Chương 38: Vorath, the cursed alpha
Klauss observed his teammates, their expressions tainted with fear, and a flicker of doubt crept into his mind regarding their commitment as hunters facing a mere rank C gate.
Despite the boss exuding a formidable aura and strength, it remained a task well within the capabilities of a proficient team. The synergy among the group was apparent, even though they were newly formed, yet their timidity in the face of adversity threatened to undermine their potential.
Acknowledging the urgency of the situation, Klauss realized he needed to seize control. Fully aware that he couldn't unleash his true potential, he remained resolute in swiftly dispatching the boss.
Taking charge, Klauss rallied the team, assuming command with determination, leaving Baro momentarily shaken by the boss's imposing presence.
Baro knew deep down that he wasn't capable of leading his team to victory and voluntarily seeded the role of team leader, he had lost confidence.
Klauss observed Vorath darting around the cavern with astonishing speed, clearly toying with the group. While his teammates panicked, unable to track the werewolf's movements, Klauss remained composed as he analyzed the situation.
The four Stormbringers members had been thoroughly briefed by their vice leader on what to expect, yet facing the reality of this fight, they struggled to apply that knowledge.
Suddenly, Vorath ceased its dizzying assault and directed a concentrated strike, its claws enveloped in mana, straight at Danielson. Klauss swiftly identified the imminent danger to their healer and commanded, "Gin! Protect Danielson, now!"
With sharp reflexes honed from his short time working alongside Klauss, Gin stepped in front of Danielson and braced his shield. The boss's attack slammed full force into the metal bulwark with a resounding clang.
Gin slid back from the sheer strength of the blow but kept both feet planted, successfully shielding their healer from harm.
Vorath chuckled, clearly impressed. "Not bad, little ones. But that is merely a taste of my power."
While the werewolf boss was distracted, Klauss seized the opportunity. "Get into formation!" he commanded.
The team immediately moved into assigned positions - Danielson and Gin sticking close together, Emma at mid-range ready to shoot, while Klauss and Baro prepared to confront Vorath head-on in melee combat.
"Remember, this thing's hiding some nasty surprises," Klauss said. "Danielson, keep us healed up. Baro, you and I need to draw its attacks. Gin, guard our rear. Emma, pelt this beast with everything you've got when you get the chance!"
Howls echoed through the caverns as Vorath summoned a pair of wolf sentries to its side. Klauss and Baro charged forward to meet the new threat while Emma peppered the boss with mana arrows.
One sentry immediately collapsed under her barrage. Gin bashed back the second with his shield.
Seeing his minions fall, Vorath attacked in earnest, his earlier nonchalance vanishing. Dark mana erupted outward, buffeting the party with its malevolent energy.
Klauss deflected claw swipes from the boss while Baro hacked at its ankles. Vorath swept out a leg, kicking Baro halfway across the cavern until he hit the wall with a sickening crack.
"Pathetic weaklings!" Vorath roared. "I will feast on your bones!"
The cursed werewolf now fought with reckless fury. Gin struggled to defend as Vorath landed blow after blow on his shield. Cracks spread across the metal surface. Klauss knew they couldn't withstand this assault for long.
"Fall back!" he ordered. "Regroup!"
Swiftly reassessing the party's positioning, Klauss formulated a more effective strategy for the ongoing battle. Regret lingered over the fact that if he had been kept in the dark on Vorath's patterns earlier, the skirmish might have unfolded with greater ease.
Nevertheless, those acquainted with the creature's tendencies focused solely on Klauss's directives, momentarily disregarding the less-than-ideal approach to combat.
In this iteration, Klauss designated Gin as the primary tank, tasking them with maintaining relentless aggro and occupying the attention of the gate boss, Vorath. Baro, armed with his spear and heightened agility, assumed the role of an elusive nuisance, darting in and out, creating a constant vexation for the boss.
Despite Vorath's formidable speed, Klauss positioned himself to anticipate, thwart, and restrict its movements. He engaged the boss directly when it altered direction, consistently staying one step ahead.
Meanwhile, Danielson and Emma remained in close proximity, their roles unchanged. The altered formation and strategy, admittedly, left the healer and ranged dealer more exposed to potential threats.
However, the overarching concept was to maintain a controlled perimeter around Vorath, creating a dynamic where the threat was constantly managed within certain bounds.
The battle flowed more smoothly with the adjusted formation, confining the boss's movements and intensifying the damage dealt. Each team member seamlessly executed their designated roles, fostering a growing confidence as the confrontation progressed.
Despite the creature preemptively enveloping itself in mana, signs of the relentless assault became evident in clots of blood staining its thick black fur on arms, legs, and upper body. The coordinated onslaught began yielding tangible results.
However, Klauss, unswayed by the team's newfound prowess, maintained a calm demeanor, fully cognizant that the beast likely harbored more surprises. The air of confidence among the hunters failed to shake his resolve. Suddenly, Klauss's eyes widened as the beast smirked.
In a swift move, the werewolf leaped backward, returning to its original resting place. With arms outstretched, it commenced an incantation, declaring, "You annoying little worms. Your little play will soon come to an end!"
Danielson, encouraged by newfound confidence, reclaimed his sense of rationality and exclaimed, "Wait, don't tell me he's going to..."
Baro, who had initiated the fight with low confidence, found his voice, frustratedly interjecting, "Just spit it out. Argh, I can't take it." Despite his earlier hesitation, Baro had resolved to continue peppering the beast.
However, Danielson abruptly screamed at him, "You fool, get back here! I remember now. When he does that, we can't attack him or we'll be cursed. I think it's about to enter its second phase."
The urgency in Danielson's voice conveyed the gravity of the situation, prompting a momentary pause in Baro's assault.
What set Vorath apart and added a touch of uniqueness was the curse he possessed. Without this special curse, he would merely be a run-of-the-mill rank D boss.
Oddly, there was a reluctance in Vorath to unleash this particular curse. The curse, a formidable ability, drew upon the vitality of his kin, whether they were alive or deceased.
A guttural roar shook the cavern walls as Vorath drew upon his ultimate skill. Klauss and his comrades watched in horrified awe as the hulking werewolf began to transform before their very eyes.
Vorath's coarse black fur fluctuated, and an aura of sickly red enveloped his body, sending shivers through the party. The dark mana emanating from the beast was far from ordinary, it pulsated with an unsettling energy that carried the scent of death and decay.
It was as if this malevolent force offered a brief glimpse into the abyssal void.
The werewolf alpha threw back his head and howled. Throughout the cave network, his wolf sentries echoed the cry before choking into silence.
Vorath was tapping into his deadly curse, siphoning the life essence from his own kin. His muscles bulged and swelled as the sacrificed wolves' vitality flooded through him.
Soon Vorath's frame had expanded, fur peeling back from flexing flesh and sinews. Veins popped along his neck and limbs. Vorath's claws lengthened into vicious black talons dripping with viscous fluid.
Behind his gnashing teeth, a pair of sword-like fangs curved down past his jaw.
But most terrifying of all were the beast's eyes. Once an icy blue, they now blazed red with a maddened hunger. The cunning intelligence that had taunted the party earlier was gone. In its place lurked only an insatiable predator, with a sole purpose, to kill.
Klauss glanced back at his team. Their faces had gone pale. He couldn't blame them. The monstrous vision before them was the stuff of nightmares - and they needed to somehow defeat this horror.
The real battle had only just begun. Vorath seemed to hesitate as his body adjusted to the massive influx of power. Klauss knew they had one chance to seize the advantage.
"Hit him with everything left!" he yelled. "Before the curse fully takes hold!"
For a moment it looked as though their combined offensive might overwhelm the boss, but then Vorath threw back his head again. A shockwave of red mana erupted outward, sending hunters flying back across the cavern floor.
The cursed beast advanced, muscles rippling beneath matted fur wet with blood and ichor.
"We can't stop him like this!" Emma screamed. "He's too powerful! We have to make a run for it!"
Klauss tightened his grip on his sword and rose back to his feet. Their attacks had wounded Vorath, but the hulking werewolf showed no signs of slowing even with arrows still embedded in his flesh.
Those empty red eyes remained fixed on the hunters - the prey he would devour to further fuel his power.
They couldn't flee. This abomination had to die for them to escape safely. But despite Klauss' own skills, he knew that not even he alone could stand against Voraath's deadly curse.
Their only hope was to stay together as a team and fight on until the bitter end.
"Fuck that," Klauss muttered, irritation etched on his face from the persistent annoyances and the disrespect he had endured. His voice lowered as he muttered again, "Klauss, Dancing Sword Art, Second Form: Blurry Steps."
In an instant, his teammates, who were gradually finding their footing, crumpled to the floor. The beast itself appeared dumbfounded by this sudden turn of events.
Yet, there stood Klauss, casually stretching his neck, seemingly unperturbed, and remarked, "Ahh, that felt good."
With a menacing glare directed at the transformed predator Varoth, Klauss had intentionally knocked out his teammates, ready to face the challenge alone.
"Now, let's get serious you ugly creature".
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