The tension was high as footsteps sounded in the cave. A figure slowly emerged from the shadows. Instantly Radiant Shield’s eyes shot wide open.
“You?! You have hidden yourself deeply, my friend!”
“You opehose chests without us notig?”, questioned Silver Bde in surprise.
“Dear viewers, who could’ve thought that our thief was this skilled all along?”
Bloody Edge wore a proud smile, having gathered quite a few treasures. Hearing their words however, his expression faltered.
“I don’t uand your words. All along I followed the pn id out by Mirage. I never entered you on the way…”
“So it wasn’t you?”, questioned Fortuh a mix of relief and disappoi.
“I fear not.”
“Then who opehe chests?”
“Hearing you mention such a matter, some of my doubts are cleared. While hunting for treasure I felt a presenetimes. Now it appears I am not the only thief iunnels.”, expined Bloody Edge solemnly.
The others nodded calmly.
“Now I really want to see that guy. Maybe we could invite him to the guild if he is skilled enough to avoid all of us.”, said Silver Bde.
She gowards Liam, notig him looking towards the back with a frown.
“Did you notiething?”
“Let’s not get caught up in it…”, answered the veteran while shaking his head.
“Alright.”
Meanwhile Bck Rat pressed his back against the tunnel walls, sweating bullets. Earlier wheried to get into the cave he ran into Bloody Edge and was almost discovered.
His thoughts moved wildly as he recalled the time a couple weeks ago when they met in a bandit stronghold. Sihen, Hotpot had oftehe topic of versation, and he followed them closely.
Now that he saw Bloody Edge again, he khat the thief wasn’t w alone and robably w with the other party members he met earlier, thus he quickly escaped into the tunnels.
After a while Bck Rat thought it would be safe to return but when he sneaked back, he just happeo arrive shortly after Liam and the others.
Bck Rat was shocked when Bleary Mirage almost found him and hastily retreated again.
Oher hand, he was amazed by the man’s sharp senses. He realized that Bleary Mirage was most likely the most outstanding member of Hotpot and a spark of petitiveness lit up in his heart.
Bck Rat kept perfectly quiet, waiting for the voices to subside before he dared to sneak back. He took out special tools which allowed him to stick to walls and advanced along the ceiling, passing through another opening.
He came just in time to see Radiant Shield collied with a rat the height of a human covered in hundreds of spikes sharper than spears.
Bck Rat’s eyes sed the cave and immediately lit up. In a small hollow at the rear of the cave id a few rocks permeated with silvery veins half-hiding some chests behind them. The thief had found his target, and now he only o wait for an opportunity.
Liam was fully focused on fighting the boss. As soon as Radiant Shield drew aggro, he appeared behind the rge rat, his ultimate ready, his skills flowing like water.
The rat boss lost almost two thousand HP before holy light exploded above its head.
[-534!]
However, its ability to reflect damage was even strohan that of the on rats. Liam was hit with five hundred points of damage, causing shock among his friends.
Melodious Edelweiss immediately began using her [Song of Healing].
Meanwhile the others weren’t idle. Final Fend swung his on, trying to the boss in s. Unfortunately, his [ Lock] skill failed, the boss proving its resistao spells.
Suddenly Bloody Edge appeared behind the boss. A bright light spread, melting the rat’s armor. The thief made good use of the ce, his daggers stabbing deep into the boss’s skin.
[-549!]
[-275!]
However, even though the boss’ armor had melted, this unfortunately didn’t affect its passive, refleg close to 200 points of damage ba Bloody Edge.
The same painful lesson had to be learnt by Watchful Eye when his staff covered in fmes smmed into the rat’s fnk.
[-625!]
However, the boss still felt the pain as a look at its status revealed.
[Spiked Earth-eating rat bossRank: Boss
Level: 24
HP: 4437/8400]
An angry hiss came out of the rat’s mouth. It did a small jump, curling up its body into a ball, leaving only its dangerous spikes visible. Borrowing force from who-knows-were the rat’s body suddenly rolled through the cave like a on ball.
Rocks shot through the air while the rat carved a deep path into the floor, taking aim at Braag.
“Old man, be careful!”
“Who are you calling old?!”
Hearing Final Fend’s address, Braag’s mouth twitched. He saw the massive spikes aiming for his body and hastily jumped to the side. But his smaller dwarven body proved detrimental as he didn’t cover enough distance.
Braag groaned form the paihe boss’s skill hit him. Luckily the game wasn’t brutal enough to directly impale him and he was only flung to the side. But the damage was still siderable.
[-1688!]
Watg the se caused everyoo flinch, especially when the damage was revealed.
But a momehe healing tick emitted by Melodious Edelweiss arrived although the 226HP didn’t all to immediately recover.
However, as if angered by the bard’s as, the boss immediately ged dire and aimed for Melodious Edelweiss.
The woman was startled notig the boss’s as, but her rea was good. She stopped her singing and lunged herself to the side.
“Ouh!”
A low shout escaped her mouth as she collided with the rough floor.
Watg everything happening, Liam showed a heavy frown.
“I uand it with Edelweiss, but you, Braag, should at least try to use Fsh Step! If you are hit either way, it doesn’t even matter.”
“I…”
Braag tried to refute but he khat Liam was correct. He pulled himself up and apologized with a sigh.
“Don’t worry. Now that we have new members, I’ve already pnned more training sessions. I’m sure you will learn.”
A shiver ran down Braag’s spine while Melodious Edelweiss looked forward to it. She joihe guild in order to grow both as a person and as a pyer, and would be happy about every opportunity.
Melodious Edelweiss didn’t know what the training looked like as Fortune didn’t include it in her videos. Notig everyone’s rea she gowards Fortune, who was about to collide with the boss.
The geous woman was still casting her skill. Grittieeth she stared at the rat quickly closing the distance.
A grating sound echoed in the hall, apanying the fierce attad exerting pressure on Fortune.
She recalled the training and closed her eyes, fog on the mana in her body. Struggling to uphold her cast, she slowly introduew mana.
But suddenly her skill threateo go out of trol. She hastily paused the attra of new mana and trated on her skill. A momehe mana resumed its smooth flow.
Fortune was just about to tihe fsh step, when she suddenly felt a heavy impact sm into her chest.
Her eyes shot open as she let out a low shout and soured through the air.
[-1801!]
Fortune was shocked by the massive damage leaving her with only 900HP remaining. Knowing that Melodious Edelweiss couldn’t heal as much as balm, she immediately took out a healing potion and dowhe bitter red liquid.
[Basic Health Potion x1
Category: on
Effect: Heals 400HP immediately and 10%(HP) per sed for three seds. Capped at 1000HP
Every adventurer’s best friend. Never leave the town without it.]
[+400!]
However, Melodious Edelweiss had moved at the same time. She sang a high note while plug her lute. Her passive as a bard allowed her to transform her normal ‘attacks’ depending on what she pyed on her lute.
Apanied by the warm voice, a green note glided through the air, falling on Fortune’s head.
[+453!]
The mage shot a warm look to the bard, mainly to avoid Liam’s admonishing eyes.
“It seems you all got rusty after a three days break. e, let me expin it again.”
As Liam tialking, the boss made aurn, aiming straight for him. The veteran appeared as if unaware of the danger, letting his eyes wander over the party.
“If you want to perform a fsh step, you have to introduce the mana into your body and spread it evenly. Let every cell enter a highly eic state and then…”
Liam drew out his speech for a moment, waiting until the boss was right before him. Suddenly a few sparks erupted, and Liam appeared some distance away.
“Did you get it?”
Melodious Edelweiss’s eyes lit up brightly, looking forward to learning this trick while Final Fend’s grumbling voice could be heard:
“Show-off.”
Hearing this from her brother Silver Bde couldn’t help but ugh.
