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MT - 52 Power
🕑 Added 2024-12-18 06:20:27 +0000 UTCThe Kobold Lord struggled back to its feet, grabbing the massive sword that had fallen to its side. With a roar, it charged once more at the group.
Roy took the lead, his black iron blade glinting with a faint blue glow.
Beside him, Misumi guarded his flank, her oversized purple scythe slicing through the air with deadly precision.
Together, their coordinated assault whittled the Kobold Lord's health down to the very last sliver of its second-to-last bar.
Roy's eyes gleamed with cold determination as his sword flared once more with dark energy. His stamina, already running dangerously low, dipped further with each strike.
He wasn't just physically drained; stamina wasn't merely tied to the body—it also reflected mental fortitude.
When stamina plummeted, it didn't just exhaust the body—it crushed the spirit.
Roy felt the weight of his condition. His vision blurred slightly, and dizziness threatened to overwhelm him. But there was no time to falter.
The boss's final health bar had to be wiped out in one decisive blow. Any delay would allow it the time to unleash its next phase, and that was a risk they couldn't afford.
Though the faint blue light around him dimmed, the black aura on his blade burned ominously.
"All together!"
Kirito moved swiftly, his single-handed grip guiding a diagonal slash that deflected the Kobold Lord's attack. His follow-up move was seamless—a horizontal double strike, sending twin gleams of steel streaking toward the enemy.
The attacks landed cleanly, but as Kirito prepared to chain another sword skill, the Kobold Lord roared in fury. Tossing aside its massive shield, it hurled the projectile like a missile. The spinning shield whistled through the air, forcing Kirito to sidestep just in time.
In the brief moment it bought, the Kobold Lord began transitioning into its second phase.
Everything happened too quickly. Misumi attempted to follow up on the stagger left by Kirito's assault, but the timing was too tight.
The Kobold Lord reached behind its back, grasping a long, slender blade—a nodachi. Its movements stunned the group into momentary silence.
Realizing the danger, Kirito called out urgently, "Fall back! This isn't the same as it was in the beta!"
But before his warning fully registered, a chilling gust of wind swept past him.
Roy's figure blurred into motion, a shadow streaking across the battlefield. In the blink of an eye, he reappeared behind the Kobold Lord. His sword, already unsheathed, radiated an unearthly glow.
The team stood frozen in awe, their expressions a mix of shock and disbelief.
Kirito's voice wavered with astonishment. "I didn't even see him move… Did any of you catch that?"
The others exchanged bewildered glances, their silence confirming they hadn't.
Roy, calm and composed, slid his sword back into its sheath with a faint metallic click. Stepping past the now-motionless Kobold Lord, he let the blue aura around him fade, the strengthening effect dissipating as he exhaled slowly.
"It's nightfall."
The Kobold Lord remained standing, its crimson eyes still glowing with murderous intent. Yet its body refused to move.
The health bar above its head vanished entirely as the deep slash across its chest ruptured, spilling blood in torrents onto the marble floor.
With a final growl of defiance, the massive creature collapsed.
Roy expected the body to disintegrate into the blue light typical of defeated monsters. Instead, the Kobold Lord's hulking form ignited in dark flames, its corpse consumed by black fire until it burned into nothingness.
Roy's eyes narrowed in surprise, and he stared silently at the scorched spot where the boss had fallen.
At that moment, a series of system notifications flashed before his eyes, their text scrolling swiftly across his vision.
[Detected: A powerful soul available for absorption.]
[Automatically absorbed.]
[Congratulations, Host! You've triggered a special quest.]
[Special Quest: Defeat 50 Floor Bosses
Reward: A chance to awaken a Word of Power, along with an infusion of diluted dragon blood (x1)]
[Defeat 60 Floor Bosses
Reward: Two chances to awaken a Word of Power, along with an infusion of standard dragon blood (x1)]
[Defeat 70 Floor Bosses
Reward: Guaranteed awakening of a Word of Power, along with an infusion of rare dragon blood (x1)]
[Defeat 80 Floor Bosses
Reward: Guaranteed awakening of a Word of Power, along with an infusion of ultra-rare dragon blood (x1)]
[Defeat 90 Floor Bosses
Reward: High-tier awakening of a Word of Power, along with an infusion of perfect dragon blood (x1)]
[Note: Each Boss soul can only be absorbed once. Upon absorption, the Boss's soul will be permanently destroyed.]
[Do you accept this quest?
Warning: Once accepted, this quest cannot be abandoned. Additionally, 50% of all experience gained from Boss kills will be forfeited as the cost of soul absorption.]
Roy narrowed his eyes, carefully reading through each line of the system notifications.
Despite the lingering throbbing in his head, his focus was unshaken as he deliberated over the task at hand.
The rewards were undeniably tempting. The mention of dragon blood and Words of Power was enough to ignite a spark of excitement in him.
"Dragon blood and Words of Power… Could it be connected to Dragonborn? Their Words of Power are practically legendary, some even borderline broken."
Roy knew that obtaining such a power could elevate his combat capabilities to an entirely new level. But the cost? Halving all Boss-related experience was no small price to pay.
Even so, when weighed against the allure of the rewards, the sacrifice seemed tolerable.
After a brief pause for thought, Roy made his decision. He accepted the quest.
[You have accepted the quest.]
[You have gained the following status effect:
Soul Devourer: Absorb the souls of defeated bosses.
Effect: Experience gained from Boss kills is reduced by 50%.]
Roy glanced at the top-right corner of his status interface. Sure enough, a new debuff icon appeared—a grim image of a demon with its jaws wide open.
With the system updates complete, the fatigue from the intense battle began to settle in, spreading through his body like a heavy weight.
He uncorked a stamina potion, drinking deeply to replenish his energy. The refreshing surge helped, but only slightly.
Roy exhaled and allowed himself a brief moment of relief.
Just as he began to relax, a hand gripped his collar tightly.
"Hey!" Kirito growled, his expression sharp. "When the hell did you learn that sword technique? It's completely busted! I couldn't even see your movements!"
Asuna stood beside him, her arms crossed, nodding in agreement. "He's right. And don't even get me started on your skills. First, you've got an ability that burns stamina to boost all your stats. Then there's that insane slash you pulled off—it's way too overpowered."
Roy chuckled awkwardly, scratching the back of his neck but offering no explanation.
He suddenly remembered something and pointed toward the Kobold Lord's fallen body. "Wait—didn't any of you see it?"
"See what?" Kirito asked, narrowing his eyes. "Don't try to change the subject."
Roy winced and continued, "When the Boss died… It didn't dissolve into blue light. It shattered into black fragments."
Kirito frowned, stepping closer and placing a hand on Roy's forehead. "No fever. What are you talking about? The Boss disappeared like usual—it turned into blue light."
Roy fell silent, deep in thought.
So… only I can see this?
With a sigh, he opened his inventory to check the Boss's loot.
As expected, the rewards were exceptional—a rare item: a sleek black coat.
[Coat of Midnight
Rarity: Rare
Attributes: +1 Agility, +1 Stamina
Special Trait: Dragon's Guard
Effect: The item cannot be damaged.]
***
A/N: The Word of Power above is not a power from Skyrim, but the Word Soul from Dragon Raja, also known as Kotodama. Word Soul are a series of spoken words and body movements that allow dragons and hybrids to make use of different elemental powers and abilities. Most hybrids can only use one word soul, while dragons can use multiple. The use of word soul skills, depending on their level can generate backlash and harm their users physically and mentally.
