Chapter 803: Rank 1 (5)

The Sniktura Raid at the Arta Secret Base is divided into three main phases. The first phase involves restoring testing site equipment while your MP is sealed. During this phase, the Sniktura only fights using its basic attacks and passive abilities, and the standard strategy is simply to endure. Well, it is technically possible to defeat the Sniktura during this phase, assuming the party’s equipment and passive setups are excellent enough to deal sufficient damage to a rank 1 monster without MP.

Anyway.

Once the testing site restoration is complete, the second phase begins. From this point onward, ranged damage dealers are able to use a sliver of regenerated MP to attack the Sniktura…… The most important thing here is to keep the Sniktura contained within the central area.

This prevents it from using its skills. Of course, we made a major mistake during this part of the raid……

Anyway.

The third and final phase is pretty straightforward. As its health is whittled down, the Sniktura’s second passive ability, [Flash Before Death], activates, triggering its enrage pattern and during this you just need to endure. [Flash Before Death] grants it immense physical bonuses until the battle ends, but the skill will steadily drains its health in proportion to the duration. As long as you can just hold out, the raid will succeed.

And……

“M-My magic power is surging!”

“My divine power is as well!”

There isn’t supposed to be a phase during the Sniktura raid where everyone’s resources recover like this. After all, the Sniktura isn’t the main boss of the Arta Secret Base.

If you defeat the Sniktura, receive the linked quest, defeat the boss on the Island of the End, and return to the testing site, you will be presented with two choices.

Receive the reward and end the quest. Or challenge the final boss, Arta, who has mutated into a mechanical monster.

If you choose the latter, a new raid will start in this testing site and this field effect is activated.

[Field Effect – Core of the Earth is applied.]

[The Origin of Earth grants all authorities.]

[All resources that you possess are set to 100%.]

The MP, which had been fixed at zero while containing the Sniktura at the central area, instantly replenishes. No, maybe it’s a bit different from simply replenishing?

[You have cast Giantization.]

My previously suppressed body swelled in size, but I didn’t feel any sensation of my MP decreasing. That is the power of the field effect.

Fixed at 100%.

This means that resources are never consumed.

[You have used Wild Outburst. Your Threat Level has temporarily increased by 3x, and your Physique stat increase in proportion to that value.]

Only after growing larger and letting out a battle cry did the Sniktura’s gaze finally fix solely onto me. Up until now, its aggro had been erratic. Well, the Threat Level threshold to gain aggro for rank 1 monsters is quite high.

“……Creepy.”

My heart tightened as I stared into the Sniktura’s eyes that was now able to use its skills

Can I endure this?

I can’t afford to entertain such a question. What’s needed now isn’t doubts.

“Sven Parav! Heal Beleg!”

“Y-Yes……!”

“Everyone else, fall back! Erwen! You too!”

“Huh……?”

“Cancel [Elementalization] immediately and fall back to use [Concentrated Fire]!”

“Yes……!”

“Everyone except Erwen, use all the defensive abilities you have without holding back!”

This is why a clear command structure is crucial. Even without giving a detailed explanation, in this urgent situation everyone quickly moved into position as if they had practiced it beforehand.

[Erwen Fornacci di Tersia has cast Concentrated Fire.]

Erwen was the key to this plan. After all, she was the reason we could even attempt such a gamble in the first place.

[During the Concentration State, all damage taken is absorbed using Soul Power.]

With the advantage of MP not being consumed, Erwen couldn’t be damaged by anything during the raid. However, the reason for having her fall back was simple. Stuns, confusion, knockbacks, etc… Even if she could ignore damage, there were still other ways to break the Concentration State……

Slither.

The Sniktura, seemingly confused by its suddenly recovered power, finally began to move after briefly assessing the situation. Starting with something simple……

[Sniktura has cast Seed of Destruction. A random character within range will be dealt unavoidable damage.]

This was the very same basic attack skill that had taken out Beleg with one hit. However, the danger of this attack felt distinctly different from before. Explorers at our level typically have at least one defensive skill.

[Arua Raven has cast rank 3 support magic Magic Barrier.]

[Meland Kaislan has cast Defensive Stance.]

[Lilith Marrone has cast rank 4 summoning magic Anti-Magic Stone. All characters within radius have their Magic Resistance……]

Taking the same punch with preparation versus without is clearly different.

“Kuhak……!”

“Mr. Kaislan……!”

“I-I’m fine……”

Of course, befitting a rank 1 monster’s basic attack, each hit still packed tremendous punch.

But……

[Sven Parav has cast Prayer of Protection. 30% of the damage taken by the target of the prayer is converted into Divine Power.]

[Sven Parav has cast Spring of the Rising Moon. Summon a totem that periodically emits healing waves.]

[Sven Parav has cast Area Healing……]

Even if he’s just a ‘Paladin,’ with infinite divine power, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call him a ‘High Priest.’ The problem was me at the front line.

[Sniktura has cast Venom Spray.]

I was being showered in poison without the poison immunity bonus.

[Sniktura has cast Shapeshift.]

In an instant, its body grew in size, closing the distance between us, making distance control meaningless.

[Sniktura has cast Life Steal. Absorbs the Health of all characters within radius.]

Sometimes it even transformed into other rank 1 monsters and used their skills.

[Sniktura has cast Immortal Will. Temporarily increases natural regeneration by +1,000.]

It was frustrating to see the HP we had slowly chipped away at completely restored…… But that only made me focus more intently on the battle, my eyes gleaming with determination.

‘As expected.’

One shot.

[Erwen Fornacci di Tersia is casting Concentrated Fire.]

This was a battle where you had to risk everything on a single shot anyway.

***

[Concentrated Fire]. An active skill that can be acquired by consuming the essence of the rank 4 monster, Litcannon. In truth, this skill isn’t a graduation essence. That’s because there are skills with similar effects but much better performance among the higher-rank essences. [Concentrated Fire] is more of a stepping stone, something to use temporarily before obtaining ‘that skill.’ However, just as one wouldn’t necessarily need to consider efficiency when buying things with unlimited money.

‘When MP is infinite, there’s no reason to consider a skill’s rank.’

Of course, that’s only considering damage alone.

‘What matters is the time it takes to deal that damage……’

How long will I have to wait? How long is the casting time needed to one-shot a rank 1 monster? Honestly, I couldn’t give a definitive answer. Though I pride myself on having faced countless challenges, and intense battles in the game, I’ve never encountered a situation like this.

‘Well, whatever.’

I just have to hold out as long as I can. If it’s impossible even after all this, then it was never going to work in the first place.

[Erwen Fornacci di Tersia is casting Concentrated Fire.]

Releasing the bowstring too hastily is not an option. The goal of this plan is to prevent its passive [Flash Before Death] from activating. If we fail to kill it with one shot and it enters its enrage mode, given this cramped space, none of us will escape death.

Yeah, so……

“Uwaaaaaaaah……!”

I’ll endure. To the best of my ability… No, with every ounce of strength I’ve got.

[Sniktura has cast Expire.]

[Erwen Fornacci di Tersia is casting Concentrated Fire.]

Block what can be blocked.

[Defense successful. Wall of Aegis absorbed all damage.]

Take the hits from what can’t be blocked.

[Sniktura has cast Lethal Poison.]

[Your health is below 40%. The poisoning effect is increased by 4x.]

[Erwen Fornacci di Tersia is casting Concentrated Fire.]

Even the highly inefficient skills I avoid using due to not having consumed the synergy essence yet—I’ll use everything I have.

[You have cast Transcendence. The next skill used will be enhanced.]

[You have cast Soul Dive. While active, 80% of maximum Soul Power is consumed, but natural regeneration is greatly increased.]

In truth, the increase in natural regeneration isn’t that significant. It’s by no means a small amount, but compared to the penalty, it’s usually better not to use it at all. It’s the kind of skill that is better off ignored until obtaining ‘that skill’ which increases in performance the lower your soul power is.

But……

‘With infinite MP, why not use it?’

This wasn’t the time to be picky. I need to use everything at my disposal to endure—.

“…Huh?”

When I came to my senses, everything was pitch black. Not metaphorically, but literally.

“……”

And it wasn’t just dark—it was eerily silent. As if my sense hearing itself was gone.

What the hell is going on?

It didn’t take long for me to understand the situation. I could see red threads glowing in the darkness.

“Shit……”

The red glowing threads extended in all directions, connecting to monsters crouching in the darkness. All of them were monsters I had deep connections with.

Ogre, Vol-Herchan, Deep Sea Giant, Storm Gush……

Is that jumbled-looking one over there the custom essence I made on Basement Floor 1? Looking at it, I think I can see features of three different monsters……

Anyway.

That’s not what’s important right now. I know what this effect is.

A skill belonging to the rank 1 monster, Cryptid.

A malicious character-ruiner, somewhat like the ‘Knight of Hatred’ from the Bloody Citadel, which could randomly downgrade your level.

[Sniktura has cast Omens of Corruption. After a moment, one of your essences will be permanently corrupted.]

You’ve got to be kidding me…… You’re using this now?”

[The corrupted essence will become unusable for 180 days and cannot be erased.]

For a moment my mind went blank, but I quickly pulled myself together and tried to looked at the bright side. At least I’m in a better position than most. Almost all of my essences are graduation essences that I planned to keep forever. Except for one.

‘Please, don’t let it be Storm Gush……’