Chapter 19
Chapter 19
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 19
Chapter Title: Absolute Defense Line (4)
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- ? Already heading into the boss fight?
- What? Rest time's over already?
With a 30-minute clear as the goal, my break had been short.
Hell, even the viewers hadn't had time to catch their breath.
- Nooo, I was about to hit the bathroom!
- Just take your phone.
- Gotta watch El-jjang on a monitor in full HD!
- Can't argue with that.
- Trash dad mindset: just rest and it's fine?
- This company's welfare is a joke.
"At least the funeral's free."
- Bullshit.
These uncontrollable solo-wave bastards.
Time to turn off the local broadcast before the boss even starts.
"Call Dancing Specter El Ayla."
"If my liege calls, I come gladly."
The appearing El Ayla fluttered her clothes like a dance.
With the main dealer’s entrance, the chat quieted down.
Anyway, it quieted down. Sure, it was plastered with ㅗㅜㅑ, but at least the nonsense stopped.
This was win-win for everyone, right?
Bang!
As if responding to the fans' expectations, El Ayla flung open the broken door without hesitation.
The boss room of the Absolute Defense Line was utterly pathetic.
It was wide, but like a ruin from an earthquake.
Worthless junk like shattered chandeliers and broken pottery rolled everywhere, and a small door clung to the opposite wall.
Clack, clack.
The only thing wandering was a single white bone skeleton!
The ragless skull lacked even a weapon.
First time seeing it in person, but it looked ridiculously weak.
Well, not really in person since I'm seeing through my little ghosts, so not truly "seeing" it.
"No way. The trash mobs were easy, right?"
I answered while positioning El Ayla up front.
Couldn't drop guard since attack patterns could fly anytime.
"Yes. Blood Bats are F-rank, easy pickings like I showed. They couldn't output enough mana for an E-rank gate rating."
The Absolute Defense Line cheats with its rating.
'An E-rank dungeon no E-rank hunter can clear.'
But that's solely due to the packed traps.
These traps here have zero mana.
'Trash mob lineup's weak too.'
Blood Bats died 3-4 per corpse explosion.
Annoying flyers that regen, but stats similar to the Noble Spiders I caught before.
"If only Blood Bats inside, it'd rate F-rank danger. Traps don't factor into difficulty calc."
"Math makes it simple."
...Clack!
The pathetic skull raised its head.
Its empty sockets locked on El Ayla.
"Dungeon's got a monster with E-rank gate's worth of mana. All by itself."
I deliberately made a tense face.
To draw viewers' eyes to the screen.
The shabby skull creaked into motion.
This guy was the boss monster here.
"...I-I-iNtrUdeR...?"
Eerie flames ignited in the skull's sockets.
The voice echoing from its bones was downright creepy.
"G-G-gEt OuT... oF hErE...!"
A snarling skeleton mage barking orders!
Sinister mana gathered in its hands.
The Guarding Mad Skeleton's opener: curse attack!
'Hit with it and sleep curse for a full day, right?'
Low lethality compared to other curses.
But just as hard to resist or heal.
Even current S-rank guilds, back at E-rank, lost their main DPS to this curse.
'Didn't die, but pace collapsed.'
The decisive fail factor for S-rank guild clears.
'Counter: attack during cast.'
Need to shave off 20% HP, I heard.
Of course, Mad Skeleton's a mage-type.
Steady DPS works fine.
'Problem: can't reach boss past traps.'
Counters exist.
But all boring. No fun.
'Above all, won't hit 30-min cut.'
My eyes gleamed slyly.
Time to play the ace I'd hidden.
"Time for today's star. Support squad! Item setup!"
"Groooaaargh...!!"
"Brraaaargh...!!"
Rumble-!
The zombies shoved the cart forward.
The cart, unseen by camera until now.
Inside: a massive spider corpse.
Queen Elizabeth's body, hauled here!
Viewers split on the revealed cart.
Some shocked by the surprise.
Others nonchalantly nodding.
Of course. You all expected this much.
But do you really know?
'In this biz? Bait the fish with chum before dropping the hook.'
Obsessing over twists from one to ten is third-rate.
First-rate openly scatters bait.
'Predictable builds hype.'
Guide viewers to have fun with the provided bait alone.
Keeps fan interest steady.
'But... catharsis of prediction hitting lowers guard for real twist.'
People stop thinking when right.
Fall for setter's lead in self-satisfaction.
Common exam trick.
First-rate pre-drops obvious bait.
To induce complacency before effective twist.
To slam true twist on lax fans.
Double bait. Trap exploiting fan analysis.
Cliché's cliché twist.
First-rate director's way.
'Queen Elizabeth's obvious plot.'
Twist predictable with thought.
'Then, bet you didn't see this coming.'
Rumble-.
I positioned the cart before El Ayla.
"Behold our new finisher."
El Ayla grabbed a bat from the cart.
Like a batter gripping a baseball bat.
Viewers' heads filled with question hooks.
But I wasn't merciful enough to give think time.
'Boss casting means we prep attack too, right?'
Prime time for grand slam homer.
No wasting on TMI.
"Cleanup hitter, to position!"
"Nice. Getting fired up. Heart's fired up!"
Buff enhancing physical arts enveloped El Ayla.
She leveled up off Queen Elizabeth.
Buffed strength way up.
Enough to launch the queen.
"Swing with all you've got!"
Clang-!!!
El Ayla full-swung the cart.
Clear-toned homer shot!
The wheeled cart trucked like an isekai truck.
"Y-Y-You CaN't PaSs ThRough HeRe!"
The chanting Mad Skeleton stomped.
Boss room traps sprang up.
Crunch-!
Cart halted before reaching the skull.
Queen spider corpse skewered like a zombie.
"Shut up everyone! Bombs are made to explode!"
Front focus.
Safety pin out... throw!
"Dollar Explo-sion!"
BOOM-!!!!!
Bazooka-beating mega-explosion detonated point-blank on the boss mob.
The flames devoured nearly everything in the room.
The boss mid-powerful curse cast.
The dense traps guarding it.
The 250k monster cart I bought.
Queen Elizabeth's corpse hauled by porters.
All engulfed in purple flames and blast, wafting thick char stench even through the screen, roaring ablaze.
Viewers wagging tongues in awe? Natural.
Only flame curtain and El Ayla holding circle post-Queen explosion.
Hell, active hunters gobsmacked!
Some viewers sighed.
Natural. Boss byproducts pricey.
'Rare Necromancer hunters, who blows boss corpse that size?'
Theorized? Sure. Executed? Nah.
But I do.
Why? My stream's concept.
Not 'cause I'm truly insane.
Rational me predicted 'next' clearly.
"This here's a grenade! Don't mess around!"
So I yapped cockily.
To loosen viewer tension with my BS.
Streamer's (mine) chill vibe maybe.
Viewers now awaiting end quips.
That was it.
"P-PuBliC LoRd!! GiVe Me PoWeR!!"
The instant burning bones burst from flames, chat cascaded like waterfall.
Boom-!
Curse lightning struck El Ayla.