Chapter 51

<050. Assassin & Greed (3)>

The weekend finally arrived, and we quickly set off on our adventure.

I caused a commotion, worried that if Eve went out recklessly, she might die. The chick offered to come along but was refused, and Rudyka and Nefuti almost had a falling out.

If I were to write it as a novel, it would be about 5,700 characters. I erased all the pre-adventure preparations from my mind. They would become cherished memories in everyone's hearts.

I climbed onto the cart driven by Patrasche, and we entered the forest, fighting monsters.

While Rudyka used the Hassam style and Nefuti cast the Guardian Formation, they were only there to take the rewards from the map.

"···Wh-what, scared."

"You've been through a lot."

"···But look at the huge amount of herbs. And there are some quite rare minerals, too."

"Indeed."

"Hmm. But there's something I don't understand."

"What is it?"

"Why was a small wooden chest placed on the side road we stopped at?"

"···That's right."

"····."

The two of them tilted their heads in confusion.

Indeed, it's really hard to understand why a neatly arranged wooden chest would appear while wandering the field, and inside it would be well-maintained equipment.

"That must be the arrangement of the great ancestors."

"···That's right. I understand now."

Rudyka nodded.

The first emperor can do anything.

"···Ah. We've arrived. Is this the place you mentioned, senpai?"

"Yes. Look at the ground carefully."

"Ah."

The brown dirt path turned into a brick path, with moss growing between the bricks.

The surroundings were clearly the remains of artificially constructed, weathered brick buildings.

A relic abandoned in the forest.

The eastern forest relic where the boss battle of 1-4 would take place.

"That's the boss, isn't it?"

"···Yes."

In the distance, a suspicious pile of stones that looked like it could rise from its spot was visible.

Indeed, it did rise. It moved incredibly. The structure made it difficult to win. Even with full gear for the first act, you were likely to die.

We were about to face the boss battle.

***

The boss battle.

In the original game, the boss battle of 1-4 was impossible to revive from if you died.

This was due to the unique characteristics of this boss.

If you die to this thing, you're literally buried under the ruins.

After all, this boss is a giant golem, several times the height of a human.

"It's huge. Is that a golem?"

"Hmm. Is there a treasure of the great first emperor behind it?"

"Probably. Senpai Wulfram, are you really going to proceed like this?"

"Hmm. I have to. So, Patrasche, quickly pull the cart up the hill. And you two, wait below."

"Yes, yes."

"Good luck, Wulfram."

With the two of them seeing me off, I followed Patrasche to the hill where we could overlook the golem.

"I heard the strategy, but how do you know the nature of this thing? I don't understand."

"Isn't deduction also a form of enjoyment? Try to deduce it as much as you can."

"Of course. Hehe. You're a master at giving us fun, aren't you?"

Patrasche grinned, and I moved the potions one by one from the cart.

Then I raised my hand and threw the potion to the ground.

The place I threw it, of course, was the "boss monster," the golem.

From the hill, I rolled the potion, and it stuck to the golem's head.

Then a system message echoed in my mind.

【Potion Feature Activated】

【Thrown Paralysis Potion.】

【Hit the target.】

【Potion Feature Activated】

【Thrown Flame Potion.】

【Hit the target.】

However, no matter how many potions I threw, the golem didn't move at all.

Of course not. This golem wouldn't react unless someone approached it closely.

In other words, it's a type of boss that doesn't activate unless the trigger is satisfied.

"Really, it's not reacting."

"Of course not."

Isn't it common?

[Doesn't this thing just stand up when you touch it?]

[If you just touch it...]

[Grumble]

[Whoa?! It moved!!]

[You idiot!]

This is the kind of early-game boss with such an event structure.

Mostly made of rock, or guardians protecting something.

Surprisingly, those lines are the real main story dialogue from Kelthers and his cheerful companions.

"But I have no intention of doing such a stupid thing."

I rolled the potion again. Clang. The flame potion stuck to the golem, which didn't activate.

Originally, if you had the skill, you'd use 【Super Great Bow】 or 【Long-Range Sniping】 to snipe from outside the map, but I don't have the talent or strength for that.

So, from the hill, I used the potion feature to deal damage, a one-sided attack.

The hill bug.

The wall-penetrating bug.

Countless developers tried to prevent it, but it inevitably appeared.

"Ah, this bug is really sweet."

Ah.

Loving bugs is also a virtue of a seasoned player.

***

"···Oh. It exploded again."

"Wow... "

Nefuti and Rudyka, who had heard Wulfram's plan, were initially skeptical, but they couldn't close their mouths at the bizarre scene unfolding before their eyes.

"When did Senpai Wulfram think of something like this?"

"···Hmm. I'm also curious, Rudyka."

[After comparing Patrasche's information with the ancient documents, it seems there is a relic deep in the eastern forest, and we are likely to encounter a giant golem.]

[The golem seems to be designed to protect the relic. It won't activate unless someone gets very close, and it appears to have high magic resistance.]

[It's a formidable opponent.]

[But what if we can attack it without getting close? Wouldn't that make the battle easier?]

At first, it sounded like nonsense, but Wulfram made it a reality.

He created attack potions through potion making.

He was using the potion feature to hit it one-sidedly.

Even with high skill, it's hard to hit moving or small enemies.

But from the hill, throwing potions at the giant stone was easy.

Bang. The potions exploded, sizzle. The stones boiled, and crackling sounds echoed.

"By the way, did you know, Senpai Rudyka?"

"What is it?"

"The throwing potions seem to be non-magical."

"That's right. I didn't know that either."

Wulfram said the golem had strong magic resistance, but it seemed to be taking damage from the potions.

In other words, potions are not considered magic.

"Where did Senpai get such information?"

"I'm not sure where he got it from. But... he must have worked very hard."

"Worked hard?"

"Hmm."

Rudyka knows Wulfram von Loewen格林 well.

They are in the same grade and the same department. And he is a prince.

During his term as student council president, he did a lot of bad things.

Stirring up trouble between the magic and knight departments, and buying swords and spellbooks indiscriminately.

Rudyka, curious about why the prince would do such things, started gathering information on Wulfram and frowned when she saw his status at the temple.

A miserable status.

A fight with a food slime would be a 50-50 chance.

How did such a person become so knowledgeable about the "outside" world?

Why did he collect spellbooks he couldn't learn and obsess over swords he couldn't wield?

Perhaps, Wulfram cursed his own incompetence.

At first, he did bad things, but after handing over the student council presidency to his younger sister, he lived quietly with a very relaxed face.

However, his desire to go out into the world became even sharper than during his presidency.

He made plans to venture into the vast world and succeeded in appearing in the Sleeping Mountains and the eastern forest.

As a result, he made a contract with a fairy he had never seen before, and now his strategy to defeat the giant golem is working.

In the shop where no one looked for him, he continued to think, train, and hone his skills.

When he stepped into the unknown world, he thought about where and what role he would play every day.

And now, he is issuing a challenge to the world.

His status might bring inconvenience, but it couldn't make him unhappy.

"Yeah. It's impressive."

"Senpai Rudyka?"

Rudyka, who didn't notice Nefuti's call, etched the image of the man who had achieved his dream into her mind.

***

The potions were now empty, and I glanced down the hill.

Paralysis potions, flame potions, and poison potions burned beautifully, oxidizing the golem's back.

It's strange that a boss, especially a golem, can be affected by status conditions, but this is the quality of the first act.

Even with high magic resistance, which can easily kill a mage, the damage from potions made through potion making is physical.

I'm not sure if it's due to sloppy game development or the developer's consideration, but this hasn't been patched even in the latest version.

As I continued to burst the golem's back with potions, a hole eventually appeared, and the core hidden inside was visible.

From here, this method probably won't deal any more damage.

The flaw is that you have to wake the boss and somehow deal physical damage once.

That's why I brought the agile Rudyka and the tank Nefuti.

"Alright. Have we thrown enough? We need to signal now."

"·····If I were that golem, I would have asked to be killed right away."

"What do you mean? The golem can't be alive, can it?"

I chuckled and signaled the two below.

Wake the golem. At the gesture, they moved quickly, and soon the giant stirred.

Grrrr... Gaaaaah!!

It felt like the entire relic was roaring. The loud noise struck my ears.

Of course, I knew about this event and covered my ears.

"I don't understand why the golem has a vocal organ."

Then, the golem took a step forward with a rumble.

"Alright, the final strategy."

I recalled the instructions I had given to Rudyka and Nefuti in my mind.

[Rudyka. When you receive Nefuti's Guardian Formation, I have only one request for you.]

[To stab the golem's core?]

[No. Just block one of the golem's attacks.]

[·····? Understood.]

There is only one reason for giving such instructions.

It's because of the memory of how the golem was defeated in the main story.

Even if you use skills like 【True Great Bow】 【Invisible Kill】 【Heavenly Thunder】 from outside the map.

How could a first-act boss withstand such attacks?

But the boss had to show one event and take additional damage to die.

"That's the second phase."

Grrrrrr!!!

"Yes. No matter what, the second phase judgment will appear."

【The golem roars.】

【It strikes the ground, attacking the entire field.】

【Status Condition: Stun applied to the entire field.】

Isn't this a textbook-perfect boss battle?

"Patrasche."

I took two precise steps back and called Patrasche.

After taking a deep breath, Patrasche rushed forward and countered the golem's roar with his own.

"Kroooaar!!!"

He intercepted the flying rocks with flames.

Originally, this attack would only stun and deal 1 to 2 damage, but I would die from just one hit.

"You blocked it well."

I chuckled, shook the last remaining potion, and threw it at the golem's core, which was still showing its back.

【Potion Feature Activated】

【Thrown Explosive Potion.】

【Hit the target.】

A pleasant message echoed in my mind.

Boom, rumble.

The sound of something massive collapsing struck my ears, and dust rose high into the sky, brushing against my nose.

But there was no time to worry about such things.

【Unbelievable Achievement!】

【Defeated a giant monster!】

【Acquired the golem's core, 7T!】

【Obtained the title Giant Slayer!】

【Granted a 9T skill selection option!】

【Granted an 8T skill selection option!】

A satisfying settlement window.

The title Giant Slayer is quite cool, and the skill selection options are invaluable.

As I smiled and looked at the settlement window, my expression suddenly stiffened at the text below.

【A deep bond with your companions is felt!】

【If the bond deepens further, you can designate a 'special partner'!】

【※Be cautious when choosing a heroine, as it may be irreversible.】

···?

"Why is this popping up for me?"