Chapter 57: Air Spirit Ains
Facing a Spellcaster-class monster would be quite troublesome if players did not possess any passive or automated damage reducing skills. Zhang Yang felt grateful that he could learn a particular skill when he reached Level 30. <Shield Wall> was an active skill that reduced 75% of all incoming attacks for 10 seconds. Before that, he could only fight hoping lady luck was on his side!
Zhang Yang stopped thinking and shouted, "Little Snow, revive me!"
Little Snow suddenly had an epiphany. "Wow, I never knew the experience points could be so much when there's so few people standing! Hehehe... Maybe next time when the boss is almost down, I'll let you guys just die off again!"
"Hey, hey, hey. Isn't that a little too extreme?!"
"What do you think?" Little Snow threw a playful wink at Zhang Yang as she chanted the reviving spell.
"The deadliest housewife ever!" Zhang Yang shook his head, disappointed.
"What did you say?" Drizzler retaliated just as she revived. Zhang Yang walked over to Drizzler and patted her timid little head. "This doesn't concern you, little brat. You're still very far away from being a housewife!"
Little Snow, on the other hand, smiled sexily. "Hey, hey! This elder cousin is not a housewife!"
Sigh, she's not even close to being a pretty lady but how could she have the nerve to behave like a supermodel?!
Zhang Yang did not want to waste more time and quickly commanded, "Open the corpse!"
"Ah hah! Mine!" Drizzler ran over and grabbed the chance to open the corpse.
Fatty Han sadly lost all his chances to open the corpse ever since Drizzler and her cousin joined the party. This little brat collects all the gold coins first like she always do, and only then would she get the equipment.
[Fiery Long Bow] (Green-Copper, Ranged Weapon)
Weapon attack: 99-117
Attack interval: 2.7 seconds
DPS: 40
Equip effect: Forged from the finest of flames, every attack will have a 5% chance to inflict additional 50-70 fire damage.
Level requirement: 20
"Good hands, Drizzler! Very good indeed!" Zhang Yang laughed. "That's an excellent piece of bow!" Drizzler was still a young little girl; immature and playful. She got happy and excited after being praised.
Hundred Shots, 79 points.
Fatty Han, 77 points.
"Fatty, I ain't holding back now!" Hundred Shots swapped for the new equipment as soon as he obtained the weapon. Hundred Shots felt it was disgraceful to be lowest in damage output that tarnished his pride. He did not want people to think that he was dragging the team down!
Fatty Han smiled and waved his hand, "Don't sweat it! We're friends after all!"
Zhang Yang, being startled, forced himself to speak. "So far, our party composition doesn't make sense. If there's a Knight, Thief, or Spellcaster equipment, we'd have no choice but to auction it out! We'll have to quickly set up another team, prioritizing class to not waste anymore equipment! With his 10-man party as a base, we can take on the Professional League. We can even take on the 10-man dungeon, or perhaps even the 20-man!"
[Burning Chest Plate] (Green-Copper, Leather Armor)
Defense: +4
Vitality: +22
Strength: +4
Dexterity: +14
Level requirement: 20
"A Hunter's equipment again!"
"Fatty, you'd better take this one. I've already taken the bow!" Hundred Shots smiled.
Fatty Han took the equipment happily. A character's damage depended highly on the weapon; Hundred Shots' damage power increased to a certain degree after he obtained the new weapon. Fatty Han on the other hand needed a new armor as his HP was the lowest in the party.
Drizzler just began to scold the boss' dead body, "Tch! Stingy boss. Talk so much but so little equipment. Ptui! I spit on your corpse!"
"Ha! Drizzler, the boss might remember this and get back at you the next time we fight it!" Zhang Yang tried to frighten her, and it worked. What if they were to fight this boss again tomorrow and the boss called her "flat" a second time? What would she do then?!
When everything has settled down, the door behind the dead boss' body opened automatically, revealing the pathway that led them to the last boss, Air Spirit Ains. Naturally, they cleared the minions along the way and reached the end.
[Enraged Air Elemental] (Elite)
Level: 23
HP: 50,000
Almost all elemental monsters had the same appearance, the only difference was their color. Water was blue, Earth was brown, Fire was red, and Air was white. The monsters on the pathway were little, having only three to four monsters. However, their numbers matched evenly with their HP; one monster's HP was just as high as the boss'!
"Listen, this kind of monster is often called as Tank Slayer. They're very strong!" Zhang Yang unsheathed his sword. "Ok, here I go!"
Zhang Yang used <Charge> and initiated the fight.
'Dodge!'
'Dodge!'
'<Block>!'
'Dodge!'
Zhang Yang moved around like a fish in the water. He evaded all the monster's attacks with ease; not a single attack landed on him. Seeing Zhang Yang not taking any damage, she pouted her lips and complained, "Hey! Why did you say they were Tank Slayers? They look like nothing but easy kills!"
At that moment, Zhang Yang decided to prank Drizzler and smiled evilly, "Why don't you try and use <Provoke>."
Drizzler wanted to prove him wrong so badly that she did not give a second thought. She used <Provoke>.
'-783!'
'-832!'
'Ding! Player Drizzler has died!'
"@#$%! You sneaky little noob tank! I swear we will never get along ever!" Drizzler exploded in the party channel.
"Haha! I would say that you're an ant who thinks it can carry an elephant, but you'll only know it once you've tried it!" Zhang Yang justified his actions while at the same time slashing the monster.
"Bastard! You'll pay for this!" Drizzler was both puffing with anger and sniffling in tears.
"Cousin! When the monster is left with 5% HP, let the noob tank die!"
"Haha, okay!" Little Snow played along.
Very soon, the monster's HP dropped down to 5%, and Little Snow stopped her healing on Zhang Yang and hummed a random song. However, a Guardian would not have any trouble dodging and nullifying attacks when faced with a physical attack monster. Besides, the monster was just an Elite; its attack were not as fast nor as deadly as a boss, making it extremely easy for Zhang Yang to evade them. The monster fell before he could even lose all his HP.
"Pfft..." Zhang Yang held back his laughter. "R-Revive her!" he laughed.
Drizzler got back up to her feet. She was obviously angry; flares were coming out from her nostril and she stared at Zhang Yang with such wide eyes that you could tell the iris apart from the sclera.
As they continued to move on the pathway, they encountered more minions. They were strong, but Zhang Yang's party was not weak either. As troublesome as it may have seemed, the pathway had been cleared and they arrived at the boss' chamber 30 minutes later.
[Air Spirit Ains] (Green-Copper)
Level: 24
HP: 144K
The boss stood more than 20 meters tall. On its right hand, it was holding a heavy spear even taller than itself; it was weird it could still float so easily above ground. The battle would just be the same as the previous one; only the boss with no minions.
"Ahem!" Zhang Yang cleared his throat loudly, signaling that it was time for his speech.
"This boss is a physical attack type, and they are powerful! Its first skill is <Sonic Pierce>. This skill will be casted on the player with the highest aggro. One attack will deal about 1,500 damage, so Little Snow here will have to always make sure my HP has to exceed 1,200 HP. I will also try to reserve <Block> for this as the skill would only trouble the tank and healer." Zhang Yang paused. "Everyone alright so far?"
"Yeah!"
"Remember this, the second and third skill is very important to everyone. As soon as the battle starts, the boss will cast out 10 gas bombs. These bombs are homing projectiles and explode upon contact, causing 1,200 magic damage to everyone. Now, the good thing is that these bombs are not so fast, so maneuvering away would be easy!"
"Its third skill is probably the most bothersome one ever, <Summon Clouds>. These summoned clouds will chase you at an incredible speed. Now, the clouds itself do not attack but once it's made contact with anyone, it will inflict a 10-second stun effect, proving enough time for the previous bombs to chase up to you!
These clouds can be destroyed! They're about 5,000 HP; easily removed. That's why once the boss releases the little clouds, Fatty Han and Hundred Shots will have to shoot them down. You guys have to make sure they don't touch anyone!"
"This battle is about speed and movement. You can't win this match solely by slouching and hitting the boss!"
"Hoho! This is interesting. Let's give it a go!" Drizzler was breathing heavily with excitement, eager to fight the boss.
"Alright, let's fight and get used to the tactics!" The five of them walked into the battlefield together.
"Here I go!" Zhang Yang initiated the battle with <Charge>.
"To see you standing here in this battle proves that all of you have the potential! But your fight ends here, for I will crush you personally!" Air Spirit Ains swung its spear and furiously thrust it at Zhang Yang.
'Dodged!'
Zhang Yang spread out. The boss' attack was fast, but as long as it was not a skill attack, he could still continue to evade the attacks.
After equipping the new bow, Hundred Shots attacking power reached to that of Drizzler, surpassing even Fatty Han's attack power! Aside from Little Snow the Healer, everyone's attacking power was considered above average. In less than 10 minutes, the boss has lost 10% HP!
"Detestable pest! Die!" Air Spirit Ains let out a loud growl, releasing ten of 1 meter wide white-colored gas sphere from his body. It slowly floated across the battlefield and started chasing everyone.
'Ding! Air Spirit Ains has unleashed <Air Bomb>!'
"Here come the bombs, guys! Mind your steps!" Zhang Yang pulled the boss and started to shift his position away from the incoming <Air Bomb>.
"Puny mortal! I will crush you!" A red light glimmered across the boss' body. It then raised its spear.
'Ding! Air Spirit Ains has used <Sonic Pierce>!'
Zhang Yang's athletic was immediately triggered, activating <Block> in crucial moments.
'<Block>!'
'-117!' <Block> reflected damage.
'-234!' <Shield Bash>.
"Nicely done!"
The boss' skill had a preemptive movement that indicated the attack. Even so, it only provided a tenth of a second's time for the player to activate <Block> to nullify the attack. This ability to grasp the short time to react is not for everyone! The four of them cheered in admiration.
"Guys, be alert here! Don't just stand there and stare!" Zhang Yang hurriedly reminded the team when he saw them gazing at him.
"Stinking little pests! Let's have some fun!" Air Spirit Ains stuck up his butt and let out several fist-sized clouds. These clumps of fart gases floated slowly up into the air and suddenly flew to Drizzler at a shocking speed.
'Ding! Air Spirit Ains has used <Summoned Cloud>!'
"Eww..." Everyone but Zhang Yang frowned in disgust.
This boss was really just putrid.