Chapter 181 – When One Changed the Equation
Chapter 181
When One Changed the Equation
Date : Day 29 of Lunaeve 1024 Aethellgard Concord Year.
Morning arrived for Freedom Party.
One after another, they climbed out of their tents and went through their usual morning routine.
Using the Water Orb on the makeshift washing area, everyone washed their faces before gathering beneath the tarp once again.
Breakfast was simple. Fresh bread accompanied by the leftover vegetable and squirrel meat soup from last night's dinner.
No one complained.
Inside a dungeon, even a warm, simple meal was more than enough. The meal disappeared quickly as everyone quietly prepared themselves for the battle ahead.
After everyone finished eating, Hyoren looked at each of his companions.
"Okay, everyone."
His expression became more serious.
"We've already defeated this First Floor Guardian before."
He folded his arms.
"The Goblin Berserker's regeneration gave us a hard time back then. Without the stacking debuffs from my Enchant Maledict, Jackey's Bloody Axe compounding effect, and Elise's poison, we would've had to retreat."
He briefly glanced toward the campsite of The Unbreakable Will.
"Just like Jigor's party did."
His gaze then shifted toward Arianna, the newest member of the Freedom Party.
"We could defeat it because we are lucky we are a good match to it. Plus, now we have a new member."
A small smile appeared on his face.
"We should be able to clear it without much trouble."
Arianna nodded gracefully.
"Understood, Leader."
She thought for a brief moment.
"It's a high-regeneration type enemy, correct? In that case, I'll mainly use single-target spells."
A confident smile appeared on her face.
"And since it enters an enrage state when it's close to death, I'll save my strongest single target spell, Combustion, until that moment."
Hyoren nodded approvingly.
"Good. I'll give the signal when it's time to finish it off."
He then looked around at everyone.
"Alright. It's time to check our progress before we head in."
Hyoren reached into his storage bag and retrieved his Adventurer's Guild Card.
He activated it before laying out his information.
Level : 15
Experience to next level up : 3,167/15,118
Status :
Strength : 18
Vitality : 17
Dexterity : 13
Agility : 13
Magic : 17
Skills :
Forest Walking Lvl 1
Spear Mastery Lvl 3
Throwing Lvl 2
Magic Manipulation Lvl 5
Instinct Lvl 3
Dissection Lvl 1
Aethell Sense Lvl 2
Magic Blade Lvl 4
Light Magic Lvl 3
Strong Legs Lvl 2
Sword Mastery Lvl 4
Shield Mastery Lvl 5
Dark Magic Lvl 3
Simple Appraisal Lvl 1
Spell Learned:
Basic Light Magic : Healing Light, Accel Zone
Basic Dark Magic : Enchant Maledict, Shadow Bloom
Active Skill :
Spear : Piercing Thrust
Sword : Quick Slash, Sweeping Slash
Shield : Provoke, Shield Bash
Throwing : Precision Throw
Unique Skill : Berserker
Blessing : Divine Protection of Twin Goddesses
A satisfied smile spread across Hyoren's face.
He had grown steadily.
Jackey crossed his arms proudly while his tabby cat ears stood tall and his tail spiraled happily behind him.
"Big Bro keeps getting stronger!"
Elise leaned forward to look at the displayed status. A gentle smile appeared on her face.
"Fufu. Your status is finally starting to reflect your role, Hyoren."
She looked up at him.
"You used to say your build was like a jack of all trades."
Her smile became slightly wider.
"But now it's clearly leaning toward a tank."
Hyoren looked at his own status once more before nodding thoughtfully.
"You're right..."
His eyes lingered on the numbers.
"My Agility and Dexterity haven't increased that much."
He tapped the Strength and Vitality values.
"But my Strength and Vitality have grown quite a bit."
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"No wonder I feel like I can absorb attacks more easily than before."
He slowly clenched and unclenched one hand.
"The change was subtle, so I didn't really notice it... but it's clearly reflected in my status."
Meanwhile, Arianna simply nodded gracefully in agreement.
Elise gently reached into her pouch before taking out her own Adventurer's Guild card.
A soft smile appeared on her face.
"My turn..."
She activated the card before laying it on the ground for everyone to see.
Level : 18
Experience to next level up : 12,698/26,124
Status :
Strength : 14
Vitality : 14
Dexterity : 27
Agility : 27
Magic : 12
Skills :
Bow Mastery Lvl 6
Magic Manipulation Lvl 3
Magic Arrow Lvl 2
Forest Walking Lvl 4
Silent Step Lvl 5
Tracking Lvl 5
Sword Mastery Lvl 2
Dissection Lvl 3
Mapping Lvl 3
Poison Mastery Lvl 2
Trap Dismantling Lvl 2
Active Skill :
Bow : Charge Arrow, Double Shot, Tracking Shot
Unique Skill : -
Blessing : Blessing of the Verdant Mother
Everyone quietly examined the status displayed on the card.
Elise smiled sheepishly as she looked at her own status.
"Only a single level up... And only my Mapping and Poison Mastery leveled up since the last time we checked..."
She lowered her gaze slightly.
"I feel like my progress has become much slower lately..."
Hyoren crossed his arms before smiling reassuringly.
"But, Elise."
He looked directly at her.
"You're still Freedom Party's highest-level member."
His eyes briefly returned to the number displayed on the card.
"There's still a pretty big gap between you and the rest of us."
He gave an understanding smile.
"So it's only natural that your progress seems slower than ours."
Jackey immediately nodded several times.
"Yeah! Big Bro's right!"
He pointed proudly toward Elise.
"You're STRONG!"
Then he pumped his fist.
"REALLY STRONG!"
Elise couldn't help letting out a quiet laugh at the beastkin's straightforward praise.
Across from them, Arianna smiled gently. She spoke with her usual graceful composure.
"Mentor. Your level is already quite high, and many of your skills have reached impressive levels as well."
She glanced at the guild card once more.
"So although your progress may feel as though it has slowed..."
Her light blue eyes met Elise's emerald one.
"You are still growing."
She smiled warmly.
"Perhaps more slowly than everyone else, but surely."
For a brief moment, Elise simply stared at her status card. Then the corners of her lips gradually lifted. Her pointed ears twitched happily.
"Thanks, everyone..."
The slight frustration she had been feeling quietly faded away.
She understood the reason herself. The higher one's level became, the more difficult every step forward would naturally be. Even so, she was still steadily becoming stronger together with her companions.
Jackey eagerly reached into his pouch before pulling out his Adventurer's Guild card.
"My turn!"
Without waiting another second, he activated it and proudly laid the card in front of everyone.
Level : 16
Experience to next level up : 4,012/15,118
Status :
Strength : 19
Vitality : 11
Dexterity : 16
Agility : 17
Magic : 5
Skills :
Axe Mastery Lvl 5
Throwing Lvl 3
Dual Wielding Lvl 5
Keen Instinct Lvl 5
Dissection Lvl 1
Strong Legs Lvl 3
Evasion Lvl 2
Active Skill :
Axe : Power Slash, Rotating Slash
Dual Wield : Cross Slash, Hurricane Slash
Throwing : Precision Throw
Unique Skill : -
Blessing : -
Jackey threw both arms high into the air, his tail standing straight behind him with excitement.
"Level 16! And my Evasion leveled up too! WOHOO!"
His celebration immediately drew laughter from the rest of the party.
Hyoren smiled.
"Good for you, Jackey."
Elise lightly shook her head, causing her silver hair to sway gently from side to side.
"With your Evasion improving..."
A teasing smile appeared on her lips.
"I hope you won't get hit by stray arrows or throwing daggers anymore. Fufu."
Everyone knew exactly what she was referring to. Jackey's greatest weakness had never been his strength or combat ability. It was his carelessness.
Knowing that Hyoren could heal most minor injuries with Healing Light, the beastkin often charged into battle with little regard for his own safety. More than once, he had been struck by attacks that could have been avoided with a little more caution.
Jackey scratched the back of his neck awkwardly.
"I-I'll try..."
The less-than-confident answer only made everyone laugh even harder.
Even Arianna, who usually maintained the refined composure expected of a noble lady, couldn't suppress a soft giggle.
"Ohoho."
She elegantly covered her lips with one hand.
"Sir Jackey is truly amusing."
Jackey puffed out his cheeks.
"H-Hey! I was being serious!"
That only caused another round of warm laughter to spread throughout Freedom Party's campsite.
Arianna gracefully shifted her sitting position before reaching into her purple storage bag. A moment later, she took out her own Adventurer's Guild card.
"It seems it's my turn to show my growth."
With a gentle smile, she activated the card and gracefully presented her status for everyone to see.
Level : 14
Experience to Next Level : 87 / 12,598
Status :
Strength : 4
Vitality : 10
Dexterity : 6
Agility : 14
Magic : 35
Skills :
Magic Manipulation Lv. 8
Aethell Sense Lv. 4
Runic Theory Lv. 3
Magic Conversion Lv. 4
Earth Magic Lv. 10 (MAX)
Fire Magic Lv. 7
Wind Magic Lv. 5
Water Magic Lv. 4
Advanced Earth Magic Lv. 1
Terraforma Magic Lv. 1
Lava Magic Lv. 2
Spells Learned :
Basic Earth Magic : Stone Bullet, Boulder Throw, Earth Wall, Earth Spikes, Sand Storm
Basic Fire Magic : Fire Javelin, Fire Ball, Combustion, Ring of Flame
Basic Wind Magic : Wind Arrow, Wind Slicer, Wind Barrier
Basic Water Magic : Water Needle, Mist Fog
Advanced Earth Magic : Earth Hammer
Terraforma Magic : Earth Fissure
Lava Magic : Lava Surge
Unique Skill : -
Blessing : -
For a brief moment, silence filled the campsite.
Everyone's attention naturally settled on one particular number.
Magic : 35.
Hyoren slowly leaned forward, clasping both hands together in front of his mouth as he carefully studied the status.
"Level 14..."
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"That's the level we're aiming for."
His eyes then drifted toward another part of the status screen before he let out a wry chuckle.
"But... your Magic stat is really... something else."
Arianna smiled modestly without saying anything.
Jackey, meanwhile, stared at the status with sparkling golden eyes.
"Magic 35!"
He pointed excitedly at the guild card.
"Miss Purple is AWESOME!"
He then pointed at himself.
"And mine's only 5! HAHA!"
The beastkin suddenly furrowed his brows. He raised one hand and began counting with his fingers.
"So that's... uhh..."
He paused.
"...how many times bigger than mine...?"
Arianna couldn't help smiling at the sight.
"That would be seven times, Sir Jackey."
Jackey scratched the back of his head with a sheepish grin.
"Sorry..."
He laughed awkwardly.
"My brain isn't very good."
His honest admission immediately earned another round of laughter from everyone.
Even Arianna let out a refined giggle.
"Ohoho."
Elise leaned forward to take another look at the displayed skills.
"But your skill growth has slowed down quite a bit."
Arianna nodded in understanding before adjusting her sitting posture.
"That's because I've spent the past five years at the Academy focusing almost exclusively on refining my magical foundation."
Her eyes moved toward the long list of magic skills.
"Most of them have already reached fairly high levels."
She smiled calmly.
"So naturally... their growth has become much slower now."
Hyoren nodded in agreement.
"That makes sense."
He stood up, slipping his own guild card back into his storage bag.
A satisfied smile appeared on his face as he looked around at everyone.
"Good. Everyone's growing."
He looked at each of his companions one by one.
"In one way or another."
His expression gradually became more serious.
"I think with our current strength… We should be able to clear the Goblin Berserker without much trouble."
His dark eyes sharpened.
"But stay focused."
He looked at everyone firmly.
"And don't become complacent."
The cheerful atmosphere immediately shifted into one of determination.
Everyone nodded.
“Okay, Hyoren.”
"Understood, Leader.”
"Yes! Big Bro!”
Without another word, the four members of Freedom Party began dismantling their modest campsite.
Within only a few minutes, the campsite had completely disappeared, leaving behind almost no trace that anyone had rested there the previous night.
***
Freedom Party now stood inside the cleared resting chamber, directly before the pulsating archway leading to the First Floor Guardian.
The campsite that had occupied the chamber only minutes ago had completely vanished.
Not far away, Unbreakable Will and Merry Go Round had also finished dismantling their own camps. Every member had already equipped their weapons and made their final preparations.
With everyone ready, the three parties naturally walked toward the archway, meeting near its towering entrance.
Jigor was the first to greet them.
A friendly smile spread across the veteran adventurer's face.
“Morning, Lad.”
Then another figure stepped forward. It was the leader of Merry Go Round.
"Freedom Party, right?"
Hilde gave a slight, respectful bow.
Her voice was clear and confident. Every word was concise and straight to the point without sounding cold. She spoke naturally, yet somehow carried an undeniable charisma that drew people's attention.
The guitar-like string instrument remained strapped securely across her back. Unlike the previous evening, Hyoren now noticed that her long blonde hair had been tied into a practical ponytail, making it less likely to interfere during battle.
"I'm Hilde."
She smiled politely.
"We're Merry Go Round."
Her expression remained warm as she continued.
"This is actually our first time dungeon diving."
She briefly glanced toward the guardian archway.
"So we're truly grateful for the information your party shared about the first floor."
Hyoren returned the slight bow.
"You're welcome."
He blinked in mild surprise.
"But... it's really your first time?"
Hilde nodded.
"That's right."
She folded both hands in front of her.
"We usually travel from city to city accepting various requests. Dungeons simply never happened to be our focus."
A faint smile appeared on her lips.
"But while passing through Akela City, we heard a new dungeon had appeared."
Her eyes drifted toward the glowing archway once more.
"It piqued our interest. So we decided to give dungeon exploration a try."
Hyoren nodded in understanding.
"I see..."
Hilde took a small step backward.
"I won't take up any more of your time."
She looked toward the archway before politely asking,
"Would it be alright if my party entered first?"
Hyoren instinctively looked toward Jigor. The veteran dwarf simply nodded without objection.
Hyoren smiled.
"Of course."
He gestured toward the guardian chamber.
"You may enter first. We'll follow after you."
There was no reason to argue over the order. Guardian battles inside dungeons were instanced. Even if multiple parties entered simultaneously, each would be transported into its own separate battlefield. No one could interfere with another party's guardian fight.
Hilde's smile blossomed a little wider.
She gave another bow. This time, it was noticeably deeper than before. Her blonde ponytail swayed gracefully with the motion.
"Thank you."
After expressing her gratitude, she returned to her companions.
The six women of Merry Go Round quietly approached the archway. Its runes pulsed with a pale blue light.
One by one, each adventurer reached out and placed a hand against the seemingly solid surface filling the center of the arch.
A few moments after they made contact—their figures began to blur— their bodies, gradually losing definition before vanishing completely.
Within only a few seconds, all six members of Merry Go Round had disappeared.
Hyoren quietly watched the phenomenon.
So... that's what we look like from the outside whenever we're teleported…
He narrowed his eyes slightly.
Just a blur… and then they are simply gone…
The thought lingered only briefly. He quickly dismissed it.
Hyoren turned his attention toward Jigor.
"Alright, Jigor."
He smiled.
"You ready too?"
Jigor confidently brushed his majestic braided beard. The metallic rings woven into it clinked softly against one another.
"Of course!"
A wide grin spread across the dwarf's face.
"We've prepared ourselves this time!"
Hyoren's curiosity was immediately piqued.
"Hoh."
He folded his arms.
"What did you prepare to deal with the guardian's regeneration?"
Jigor let out an exasperated sigh before crossing his arms.
"That regeneration was a real pain."
He grimaced as the memory resurfaced.
"No matter how much damage we dealt… It just kept regenerating."
His expression soon relaxed into a grin.
"So..."
He laughed loudly.
"Gyahaha! We ended up copying your strategy a little."
He gestured toward Cathy, the party's scout.
She stepped forward with a cheerful smile while dangling several small glass bottles filled with clear liquid.
"I bought lots of poison!"
The bottles lightly clinked together as she shook them proudly.
Hyoren smiled in understanding.
Just like Elise's poison. They had chosen the same solution.
Jigor wasn't finished yet. He pointed his thumb toward the party's quiet mage.
"Dennis also learned Dark Magic."
The quiet mage simply nodded.
Jigor continued speaking on Dennis' behalf.
"He can use weakening debuffs now. He actually has decent Dark Attunement Level."
He scratched the side of his head.
"But since it wasn't high, he never bothered learning it."
The dwarf grinned.
"After our last defeat though… He changed his mind. He trained it so he could help weaken the guardian."
Dennis gave a small nod.
"I can only cast basic debuffs for now… But they should still help."
Hyoren nodded in understanding. Debuffs. Poison. Those had indeed been the keys to overcoming the Goblin Berserker's terrifying regeneration.
"It looks like you're sticking with a strategy that's already proven to work."
He smiled.
"That's a good decision."
His gaze slowly shifted toward the towering guardian archway.
The pale blue runes engraved across its ancient stone frame continued pulsing rhythmically. Yet despite serving as a teleportation gate, the surface filling the center of the arch still appeared completely solid. No one unfamiliar with dungeons would ever guess it was actually a portal.
Hyoren looked back at Jigor.
"Alright. It's time."
He gestured toward the archway.
"You can go first, Jigor."
The dwarf nodded firmly.
"Let's go!"
Without hesitation, Unbreakable Will approached the guardian gate.
Just like Merry Go Round before them, each member reached out and touched the seemingly solid surface inside the arch.
A moment later—their figures gradually blurred.
Silence returned to the chamber once again. Only Freedom Party remained.
Hyoren turned toward his companions.
No words were needed.
Elise gave a calm smile before nodding. Jackey grinned as he tightened his grip around the handles of his twin axes. Arianna simply nodded gracefully, her light blue eyes carrying quiet determination.
Hyoren nodded back.
"Let's go."
The four members of Freedom Party stepped toward the guardian archway.
One after another, they reached out and touched the seemingly solid surface filling the center of the ancient stone arch.
The instant Hyoren's fingertips made contact—that familiar voice echoed directly inside his mind. Mocking. Grating. Almost oily voice.
Ooh... I thought you pretend heroes had already forgotten your goal and were only farming my weak mobs. Xixixi.
The unpleasant laughter echoed inside his consciousness.
Now you finally want to die to my guardian? Then go! Xixixi.
Hyoren didn't flinch anymore. His expression remained completely calm. He silently answered within his mind.
Yes.
The world around him immediately dissolved.
The resting chamber stretched into countless streaks of light before disappearing altogether.
An instant later— Freedom Party appeared once again inside the familiar First Floor Guardian Chamber.
***
Hyoren tightened his grip around his Steel Kite Shield, his dark eyes fixed upon the Goblin Berserker standing at the center of the guardian chamber.
This was the same monster that had pushed Freedom Party to their limits during their previous battle. Back then, every second had been a desperate struggle against its terrifying regeneration.
But things were different now. They were stronger. Higher leveled. And they had one more capable companion.
A confident smile appeared on Hyoren's face.
"Okay, everyone."
He lowered his stance.
"Let's do this."
Without even glancing behind him, Hyoren charged forward.
He didn't need to. He trusted every member of Freedom Party to follow through.
As he sprinted across the stone floor, he activated his magic one after another.
"Magic Blade."
"Enchant Maledict."
The moment Hyoren entered the arena—the Goblin Berserker finally reacted. It slowly raised both crimson axes high above its head before releasing a deafening roar that shook the entire chamber.
"GROOOOAAARRR!!"
Hyoren didn't slow down. Instead, he raised his shield.
"Provoke."
A pulse of Aethell spread from his body.
Almost instantly, the Goblin Berserker's eyes became even more ferocious. Its attention completely locked onto Hyoren. Without hesitation, the enormous guardian charged straight toward him.
Its heavy footsteps shook the stone floor.
The twin axes came crashing down with tremendous force.
CLANG!
The impact echoed throughout the chamber.
Rather than receiving the full force head-on, Hyoren skillfully angled his shield, redirecting part of the momentum away from his body.
Even so, the tremendous strength behind the blow caused his boots to slide backward across the stone floor.
Not giving the guardian a single moment to recover—Hyoren immediately stepped forward.
"Shield Bash."
BANG!
The reinforced shield slammed directly into the Goblin Berserker's chest. The massive monster staggered backward.
Hyoren immediately seized the opening.
"Quick Slash."
His sword flashed.
SQUELCH!
A shallow cut appeared across the Goblin Berserker's body. The wound itself wasn't deep. But that wasn't Hyoren's objective. One stack of Enchant Maledict quietly seeped into the guardian's body.
As the Goblin Berserker stumbled, Hyoren quickly considered his next move.
Should I follow up with Shadow Bloom… or use my new buff spell…?
The decision lasted only an instant. Against a single powerful boss, supporting the party would produce greater results.
"Accel Zone."
Light Aethell spread outward from beneath Hyoren's feet. A faintly glowing circle expanded across the surrounding area. Anyone standing within its range would have their movement speed enhanced.
The Goblin Berserker was still recovering from Shield Bash.
Freedom Party wasted no time.
Jackey had already circled around behind the guardian. Using the increased speed granted by Accel Zone, he closed the distance even faster than before.
"WOHOO! I'm FAST! Thanks, Big Bro!"
He leaped into the air. Both axes descended simultaneously.
"Cross Slash."
SCREEECK!
The twin blades carved a wide X-shaped gash across the Goblin Berserker's back. The guardian roared in pain.
Almost at the exact same moment—Elise released the arrow she had prepared long before the battle even began.
The bowstring of Moonveil Bow softly twanged.
SWOOSH!
The Goblin Berserker instinctively raised one arm to protect its head. The arrow struck its forearm instead.
THUD!
Although the shot missed its intended target, that had never been Elise's true objective.
Dark purple poison immediately began spreading from the wound. The toxin quickly seeped into the guardian's bloodstream.
Then Arianna made her move.
She calmly raised the Quadraflux Weaver and pointed its tip toward the Goblin Berserker's exposed torso. Aethell rapidly gathered around the head of her staff. The four colors on the orb swirled into white.
"Water Needle."
A long, needle-like projectile formed entirely from compressed water appeared on the tip of her staff.
SWOOSH!
In the blink of an eye, It shot forward.
SQUELCH!
The Water Needle pierced straight through the Goblin Berserker's chest. Another furious roar echoed throughout the chamber.
The guardian's wounds immediately began closing. Muscles twisted. Flesh regenerated. Blood stopped flowing.
But, the regeneration was noticeably slower than during their previous battle.
The poison constantly disturbed its recovery. Enchant Maledict further weakened it. And now, instead of only three attackers, there were four.
Its regeneration could no longer keep pace with the relentless barrage of attacks.
Just adding one more capable fighter… Really made that much of a difference…
A confident smirk spread across Hyoren's face.
"Keep going, everyone!"
He tightened his grip around his Dawn Breaker.
"We can do this!”
Elise simply nodded.
She calmly drew another arrow from her quiver before carefully nocking it onto her Moonveil Bow. She patiently waited for the next opening.
Jackey lowered his stance, both axes ready.
"Yeah! Big Bro!"
Arianna kept the Quadraflux Weaver aimed at the Goblin Berserker. The orb at the head of the staff continuously shifted between colors.
"Understood, Leader."
The Goblin Berserker attacked once more. Its twin crimson axes swung down toward Hyoren.
CLANG!
Hyoren met the attack with his Steel Kite Shield. He skillfully redirected part of the force. The twin axes slid across the shield's surface.
The instant the attack passed—Hyoren retaliated.
His sword flashed.
SQUELCH!
A fresh wound opened across the Goblin Berserker's thigh. Another stack of Enchant Maledict seeped into the wound.
Jackey didn't wait. He rushed in from the side.
His Bloody Axe swung first.
SCREEECK!
A deep gash tore across the guardian's flank. Almost immediately, his left-hand Flying Kite Axe followed.
SCREEECK!
Another gash appeared on the opposite side of its flank.
Elise released her waiting arrow.
SWOOSH!
The arrow struck the Goblin Berserker's shoulder. Another stack of poison seeped into its body.
Arianna was already prepared another spell.
The four swirling colors inside the Quadraflux Weaver accelerated until they merged into a brilliant white light.
"Fire Javelin."
The orb flashed white.
A spear of fire materialized before shooting straight toward the Goblin Berserker.
BOOM!
The spell struck the guardian squarely in the torso. The impact dealt less damage than Water Needle. However, flames clung to the wound. For the next few seconds, the burning prevented the Goblin Berserker's regeneration from closing the injury.
The guardian roared in pain.
Its bloodshot eyes suddenly shifted toward Arianna. Among everyone attacking it, she had inflicted the greatest damage. Especially the lingering flames. The Goblin Berserker immediately charged toward her.
But before it could take another step— Hyoren had already raised his shield.
"Provoke."
A wave of Aethell washed over the guardian.
The Goblin Berserker abruptly stopped. Its attention shifted away from Arianna. Its bloodshot eyes locked onto Hyoren once again.
***
Freedom Party maintained their relentless assault.
The battle was far more manageable than during their previous encounter.
Even so, none of them dared lower their guard. Every swing of the Goblin Berserker's twin axes carried overwhelming strength. Each impact sent heavy vibrations through Hyoren's shield.
If his timing was even slightly off, his stance would immediately crumble beneath the guardian's monstrous power.
Likewise, he couldn't afford to stop using Provoke. Whenever its effect weakened, the Goblin Berserker's bloodshot eyes would immediately drift toward Arianna, recognizing the mage as the greatest threat on the battlefield.
As the battle dragged on, the situation gradually shifted in Freedom Party's favor.
Every slash from Hyoren's sword added another stack of Enchant Maledict. One by one, the weakening curse seeped deeper into the Goblin Berserker's body.
Jackey's Bloody Axe continued building upon its compounding effect. Every successful strike made the next one even more punishing.
Elise's poison also continued spreading throughout the guardian's body. Its regeneration became increasingly sluggish with every passing second.
Meanwhile, Arianna, the newest member of Freedom Party, had undoubtedly become the star of the battle. One spell after another rained down upon the Goblin Berserker. Among everyone present, she was dealing the highest damage.
Rather than repeatedly casting the same spell, Arianna continuously employed different single-target spells according to the situation.
"Stone Bullet."
A fist-sized stone materialized before shooting toward the Goblin Berserker.
BANG!
The spell struck squarely against its torso.
Although the damage was lower than Water Needle or Fire Javelin—the tremendous weight behind the projectile staggered the guardian. Its body lurched backward. The opening allowed the others to immediately follow up with their attacks.
The staggering force was comparable to Hyoren's Shield Bash.
Later, as the Goblin Berserker's twin axes clashed against Hyoren's shield, Arianna calmly cast another spell.
"Wind Arrow."
A nearly invisible arrow of compressed wind shot forward.
SQUELCH!
Before the Goblin Berserker could even react, the spell pierced straight through its arm. Making it lose its stance.
Hyoren silently observed every spell Arianna used.
I see...
Another axe slammed against his shield.
Each of her single-target spells serves a different purpose… Water Needle has the highest piercing power. Fire Javelin deals less direct damage… but its burning effect prevents regeneration for a short time…
He deflected another heavy swing.
Stone Bullet doesn't deal as much damage… but its staggering power creates openings…
Another attack came.
CLANG!
Wind Arrow seems to deal the lowest damage… but it's incredibly fast… And almost silent. Useful for catching enemies off guard…
Hyoren immediately pushed forward.
"Shield Bash."
BANG!
The Goblin Berserker staggered backward once again. Freedom Party instantly capitalized on the opening.
Jackey swung both axes.
SCREEECK!
Twin gashes crossed the guardian's body.
Elise released another arrow.
SWOOSH!
The poisoned arrow buried itself in the Goblin Berserker's arm. Another stack of poison seeped into its body.
Arianna completed another spell. The colors within the Quadraflux Weaver’s orb accelerated before becoming brilliant white.
"Fire Javelin."
BOOM!
The blazing spear exploded directly against the Goblin Berserker's face. Flames spread across its skin.
The guardian let out another furious roar.
Its entire body was now covered in wounds. Deep gashes. Arrow wounds. Burn marks. Its regeneration struggled desperately to repair the accumulating injuries. But, It could no longer keep up.
Hyoren's eyes sharpened.
"Everyone!"
He raised his shield just in time.
CLANG!
The Goblin Berserker's twin axes crashed against it once more.
"It's almost dead!"
He immediately shoved the guardian back.
"We're almost there!"
His voice became firmer.
"It'll use its Enrage Skill as a last resort!"
Another swing came.
CLANG!
Hyoren absorbed the impact before shouting,
"Arianna! Prepare your spell!"
He never turned around. He didn't need to.
"Wait for my signal!"
He trusted her completely.
***
Jackey swung both axes in a powerful strike.
"Cross Slash."
SCREEECK!
Another wide gash was carved across the Goblin Berserker's back. The accumulated damage finally pushed the guardian to its limit. It threw its head back and released a deafening roar.
"GRAAAAAAAAAHHH!"
The tremendous roar shook the entire guardian chamber.
Steam suddenly began hissing from the countless wounds covering its body. White vapor escaped from every gash, arrow wound, burn mark, and puncture wound, rising into the air while the intense heat distorted the space around the guardian.
Hyoren recognized the sight immediately.
It wasn't healing anymore. When the Goblin Berserker activated its final trump card—it abandoned its regeneration entirely.
In exchange—it gained overwhelming raw power.
Its muscles swelled unnaturally. Bulging muscle fibers stretched beneath its green skin until they looked as though they were ready to burst apart. Dark veins rapidly spread throughout its body.
Its yellow eyes gradually turned completely crimson. Not a trace of their original color remained.
Hyoren's expression sharpened.
"Arianna! Prepare your spell!"
The Goblin Berserker immediately charged.
Its twin axes descended toward Hyoren with frightening force.
CLANG!
Hyoren raised his Steel Kite Shield just in time.
The impact was noticeably heavier than before. His boots scraped across the stone floor as he was pushed backward.
But, he refused to give ground. Gritting his teeth, Hyoren held his stance.
At the same time—Elise had already prepared her next attack.
"Charge Magic Arrow."
BOOM!
The Goblin Berserker instinctively tried to protect its head. It raised its left arm to shield itself. The charged arrow slammed directly into its left hand.
The arrow shattered its hand apart.
Unable to maintain its grip—one of the crimson axes slipped from its grasp before crashing onto the stone floor.
The Goblin Berserker roared in agony.
Hyoren immediately capitalized on the opening. He lunged forward.
"Shield Bash."
BANG!
The Goblin Berserker staggered backward. Its balance completely collapsed as its massive body stumbled.
Hyoren's voice echoed throughout the chamber.
"Arianna! NOW!"
Arianna had already been waiting for that exact moment.
The four colors within the Quadraflux Weaver had long since accelerated into a brilliant white whirl.
"Combustion."
The orb flashed white.
The next instant—a towering pillar of fire erupted around the Goblin Berserker.
BOOM!
The guardian's entire body disappeared within the roaring flames.
The spell burned it from the inside out. Crackling fire engulfed every inch of its body. Only after several seconds did the pillar gradually subside.
Even then, the flames continued clinging stubbornly to the Goblin Berserker's body. It staggered wildly. Roaring. Thrashing. Swinging its remaining axe aimlessly. Yet no matter how violently it struggled—the flames refused to die.
They continued burning relentlessly.
Little by little, Goblin Berserker's movements slowed. Its furious roars grew weaker. Finally, its enormous body collapsed onto the stone floor.
Its body gradually dissolved into countless glowing particles before completely disappearing.
The First Floor Guardian—the Goblin Berserker—had fallen once again.