Chapter 34: The Great Decapitation (3)
So, he made a plan.
He decided that if he were to buy an item in the future, he would focus all his attention on weapons.
Skys Delight was a sufficiently good weapon, but with enough money, he could acquire a much better dagger.
Kang-hoo prioritized weapons to ensure more firepower in battle.
Even upgrading to a Grade 3 weapon would make a significant difference.
Because he did not overexert himself and steadily conquered the dungeon, Kang-hoos level rose steadily.
He had now reached level 37.
He allocated all the bonus stats from leveling up to his health.
The special effect of Proportional Health from the Soul Mate Gloves also increased steadily.
Feeling a bit tired.
Kang-hoo massaged his stiff shoulders as he looked at the boss in front of him.
The black mage, Baltman.
To go into more detail, Baltman was a health-type mage.
In other words, a mage with good stamina who could also cast magic.
He was capable of close combat due to his high endurance and could actively attack if needed.
Usually, mages feared getting hurt and avoided close combat.
But a health-type mage, confident in his recovery and stamina, could go all out without looking back.
Baltmans specialty was Scorching.
His primary ability was combustion, and thus the battlefield was also designed with fire elements.
Torches were lit at intervals of three meters across the battlefield, and not far away, lava flowed.
There was a chance of dying in the lava, not just from Baltman.
Phew.
He took a deep breath.
Defeating Baltman was not just the priority.
First, he needed to provoke Baltmans special defensive skill.
Baltman often used a skill called Consume by Fire to block his opponents skills.
True to its crude name, it consumed incoming skills with fire and swallowed them.
Doing so allowed him to absorb 50% of the mana invested in the skill by the opponenta bizarre skill.
Kang-hoo planned to make Baltman use this skill on the Great Decapitation skill book.
Once the skill book was consumed by fire, the Great Decapitation skill was learned, irrespective of the users will.
Boss monsters, unlike hunters, didnt receive penalties for learning skills of a different nature.
Therefore,
if Kang-hoo killed Baltman, he could steal the Great Decapitation skill from him.
A skill with its penalty cleanly erased, maintaining its 100% effectiveness.
Chomp.
He bit into a stalk of Solarkium.
No matter how well he controlled his breathing in battle, it was impossible to kill someone like Baltman without an adrenaline rush.
So, he had prepared in advance.
Insolent creature! Why not save yourself the trouble and turn back?
Baltman was babbling from a distance, but Kang-hoo didnt respond.
Some hunters foolishly charged in when provoked by such words, but that was the dumbest case. It was of no help.
Whoosh!
Instead of replying, Kang-hoo opened the battle by linking the leap and acceleration skills.
Leap was a skill in itself, a powerful skill that propelled one in the desired direction.
When combined with acceleration, it allowed for almost instantaneous movement, like lightning.
As the number of usable skills increased, Kang-hoo had been devising a combination of these two skills.
This was because he could activate the awakening effect significantly reducing skill casting time whenever he wanted.
Burn.
Baltman immediately responded.
Though startled by Kang-hoos incredible speed, Baltman seemed rather pleased.
Whoosh!
A giant wall of flames erupted from the spot Baltman pointed to with his fingertip.
The bright red, blazing barrier emitted heat like a small sun placed right there.
It was powerful enough that even Kang-hoo couldnt ignore it and pass through.
Despite the fire right in front of him, Baltman himself didnt flinch or feel the heat.
Creating an area that blocks vision works to my advantage.
Rather than being surprised by Baltmans quick response, Kang-hoo saw it as an opportunity to use.
So, he created a wall of fire that blocked vision, similar to Baltmans, by infusing his protective barrier with fire attributes.
Since the protective barrier was the installable type, he could place it anywhere he desired.
With that, Kang-hoo subtly extended his hand toward Baltmans position, which he had noted earlier.
The skill he activated was Abduction.
Baltman, seemingly unaware that something from beyond the invisible flames could seize him, was caught by surprise.
Ugh!
With a cry of defeat, Baltman flailed in mid-air and was swiftly pulled in front of Kang-hoo.
Crack!
After securing Baltmans collar to prevent easy escape, Kang-hoo relentlessly drove his dagger into Baltmans shoulder and chest with the Bleeding Stab skill.
Aaargh!
Despite Baltmans groans, he launched another skill with his right hand.
It was a preemptive counterattack before the situation escalated to death or severe injury.
Whoosh!
Damn.
Kang-hoo bit his lower lip and temporarily retreated.
Baltman shielded himself with a skill named Fires Blessing.
He converted his entire body into a towering flame, made possible by his absolute immunity to fire.
Certainly challenging.
Unlike other boss monsters Kang-hoo had dispatched with ease before, Baltmans reactions exhibited a level of sophistication.
Yet, this didnt render Kang-hoo powerless. He had managed to wound Baltman.
Now, it was time to evaluate the damage.
[Blood Flower]
Pop! Pop! Pop!
With the activation of Blood Flower, simultaneous explosions burst forth from Baltmans shoulders, trapezius muscles, and upper chest.
This was the devastating effect of Blood Flower.
It utilized the wounds inflicted earlier as a conduit, dealing unexpected additional damage to the opponent.
Kang-hoo launched another attack.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
This time, he employed Shadow Step.
Five shadows darted forward, and with the awakening effect, Kang-hoo executed Shadow Step once more.
Crunch!
He bit into a stalk of Solarkium without hesitation, swallowing the juice that flowed out.
The onset of mana hypersensitivity was imminent.
When he created another opening in Baltman, he would need to strike relentlessly, without a moments pause.
Burn everything to ashes!
Baltman, seeing Kang-hoos scattered shadows, stretched his hand towards the sky in irritation.
Then, as if from nowhere, a rain of fire began to pour down like a shower.
Unable to target Kang-hoo specifically, Baltman decided to attack all targets simultaneously.
Hes not affected by his own attribute-based attack, which allows for such aggressive responses.
Kang-hoo inwardly envied Baltman.
As adept as he was with a dagger, being invincible to dagger attacks would be ideal.
Pop.
Kang-hoo quickly switched places with one of his remaining shadows.
Baltman was not interested in the shadows; his focus was solely on Kang-hoos main body.
So when Kang-hoo suddenly disappeared from his sight, Baltmans pupils shook in panic.
Then.
Kang-hoo, having approached Baltman from the closest position, gritted his teeth and stabbed him with the dagger.
Thrust!
Argh! You!
Knowing Baltmans Fires Blessing skill from experience, Kang-hoo stepped back slightly before approaching again.
As he began to analyze Baltmans response patterns, his movements no longer seemed complex.
After being tricked by Shadow Step, he wouldnt want to fall for it again.
Kang-hoo set a trap.
He deployed the Shadow Step skill again, this time sending a shadow overtly in front of Baltman.
Having previously experienced the switch between shadow and body, Baltman wouldnt want to be fooled by the same trick.
At that moment.
Kang-hoo pulled out the Great Decapitation skill book from his pocket and threw it with all his might at Baltman.
While slightly adjusting the shadows speed, he timed it so the skill book would reach Baltman first.
Did his anger boil over from being so completely dominated by Kang-hoo?
Aaaah!
With his face flushed red-hot, Baltman spewed forth flames like dragons breath.
He used the Consume by Fire skill.
It worked.
Whoosh!
Caught in the Consume by Fire, the Great Decapitation skill book vanished instantly without a trace.
In its place, the contents transformed into a blue essence that slipped into Baltmans mouth.
Had it been any other skill consumed by fire, it would have replenished Baltmans mana.
Unfortunately, Baltman received not the needed mana but a strange skill he had no idea how to use.
The deed was complete!
Now it was acceptable to kill Baltman.
Kang-hoo could now steal the Great Decapitation skill from him.
Believing he had done something pointless, an infuriated Baltman reached out toward Kang-hoo.
Ill kill you!
Above his hands formed a whip-like object; it was the Fire Whip skill.
It whipped back and forth unpredictably and burst into flames upon impact, a highly troublesome skill indeed.
Kang-hoo, undeterred, used Leap to close the distance between himself and Baltman rapidly.
Before the fierce whip could touch him, he sidestepped behind Baltman.
Ugh.
Kang-hoo grimaced.
His body ached from using skills consecutively.
Even with the pain mitigation from Solarkium and the Tenacious Endurance Ring, he was in this much discomfort.
Without these aids, he might have been writhing on the ground rather than fighting.
He was thankful for the existence of these auxiliary tools.
Despite the continuous drain on his health and the induced pain from mana hypersensitivity, he managed to endure.
Thrust!
Argh!
He drove his dagger between Baltmans waist and ribs from behind.
Being a boss monster of the mage class, Baltmans internal armor was not very strong.
Kang-hoo gripped the dagger firmly and twisted it mercilessly, like opening a tightly sealed jar.
The act was hellish for the one enduring itthe pain of twisted skin, muscles, and even internal organs. It would have been abnormal to bear it even slightly.
Aaaaah!
Baltman screamed.
Kang-hoo did not stop; he plunged the Sight Steal and Shallow Chaos skills into Baltman.
By robbing his sight and confusing his sense of space, he ensured a final blow.
The Finale.
Kang-hoo had no intention of dragging out the battle.
There was no second chance in opportunity. No next time. No luck or fluke.
The first opportunity had to be the last!
Kang-hoo was determined to end it here.
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