Barbara entered the room and was greeted by a snug-looking bed and a complete set of furniture, which included a mini fridge that promised to be fully stocked. A window offered her a glimpse of Fleurella, the Enchanting City, but before she could gaze through it, the girl behind her cleared her throat.
"As I was saying, we'll start training tomorrow morning at 8," the young woman with long, straight black hair, who appeared physically incapable of replacing her grimace with a friendly smile, stated. "So I hope you'll be prepared before I even knock on this door. Understood?"
Barbara nodded and offered a faint smile. "Thank you for being my guide tonight, Ms. Svenson."
"Just call me Karen," the girl replied, somewhat irritated, as she folded her arms. "Why don't you spill the beans already? How did you meet Lord Marco?"
Barbara crossed her arms, mirroring Karen's attitude, and replied in a complacent tone, "Because he owes me one. From back in the day when we were nothing but noobs. Happy? I won't go into details though."
Karen puffed her chest and snarled, "So now that Marco is part of one of the most successful guilds, you think you can come here and take advantage of him?! You little--"
"Just do what he ordered you," Barbara declared, sitting at the edge of her new bed and crossing her legs. "If you have any complaints, direct them to Marco himself. Now, I'd like to rest for now, if you don't mind."
Wrinkling her nose, Karen stepped back and slammed the door, leaving Barbara free to exhale.
This went far better than expected, thanks to Marco's made up backstory and Barbara's persona. Marco knew his people would question why I'm here, despite his instructions, and it appears that Barbara is well-versed in dealing with individuals like Karen. All of my responses flowed naturally and smoothly.
After all the bickering, Barbara felt an urgent need to lie down and sigh, her gaze fixed on the white ceiling above. Marco's words resonated in her mind:
"Unlike your previous 'assistant', I can't go incognito. I'm too famous to suddenly vanish from the spotlight. And since you insisted on coming along, you'll have to follow my lead... So listen, I won't be able to keep you around if you're below level 80… That’d only raise suspicion. So, you'll need to level up. I've given strict instructions to my trusted associates to assist you with this special training. The correct term for it is 'Power Leveling’. It means they'll help you reach the desired goal in record time." He then snickered. "Power Leveling can be quite demanding, but since you're not human, I believe your mind can handle it. As for your body... Well... Good luck convincing 'Barbara' to ignore the pain. In the meantime, I'll conduct some investigations of my own..."
She opened her User Interface and tapped on the Navinet tab while remembering that other topic.
"I knew you'd ask about his whereabouts sooner or later. That doesn't matter. You won't see him in the near future. But if you must insist, why don't you consult his name on the Navinet and learn all about his latest escapades yourself?"
That's what Marco said. So I only have to write his name here and consult it like any other wikia, right?
After hitting 'search,' the most relevant result read, 'Meet Alan Warden, Novus' Weakest User!' Tapping on it, she was redirected to a video site called 'Cosmic Nation’.
As she struggled to enlarge the window, an introductory video automatically played, featuring a young woman with brown skin and pink hair. She wore a purple skin-tight suit with the website's name emblazoned across her torso down to her legs. Then, she addressed the camera in an upbeat tone:
[Hiii! Ghostly greetings to you, fam! I'm your favorite host, the 'Monster Enchantress' herself, Clara Domínguez! Welcome to the Phantom Seekers' Official Streaming Site! Featuring the Novus' Weakest User! Yes, you heard that right! Fate decided to induce him into a hellish coma for three years, and the rest of the world forgot about him, but he's back with a vengeance! Ready to reign terror at every single raid and dungeon that comes in his guild's way! I'm talking about the one with an indomitable spirit, Alan 'The Ghost' Warden!]
Barbara looked at the presentation, perplexed. "I told you this was an incognito mission, Alan. What's the 'other me' thinking?
After skimming through all of Phantom Seekers' catalog, Barbara decided to watch their most recent upload, 'Against Dairion, The Faerie King.'
A message prevented her from continuing. 'Subscribe and get access to our latest content for only 5,000 gold!'
Barbara checked her current balance, 35,360 gold, and accepted.
What followed was a recording from the day before, featuring Alan and his allies fighting a mythical being in what seemed to be a cavern. Various options popped up for Barbara to select. She gradually learned to switch the camera and focus on any of the Phantom Seeker's members she desired. She then opened two additional windows, focusing on Alan and Ashley Yates' perspectives respectively.
***
**
*
*
**
***
Alan Warden unloaded the entirety of his assault rifle’s charge before yelling, “Anastasia!”
[Roger that.] The aforementioned female NPC with long lavender hair tied into a high ponytail dashed forward, wielding a double barrel shotgun/blade in her right hand and a shield almost as big as her in her left one. As she shortened the distance, she fired a shot at the boss, who protected himself with a barrier of vines that sprouted rapidly from the ground.
With the size of a man and wings just as big, Dairion, The Faerie King, made himself heard with a thunderous voice, “How dare you enter this sanctuary?! The fairies have told me everything about you! You steal, kill, and destroy! Do you think you’ll escape this place, unscathed?! These woods belong to the majestic Lady Briarose! So in her gracious name, I’ll punish you all!”
Alan frowned as he got cover behind a pillar. [I’m lost. What was the lore behind this dungeon again?]
[Dairion is attempting to reclaim the Lawford Woods from the Users in the name of nature], Clara Domínguez replied through their streaming communication channel, also available for spectators to listen. She then sipped a piña colada and licked her lips. [And by 'nature,' I mean it quite literally. He's infatuated with a giant oak tree that whispers suggestive things into his ears. Like, 'oh, Dairion, after you regain control of our land, why don't you come here and claim your reward? That's it. Taste my sweet sap, baby!']
[…Are we really going to battle a sexual tree after this?]
[Maybe? Are you looking forward to it?]
[Shut up! Bella, provide covering fire!]
[Of course, Guild Master,] the female NPC wearing a mage robe, with turquoise hair styled in a bob, replied and immediately began channeling. [Fire Crafting, Flare!]
Upon impact, Bella's burst of fire burned through Dairion's vine-based shield. The Boss retaliated with a whip extending from his palm, binding her waist and arms, but Anastasia quickly severed it with her blade.
Alan flinched. [That was too close! Clara, I need Fabio and Dylak on the battlefield now!]
"Oh, Alan, when will you learn?" Clara murmured, while her exceptionally handsome male NPC served a cup of tea by her side.
"Cream as always, my lady?" he asked the other young woman seated at the table.
Dressed in a bodycon dress with platinum hair and red eyes, Dylak, the one who was neither an NPC nor a Dungeon Boss, replied in a soft voice, "Yes, thank you, Fabio." She then pursed her lips as she watched her master take another long sip. "Clara? Alan needs our help."
"In a minute, my dear," Clara said with a smirk. "Let them handle the first round. He's always in a rush! He must learn that this is all about providing a good spectacle too." After offering Dylak a smile, Clara gestured at the tea. "Come on, you have time."
The former Dungeon Director reluctantly took a quick sip while sending Alan an apologetic look.
Alan cursed through their shared channel seconds later. [Fine!] He exhaled, regaining his composure, and his eyes refocused. [Sloochie, Fire Shots.]
[Ha-ha-ha! Right away!] a child's voice replied, as a liquid substance, adhered to Alan's tactical jacket, flowed through his arms and enveloped his assault rifle in a metallic orange hue. [Ready when you are, Alan!]
|
Elemental Boost acquired: Fire. Your weapon now deals additional damage with fiery shots. |
Meanwhile, Bella made sure to incinerate every defense Dairion summoned from the ground, while Anastasia fired shot after shot from close range, simultaneously defending herself against the boss's sword crafted from rose thorns.
Alan took a deep breath before taking aim and firing a full charge. Each shot seared Dairion's skin, prompting him to glare at Alan with fierce, demonic eyes. "I will defend these lands, even if it costs me my life!"
The Faerie King slammed both palms against the floor, summoning four gigantic roses that burst from the ground. From each of them, fairies emerged. These creatures had purple, pink, and blue humanoid heads, with bodies, wings, and antennas inspired by butterflies.
[Great! More of those things!] Alan exclaimed as something else grabbed his attention. Did that 20-foot rose just move? He watched the one next to him closely until its petals bent, forming an improvised maw. With a chilling cry, it transformed into something resembling the head of a dragon. The system assigned it a name: 'Rosedrake.' [Oh, come on!]
Alan received a notification that his assault rifle had cooled down before retaliating against the flying pests, incinerating them, but could do nothing against the bigger enemy. When the monstrous rose attempted to bite him, he jumped aside, cursing.
Anastasia dispatched the approaching fairies with a single shot from her weapon, occasionally taking out two at once due to its concave reach. When the gigantic rose tried to crush her with its body, she pushed it back with her shield.
Bella easily vanquished her respective horde after casting her spell, “Fire Crafting, Twisted Firestarter!” The spell caused her body to glow for a couple of seconds before releasing all the gathered energy in a blazing explosion. The twelve fairies collapsed to the ground with charred wings and burnt faces.
Even the group enjoying tea and snacks came under attack.
"Excuse me, ma'am," Fabio said softly as he equipped his Electric Elemental gauntlets. "I have to take out the trash…" He then moved with incredible speed to intercept the incoming fairies. Brains and eyes splattered on the ground every time he used his fists.
"'Take out the trash'?" Dylak quoted, grimacing. "Seriously, Clara? This is the fourth time he's said it."
“Tell that to the people in the chat,” Clara said, displaying a window filled with excited user comments. “People love it.”
“Whatever…” Dylak exhaled, opening her user interface in preparation for the Rosedrake targeting them and getting ready to attack. “Loading,” she said aloud as she tapped the virtual window in front of her with quick fingers. The rose bent over and used its head to pummel the ground, but Dylak was no longer there. “Combat Maid Mode,” she finished casting, appearing atop the petals. Now wearing a skimpy housemaid outfit, she materialized a dagger in her hand and made several slashes as she ran across the rose’s cane. When she finally stepped on the ground, she made a curtsy for one of Clara’s multiple drone cameras. White fluid spurted from the rose’s multiple cuts behind her, signaling its defeat.
“Way to go, Dylak!” Clara applauded from her seat. “Don’t forget your catchphrase!”
Dylak looked directly into the camera in front of her, pursed her lips, and said in a quiet tone while gesturing a heart with her hands, “Love and justice will always prevail!” A moment later, Clara grinned at the sight of incoming donations, and when she showed them to Dylak, she jerked her head away and exclaimed, “W-Whatever!”
After scorching her respective Rosedrake, Bella targeted the one attacking Alan, but with a violent flutter of his wings, Dairion appeared in front of her and grabbed her by the neck, shouting, “Are you using fire, our natural enemy?! Outrageous! You’ll perish first!”
Anastasia received a notification that her ‘sister’ was in danger, but her master was a priority. Without thinking twice, she tried to charge toward Alan, but the Rosedrake caught her, closing its petal maws around her waist.
[This isn’t going well!] Alan said through Party Chat, his weapon overheating again. The rose's shadow loomed over him. [At least save yourself, Sloochie!]
Just as Alan was about to toss his weapon to his side, the slime adhered to it sprang to life and took humanoid form. Standing at a height of 4 feet and 2 inches, the Advanced Slime spoke with the voice of a ten-year-old child, "I would never escape, Alan! I'll protect you!" He then puffed his entire body like a balloon, negating the rose’s attack.
The Rosedrake shake its head, seemed to stare at its new opponent, and opened its maws wide, ready to swallow him whole, but a large silhouette intervened, catching the hardened petals with big, muscular hands.
"Loading, Housekeeper Mode," Dylak said in a lower voice. She now stood almost ten feet tall, wearing a leather vest that revealed her gray, hulking arms and shoulders. "Good job, Sloochie," she said, looking back at him with a smile. "You did well protecting our Guild Master."
"Miss Dylak!" the orange slime boy beamed before Alan grabbed him by the wrist.
"Come! Give her space to fight!"
On the other side of the battlefield, where the young NPC pyromancer’s life bar was gradually decreasing, Fabio came to her rescue. He kicked Dairion in the face, causing the boss to fall onto his back.
"Are you okay, Ms. Bella?" Fabio asked in a gentle tone.
"Thank you so much, sir," Bella replied, caressing her neck. "Don't mind me. I'll cover you."
With a nod, Fabio dashed forward, ready to take on the boss. That left only Anastasia, still struggling to break free from her designated Rosedrake’s maw. As soon as she received confirmation that her Master and sister were alright, she closed her eyes. [Master Alan, permission to go Super.]
"You heard her, Sloochie!" Alan said to the slime, who nodded and turned liquid, adhering to Alan's clothes again. After confirming that he had a mana boost, Alan announced through party chat, [All set! Go all out, girl!]
[Thanks, Alan, Sloochie,] Anastasia said in a formal tone. Then she channeled mana around her body and cast, "Super Mode..." Immediately gaining a boost in strength, she pushed her shield up until it broke the maws enclosing her. Her smooth fair skin gained fur until it covered her entire body, her mouth and jaw enlarged like that of a canid, a large fluffy tail emerged from under her skirt and lifted it, and her eyes turned a beastly golden. "Fox Hybrid Form!" she cried, as if a surge of simulated adrenaline ran through her digital veins. The Rosedrake fell soon after, prey to her new feral might.
Meanwhile, Fabio and Bella were having difficulty hitting the enemy. When Fabio threw an electric-powered punch forward, Dairion would dodge it with anticipation. And when Bella tried to scorch the place where the boss was standing, he would flutter his wings and fly away. With Sloochie's support, Alan shot Fire bullets at Dairion, but he dodged with extreme ease.
[What the hell is going on?!] Alan cried through Party Chat. [We can't hit him anymore!]
[Oh, so it's this time of the battle, huh?]
[Clara? Do you know what it's--Wait, no! No spoilers!]
[This isn't a spoiler, Alan. This is surely just a common mechanic some of the Novus' bosses share. Dairion has entered a special phase and won't snap out of it until we hit him in a very specific way.]
[But how? Dairion is dodging our fastest member's attacks, and even my long-range shots!]
[You have your answer already, Guild Master.] Clara giggled, repositioning her glasses. [One has to throw a hit so fast he cannot even anticipate.]
Alan narrowed his eyes for a moment before gasping. [Ashley!]
350 feet away from him, a girl with long frontal braids that reached her waist reached for her back and grasped a sniper rifle. [Alan, I'm in position. Sorry for being late.]
[How did the treasure hunting go?]
[Very fruitful, yes. I will show you my findings once we return home.] She then looked through the scope, targeting the enemy's head. [Target in sight. Ready to take the shot. Awaiting orders.]
Alan gulped before smirking. [Fire.]
The next thing he saw was Dairion’s forehead bursting open, and with it, the remainder of his HP dropping.
The boss collapsed, bringing a sense of calmness to the spacious cavern. Alan and Dylak let out a sigh of relief, while the three NPCs relaxed their postures and put away their weapons.
[Well, that was easy.] Alan snickered, to which Clara exhaled loudly.
[It never is...]
The ground shook, making them lose balance. Multiple tree roots emerged from under their feet, and two, in particular, picked Dairion’s fallen body with extreme care and devotion. A thunderous female voice was heard, lamenting, “My sweet king! WHAT HAD THEY DONE TO YOU?! You can't fall in this place! Not here, not now! Rise, my beloved King! Rise and bring justice to these woods, I beg you--No, I command you!”
Alan saw one of the branches pierce Dairion’s heart, injecting it with energy. The boss was then brought to life, sporting a new regal, pristine white outfit and wings to match it. A system notification announced:
|
Cryptic White Dairion - The Heart of the Wood’s Emissary - |
[Ah, right. Of course it has a Second Form,] Alan said, through clenched teeth. [But… Although I know this is all scripted, it looked very sick--I mean, everyone, stay on guard!]
Alan heard Ashley firing again, but this time, the wound on Dairion’s forehead healed in a matter of seconds.
[Ashley, watch out!] Alan cried as Dairion flew in her direction. An impact was heard soon after.
Meanwhile, the bursting tree branches let the rocky wall in front of them collapse as they reached out, revealing an enormous hawthorn tree trunk underneath. More Rosedrakes emerged too, uttering a chilling cry.
|
Elemental Spirit Tree, Briarose - Queen of Lawford Woods - |
"Your blood will serve as nutrients, invaders!"
[The horny tree is here!] Alan exclaimed, taking in its majestic size. Since he could not see its canopy, he knew this was nothing more than its root system.
[Your orders, Guild Master?] Fabio asked before Anastasia charged forward, still affected by her Beast Form adrenaline rush.
[Protect Bella! I want her to deal as much Fire damage as possible.]
[Roger that!] Bella and Fabio said in unison.
[What about me?] Dylak asked Alan, in an almost pleading tone.
[I'll let you decide which form to take, something effective against the enemy. I'll go hide and take cover. I can't let Anastasia run wild; she'll hurt herself.]
Dylak nodded, looking him in the eye. [Call me if you need me. Beating this without you would be meaningless.]
After watching Dylak go, Alan ran in the opposite direction and hid behind one of the dead rose canes to cast, "Active Skill, Puppet Master."
Communication with Anastasia synced right away. She was currently charging forward, cutting down any living branch that tried to smash her with feral brute force. (Master Alan? I'm so sorry, I lost control again.)
(You're doing great, actually! Let's see what we can do to take down this overgrown tree, together.)
At the farthest corner of the rocky chamber, Clara monitored Ashley, who was engaged in combat with Dairion. No matter how many times she tried, Ashley could not harm her enemy, who regenerated almost instantly. [Alan, I have a theory. The Faerie King can only be defeated once we get rid of the giant tree first. Ashley and I will take care of him. You go after Briarose.]
[Finally, it's time for you to do something! Understood, leave the tree to us!]
[Don't thank me], Clara replied while gesturing in the air with fingers that radiated mana. A magic circle appeared on the ground as she cast, [Summoning Fiend, Eight-Way Dark Lover!] Multiple tentacles emerged from the magic circle without revealing their owner and rapidly extended toward the unsuspecting flying boss, binding his limbs and waist. [This will hold up for a while,] Clara said to Ashley, who was bleeding from her forehead and nodded.
Through Anastasia’s eyes, Alan watched as Rosedrakes protected the tree from any attacks Bella threw at it, getting replaced as soon as they were burnt. And we only have one pyromancer…
Alan commanded Anastasia to cut one of them with all her force, and from the cane, a thick purple gas emerged. [Oh, you have to be kidding me!] he exclaimed, forcing Anastasia to leap back immediately.
System warnings appeared in his field of vision. [Poison! Great, just great! So the only safe way to get rid of them is by burning them?]
A vine entangled Anastasia’s ankle, causing her to fall violently against the ground. When Alan made her turn around, both of them saw the vine coming from one of the roses, as if it were a tongue. Two more roses crawled forward, pointing their closed petals at the NPC. Then, it happened in an instant. Anastasia was showered in a thick purple mist.
In his panic, Alan did everything in his power to help Anastasia break free. He even ordered her to leave her shield behind. It took him a while to notice that no matter which key he pressed, Anastasia was not moving anymore.
[F-Fabio! Help Anastasia, please!]
[It seems that someone has beaten me to it, Guild Master,] the male NPC replied, watching a silhouette jump inside the venomous gas. Soon after, a half-human, half-spider creature emerged, carrying Anastasia in her arms. [Bravo, Ms. Dylak. Well done,] Fabio celebrated, making a short bow as she passed him by.
Dylak, transformed into an arachne thanks to her data from the late Professor Spiegel, dashed all the way to Alan's location. After gently placing Anastasia on the ground, her gaze focused on Alan's distressed expression. “She's still alive.”
Alan quickly retrieved a bottle from his inventory and offered it to the NPC, who could barely breathe. "Anastasia, this is an antidote. Please drink this!"
Anastasia sipped it slowly, but her status remained unchanged.
"Are you okay, Dylak?" Alan asked quietly.
"I'm immune to poison in this mode. She... breathed a lot of it."
Clara reached their side and quickly knelt in front of the affected NPC. "I'll take care of her, Alan. Go."
Clenching his teeth, Alan grabbed Anastasia's shotgun/blade, nodded, and gestured to Dylak to accompany him, giving instructions along the way. "I need you to take the Count's form. Is that okay with you?"
The woman smiled mildly. "It's totally fine. I've already moved on. But thanks for asking first. What's my objective?"
Alan replied through their general chat, [We can't get close to it, so Dylak will cast the most devastating spell she can muster at those Rosedrakes. That will give Bella the opportunity to target the tree directly. Fabio and I will cover you both.]
[I'll do my best, Master Alan!] Bella exclaimed.
[Consider it done, Guild Master,] Fabio said.
[I'll keep guarding Dairion, so don't worry about him,] Ashley added.
Dylak nodded, exhaling. “All right, then…” She closed her eyes and allowed herself to prolong the moment as much as she could. “Loading…” she whispered, this time with a sense of determination. Glimpses of a tall gentleman with pointy teeth crossed her digital mind. The memory was corrupted; she could no longer remember his full face or his voice. But it was okay. It was better that way. “Countess Mode.”
Her body transformed into that of a youthful woman, dressed in a gothic red dress. A choker necklace adorned her neck and cleavage. Her fingernails grew sharp, resembling claws, and her skin gained a purple hue. She felt her canines extending, and her hair turned wild and wavy.
Now, she could smell it all, from every corner of the Boss Chamber, the blood of the fallen fairy minions, and the leaking sap of every slain Rosedrake. Boss Encounters were treated differently than regular battles. The Novus allowed corpses to remain in the battlefield until either the User fell or the Boss was defeated, because, who knows, maybe they could serve a purpose.
“Water Crafting, Dark Style…” Dylak intoned, commanding every single drop of blood and sap to come her way, even the dried droplets from Ashley’s forehead. Knowing that would not be enough, the Countess cut her wrist and offered her own life to the spell. In a matter of seconds, a red ball formed in front of her, growing in mass by the second.
Meanwhile, Bella was channeling all of her mana into her next spell. “Major Fire Crafting…” she was casting, her golden-tier staff aloft.
Alan and Fabio were also doing their best. The Combat Butler kicked and punched with electric fury at every Rosedrake that dared to have its sights on Bella. Every time the elemental monsters released poison through their wounds or maws, Fabio would step aside with fast feet and retreat.
Alan attacked from a distance, defending Dylak. His fire-enhanced shots were quite effective against the creatures. Rosedrakes would fall feet away from reaching him. Yet, something was nagging him. He glanced in Bella’s direction.
“Sloochie… Support Bella.”
“But if I go, your weapon will return to normal.”
“It’s okay, I also have Anastasia’s weapon. Go. Give Bella all the mana you have.”
“All right. If you think you can handle this…” The slime boy turned liquid and fell to the ground, then took humanoid form and dashed toward Bella, fusing with her mage robe.
“Sloochie?” the NPC called out.
“Alan’s orders. So don’t disappoint him, okay?”
Bella checked the increase in her mana pool and smiled. “I can do it!”
Ashley observed Dairion gathering all of his strength to break free from the tentacle binding his right arm, ripping it by force. She then shot his free hand to stop him from doing the same with the others. [Dairion is growing stronger!] Ashley cried.
[How are the spells going, guys?!] Alan asked, switching to the shotgun.
[I am ready,] Dylak replied first. [Bella?]
[Yes! Just give the order, Master Alan!]
Before he could yell, Alan was tackled by a crawling Rosedrake, tossing him to the ground. All of the participants took notice and held their breath. [Master Alan!] Fabio cried first, ready to go to his aid, but Alan turned around and fired his shotgun inside the Rosedrake’s open maw.
[DYLAK, FIRE!]
“Blood sports!” The woman threw a lateral kick at the crimson ball she had gathered, sending it forward. A Rosedrake was in the way, which was dispatched by Fabio with one swift punch. The ball then successfully reached the epicenter of the guarding monstrous living roses and exploded, sending hundreds of sharp red blades in every direction. Rosedrakes lost their petals violently, and their canes were cut cleanly.
There was now an open path toward the Briarose. “My children!” she shrieked.
[BELLA, NOW!]
The NPC pyromancer extended her staff forward and chanted, “Infernal Dragonbreath!” She launched an incandescent beam of concentrated fire in a straight trajectory, its tip resembling the head of a dragon. The spell made contact in a second and burned through the giant tree as if it was butter, which let out a chilling cry.
“MY QUEEN!” Dairion cried, getting rid of the last tentacle imprisoning him. Ashley shot at him immediately, but he flew toward Briarose, ignoring the hole in his chest. “MY BELOVED, MY EVERYTHING!”
[His HP is in the red!] Ashley yelled. [Deal the finishing blow, now, Alan!]
The Phantom Seekers’ Guild Master stood on his feet and swapped weapons again, this time choosing a magnum handgun. “Active Skill, Steady Shot,” he cast, and the world around him slowed down, allowing him to carefully correct his aim. He only needed to pull the trigger and secure the victory.
However, an eagerly impatient young boy claimed the kill first. “This is for Anastasia!” Sloochie cried at the top of his figurative lungs, engulfing Dairion with his gelatinous body and incinerating it from the inside.
Alan’s shot missed as Dairion’s charred corpse fell to the ground. A system message appeared soon after.
|
Congratulations! Dairion, King of the Faeries and Briarorse, Queen of the Lawford Woods, defeated! |
“T-That happened…” Alan muttered, holstering his gun.
“Nya-ha-ha! Did you see that, guys?” Sloochie said, hands on his hips. “I avenged sister Anasta--!”
Clara engulfed her fist with Dark energy and bumped his head. “You idiot! You took all that XP from Alan!”
Covering his injured head, Sloochie turned to him, and said apologetically, “S-Sorry, Alan! I forgot…”
“Ah, it’s okay,” Alan shrugged, patting the slime’s head. “You're also part of this team, right? So you also have to get stronger.”
“T-Thanks, Alan! I’ll make sure not to screw up next time!”
“At least you've reached level 30 now,” Clara said, exhaling, before noticing Alan’s concerned expression.
“Anastasia?”
“Didn’t make it.”
“Oh…” Alan snickered bitterly, lowering his gaze, “We… really need a healer… Huh.”
