48 - Dungeon Investigation Practice (6)
The Flame Evil Ghost is a B-rank named monster, equivalent to around S-rank if measured against regular mobs. Even third- or fourth-year cadets would struggle to take it down in a proper party. But whether due to the fanfic author's lack of skill or whatever, its skillset is just a watered-down copy of the Flame Emperor from Reincarnated Hero.
The Flame Emperor was infamous even in the game—strategies didn't start popping up on the forums until over a week after release. In comparison, this Flame Evil Ghost is something I only know from fanfic: lower rank, no intelligence unlike the Emperor. In other words, I have its strategy perfectly memorized.
The one variable? When it enrages, I don't have Execution yet, so finishing it off could be tricky. Doesn't matter. I've got a plan for that too.
Anyway...
Critical Hit Landed!
Bonus Damage Proportional to Agility
Aquadragon Poseidonros Tendon Effect: Water-Attribute Bonus Damage
Damage Multiplier: 650%
Aggro +99
Aggro: 99
'Rapid Fireball' Interrupted Successfully!
-Kiiiiiiieeeeeek!
The Flame Evil Ghost finally noticed, clutching its arm and writhing in agony. Strangely, a streak of light lingered vividly along the arrow's path, like an afterimage.
As I wondered about it, a status window popped up before my eyes.
> New Skill Acquired!
> Skills Rearranged!
Residual Shadow - The wind no longer blows
[Combination technique fusing Rapid Fire, Continuous Fire, and Arc Shot from First Form: Wind Shot]
[Cannot be registered simultaneously with other Form techniques in the skill window]
[Due to contract with Ariel, wind energy consumption reduced, damage output dramatically increased]
I didn't see this coming...
A combination skill that only existed on the Reincarnated Hero test server. It got hotfixed and fully deleted even there due to fears of overwhelming workload from endless skill combos on live.
Jackpot?
3-in-1, and it doesn't eat up skill slots... Pure honey.
No time to gush. Plan's changed since Aria's watching—no Mainhwa allowed. Gotta kill it clean.
> Flame Evil Ghost: HP 88%
-Kieeerrruk!
Does the devil recognize another devil? Conveniently, its HP bar appeared.
I'd burned a good chunk of wind energy, but one-shot was too much to hope for. It uses upgrade pattern at 66.6% HP, enrage at 44.4%. Textbook strat from here is damage control... but no party. No frontliner—just me and Aria. One hit or one pattern through, and game over.
> Aggro: 99
Aggro at 99—one crit left.
Another bullshit bug, huh?
No choice. Author's intent is obvious: can't one-shot? Force the enrage. But it won't see this coming.
[Passive]
- Hermit
[Basic Technique 1] - Residual Shadow Shot
[Basic Technique 2] - First Form: Wind Shot - Arc Shot
[Basic Technique 3] - First Form: Wind Shot - Continuous Fire
[Ultimate] - Mainhwa
Normally, combo skills replace components, but pre-Klebe bug: registered skills don't unregister. So I combo Residual Shadow Shot with Arc and Continuous Fire.
> Remaining Wind Energy: 56
I loaded half my wind energy and rechambered Residual Shadow Shot.
-Ziiiiing!
My ash-gray bowstring hummed like it might snap.
-Whoooosh!
The jet-black, sleek bow unfurled in a spiral, sucking in every air current here.
-Drip.
Then, silence. Literal calm before the storm. Trigger pull—
-Pababababang!
Typhoon-force wind pressure slammed the Flame Evil Ghost. Screeching air-ripping sounds as thick afterimages layered madly—Residual Shadow Shot unleashed.
-Piiiing!
-Piiiing!
Vibrating winds clung to my hands, turning blue lasers that stitched across its body.
-Kieeeeek!
Critical Hit! Critical Hit!
Critical Hit! Critical Hit!
Bonus Damage Proportional to Agility
Aquadragon Poseidonros Tendon Effect: Water-Attribute Bonus Damage
Damage Multiplier: 800%
Aggro +99
Aggro: 100
Hermit Passive Deactivated
-Kieeeeek!
> Flame Evil Ghost: HP 37%
> Enrage in Moments
HP condition met.
Rapid Fireball canceled, HP plummeting—it finally focused on me.
-Thud!
-Thud!!
-Thud!!!!
Stomping feet. Upgrade pattern before enrage.
Activates every time HP drops by 33.3%.
Fires 5 homing fireballs in 8 directions, inflicting 'Inextinguishable Flames' debuff on hit.
5 stacks trigger massive explosion.
Fuck around and find out.
It fired homing fireballs from 8 points on its body. No issue—the wind barrier I'd slapped on early shone.
-Whoooosh! Whoooosh!
Every stomp, something tried emerging from its body.
-Pabang!
-Kiiik?
-Pababang!
-Kiiiiik!
Wind barrier absorbed the homing fireballs outright. 5 stacks? Self-destruct.
Unspent fireballs detonated inside with the barrier.
-Kwaang!
-Kwagaang!
-Kwagaagagagwang!
Ear-shattering booms grew with each stomp. Its death cries drowned long ago.
-Gururuk... Gurururuk!
Its body bloated like a spasming rat, writhing... then
> 'Flame Evil Ghost' Enrages!
-Kruuuuuueeeeeek!
Roaring, enrage initiated.
Now.
-Click.
I casually loosed an ice-enchanted (1-circle) crossbow bolt.
-Ting!
That flimsy bolt—
-Kieeeeeeeek!
-Ku-kung!
Forced it to its knees absurdly.
Error: Enrage
Groggy success canceled enrage. My go-to Reincarnated Hero speedrun exploit: groggy cancel. Conditions: attribute weakness, status ailment.
Water weakness for fire-type humanoid. Reincarnated Hero has a gimmick where loud explosions induce stun/groggy. Its own upgrade self-stunned.
-Kiiik... Kieeek!
Slumped, thin-membraned wings feebly covering vitals—it looked too pathetic for a demon now.
> Groggy Ends In: 8.282s
"Perfect."
> Remaining Wind Energy: 28
-Whoooosh!
I dumped every last bit of wind energy for the final shot.
* * *
At Clarice Academy, cadets' main weapons are uniform. Family prestige first—no one questions inherited talents or preset paths.
Crossbow. The hunter who saved Aria wielded one. And Lev Denek—the only one handling it now.
That's why everyone assumed he'd flunk selection, ignored him.
That's why he seemed so lonely.
Aria thought Lev looked lonely. Maybe a black curtain, fighting some invisible battle. Should she keep doubting him...?
What if every action was just desperate survival?
...
His back as he rushed to save her... overlapped with that duel against Edwin.
Great Demon Andras. That foul, repulsive mana... surging back, about to sweep her away.
-Piiiit!
"...!"
But contradictory. From his crossbow whirled a brilliant blue wind, leaving beautiful afterimages.
Like illuminating his solitary path. Or a tailwind for smooth sailing.
It appealed deeply to Aria.
* * *
-Piii—!
The sound-piercing Residual Shadow Shot pierced its heart. The Flame Evil Ghost oxidized on the spot.
......
Boss: Flame Evil Ghost Defeated
Remaining Bosses: 98
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