SS Awakening: My Monster Merging System!

Chapter 154: Killing the Field Boss

[Blackwater Marsh Tyrant — Lv.50]

[Rank: Elite Field Monster]

The Blackwater Marsh Tyrant opened its colossal maw, black water streaming continuously from between its fangs. Deep within its mouth, several fragments of bone not yet fully digested could even be seen.

It didn’t pounce like an ordinary monster. Instead, after revealing its form, it sank back into the water. Clearly, it preferred using the marsh to slowly drag its prey to death rather than engaging in a direct frontal clash.

Zich’s expression didn’t change, but his eyes had noticeably sharpened.

Candidates would assess situations, feel fear, and expose openings because they wanted to survive.

But a field monster like this was different.

It didn’t need to win beautifully.

It only needed to drag people into the water.

"Don’t pursue the underwater target," Zich said. "Watch your footing."

Iron lowered its head slightly and drove its greatsword into the ground once more, making no reckless advances.

The next moment, the muddy water beneath Zich’s feet suddenly collapsed. A powerful suction force wrapped around his legs, dragging his entire body toward the depths of the black water.

He wanted to use Shadow Blink, but the pull beneath his feet was too sudden, and the surrounding fog obscured his vision. Choosing a landing point blindly would only make the situation worse.

Just as half his body was being dragged into the black water, Slimy suddenly launched itself from his shoulder.

"Silk Barrier!"

A white barrier unfurled beneath Zich like a makeshift platform, forcibly blocking the sinking force.

Iron moved at that very moment as well.

It reached out, grabbed Zich’s cloak, and pulled backward with force.

Splash!

Zich was hauled out of the black water.

But in the next instant, the Marsh Tyrant’s colossal maw burst out from the side and bit down savagely onto Iron’s pauldron.

CRACK!!!

A chunk of the black bone armor was bitten to pieces. Iron’s body was dragged askew, its heavy boots carving two deep gouges through the muddy water.

The moment Zich landed, he raised a hand and launched an overcharged Blood Arc.

FWOOOSH!

The crimson slash struck the Marsh Tyrant’s cranial bone plate, leaving only a shallow fissure.

"Outer armor’s too tough."

The Marsh Tyrant submerged back into the water.

Zich was now completely covered in black mud and water, his clothes clinging to his body. Waves of pain radiated through his shoulders and arms from being dragged earlier.

This battle was not the least bit comfortable.

And to make matters worse, a faint sound suddenly came from the distant fog.

A slender arrow of light shot out from behind the reeds, aimed straight at Zich’s back.

Before Zich could even speak, Iron had already turned and raised its sword.

CLANG!

The arrow of light collided with the black greatsword and burst into scattered sparks.

Zich didn’t turn back to find the person, because chasing someone now would only give the Marsh Tyrant an opening.

He merely glanced in the direction the arrow had come from, then subtly adjusted his stance, positioning himself at the edge of a shallow patch of water.

The candidate seemed to think Zich hadn’t noticed his intent and loosed a second arrow.

This time, Zich deliberately didn’t fully dodge it, letting the arrow graze the edge of his clothes.

To adjust the angle, the person leaned out from the reeds, exposing half his body.

And it was at that very instant that the black water exploded.

BOOOOOOOM!

The Marsh Tyrant burst out from beneath the man’s feet, its giant maw biting straight down on the candidate.

"What?!"

The man had no time to react at all. His body was swallowed by the black water and transformed into scattered simulated data fragments the next moment.

[Candidate Eliminated]

The elimination wasn’t credited to Zich. But that was one less problem to deal with.

The Marsh Tyrant continuously dove underwater, destroying whatever footholds they had just found. Occasionally, it swept its tail to shatter rotting wood. Occasionally, it used the muddy water’s suction force to drag at Zich’s feet. Iron’s armor had been cracked in several places, and Slimy was visibly exhausted from the continuous use of venom and Silk Barriers.

Zich’s breathing began to grow heavier.

He didn’t like this kind of fight.

It was too filthy, too sticky, and far too patience consuming. But by now, having fought this long, he had finally discerned a pattern.

Every time the Marsh Tyrant used its Mud Marsh Pull ability, the bony plates near its neck would open for a brief moment, exposing the softer black flesh beneath.

"Iron."

Iron turned its head toward him. Zich pointed at a patch of mud that looked extremely unstable.

"Draw it out."

Iron didn’t hesitate. It strode into that patch of mud, its immense weight immediately causing the ground to sink. The Marsh Tyrant, as expected, didn’t let the opportunity slip. The black water churned, and the Mud Marsh Pull erupted once more.

At that very instant, the neck bone plates opened.

"Slimy."

PSHHH!

Venom landed precisely in that patch of water, freezing the Marsh Tyrant’s movement for a split second.

"Shadow Blink!"

FWOOSH!

He appeared above the Marsh Tyrant. Crimson power condensed in his hand, while at the same time, a pale flame coiled around it.

Spirit Flame x Blood Arc!

The two forces overlapped, merging into a crimson slash wreathed in cold white flames.

FWOOOSH!

The slash entered the opened gap in the bone armor, burning directly into the internal flesh.

The Marsh Tyrant let out a piercing shriek, its massive body thrashing wildly as black water surged up like waves. It bit down at the water’s surface beneath Zich, dragging him into the black water once again.

As Zich’s body sank, he drove his weapon hard into the wound he had just created, using it to forcibly anchor himself to the monster’s body.

"Really hard to kill."

Iron charged in from the side, driving its black greatsword into the Marsh Tyrant’s flank and pinning half its body into the mud.

Slimy, with the last of its strength, spat venom at the wound.

PSHHH!

The venom mixed with the residual Spirit Flame, and the wound began to corrode violently.

Gritting his teeth, Zich raised his hand and screamed.

"Dieeeeee!"