I've gained the upper hand.
[Level Up]
[Level Up]
[Level Up]
To my surprise, the sound of level-up notifications rings in my ears as more and more mutants die in the burning fires below.
I'm not that much higher of a level than them, so it would make sense that killing this many would continue to raise my own.
With a bright red, white, and blue glow completely covering the sky overhead blocking the energy that once added to this Boss monster's barrier, I can face this beast on my own terms now.
Without its constant energy renewal, it seems more on edge... but also more willing to fight. Its eyes glow darker and look more alert, fully aware of its situation.
The last remaining visible wisps of blue swirling magical fog make their way into its buzzing armor made of blue light, then the boss glares at me to let out its loudest ground-shaking roar.
"Dungeon Walker."
I teleport to its opposite side and let off a dual attack straight into its back.
With a swing of right-handed axe, it blocks one of my blades and the other collides with its shielding.
Dungeon walking away, I let off another attack to strike the monster's wide-open exposed flash.
It predicts my movements, and I have to dodge an energy attack from its left blade.
"As expected. You won't be giving up easily."
A wide smile stays on my face as we fight to the death.
Another dozen shots each fly back and forth, and I've managed to fit the monster 4 more times. Each attack draws more blood and now shrinks its mana shielding more than twice as fast as before.
I've consumed nearly half a million MP to launch my attacks, but it keeps enduring my blows. Luckily, there's an end in sight.
Without the excess mana in the air, the shielding it's using as a defense forms back at a rate almost 5 times slower than before.
Each attack I start letting out does more damage to its energy supplies, sending off larger white explosions and releasing more ambient mana into the air.
Every shot that lands makes bigger breaks in its barrier opening up much larger targets for my second strikes to land.
Although the monster is adapting to my movements and becoming much more agile on the battlefield, the longer this fight lasts, the more hits damage the boss.
Its blue eyes glow darker and darker as the shielding grows thinner and thinner. I can hardly even be spotted while teleporting and air-stepping around it in circles.
With so much mana at my fingertips for use, the battle just gets more exhilarating every moment I'm in it.
Massive explosions of fire residue obliterate Mutants that spawn from existing pools of blue light.
[Level Up]
Easily another hundred are slaughtered as our battle continues on.
Due to my speed and agility in the air thanks to wind summoning and dungeon walking, I'm in no real danger of getting hit while focused on the battle.
Mana flies, attacks are thrown, and the mutant's eyes glow brighter and brighter as its shielding slowly fails.
Almost 15 minutes pass, and I've landed 3 dozen more attacks.
Sweating, breathing heavily, and nearing my limit, I stare down at the bloodied and beaten beast below.
If I had to guess... This massive barrier of mana it was using isn't just its Tier 2 mana control at play, it must be part of its hidden ability "Ultimate Defense of The Blue Ogre King".
Without the availability of excess mana, it's not able to be used. Or maybe there's another hidden metric to its buff...
Through my All-Seeing Eye skill, I can see it sucking in mana to create a base level of shielding, but the thick blue and white light that surrounds its body is so weak that I can see its torn-apart flesh even without my perception abilities now.
It lets our roars of anger and frustration. The mutants spawn less and less from its excess residue.
It desperately defends as I mercilessly attack, pushing most of its mana reserves into its axes to block my incoming strikes.
This allows it to block some, but the attacks that hit its wounded body just keep doing more and more damage.
Every time it begins to cover up an area in defenses I let out attacks with blinding speed to break the barriers down and eventually bring the monster to its knees.
With a loud clang of metal axes hitting the stone floor, followed by the thud of its tired body hitting the ground, the Mutant Ogre King Bows its head in defeat.
With Hundreds of shards laid out in piles beneath its battered body, the monster begins to let its shielding drop.
I tighten my gaze and whisper under my breath in a suspicious tone.
"Too easy..."
It doesn't seem like the type to give up, but It was clearly outmatched....
Not wanting to give it another second to re-think its decision, I send dual attacks of wind and fire straight at the monster's midsection.
Not making a sound, the blades glide through, and two half of the 10-meter-tall mutilated Ogre King fall to the Boss Room's floor.
I gulp, darting my eyes back and forth while waiting for the sweet sounds of even more level-ups to ring in my ears.
But they never come...
The crackle of black flames is all that fills my ears as the remainder of mutants perish all around me in the fire.
I air-step down to the floor, landing on a thin layer of white and blue shards. The two halves of the Mutant King lay dormant as I slowly approach...
Even the buzzing sound of mana ceases. The dungeon becomes eerily silent.
I open my link with Ember.
"It's done..."
The moment I do, the light buzz of mana in the air returns, but oddly enough it's coming from below me.
The shards that cover the ground begin to glow much brighter than before...
Then they all start vibrating at a similar frequency and move towards the mutant's body that lies lifeless on the stone floor...
It begins to glow blue and white as well, giving off the same dull hum.
"This... doesn't look like it's going to end well."
I grit my teeth and teleport as far up into the air as I can, calling out to Ember through our link.
"Enough, we have to get back... Now!"
The black-scaled dragon swoops down at my words and I manage to touch his glossy wing just in time to teleport us to the far side of the dungeon where we entered.
The glowing stones rattle more and more, coming together on the fallen corpse of the Mutant King.
The light animating from the top of the mountain grows until the buzzing can be heard from over a kilometer away at the far side of the Boss Room...
Finally, it hits its peak and there's an overwhelming white flash of light.
Second later I hear a loud crack and the entire dungeon shakes.
I watch the top half of the distant mountain explode, sending massive chunks of rock high into the air in all directions.
Millions and millions of MP from the fallen Ogres have consolidated and let out their energy all at once. A last-ditch effort by the Boss to protect its lair.
A shock wave of energy and debris comes flying our way, but all I can focus on is the constant ringing in my ears.
[Level Up]
[Level Up]
[Level Up]
[Level Up]
[Level Up]
[Level Up]
[Level Up]
[Level Up]
[Level Up]
[Level Up]
[Status Open]
____________________
Name: Jay Soju
Level: 495
Hp: 2480/2480
Mp: 2050/2480
Strength: 1311 [+1849][+1481][+656][+656][+656]
Speed: 1433 [+866][+717][+717]
Agility: 1538 [+692][+1692][+769][+769]
Defense: 1102 [+1223][+1014][+551]
Mental Strength: 1230 [+738][+554][+1341][+1316][+984][+615][+615][+615]
Skills:
Absorption [Special Grade]
Swordsmanship
Combat Magic [Advanced Fire Summoning]
Inspect [Special Grade]
Enemy Detection
Body Hardening [Special Grade]
Self Regeneration [Special Grade]
Spatial Magic [Item Storage]
Plunderer [Special Grade]
Telekinesis
Appraisal [Special Grade]
Conceal [Special Grade]
Berserker
Dungeon Walker [Special Grade]
Intimidation
Dagger Mastery
Stealth
Bloodlust
Equivalent Exchange
Combat Magic [Wind Summoning]
All-Seeing Eye
Extreme Strength
Dual Wielding [Special Grade]
Telepathy [Legendary Grade]
Final Breath [Special Grade]
Combat Magic [Advanced Earth Summoning]
Combat Magic [Advanced Mana Manipulation]
Items Equipped:
High Ogre King's Ring [+60% Mental Strength]
The Behemoth's Platinum Amulet [+111% Defense]
Dark Elf Boots [+60% Speed]
Serpent King's Scale [+45% Agility] [+45% Magic Resistance]
Desert Troll's Charm [+45% Mental Strength]
The Flame Emperor's Sword [Fire Aspect][+141% Strength][+109% Mental Strength]
The Wind Tyrant's Dagger Set:
[Wind Aspect][+112% Strength][+110% Agility][+107% Mental Strength]
Berserker King's Armor Set [Blood Bonded] [+92% Defense]
Salamander King's Cloak [+80% Mental Strength] [+80% Fire Magic Resistance]
Greater Demon's Core [+50% All Stats]
Buffs:
[Berserker] +50% Strength + Mental Strength
[BloodLust] +50% Speed + Agility + Mental Strength
[Extreme Strength] +50% Strength
_____________________