Arthur had a strategy for the Rock Stomping Wild Stallion, but he also knew that it could fall through if didn't implement correctly.
'It's the skills of the beast that are concerning…' Arthur thought as he looked at them.
——
<Skills>
1. Trampling Wild Charge
Info: The user charges towards a foe, trampling with its toughened hooves.
Cooldown: None
Cost: 5% Mana with every use.
2. Long Sprint (Passive)
Info: The user can sprint for an extended period of time while the consumption of stamina is reduced by 70%.
Cooldown: None
——
It was the second silk of the Rock Trampling Wild Stallion that was of the main concern to Arthur.
'The Long Sprint Skill highly optimizes and reduces the stamina consumption of the Rock Trampling Wild Stallion. It might not get tired even if it runs for an entire day.' Arthur thought about it. 'Even if I am to ambush it at the watering site, it still needs to get tired in that time. If we wait too long, it'll be evening.'
This was the main issue with the Rock Trampling Wild Stallion as one could chase after it but not catch up. The players who had originally come up with the strategy had done so by chance.
They stumbled upon the Rock Trampling Wild Stallion that was drinking water after running an entire day and thus they were able to gang up on it and killed it.
"Thankfully, I have Dietrich." Arthur smiled.
The skill that came with the spear would be his key to dealing with the Rock Trampling Wild Stallion.
"Let's go Brambles." Arthur said as he stood up.
~BUZZ~
The Dragon Horn Beetle flew up as well following along with him. Arthur started running toward a location that wasn't exactly near the Rock Trampling Wild Stallion path.
In fact, it was nearly five hundred meters from the Rock Trampling Wild Stallion that was still running. But there was a reason why Arthur had come here.
Looking at the ground, one could see track marks on it. The grass had also been trampled enough times that a trail of sorts had formed.
"The Rock Trampling Wild Stallion might run randomly when it encounters foes, but when undisturbed, it will run in a familiar path." Arthur muttered as he looked at the trail and then at the distant foe.
It was curving and sprinting along a long arc, but a few seconds later it become evident that it was coming towards where Arthur was right now.
'While I might not be able to catch up with it in order to hit it, I don't need to be close enough to use the skill.' Arthur thought before hiding in the tall grass nearby.
Dietrich was firmly grasped in his hand while Brambles was also hidden behind him. The two were far enough from the trail that the stallion wouldn't sense them right away.
~Clop~clop~clop~
The sound of the Rock Trampling Wild Stallion's hooves was heard as it neared the trail.
"Just a bit more…" Arthur calculated the timing in his mind before activating the skill. "LOCK!"
~SHUA~
The yellow, blue and red tassels on Dietrich shimmered and glowed before extending towards the incoming foe.
"NEIGHHHHHHH!" The Rock Trampling Wild Stallion was started, but since it didn't feel any pain it was confused.
A magic circle appeared around it before the magical tassels that had turned into strings spun it around.
>Weapon Skill Lock has succeeded!<
>Rock Trampling Wild Stallion's Strength and Toughness will be sealed!<
>Rock Trampling Wild Stallion has been weakened: Strength -3, Toughness -3<
"NEIGH!" The Rock Trampling Wild Stallion finally felt the weakness and was baffled.
It hadn't seen who had attacked it as it had happened fast. Arthur didn't stay in the same place and rolled away, preventing the beast from noticing him too.
"Need to use it again." Arthur knew that the Lock Skill wouldn't always seal what he wanted, but he could always repeat it.
The Rock Trampling Wild Stallion sprinted away, and Arthur didn't chase after it either. Instead, he went to the next site which he felt like would be perfect for the next attempt.
He waited till the Cooldown of the Lock skill was over as it took ten minutes. As long as one knew the paths that the Rock Trampling Wild Stallion would take it was easy to calculate the time needed for it to reach there.
Arthur planned it such that it would take him ten minutes to reach it and the Cooldown of the key spear would be over too.
~CLIP~CLOP~CLIP~CLOP~
The sound of the Rock Trampling Wild Stallion was heard again and its form was seen charging through.
"Lock!" Arthur used the skill again, the tassels extending towards the stallion.
>Weapon Skill Lock has succeeded!<
>Rock Trampling Wild Stallion's Wisdom and Dexterity will be sealed!<
>Rock Trampling Wild Stallion has been weakened: Wisdom -1, Dexterity -4<
The skill didn't manage to seal what Arthur had wanted but it did make the stallion a bit more scared.
"Need to do it again…" Arthur muttered and quickly moved away.
He unsummoned Brambles this time too, as it was a lot more effective for him to do it alone. He could always summon the beast when needed after all.
Ten minutes later, Arthur picked the next location and waited to use the skill. Though while he observed the stallion, Arthur found something strange.
'It's taking it longer to change its direction… is the dexterity debuff doing this?' Arthur wondered as the stallion got closer.
~CLIP~CLOP~CLIP~CLOP~
And when it was within a sufficient distance, Arthur used the skill again.
>Weapon Skill Lock has succeeded!<
>Rock Trampling Wild Stallion's Agility and Vitality will be sealed!<
>Rock Trampling Wild Stallion has been weakened: Vitality -3, Agility -4<
"It worked on agility!" While Arthur knew that his own agility was still lower than that of the beast, it had still been lowered decently.
"NEIGH!" The Rock Trampling Wild Stallion was startled a lot this time as its speed started to fall.
While Arthur would have preferred to lower the beast's stamina, this worked too.
'Just a few more tries and it might work.' Arthur thought. 'Its stamina should also be draining.' He hoped and decided to check.
"Dragon's insight!" but when he used it, he was stunned. "Wait a second…"
>Dragon's Insight has been successfully activated!<
~DING~
——
Target: Rock Stomping Wild Stallion
Rank: Rare
Level: 14
Type: Beast
Info: A wild horse that has grown stronger than its kind and is unruly. Its hooves are strong enough to crush rocks and it likes to run around all day, scaring away others.
It will try to race against all those that run alongside it.
***
HP: 100%
MP: 100%
Stamina: 71%
***
<Physical Stats>
Strength: 9 (-3)
Toughness: 9 (-3)
Agility: 19 (-4)
Dexterity: 11 (-4)
Vitality: 12
<Non-Physical Stats>
Wisdom: 3 (-1)
Intelligence: 4
Will: 2
——
Unlike what Arthur had expected, the sealed stats hadn't actually diapered.
'The Lock skill's debuff didn't wear off?' Arthur was astounded.
He almost couldn't believe it. He couldn't underhand why the stats of the beast were still lowered.
"Wasn't the Cooldown ten minutes? Why are the stats still sealed?" Arthur was confused.
He thought about it hard before realizing something.
"Wait… The description of Lock Skill doesn't mention anything specifically about the sealed stats returning to normal on their own… Does this mean it can be stacked as long as I can successfully use the skill?" Arthur gulped his saliva.
If the skill really worked like this, it would change a lot for Arthur. It would mean that as long as he was in a battle of attrition, he could weaken a stronger enemy until they were at his level or even weaker!
"This… this… AHAHAHA!" Arthur laughed out loud. "Of course, a legendary class's unique weapon should have a skill this good!"
With this new discovery, Arthur was pumped. His tenseness wore off and he knew what to do now.
He still followed his previous tactic and went to the next part of the trail that the Rock Stomping Wild Stallion would be passing by and waited. Since the beast's speed had fallen by a bit, Arthur had to recalculate the area.
But it wasn't that hard in the end.
And when he got there, he used the Lock Skill right as the Rock Stomping Wild Stallion neared.
>Weapon Skill Lock has succeeded!<
>Rock Trampling Wild Stallion's Intelligence and maximum stamina will be sealed!<
>Rock Trampling Wild Stallion has been weakened: intelligence -2, max stamina -30%<
~THUD~
The skill did exactly what Arthur had wanted and was very effective. The Rock Trampling Wild Stallion almost stumbled from the sudden weakness that was filling it.
It felt fatigued and its steps became uneven.
>Dragon's Insight has been successfully activated!<
~DING~
——
Target: Rock Stomping Wild Stallion
Rank: Rare
Level: 14
Type: Beast
***
HP: 100%
MP: 100%
Stamina: 40% (-30%)
——
The skill had suddenly cut the beast's stamina, making it alarmed.
"You won't last long…" Arthur smiled widely.
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