Chapter Twenty-Three: Suffocating Rhythm

After his secret was exposed, the Gardener Symbiote realized he had lost any chance of survival. Unable to escape through the spatial rift to the Wasteland, he unleashed all his fury upon the one who had revealed his secret.

His skill, "Beast Tracking," allowed him to pinpoint the players' locations with precision, and the raw power within his body could easily crush any foe.

"Nature Affinity, Beast Tracking, Savage Charge..." Once again activating the Eye of Inquiry, Ash discovered another previously unknown skill of the Gardener, its veil quietly lifted. "What could that remaining skill be? Please, don't let it be some kind of remote control!"

Compared to being killed in a single strike, every player present feared being controlled by a skill far more. After all, no matter how powerful the attack, there was at least a chance to dodge. But if they were controlled, not even the gods could save them. Their battle against the Mutated Seed was the perfect example.

The only small comfort for the three was that their damage output remained strong. Against the "relatively weak" defense rating, Cup of Wine’s crossbow skill could still deal thirty-three points of damage, while the third-level Peashooter’s four pea missiles together knocked off forty points of health.

Pfft! Pfft! Pfft! Pfft!

After his charge ended, the Gardener’s swollen muscles receded slightly, blood surging to the surface and turning his skin a blazing red, as if scalded by boiling water. Steam rose from his body as he entered a momentary, but extremely brief, state of rigidity, allowing all of Ash and Cup of Wine's attacks to land, drawing bloody blossoms on the Gardener’s body.

[Prompt: Your Level 3 Peashooter dealt 10 points of health damage to "Gardener Symbiote."]

Four prompts in quick succession made Ash inwardly curse—after using the [Plant Companion Enhancement Fruit], his damage surpassed Cup of Wine’s, inevitably drawing the Gardener’s hatred and aggro.

A fist the size of a cooking pot suddenly rose. The Gardener’s eyes sharpened, and with a furious roar, the muscles of his right arm writhed madly. Green vines, like tiny snakes, burst from beneath his skin, soaked in blood, covering his entire arm. The sight made Ash’s heart quiver.

Is it coming?

Roaring with fury, the Gardener lunged at Ash, fist slicing through the air. Though a gap still existed between them, the explosive force of his punch seemed to cross space, propelling his body in a blink right before Ash.

Fast!

Unbelievably fast!

No one expected the Gardener to possess another dash skill. Ash tried to evade, but it was already too late—the onslaught was too savage, and impossible to predict. He couldn’t use the brief telegraph before the skill to find cover.

He felt the force of the punch rush toward him, his clothes pulled taut. Ash’s heart sank. Although the Death-Substitute Tree Nut would save his life this time, he doubted he could escape death’s approach. The fate of Dot Dot Pea taught him—once struck, he’d be thrown off balance. Even if the Gardener didn’t have a control skill, the control effect was embedded in the attack, making follow-up combos effortless.

Has it come to this? Is it impossible to achieve a perfect victory?

All along, he’d prided himself on his thoroughness—racing against time, fighting to the last, using the enhancement system to defeat powerful enemies as an underdog. Yet now, facing the Gardener, all his efforts seemed so powerless…

Ash refused to believe it. He would not submit.

Nor would Not a Sword Immortal. He, too, would not give up or believe it!

Earlier, the two had left the cottage not just to give Cup of Wine space alone, but to strategize. Judging from the Gardener’s size and attributes, they guessed his combat style was swift dashes and instant kills. With greater gaming experience, Not a Sword Immortal decided the two of them would stand together at the right front of the cottage door, covering each other while drawing aggro away from Cup of Wine to create an opening for her attacks.

The battle unfolded almost exactly as they planned. They did draw the Gardener’s attention, giving Cup of Wine room to attack. But the third-level Peashooter’s powerful output, combined with the Gardener’s second dash skill, meant that even with Ash on guard, he was forced into mortal danger.

True, their damage was impressive, but they could only attack in volleys every three seconds. The Gardener’s assault, however, required no pause. Once Ash was down, Cup of Wine’s output alone would be useless. The Gardener knew this, and so did the players. That was why, in a flash of desperation, Not a Sword Immortal fought his instinct for self-preservation, shoved Ash away, and threw himself in front of the Gardener.

Boom!

An explosion erupted, dust billowed. Not a Sword Immortal, like a snapped kite, was sent flying by the Gardener’s punch, his body breaking through the dust and crashing into a massive tree, suffering a double blow just like Dot Dot Pea, and dying in an instant.

[Prompt: Player “Not a Sword Immortal” used “Explosive Nut,” dealing 15 points of health damage to you.]

Yes, the sudden explosion came from the Explosive Nut. No matter how powerful the Gardener’s punch, it could not cause an explosion.

When Not a Sword Immortal pushed Ash away, he knew he wouldn’t survive, so he used his Explosive Nut to trigger the blast. Ash, still within the explosion’s radius and having lost his basic protective gear, took the full fifteen points of explosive damage. The blast threw both him and the Gardener back, barely opening some distance between them.

At this moment, the next volley from the third-level Peashooter and crossbow skill was still preparing. The Gardener’s muscles swelled again, and he stepped forward, unleashing his dash skill—Savage Charge.

His increasingly burly frame gave him explosive momentum. With one foot, he stomped the earth, blasting open a pit. Even before the dirt settled, the Gardener shot forward like an arrow loosed from a bow. The suffocating tempo of combat pressed heavily on Ash and filled Cup of Wine with dread.

This time, could they dodge?

Worry flickered in Cup of Wine’s eyes.

But the answer was yes!

Staring down the incoming enemy, Ash’s gaze did not falter. He locked onto the path of the charge. His half year at the Crouching Tiger Dojo had taught him one thing above all: face danger head-on. Only by confronting fear and observing the attack could he respond effectively.

So, just as the Gardener’s muscles swelled and he took his first step, Ash rolled aside, dodging out of the way. As the Gardener thundered past, Ash shouted, “Watch out!”

Only two players remained, so this warning was clearly for Cup of Wine.

Because the Gardener’s cottage stood right behind Ash, the charging Gardener couldn’t stop and crashed straight into the wooden house.

Thud!

The cottage, built by the Gardener’s own hands, was destroyed by those same hands. As a support beam snapped in two, the entire structure collapsed with a crash. But before it fell, a graceful figure tumbled out the window—stepping, twisting, lifting her hips, flipping sideways—a series of fluid movements allowed Cup of Wine not only to dodge the Savage Charge but also to avoid being crushed by the collapsing building. As she landed safely and saw Ash treating his wounds with a spray, relief flooded her heart.

Thank goodness she’d listened to that guy earlier—otherwise, the consequences would have been dire.

But then, why did he look so astonished at her survival?

“What are you spacing out for? Run!” Ash roared, voicing his true feelings. Tossing aside his spent healing spray, he dashed toward Cup of Wine, making her realize that Ash’s disbelief came from something behind her.

In the ruins of the collapsed cottage, the Gardener stood tall and silent. His entire body flushed red, steaming, he raised his fist once more, aiming at the fleeing Cup of Wine.

That very move had killed Not a Sword Immortal in an instant!

How could Ash forget?

What astonished him was the Gardener’s skill frequency—so relentless it left no room to breathe.

From the start of the fight until now, only a few seconds had passed, yet the Gardener had used four skills in succession, as if he had infinite stamina, no cooldowns, and no cost at all. Although the Gardener now looked like a boiled lobster, his remaining health seemed locked at seventy-four points. No matter how the muscles of his right arm writhed, no matter how revolting the bloody green vines burst forth, nothing changed.

This was definitely not normal!

The Gardener’s bloodshot eyes, twitching lips, and bulging forehead veins hinted at something to Ash. He sensed the Gardener was at the end of his strength, holding on with his last breath.

But Ash also knew that even so, the Gardener could easily kill both players before collapsing himself.

So Ash acted—just as Not a Sword Immortal had overcome instinct to push him aside, Ash now crashed into Cup of Wine as he ran, shouldering her out of the way and once again facing the brunt of the Gardener’s attack.

[Prompt: Your Level 3 Peashooter dealt 10 points of health damage to "Gardener Symbiote."]

As the charge-up ended, the helmet-wearing Peashooter dutifully opened fire, four pea missiles striking the Gardener and taking away forty points of health. Cup of Wine, knocked off balance by Ash, managed to loose an arrow before falling.

[Prompt: You used the skill plug-in "Archery: Level 3 Damage Boost," dealing 33 points of damage to "Gardener Symbiote."]

Only a damage prompt…

No kill prompt?

Cup of Wine’s eyes dimmed. Though she couldn’t see the Gardener’s stats, she understood that she and Ash wouldn’t survive to fire another volley. She couldn’t fathom why the Gardener’s assault was so ferocious; even with perfect aim, there was no hope.

Why is it so hard?

Toppling to the ground, Cup of Wine watched as Ash took a punch—but failed to notice what he clenched in his hand in front of his chest. The Gardener, however, saw it, and his face turned utterly ashen.