Chapter 17
Chapter 17
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>Translator: penny
>Chapter: 17
>Chapter Title: The Variant Goblin Warrior
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There were various types of dungeons in God Ose.
From the most common standard dungeons, which numbered the highest, to labyrinth types that required the Explorer job, and even single-boss types.
There were also various special dungeons and event dungeons, but usually, it boiled down to those three.
Among them, the Variant Goblin Warrior's habitat was a single-boss type dungeon.
Kroooar!
"Whoa...."
It was a dungeon with literally just one boss inside, and most of them housed at least elite-grade bosses.
As such, they couldn't help but display an overwhelming presence compared to bosses in standard dungeons.
"The presence is no joke...."
"Is this an elite boss?"
"Is this really a game...?"
BestShield's party, facing that overwhelming presence right from the entrance, couldn't help but marvel.
They were used to such bosses in VR games with top-notch graphics, but this level of vivid pressure was a first.
It felt just like encountering a real monster in reality.
"Ugh...."
Yubinkkung was rubbing her arms as goosebumps rose.
Seeing their reactions, Do-hyun carefully examined the boss as well.
Krrrng....
Its height exceeded 2 meters, unfit for a goblin; a muscular build that rivaled an orc's, and a beast-like roar.
Could you really call that physique, where even that massive greatsword didn't look too big, a goblin's?
The creature's eyes, glaring from inside the cave as if just waiting for them to enter, gleamed with a chilling ferocity.
-HP: [20,000 / 20,000]
Even its health was an overwhelming 20,000.
It was on a completely different level from goblins that barely reached 1,000.
[Variant Goblin Warrior]
-Title: Elite Boss
-Type: Goblin
-Traits: Warrior, Variant, Body Reinforcement
-Description: A goblin that possesses the title of Warrior, held only by the greatest warriors of the goblin tribe.
It was once the greatest goblin in the tribe but was cursed, losing its skin color and reason, rampaging until it was exiled.
However, its physical strength mutated into something even more destructively powerful.
'Warrior, Variant, Body Reinforcement.'
Typical traits of close-combat boss monsters.
Three traits that were threatening even on their own.
With that absurd HP on top, the elite boss title was well-deserved, but for some reason, Do-hyun felt no particular tension.
'I took down a million HP one already, so 20,000 is nothing....'
And that was solo.
Compared to when he was level 1 back then, they were now four level 9s, so it was laughable.
Of course, that didn't mean he planned to let his guard down.
After all, elite bosses were the kind where grouping up could actually become poison.
"Hoo!"
BestShield exhaled forcefully and quietly drew his shield.
Naturally, all eyes turned to him. Receiving their gazes, BestShield asked curtly.
"...Everyone's memorized the patterns, right?"
"Yeah. I've got them down pat."
"You betcha."
At that point, BestShield glanced at Do-hyun and nodded upon meeting his eyes.
He took Do-hyun's calm expression as affirmation.
And honestly, if his friends caused issues, fine, but he didn't think this guy would.
Not after displaying such overwhelming combat prowess.
'I need to do well.'
His role was the most crucial here.
Knowing that better than anyone, BestShield steeled himself again and spoke.
"Then let's start the try."
The moment they stepped into the cave where it waited.
Kroooaaar!
The boss, which had been locking eyes with them while waiting to enter, let out a mighty roar and charged.
It was the first pattern: Charge.
A brutish rush with no probing or anything—just a massive bulk barreling forward like a battering ram, instilling terror like facing a truck head-on.
Anyone encountering it for the first time would panic, but BestShield shouted calmly.
"Scatter!"
While the party dispersed in all directions, BestShield stood his ground alone.
'Just a bit more.'
Of course, he had no intention of blocking it head-on with his shield.
That would be suicide.
A tank without a decent defensive skill couldn't block that charge with just a shield.
The instant he raised it, he'd be sent flying without a doubt, smashing into the wall.
The moment he got stunned, aggro would scatter, and the party would wipe.
'Now!'
When the boss got close, he rolled to the side, exposing the wall.
Instead of BestShield, the boss slammed into the wall like a bull, and its movement finally stopped after headbutting the innocent stone.
[The Variant Goblin Warrior is stunned for 2 seconds.]
"Now's the time, everyone!"
In the meantime, Yubinkkung and Midsnapper quickly reformed their positions and unleashed arrows and spells.
Pew! Boom!
No greed—just one solid round of damage.
Krrrng....
Right after, the stun wore off, and the Variant Goblin Warrior turned, scanning its surroundings.
Eyes searching for a target.
Then, the moment it locked eyes with BestShield, who was at the front holding up his shield in readiness.
Kroooar!
Without a moment's hesitation, it charged and swung its greatsword.
Boom!
The shield and greatsword clashed, sending a heavy thud echoing through.
BestShield deflected the fiercely pressing greatsword, which seemed intent on crushing him shield and all, shoving it aside with his shoulder, forcing the Variant Goblin Warrior to stagger back slightly.
Yet the Variant Goblin Warrior stuck to him again like a magnet.
[Unique Ability 'Indifferent Taunt' activates.]
[Draws aggro from any target that makes eye contact, reducing the chance of losing aggro.]
[Trait 'Guardian' activates.]
[Defense, health, and stamina increase when party members are behind you.]
It was the moment BestShield's trait and unique ability shone.
Confirming aggro was fully secured, he shouted.
"Got it!"
Only then did Do-hyun appear.
He'd been hiding to avoid interfering with aggro establishment.
Boom! Kwang!
Pew! Boom! Slash!
While BestShield continuously blocked attacks with his shield, arrows and spells flew from behind, and Do-hyun swung and thrust his sword moderately to avoid stealing too much aggro.
['BestShield' inflicts a status ailment on the Variant Goblin Warrior.]
[The Variant Goblin Warrior is stunned for 1 second.]
Whenever aggro seemed shaky, he'd time a perfect Bash to interrupt.
Considering it was their first try, it was an incredibly stable boss attempt.
Everyone was fulfilling their roles well overall, but the most decisive factor was BestShield.
'I felt it during the goblins too, but he's solid.'
Most people picked healers or DPS as the most important in boss tries, but that was nonsense from noobs.
The more experienced you got, the more you valued the tank above all.
Success rates varied wildly based on aggro management and pattern interruption.
Especially as boss difficulty rose, single patterns often packed insane power.
Thus, the tank always bore the heaviest responsibility.
A duel with no one's help—just the boss and themselves.
'Boss duel.'
Veterans called the tank who excelled at that a top-class tank.
In that regard, BestShield was showing a decent performance.
If he kept developing like this, any guild would welcome him.
Look at Yubinkkung and Midsnapper dealing damage so comfortably without any danger.
'Such tanks are getting rarer.'
From a ranged DPS perspective, the difference between having a tank who lets you deal freely and not was invaluable.
Tanks were fewer than DPS anyway, so capable ones got top treatment.
'Good. Just keep it like this.'
BestShield felt it himself, adrenaline surging.
His appropriately tense body heating up with excitement.
His cool head suppressed the bursting thrill as sweat poured, senses sharpening beyond ever before.
Just one pattern left in phase 1.
'Interrupt the horizontal sweep, and it'll be stable after.'
Continuous horizontal sweeps.
The so-called mixer pattern—if they passed that, phase 1 had no more dangers.
Since the mixer only appeared once in phase 1.
In other words, it was threatening enough that once was plenty.
But BestShield was confident.
'I studied it before entering.'
Ten times, as Yubinkkung said?
He'd gone way beyond, analyzing and simulating.
Timing of activation, activation motion....
Thanks to that, he was marking it perfectly even now.
As long as he didn't tense up too much, he could interrupt the mixer too.
'Luckily, stamina's fine.'
For stable pacing, he'd dumped all level-up points into stamina.
HP was still high, and he had 100 stamina left.
Plenty of margin.
But there was one thing BestShield hadn't anticipated.
"Uh, uhh?"
"BestShield! Isn't it time to prep for the pattern?"
"What? Why!"
He shouted back incomprehensibly at the urgent voices from behind.
It'd only been about 15 minutes since the try started—why prep now?
Horizontal sweep usually came after 30 minutes.
Since it only triggered below 50% HP. No way it'd come now.
...Normally, that is.
"It's at 10k now!"
"...What?"
BestShield froze shield-up and opened the boss info window.
There it was.
-HP: [10,031 / 20,000]
"...Crazy."
HP really down to 10k.
The moment he realized it, the current situation flashed through his mind like a panorama.
Yubinkkung and Midsnapper, 10 meters away for stable attacks.
Himself and Kaiser right up against the boss.
If mixer activated, he and Kaiser would fly first, then it'd sweep Yubinkkung and Midsnapper in seconds.
'Why so soon?'
Why had HP dropped so much already?
His fault for not checking the info window while focused, but it was honestly unbelievable.
Then, a memory from the first goblin hunt flashed by.
'...No way?'
At the same time, the name Kaiser crossed BestShield's mind.
They'd experienced abnormal aggro and hunt speed back then too.
It'd seemed fast, but with max weapon damage, traits, and unique abilities, it wasn't impossible.
Four people hunting, and with that skill, the speed made sense.
'...That much DPS?'
But this was too much.
Normally, four people need 30 minutes to force that pattern—doing it in 15 meant insane DPS share.
No level 9 player, even with hero-grade god, could output this.
'No, even myth-grade?'
Honestly, he didn't know.
Everything was a mystery, but BestShield couldn't dwell.
Whoosh-.
In his brief daze, the greatsword swung, forcing him to hastily raise his shield.
That's when he caught the boss's movement.
Boom!
The Variant Goblin Warrior, eyes red like its now-red greatsword, swung to smack the shield away, then gripped the hilt with both hands.
The telltale pose for pattern activation.
'B-Bash!'
He tried to swing Bash desperately, but too late.
The pre-swing had already bounced his shield.
By the time he recovered for Bash, the mixer would activate, shredding him shield and all.
'No, no way....'
Alarm blared in his head.
His mind filled with the boss's red eyes, vision blurring.
Dazed, cold sweat dripping—
Ting!
"...Huh?"
Something zipped past with a light step,
Whish—stab.
Krah!?
Kaiser's sword beautifully pierced the hand gripping the hilt in a fluid motion.
A magnetically natural thrust.
No matter how muscular, it couldn't muscle through stabbed fingers; dropping the greatsword mid-swing was inevitable.
Clang-.
Kraaaaaaar!!
The sword's drop drowned in its scream.
The phase 1 once-per-phase ultimate pattern ended pathetically.
To a mere thrust, no skill or trait involved.
"...My god."
In that absurd scene, BestShield muttered unconsciously, gaze turning to Do-hyun.
His face was calmly matter-of-fact, as always.
He'd been like that from the start.
During the goblin massacre too, and entering the dungeon—always that expression.
'...How can he be like that?'
Even genius gamers had specialties.
Top DPS suck at tanking or healing, and vice versa.
Even he himself had zero talent for DPS.
But... what do you call a guy excelling in every role without limit?
All taken as natural, utterly nonchalant.
BestShield couldn't comprehend, but to Do-hyun, it was obvious.
Duel?
'I've done plenty of those.'
Hilariously, back in his Demlock days, Kaiser's role in the party had been tank.