Crushing the Elder Trent
Cheonma glanced at the respawned Elder Trent and spoke up.
-Hey, that's an elite monster.
"Elite? There's a grade like that?"
-Elite isn't exactly a grade... hmm, just think of it as a powered-up version. Remember the items you got yesterday with the plus sign?
"Yeah, there were some. Rare+ material items."
-Right. Same concept. It's the same monster, but a bit more enhanced. See that faint golden glow around its body? That's the mark of an elite monster.
Carpe nodded at Cheonma's explanation and activated Dragon's Eye.
Boss: Elder Trent
HP: 100% MP: 100%
Skills:
• 7-star Earth Force (Boss-exclusive)
• 6-star Healing Field (Boss-exclusive)
• 5-star Harden (Boss-exclusive)
• 4-star Vine Whip
Equipped Items:
None
"Hmm. Looks like a tanking-specialized monster."
Just from the skill names, it reeked of pure defense.
And as if confirming Carpe's guess, Cheonma nodded beside him.
-Trents focus on defense... well, to you it was all one-shots anyway, but yeah, defense concept. So their boss is naturally tank-focused too.
It had high base defense, skills that boosted defense further, and even self-heal.
No tricky dodges or one-shot patterns, but its kit forced attrition wars on players, making it infamous among noobs.
-Attack power's solid, but attack speed and movement are both slow, so if you focus, you won't get hit much.
But humans had limits to their concentration.
Forcing prolonged fights meant focus would slip over time in raids. And after tanking hits forever, the moment a player tired or slipped, the whip would come swinging.
Hence its nickname: the king of endurance. The turtler supreme.
The Elder Trent was that kind of monster.
"Got it."
Of course, all that only applied if it dragged into a long fight.
"Striking. Haste."
Physical attack power increased.
Attack speed and movement speed increased.
With DPS to spare, none of that applied to Carpe.
Groooaaargh-!
As Carpe charged at full speed, the Elder Trent roared in fury and swung its massive arm.
"Slow!"
But as Cheonma said, it wasn't that fast, so he easily dodged by bending at the waist.
Then he leaped powerfully at its exposed chest.
"Hah!"
Thud! His fist slammed home with a meaty impact.
The blow rocked its massive frame.
Grroooaa?
The Elder Trent let out a bizarre cry, baffled at staggering from a single punch.
"Now that's the good stuff."
Yeah, this was it. Trash mobs melted in one hit with no thrill, but bosses were different.
Boss: Elder Trent
HP: 95% MP: 100%
Checking HP, it was down exactly 5%.
"Okay. Just 20 hits to go."
-A defense field boss, elite at that, losing 5% per basic hit... man, who would believe this?
"Here I go again!"
Grroooaaargh!!!
As Carpe charged once more, the enraged Trent backed up and slammed both hands into the ground.
Kududuk!
Suddenly, five sharp wooden roots burst from the earth behind Carpe.
They shot toward his back at high speed.
"Predictable! Wind Cutter!"
Carpe cast at the roots, slicing them all with wind blades.
Thuk! Thunk!
Not stopping there, he hammered two more punches into its leg.
Magic designated to Fist Demon activates.
Finally, the awaited extra proc triggered.
A magic circle appeared in the air beside Carpe's head, and fire arrows shot out, striking the Trent dead-on.
Kaboom!
Grroooaaargh-!!
Magic triggered by this ability ignores 50% of target's defense and elemental resistance.
No MP cost. No cooldown.
The combo shaved off 20% HP. In under a minute, the Elder Trent was down 25% total.
Grro! Grrooo!
The panicked Trent cried out, and a massive magic circle spread under it.
A soft glow rose, healing its HP.
The 6-star Healing Field effect.
HP: 75%...... 76%...... 77%
"That all you got?"
The heal field filled its HP, but sadly, it couldn't keep up with Carpe's DPS.
Pow-pow-pow!
Dodging every sluggish attack, he swung relentlessly.
Its HP plummeted toward 50% in seconds.
That was when it happened.
"Agh. Too late. Another party's already on it."
"No wonder the ground shakes were intense... damn. Gotta queue up? How's it looking? Think they'll clear?"
"Lemme see... huh? Solo?"
While Carpe hammered away, a new party appeared.
A four-man all-male group, they whispered upon seeing Carpe fight alone.
"Yo, solo raid. Might come to us next."
"Reckless dude. But cool."
"Gauntlets mean brawler? O! Hear that thud? Impact's insane."
"...But why's the boss staggering from what looks like basic hits?"
They plopped down to watch quietly.
No intention to interfere.
-That's normal. Wait till the raiding party's done. Fail, it's yours; succeed, congrats.
"World ain't all bad."
Of course, Carpe could've wiped them too if they jumped in.
"Then I'll beat it worry-free."
Pow-pow-pow!
Carpe upped his pace, shredding HP fast.
The instant it hit exactly 40%...
Grroooaaargh-!!
Suddenly, the Elder Trent's bark turned deep black as it curled up.
The heal field reapplied, and all roots plunged into the ground.
Surrounding grass and flowers withered en masse.
"Whoa, phase 2 pattern?"
"Holy. Solo'd 60%? God tier."
"Pro gamer?"
"But phase 2 needs stuns or it's rough..."
The Elder Trent's phase 2 was simple.
Cast Harden for 50% defense up for 1 minute, lay heal field.
Then slam all roots down for Earth Force.
-'Earth Force' sucks up the earth's power through roots, as the name implies.
During Earth Force, it drains the land's vitality for 2 minutes.
HP regen and heals double, status resist +30%.
-But it can't do anything for those 2 minutes. Problem's after.
After absorbing enough, it enters phase 3.
Attack/movement speed skyrocket, new patterns, attack power doubles.
In phase 3 Berserk, most parties wipe in under 5 minutes.
So strategies focused on phase 2.
Simple counter: Stun or paralyze during absorption to cancel and skip phase 3.
"Status effects, huh."
But Carpe had none.
Wind Cutter had bleed, but bleed didn't work on bloodless plants like Trent.
"Hey, he stopped suddenly?"
"No idea of the pattern? No stuns?"
"Sir! Leave it like that and it'll hurt! Want us to stun for you?"
Carpe stayed calm, but the kind spectators fidgeted.
Carpe chuckled and shook his head no.
HP: 50%...... 53%...... 56%
Double heal incoming, but Carpe was chill.
"Would've been better to just keep fighting."
50% defense up from Harden?
Double heals? Status resist?
Tricky, sure. No stuns meant phase 3 inevitable.
If it weren't Carpe, anyway.
"Two minutes is too long."
To him, just a slightly tougher sandbag for 120 seconds.
"+10 Strength, +10 Magic."
"Huuu."
Deep breath in.
"Hah!"
Short shout, then barrage unleashed.
Pow-pow-pow-pow-pow!
HP: 60%...... 55%...... 56%...... 52%
Breathless punches made HP yo-yo wildly.
Magic designated to Fist Demon activates.
Magic activates.
Magic activat...
And with more hits, Fist Demon procs chained.
Kiiing.
Three magic circles floated, random elemental arrows pummeling the Trent.
Pow-pow-pow! Kaboom!
HP: 38%...... 34%...... 35%...... 28%
Physical and magic barrage sent HP diving again.
"...What the hell?"
"Whoa... magic fist lord, huh. But why's that missile series on such short CD?"
"Not short, nonexistent? Three in a row? Triple cast?"
"Damage looks busted too."
"Michel, you're the mage. What's up with that? Explain!"
"No clue... something's happening."
Unfathomable to them, but one thing clear.
"Gotta get his autograph after."
"Friend request... think he'll accept?"
This magic fist lord was destined for the top.
HP: 14%...... 7%...... 3%...... 1%
You have defeated Field Boss Elder Trent.
Thud.
In the end, no phase 3.
Exactly 47 seconds after Earth Force started.