Former Hero, Solo Play Oriented-Chapter 170
**[Named]**
**[Level 55 Nightmare Amalgamation]**
**[HP 79,944,112 / 100,000,000 (80%)**
The black golem. The final named boss.
A massive body slamming down repeatedly, a seemingly simple special pattern.
But without space to dodge, it becomes a true nightmare.
“Damn...!”
Chris was horrified.
*Crash, crash, CRASH!*
The party’s protection abilities were exhausted after three jumps.
*Thud!*
The golem stomped the ground again.
A fourth jump was coming.
Chris, Beimerung, and Cherni were all ranged classes.
Unlike the counter and movement skills of swordsmen and fighters, each of them possessed a standing invincibility skill they could use without a target.
But with everyone crowded into this tight space, they’d already used up their invincibility skills. There was no time to conserve them for an unfamiliar pattern.
How many more jumps would there be? The fourth was about to come, and there was no way to counter it. Death’s Move allowed *Deathmaster*, the fighter, to reposition, but he couldn’t target the airborne golem.
“Damn it.”
*Whoosh!*
The golem leaped into the air again.
In about half a second, it would slam back down into this small area.
“Quick, back dodge...!”
*Tap-tap!*
But the surroundings were an endless wave of miasma.
Their movement area was confined to the narrow eight-meter circle illuminated by the holy pillar.
Each class’s back dodge covered a distance of about eight meters.
With Chris and her teammates gathered in the center, their back dodges would overshoot the radius of their safe zone.
“Oh no, wait!”
*Gurgle.*
Chris was swallowed by the miasma as soon as she back-dodged out of the safe area.
Deathmaster also tried to dodge backward but was engulfed by the miasma outside the holy barrier.
**[Party member ‘Chris’ has died.]**
**[Party member ‘Deathmaster’ has died.]**
*Splat.*
*Roll.*
Cherni was crushed beneath the golem’s massive body, while Beimerung, who had tried to dodge to the edge, was knocked back.
**[Party member ‘Cherni’ has died.]**
---
This content is taken from fгee𝑤ebɳoveɭ.cøm.
“Heheh, Jae-Wook looks hilarious, squashed flat.”
“Why was I the only one flattened?!”
As Beimerung laughed and Cherni complained, Chris and Deathmaster analyzed the named boss.
“We’ve gotten the hang of its regular patterns, but that special one is no joke.”
“It’s filling the battle area with sticky black fluid and restricting the field to an eight-meter-wide circle. Getting all four party members inside is the first hurdle.”
“How do you think the safe zone locations are determined?”
“Hmm... fixed locations each phase, maybe? The first safe zone was at seven o’clock if we assume north is twelve. The special phase triggered at 80% HP, so if it happens every 20%, it could repeat four times. Or it might just trigger at 80%, 50%, and 20%.”
“Either way, that means at least three more times. Not easy.”
“But we have to do it. We’ve come this far. Since the first clear message hasn’t popped up yet, Rain hasn’t completed it either. Even if she defeated the Lamias ahead of us, she would have taken longer activating all three Divine Marks by herself.”
Chris smirked.
“This is our chance for a first clear. It’s been a long time since we could stay ahead of Rain.”
Beimerung chuckled.
“Heheh, four people giving it their all to beat one solo player in a dungeon where solo play is super disadvantaged?”
“This is our only chance to beat her. When else could we ever win against Rain?”
Chris looked around at her party members.
The hero who once fought alongside them.
Now she walked alone.
Chris could guess a little about Rain’s state of mind.
This world was the one Rain once lived in.
Rain bore a mission no one here truly understood.
Even for someone as close to Rain as Chris, she was only now starting to glimpse her friend’s past.
But there would be many mountains Rain would still need to climb alone.
Her friends needed to be a reliable support she could lean on.
Eyes gleaming with determination, Chris began outlining the plan for their next attempt.
“All right, let’s set a sequence for our protection and invincibility skills.”
---
**[Named]**
**[Level 55 Nightmare Amalgamation]**
**[HP 19,445,007 / 100,000,000 (19%)]**
*Flash, flash, flash!*
A rain of light began falling in the center clearing of the Heavenly Basin.
*Roooar!*
The Nightmare Amalgamation emitted an eerie sound as it continued to spread the miasma across the battlefield.
But this time, it was different. It couldn’t completely flood the clearing. The holy light that poured down created gaps in the black swamp.
“The next safe zone is at twelve o’clock! The path is open!”
*Tap-tap!*
With the golem occupied generating miasma in the center, it wouldn’t jump for a while. Chris’s party members dodged around the miasma-filled gaps, closing in on the Nightmare Amalgamation.
*Roooar!*
The Nightmare Amalgamation shuddered, and chunks of rock began rising from its body. Black stones that formed the golem’s structure floated into the air before crashing back down.
*Bang, bang, BOOM!*
“It’s in its death throes! Watch for the falling rocks, and let’s finish off its remaining HP here!”
**[Divine Descent]**
**[Cooldown: 5 minutes]**
**[Boosts all party members’ stats, attack power, critical rate, and critical damage (Duration: 30 seconds)]**
Chris activated the *Divine Descent*, the Yin-Yang Master’s party buff.
*Fwoosh!*
A blue glow enveloped the party members.
“We’ve held back long enough!”
*ROAAAR!*
Deathmaster transformed into a dragon form, slamming into the amalgamation’s abdomen with *Dragon Fist*, a fighter’s direct-strike skill.
*Bang!*
*Rooooar—!?*
The impact shook the amalgamation, making it rear back as it tried to raise its hole-riddled arms, only to freeze.
Cherni laughed, raising his wand.
“Can’t move now, can you? Finally, crowd control is working.”
The *Water Prison* skill from Cherni’s Undine spirit immobilized the amalgamation. Meanwhile, Chris’s *Seal Talisman* had weakened its crowd-control resistance, making this possible.
*Bang, bang, BOOM!*
Deathmaster dashed in and struck the amalgamation’s body repeatedly, while Chris’s talismans exploded across its surface.
The amalgamation, a form created from pure nightmare, was now meeting its end here.
“Finally, time for the ultimate skill!”
*Bzzz!!*
Beimerung finished a ten-second cast, and blue energy flared from her staff.
The mage’s ultimate skill, *Arcane Burst*.
*Flash!*
*BOOM-BOOM-BOOM!*
The brilliant flash split the Heavenly Basin’s clearing, illuminating the battlefield amidst the rain of holy light.
---
*Ding.*
**[‘Chris’s Raid Party’ has achieved the first clear of the elite dungeon, ‘Heavenly Basin’!]**
The final boss battle was over.
The "Nightmare Amalgamation," defeated by my sword, had reverted to a simple pile of stone.
Shimmering, a beautiful rain fell over the clearing.
The holy rain descended upon the remains of the black stones that once made up the Nightmare Amalgamation.
The stones, which had been darkened by miasma, gradually regained their original color.
“Oh.”
I picked up one of the glowing fragments and couldn’t help but exclaim in admiration.
**[Holy Stone]**
**[Enhancement Item]**
Mithril, which had been exposed to corrupt energy for countless years, had transformed over time.
Purified by the holy power, the mithril had become an incredibly absorbent material, surpassing even high-grade magic stones.
Of course, the energy it contained was only the faint holy power generated by the Divine Mark’s magic circle.
But it was still powerful enough. The first to be enhanced with this Holy Stone would be my beloved sword, Astaroth.
*Bzzz.*
As I placed the Holy Stone onto Astaroth, it absorbed the stone, shining brightly.
**[Astaroth]**
**[Magic Stone Enhancement MAX (Attack Power +100)]**
**[Holy Stone Enhancement 1/10 (Holy Attack Power +10)]**
**[Legendary Grade]**
**[Attack Power: 500]**
**[Anti-Personnel Attack Power: 500, Additional Damage to Humans: +30%]**
**[All Skill Damage Increased by 60%]**
**[Socket 1: High-Grade Red Echo Stone (Lifesteal +300)]**
**[Socket 2: High-Grade Green Echo Stone (Agility +50)]**
...
“Alright, this looks good.”
The newly added "Holy Attack Power" stat.
This stat would be crucial in future battles against demonic beings.
So, Holy Stones were the main loot from this place.
If I wanted to enhance various accessories, I’d have to run this dungeon multiple times.
Satisfied with the newly strengthened Astaroth, I headed toward the dungeon’s exit portal.
---
*Bzzz.*
The new elite dungeon had attracted a variety of adventurers. Many parties were already attempting the dungeon, while others were gathered at the entrance, forming parties or catching a breather from the challenging content.
A crowd had gathered in front of this elite dungeon, the Heavenly Basin.
*Thump-thump.*
I walked confidently through them.
It might be a bit awkward to say it myself, but I’m fairly well-known.
Quite a few people recognized me and started calling out.
“Oh, it’s Rain!”
“White Wolf! You’re adorable as always!”
“Did you clear the new dungeon?”
“Ah, um, yes.”
“Kyaa! It’s my first time talking to Rain! Your voice is so pretty!”
I replied quietly, and the women around me squealed in excitement.
I offered a slightly embarrassed smile and took a small step back.
I no longer avoided people outright, but talking to strangers was still a bit challenging.
Among the users gathering around me, I recognized a few who I’d given dungeon runs to before, but with so many players, most faces were unfamiliar.
Being in a crowd still felt overwhelming.
I wonder if Chris is still running her attempt.
*Stride-stride.*
Just then, someone began pushing through the crowd around me, breathing heavily as they approached.
*Grrr!*
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TL NOTE: Please don't skimp on the stars and likes of the translation - it inspires me and gives me the strength to write more. Thank you~!
