Chapter 154
Translator: penny
Chapter: 155
Chapter Title: The Fall of Vindelrom
Yuseong surveyed the floor below. Debris from the collapsed ceiling was scattered everywhere.
"This isn't the best footing for a fight. Could be a problem in combat."
Of course, the enemy was in the same situation, so it might not put Yuseong at any particular disadvantage. But.
Boom!
"That doesn't apply to this guy, though."
[For real lololol]
Vindelrom's massive body took a single step, crushing the fragments beneath it and creating a relatively flat surface. It didn't seem like the thing would ever trip over the wreckage.
"Dieee!"
Thud! Thud! Thud!
It charged. The debris bouncing and crumbling around it, along with the heavy thundering sounds, made it clear exactly what happened when you got caught in its rush.
Yuseong leaped across the rubble.
Boom!
Vindelrom's huge body slammed down where Yuseong had just been. Dust billowed up as the spot Yuseong occupied moments ago was reduced to rubble.
'The advantage of a big guy.'
Size and weight were power in themselves. Sure, Yuseong's world—and Ark—had plenty of things that defied that logic, but that was because they had other special powers, not because creatures with size and weight were weak.
Thud! Thud!
The beast righted itself and turned toward Yuseong again.
Whirr!
Vindelrom's core swept its hand through the air.
'Magic.'
Unlike the blood-formed giant body, the core could move independently. From the way its robes whipped around wildly, it seemed to be wind magic.
Whoosh!
Blades of wind flew toward Yuseong. He leaped backward.
Swoosh!
The blades curved, pursuing him relentlessly.
[Guided magic]
[Oh, that bastard's playing dirty]
Yuseong glanced at Vindelrom. It was charging again.
Yuseong fired at Vindelrom—this time at the blood-formed giant body, not the core.
Thunk! Thunk!
The bullets sank into its body like shots into the ocean, gradually slowing before stopping entirely. No matter how generously you interpreted it, they hadn't done any damage.
"You fool! Think some puny physical attack will work on this blood-forged body of mine?!"
"Is that line for the first time it takes a physical hit?"
[Lol, so it should've screamed that right at the start of the fight?]
[Opponent's Yuseong, so it took this long lol]
Yuseong eyed the spots where the bullets had penetrated, then looked back at Vindelrom's core. His gaze dropped to the giant body again.
'Hmm. Could work?'
Yuseong got basic info from the strategy guide, but he didn't grill it for every little detail.
Ark's monsters, especially bosses, had tons of patterns by default, and the excellent physics engine created all sorts of variables mid-fight.
The guide could probably explain every single one, but Yuseong had no intention of wasting time like that.
So he had no idea if this sudden flash of inspiration would pan out.
'Only one way to find out.'
Yuseong swapped magazines to freezing rounds. Then he changed direction and sprinted toward the boss.
[Huh?]
[What?]
The viewers' confusion filled the chat. Anyone could see Yuseong looked like he was running to his death.
But amid the bewilderment, they felt anticipation.
Yuseong might pull off another miracle.
Swoosh!
Vindelrom swung its wing. The palm in the middle of the massive wing closed in to swat Yuseong.
Boom!
Impact. Dust spread. The debris where Yuseong had stood was pulverized. A direct hit would've left no bones.
But Vindelrom's attack missed again.
Whoosh!
Yuseong burst through the dust. A bit dirtied by it, but otherwise fine.
Just before the palm struck the ground, he'd slipped between its claws. Some flying debris had chipped his HP a little, but it was negligible.
Yuseong's figure arced through the air in a fall. His body headed straight for the back of Vindelrom's hand. Given the liquid nature of its body, staying put would've meant sinking into the blood and drowning.
No, even without drowning, getting stuck inside wouldn't end well.
But Yuseong stayed calm. He aimed the freezing-round-loaded gun at his landing spot.
Bang!
The shot fired. Red ice formed on the back of the hand. Yuseong stepped on it.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
Rapid shots created more red ice across Vindelrom's body—from the hand, up the wrist, to the wing membrane. They formed a stepping-stone path straight to the core.
Step!
He kicked off the ice hard and leaped to the next. Repeating this, Yuseong reached the wing membrane in seconds.
Swoosh!
Vindelrom moved its wing. Yuseong's perch shook violently. The footing thrashed wildly, threatening to throw him off.
But Yuseong's phenomenal balance let him ride it out. More than that—he kept shooting ice chunks on the surface and hopping across.
In a flash, he'd closed in on Vindelrom's core.
Then he unloaded a barrage into it.
"You vermiiiin!"
Vindelrom screamed. But Yuseong's gift wasn't just bullets. He vaulted over the core. The wind blades that had dogged him followed.
Now, though, Vindelrom's core was in their path.
Boom boom boom!
"Graaaah!"
Hit by its own spell, Vindelrom howled. The powerful magic shaved off a huge chunk of its HP.
[Whoaaa!]
[That's Yuseong for ya!]
Viewers cheered the masterful redirection.
But that was just the beginning.
Vindelrom's body went berserk, flailing arms and bucking to shake Yuseong off.
Shaking worse than any rodeo. And every foothold was blood, forcing Yuseong to shoot his own ice platforms.
Yet Yuseong clung on. He circled the core, pumping it full of rounds.
"You filthy bug!"
Vindelrom's core flailed its arms. But lodged in the beast's head, it couldn't close the distance with Yuseong. Not even that annoying mist form.
Even if it cast magic, the thrashing giant body botched the aim. Occasional guided spells just boomeranged back like before.
Yuseong called out as he dashed across the wildly shaking colossus.
"Compared to its humanoid form, this one's easier. If anyone faces this guy later, use my strategy."
[Strat...?]
[Is that even a strategy?]
[I'm just gonna level more, tank it, and DPS lol]
No viewer dared try Yuseong's method.
Yuseong tilted his head.
"Anyone who can freeze its skin has no better option. Oh, but are there many classes that can do that?"
[Nope, class ain't the issue. It's before that.]
[Even if the whole body's frozen, it's impossible.]
[We'll find our own strat.]
Flap!
The wings weren't for show—Vindelrom took to the sky. But nothing changed.
Tower-top or sky-high, Yuseong still scampered across its head.
It even tried a power dive to dislodge him, but Yuseong gripped the ice with his hands and held on. The ice, still part of Vindelrom despite being frozen, didn't break off.
Bang!
The last round in the magazine struck the core. As Yuseong reached to reload,
Wobble!
Vindelrom's giant body staggered and began to plummet. Not a dive.
A crash.
Kablooom!
It smashed into the ruined spire.
Step!
Moments later, Yuseong landed beside the giant body. He reloaded just in case. But he and the viewers already knew.
Vindelrom had lost all its HP.
"You... a mere... worm like you..."
Blood tears streamed as Vindelrom wailed.
"This can't be! It can't!"
The blood forming its giant body poured down like a waterfall. The bat-like shape crumpled.
"Youuuu scum!"
Now like shapeless dough, Vindelrom stretched out its wings.
That was the end.
Boom!
Its body burst like an explosion. Blood sprayed everywhere, flowing through the debris and down the spire's walls like waterfalls.
Splat.
Vindelrom's core oozed to Yuseong's feet and stopped. No more movement.
[We won!]
[Best boss fight ever!]
Yuseong waited. The body vanished, dropping items and money. Level-up notice rang. Yuseong picked up the drops.
Then he addressed the still-celebrating chat.
"Not over yet."
[Huh?]
[What?]
"Vindelrom said it, right? Ludeart's lord is a devil worshiper."
[Oh yeah.]
[Forgot while watching the fight.]
"If that's true, another event might trigger. Maybe the next quest starts right away."
With that, Yuseong headed for the stairs to the lower floor, revealed by the impact.
Time to head back to Ludeart.
* * *
"Quest complete."
"Oho, really!"
The camp representative lit up with joy.
"Let's head to the lord at once. He'll reward you."
The NPCs dismantled the camp in a flash and boarded the ship. Yuseong followed.
The ship set off, passing through the fog-shrouded zone around the island to their original dock. They disembarked, and under NPC guidance, reached Ludeart.
Yuseong was escorted straight to the lord's castle. Into the same room where he'd met the lord before. Entering, the lord awaited in that exact same pose.
"Welcome!"
The lord rose.
"So, you defeated Isratuus Vindelrom?"
"Yes."
"I see."
The lord burst into laughter.
"That trash is dead? Best news I've heard lately! Here's your reward."
He went to his desk, pulled a pouch from a drawer, and handed it over. Quest complete notice, reward received.
"You're a hero of our house! But one thing I'm curious about."
The lord, who'd smiled throughout, narrowed his eyes.
"Did Isratuus Vindelrom say anything... strange to you?"