Surviving the Game as a Barbarian-Chapter 541: Shinrokgochang (3)
The Rift Guardians drop Guardian Essences.
They also drop Rift Stones and Numbers items.
Moreover, since you get experience bonuses for killing Guardians, they’re more rewarding than any other monsters.
The problem is the difficulty of the strategy...
‘Usually, the increase in Rift Guardian difficulty is largely due to “field” effects.’
Just look at the Glacier Cave, the Rift on the first floor.
You have to fight with the field effect [Hypothermia], and it’s the same for the White Shrine on the third floor.
During those battles, debuffs and similar effects made fighting much harder.
But this isn’t the City of Light, Calheum.
‘Milayel, without the Heavenly Magic Circle or the Guardian Angel nearby?’
Since the conditions are better than ever, I was quite disappointed having to run away back then.
But to think he actually followed us all the way here.
“Behel—laaaaaaa!!”
I dashed forward, pushing my shield as a greeting.
Bang!
He tried to jab me with his spear to keep me at bay, but such attempts were useless.
He was bounced off and somersaulted, landing on the shore.
Okay, the battle formation seems set.
Swoosh.
I lowered my shield without following up with a hammer swing.
If I combined the Demon Crusher’s [Swing], the damage would be considerable...
But a dealer is a dealer for a reason.
「Muul Armin cast [Sensitive Skin].」
「Muul Armin cast [Eternal Weakness].」
「Muul Armin cast [Wraith Suicide Bomber]...」
Starting with Muul Armin’s curse skills, ranged dealers began their barrage.
「Jackson Zanvil cast [Moving Target].」
「Charlotte Amblett cast grade 4 offensive magic [Spiral Drill].」
「Noir Merboch cast [Precision Shot].」
「Garton Kultner cast [Catapult]...」
Mages, clerics, psychics, archers, and more.
All kinds of projectiles poured down.
True to his sturdy nature, he relentlessly swung and stabbed his spear despite taking hits, while I pushed him back so ranged attackers could strike comfortably.
About a minute passed.
「Heavenly Spear Wielder Milayel cast [Blessing of Light].」
Light burst from his battered body.
It meant phase one, where he only used [Return], was over.
‘It’s so easy without the Guardian Angel.’
Of course, phase two required more attention.
Aside from [Blessing of Light], which heals a huge amount and boosts durability and physique until cooldown finishes,
In phase two, he uses this combo:
「Heavenly Spear Wielder Milayel cast [Return].」
Finally, that busted skill appeared.
「Heavenly Spear Wielder Milayel cast [Comet Split].」
「All projectiles are duplicated.」
A single spear shot into the sky splits into dozens and rains down like a shower.
An excellent throwing skill that’s unavoidable and does increased damage instantly turned into an AoE.
If threat is well-managed, the skill behaves uniquely.
Like this.
Whooooooosh!
Dozens of spears homed in on me like guided missiles.
No need to be nervous.
Chak-chak, chak, chak, chaang!
Just covering my head with the shield sent the spears flying like bullets.
「Defense successful.」
「The Wall of Aegis absorbs all damage.」
This is why ‘unification’ and [Gigantism] matter.
Once the shield grows, its ‘guard’ range increases too.
Its only weakness is projectiles or AoE bigger than the shield.
‘Anyway, first skill blocked well...’
The pattern repeated as in phase one.
When he picked a spear stuck in the ground and charged me, I pushed him back.
When he retreated...
Boom-boom-boom!
Ranged attackers focused fire with perfect timing.
Normally, monsters and guardian angels make such focused fire impossible...
But again, this is a normal field.
Swaaah!
As we combined to attack him, dozens of spears scattered on the shore disappeared.
That’s why [Comet Split] is tricky.
Since it’s a ‘duplicate’ effect, it can cheat in countless ways.
Like this:
「Heavenly Spear Wielder Milayel recovered Shinrokgeochang.」
「[Return]’s power slightly increases until battle ends.」
「Heavenly Spear Wielder Milayel recovered Shinrokgeochang.」
「[Return]’s power slightly increases until battle ends...」
“...”
“...”
Stacks piled up in seconds from one skill.
Then he hurled spears into the sky again.
The skill combo was easily twice as strong as before.
But I felt no thrill.
Stronger, so what?
「Defense successful.」
「The Wall of Aegis absorbs all damage.」
That kind of skill means nothing against the ultimate shield.
‘Sure... good gear does help.’
I lowered threat and endured patterns that required sharing damage.
It was basically sealing off the main skill combo in phase two...
「Heavenly Spear Wielder Milayel cast [Comet Split].」
「All projectiles are duplicated.」
When he used that combo exactly three more times, we reached phase three.
‘Took four minutes to get here...’
Might clear it under six minutes.
Milayel’s pattern in phase three is simple.
「Heavenly Spear Wielder Milayel cast [Descent].」
The so-called ‘berserk’ mode.
Swaaaaaah!
Light wings sprouted from his back as he unleashed a burst of light in a crouched stance.
Similar in shape to Ainard’s [Wings of Greed], but with a decisive difference.
The wings are much more spectacular, but that’s minor.
Whoooosh!
Those wings actually allow flight.
“Woah! Wings!”
While Ainard stared up in awe, Milayel soared into the sky.
Maybe because it’s an island field?
‘No force at all.’
Normally, the outer wall collapses here, and the Legion of Light spirits rushes in—
「Light spirits gather, sensing holy energy.」
Huh? What?
Even if the field changed, this remains?
I thought it was just a field buff because Titanus doesn’t have this effect when using [Descent]...
‘Maybe Rift Guardians have something special?’
I was glad to have placed melee fighters in the rear.
Actually, it wasn’t because I foresaw this, but because I needed to focus fire.
“Everyone, hold formation!”
“Just hold on, don’t push too hard!”
Anyway, Versil seemed to be commanding the rear well, so no worries there.
I looked up at the towering figure.
[...The time of judgment approaches.]
I probably shouldn’t talk much after four minutes of this, but what can he do?
Looks like he just repeats his lines.
‘What the hell are these guys?’
I couldn’t help but question the world again.
So many characters live their own lives in the city, but why do monsters in the labyrinth all act like game AIs—
‘Ugh, what a pain.’
While lost in thought, Milayel flung his spear downward.
No more distractions.
“Elwen, how much longer?”
Judging it’s about time to finish, I called out to Elwen.
There’s always a reason to save her for last.
“Elwen, get ready!”
“Yes!”
As soon as phase three began, Elwen unleashed her deadly combo.
Once she’s airborne, her evasion rate skyrockets.
That is...
「Elwen Fornaci di Tersia summoned [Dark Spirit King Dichloe].」
The best way is to hit without giving her a chance to dodge.
Bam-bam-bam-bam!
Dark orbs shot into the sky and exploded like fireworks.
A destructive yet somehow beautiful spectacle.
Elwen pulled her bowstring while performing that display, casting [Focused Shot].
How long did it last?
「All accumulated energy has been consumed.」
「Unknown energy fills the empty vessel.」
I guess [Chaos Circuit] triggered.
「Heavenly Spear Wielder Milayel cast [Shell Break].」
Cracks appeared all over, his broken skin shedding to reveal gleaming white flesh.
Well, “flesh” is a bit of a misnomer.
His body glowed bright white, like looking up at a fluorescent light.
Swaaaaaaah.
Wrapped in radiant light, clutching a huge spear, he slowly flapped down.
Looking up at him in that state felt like facing something absolute.
Though, he’s about to die soon anyway.
[Mortal beings.]
Whether he knew or not, he looked down at me and calmly said.
[Your greed sowed the seeds of destruction.]
Was there such a line?
[Your arrogance ultimately brought ruin to this world.]
I will judge you—
[I will judge you.]
Yeah, he just said that line and that was it.
‘...Well, how different is this from a game?’
I didn’t ponder Milayel’s words deeply.
Instead, I focused on his transformation.
Specifically, the red spear he held.
「Summoned by the Last Spear Wielder Milayel, Shinrokgeochang regains its original form.」
Like how he shed his shell entering the last phase, the spear shed its casing, revealing its true form.
A powerful teal-colored spear.
Chijijit, chijijit—
The spear shimmered with sparks, emanating an overwhelming presence no weapon could withstand.
Strictly speaking, that impression wasn’t wrong.
1200% increased piercing damage with the spear.
Natural regeneration rising with battle duration.
Immunity to holy damage and top-tier indestructibility.
Using skills returns 50% of consumed resources over 1 minute, and it reflects mental skills attacks beyond immunity...
Activating the active effect adds three options:
Triple damage with the spear.
Triple all recovery effects.
And finally...
‘Top-tier piercing correction.’
A spear that pierces all.
If such a thing exists in this world, Shinrokgeochang would definitely be it.
But here’s the problem.
Tzutzut—! Jijeek—!
What happens when the spear that pierces everything clashes with the shield that blocks everything?
[...Disappear!]
I already know the answer.
「Defense successful.」
「The Wall of Aegis absorbs all damage.」
The shield wins.
So I asked Milayel, whose critical hit was nullified.
“Do you know what the most creative weapon in the world is?”
As expected, he gave no reply, but it wasn’t a problem. So what?
I just continued.
“The answer is...”
[......]
“The shield.”
But unfortunately, I couldn’t say why.
“Oh, damn.”
My casting just finished.
———————!
At the moment a sound, or rather a sensation of something passing, reached my ears,
Flash—!
A pure white flash colored my vision.
‘Let’s see, time...’
6 minutes 17 seconds.
Ah, missed the six-minute cut.
「Heavenly Spear Wielder Milayel was defeated. EXP +8」
「Upper Guardian kill bonus. EXP +5」
Swaaaaaaah!
A cluster of light announced the monster’s death.
Dozens of explorers swallowed hard, watching the light scatter.
Thanks to advance notice, everyone knew.
This wasn’t an ordinary monster, but a guardian monster originally appearing on the 8th floor Rift.
‘Indeed.’
What would drop?
With everyone watching as one, sight cleared.
Thunk.
One of the Rift Stones, a Guardian’s loot, didn’t drop.
And...
“Tch...”
The rainbow essence didn’t drop either.
I wanted [Comet Split] essence very badly, even for Elwen.
A beginner’s luck, but no drop.
It was disappointing, but at least some loot did drop.
Honestly, I couldn’t believe my eyes either, but
“...Hey, that’s!”
Heavenly Spear Wielder Milayel vanished as light and left behind a Numbers item.
And here’s the important part...
‘Guardians have a 33% chance to drop Numbers items.’
Plus, assuming the Numbers item dropped, an item with about a 3% drop rate appeared.
“That’s the spear he was holding...!”
No.7 Maliel’s Shinrokgeochang.
However, upon seeing it, I felt not joy but unease.
Or rather, it was anxiety.
After all, I just got The Wall of Aegis.
And now I got another single ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) number?
‘...Does luck really follow me this far?’
I secretly hoped so, but now that it happened, I felt an inexplicable fear.
You could call it the intuition of a well-trained unlucky person.
But humans have left and right brains.
While my heart pounded at the bad omen, my head immediately began a happy dilemma.
‘Shinrokgeochang...’
No one in our party uses spears.
But the charm of Dungeon & Stone is setting up the best gear as it drops.
“Hmm...”
Who should I give this to to earn a good reputation?
