-425- The unexpected situation

The battle against the 75th-floor boss had officially begun at this moment.

Under Rozen's command, the clearing group of over seven hundred players bravely rushed forward, as if they were driving away their own fear and dread, charging towards The Skull Reaper.

However, this was not a blind charge; everything was coordinated under Rozen's command.

First and foremost, Rozen had the tank team equipped with powerful shields move to the front line to block The Skull Reaper's dreadful bone scythes.

If the tanks were focused on defense and armed with the highest defense shields, it should be challenging for The Skull Reaper to instantly kill players with a single strike. The only problem was how to block The Skull Reaper's attacks.

Despite The Skull Reaper's colossal size, rivaling that of buildings, its speed was astonishing.

Its numerous bone legs propelled its massive body like a real locomotive, ramming and charging without restraint.

Getting close to it, let alone catching up, was incredibly difficult.

Even someone like Heathcliff, with his cross shield capable of defending against The Skull Reaper's bone scythes, couldn't stop its charges.

Once in a grapple with The Skull Reaper, the entire person would be continuously pushed backward, scraping against the ground, unable to stop.

In such a situation, The Skull Reaper's attack speed became even more terrifying.

Regular players couldn't even think about blocking. Because by the time they reacted, the sharp bone scythes had already sliced through their bodies, leading to instant death.

So, even attempting to block was a near-impossible feat, making The Skull Reaper extremely formidable.

At this moment, Rozen's presence became crucial. With his "Mind's Eye" skill, Rozen had long seen through all of The Skull Reaper's movement patterns. He calmly and loudly issued countless commands.

At times, Rozen had the meat shields form a defensive formation in an open space, waiting there.

Occasionally, he had the hit and run teams attack The Skull Reaper's bone legs.

And on certain occasions, Rozen had Kirito, Heathcliff, Klein, Agil, and even Asuna engage The Skull Reaper in direct combat.

These seemingly unrelated instructions all worked together remarkably in the end.

For instance, as soon as the meat shields formed their defensive formation and raised their shields, they found that The Skull Reaper had charged over, and its bone scythes were effectively blocked.

The attacks on The Skull Reaper's bone legs aimed to trigger a dismemberment effect and disrupt its formidable mobility.

Engaging The Skull Reaper head-on was extremely perilous, but Kirito, Asuna, and their group, armed with exceptional skills and sword techniques, could at least withstand a single fatal blow.

They followed Rozen's instructions to lure The Skull Reaper to suitable locations, where the meat shield players' defensive formations.

During this time, Rozen also coordinated with Saichou and Hanachou's negative status skills, applying the most troublesome hindrances at the most opportune moments.

Despite their short duration, these skills proved highly effective, disrupting The Skull Reaper's momentum and providing a lifeline during moments of real danger.

Rozen's voice remained calm and concise throughout, guiding all 737 players as if he were personally coaching each of them. His instructions to each player were given at precisely the right moments, with no interference between them.

In such a scenario, the unique skill holders, Kirito and Heathcliff, were utilized to the fullest by Rozen. One focused on delivering rapid output with two swords, while the other concentrated on defending against the boss. The formidable Skull Reaper was effectively suppressed.

The Skull Reaper's terrifying roars filled with anger and pain echoed continuously.

Its HP bar had a total of five, but in less than twenty minutes, three of them were depleted. Witnessing this, the players finally dispelled their fear and trepidation of the 75th-floor guardian boss.

They realized the reliability of Rozen's abilities, and as a result, they became more disciplined, courageously fighting against the enemy.

Rozen, on the other hand, had initially tested The Skull Reaper's capabilities but then withdrew to the rear, focusing entirely on directing the 737 players and his two familiars.

This wasn't just because Rozen needed to issue timely instructions to each player, which required extensive calculations and thinking.

It was also because he needed to remain vigilant for any special skills or attack patterns The Skull Reaper might employ.

Under Rozen's vigilant leadership, right up to the moment when the fourth HP bar was depleted and the fifth HP bar entered the red zone, The Skull Reaper did not change its attack pattern or employ any special skills.

The Skull Reaper's trump cards were its tremendously powerful bone scythes and its swift locomotion. As long as these two trump cards were sealed, The Skull Reaper posed no threat.

"Alright!"

Rozen rallied his spirits, and his mind filled with calculations once again. He was ready to use the 737 players and two familiars to take down the most terrifying guardian boss before the 100th floor.

However, at this critical moment, a player left the battlefield and approached Rozen.

"To be honest, Guild Leader Rozen, I admire you a lot," said the player who had uttered these words before leaving the battlefield.

It was Heathcliff, the leader of the Knights of the Blood Oath, and the holder of the unique skill "Holy Sword."

Standing beside Rozen with his Cross Shield tightly gripped, the knight gazed into the distance, as if contemplating and speaking with a mix of admiration and detachment.

"Guild Leader!?" Asuna, who was in the midst of battle, looked over in surprise.

"What are you doing!?" Kirito, wielding dual swords, shouted angrily as he dodged The Skull Reaper's bone scythes, directing his anger toward Heathcliff's direction. "We're in the middle of a battle right now!"

"What's going on!?" Klein and Agil shouted in unison, desperately fighting against The Skull Reaper.

Heathcliff's sudden departure caused a momentary disruption across the entire front line.

Rozen's instructions, initially delivered in a concise tone, momentarily faltered, but then immediately resumed.

"Don't panic! Thirteenth Squad, take his position immediately! Listen to my commands!"

Rozen calmly ordered a tank squad to replace Heathcliff's position, and then his gaze shifted towards Heathcliff.