Rewinding time a little—
-It is difficult to explain the exact circumstances, but if I get two kills with the sword, the weapon will grow. That is worth pinning our hopes on, but the problem is…
-You need two kills.
While facing the Adult Basilisk, Rough and Kiting exchanged whispers whenever they found an opening.
-Right. Even if I kill the chicken, there is no way to get the remaining kill.
-I think I can solve that.
-Hm? No, how?
Rough flinched and reflexively turned toward Kiting.
-I have something called a Super Elixir.
-A Super Elixir? That…
Before Rough could ask what it was, Kiting shared the item information.
[Super Elixir]
[Grade: Epic]
[Revives a dead character. Upon revival, HP, MP, and all status ailments are fully recovered, and no death penalty is incurred.]
-…What? No, where did you get something like this?
‘What a completely broken potion…’
Rough had been grumbling when Kiting’s explanation left him speechless.
-It was a pre-registration reward. I never had a reason to use it, so I had left it sitting in my Inventory.
‘Ah, a pre-registration reward… I got something even better from that…’
-Are you sure it is okay to use it here? It feels wasteful to use it in a place like this.
-It is fine. Unless it is a situation like this, I doubt I will ever die. More importantly—
Kiting paused his whisper for a moment before continuing.
-If the weapon grows, can we defeat that Boss Monster?
-I cannot be certain, but we will at least have a chance. Let us lower its HP first.
-No. We do not have time, and we only have one chance. Let us do it right away.
-If you do it while at full HP, the pain will be considerable.
-I have endured worse. It will not be a problem. Besides, the Pain Synchronization Rate is only 35%, right? I can handle it.
With Kiting’s meaningful words, their whispered conversation came to an end.
***
“Rough! How could you harm an ally?! Do you even realize what you have just done?!”
Jaar fiercely criticized Rough’s actions.
“It is fine. He will revive soon anyway.”
“Revive? What do you—”
“It would take too long to explain! Just keep that monster busy for now!”
“Once this is over, you will explain everything to me.”
After sending Jaar away, Rough mercilessly cut down the chicken lying at Kiting’s feet as well.
With that, all the growth conditions had been fulfilled.
A notification soon appeared before Rough.
[All conditions required for the growth of the Rusted Iron Sword Lv. 1 have been fulfilled!]
[The Hidden Option will be unlocked, and the weapon will grow!]
Saaaaaah—
Rough’s Rusted Iron Sword was enveloped in light.
First, he needed to revive Kiting.
Putting off checking the weapon, Rough used the Super Elixir first.
“Ugh, I feel wide awake.”
Kiting, revived as though nothing had happened, brushed himself off and stood up.
“More importantly, did the growth go well?”
At Kiting’s question, Rough finally checked the transformed weapon.
[Giant Beast-Slaying Sword Lv. 30]
[Grade: Rare]
[Classification: Equipment Item]
[Durability: 2,500/2,500]
[Attack Power: 165]
[Description: A sword that has completed its growth to suit the situation its owner faces. It is specialized for dealing with massive beast-type monsters.]
[Special Option: Additional Damage against massive beast-type monsters +40%]
[While equipped, the Skill, 《Point Severing》, can be used.]
‘…This is insane.’
A curse of admiration slipped out naturally.
The most eye-catching part was its Attack Power.
It was nearly twice that of the Poison-Infused Revolver.
Then there was the Special Option.
An additional 40% damage against massive beast-type monsters, along with a Skill.
Every option was perfectly suited to overcoming their current crisis.
‘We reached Level 30 after killing the Juvenile Basilisk, so I can equip it without a problem.’
Rough quickly checked the Skill.
[Point Severing]
[Grade: Intermediate]
[Active Skill]
[Consumes a certain amount of MP to unleash a powerful sword aura that deals 388% damage. The longer one charges energy, the more MP is consumed, but the greater its power becomes.]
Compared to Heavy Blow, both its Grade and power were on an entirely different level.
“Yes. Thanks to you, it turned out unbelievably well.”
Rough exclaimed quietly.
Kiting felt the same.
‘It had clearly been a worthless junk item. What did he do to make it change like that?’
But they had no time to leisurely admire it.
[Ally, Jaar’s HP has fallen below 40%.]
A warning notification flashed red.
Leaving Jaar alone to face the Basilisk in order to buy time had placed a tremendous burden on him.
“Tch! Cover me like before!”
“The weak points are probably the back of its neck, the solar plexus, and its face, just like the Juvenile Basilisk! Focus your attacks there!”
To save Jaar, Rough immediately kicked off the ground and charged forward.
“Kieeeeeeeek!!”
The Basilisk, which had been pinning Jaar down with its foreleg, spotted Rough and swung its tail.
“Come at me!”
Rough did not dodge.
After investing every Stat Point from his Level-ups into Strength—
He confronted it head-on, intending to test his new weapon’s power.
“Heavy Blow!”
Claaang!!
A sound like metal colliding with metal rang out as the Basilisk’s tail was knocked away.
Rough did not stop there and swung his sword once again.
“Point Severing.”
Whoooosh!!
A pale-blue crescent-shaped sword aura cleanly severed one of the creature’s horns.
“Kie?”
[The Adult Basilisk recognizes you as its most threatening enemy.]
The creature opened its mouth and pulled its head far back.
It was the tell for its breath attack.
“You think I will fall for that twice?!”
Having suffered through it once, Rough lunged away as if having a fit.
“Point Severing.”
The sword aura shot toward the creature again with terrifying force.
But it only cut through empty air.
The Basilisk had dodged it.
Despite its enormous size, it was unexpectedly agile.
“Hey, do you see that?”
While keeping the Basilisk in check, Kiting gestured toward several points along the outer walls and ceiling.
“What about them?”
“Those cracks. Do you think we could collapse them by striking them? They might be useful.”
Looking closely, Rough saw that the places Kiting had indicated were indeed cracked.
They had formed from the aftereffects of the battle, including the Basilisk’s rampage.
His eyesight was remarkable.
“You break them. Out of the three of us, you are the only one who can.”
Kiting was right.
His main weapon, a bow, could not break down cavern walls.
A bow was meant to inflict critical wounds on a narrow area from a distance, not cause widespread destruction.
Jaar was exhausted, and his mobility was lacking.
At present, Rough—who had a powerful weapon and a high-damage Skill—was the perfect choice.
But one obstacle remained.
“That sounds great, but how am I supposed to get that high up?”
“Use this.”
Kiting handed him a book.
It was 《Double Jump》, one of the main spoils from Tanlin Plains alongside the Goblin Chieftain’s Gloves.
“Huh? Can I really just take this?”
“We do not have time.”
“I will take it because of the situation, but I will definitely repay you.”
While Rough used the Skill Book, Kiting assigned their roles.
“Jaar, cover Rough. I will support you from a distance as much as possible.”
“Understood.”
Having learned the Skill, Rough immediately launched himself toward the nearest crack.
“Heavy Blow!”
Boom!!
One strike from Rough easily brought down one side of the cavern wall.
Soon, spiderweb-like cracks rapidly spread through the surrounding area.
Without hesitation, Rough headed for the next crack in the ceiling.
As though it could no longer stand by and watch—
The Basilisk’s foot flew toward him.
‘Huh? It is still an awkward distance to use Double Jump. If I get unlucky, I am dead.’
He was in midair, where there was no way to respond.
Fortunately, he was not alone.
Claaang!!
Following Kiting’s instructions, Jaar blocked the creature’s foot.
“Urgh… Cough!”
The price of stepping in with so little HP remaining was harsh.
[Ally, Jaar’s HP has fallen below 20%.]
‘Damn it!’
Rough’s face twisted in anguish at the urgent notification.
“I am fine, so follow the plan!”
[The effect of Jaar’s Title, ‘Battle-Hardened,’ has activated.]
[Having endured countless battles and hardships, he knows how to survive. Jaar’s fighting spirit and will to live are maximized.]
[All Stats except Defense temporarily increase by 50%.]
[Defense temporarily increases by 70%.]
“Kieeeeeek!!”
Sensing danger, the Basilisk tried to crush Jaar with even greater force.
“Tch! Hold on a little longer!”
Rough immediately activated Double Jump.
His body sprang upward once more through empty air.
“Heavy Blow!”
Rough successfully shattered the crack in the ceiling before landing.
Rumbleeeeeee—!
As several parts of the cavern broke apart, the cavern began collapsing just as Kiting had expected.
“Kiee…ek!”
Looking around at the increasingly violent tremors, the Basilisk was struck by falling debris.
Because of its enormous size, it was gradually buried beneath the rubble.
Its HP decreased, though only slightly.
Everything was going according to plan.
“It will not stay buried for long! Hurry!”
Just as Kiting said, the creature was already trying to escape the rubble.
‘Not happening.’
Rough activated his Personal Trait.
He lowered all of the Basilisk’s Stats as much as possible.
And greatly raised his allies’ Stats.
[Due to the extreme Level gap with the Boss Monster, a penalty is applied.]
[The effect of the Title ‘David and Goliath’ partially mitigates the penalty.]
[Duration: 7 seconds]
[Adult Basilisk]
[Total Combat Power: 15,000 ⇒ 10,964]
[Rough]
[Total Combat Power: 2,312 ⇒ 2,778]
[Kiting]
[Total Combat Power: 2,726 ⇒ 3,012]
[Jaar]
[Total Combat Power: 2,335 ⇒ 2,804]
“Kie?”
With its Stats reduced, the Basilisk tried to rise from the rubble, only to collapse back down.
‘Huh? What is this? My Stats suddenly increased?’
Kiting was greatly surprised by the unexpected change.
‘No idea what happened, but killing that thing comes first!’
Kiting planted his feet shoulder-width apart and firmly anchored his lower body.
Like a massive tree rooted in the earth, he did not waver in the slightest.
Even his stance differed from before.
He calmly nocked an arrow.
Then he raised his bow and slowly pulled back the string.
The drawn bowstring rested against his lips and chin.
A moment later—
Fwoooooosh!!
The arrow left his hand with a sound on a completely different level from before.
Thud!
It pierced through the creature’s Defense and struck precisely between its eyes.
“Kieeeeeeeeeek!!”
The Basilisk writhed in pain.
“Now!”
At Kiting’s signal, Rough launched himself forward.
The instant the creature raised its head—
Rough, now within arm’s reach, delivered the final blow.
“Point Severing!”
Slaaash!!
Rough’s sword aura cleanly split the Basilisk’s face apart.
Its divided face scattered sticky blood before crashing onto the ground.
[The duration of your Personal Trait has ended.]
[You have defeated the Hidden Boss Monster of Basilisk’s Nest, the Adult Basilisk!]
[Linked Quest completed!]
[You have received 1,000 Gold!]
[You have received a massive amount of Experience!]
[You have acquired the Epic-grade equipment, Sarin Armor!]
[Your achievement is worthy of praise!]
[A World Message will be generated in the Myel Region!]