Mid-Boss Raid: The Fallen Sha Wujing

"Ah, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠no..."

Blini2, gasping for breath, finally croaked. He seemed to have clung to life thanks to that sand armor, but when we found him, he was already on death's door. I'd sorted out our loot from the fourth floor and was heading back into the fray, but in the end, he crossed the river of no return.

The transparent stone materialized in midair and clattered to the ground. But of all places, it rolled right up to the freshly deceased To-dun's corpse.

I snatched it up without a second thought and shoved it into my storage pouch.

"No pocket money for you guys."

All I could offer was a silent prayer. Live a good life next time.

Another ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠blessing. Stacking up nicely: Valor, Vitality, Flame, and now Dawn. Feels like collecting trophies. Passives are always welcome, but with so many, I'm hoping for a consolidation feature soon. I hate clutter. Though maybe that's just ungrateful whining from someone who's full.

Conditional buff, but the stricter the limit, the stronger the effect—that's the rule. Sure enough, I could already feel power surging. Or maybe it's just in my head. Still, this one seems promising.

"Clean sweep."

Thanks to my new senses, I cleared the fourth floor with ease. Perfect timing for what I needed. While Blini2 bought me time, I checked and saw it came with an active ability too. But I'd save that for once I'm more used to the sensing.

Anyway, now for the real dilemma.

Having breezed through floor 4 faster than expected, just as I was thinking of knocking out 5 too, blue options popped up.

"Hey. What's this?"

I asked thin air, but got no reply. The silent echo gave me a headache. Guess I can't climb the Tower like a normal person.

One takeaway from the Dowon-dong fight: goblins really are just trash mobs. Tap 'em and they drop. But here I am, stuck tangoing with attribute-specific goblin variants in Yo-ma's Secret Realm. Felt unfair. Sure, I got a bounty and some fame (?), but I wanted easy mode too! For the record, the bounty was 30 million won.

"Reveal I'm Unknown now?"

Wouldn't that open the flower path of life? Definite S-rank, ranking 1st! But Cha Su-rim said plenty hunt Unknowns. So I'll hold off till I can dominate a nation. Though life doesn't always go my way. Worst case, I'll learn a demonic art and blow a continent sky-high. Not that I really want to—I'm human too. But no more mercy for those who harm me.

Ten years of enduring taught me: some wounds don't ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠heal. Looking back, I was too soft. Should've stolen a nuke and self-destructed as bait in an empty spot! Sounds clean, no regrets. From now on, revenge by any means. Even against heaven itself.

My pick?

"Gonna fight the mid-boss."

No "return home" option. If I commit to clearing 5, I see it through. Otherwise, what's changed?

Only one life, so I picked 1—least variables. Others later, after asking in the Xianxia Gallery. Sure, the cultivators will call me chicken, but with ranking 1st on the line, no point losing points. Imagine 1st holding steady, then suddenly 2nd or 3rd? Rage-inducing. And if it's tough, how tough could it—

"......?"

Huh? Sha Wujing?

That lackey from Journey to the West, under Sun Wukong?

"Eh? Easy?"

A bit disappointing. Figured the rating would be low.

"......"

Speechless. Extreme. As in utmost, excessive, brutal. Higher than Hard. Ballsy...

"...Wha?"

My vision blacked out, and the location shifted. The familiar swamp from before. But the figure by the water's edge was different.

Blood-red tangled hair, bulging lantern-like eyes, a pale blue-gray face neither blue nor black, a long slit mouth with jutting fangs, and the signature skull prayer beads around its neck.

Former captain of the heavenly guard, exiled to earth for shattering a celestial treasure. Youngest of the three yokai escorting Tripitaka. Sha Wujing, the Sand Monk.

That was the mid-boss of floor 5.

"Ha. Life..."

Doesn't look weak at all. They couldn't seriously classify this as the same species as goblins and stick it here as mid-boss. Mind-blowing.

"Sigh..."

I dropped into a low stance, steadying myself. Sha Wujing and I were only 1 star apart in realm. Add boss mob system buffs, and we're equal. No room to underestimate.

Good thing I hit Refining Energy Realm 6-star before climbing. Zhuge Liang would weep at my foresight; I slapped my knee in admiration.

"Om."

It slammed its stone staff—axe-bladed ritual weapon resembling a monk's staff—into the ground. Hyogo Treasure Staff or something? I think of it as a Chinese polearm. But it packs mystical power. Like this.

"Water projectiles and earth quakes..."

Water streams swirled and the ground heaved in the swamp. One, two, three, four... nine, ten. Ten water shots, ten tremors. Twenty projectiles incoming.

But thanks to my new sensing technique.

Up-right, up-right, down-left, up-right, up-right, down-left.

No matter how many attacks, if there's a gap, I can dodge.

"...Om."

Surprised his attacks missed? Sha Wujing reacted a beat late. But he quickly stomped again, sending whirlwinds and sand pillars.

No blind spots against my all-around detection.

I wove through like a rhythm game, seizing the chance to fire a flame orb.

Boom.

"Damn."

Minimal effect. Bad matchup. Water and earth—fire struggles against both.

But I've got another attribute besides fire: good ol' physical.

"Take this! Flame Fist!"

"...?!"

Fire flopped, but fist connected. Sha Wujing grimaced. Nothing beats physical.

"Om!"

This time, the stone staff flew instead of spells. Sharp attacks. The man-sized staff's length was cheat-level. Centrifugal swings crushed like boulders; the blue axe blade cleaved air.

Clang!

Rings on the staff clashed, making music. I matched with fist barrages.

Slice.

Cheek gashed by the blade. Sand pillar threw me off. Pitted ground messed balance. Seeing isn't everything.

Stinging pain followed the burn. But I pressed on, closing in tighter.

Sha Wujing's edge: reach. Neutralize it, I win.

But does he not know? He swung wildly to keep distance. I forced pursuit, but overreached—blunt end smashed my gut.

"Guh."

Shock rippled through organs. But pain's for powering through.

"Hah!"

"Om."

One step back, two forward. Dodged sand pillars with footwork, canceled water with flames. Thick sand blinded, mist warped distance, but we didn't stop. Swung weapons and fists fiercer.

Through evaporating steam, Sha Wujing's warped face. My smile deepened.

"Om!"

"Yes, om incoming—with my fist!"

Thud!

First solid hit. Twisted into his blind spot's blind spot, so not full power. But it landed. One leads to two, two to three. That's how it works.

I channeled fire to my calves. Blazing heat fueled destructive power, leg shot forward.

Target: Sha Wujing's gut.

"O...m."

I don't take hits without giving back.

Blood trickled from Sha Wujing's mouth. He wiped it, slammed staff down, clasped hands.

Phase 2, I figured.

Why? Because.

"Om sabaha."

Chant complete, ground turned quicksand hell. Boss patented AoE crowd control.

"Cheating—only you immune?"

One step, and I sank deep. Sha Wujing strode free.

"Om sabaha."

Ignoring complaints, he coated staff in mud—now a hammer. One hit and I'm done.

Needed new strat. Perfect timing for new skill.

Learn it, use it.

Then my vision transformed.