Chapter 50
Chapter 50
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 50
Chapter Title: Assassin & Greed (3)
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Weekend arrived before we knew it, and we set off on our adventure in a flash.
Eve threw a fit about going off on her own and getting herself killed. The chick insisted on tagging along but got turned down flat, nearly sparking a fight between Rudika and Nefti.
If this were a novel, it'd be around 5,700 characters just on the pre-adventure prep—but I wiped that from my mind. It'd live on as a shared memory in everyone's hearts.
I hopped onto the handcart pulled by Partrasche, we plunged into the forest, and we scrapped with monsters.
Rudika handled her role with Hassan-style flair, while Nefti held the line with her guardian formation. We cleared the field spotless, missing only the map rewards.
"...S-scary."
"Good work."
"...By the way, that's an insane haul of herbs. And some pretty rare ores to boot."
"Tell me about it."
"Hm. But there's something I don't get."
"What?"
"Why was there a little wooden box sitting pretty on that side path we took midway?"
"...Good point."
"And inside it were a dagger and some herbs, right? Why?"
"......"
"......"
The two of them tilted their heads.
Truth be told... stumbling on a neatly placed wooden box while roaming the fields, complete with pristine gear inside? Yeah, that's a head-scratcher.
"Must be the great ancestor's doing."
"...Of course. That tracks."
Rudika nodded.
The founding emperor could pull off anything, huh.
"...Ah. We're here. This the spot your senior mentioned?"
"That's right. Take a good look at the ground."
"Oh."
The brown dirt path gave way to brick, moss thick between the cracks.
Around us loomed the weathered ruins of brick structures—clearly man-made, not a tree in sight.
Ruins abandoned deep in the forest, plain as day.
This was the site for the 1-4 boss fight: the Eastern Forest ruins.
"That's the boss, huh."
"...Yeah."
Off in the distance stood what could only be described as a "suspicious pile of rocks itching to stand up."
And stand it did. It thrashed like mad. Tough setup to win—even full-geared Act 1 players died to it left and right.
Now we stood right on the cusp of the boss fight.
Boss fight.
In the original game, the 1-4 boss meant no respawns on death.
That stemmed from its unique trait.
Die to this thing, and you're literally buried under rubble.
Makes sense—it's a colossal golem towering several times human height.
"It's huge. That's a golem?"
"Hm. So the great founding emperor's treasure lies behind it?"
"Gotta be. So, Senior Wolfram... you really going through with it?"
"Hm. Wouldn't have it any other way. Partrasche, haul that handcart up the hill. You two, wait down below."
"Y-yeah."
"Come back safe, Wolfram."
With their send-off, I followed Partrasche up to the hill overlooking the golem from the ruins.
"I've heard the strategy, but how'd you even know what it was? Beats me."
"Inference is half the fun, no? Go ahead and sleuth it out."
"Fair enough. Heh. What a master who knows how to entertain."
Partrasche grinned wickedly, and I started shifting potions from the cartload beside me.
Then I raised my hand and chucked one at the ground.
Aim: the "boss monster," the golem, naturally.
Roll it off the hill, and plop—it smacks right on the golem's head.
Then the system message rings in my mind.
But toss potion after potion—even more—and the golem doesn't twitch.
Obviously. It won't react unless you get right up in its face.
In other words, no trigger, no action. That's the boss type.
"No reaction at all."
"Wouldn't bet on it."
You know the drill.
[Ain't this gonna stand up if I poke it?]
[Don't just touch it like that...]
[Grrr]
[Gah?! It moved!!]
[You idiot!]
Early-game bosses with that event setup. Mostly rock guardians or whatever they're protecting.
Fun fact: those are the actual lines from Kelters and his merry crew in the main story.
"But I ain't pulling that moron stunt."
Whip another potion downhill. Crash. Fire potion smashes into the inert golem again.
Now, the real question: easiest way to clap these chumps? Level grind and auto-attacks? Amateur hour. Memorize patterns, dodge, poke? Physical addict tier two.
True top-tier? Cheese 'em from off-map, one-sided smackdown.
Damage before wake-up.
Normally it'd be 【Super Longbow】 or 【Extreme Range Snipe】 from outside the map, but no skill or strength for that here.
Enter hilltop Potion Feature cheese damage.
Hill bug.
Wall clip bug.
Devs patch 'em forever, but they always creep back—position exploits.
"Man, bugs are straight cheese."
Ah.
Loving exploits? Core vet gamer trait.
"...Ooh. Another hit."
"Whoa..."
Nefti and Rudika had their doubts at first about Wolfram's plan, but they shut up quick watching the bizarre scene unfold.
"When did Senior Wolfram even come up with this?"
"...Hm. Even I'm wondering."
[Cross-checked Partrasche's intel with ancient docs: ruins deep in Eastern Forest, high chance of giant golem encounter.]
[Golem's purpose: guard ruins. Rin't activate without close approach, plus high magic resistance.]
[Tough foe.]
[But here's the thing.]
[Hit it without getting close, and we end this easy, right?]
Sounded nuts at first, but Wolfram made it real.
Crafted attack potions via alchemy.
Potion Feature to lob 'em one-sided.
Even sharpshooters struggle with moving or tiny targets.
But from a hill? At a massive rock? Free hits.
Boom. Sizzle as stone boils. Crackle of sparks.
"Come to think of it, did you know, Senior Rudika?"
"Know what?"
"Thrown potions aren't magic, apparently."
"Huh. News to me."
Wolfram said the golem resists magic hard, but potions were scorching it fine.
Meaning potions ain't magic.
"Where'd Senior even get that intel?"
"Dunno the source. But... he worked his ass off for it."
"Work?"
"Yeah."
Rudika knew Wolfram von Loengrin well.
Same year, same division. Imperial prince to boot.
Pulled plenty of crap during his council term.
Pitting magic and knight divisions against each other. Hoarding swords and spellbooks he couldn't use.
Curious why a prince would do that, Rudika dug into him—saw his stats at the temple and winced.
Pathetic build.
50/50 shot against a food slime.
Yet here he was, ace on outside intel.
Obsessed with unusable tomes and blades?
Probably cursed his own weakness.
Started bad, but handed council presidency to his sister and mellowed out, living quietly with a serene face.
But that itch to venture out sharpened post-term.
Plotted world domination—made it to Sleeping Mountains, Eastern Forest.
Contracted a fairy he'd never seen; now cheesing this behemoth.
Kicked from the throne, ignored in some shop, he schemed, trained, honed.
What role in the unknown world? Thought on it daily.
Finally slapped the world with his challenge.
Stats might inconvenience, but couldn't doom him.
"Yeah. Cool as hell."
"Senior Rudika?"
Rudika, lost in the sight of a man realizing his dream, missed Nefti's call.
Soon the potions ran dry. I glanced down the hill.
Paralysis. Fire. Poison—beautifully ablating the golem's back.
Weird that a golem even takes status ailments, but Act 1 quality.
Magic resist walls out mages, but thrown potions? Physical damage.
Shoddy dev work or mercy? No clue—survived patches to latest version.
Blasting the back shell finally punched a hole, core peeking out.
Probably no more damage this way.
Wake it, land one physical hit— that's the catch.
Hence bringing nimble Rudika and tank Nefti.
"Alright. Think that's all. Time to signal."
"......If I were that golem, I'd beg for death right now."
"What're you on about? It's a golem, not alive."
I chuckled and signaled the two below.
Wake the golem. They moved fast at the gesture, and the colossus stirred.
GRRRRAAAA... ROOOAAARRR!!
Felt like the whole ruins howled. The roar slammed my ears like a shockwave.
I knew the event, ears plugged.
"No clue why a golem needs vocal cords."
Then boom—one step forward.
"Final phase now."
I recalled my orders to Rudika and Nefti.
[Rudika. Behind Nefti's guardian barrier, one favor.]
[Stab the core?]
[Nah. Block the golem's attack. Once.]
[......Got it.]
Reason? Simple.
Memory of downing it this way in main story.
Even off-map 【True Greatbow】 【Formless Arrow】 【Heavenly Thunder】—Act 1 boss folds.
But it demands one event phase, one extra damage pip to die.
"Phase 2."
GRRRRAAAAA!!!
"Yup. No dodging phase 2 judgment."
Textbook boss fight.
"Partrasche."
Two steps back, called her.
Deep sigh, then she charged, countering golem roar with her howl.
"KRAAAAAWR!!!"
Intercepted the flying boulder with fire breath.
Normally 1-2 damage stun, but one hit kills me.
"Nice block."
Chuckle, rattle the last potion, fling it at the exposed core on the golem's still-turned back.
Blissful chime in my head.
Boom, rrrumble.
Crash of something massive crumbling hits my ears; dust plume towers skyward, tickling my nose.
No time for that.
Acquired:Golem Core 7T
Title:Giant Slayer
Granted:9T Skill Selection Ticket
Granted:8T Skill Selection Ticket
Sweet settlement screen.
Giant Slayer title's solid, tickets a no-brainer.
Grinning at it, my face froze at the bottom line.
Deep bonds with comrades felt!
Further bonds unlock "Special Partner" designation!
※ Heroine branch point: Choose wisely, may be irreversible.
...?
"Why's this popping for me?"