I can feel the heat of Ember's fire burning hot behind me as he tears the group of Berserker underlings limb from limb.
I'm faced off against the Boss. A 6m ball red-skinned Giant with armor that heals itself after being struck. This monster is even able to put out my advanced fire magic with its bare hands.
My excitement is hard to contain.
I continue to charge up my blade, air-stepping to the side as the agile monster jumps forward at me.
By now, I've plotted enough jump points in this Boss room to begin using my Dungeon Walker ability instead of just air-stepping around.
I grab an MP potion from my item storage as the long-limbed monster turns to fly at me again. It shows its sharp white teeth, stares forward with unwavering green eyes, and swings its long silver sword with incredible precision.
Unfortunately, I'm too quick.
This mid-range battle style I've been using lately isn't my preferred method of getting my much-needed adrenaline rush. Until I can master this new mana control technique, I can't just jump in with my blade swinging.
I'd be no better off than the Berserker going mad for a fight right in front of me.
I teleport away as the beast slashes at me again. It follows through into empty space letting out a frustrated roar.
It's been nearly 20 seconds now, I've charged up over 650MP into one attack. I'd like to get a full 60 seconds in, but it'll be tough in this environment. I let the mana strike soar from a distance.
This monster may be strong, and agile in its own right, but my speed and skillset have it outmatched. There's over half a million MP in my storage ready for use, I can keep this up all day.
As the thin blade of highly compacted mana flies toward the monster it runs at me with the same rage-filled glare. The red-skinned, crimson-glowing beast storms toward me again, this time focusing its attention on the incoming black blade of fire.
This Berskerer may be crazy like its underlings, but it seems to have some brains.
Or so I thought...
The red-skinned Giant raises its silver sword to block my incoming mana attack. I activate my All-Seeing Eye to watch the clash of magic take its course.
A thick layer of mana shielding is summoned all around the monster's sword. Similar to its chest plate.
I gulp, but watch eagerly.
"Is it really about to try and block a strike with this much power...?"
My eyes open wider, and my clenched jaw tightens as the crescent of blackened energy gets closer and closer to the monster's shining silver sword.
Then... it makes contact.
A loud metallic clang begins echoing throughout the dome-shaped boss room.
The collision in question isn't exactly what I expected it would be though....
As my energy blade hits the Berserker's dense mana shield around its sword, the crescent of fire slides through without a sound....
Its trajectory stays on course for the monster's neck. The surprised creature in question regrets its decision to block almost immediately.
It realizes its lapse in judgment and attempts to move its body out of the way. Unfortunately for the Boss, its too late.
My slash hits its left shoulder at point black range slipping through its armor like butter. A white light flashes, nearly blinding me on the spot. A loud clanging sound of mana on mana echoes throughout the boss room...
I hear a roar from the beast as it's clearly hit by my slash.
Through the bright light, I watch the top half of its silver sword fall to the ground with a clang. The sliced area shows off a glossy texture just like the rocks I cut in half while training.
As the sword's broken part hits the ground, the white glow from before explodes into an eruption of dark flames.
It took well over a full second to explode... This might be a good sign.
I air-step back as I watch the fire dissipate and the growing red aura of the Berserker King grow in size. Without thinking twice, I reach into my item storage to grab another MP potion, bringing me up to a full bar.
I begin charging up my blade again.
A murderous roar fills the dungeon's Boss room completely.
I air-step higher and higher into the sky, looking down at the beast. A toothy grin creeps across my face as the monster's left arm falls to the ground with a thud covered in dense fire residue.
Screeching with fury, green eyes locked on me, from over 30 meters below me, I watch the beast's blood boil. It's eyes tighten their gaze on me, and it continues to show me all of its shining white teeth. It squats down, then launches itself upwards, attempting to meet me in the air.
I air-step even higher, but the monster's launch velocity outmatches my current flight speed. With a missing arm, flaming left side, and desolated army of minions below this monster doesn't flinch for a second to jump right back into the fight.
I Dungeon Walk back to the glossy black floor below. The ground is cracked and shattered from our short brawl. I look to my side to see Ember sitting on a pile of defeated Berserker corpses torn to shreds. Not a single one remains in one piece.
A loud crash sounds from above. Large black boulders and shards of hard crystal fall from the sky as the Berserker King collides with the top of the dome.
I grit my teeth, plant my feet, and continue to charge my blade. It's been almost 10 seconds, but this isn't even close to enough charge to take out this creature.
I look up as I hear the loud bang followed by splintering stone. A wide crack appears in the ceiling above and portions of it begin to fall. A dark red aura seeps out form the area that the Boss collided with directly above me. It seems to be lodged deep into the rock structure at the top of the dome.
I smirk.
"I'll have just enough time."
Pushing my body and mind to the limits, I glow gold and red while concentrating with my All-Seeing Eye to create a precise slash.
The massive chunks of rock that fall from the sky all around me begin to hit the floor with loud thuds, shaking the ground from all angles. A roar from the Berserker King shakes the room, adding to the chaos.
I begin to do a combination of air-steps and Dungeon Walks to avoid the falling rubble while keeping an eye on the glowing red crater above me.
After 5 seconds of dodging fallen dungeon mass goes by, my opponent finally joins in on the fun.
I watch from afar as it peeks out from its crater in the ceiling to once again lock its sharp green eyes on me. I dart across the Boss room floor and it follows like a hawk stalking its prey.
I take a deep breath in and out as the monster leaps out, jumping from each falling boulder to increase its speed of decent. It loosens up the last remaining rocks above, creating what looks like a falling wall of stone behind it.
The shattered sword in its hand begins to glow with a faint white light, then the shine begins to grow. It gets brighter and brighter, just like the armor piece from before.
As it nears, the full length of its silver sword comes into view once again. It grew back...
"This fight is just getting started."
I let my attack full of 650MP fly once again.
The last one of this magnitude that I threw was powerful enough to take the Berserker's arm clean off. This creature is falling straight at me. It has no way of dodging a mid-air strike.
I grin, air-stepping backward to move out of the way of more fallen rubble as I watch my thin black blade soar toward the monster above.
With my perception skill on full blast, I eagerly await the beast's next move. It raises its sword to activate its mana shielding.
A dense wall of mana forms, but yet again, my slash glides right through.
It doesn't slow down one bit.
Filled with rage, the monster's eyes widen, and its red aura seeps out even more as it realizes its fatal error for the second time.
My dark fiery slash hits its chest plate head on, slipping through its next layer of defenses with ease.
Once it makes contact with the Boss monster's skin, hitting its final mana shielding, a bright white flash envelopes the entire beast. An explosion of dark flames follow, lighting up the sky with red and white light.
I Dungeon Walk away, near the side of the boss room where Ember and I entered. I need to get as far away from the blast-zone as possible.
The monster hits the Boss room floor with a ground shaking thud. The wall of heavy boulders and rock fragments follow its decent crunching the beast, piling up over 15 meters high. Flames surge from beneath the rock pile, making their way through to the surface.
I let out a laugh and raise my sword, waiting for the familiar sound of leveling notifications to ring out in my ear.
A few second pass.
The flames burn bright, but my satisfying rings never come.
I begin to slowly walk over to the pile of rubble while charging my blade up once again.
"This is a tough one isn't it...."
I'm standing about 30 meters away. Rocks from above have mostly stopped falling. There are small fragments still making their way down, but the bigger boulders have all hit the floor.
Dark red fire crackles beneath the pile of fallen stone.
I clench my jaw, moving closer and closer with my sword at the ready.
Then... I hear it.
Near the backside of the massive pile of stone, shifts in the debris begin to move the rubble.
Flames rise and fall. The Berserker King tears its way out of the stone prison.
Rock is thrown into the air in all directions and a loud murderous roar echos throughout the Boss room once again.
It rises from the grave and begins walking toward me with slow and calculated ground breaking steps.
Surrounded by a new jet black aura, the Boss now sports a deep bloody wound across its chest along with its missing arm from my prior strike.
The Berserker King stares me down with those sharp green eyes like our battle is just beginning.
I stare back grinning ear to ear, glad that it finally has.