In the Boss cavern hall, the three in Silverwing team was having trouble just to stay alive. With only three people to share the attention from the Ant Queen, the pressure was oppressive. They have not been able to make even one attack during the time, defending and evading had already taken out all their focus. And even so, they still receive damages from time to time.
“We can’t go on like this, I’ve run out of potion!” bluedaze exclaimed.
“It appears we have reached our limits, let’s retreat as well,” Sinreaper suggested.
Silverwing gritted his teeth. Did he really have to give up on this? With the Wicked Witches falling out with them, it would be difficult for them in the next try, he doubted Death Associates and Corporate United would be interested to work with him. Those three might even banded together to block his guild from entering this dungeon.
Silverwing sighed. He had made his gamble for this dungeon, but it appeared that he had lost. A real leader was decisive even in his loss, since they could not hold on any longer, they should pull back.
“All right, let’s retreat. I have the fastest speed, I will pull its attention while you two move–” His words were intercepted by a crescent light which suddenly flashed and cut onto the Giant Queen Ant’s head.
Critical! 264 damage!
Silverwing was more shocked on the damage than on the fact that someone had interfered in the battle. Not one from either his team or the previous Wicked Witches team who had managed to deal a damage of more than two digits in a single hit, but the attack he had witnessed just now had scored a damage of more than 200!
The Giant Queen Ant immediately ignored the three insignificant flies it had been playing with, and turned to its new adversary, whom it considered to be more of a menace.
Jack who had just come out from one of the holes in the wall, executed his Sword of Light once he saw Silverwing was in a pinch. He himself was also shocked by the damage number, but the cause of his shock was reverse from Silverwing. He remembered that he had managed to score a damage of over 400 when he hit a critical against the Lizardman Bosses in their encampment, but against this titanic ant, it only took out over 200 of its HP.
Good thing was the Boss only had around 30% left, it seemed that the rest of the team had been struggling in fighting the Boss for some time. Jack looked around, only three people left? Did the others were killed already? But his party interface clearly showed Queen Magenta, Selena, and Warpath were still alive.
Jeanny also came out from the hole. She was glad to see Silverwing’s team, and terrified when saw the Giant Queen Ant’s imposing presence. She was then worried when she saw no one from her Wicked Witches group.
“Is that the boss?” She asked, “where are the others? Are they the only one left?”
“Don’t know,” Jack replied, then said grimly, “Heads up, the boss is coming this way.”
The boss was crawling rapidly with its six appendages, its gigantic body appeared weightless under its sprightly legs. It abruptly stopped mid-way and squatted down, which confused the two newcomers.
“Be careful! It’s about to jump!” Silverwing shouted out.
The gigantic Queen Ant sprang forward like a stone shot out of a catapult. Jack and Jeanny had heard Silverwing’s warning and made a move just before the Ant Queen jumped. Jack leaped and rolled to the right while Jeanny ran to the left.
Did all bosses have this jumping skill? Jack complained in his mind, referring to the Lizardman Chief jumping attack in the past.
When the Giant Queen Ant landed, it turned and went after Jack. It remembered him to be the one that had sent out that crescent light attack. Its front limb swiftly swiped at him. Jack had stored his Magic Staff, he was not intending to let too many people knew about his secret. He had reequipped the Guard Round Shield. The sharp claw at the end of the Queen Ant’s leg clashed with the round shield and scrapped along its surface. Jack was pushed back by the impact.
The strength of this Boss was immense, Jack thought, stronger than the Lizardman Chief when not in berserk. Considering the monster’s size, it made sense.
Jeanny took the chance while the Boss’s rear was facing her, and sent a Penetrating Stab. It thrusted through the monster’s defense and delivered full damage. Enraged, one of its rear limbs stabbed back. Jeanny who was about to make a second stab, did not expect the counterattack and suffered its full blow. She was thrown far away backwards before crushing at one part of a protruding wall. She lost almost half of her life.
She was shocked, only one hit already caused so much damage? She hurriedly took out a basic healing potion to replenish her HP. Luckily, the Giant Queen Ant did not consider her a threat, it was ignoring her and continued to go after Jack.
Jack was having difficulty in a melee standoff with the Queen Ant, as it could attacked with its four front appendages while keeping its body balance with only its two rear legs. Despite his speed, Jack could only block and parry with his shield and sword without a chance to make an attack.
Silverwing and the others were dumbstruck by the display. The fellow could go toe to toe with the giant boss. Even when Warpath was fighting with the boss, he mostly utilized hit and run tactic.
Dealing with four attacking limbs while he himself could only use two, Jack finally could not keep up. He got grazed once and stabbed another time. He retreated to ease off the pressure.
“Hey, Magicians! What the hell are you doing just standing there for?” He shouted when he saw Bluedaze and Sinreaper were just standing there gaping.
His shout snapped the two of them to action, they started to send their spells from a safe range. Silverwing went to Jeanny who had rose back and was preparing to re-engage.
“Do you still have recovery potions?” He asked her.
“I still have three bottles.”
“Can I have one?”
Jeanny gave her a bottle.
“Thanks! I will give you back once we are out of this dungeon,” Silverwing said.
“Where are Selena and the others? Have they got killed?” Jeanny asked.
Silverwing drank the potion, returning his HP to a safe level, “no, they decided this boss is a lost cause, so they left.”
“They left?” Jeanny’s eyes was wide with disbelief. The boss’ HP was low already, why did they let go of this chance?
Silverwing nodded, “they have run out of their recovery potions, they were unwilling to go all out and risk losing a level just for a slim chance. As you see, the Boss’ defense is very high, all our attacks can only deal miniscule damage to it, while its one hit can take out a large chunk of our life. Before you two appear, we were just about to bolt as well.”
“But not anymore?”
“Yeah, let’s kill this overgrown insect!”
The Two of them used hit and run on the Giant Queen Ant from the rear. After experiencing the Queen Ant’s swift counterattack, Jeanny no longer tried to do consecutive attacks. After she made a hit, she immediately retreated, making it difficult for the Queen Ant to hit her. Silverwing who was faster had gotten used to the way the Queen Ant was fighting, he was even more adept in his hit and run tactics.
The Giant Queen Ant just treated their hits as mosquitos’ bites, since their damages were low. It continued to focus its attention on Jack whom it considered as the main threat. It made a screeching cry as its large mandible clacked and an energy ripple was formed around its mouth.
“Watch out! It will shoot an air bullet!” Bluedaze gave a warning.
Jack did not understand what she meant at first, but her tone sounded dire. So he immediately jumped back as he put both his shield and sword crossed in front of him. All of a sudden, a transparent ball of energy was shot out at high speed from the Queen Ant’s mouth towards him. His position was too closed to the Queen Ant, thus he had no time to dodge.
Fortunately, he was already in a defensive position. The bullet hit his round shield. He could feel the air compressed during the moment of impact, and then burst out with explosive force. He was thrown away violently tens of meters away. His body skidded on the ground, leaving a long trail along the ground.
