Chapter 73

EP.73 The Forest Covered in Snakes (7)

Transference.

The act of a specific concept or substance moving to another object.

Usually, it refers to something that occurs additionally after manifestation, but in this case, it seemed to only refer to the phenomenon of 'discarding the existing body and obtaining a new one.'

Immediately, the Imugi in the wild mountain, which had first appeared as an old tree, had rotted away, and it had reappeared with a new body behind us.

'It’s not a rune.'

There was no such special ability in my memory of runes.

Moreover, considering the dungeon information that appeared in the information window, it was clear that this was a special 'gimmick' of the dungeon.

Changing bodies at will during battle...

With no way to gauge the opponent's combat abilities, this was undoubtedly a disadvantage for us.

Kyaoo-!!

There was no time to be lost in thought.

The Imugi in the wild mountain charged at us, fearlessly thrusting its head forward.

Perhaps because it could change its body freely.

It seemed to have no fear of physical assaults.

I quickly raised my shield and stood at the front line.

Kwon Oh-joon and Choi Dong-wook were already at a considerable distance.

Shin Yuna's [Flesh Defense] couldn't withstand the boss's strength.

I had to block it.

'I have to block it no matter what.'

The [Hobgoblin's Bronze Shield] in my left hand was enveloped in mana.

A defensive skill that exceeded my limits.

The manifestation of [Ironclad Defense].

Clang- Clang-!!

Kwaang!!

"Kk, kkaaah...!!"

"Do Jae-hyun!"

But the opponent was at least an A-rank or higher boss monster.

It wasn't enough to just block physical attacks as in a normal battle.

I managed to block the headbutt, but I couldn't defend against the mana attack.

'Earth!'

The monster used earth-type mana attacks by manipulating the ground.

The sudden cracks in the ground caused my defensive stance to collapse, and its tail struck my waist at a fierce speed.

As a result, I fell like I was plummeting towards the people behind me.

Kang Joo-yeon, who was preparing a spell, bit her lip tightly and looked ahead.

It was as if she was about to crush the Imugi in the wild mountain.

'It’s crazy. It hurts like hell.'

Of course, I didn't just stand there.

The moment the cracks appeared.

I immediately detected the anomaly and used [Strengthening].

Thanks to this, I could avoid a fatal injury despite the intense pain.

It was a bad situation, but it wasn't a life-threatening one.

'Not good...'

However, it was far from a good situation.

I had already used two of my skills, and the thought of having to block such attacks several more times made my head spin.

Especially the gimmick of the Imugi in the wild mountain.

The special ability to change its body at will gave the despair of having to fight it again even after defeating it.

"Taol...!!"

"No!"

After completing the spell preparation.

Kang Joo-yeon, unable to contain her anger, was about to use a skill.

I urgently stopped her.

Taol.

It was clear she was about to use the ultimate skill [Inferno].

But now wasn't the time to use it.

"It's not the time, Kang Joo-yeon."

"...But."

"Think rationally. You're smart, right?"

The gimmick the Imugi in the wild mountain had already demonstrated.

The ability to arbitrarily change its body into an old tree.

I wasn't the only one who found it strange.

Most of the party members, including Kwon Oh-joon and Choi Dong-wook, must have noticed it.

They would realize that defeating the boss in front of us wouldn't be the end.

Therefore, it was necessary to save the most powerful skills they could use.

Zzzz-

The Imugi in the wild mountain.

Its body split again with a strange sound, like a tree being cut.

This was the result of the combined attack by Kwon Oh-joon and Choi Dong-wook, who had returned to their positions, and Min Chae-hwan's support fire.

Naturally, this body also split into an old tree.

A fake corpse after the transference.

"Do Jae-hyun, can you stand up?"

The boss monster could transform into another old tree at any time.

Because of this, Kwon Oh-joon sharply scanned the surroundings and then asked me.

I quickly shook off the pain and stood up.

"Yes, no problem."

"Imugi in the wild mountain. What do you think its rank is?"

My eyes widened at the unexpected question.

Kwon Oh-joon, for the first time since the mission began, was asking for my 'opinion.'

"Can I answer?"

"You're the only one who blocked its attack head-on. We don't have time. Quickly."

Kyaoo-!!

As if it had heard our conversation.

The Imugi in the wild mountain appeared again from the side.

There was no time to waste.

I quickly organized my thoughts and answered.

"It's definitely a monster that exceeds A-rank. But I don't think it's S-rank."

"Ambiguous?"

"Yes. The monster's gimmick is so overpowered that it feels impenetrable, but its inherent abilities don't seem to be at that level. I managed to withstand it, after all. It's a monster between A-rank and S-rank."

It was difficult to make an accurate judgment on first encounter.

If I had to assign a rank, it would be A+.

That was the limit of my assessment.

The Imugi in the wild mountain approached and shook us again with earth-type magic.

Kuung-

Kuuguuguu-!!

Cracks instantly appeared on the ground, and the concentration of those preparing spells was immediately broken.

This time, Min Chae-hwan's arrow attack also missed its mark due to the disrupted aim.

In the end, it was Kwon Oh-joon, Choi Dong-wook, and I who had to hunt the monster's clone.

Kwon Oh-joon's spear moved again, splitting the monster's head, Choi Dong-wook attacked the torso, and I slashed at the tail.

'Using both Flowing Water and Raging Stream...!!'

Using [Flowing Water Sword Technique] to slash and [Raging Stream Sword Technique] to thrust.

There was no need to worry about defense right now.

It was our turn to attack.

I dealt damage to the monster by skillfully using the two sword technique runes.

Zzz- Zzzzz-

It collapsed again.

The third fake corpse of the monster fell to the ground as an old tree.

After seeing this.

The party members who had been scattered by the ground's cracks gathered one by one.

It was too dangerous to be scattered in the current situation.

"Team leader, this won't work."

Choi Dong-wook, slightly out of breath, spoke up.

"No matter how much stamina we have, we can't keep fighting like this. We need a plan."

"The plan is already set."

Kwon Oh-joon's gaze turned to the mage class.

"Kim Sung-chul and Miss. I need your power. We need to use wind and fire magic simultaneously to burn all the trees here to catch the monster. Miss, can you do it?"

The Imugi in the wild mountain.

Its gimmick was to transfer its body through 'trees.'

The enormous number of old trees that filled the boss room.

We had to burn them all.

Only then would the Imugi in the wild mountain stop transferring and reveal its true form.

This was a plan that most of the party members had vaguely felt.

"...It will take at least 10 minutes to burn them all."

Kang Joo-yeon, quietly counting the number of old trees, said.

She, who was always sensitive to being called 'Miss.'

This time, she didn't argue with him.

The situation was that urgent.

Kwon Oh-joon nodded.

"That's enough."

Kyaoo-!!

The monster's roar sounded again.

The annoying brat.

Because of this monster, I might develop a phobia of snakes.

"Choi Dong-wook, Do Jae-hyun! Focus on the monster's attacks with me! We need to keep it from breaking the mages' concentration!"

"Understood!"

"Shin Yuna, protect the rear with Min Chae-hwan!"

"Understood!"

10 minutes.

We had to buy 10 minutes for Kim Sung-chul and Kang Joo-yeon to burn all the trees in the boss room.

Thus, the endless battle with the Imugi began.

Kyaoo-!!

Thud, Kuuguuung!!

Zzz, Zzzzz-

Zzzzz...

Fourth, fifth.

Sixth, seventh, eighth.

Old trees fell to the ground like they were being cut down.

The result of hunting the constantly transferring Imugi in the wild mountain.

And, in return, we were also getting exhausted.

'No end in sight.'

Fighting a close-quarters battle with the monster for 10 minutes was hell.

Even if it wasn't an S-rank monster, it was definitely an A-rank or higher.

Moreover, it was a balanced boss that skillfully used both physical and mana attacks.

I nearly lost my life several times due to the monster's unconventional earth-type magic, and its immense physical attacks left my body battered and bruised.

'I'm going to die from the pain.'

It really feels like I'm going to die.

My whole body screams as if it's being torn apart.

My battered body is a wonder that it can still function, and the [Hobgoblin's Bronze Shield] is almost broken.

Kwon Oh-joon and Choi Dong-wook, who were also at the front, were not in good shape either.

Everyone was visibly exhausted.

Crack, Crack-.

Whoosh-.

"Almost done...!!"

But it wasn't a meaningless battle.

During the time we bought, Kang Joo-yeon and Kim Sung-chul, who had clearly cast their spells, were burning all the trees.

Fire and wind.

The synergy of the two mages' spells created a massive inferno, heating up the entire boss room.

'It's like a forest fire.'

The boss room, which looked like a mountain or forest.

With all the old trees burning...

It felt like watching a forest fire.

"Te, Team leader!!"

In the midst of this.

Min Chae-hwan, who was providing cover fire from the rear, shouted.

His voice sounded as if he had discovered something very dangerous.

An uneasy atmosphere hung in the air.

Our gaze immediately turned to the front.

Sss-

Sssss-!!

"What... is that."

The mages' forest fire plan was a success, and the Imugi in the wild mountain was cornered.

If all the old trees in the boss room burned, the monster's battle would become extremely disadvantageous.

The monster stopped transferring.

It seemed to have judged that changing its body further would be meaningless.

This was part of the plan.

The strategy to make the monster reveal its true form.

'Transforming the remaining trees...?'

But then the monster did something astonishing.

The few remaining trees at the edge of the massive flames.

It reshaped them all...

Into 'wooden snakes.'

Dozens?

No, hundreds?

There were only a few trees left, but the wooden snakes, finely shaped, were countless.

And those wooden snakes.

Flew at us as a kind of mana attack.

It happened in an instant.

"Ah...!!"

I immediately used [Charge] to run frantically to the rear.

My body was drained of strength, but I had to move somehow.

Not just to escape this attack.

Everyone in the party was vulnerable to such unconventional mana attacks...

But there was a particularly vulnerable target.

The party members casting spells from the rear, burning the trees in the boss room.

Kang Joo-yeon and Kim Sung-chul.

'I have to protect the rear.'

They wouldn't have the time to cast [Mana Defense Barrier].

Even if they did, it was questionable whether it would stop these wooden snakes.

I had to protect them.

With that single resolve, I ran and ran.

That relentless [Charge]...

Finally led me to the party members in the rear before the wooden snake attack hit.

'But with what?'

I ran with the resolve to protect them.

But I had no proper way to do so.

My body was torn to shreds...

And my shield was on the verge of breaking.

All I had left was attack.

Further defense was impossible.

Sss-

Sssss-!!

The grotesque wooden snakes, as if mocking me,

Dived at us, darkening the sky.

If I let this attack through...

All the party's plans would be in vain.

We would be severely injured, and someone might die.

'Am I just going to take it?'

My mind went blank, and no solution came to mind.

Since the wooden snakes were all mana attacks.

Declaring [Melee Combat] would be meaningless.

Was I just going to take it?

That thought couldn't help but invade my mind.

A life-or-death crisis.

"......!"

What greeted me in that moment was not death.

But five information windows.

[In the midst of a battle that seems to be breaking, your sword and water reach a level of unity, achieving an unshakable state. Your understanding of Flowing Water and Raging Stream increases dramatically.]

[The level of the 'Raging Stream Sword Technique' rune has increased.]

[The level of the 'Flowing Water Sword Technique' rune has increased.]

[The use restriction of the ultimate skill 'Raging Stream Thousand Swords' is lifted.]

[The use restriction of the ultimate skill 'Flowing Water Active Sword' is lifted.]

There was no need to read them all.

There was no time for that.

Just one sentence.

The level of the [Flowing Water Sword Technique] rune has increased.

That one sentence was enough.

I tightened my grip on my sword.

And, biting my lip so hard it might split,

I mustered all my strength and whispered.

"Flow."

From that moment on.

The dozens of wooden snakes were no longer my opponents.