Chapter Twenty-Three: The Six-Eyed Fanatic

Ashes’ air of confidence immediately put Cup of Wine at Ease, dispelling all her worries. She exchanged a quick word with Little Bob, and both raised their hands at once—her explosive crossbow bolt and his fiery spell struck the Six-Eyed Preacher simultaneously, inflicting nearly eighty points of damage in an instant.

Though Cup of Wine at Ease’s total skill damage was only fifty-four, making her less explosive than the fire-specialist Little Bob, her sustained output far surpassed his. By the time the enraged Six-Eyed Preacher finished chanting his arcane incantation and summoned a fanatical knight—dragging a greatsword, clad in battered armor, and crowned with a horned helm—his health had already plummeted by over a hundred points.

There was no question: these two boasted outstanding offensive power. With such formidable turrets on his side, Ashes, whose attack was still lacking, had no need to risk advancing. He could focus entirely on defense—his greatest strength.

After all, half a year of being battered by Miao Miao had made Ashes an expert at taking a beating!

Suddenly, a clear, birdlike trill rang out. Shield braced, Ashes watched as the Six-Eyed Preacher raised his masked face, the six lifelike eyes upon it blinking rapidly. A white holy light gathered above his head, and beneath its gentle radiance, this cultist radiated an almost sacred aura. Ashes immediately tensed, tracking the trajectory of the impending beam, and stepped in front of Cup of Wine at Ease with his shield raised.

Crackling, the seemingly unified white radiance split into six diamond-shaped cones of light, each searing through the air with deadly speed, hammering into the Bloodvine Shield in quick succession.

[Notice: The “Six-Eyed Divine Light” from the “Six-Eyed Preacher” deals 11 points of damage to your “Bloodvine Bracelet—Shield Form”!]
[Notice: The “Six-Eyed Divine Light” from the “Six-Eyed Preacher” deals 11 points of damage to your “Bloodvine Bracelet—Shield Form”!]
...

All six beams were blocked by Ashes.

The razor-sharp diamond cones shattered against the Bloodvine Shield, unable to pierce it, each impact ringing out like breaking glass.

“What power!” Ashes breathed with relief. If his shield’s defense hadn’t doubled his own, even with a shield value of two hundred, he wouldn’t have survived such a savage burst.

Bosses approaching nightmare difficulty far outstripped top players at this stage. Had Ashes not obtained the juvenile Bloodvine at the last trial, he wouldn’t even have qualified for the life-restricted area on hard mode. The designer’s intent was clear: with such extra fortification, players experienced high-intensity combat early, advancing the plot while testing their mettle.

The Six-Eyed Divine Light was the epitome of a high-burst single-target skill—each diamond cone struck with as much force as the caster, and there were six in a row. That level of damage would fell not just Cup of Wine at Ease, but even Little Bob.

“How are we holding up?” Cup of Wine at Ease, knowing the skill’s properties, had briefly considered dodging when she sensed the Divine Light locking onto her. But trusting Ashes, she held firm, loosing her crossbow and seizing every chance for damage, entrusting her life to his defense.

Ashes did not disappoint. In the heartbeat between her shot and the Divine Light’s eruption, he sidestepped with practiced precision, shielding her just as the radiance broke into harmless splinters instead of passing through her body.

“Don’t worry!” Ashes responded with steady confidence, stepping swiftly aside to clear Cup of Wine at Ease’s line of fire, then turning to provide cover for Little Bob.

For the knight dragging a greatsword—the Six-Eyed Zealot—was already poised to strike!

...

Name: [Six-Eyed Zealot] (Boss Revenant/Weakened)
Health: 180/180 (Weakened)
Attack Level: Strong (35/Weakened)
Defense Level: Weak (12/Weakened)
Attack Speed: Slow (Weakened)
Alert Range: Normal (Weakened)
Skills: Greatsword Mastery, Greatsword—Charging Cleave
Description: As a devout follower of the Six-Eyed God, he has dedicated everything to his deity, ever vigilant at the Preacher’s side, ready to destroy any who dare approach with his massive blade.
[Notice: The Six-Eyed Zealot is a high-priority target for the Foundation. Employees encountering one should report immediately.]

...

The Zealot’s perception was far inferior to the Preacher’s, allowing Ashes’ Eye of Inquiry to work flawlessly. He read the Zealot’s abilities—and even guessed his tactics.

The skill Charging Cleave looked suspiciously familiar; the name alone differed from the Gardener’s Charging Fist by a single word. Both the effect and delivery were nearly identical. When Ashes saw the Zealot’s lumbering gait suddenly stop, body leaning forward, sword braced across his shoulders and aiming straight at Little Bob, he sprang into action, warning Little Bob to retreat and dodge.

Unlike the Gardener’s blistering attacks, the Zealot’s windup was obvious, giving both Ashes and Little Bob plenty of time to reposition.

This time, Ashes didn’t try to block the greatsword head-on. He knew that even with his shield at the ready, he’d never withstand the Zealot’s sheer force. This boss was a true powerhouse: not only would strength-boosting fragments not affect the shield, but even if they did, the skill’s crushing impact would still be too much. To endure it, Ashes estimated he’d need at least seven points of strength; otherwise, shield intact or not, he’d be dead.

No direct confrontation!

Ashes was clear on this, but he wasn’t certain of the exact range of Charging Cleave. He warned Little Bob to stay alert while reverting the shield to a bracelet to boost his health, just in case the Zealot switched targets mid-charge.

Crack!

The revenant Zealot’s bones snapped audibly, and the sluggish giant was suddenly a charging beast. Sword hoisted, he barreled forward like a rampaging bull, the blade’s weight seemingly vanishing, bearing down on the retreating Little Bob at a speed only slightly slower than the Gardener’s.

Fierce! Wild! Ruthless! Unstoppable! If the Gardener’s charge was an avalanche, the Zealot’s was a tidal wave of brute force. Greatsword, armor, and horned helm only added to his intimidation; even Cup of Wine at Ease, safely out of line of fire, pressed herself to the wall, fearful of getting caught in the carnage.

At this moment, the Zealot was utterly fixated on Little Bob, ignoring Ashes entirely. Zeal blazed in his shadowed eyes, and no matter how desperately Little Bob tried to escape, it felt inescapable.

But that tunnel vision gave Ashes his chance. Slipping on the Direwolf Gauntlet, imbued with the “Slowing” effect, he clenched his jaw and lunged, driving his fist into the Zealot’s side as the monster stormed past.

Thanks to the Zealot’s obvious windup, Ashes was fully prepared. Anticipating Little Bob’s position, he perfectly predicted the charge’s path. And while the Zealot was intimidating, his absolute speed was inferior to the Gardener’s, letting Ashes land a precise, focused blow to the Zealot’s waist.

[Notice: You dealt 3 damage to the “Six-Eyed Zealot.” Equipment effect “Savage Strike” from “Direwolf Gauntlet” activated.]
[Notice: Judging… Success! The target’s Strength is 6, not greater than your Strength +1. Special effect activated: double damage.]
[Notice: You dealt 6 damage to the “Six-Eyed Zealot.”]
[Notice: Six-Eyed Zealot’s Agility is below 5. Unable to resist “Slowing” (Normal). For 5 seconds, attack and movement speed reduced by 25%.]

Although the totem-engraved gauntlet only dealt minor damage, the slowing effect met Ashes’ goal. A quarter reduction in speed sapped the Zealot’s momentum, giving Little Bob a fighting chance.

Ashes had deliberately chosen the gauntlet over the more accurate, charged baton to leverage the Strength Fragment’s effect and potentially alter the Zealot’s trajectory. With strength now equal to the Zealot’s, even as the impact sent Ashes tumbling backwards into a somersault, he managed to nudge the charge off course, away from Little Bob.

High-speed mass is hard to redirect, but once its path changes, it’s equally hard to correct. So, even as the Zealot tried to slow and turn, aiming again for Little Bob, his lost speed cut the distance short. The greatsword crashed into the ground before Little Bob, shaking the earth and sending gusts swirling, but only ruffling his cloak and fiery red hair.

“Brilliant!” Ashes exclaimed. Still sprawled on the ground, nearly crashing into Cup of Wine at Ease by the wall, he saw Little Bob escape unscathed and burst out laughing. “Trading my [Skill Module Enhancement Chip] for your Strength Fragment was the best deal I ever made! If you ever get your hands on something that good again, don’t forget your old customer!”