Zone 1 (2nd Try) (27) - Mountains of Terror

The fact that the bastard's first turn skipped straight to Wanted Poster. The fact that Shae's first turn landed a critical hit and a stun. Those two factors meshing together made the battle's start as ideal as it could possibly be.

"Die die die die die die…."

Putting aside Shae for a moment as she muttered creepily while gripping her claymore, it was my turn again. With stun already applied, it was time for burst damage.

"Tch…."

It was a real shame—no critical hit. Still, considering the damage range, it was a solid roll, so I didn't have major complaints.

Next turn. Thanks to Kaya's speed boost of +1 from Melody of Ambush, her speed matched the boss's, triggering a speed tiebreaker.

Please. Please. Please.

Considering Kaya's tiebreaker win rate, it might be easier not to expect anything, but isn't it just like Kaya to hit a homerun at crucial moments like this?

Ah….

So close. Really so close. A 4 is damn good for Kaya, but it got edged out. Fuck, does being the boss mean it rolls high twice in a row? That condescending gaze looking down like it was obvious pissed me off.

"Judging with the light of heretics? How laughable."

"What the fuck are you saying, you hand freak?"

The boss passed its turn. Now it was Kaya's turn.

"Kaya."

"Yes, Leader."

"Can we see Lady Raella's warm mercy?"

Kaya gripped her mace and assumed her signature stance.

"If it's Lady Raella, then yes. Her embrace is as vast as the sea. Even for a horrific and wicked heretic worshipper like that, wouldn't there be a chance to feel her mercy?"

Thwack—! Kaya's sprint, always so cool no matter how many times I saw it, closed the distance in an instant. Riding her momentum, she leaped into the air and slammed down her faintly glowing green mace from its peak.

Kwaaaang—!!!

Graaaaaah—!

"That's it! Yes! Kaya!!!"

Kaya's mace smashed gloriously into the boss's head, and the thing that barely flinched from my attack screamed loud enough to shake the dungeon.

"Haa…."

Kaya's face was flushed red as she looked at me, blood dripping from her mace. The way she gently stroked the upper part of the handle with half-lidded eyes was chilling in a different way from Shae….

Whatever.

It wasn't the first time I'd seen it, and she was performing beyond expectations in her role, so I could overlook that much.

Now Shae's second turn….

Remaining HP ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠54/99

Before issuing orders, I checked the boss's HP. Thanks to two crits and a near-max normal hit, we'd shaved off almost half.

Still too early to relax.

Another crossroads. Between defense and offense, I chose attack once more.

No crit, so minimal damage. Couldn't be helped. The bastard had 5 defense, after all.

The problem was.

Maybe its stun resistance went up after the first one, because a resistance roll popped up immediately.

If it's Shae….

Shae, who'd been lucky on rolls before. Was there a chance? Could I hold out hope?

If we could land another stun here, maybe we could take the boss down easier than expected.

Hand of Terror: 6

Shae: 4

…….

No way. Does this make sense? Three rolls in a row: 5, 5, 6? Is this a game? Is this a fucking game?

My turn came around again, but it was so ridiculous I started laughing. Not because I was happy, of course.

Maybe my laugh sounded like mockery? Shae, who'd failed the stun after her fierce glare last turn, now looked dejected.

"I'm sorry, Leader…."

"No, no! What do you have to be sorry for? It's because the bastard's the boss. Don't get down."

"Yes…."

Shit…!

Too late—I realized it. Shae's mood plummeted like a rollercoaster drop. After the rest area incident, resisting the boss's intimidation, and that crit just now, she hadn't seemed like someone who'd fall to Helplessness at all. But in an instant, she was drowning in it.

Fuck you, you monster bastard.

I couldn't blame Shae for doing well. So it was the boss's fault. You fucking prick—why not just stay stunned, get pummeled, and scream like you should? Why crush my Shae's spirit? Hey, what if she skips her turn now?!

As if it didn't care about my feelings, my turn came back around. We'd muddled through three turns okay, but the real fight started now.

Next turn, attacks will come without mercy.

Whoever takes it will scream.

If it ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠were stunned, fine, but Shae and Kaya are in danger. Can't afford to tank one and judge.

If it were just an elite monster, or if Shae and Kaya weren't corrupted, I might've leaned toward tanking one attack. But with the boss resisting the second stun, my usual safety-first instincts from highest difficulty kicked in hard.

Flashbang… fuck, this is insane.

The more I hesitated, the dimmer the magic torch grew. My comrades tensed in standoff with the boss, who raised its upper-body-sized hand to flaunt its vitality.

Gulp—my throat burned. Mouth bone-dry. The Wanted Poster mark from the boss already made my gut churn.

Still my turn, but no clue what it'd do or the impact. Extreme tension soaked me in cold sweat.

Expectations bring disappointment, but I can't help expecting.

Decide carefully, act fast. I pulled out the flashbang after ages and yanked the pin.

"Hmph, more petty tricks."

Good. It worked. Only 1 turn, but if the effect holds… we'd buy another turn. Then, on the last turn of Wanted Poster, burst it down in one go. That was the future in my head.

"Pathetic. You think these tricks can block terror?"

"If I can't see, I'll just crush everything."

"Fuck…!"

The boss swelled its already massive hand even larger. It was so enormous it barely qualified as a "hand" anymore, wreathed in ominous energy.

Not even half HP yet—why use that skill now!

Its crude, full-map AoE: slamming down with that monstrous hand. Weaker than single-target, sure, but seeing that giant palm descend from above? No one would think that.

Like a landslide hitting your house? Who knows. Fuck, how would I know?

"Fuck, we survived—!!!"

"Lady Justitia—!"

"Lady Raella…!"

Dodging was impossible. The hand transcended physical form—a domain ruling 1-10. A space where everything beneath it would submit, crushed under terror.

Fuck fuck fuck, please please please!

Why use a full-map AoE reserved for below 1/3 or 1/4 HP now? Because it's highest difficulty, making everything worse. That's it.

Forget theory—pray the hero party doesn't shatter….

Kwaaaaaang—!!

"Aaaaaaaaagh—!!!"

"Kuaaaaaah—!!!"

Thoughts shattered under mountain-like terror. Shock and horror like the dungeon collapsing. Faint, gut-wrenching screams from comrades I'd never heard before.

And then.

"Ah…."

The delayed agony, like my whole body crushed.

"Aaaaa."

Like a cockroach underfoot.

"Huaaaaaaaaagh—!!!!!!!"

I'd rather die—no, why didn't I die? Immense pain surged late.

If not for system corrections, shock death would've been mercy. Amid pain, my eyes instinctively checked combat logs—absurd damage made me want to pass out.

But creepier: the messages still coming.

"No… nooooooo!!!"

"Don't do this!!! How could you!!!"

Massive AoE followed by massive mentality hit. The Hand of Terror's ultimate, A Terror Like Mountains—one shot wrecked the hero party.

"Heh, hehhe, hahaha…!"

"Kuh, kuh, ugh…."

"Foolish heretics. Where did your initial momentum go?"

The boss's turn ended. Even bosses can't act twice per turn. So now Kaya's turn—its next.

But no one moved. Couldn't move. Not Shae, not Kaya, not me.

We writhed like bugs on the floor.

Time passed. Still couldn't stand. Even rolling my eyes hurt like hell.

Haha….

Damn. One hit does this. One hit! Happy now, you terror-obsessed freak?

Jealous of me strutting around? Feels good? What, glad no crit? Sure, but your three-roll streak, that AoE max damage—got no shame? Oh, none? Fuuuuck, is this a game?

Should start at Zone 2 or 3 at least. Zone 1 like this? Made to clear or just torture me?

Watch comrades die, grind them down for strats, then enjoy my mentality shatter? Plenty other gamers—why me? Why! Huh? Huh?!

I blinked. Gritted my teeth. Pushed off the dungeon floor with my palm.

Felt like being stabbed with awls, but endured. Body looked fine outwardly. But the crushing sensation was real. That smug fucker's attack was real.

"Get… up…."

"No…! Nooo… please…!"

"Ugh, kuh, hngh."

"Get up—!!!"

Enduring throat-shredding pain.

"You said you'd pay us back in many ways if we returned—were you lying!!!"

I whipped my writhing comrades.

"Kaya!!! Shae!!!"

As if this were the hero party's future, 1-10 grew even darker.