Chris's party attempted defense several times, but each time they were interrupted by the giant lamias.
The two giant lamias, Red Lamia and Blue Lamia, moved around separately and persistently targeted points where party members were defending alone. They even showed cunning by immediately fleeing to another Divine Mark point when Chris arrived to support a party member.
Each defense point continued to be a 1:1 situation. A 2:1 with Chris included was impossible. Chris had no choice but to run frantically around the entire Celestial Basin chasing after the giant lamias.
In the end, the entire party withdrew from the Divine Mark defense points. They gathered at the dungeon entrance to regroup.
"The defense itself isn't easy, and the randomly appearing special individuals even have reflection barriers."
"Attacks imbued with mana are absorbed and reflected. Still, they don't reflect direct hits or indirect skills through physical force. If we deal with them that way, there is a way to deal damage, but how long would it take to chip away at that HP pool using only minor skills? After fleeing and reappearing, their HP is fully restored. Haah, I don't see any way to catch them."
"Maybe they were designed not to be caught in the first place?"
"Hmm..."
If it were a named boss battle area, there would be a gimmick to disable the reflection barrier using objects existing in that area.
However, there was no way to disable the reflection barriers that the special individuals appearing at defense points came with. They don't move together, and no special objects were visible nearby.
"Should we try pulling out the Divine Mark and throwing it?"
"Idiot! We're defending to raise the purification progress of the Divine Mark, what happens if we take it out?"
"Hey, I can suggest ideas, can't I?"
Amidst Cherni and Bae Merong's bickering, Chris fell into thought.
The defense difficulty itself is insanely high. It's not normal to be picked off individually by named-class beings that should require all 4 people gathered to defeat.
There must be some way, some way.
[Southeast Divine Mark Activation 0/1]
[Southwest Divine Mark Activation 0/1]
[North Divine Mark Activation 0/1]
[???]
[Celestial Basin Overall Progress 0/1]
Chris's eyes went to the question mark that appeared on the dungeon progress interface.
"...Hidden condition."
"Hm?"
"The question mark that appeared on the dungeon progress interface, there's a hidden condition, right?"
"Certainly, it's a condition I've never seen before. Wasn't it supposed to open after activating all Divine Marks and succeeding in 1st purification?"
"Let's assume we don't need to clear it in order. Then what does this condition look like?"
"No way."
Deathly Death opened his eyes wide. Chris nodded.
"Yes. Couldn't we deal with the two giant lamias in the named boss battle area itself? A nest or a cave. Anyway, there should be a lamia dwelling."
"Inside this Celestial Basin, you mean."
Chris looked around.
And discovered a huge hole drilled in a secluded corner as if it were natural.
Chris let out a groan.
"...The places where giant lamias appear weren't just the Divine Mark defense points."
"Oh, that hole! It's similar in size to the hole the Red Lamia just drilled through!"
"They were moving through holes drilled all over Celestial Basin!"
Special individuals, giant lamias that inhabit and breed here.
Different from the named bosses so far that stayed only in the named battle area.
"This entire Celestial Basin was the giant lamias' activity area."
"If we find these guys' nest..."
"A battle identical to normal named boss conquest would occur there, and subsequent defense would become easier?"
"T-then we should find their dwelling right now...!"
"No. There's no need for that."
"What?"
Confusion arose on everyone's faces except Chris's.
"I didn't run around meaninglessly all this time, you know? There's a pattern to the lamias' appearance locations and intervals."
"Wasn't it random appearance?"
"Yes. Let's assume north is 12 o'clock. If Red comes out here first, Blue appears at 5 o'clock 1 minute later. Then, if we chase away Red and go to where Blue is, Red appears at 7 o'clock 1 minute later."
The eyes of the party members listening to Chris's explanation gradually widened.
"Their behavior pattern of immediately fleeing when facing two or more people was helpful. In other words."
Chris smiled confidently.
"The defense strategy is simple. The rest just need to hold out until 1st purification is complete, and I just need to run around clockwise without hesitation."
"Indeed...!"
"Of course, even though we've figured out the pattern, it's still difficult. It won't be easy to hold out alone until I arrive. If I'm even a little late arriving at the next point, even the reappearance interval will be messed up. But, I've already mapped out the most efficient route including shortcuts between rocks while running around just now."
"As expected of Chris unnie, you're amazing!"
Chris patted Bae Merong's head once as she looked at her with sparkling eyes, and declared.
"So, we don't need to catch the giant lamias, just endure until purification is complete. I'll create breathing room by moving as fast as possible. I think we can definitely do it. Because I believe in our party members."
Fire blazed in Chris's eyes.
Rain would have immediately found the lamias' dwelling as soon as she figured out this dungeon's structure. Her strangely excellent abilities and senses are largely based on experience.
If Chris's party were to search for the lamias' dwelling now? Unlike Rain, it would take quite a while. There's no change in losing the first clear competition if they just chase after Rain.
'No Name' and 'Chris's Party'.
Even now that she has become a beloved younger sister, the fact that they are still first clear competition teams remains unchanged.
"We'll do it our way."
Defeat Rain.
[Southeast Divine Mark Activation 1/1]
[Southwest Divine Mark Activation 1/1]
[North Divine Mark Activation 1/1]
(All Divine Marks Activated)
(96% until 1st Purification Complete)
[???]
[Celestial Basin Overall Progress 0/1]
Tap tap tap tap!
Talismans swirled around Chris's body as she used the Yin-Yang Master's movement speed increase skill. She quickly traversed the rocks of Celestial Basin. There was no waste in her movement. She always headed to the next defense location through the shortest distance, the most efficient path.
There's no need to use the Yin-Yang Master's enhancement skills for combat purposes. It's enough to use them just for movement. If there had been a Ranger with excellent self-movement skills, the Ranger would have taken this role instead of Chris, but.
"With our party's class composition, it's best if I do it."
Whoosh!
Chris stopped, kicking up sand from the ground.
Reached the 12 o'clock, northern point. There.
Boom, crash!
Deathly Death was struggling against the Blue Lamia's giant snake lower body.
He glanced at Chris who had arrived at his defense point and smiled slightly.
"You're late."
"I came quickly, you know?"
Woong!
The yin-yang orbs swirling around Chris circled once in the air as if they had a will of their own. Then they started hitting the Blue Lamia's body.
A direct hit method bypassing the energy reflection gimmick. It can't deal big damage this way, but it was enough to make it retreat.
Thud thud thud!
Hiss hiss-!!
The Blue Lamia, beaten by the yin-yang orbs and making an unpleasant expression, slowly backed away while making threatening snake sounds.
And then.
Crackle!
Widening the hole it had dug out of, it disappeared underground.
"99% purification, it's over now. We don't need to move to the next point."
"This defense method really was possible."
"It's thanks to everyone doing their best to hold out. If even one person couldn't endure, we would have failed."
Whoosh!
Chris smiled, looking at the Divine Mark burial point that started emitting a blinding light.
(100% until 1st Purification Complete)
Ding.
[Hidden Condition Opened]
[Defeat a pair of giant lamias]
"In the end, it was a matter of order."
"Yes. Whether we discover and deal with their lair, or succeed in 1st purification and summon them like this."
At the entrance to the central open space of Celestial Basin surrounded by huge rocks, 'Red Lamia' and 'Blue Lamia' with ferocious expressions were blocking the way.
The reflection barriers protecting the giant lamias' bodies during the defense process had been dispersed by the holy power that started swirling throughout Celestial Basin.
"The lamias weakened when we succeeded in 1st purification. It means we don't need to worry about the reflect damage gimmick anymore."
"Let's deal with them quickly and go face the final boss!"
Chris drew out her talismans.
Bae Merong started casting Arcane Burst.
Cherni's Undine flew in at high speed.
Deathly Death's body leapt at the lamias.
Hiss hiss-!!
Roar-!!
[Hidden Named]
[Level 55 Red Lamia]
[HP 70,000,000 / 70,000,000 (100%)]
[Hidden Named]
[Level 55 Blue Lamia]
[HP 70,000,000 / 70,000,000 (100%)]