Chapter 16: Debra's death

"The key! Where is the key!" Debra screamed as it rooted through the corpses of the Knights.

Right then, a stone gate situated in a corner of the hall opened and Reaper walked in.

"You're looking for the key?"

The place the Moggie was locked in was right underneath the hall.

Debra recoiled at the sight of Reaper.

"How, how did you…?"

"The key is right here."

As Reaper raised the key from his bag, Debra's eyes became bleary with madness.

Incredible terror blazed in its eyes as it charged toward Reaper. Reaper simply watched Debra with a very strained expression. Then, when Debra was up in front of his nose, he shouted with all his strength.

"Jana do it now."

"Spirit of the Cat!"

Nyaaaaa-!

A black cat form appeared over his head along with a piercing cry.

After Jana became the Cat Knight, the skill went up to Advanced, and the black cat had become 5 times bigger than it was when it was Intermediate.

As the nearly lion-sized black cat glared with golden eyes, the glowering Debra's movements suddenly stopped. And as it convulsed with shivers, it stared at Reaper with disbelieving eyes.

"Ku-kuhhuk! You're a hu-human, how did you…!"

"It wasn't me it was a friend who you might have met before her name Jana."

"How I thought she was dead."

"That a long story that I have to tell at another time."

"The time is now! Attack the bastard!"

Nya, nya, nya, nya, nya, nyang!

As Reaper shouted, the Moggie and hundreds of cats poured out from behind the stone gate. The cats that traversed the hollow at an extreme speed covered Debra and scratched him with their fangs and claws. Debra shook his whole body and burst out in shrieks. Then, at that moment, its mantle suddenly swayed and the black object abruptly dropped to the ground

Her entire body was covered with a furry mass of cats.

'The body has finally been revealed!'

Muhsin's confidence had no doubt stemmed from knowing about Debra's body.

Debra's body was a Gremlin that had received strength from an Illusion spell.

That's why it had brought along disease and famine to the Jackperr territory, and could not help but instinctively fear the natural enemies of small monsters, cats, and the Moggie.

Debra feared having her body's true form revealed.

That it had sealed the temple's key far away and had hidden the physical body it had made with illusions was also due to the same reason.

Unaware of this, the Sylphid Knights had fought the illusion the bastard had created. Of course, its health hadn't dropped and it had appeared immortal. The aura of horror he had thought had plunged the Knights in confusion was also actually an illusion. No wonder it had been impossible to clear it with magic.

'But the truth is just this kind of small monster…'

Debra staggered to its feet and stared at Reaper.

"You, you bastard… how can a human heal Jana's soul from the state that I put her in…?"

"You cowardly mouse shit, you still haven't figured it out? He's a soul healer."

Muhsin smiled sweetly as he tore away at the illusion of Debra.

The illusion of Debra was not even able to move properly because it was covered with the cat swarm.

"Wha-what? Then surely not…?"

"It means she's the natural owner of that power you had so anxiously desired."

"S-shut up! That strength is mine! I won't give it to anyone!"

Debra screamed violently and rushed towards Reaper.

With the Advanced Spirit of the Cat, at the most 50% of the effect was applied, even on bosses like the Gremlin. Although it couldn't completely paralyze its movement, Debra continued to be in a slowed state.

"Reaper, the bastard can no longer use the strength of the Dream while we're holding on. We'll block the apparition, so quickly finish the bastard off. Everyone all-out attack!"

Nya, nya, nya, nya, nya, nyang!

The cats and Moggie let loose yowls devoid of fear and concentrated their attack on the illusion of Debra.

There wasn't a free quest in the world after all. He had thought he'd be able to reap it in after Debra's real body had been revealed because the cats and Moggie were helping but in the end Debra Reaper's responsibility.

Reaper delivered a hard kick to the charging Debra and violently swung his shovel.

"Kyak!"

With the feeling of the shovel lodging itself, Debra stumbled.

When Reaper fought with the bastard's henchman, Black Reaper. Crow, his shovel hadn't really penetrated. But Debra had suffered a great number of blows. Moreover, with the Spirit of the Cat applied, its movement was slowed. When it was blanketed in the illusion, it had given off the feeling of being invincible, but now that the illusion was stripped away, it was weaker than its subordinate.

'If it's just this much, I should be able to fight it no matter what!'

Reaper told Jana to look for Debra's weakness

"Eyes of the Cat!"

As soon as the skill was activated, Jana's eyes were colored with golden light.

Health appeared atop Debra's head, and red points formed on places here and there on its body.

They were Debra's weaknesses that he had detected with Eyes of the Cat. If he focused his attacks on the red points, additional attack power would be applied, as well as a high probability of critical hits.

Jana told reaper where the weak spot where.

Reaper spun around Debra and consecutively thrust in his shovel.

Every time he did so, Debra shook its body like crazy as it swung its cane, but it only struck at the tough ground. Soon 1 minute had passed and the Spirit of the Cat effect should have been released, but the bastard's attacks still couldn't hit Reaper.

But why is something they call a boss this weak? Is it 'cus because the illusion wore off?'

In fact, it was to the point that Reaper became more bewildered. But that was thanks to the ability, which he hadn't realized. The attribute of the Moggie that Jana had acquired through the profession change. Her abilities increased by 30% when he fought all small monsters. That meant it applied to level, attack power, defense, and of course all skills and equipment effects.

Although Reaper level was 19, he was enjoying the effect of actually being level 25. In addition, Dream Weaver Debra's attribute was a Magician. Since a Magician was only able to block spells, it was no different from an ordinary Gremlin boss. As a boss, even if it were a Gremlin with enhanced abilities, Reaper could definitely fight it by himself.

Reaper's excitement grew anyways.

His body was as light as a feather and it wasn't that bothersome to swing the shovel.

Even then, Reaper continued and pressed against Debra. Every time he struck a weak point, its life dropped bit by bit. After 10 minutes had passed, Debra's body turned red.

It had fallen into critical condition!

Of course, no matter how highly skilled he was, Reaper couldn't avoid all the attacks. He would occasionally suffer an attack, and his Health would be cut down to half. 

Jana eyes flashed.

"Spirit of the Cat!"

The sharp yowl pierced right through Debra's body.

Once again, its movements was slowed as it convulsed. Reaper bent his body low to avoid the flying front claw and struck its leg. The leg broke without resistance, and Debra toppled to one side.

Reaper thrust his shovel downwards towards Debra's completely exposed throat.

"This is your end, Debra!"

[You have struck a fatal blow!]

As the shovel pierced the throat of Debra, who received extreme damage, quivered violently. Its tongue stuck and lolled out. Debra and the illusion Debra had made gradually faded and completely disappeared.

'We defeated it!'

Although the true body's skill level was no different than the Demon crow, Debra was an extremely high level boss monster.

Actually, this ruin was already a place open to the public. However, no one had been able to take down Debra. First of all, the reason was that it was impossible to break Debra's illusion without the key.

That was why the quest had specified that only a Cat Knight could do it.

Anyways, his level went up by 3 in a single burst with Debra's defeat.

And as a message that he had completed the 'Defeat Dream Weaver Debra' quest popped up, he gained yet another level, bringing him up to level 22.