Chapter 156 - Not Alone

{Storm Invocation has been unlocked}

{Guardians Roar has been unlocked}

The system screens rushed in, one after the other as soon as the hound was absorbed. I didn't bother looking at the items it dropped, I had something else on my mind.

After stashing it all into the inventory, I turned back to the Boss, Karmish and glared daggers.

{Beast's Gluttony has activated}

{Your health bar has been replenished}

"Perfect work, let's go."

My chakrams returned to my hands and I rushed towards the boss. 

Veldor did a good job holding Karmish off with his defensive stance. The buff gave him everything he needed to hold his own until we got there.

Arga charged in with a rough swing and demolished the icy tiles beneath her blade. It crumbled into broken shards and by the time she had pulled her sword out of the ground, the boss moved in to attack.

It lanced forward at Arga but Veldor was right there to block it. Karmish's blade bounced off and took to the sky where it floated for a while before catching it again.

I dove in with my body low and delivered a series of swift slashes. A newfound confidence fueled my strike and kept a stoic expression on my face. I didn't feel fear, I was completely focused on that moment. Instinct and muscle memory controlled my body.

I dodged back and weaved around its attacks, I had an advantage in speed after all.

I cast out my blade and it knocked it away, my hand rose to cast a skill but Karmish moved in and closed the gap. It gripped my wrist and chucked me over its shoulder and into the air. 

Before I knew it, its blade came up for me and I wasn't able to dodge. I blocked it right before impact with my remaining chakram but it hardly helped. I felt an extraordinary force crash into me and I was blown away.

"Gyaaaa–!!" 

I fell to the ground and rolled across the cool ice tiles, my back smacked against the wall and brought me to a stop.

Veldor and Arga charged the beast from the front. Every swing it took, it managed to dodge around it and launch an attack of its own.

Arga's blade collided with Karmish's and they both flew back a few steps. The boss locked its feet into the ground through sheer power alone, it launched forward. Arga stumbled back with an aggressive roll across the floor but used her sword as a hold by burying it into the ground.

She swung herself forward and used the momentum to throw her blade around for a round swing.

Veldor backed her up with his mace but before either of them could land their hits, Karmish's hand rose. An icy wind blew out from its palm and hit them with the full force of a snowstorm.

That bastard has magic too?!

I dove in and struck with my blades but Karmish avoided them with ease. It was as if it had learnt my moves and saw through every movement I made. 

My fighting style, although rough around the edges, was my fighting style nonetheless. It saw through me and broke down my movements to the T. It anticipated every swing, step and lunge I threw at it and managed to hit back twice as hard.

My arm struck forward and it caught me with its free hand. Its grip tightened and then kicked the other blade out of my hand. Karmish's body spun around and delivered a gut-wrenching blow to the stomach.

Veldor ran in and rammed the boss with his shield, managing to keep it at bay but not for long. It used its massive sword to push Veldor back and suddenly, a look of worry overcame him.

"What's the plan here, Rei? Seriously…I can't hold out much longer!"

Arga wiped away the blood from her mouth and let out a series of heavy breaths,

"Not that I don't like fighting but…I agree with the shield-head. This isn't looking good!"

Both of them were as exhausted as I was, yet our enemy didn't get tired. Fighting the undead was by far the worst experience I had ever had as an adventurer, and the most painful too.

Yet somehow…I didn't feel upset about it. 

A grin formed on my face.

"I don't know why but…I'm getting really worked up!" My hand rose, "Don't worry guys, let me take the lead on this, just back me up!"

{Dragons Roar activated}

The raging flames of the dragon burst out like a beam of red-hot fire but Karmish cut through it with its sword. Once the smoke had cleared I was already in front of the boss and cast out both Chakrams.

They flew around it, covered in the green hue of wind magic. Karmish dodged out of their range but they followed after it. 

{Shadow Claw activated}

"You're not getting away."

The large claws gripped into the armour of its backside and kept it in place. I caught my chakram and slashed it across his back. My blades left a shallow scratch in the boss's armour but the shadowy claw that followed after tore straight through.

Karmish raised its shield defensively and blocked my chakram, a moment later Arga dove in and cut through its defence.

It spun around and knocked Arga back but she managed to land back on her feet pretty easily. Veldor jumped into her place and rammed it with his shield, he held it back and gave me the perfect chance to strike.

The grip over my chakrams tightened. Both Shadow Claws hovered behind me, the fingers moved individually and flexed out without my hand moving at all. They responded to my thoughts perfectly and moved without me having to shift my hands.

{Secondary ability for Shadow Claw has been unlocked through high proficiency}

"Looks like even Uriel wants me to end this quickly. I guess there's no other option. It's time to clear this dungeon."

A chilling breath escaped the helm of the boss. A menacing aura surrounded its torn armour as its rusted sword rose off the ice. Its feet moved into an attacking position and a moment later–

Swish!

The blade collided with Arga's, she pushed it away and then Veldor added on to the attack with his mace. It lit up with a raging fire after he chanted out his skill,

"BLUDGEON!!"

Karmish was overwhelmed by the inferno of yellow and red flames and a black sword that crashed into it but still stood up. For a boss, it was nothing short of impressive. No matter what we hit it with, the damn monster never seemed to go down.

If our moves don't do anything to it, then maybe I should let it have a feel against its little pets' best moves.

{Guardians Roar activated}

My hand extended out and a yellow aura formed into the head of the Guardian Hound. Electricity wrapped around its snarling fangs and delivered a powerful cry that shot forward in a wave of thunder.

The boss held out its sword to defend but it was still hit. Electricity clung to its armour and clothing, whatever I did seemed to have worked.

An icon resembling a bolt of electricity appeared beside Karmish's info, above its head.

That's a new status effect…I guess that means it's stunned. If so, it's now or never!

I spun through the air and slashed into its chest, the moment my feet touched the ground I sprung up again and unleashed a spree of deep cuts and slashes.

My arms swung tirelessly and brought the boss's health down to red when suddenly it jolted back into action. 

{Enemy has negated the effects of paralysis}

Karmish and I were locked in a high-speed exchange of blows, my blades against its sword. I was much faster but its technique was no joke, there was no chance I could have won with it blocking my every move.

Suddenly a ray of hope caught my eye, just above its head.

Its health– its health is in the red! We're close!

The cooldown for my Shadow Claws was still on and my mana wasn't high enough for me to go crazy with other skills. 

I had to rely on my physical abilities, but…

It's too strong!

My eyes turned sharp as I braced for another hit. Karmish swung its blade and blew away the pillar beside me in a swift strike. I tumbled back, just narrowly avoiding the hit and Karmish charged in after me.

"I guess that's the difference between levels, you're an insanely strong monster and I can't beat you as I am now."

{Ice Walker Commander: Karmish The Great Lv40}

I grinned,

"Good thing I'm not fighting alone."

Arga and Veldor rushed in beside me. The three of us rushed it head-on. 

Karmish resisted with a powerful swing but Veldors defence cut it off instantly, before it could pull away, Arga came down on the boss with all her might.

Karmish fell back, unable to keep up with our linked movements and constant attacks. Falling back through the air, it raised its hand and a snowy bubble of air surrounded its bony hand. It was aimed at Veldor and Arga, they weren't going to dodge in time and his shield wouldn't do a thing to block that.

I rushed ahead of them and raised my hand to my side. I stared through the tiny slits of the boss's helm and glared intensely.

{Cooldown for Shadow Claw: 4…3…2…1…}

"I'm through playing with a bag of bones. Walking experience points shouldn't get so cocky after all!"

{Shadow Claw activated}

The massive claws flew through the air and sunk themselves into the boss's body. The back of its chest plate crumbled against the ground as the shadowy appendages forced it through the floor.

{Congratulations! You have slain the boss of the Dungeon}