Chapter 37: "Attack!"
With Ha Jeong-woo's hand signal, the tanks charged toward the golems first. At the same time, a glow rose from their bodies, turning them pure white from head to toe.
Force Armor. A specialized knight technique that boosted defense and halved incoming damage.
Clang!Skreeee! The two knights in the lead crossed their swords to block the lead golem's attack, sliding back like they were on ice. It was an absurdly overwhelming force.
In the meantime, dealers wielding massive red greatswords leaped in, unleashing a barrage of indiscriminate strikes.
Ching!Chaaang!Ping!Pheew! Each time a greatsword slammed into an Ice Golem's form, a metallic clang echoed through the cave like striking steel. But the damage was negligible compared to the sound. That meant its defense was sky-high.
As repeated attacks left the thing unscathed, the inexperienced hunters' faces filled with dismay.
"What the hell is this thing made of?"
"Isn't this the boss?"
"It's coming again. Watch out!"
One golem tied up by the tanks suddenly turned its gaze toward the warriors, swinging a massive fist. The group recoiled in shock, retreating hastily.
Whoosh! A chilling wind whistled past their ears.
Relief was short-lived. The tanks failed to fill the gap in time, and the golem rampaged left and right. One hunter who couldn't dodge in time was smashed into the wall like ground meat.
Thud!
"Cough!"
He spat out a bowlful of blood, twitching as he propped himself up with his sword and staggered to his feet. But an Ice Golem's fist was already closing in.
With his injury, evasion seemed impossible. Despair washed over his face.
At that moment, countless golden threads flashed past him. Binding rings fired in unison by the mages.
"Get out of there! Hurry!"
The man snapped to his senses at the shout and hurled himself aside with all his strength. The bindings on the Ice Golem snapped, and it resumed its frenzy. But the knights had repositioned in time, pulling aggro once more. No further chaos ensued.
As the hunters battled the Ice Golems up front, the rear healers treated the incoming wounded. Fortunately, no injuries seemed critical. Hunters recovered via Recovery returned to the fray.
Watching this, Taemin itched to join the fight himself.
'If I went in, we could end this faster.'
Objectively, Taemin figured he could handle an Ice Golem easily. He had Ambush as his trump card, plus unmatched speed and a 30% evasion rate. Through his Insight, the golem's speed clocked at a measly 130—yawn-inducing for him.
'It's a shame, but I gotta follow the team leader's orders. Plenty of chances later.'
The battle was shifting in the hunters' favor as time passed. With the front perfectly sealed, two Ice Golems hung back, practically idle, while only three pressed the assault. One was already in tatters, barely functional. For newbies, it was impressive.
Soon, as skill cooldowns reset, a group unleashed their first ultimate: Power Strike.
A small explosion rocked the left-side ragdoll golem, shattering it in half.
"Ha! Take that, you bastard. That's the shine of my 2,200 attack power ultimate!"
"No big deal."
"Told you not to freak out."
That triumph was fleeting. With the gap open, the two idle Ice Golems surged forward.
"Here! Hngh!"
Splat! A dull impact sent the two blocking knights flying five meters, tumbling across the ground.
"Fill it fast! What are you doing?!"
Ha Jeong-woo's shout spurred the hunters grinning at the "corpse." They rushed in, but it was too late. The fallen knights rose to block, but holding two golems was impossible.
Warriors joined to barely contain one, then yelled as another slipped by.
"One broke through to the rear!"
The warning pierced every ear, but no spare forces existed. As the golem reached the backline, the healers' faces paled with fear.
"What do we do?!"
"Shouldn't we run?"
A calm voice cut through their panic.
"Mind buffing me?"
It was Taemin, wedged among them.
"What're you planning?"
"I'll hold it."
"By yourself?"
"Hit me."
"Wait, Taemin-ssi!"
No time for protests—he activated Arrainba and shot forward. He was the only combatant back there.
'Slow speed means I can handle this.'
As Taemin closed in, the buffs hit.
Battlefield Blessing applied.
Attack Power +15%.
Defense +15%.
Haste magic applied.
Movement Speed +75.
Weapon Spirit magic applied.
Attack Power +5%.
Armor Spirit magic applied.
Defense +8%.
Attack, defense, and speed surged in an instant, with noticeable physical enhancements. Activating Hydeger pushed his total attack near 1,000, and Defensive Critical would shred defense—real damage would be even higher.
Dazzling white light and blazing red lines intertwined as his assault began. Given its bulk, Taemin targeted the legs meticulously. A sloppy neck strike could end with him grabbed mid-air.
Bang!Ta-tang!
Each sword strike shattered ice chunks everywhere. Buffed to peak power, even he found its body tougher than expected. Half-inch gouges per hit meant it would take a beating.
'Toughest yet. But damn, the feedback feels good.'
The solid impacts spurred him to go all-out.
Kang!Kang!Ching!Ting!Kaaang!
Haste pushed his speed near 300—movements rivaling a wuxia master. Inhuman speed and fluidity birthed terrifying rapid strikes that left onlookers slack-jawed.
"W-What the...?"
"Too fast. Can't even see his hands."
"How is that possible? Even with high speed..."
As they gawked, the front team's situation stabilized. One of three remaining golems was combat-ineffective, clinging to life; the other two teetered under relentless assault.
With the front easing, Taemin fought even more leisurely. Had they struggled, he'd have Ambushed and supported—but no need now.
'Time to wrap this up.'
Under Taemin's barrage, the Ice Golem's state had deteriorated sharply. As the saying went, steady drips soaked robes. Its legs, cracked half-inch by half-inch, now dangled precariously.
'Almost.'
A bit more time, and its legs buckled under the weight.
Thud!
It flailed arms like legs toward Taemin, but even at full mobility, it couldn't touch him.
Taemin hammered its prone form mercilessly, zeroing on the back. Pinpoint focus soon carved a sword-sized hole.
By then, the front battle neared its end.
"Taemin-ssi! Reinforcements incoming! Hold on!"
Ha Jeong-woo's distant shout rang out.
'No need.'
Taemin had no intention of yielding his handiwork. First monster he'd thrashed properly since the Sphinx—the finish was his. That back hole wasn't for show.
He vanished with Invisible, leaping into the air. The healers rubbed their eyes in disbelief. He'd disappeared like a lie.
Whether they freaked or not, Taemin landed on its back and triggered Ambush.
Red energy swirled around his sword.
Vrrrrm.
A pleasing hum resonated as the blade sang fiercely. Then it plunged into the back.
BOOM!
A massive explosion rocked the cave, shaking the ground like an earthquake—even outdoors it'd be devastating.
The shock jolted incoming fighters and rear healers alike.
"What? What happened?"
"What was that...?"
"Where's it? Where's Taemin-ssi?"
Ha Jeong-woo arrived post-battle, but the healers were clueless too.
Then, a notification chimed in their ears.
You have defeated the Ice Golem.
You have acquired 96,000 EXP.
"What?"
All eyes snapped to the explosion's epicenter. Dust choked visibility. Tension mounted as it slowly cleared.
A dark human silhouette emerged.
It was Taemin.