its body was already a deep amber color, forming sharp blades that made the bear's limbs far more lethal. A low growl sounded from its throat as the colossal bear revealed its sabertooth tiger-like fangs.
This monster was the boss exclusive to this difficulty.
「 Lv.13 Grifear, King of the Forest (Rare)
Dungeon Boss
Beast Type
Health: 11,000/11,000 (100%) 」
"Oh wow," Sithik muttered in awe, teeth chattering and knees buckling. An urge to release the contents of his bladder overwhelmed Sithik when he locked gazes with Grifear.
"D-does anyone else feel that?" Sithik asked, squeezing the words through pursed lips.
"Feel what?" Altair glanced toward Sithik, noticing his unusual behavior.
"It's suffocating. It feels like I'm a zip lock bag being dipped in water to vacuum seal the bag!" Sithik choked while speaking.
However, Kieran joined the conversation with a peculiar expression. "You're experiencing Boss Suppression. Boss Monsters are different from regular monsters. Some of them possess pressure strong enough to debuff certain players."
Kieran was naturally a player unaffected by such suppression. After all, it was a state that originated from a player's spirit. The stronger one's spirit, the less likely one was to be affected.
"Relax and breathe through it. The pressure is designed to destabilize you. If you let that happen, Grifear will most likely wipe us all out," Kieran directed.
Grifear's name held a hidden warning. If one showed fear within its presence, it would mark the beginning of the end, starting with a near-unavoidable party wipe skill.
A second later, Kieran lifted his Novice Greatsword and began to speak. "There isn't much for me to coach you on here. It's a new Boss, but it's an amalgam of every monster faced in this dungeon."
With his Novice Greatsword raised, Kieran glanced to the side. "Sithik. Cygnus-"
"Yes?" Cygnus called out, clutching her small cross between her thumb and index finger. Although she trembled faintly, she summoned the courage to stand straight and listen attentively to Kieran's orders.
"I'm listening, boss!" Sithik exclaimed.
"Make sure you focus. Pay attention to our Health at all times and maintain a decent distance, preferably at the cusp of your healing range."
Both of them nodded solemnly, conveying that they understood the message clearly.
While Kieran was delivering his instructions, Grifear growled menacingly. Although it wasn't a loud growl, the nearby trees and ground rumbled in response.
'My first Boss since I have returned,' Kieran inwardly remarked. An excited gleam flashed within his gaze as his hand twitched with anticipation.
Understanding that Grifear was an opponent that required all his attention and utmost ability, Kieran made the necessary preparations.
〈System: Strength has risen from 55 to 60.〉
[Attack Power has increased to 152.]
〈System: Agility has risen from 50 to 55.〉
〈System: Control has risen from 30 to 40.〉
His remaining 20 UAP vanished, increasing what Kieran felt was most important in the battle. Next, Kieran used his previously earned SP to improve a crucial skill in his current fighting style.
〈System: You are using 8 SP to increase «Warrior's Aura» from Lv.3 to Lv.5. Continue? [ Y | N ]〉
Once Kieran agreed, the dense blue aura billowing from his body deepened in color and presence, giving off an increasingly overwhelming feeling.
「Warrior's Aura (Lv.5)
Skill Rank: D
Skill Type: Active
Mastery (00.00%)
Skill Description: Manifests the aura of a Warrior by stimulating their tenacious will. While this skill is active, the user's attack damage increases by 30%. There is a 5% chance of attacks triggering the «Knockback».
Consumption: 3 Mana Points every 5 seconds
Prerequisites: Warrior Class
Cooldown: 50 seconds (Only begins after deactivation of the skill.) 」
…
Once Kieran's Warrior's Aura appeared, Grifear released a deafening roar and rushed toward the party with speed rivaling Hrulhar. Watching a colossal figure move at a velocity that was contrary to its size dismayed the party.
Nevertheless, Kieran's expression grew cold as he dashed forward and intercepted Grifear's advance.
Clang!
Kieran swung his greatsword against Grifear's defending paw and lost some Health, but it wasn't dangerous. However, when Grifear tried to follow up with a second strike, Kieran seemingly vanished.
Altair appeared in place of Kieran's vanishing figure, lashing out his dagger. Due to his movements, Altair spun like a black tornado, unleashing a series of light attacks, garnished with a final Concussive Strike.
The hit-stun effect didn't apply, but Kieran suspected as much. Grifear's DEF and physique were too robust for Altair's trivial STR to be enough.
Furthermore, Altair felt a throbbing pain in his elbow, as if it would snap.
When Grifear moved to swat Altair out of the air, Kieran intercepted again with a Directional Slash performed in a downward motion.
Tang!
'As expected...' Kieran thought while shaking his hand with a tense expression. 'Grifear's Hardened Trait is stronger than Shibak. If not for my Medallion of Growth, the situation could have been worse.'
In a situation like this, although they were incredibly high but far from their peak, Kieran's combat standards couldn't offset the disparity in attributes.
Grifear's attributes were too absurd, and while players weren't affected by abnormal states induced by the pain of their actions inside Beginner Zones, they could perceive that pain.
Swoosh! Bang!
Before Kieran could contemplate their current situation, Grifear's large paw smashed into the ground and split it apart, launching many rocks in every direction.
Kieran dodged most of the rocks that flew from this attack, but some blocked his vision.
Boom!
Kieran quickly reacted to Grifear's large paw, which tore apart the rock debris, by bracing his Novice Greatsword against his body.
"Ngh!" Kieran groaned.
After landing, he slid across the ground and glared at Grifear, who unleashed another deafening bellow.
As a boss, Grifear's primary instinct was to assert dominance. So emerging triumphant in a clash led to its prideful roar. But, this behavior naturally sparked a subtle reaction within Kieran.
Whoosh!
After two Healing Lights landed on him, Kieran sped toward Grifear. Grifear tried to attack Kieran, but he could easily read Grifear's actions and avoided them.
'Ah. Grifear is a mere low-level Dungeon Boss, yet because of my lacking stats and physique, it feels confident enough to consider itself superior. How far I've fallen...' Kieran inwardly thought.
"Truly a shame," Kieran muttered to himself before arriving before Grifear a few seconds later.
Usually, Kieran would begin his combination with Charge, for the additional damage, but Kieran decided there was a better and more prudent option.
Kieran jumped and aimed a Savage Break at Grifear's head.
Bang!
Grifear's head snapped back from the force of the Savage Break and the effects of the Warrior's Aura.
-435
The damage wasn't amazing, but the battle alerts that followed were.
〈Battle Alert: «Grifear, King of the Forest» has been «Dazed». [Duration: 5 seconds.]〉
〈Battle Alert: «Grifear, King of the Forest»'s DEF has fallen by 25%.〉
Dazed was one of the abnormal states players could inflict upon monsters, which differed from Stunned. Whereas Stun robbed a monster's ability to move, Daze also increased the chances of inflicting a Critical Hit.
Although they didn't have a tacit understanding, Altair understood that Grifear's lack of movement meant it was time to unload his skill arsenal.
In the meantime, Kieran initiated his onslaught as well. Upon landing, Kieran slammed into Grifear as he ignored the budding pain.
"Charge!"
-250 «Stunned»
Kieran wasted no time in following up with a Force Slash that kicked up a few turbulent winds.
…Boom!
-1,459! «Critical Hit»
"HOLY SHIT!" Sithik screamed at the top of his lungs.
"Oh my lord…" Aspaira muttered as she chanted Flame Wave's spell.
Although Sithik and Aspaira witnessed Kieran's earlier damage, the current situation was a shock. It was over 1,000 damage against a Boss Monster, after all.
Of course, they weren't aware that Kieran had increased this skill to Lv.5, which greatly bolstered its damage percentage. Furthermore, they also didn't understand that anyone could achieve such damage.
Why? Because Kieran accomplished this with a mere E Rank Skill!
Following this shock, Kieran, Aspaira, and Altair unleashed a combined total of 4,500 damage before Grifear recovered from its daze.
However, once it recovered, Grifear released a menacing, bloodthirsty growl. Most of its animosity was aimed at Kieran because he was responsible for most of the damage it suffered.
All of a sudden, Grifear's body began releasing an amber glow.
Make sure to point out any spelling errors, grammar errors, or numbers/information that wasn't properly updated so I can immediately rectify those issues.
Thank you, guys!
P.S: A LOT of game terminology will appear in the novel, because well, I'm a gamer. :shrug:
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