Gerard's Warning
At Gerard's warning, Taejeong tried his best to put as much distance as possible between him and the enemy. But Jarba, who had closed right in on him, wasn't about to let that happen.
Whoosh!
A sword grazed past the back of his head in a hair-raising near miss. Taejeong stomped his feet desperately once more, but with their speeds evenly matched, the gap refused to widen.
'This won't work. It's too fast.'
Realizing he couldn't escape Jarba's grasp, Taejeong finally summoned the trump card he'd been holding back.
'Minigun Super Vulcan.'
As he activated the skill, the small Vulcan on his right arm vanished, replaced by a much bulkier version. Four more barrels had been added, bringing the total from eight to twelve.
Without a second thought, he unleashed a barrage straight ahead.
Tatata-tang! Tatata-tang! Tang!
Jarba, who had been glued to him, dodged to the left and aimed for Taejeong's head. But his right arm was already waiting in that direction.
Tatata-tang! Tang! Tatang!
Unable to withstand the insane rate of fire that surpassed even the M60 Power Machine Gun, Jarba tumbled backward. It hadn't dealt any real damage, but it had at least slowed the monster down.
Seizing the opening, Taejeong widened the gap as much as he could and took aim at Jarba with the RPG-7 he still gripped.
'Fire.'
Bang! Shwaaak!
The warhead rocketed forward with a piercing whistle and slammed directly into Jarba.
Boom!
A massive cloud of dust erupted with the thunderous explosion. But once again, no notification sounded.
"Did it hit?"
> It appears to have dodged.
"Dodged that? It looked like a direct hit."
Taejeong couldn't hide his inner shock at Gerard's words. He'd clearly seen Jarba right up until the moment of impact. For it to have dodged meant it moved at the exact instant of detonation.
A reaction speed that left him tongue-tied.
But he couldn't afford to stand there gaping. He recalled his last remaining skill.
Hand Rocket Launcher. The weapon with the widest kill zone among those he possessed.
Taejeong activated it while scanning his surroundings. But...
Cannot use in normal state.
Requires Protector Type 2.
"Protector? What the hell does that mean?"
Hand Rocket Launcher is a chassis-mounted exclusive weapon. Cannot be summoned on bare body.
"What? Gear?"
It is a skill.
"What?!"
Taejeong made a face like he couldn't believe Gerard's explanation. Giving him a weapon before unlocking the prerequisite skill? It made no sense by his logic.
'Handing out something I can't even use? What the hell is going on?'
With even his secret weapon rendered useless, he glanced at the launchers slung over both shoulders. They didn't match the RPG-7's power, but they packed a punch. Could he land a hit on Jarba with weapons that fell short in speed?
The dilemma didn't last long. Jarba emerged from the dust cloud once more.
Taejeong raised his right arm, aiming the Vulcan at the monster charging with terrifying speed. The twelve barrels spun rapidly, spewing dozens of energy rounds like a machine gun.
Jarba staggered again from the direct hit, and in that interval, Taejeong fled as far as possible before ordering Gerard.
"Coordinates."
15.211.
"Fire."
At his command, two warheads arced through different trajectories toward Jarba.
Boom! Kwa-boom!
The effects looked like they could chew through a building, but Jarba leisurely dodged again and charged at Taejeong once more.
Fueled by rising frustration, Taejeong sprayed the Vulcan again, repeating the same pattern several times.
Only 12 potions remaining. At this rate...
"I know. But it's too fast—I can't land a shot."
He felt the potion pressure even without Gerard mentioning it. But no brilliant ideas came to mind right now. The RPG-7, direct fire, arcing shots—all useless against Jarba's insane reaction speed.
The silver lining was that even the Super Vulcan worked to some degree. It couldn't inflict meaningful damage, but the shockwaves could at least stall it. Without that, he might have lost his head ages ago.
'What now? High-explosives are nearly impossible to land. I have to target the neck—its weak point.'
No matter how he thought about it, there was only one way: precisely strike the unprotected neck.
But that wasn't easy either. Dodging even the sword took everything he had, and now knowing Jarba used fists and feet too, hitting the neck in close quarters meant betting his life.
In other words, mutual destruction.
A ranged DPS hunter mutually destroying with a melee monster? But Taejeong had already steeled himself.
'Potions run out, I'm dead anyway. Better gamble now.'
Resolved, he summoned a standard Vulcan in his left hand and the Super Vulcan in his right. No need for slower rifles.
With Vulcans on both hands, he charged straight at the oncoming Jarba.
As soon as Jarba entered range, Taejeong unleashed the left Vulcan. Jarba dodged right as if anticipating it, and Taejeong's right Super Vulcan was waiting.
Jarba took the full brunt and collapsed. In that instant, at point-blank range, Taejeong shoved both arms toward its neck and face.
Tatata-tang! Tang! Ping-ping! Ping! Ping-!
A torrent of blinding light poured down in a dense storm of energy rounds too numerous to count. Just watching sent shivers down the spine. At this rate, it wasn't life-or-death—it should've been obliterated.
But incredibly, Jarba showed no damage. It shielded its face with both arms, desperately enduring. It knew exposing its neck meant death.
Taejeong kept up the infinite barrage until potions dropped to seven, then halved the firepower.
Right then.
Whoosh!
"Gah."
Jarba's sword pierced through the volley and stabbed his chest. His legs nearly buckled, but feeling no impalement, he snapped back and retreated.
But...
"Huh?"
As he lunged for another attack, Taejeong's body wobbled, eyes on empty air. His feet had tangled in his hasty retreat.
In his vision, Jarba closed in nose-to-nose. Too late to react.
"Damn."
At that moment.
Jarba's form, inches away, erupted in light and smashed into the wall. And there stood a man: Jo Yong-seok.
"You okay?"
"Thanks to you... but why are you here?"
"Looks like a tough one. Couldn't just watch. We'll help."
His party had joined him by now.
Jarba rose, dusting off after Jo Yong-seok's blow. Jo's expression darkened—no damage at all.
"My strongest skill didn't even faze it."
"Aim for the neck."
"The neck?"
"Gap between the armor and helmet. Hit there for a chance."
"That's tricky."
"No other way right now..."
"Then we'll draw its attention."
Jo Yong-seok commanded his team.
"Seo Ju-ah, Lee Seong-ho. Engage it. Petrify and Shield should block once. Shin Ji-su, prep Binding. Full mana, no other spells. Got it? No mana left after— one shot only. Miss, and we're done."
They nodded and spread out. Jarba moved, and Jo Yong-seok dashed forward.
Lee Seong-ho and Seo Ju-ah flanked from left and right, Shin Ji-su's staff glowing as it activated. Taejeong followed Jo closely.
Jo, first to clash, deployed Petrify. A skill hardening the body with mana—like Knight's Aegis or Wizard's Shield, basic defense magic.
No point in offense; max defense to hold it.
But that plan shattered in one clash. Jarba's attack was overwhelmingly strong.
"Urk!"
Jo flew several meters through the air from a direct frontal hit.
Simultaneously, Lee Seong-ho and Seo Ju-ah poured attacks from sides. Jarba's aggro shifted, its sword brutally slamming Lee Seong-ho's blade.
Clang.
The impact flung his sword away; the follow-up forced a scream.
But Seo Ju-ah summoned her Aegis (shield) and deflected with all her might.
Clang.
"Ah."
She groaned and was pushed back instead. As she staggered and Jarba lunged again.
Right then.
Dozens of energy rounds slammed into Jarba's back.
"Over here, you bastard."
Taejeong, saving them from crisis, readjusted aim on the pursuing Jarba. As he fired, recovered Jo burst from the right, smashing exposed Jarba full force.
Jarba toppled. Taejeong went all-in, but it was already up and targeting Lee Seong-ho again.
The brutal melee dragged on.
But it couldn't last. The three besides Taejeong had burned over half their mana. Exhaustion would reset everything.
Knowing this, Taejeong hunted for openings.
'Just 5 seconds. No, 3. I can line up the shot.'
No need for long. Three seconds to turn the neck to Swiss cheese.
But those three seconds were elusive. Jo's team bought time, but Jarba's speed left no gaps.
Then salvation arrived: a white grid-pattern net from thin air. Shin Ji-su's Binding magic.
Spotting it, Jo called to Taejeong.
"When I signal, one firepower burst, please."
Taejeong nodded. Amid renewed chaos, Jo suddenly signaled his team.
"Now!"
At Jo's cue, the two clashing with Jarba spread wide and retreated. Taejeong's Super Vulcan blazed.
Tatata-tang! Tatang! Tatang!
Jarba toppled under the energy storm, and Shin Ji-su's Binding shot forward.
Sizzle-!
"Won't hold long!"
Taejeong dashed to point-blank. Both Vulcans aimed at the neck from under 30 centimeters.
"Time to end this."
The monstrous firepower engulfed Jarba's face. Its neck pierced, the body slumped.
You have defeated Jarba.
Reward: Acquired Exoskeleton Type 2 Booster skill.
EXP debuff applied...
You have cleared the Last Stage.
Recall is released.
Auto-return in 10 seconds...