Chapter 46

The stairs leading up to the top floor of the 3rd area. As I climbed them, I placed my hand on my chest.

Thump thump.

I could feel my heart beating rhythmically.

Even though it’s just a virtual reality body, my small physique was expressing enough exhilaration.

It feels good.

I’m enjoying it.

I’m not fighting with the fate of the world at stake.

I’m clearing a difficult boss and savoring the feeling of achievement as if I could fly. That’s all it is.

Right now, I’m enjoying a ‘game’.

Thump thump.

Passing the stairs, I reached the top floor of the 3rd area.

And the last named boss of this dungeon revealed itself before my eyes.

Large, thick horns symbolizing a high-ranking demon. A tall body reaching 3 meters. 

Bizarre lumps of flesh were wriggling on half of the exposed face.

The arms and legs were the same, half were chimera bodies.

In the arm, maintaining the demon’s form, a giant battle axe was held.

“Kuu…”

From his slightly opened mouth, a low cry flowed out.

Aspero’s Fortress.

There was a reason why it was full of chimeras despite being a fortress with a high-ranking demon as its master.

To create stronger chimeras, he turned all his subordinate demons into chimeras, and eventually even used his own body as an experimental subject for chimera fusion.

Demons done this in the past too.

If it was to gain strong power, they didn’t hesitate to sacrifice their comrades.

The end of one who pursued power while distorting providence.

That is precisely the demon I’m looking at now.

As I approached Aspero, he soon recognized me.

Swish.

The heavy battle axe held in one of his arms flaunted its presence. Surely it would be an axe difficult to handle even with both hands for other beings.

Anyway, this guy is the last named boss.

The clear of Aspero’s Fortress was also nearing its end.

I drew my sword and faced Aspero’s fierce gaze.

Rumble rumble.

Although his body has lost reason and become a chimera, it seems he hasn’t lost the ability to handle demonic energy.

The entire tower shook as powerful energy started concentrating in his body.

Woong.

Purple demonic energy settled on the axe in his hand.

That power similar to sword energy, but it’s nothing compared to that of the ‘Ancient Hero’. Can I block it with my current self?

“Krrrra!”

Along with Aspero’s cry that was now no more than a beast’s roar, his heavy body and axe rushed towards me.

[3rd Named]

[Level 40 Demon General Aspero]

[HP 6,000,000/6,000,000]

* * *

Whoosh!

The menacing battle axe held in Aspero’s hand was swung violently. I didn’t retreat but dove in.

Without time to feel a chill down my spine from the axe blade that passed by cutting a few strands of my hair, I showered sword strikes.

Aspero’s attacks are fast and threatening, but not difficult to respond to. The bigger the movement, the bigger the gaps. I could secure enough time to attack.

Whoosh, whoosh! Whoosh!

Aspero swung his axe left and right twice, and made a big full rotation. Here, I raise my sword at the exact timing to obtain the Just Guard judgment.

Clang!

Thwack thwack thwack thwack!

The starlight settled on the tip of my sword blade slashed Aspero’s body. Aspero’s HP decreased at a fast rate.

It’s a named boss with plenty of DPS time. I maintain the offensive while responding to patterns.

Woong.

Perhaps annoyed by me slashing his body while moving quickly left and right, Aspero raised the axe held in one hand with all his might. At the same time, I could see tangible demonic energy concentrating fully.

Unblockable pattern.

The axe dyed purple was swung down with tremendous force as if to split me. I hurriedly pulled my body to the left.

Boom!

The moment I tried to switch to offense aiming for the gap of the big attack, the axe stuck in the ground was swung horizontally as it was.

Whoosh!

Swish.

I instinctively used counterattack. Aspero’s axe blade split my afterimage.

“Phew.”

I let out a sigh of relief without realizing.

Monstrous strength. There wasn’t even a precursor motion of pulling out the axe.

Judging by how it split the floor like cutting tofu, that axe must have an enormous weight. Yet that guy swings it with one hand as if swinging a tree branch.

Strong and fast. But.

“Still slower than that.”

Slower than the ‘Ancient Hero’.

I can see and react.

There’s no way I’d allow attacks from a boss to which my winning formula applies.

But he wasn’t easy either.

Whoosh!

The chimera arm not holding the axe flew towards me who had taken Aspero’s rear.

I who had just used counterattack responded to it with a guard.

Clang!

Stretch.

“Hup!?”

The chimera arm that collided with my sword stretched and started pushing my body back at a fast speed.

Right behind was the tower wall. If I hit at this speed, my body will be shattered to pieces.

Swish!

I rotated my body with all my might.

And twisting my sword, I immediately activated Flash Strike.

Rip rip rip rip!

The sound of the chimera arm located in the path of my Flash Strike being torn apart was chillingly heard. Flesh flew and blood splattered. While clearing the flesh pieces filling my vision, I crossed swords as if intersecting with Aspero who was charging towards me at some point. 

Clang!

Aspero’s arm burst and was cut off, revealing an empty space.

He tensed the remaining shoulder stump as if nothing happened.

With a squelch sound, the chimera arm regenerated.

I made a tearful face while looking at that disgusting sight.

“Ugh.”

It’s not like he’s some green antenna alien or something.

Whoosh whoosh whoosh!

Aspero, having regenerated his arm, soon pushed me back while swinging his axe.

It didn’t seem like a unique pattern, and judging by the HP state, effective damage was dealt. Even if it’s a chimera, it can’t infinitely regenerate ignoring the HP figure.

If this is all of the normal patterns, it’s not difficult at all.

I calmly lowered my body while closing the distance with Aspero and rushed in.

[3rd Named]

[Level 40 Demon General Aspero]

[HP 4,053,296/6,000,000]

Aspero’s HP that seemed endless had already reached the 2/3 point.

Compared to Balgar’s HP I faced just before, 6 million certainly seems low. But since it’s a boss that can’t decrease HP through special gimmicks, I had to shave off this entire figure with my DPS alone.

There’s no time to stop the offensive.

Assuming there’s a time attack pattern, I need to pour out attacks without rest.

With the thought of avoiding the axe as closely as possible, to squeeze even one more Starlight Slash.

Thwack thwack thwack thwack!

Finally, when Aspero’s HP fell below 2/3, as expected, he took a peculiar movement.

“Kuaat!”

Rumble rumble.

Explosive demonic energy boiled up from Aspero’s entire body.

From here, special pattern.

I raised my sword and watched Aspero’s movements.

After briefly taking a posture as if gathering demonic energy, Aspero immediately returned to normal patterns. He raised his axe again and rushed towards me.

There must be some change in the battle area.

I didn’t forget to observe the surroundings while calmly responding to his offensive.

And soon.

Woong.

Various parts of the battle area started being dyed purple.

That light filling the surroundings of me and Aspero formed into five spheres and grew in size.

And those that suddenly grew caused a massive explosion.

Boom boom boom boom!

My body that immediately activated backward movement didn’t take damage.

I hurriedly looked around.

Where are the spheres generated? What’s the explosion range?

There was no time to think. I immediately had to face Aspero’s axe rushing in.

Clang!

Woong.

Even while Aspero’s normal patterns continued, without leaving any room, the precursor to the 2nd explosion occurred.

The sphere placement is different from just now.

This time, one sphere appeared right next to me and started growing in size.

It’s too late to pull my body out. I need to use an invincibility skill this time too.

Swish.

Boom boom boom boom!

I was able to get through the second explosion using counterattack.

Fortunately, it wasn’t an explosion sweeping across the entire battle area. But the five spheres that could appear anywhere greatly restricted my movements.

Woong.

I broke out in cold sweat. The precursor to the third explosion was already starting to come into view.

Should I use Flash Strike’s invincibility judgment?

If I get through it using Flash Strike first, backward movement’s cooldown will return. But the second Flash Strike can only be used after 1 minute.

There wasn’t enough time to think. I immediately used Flash Strike to get through the third explosion.

Flash!

Boom boom boom boom!

Woong.

At the fourth explosion, backward movement’s cooldown returned.

For the fifth explosion, counterattack.

Woong.

And the precursor to the sixth explosion.

“What!?”

I was dumbfounded.

Now there are no more invincibility skills left.

Boom boom boom boom!

Fortunately, this time no sphere was generated in the center of the battle area. I inwardly wiped my chest while watching the powerful demonic energy explosion filling the surroundings.

But the demonic energy sphere explosions don’t stop.

Even though I’m launching attacks from time to time to decrease the boss’s HP, there was no sign of the special pattern ending at all.

A type of pattern that continues until the end of the battle? The difficulty is too high. Even I with high synchronization rate found it hard to see and react.

The explosion range of the five spheres is quite wide. Moreover, the interval from generation to explosion is very short.

I barely wracked my brains.

They wouldn’t have put in a pattern that requires mobilizing all invincibility skills without thought.

Then, there’s only one answer.

There’s a consistent pattern to the five sphere explosions.

Having reached a conclusion, I calmly started watching the explosion ranges.

As expected, all 5 explosions were repeating a consistent arrangement.

The first explosion is at five points of a pentagram. The center is safe. I attack Aspero without moving from the spot.

The second explosion range is generated in a long straight line. It overlaps with the battle area. I pull my body out using backward movement.

The third explosion is in a cross shape. It also greatly overlaps with the battle area. Here I use counterattack.

Fourth explosion. The center is empty. I don’t make evasive maneuvers this time either.

Fifth explosion. The center of the battle area and two sphere ranges slightly overlap in concentric circles. I pull my body back a little.

I completely put the 5 explosion patterns and response methods in my head.

Responding like this, I don’t need to keep rotating invincibility skill cooldowns.

What’s left is extreme DPS.

Boom boom boom boom!

In the midst of continuous demonic energy explosions shaking the entire tower, I slashed Aspero’s body without rest.