Chapter 9 Part3 (1/2)
<chapter 9.=”” anti-skull=”” -=”” 3=””>
Lee s.h.i.+n Woo, the 12 Pauls, as well as the King Slime that tried swallowing them all, were bravely struggling and continued on for no less than 20 minutes.
If the environment hadn't been a cramped underground s.p.a.ce, the battle might've already been over, but because the King Slime couldn't even charge properly, the level 3 Poison Skeletons were somehow able to stand against it.
”Put in some more effort, Paul!”
[I'm Paul 10!]
[Gureureureureuaaah!]
”Nice, you're blocking it well, Paul 10. I'm shooting one more time!”
[The Low Rank Catapult skill has become Lv2. The launching speed increases. Agility has increased by 1.]
While the 12 Pauls were busy holding off the King Slime's offensive, Lee s.h.i.+n Woo used the Pauls as a moving trench to protect himself; so long as his mana would allow it, he would continuously shoot his Grenade. He had thought this before, but there was nothing more rea.s.suring than having reinforcements blocking off the enemy!
[Gureureuoooooh!]
Whenever a portion of the King Slime's body burst, it would desperately collect the mana from those pieces, and though it would've been better if the flames had stuck, they at least forced a significant amount of mana to be condensed into its main body.
Rather than cleaving its core and killing it, he needed to slowly condense its mana, whether it be by fire, or explosions, as that would help him get the core!
If it didn't look like a core would come out, then he would use his Flames of Revenge, even if it meant sacrificing the Pauls. Thankfully he was really lucky.
[Ugh, it's too strong...!]
[Hold it back, comrades! Our pain will be the foundation that unlocks our future!]
[Paul Twelve...!]
In the midst of the intense battle, it seemed as though the Pauls had formed a deep sense of camaraderie. Lee s.h.i.+n Woo hated his body, which couldn't eat popcorn, and shot a Grenade at the King Slime.
Lee s.h.i.+n Woo was excited about how many stats its core would give him, and was counting his chickens before they hatched. But at that moment, the King Slime quickly rolled its body and dodged the launched finger!
”What!?”
[Gureureuk...!]
Lee s.h.i.+n Woo momentarily did a double take. He then saw that it's flesh had been torn off from the constant Grenades in the past 20 minutes, and the size of its body had lessened to an extent that it could move now, even in this narrow s.p.a.ce.
Furthermore, during the battle, a few of the Pauls had died, so there was a gap in their encirclement; at that moment, the King Slime didn't lose the opportunity and had begun its counteroffensive!
[Ggureuk!]
[Keuaaaaahk!]
[P-Paul Three!]
They couldn't cope with its swift movements and Paul 3 was struck by its charge. At that moment, it focused its Acid Poison at one point and spewed it! Paul 3 melted instantaneously and in its place, only a single shabby bone remained.
[Paul Threeeeeeeeeeeeee!]
”Get a hold of yourselves you guys. Don't lose track of its movements!”
Lee s.h.i.+n Woo gritted his teeth and shot a Grenade. Immediately after his attack, he would've taken advantage of the explosion's opening and hit it again, but something truly astounding occurred. Before the Grenade burrowed into its body and exploded, the shot melted away without a trace.
He didn't know what kind of conditions it satisfied to become like this, but he was sure that the King Slime's poison had been instantaneously strengthened! It might've even been comparable to the Acid Ghoul's!
”That b.a.s.t.a.r.d...”
[Gureureureuk!]
Then, the King Slime emitted a peculiar sound, as if it were mocking them, and vibrated its body. Compared to before, its body was definitely dyed in a deep green.
[Its poison has gotten stronger.]
[Ours bodies melt away just by getting close.]
The sickening deadly poison mist filled the narrow s.p.a.ce. At that moment, the Poison Skeletons trembled as they were completely stuck within the poison mist. They had briefly forgotten how terrifying acid poison was after being reborn as Poison Skeletons!
[Gureureureuk!]
”Tch, it's troublesome if you all die already!”
The King Slime thought it had an opportunity, and attempted to sweep away all of the Poison Skeletons at once by spreading its deadly poison, but before it could do so, Lee s.h.i.+n Woo charged and rammed into its body.
In the process of hunting it down, he could sacrifice the Poison Skeletons one by one, but he couldn't helplessly lose all of his s.h.i.+elds all at once!
[Gureuk!?]
Because its body had shrunk, its weight had also lessened; the King Slime couldn't endure Lee s.h.i.+n Woo's charge and powerlessly bounced while being blown away.
However, there was something more important than that. Despite being in contact with the strong Acid Poison, the poison which melted rocks in one fell swoop, he flawlessly endured and was still standing.
[You have been affected by the King Slime's strengthened Acid Poison. Low Rank Acid Resistance has successfully resisted 90% of the damage.]
[The Low Rank Acid Resistance skill has become Lv8.]
”Good...As long as I don't get stuck inside its body, I can endure it.”
Since the index finger bone lodged into its body instantly melted away, he was secretly quite worried, but it seems as though his main body was able to endure its Acid Poison through a combination of his Harden and Acid Resistance skills. Though he did receive some injuries, he could heal this much damage with Regeneration instantly.
[Gureureureureuk!]
It seemed like the King Slime realized that Lee s.h.i.+n Woo wasn't an opponent it could overcome by just thoughtlessly spewing its poison around as it gradually began to retreat.
Lee s.h.i.+n Woo hadn't come at it from the front and just trivially attacked it from the rear with flames or bullets, yet the fact that he actually possessed the toughest body here slightly shocked the King Slime. ...And honestly, the King Slime wasn't the only one shocked.
[H-How is he still alive even after taking that poison...!]
[W-We can't win. The test was a failure. In the end, we were cursed; by melting us all, that slime will completely bury us in darkness...!]
”You guys just sit in the back and watch.”
The Pauls' bones shook, like leaves in the wind, and Lee s.h.i.+n Woo saw them retreat; therefore, he decided to completely forgo using them as s.h.i.+elds any longer.
Their willpower was already down in the dumps and even if they were to step forward once more, he didn't know how much longer they'd last against the King Slime. And...
'The fact that the second phase has begun means that the King Slime's health and magic are slowly reaching their limit. It's definitely worth a try, as long as I can block its poison.'
Of course, it still possessed a combination of strength and speed befitting a level 4 elite monster, but Lee s.h.i.+n Woo was also receiving the Avenger skill effect. He decided that he could definitely win.
He forcefully gripped Bone of Thunder Lasting with both hands and activated Combat Sprint, taking the initiative by charging at it first. The King Slime noticed and quickly bounced its body.
[Gureureuk!]
”Heup...!”
It was an absurdly fast reaction speed. If he didn't make full use of his temporarily heightened visual acuity, he would lose track of it. The instant Lee s.h.i.+n Woo read its trajectory, he vertically cleaved downwards!
”Ha!”
He firmly stiffened his body with magic, and his sword fell with a force that could cleave the earth, clas.h.i.+ng with the King Slime flying in from the front. However, rather than being pushed back, he exerted his strength and pushed downwards with his sword!
[Gooooooooooooh!]