Daisuke gently lowered Elena to the ground, her body fragile and limp in his arms. Even in unconsciousness, her eyebrows were furrowed in a pained expression—a testament to the excruciating agony wrought by the second-degree burns that marred her body.
"Stay here and look after her," Daisuke instructed Milo before turning his gaze to the others. "We won't be safe here for very long unless we clean up this floor."
"What's the game plan?" Lyanna asked with urgency, her eyes scanning their surroundings for any signs of danger.
Daisuke's gaze swept over the group, his mind racing to formulate a strategy. "There shouldn't be that many Inferno Wolves left," he said, his tone calculated. "While you four deal with the rest of them, Zephyr and I will hold off the Floor Guardian until we can all regroup."
Rexar frowned, his apprehension evident. "Shouldn't it be the other way around? You dealing with the pack while we hunt the Floor Guardian?"
"He's got a point," the tank chimed in, nodding in agreement. "Wouldn't it make more sense to focus our numbers on the bigger threat?"
Daisuke shook his head, his eyes unwavering. "No, we need numbers to clear out the wolves as quickly as possible," he explained patiently. "Two people won't be able to eliminate the pack before they disperse, and if they attack while you're all facing off against the guardian, or worse, if you're surrounded, we'll all be wiped out. If fewer people confront the boss, it's less likely to rampage while giving chase. That will give you four enough time and space to clean up the wolf pack. Don't argue, just go; we don't have the luxury of debating this any longer."
A muscle twitched in Rexar's jaw as he glanced down at Elena, his worry for her evident. Lyanna bit her lip anxiously but rose to her feet, her bow at the ready.
"Alright," she said resolutely, her determination shining through. "Let's do it. Just don't die before she can officially thank you for earlier."
Daisuke nodded.
To Milo's dismay, the chamber emptied as everyone made their way out just in time to witness the impending threat. A formidable wolf pack, numbering at least twenty, approached with a vicious snarl.
As they lunged forward, the tank stood firm, meeting them head-on. His raised shield crashed into the nearest pair, slamming them forcefully against the unyielding cavern wall like hammer to a nail.
Lyanna's arrows flew with deadly accuracy, finding their mark in the eye sockets of the detestable beasts. Rexar grabbed a lunging wolf by its thick fur, slamming it into the hard ground with brutal efficiency. The samurai warrior, swift as lightning, drew his sword and sliced through the monsters with a masterful precision reminiscent of slicing sashimi.
The tension was palpable as Daisuke faced off against the imposing Floor Guardian, but not before swiftly looting the spoils strewn about from the fallen players. His hands moved with the dexterity of a seasoned thief.
The beast's eyes followed every movement ravenously. Zephyr could sense the impending clash, and the air seemed to hum with anticipation. His snarl echoed through the chamber, oceanic eyes brewing a fierce storm. Then, like a tempest unleashed, he recklessly charged forth.
The guardian, a colossal wolf-like creature, matched Zephyr's challenge with a thunderous growl. With swiftness that betrayed its massive size, its enormous front paw rose and then descended with the force of a catapult, connecting with Zephyr's tiny form.
The pup was propelled like a cannonball, hurtling helplessly towards the cavern wall. Daisuke quickly threw himself into his path, becoming a living shield.
BOOOM!
The impact was devastating; Zephyr crashed into his chest with bone-crushing force, snapping several ribs like brittle twigs. Agony coursed through Daisuke's body, knocking the air from his lungs. Their combined momentum slammed them mercilessly into the wall. A deep indentation formed, cracks radiating outwards like veins.
"Cough!"
Blood splattered from Daisuke's mouth. His eyebrows knitted as he glanced down at Zephyr. Despite the damage, the canine was still mindlessly rearing to go, his fur bristled in absolute fury.
[Berserk]
[Rank: Rare
Classification: Active Skill
Lvl: 1
Proficiency: 0%
Unleashing the primal fury within, Zephyr enters a state of frenzied aggression, enhancing his strength and speed at the expense of self-preservation and some levels of self-control. In this state, Zephyr becomes a relentless force, unleashing devastating attacks upon its foes until either victory is achieved or its own demise.
Skill Effect:
▪︎ Upon activation, Attack Power, Attack Speed, and Movement Speed surge by 45% for 5 minutes. However, Composure, Defense, and Dexterity plummet by 50%, 30%, and 20% respectively.
▪︎ After the skill elapses, Zephyr will be unable to move for 10 minutes, and mana will be reduced to zero.
Mana Cost: 40% of Max Mana
Skill Duration: 5 Minutes
Skill Cooldown: 24 Hours]
Dammit! Is he unable to think clearly due to the Berserker state?" Daisuke thought, frustration evident in his eyes. The backlash is brutal, and the activation time should be reaching its end. I need to wrap up this fight as quickly as possible, but how?
DING!
[Your Companion, Zephyr, has learned the active skill «Divine Armament».]
[Divine Armament]
[Rank: Unique
Classification: Active Skill
Lvl: 1
Proficiency: 0%
Tapping into the vein of divine providence, Zephyr envelops his entire body in a translucent armor forged of holy magic, significantly bolstering defense. This sacred and formidable barrier protects against both physical and magical attacks.
Skill Effect:
▪︎ Enhances Physical and Magical Defense by 65% for a duration of 3 minutes.
▪︎ As proficiency increases, the intricate details of the golden armor become more pronounced.
Mana Cost: 50% of Max Mana
Skill Duration: 3 Minutes
Skill Cooldown: 45 Minutes]
Daisuke's eyes widened in surprise. That's incredible! He exclaimed inwardly. No wonder the cooldown time is almost an hour; this skill is absolutely epic!
"Nice. I can see a way out now," he murmured with a smile, even as he slipped a pair of berries into Zephyr's mouth. Then he popped one into his own.
[Vitaberry]
[Gathered from the Vitality Tree, Vitaberries serve as the key ingredient in crafting health recovery potions.
Item Effect: Replenishes 150 health
Cooldown: 20 Seconds]
[Etherberry]
[Etherberry bushes require plenty of water and moonlight to grow, and it is rumored that exposure to mana supposedly helps to accelerate their growth to maturity. Etherberry are a crucial component in the creation of mana replenishing potions.
Item Effect: Replenishes 150 mana
Cooldown: 20 Seconds]
WHOOOSH!
The guardian's snout glowed with an ominous purplish-black flame, which foretold of an impending disaster. In response, Zephyr leaped from Daisuke's hand, his small frame still radiating a bright crimson aura from the Berserk skill.
"Zephyr!" Daisuke's voice carried a note of urgency as the Bonepick materialized in his grip. "I want you to keep your distance and use four skills: Divine Armament, Gallop, Antagonize, and Ember. While you're keeping it distracted, I'll move in and try to take it down."
FWOOOOSH!
The conversation was abruptly severed as a river of fire descended akin to the infernal breath of Hades, determined to consume everything in its path.
Zephyr swiftly evaded the fiery fangs by a hair's breadth, blessed by the swiftness of his skill. With a provoking roar, he successfully seized the guardian's attention, winning its aggro. Then his small form was enveloped by an invisible barrier that momentarily flashed with protective light.
DING!
[The proficiency of the active skill «Ember» has advanced to level 2! Ember now transforms into Emberstorm!]
[Emberstorm]
[Rank: Normal
Classification: Active Skill
Lvl: 1
Proficiency: 0%
With a primal howl, Zephyr ignites his inner fire, unleashing a searing blaze from his jaws that engulfs enemies like the vicious seas at Sirens' Reach.
Skill Effect:
▪︎ There's a 25% chance of inflicting the «Burn» Status.
Mana Cost: 30
Skill Cooldown: 7 Seconds
Skill Cooldown: 15 Seconds]
As Daisuke made a beeline for the Floor Guardian, he observed with satisfaction as Zephyr's flames engulfed the creature's face with a vengeance.
The chamber seemed to shudder with the beast's agonized roar as it struggled, its hulking form careening into the cavern wall like a wrecking ball.
Capitalizing on its disoriented state, Daisuke lunged forward like a reckless cheetah at an elephant. His dagger struck out, aimed at the creature's seemingly vulnerable body.
"Ugh!"
However, it quickly became evident that vulnerability was an illusion. His dagger failed to pierce the coarse fur, let alone the thick hide beneath it.
Dammit! It's like striking sandpaper!
Even with the exceptional piercing ability of the Bonepick, the harsh reality remained—it was a level 1 weapon. To conquer this monstrous adversary, he'd have to identify and target its weak points.
As the savage beast relentlessly pursued Zephyr to exact revenge a thousand-fold, it left behind a trail of destruction in its wake. Yet, Daisuke kept close, his eyes tracing the creature's lower legs, then narrowing in on the tendons. Next, his focus shifted to the eyes and underbelly.
"I know what I need to do, but I'll need some help," he murmured before sending a mental command to his Status Window to equip the recently acquired loot.
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