Chapter 334
"So, it's you who will witness my end."
Proceeding deeper, we found Boldrinde seated at a desk, reviewing research materials. By his side was his last remaining covert operative.
That operative held his weapon at the ready, poised to strike at the slightest opening, showing the resolve to take down as many of us as possible in a final stand.
"Yeah."
My reply was curt, my mood soured by what I had just witnessed. I glared at him with half-lidded eyes, not bothering to hide my hostility.
Seeing my attitude, Boldrinde... laughed.
"Then, it falls to an acceptable category after all."
I don't know what intention lay behind that smile.
But he slowly rose from his desk, picking up his staff that was leaning against it.It was a clear declaration that he had no intention of surrendering peacefully.
"You, what is your name?""...Liberta.""I see. Then, Liberta."
He asked for my name. I'm sure he heard it during the tournament, and furthermore, he couldn't possibly not know the name of the candidate for the Oracle's Hero backed by Duke Edelgard, his enemy. But since he asked, I'd answer as a final courtesy before sending him to the afterlife.
"For what reason do you kill me?""Do you think there's an option *not* to stop a dangerous man trying to bring ruin to the world for personal reasons?""Kukuku... Quite right."
A question-and-answer session seemed to be starting, but I had no intention of humoring a long, drawn-out conversation to buy him time.
"To be struck down by such naive righteousness... I am fortunate.""My Lord, I go on ahead.""Yes, Dupro. Wait for me before the gates of the underworld.""Sir."
However, Boldrinde seemed to confirm something, nodded with satisfaction at his last loyal retainer, and then pulled a small bottle from his pocket.Poison suicide? The thought flashed through my mind for an instant, but squinting, I realized the liquid inside was magically enchanted.
"!?"
I understood its contents and stepped forward, but...
"You shall not interfere with my Lord!!"
Dupro, moving faster than I anticipated, blocked my advance. Poison dripped from the blade of the short sword he swung.I couldn't recklessly block it, so I evaded with room to spare. Then, without any telltale motion, a throwing knife flew from his other hand.
That movement was also swift. Seeing this level of skill, superior to the class and level of Boldrinde's operatives I knew of, I became certain.
"It's the Poison of God Ixil!! It boosts the user's abilities!!"
The Poison of God Ixil.It was a trump-card poison in FBO as well.It rarely circulated and didn't drop in dungeons.
Suppressing the urge to shout, *'Where did you get such a rare item even players can't make?'*, I had no choice but to watch Boldrinde drink it while fending off Dupro's desperate attacks.
Whoever consumes it will undoubtedly die; it's an incurable poison.No, it's closer to a curse than a poison.
Even having taken me by surprise, Dupro shouldn't be capable of such a fierce assault given the stat difference. The reason for his sharp, enhanced movements...
The ancient poison said to have been created by Ixil, the God of Pharmacology, and left among the knowledge bestowed upon humanity.
The effects gained from consuming the Poison of God Ixil are threefold:1. The consumer dies one hour after ingestion, and resurrection is nullified.2. After consumption, stats increase by 20% every minute. However, the peak is at 30 minutes, after which stats decrease by 10% every minute.3. After consumption, the user becomes immune to all damage and status ailments caused by any medicine or poison.
This is a dangerous drug that grants a maximum stat increase of 600% in exchange for certain death.Even after the peak passes, a minimum 300% stat increase is maintained, which is insane.
If a maxed-out Class 10 character used this, depending on their skill build, they could potentially achieve enough firepower to one-shot the final boss.It was an unfortunate item because, despite requiring specific conditions and guaranteeing death, using it didn't count as a clear in-game.In the game era, some players used it to take down troublesome enemies in speedruns, accepting the death and respawn penalty, thanks to its unparalleled stat-boosting effect.
"!?""Liberta!? I'm coming!""Stay back! Everyone, go for Boldrinde! I'll handle this one!!"
And the third effect, which might seem negligible due to the sheer stat increase, is actually the most dangerous.Being immune to damage and status ailments from poisons and medicines means you *don't die* from consuming poison.
This might seem like a simple poison immunity, but the reality is different.You *are* poisoned; the poison's effect simply doesn't manifest.
So, what can you do? It synergizes incredibly well with so-called 'Drawback Equipment'—gear that only activates its effects when the user is under negative status effects.
The highest attack damage record in FBO was achieved by consuming the Poison of God Ixil, spending money to the limit with the merchant skill Gold Smash, and maximizing the effects of Drawback Equipment.
It's obvious what happens when Gold Smash—a skill already boasting firepower in a league of its own—is used while equipped with Drawback Gear that allows it to reach its maximum potential.
And the reason I'm thinking about this now is that Dupro is wearing such equipment.
His noticeably powerful attacks, agile movements, the strange odor emanating from his entire body...His body being damp is proof he's doused himself in poison to maintain the peak condition for his Drawback Equipment.
Some players preferred using this kind of short-burst, Drawback Equipment build.They would wield their boosted power with extreme concentration for a short period.
Knowing Dupro, the head of Boldrinde's covert operatives, even if just from the game world, I believed he possessed abilities similar to those players.
Therefore, I couldn't let even Claudia face the current Dupro.
"Tch.""I won't let you pass."
Realizing that even his heavily boosted stats couldn't overwhelm me alone, he immediately tried to go aid his master, Boldrinde, but I wouldn't allow it.
This guy is dangerous.He's not a monster. He's accustomed to killing people and knows the methods better than anyone.
In PvP, knowing how people move is a significant advantage.
Monsters and humans have different ways of fighting, but this Dupro has the ability to observe and grasp his opponent's movements. I can tell he's that type.
There were people like this when I played FBO.And such individuals are usually not just good at PvP; they are skilled at constructing their entire combat style. Thus, they improve quickly.
"......"
Silently, without a word, minimizing eye movement, hiding his breathing with a mask, occasionally mixing in feints with his eyes to sow doubt in my judgment.
Knowing the reason why such a capable person remains loyal to a scoundrel like Boldrinde until the end makes me regret this situation.But I also understand that his high loyalty is precisely why he cannot join hands with us, Boldrinde's enemies.
I also mix in feints, restrict his movements, and try to read his attacks using similar methods.
Even boosted by the synergistic effect of the Poison of God Ixil and his Drawback Equipment, my stats are still slightly higher, but the gap is minimal now.Between me, who cannot afford to take a single hit from his poisoned attacks, and Dupro, who charges in without concern for minor wounds, he has the advantage in offensive options.
Using the difference in skill, PvP experience, and the reach of my spear, I manage to tilt the balance in my favor and gradually press him, but if I let my guard down even slightly, he could turn the tables.
"Tch!""Seriously!?"
Judging he couldn't win unscathed, he instantly sacrificed his right arm to close inside my spear's range.The deeply embedded spear wouldn't come out easily.
Rather than lose precious fractions of a second trying to force it out, I chose to draw my sub-weapon.
Forced into close range with his poisoned dagger, the backup weapon I drew in that instant was...
"!?""Glad I had my kusarigama!!"
This is also a mid-range weapon, but with its chain, weight, and sickle, it's better suited for dagger range than a spear.Plus, it benefits from my Scythe God Arts and Throwing Mastery skills, making it a sub-weapon I favored even in my FBO days.
I used the chain to deflect the dagger and followed through with a slash from the sickle.He tried to twist away to dodge, but I immediately struck with the weighted end.
Switching attack styles abruptly from spear to kusarigama is not something anyone, no matter how experienced in PvP, can adapt to instantly.
The weight smashed into the shoulder of his remaining left arm, crushing it with a sickening crunch, sealing both his arms.Whether he was using a pain-numbing poison or not, his movements didn't slow. He tried to stab me with a hidden knife in his boot, but the kusarigama is an offensive-defensive weapon.If the weight in my right hand is attacking, the sickle in my left is for defense.I intercepted his incoming kick with the chain.
I felt the impact—I'd cut his leg, successfully blocking it. But...
"Tch!"
Not feeling pain is truly a nuisance.He probably can barely feel tactile sensation either, yet he either realized he'd lost his leg from the impact or had anticipated being cut, as he changed the trajectory of his leg to splatter his poison-tainted blood onto my face.
I couldn't block it in time. I could only turn my face away and desperately try to evade.
Or so you'd think, right?
"!?"
Dupro's leg stopped before completing its swing.It was an unnatural motion, as if halted mid-air, due to a single wire biting deep into his thigh.
Dupro's eyes widened in surprise.
Magic Wire.Normally used for emergency movement or such, it's inherently sturdy due to its property of supporting weight.And I can shoot my Magic Wire from anywhere.
So, anticipating his kick, I shot an anchor from the tip of my forward-left foot into the wall, obstructing Dupro's leg movement to block it.
It's these clever little techniques that are the essence of PvP.No matter how much you boost your stats, your number of skills doesn't increase.In terms of sheer number of tricks up my sleeve, I'm overwhelmingly superior.
"You were strong."
Having lost both arms, and now a leg, Dupro's eyes as he still tried to resist showed no surrender.
Precisely because of that, I put my entire being into a Neck Hunt, cleanly severing Dupro's head.
The expression on his head, spinning through the air, was that of a warrior who fought to the very end.
Confirming that Dupro, who had collapsed and lay motionless, was dead, I turned towards Boldrinde, where the battle still raged.
"Seiya!!""Too naive, little girl!!"
As expected of a boss-class villain NPC. Having drunk the Poison of God Ixil, covered in blood, he was still fighting using his signature dark magic.Around him, his tattered, motionless familiars were turning to ash and vanishing.
"Not yet!! Not yet!!"
But new familiars were being summoned, replenishing his forces.
"How many familiars does he have!?""We just need to cut down every single one that appears!"
We seized a momentary opening to attack, but his skyrocketed stats prevented it from being a fatal blow.Claudia launched attacks at the newly emerged familiars, but couldn't press her assault due to the dark magic flying in to interfere.
The red-armored warriors wanted to assist, but the room was too ravaged and chaotic to deploy a large force.So, those at the entrance guarded against reinforcements while others shot arrows from a distance.However, even those arrows were blocked by familiars acting as shields, never reaching Boldrinde.
The battle situation was at a delicate stalemate.It was clear we were slowly gaining ground, but caution over what he might do next was blunting our offensive flow.
Creating that sense of impending threat was probably child's play for Boldrinde.
Knowing that, and realizing the fight would be much tougher if the top-tier assassin Dupro were involved, was precisely why I took him out first.
"Sorry for the wait!""We have been awaiting your arrival."
I ran over to Ingrid, who was providing support, and assessed the situation.
The fight with Boldrinde in FBO had varying difficulty depending on the approach.
*'He's relying heavily on familiars and wearing himself out... In this state, can we defeat him using that route?'*