Chapter 24

Boss MOB -- the day of the Golem extermination.

Tak and the others were heading to exterminate the Golem, but since the stock of recovery items was insufficient, I told Magi that I couldn't deliver them.

"It's fine, it's fine. Yun-kun, you've started going on hunts too, haven't you? Just bring them when you have time. The potions are stable now, so it's okay."

Such kind words.

Alright, I put in some effort to prepare the potions, but I think I made too many -- fifty. Well, I can make them all at once with my skill, and I also made some with a time investment that increased their effectiveness.

Then, I did some alchemy research for the first time in a while.

I boiled the Blue Jelly obtained from Slimes in an iron container.

The blue, gooey substance separated into water and solid matter, which settled at the bottom. When the water was evaporated from the solid matter, it turned into blue powder. The name is just 'Blue Powder.'

When I added water to it again, it became Blue Jelly. What is this?

Then, I mixed the Blue Jelly with herbs. The result was a Blue Potion. The effect was about the same as a regular potion. No, it's about the same as a synthesis potion made from two beginner potions.

Don't you think so? But it's different.

This was made by first turning it into blue powder, mixing it with dried herbs, and then extracting it like coffee, which increased its effectiveness.

The effect is even better with high-quality herbs.

I don't know how many one-rank higher potions there are now, but it's nice that the recovery amount is high.

Mix, extract.

The production quantity is small, but I also did some experimental synthesis.

-- Why did it turn out like this? The synthesis resulted in Blue Gelatin.

Moreover, the description is for a food item.

"Can you believe it!"

To turn recovery items into food at the end, what kind of joke is this! Raise and then drop!

Breathing heavily, I tried to steady my breath.

"Alright, it's fine now. I'll put this in my inventory."

I put it away and took out the Blue Jelly again.

Turn it into powder, mix, and extract. Mixing requires a surprising amount of arm strength, so I used a stability enchantment. Recently, I feel like I can't survive this game without enchantments.

In the morning, I prepared the potions like this, and in the afternoon, we headed west as we did yesterday. We tried to avoid battles as much as possible and challenged the Golem.

At first, everyone was making light jokes, but gradually, they became more serious. It seems that fighting a Boss MOB is quite tense.

And then, the moment arrived.

"Everyone, are you ready?"

With Tak's call, everyone nodded. In front of them was the Golem. Its body, made of fragile-looking rock, was over three meters tall. Despite its slow movements, its massive size suggested considerable strength.

"Alright, let's start with [Enchantment] -- Attack!"

Enchantments for the three front-line fighters, and then defensive enchantments for Tak and Kai. Gantz received a double enchantment for speed.

This was the most efficient method for Sandman hunting. Tak and Kai acted as a wall, Gantz used joint techniques to stop the movement, and then the back-line casters unleashed their spells. Well, they were light and wind attribute spells.

We followed the same procedure today.

"Alright, come here!"

"It's us you're dealing with!"

Tak with a one-handed sword and Kai with a two-handed sword charged forward, shouting loudly.

They blocked and deflected the Golem's attacks, and when its balance was off, Gantz grabbed its arm and threw it down like in aikido.

Then, a cross lock. It was a smooth, beautiful move. Oh, the Golem fighter looks in pain, like in pro wrestling!

As a fighter, he's a walking weapon. Besides punches and kicks, I saw him throw for the first time today, and it was impressive. Throwing such a massive body so easily might only be possible in a game, but he might be practicing some martial art in real life. Oh, the Golem is completely down.

"Magic team! Now!"

With Tak's call, spells were cast in succession, attacking the Golem. Gantz immediately retreated to a position where he could see the entire battlefield.

"Yun, recovery please."

"Sure, I'll also reapply the enchantments."

The fighting style of the fighter-type players is close combat. The characteristic of close combat is that you use your body as a weapon, so you take a small amount of damage when you attack. They use gloves, gauntlets, boots, and sandals to protect their hands and feet. Despite these precautions, the damage doesn't reach zero. So, I have to keep healing them bit by bit.

"Gantz, let's go!"

He's full of jokes. I thought as I watched his back.

Gantz, with a red and yellow light belt from attack and speed enchantments, ran forward.

The Golem, which had risen, targeted the agile Gantz but was blocked by Tak and Kai, changing its target. When its balance was off, it was hit by spells.

Each time it took a spell, its HP visibly dropped.

I thought we could do it, but the opponent is a Boss. It's not that easy.

"MP is running out here! Front-line, hold on!"

The back-line casters ran out of MP when the Golem's HP was about 40% left. The continuous spell attacks drained their MP faster than my double enchantments.

From here on, it's our job as men to hold the line until the casters' MP recovers.

I also have limited MP, so I try to maintain the minimum.

I switched the front-line fighters' enchantments to defensive ones.

The goal is to maintain the front line, not to focus on attacks.

With this, even if they take a critical hit, they should have a little HP left.

We tried to maintain the line with a large amount of potion use.

"Hey! Fall down again!"

"Stop, Gantz. It's different this time!"

In the midst of Kai's voice, Gantz bravely charged at the Golem.

He grabbed its arm, flowed, and tried to lock a joint. He tried to take it down, but this time, he failed.

He only maintained the minimum enchantments, and with the speed enchantment, he could have immediately disengaged, but now he only had the defensive enchantment. His evasion speed was not enough.

Gantz's stomach was hit by the Golem's fist.

He was thrown in a parabolic arc by the powerful arm.

He seemed to have avoided a critical hit, as there was still a little HP left. But—

"Get out of the way!"

A voice from one of the casters who could see the whole battlefield. The Golem, which had risen, grabbed Gantz's leg in mid-air and slammed him down vertically.

Gantz's HP, which hit the ground hard, entered the red zone.

Tak and Kai quickly intervened to change the target.

"Get back and heal yourself quickly!"

"Hey, move! Are you unconscious? Bad timing!"

Gantz didn't move. His HP was in the red zone.

He couldn't move, or rather, he couldn't move due to the bad status [Unconscious].

Unconscious is a bad status that occurs when you lose a certain amount of HP in a short time, with a 10% chance of occurring.

There are no known attacks that cause the Unconscious bad status, but it was rumored to exist. I didn't expect it to happen now.

The two front-line fighters couldn't support Gantz, and the two casters shouldn't have moved forward. The only one who could move was me.

As the healer, I took out the Blue Potion, which had the highest recovery amount, from my inventory and ran forward.

I accelerated with a speed enchantment and quickly approached.

I smashed the potion on Gantz and slapped his cheek.

"It hurts, you know."

"Get up quickly! Here, another one."

I broke another Blue Potion and poured it over him. Two potions should fully recover him.

"What is this recovery amount? The pain comes later."

"Just get to the back. You're in the way of the two."

I pulled him by the collar.

"MP is almost recovered! I can attack again!"

"Then, attack when it's a good time to take down."

"Got it!"

As we disengaged, light and wind passed by.

The sound of rock being chipped away and explosions echoed. The strong light made it impossible to open my eyes.

In the midst of the sand and dust, the Golem appeared.

"Not yet! Damn it!"

"No, it's over."

As I cursed, Tak muttered.

The Golem let out a heavy roar and began to collapse.

The Golem, which resembled a gatekeeper of the third town, collapsed from top to bottom, evoking a sense of melancholy for not being able to protect.

When everything collapsed and there was no movement, I finally exhaled.

"Phew. Finally over. I was really nervous."

"Thanks, Yun. You saved us."

Gantz, who was almost dead, showed a light jump.

"Really, if the casters could attack immediately, I wouldn't have had to help."

"That's harsh. Even if we defeat the Boss, if only I die and respawn, it doesn't count as a defeat. Being alone is lonely."

"Besides, if Yun hadn't pulled Gantz back, I was going to include him in the spell."

"Harsh!"

Ah, yeah, sacrificing the small for the greater good, huh. Gantz understands. But yeah, there's no resurrection item, so if you fall, you respawn.

"Just kidding. Gantz did a great job."

"Everyone, good work. We can go to the third town now. Good job, Yun."

"Thanks. Shall we go?"

"Before that, let's do the usual inventory check. Someone might have the Boss's rare drop."

Ah, I see. Well, regardless of the rare drop, I remember the Golem dropped high-quality iron ore. If I alchemize the iron ore I have, I can gather enough high-quality iron ore to make ingots for leveling up.

With that thought, I opened my inventory, but there was no high-quality iron ore. There was a stone. A special-looking stone.

"Seems like I got a Stone of Earth Spirit."

I muttered casually.

"Rare drop, here it comes!!!"

The loud cheers made me jump. Suddenly shouting is scary.

"Sorry, sorry. Boss drops come in normal and rare types, but to get a rare drop right away, Yun must be lucky."

"The Stone of Earth Spirit is a rare item that, when mixed with weapons or armor, gives a rare additional effect. Gantz's armor was reinforced with the Blade Lizard's sword scale stone, which gives a reflective damage effect when hit."

Hmm, what's this?

Stone of Earth Spirit [Material]

A stone with the power of an earth spirit.

Is that all the description? I don't know what additional effect it has, but it's fine.

"Hmm, I don't really understand the value. I'll ask someone next time."

"Don't, you'll become a PK target. The golden rule in [OSO] is to not show your build and not hint at having rare items. The former is to avoid being a PvP target, and the latter is to avoid being robbed."

Oh, that's a thing. But I trust Mew and Magi, so I can ask them. But my armor is initial, and I don't have money, so I probably won't use it that way.

"Well, it's just inventory filler for now."

"That's a waste."

"Well, it's typical of Yun to take it easy. We've recovered a lot, so let's go to town."

We all went to town together. We arrived at a mining town.

The buildings were two-story wooden structures with a bit of a lack of green. The NPCs had tanned skin, dirty overalls, and towels around their necks, looking like typical miners.

"You've come to another town."

While I was a bit shaken by the emotion, everyone else was—

"Good work. See you next time."

"Thanks, Yun. You really helped us this time."

"See you. Next time, let's find enemies to level up our bows and go hunting."

"Goodbye."

"See you, Yun. Next time."

They touched some blue-white spheres and disappeared one by one.

I was left alone.

Everyone was surprisingly indifferent. And don't leave me last.

Revised and completed.