Hop.
I jumped out of Chris’s arms and landed on the snow.
And I looked at the huge ice spire standing proudly in the center of the mountain basin terrain.
“Ice Spire Tower.”
[Entry Level 45]
[Solo Dungeon]
[Ice Spire Tower]
This can be considered the second version of the so-called Training Tower.
Users who conquer this tower will gain new powers.
Of course, it seems physically difficult at the current point.
“Then, I’ll go level up.”
“Yes. Work hard.”
I looked up at Chris who was stroking my head for a moment.
“I’m sure Rain will handle it well, but don’t overdo it.”
“…Yes.”
This time I answered while looking at the Ice Spire Tower with my back to Chris.
The reason I didn’t look at Chris was because I lied.
If I show her my eyes, she’ll see through my inner thoughts.
In all likelihood, I will at the end of this tower today.
Push myself too hard.
[Ice Spire Tower 1st Floor]
As I entered the tower, the walls made entirely of ice all around caught my eye first.
The torches emitting magical light stuck here and there on those walls, softly illuminating the surroundings, are impressive.
“Still, there are safety measures in place.”
There’s a reason I scheduled the Ice Spire Tower challenge for today when Chris is resting.
It could be more dangerous if Lee Seulbi collapses while Chris is at work.
I apologized to Chris inwardly.
I’m sorry, Chris unnie. For not telling you in advance.
If Lee Seulbi happens to collapse, you’ll be very surprised, right?
But I’ve become much healthier than before, so even if I die a few times, it probably won’t become a serious situation.
This time too, there’s a high chance I’ll face ‘that’ at the end of the tower.
The specter of the past that I must overcome.
I’ve become much stronger than before too, but it’s not something I can beat while taking care of my body. It definitely won’t be easy this time either.
I fiddled with the item hanging on my costume’s waist for a moment. It’s a special custom-made gift from Chris. I don’t know why the design is so round though.
This is a kind of emergency caller. If I pull the string attached to the end, a direct signal goes to Chris. It’s linked with the outside world’s smartphone so she can receive emergency signals even while working.
It can be seen as a safety device for ‘Lee Seulbi’ who isn’t feeling well. In an emergency I could use the messenger or go outside the capsule and send an emergency contact with my smartphone, but I ended up wearing it after giving in to Chris’s nagging.
Anyway, Chris unnie worries too much.
As I was standing in the Ice Spire Tower 1st floor hall lost in thought, the expected being appeared.
From the darkness of the ceiling, a red form fell down.
Thud.
A huge red lump of meat appeared before my eyes.
Kaaaah!
[Level 50 Blood Demon]
[HP 10,000,000 / 10,000,000 (100%)]
The structure where Named bosses that have appeared in elite dungeons so far are reconstructed to fit a solo dungeon.
As expected, it’s the same as the ‘Training Tower’.
Then, what’s at the end will be the same too.
Swish.
Swish.
I drew my beloved sword ‘Astaroth’ and swung it to the side. A silver trajectory remained along its path.
Kaaah-!
My body, emitting silver light, rushed in at once towards the red lump of meat letting out a strange cry.
[Ice Spire Tower 8th Floor]
[Level 50 Ancient Golem Fallen Angel Baliel]
[HP 2,967,056 / 12,000,000 (24%)]
Boom, boom, crash!
Huge swords of darkness thrust down above my head. My body moved quickly and avoided all three swords.
Clang!
After blocking the dark blade of ‘Fallen Angel Baliel’ rushing towards me, I glanced back.
The floor signs left by the large dark swords were quickly disappearing. As expected, all special patterns have the same specifications.
There are no special gimmicks like having to overlap swords of darkness and light to neutralize them, and no need to face archangels and fallen angels simultaneously.
The being I’m facing is just one fallen angel golem that’s a bit tough.
I pushed back Baliel’s blade strongly and pulled my body back. At the same time, I lowered my posture and positioned my sword at my waist.
The stance for Flash Strike.
Flash!
The silver form became a flash of light.
Ooooh-!
Baliel, with a long silver mark carved on its body, let out an eerie sound.
Swish.
I sharply turned the body that had cut through Baliel.
Again, second Flash Strike.
Flash!
Twisting my body, third.
Flash!
Ooooh-!
Rumble.
Due to three Flash Strikes using cooldown reset, Fallen Angel Baliel’s body was cut into pieces and scattered on the floor.
I immediately moved towards the stairs going up to the 9th floor.
[Ice Spire Tower 9th Floor]
“Oh.”
Is that it?
[Level 50 Ice Ogre King]
[HP 15,000,000 / 15,000,000 (100%)]
A huge ogre, its face reveals the instincts of a beast. The large fangs protruding from its mouth look like they could tear apart an enemy at any moment.
Its hands covered in white fur are enormous. The sharp claws attached to the ends shine. It’s not particularly holding any weapons. It will probably try to tear me apart using just those monstrous hands.
Grrrr.
Cold air flowed out of the slightly opened monster’s mouth.
According to information from users who faced it first, this monster spews out cold air that freezes users. And continuously at that.
This is the ‘Ice Ogre King’ that’s known to be uncatchable with current user specs.
The infamous gatekeeper of the Ice Spire Tower 9th floor.
But for me, the Ogre King is just a process to pass through.
Well, if I didn’t have Astaroth, it would have been a bit difficult even for me?
In a way it’s item power, but this is my ability too.
To be precise, it’s Chris unnie’s financial power, but.
Swish.
I drew Astaroth.
And grinned.
“Excuse me.”
Of course, I couldn’t pass through as quickly as I thought.
It’s the wall of lament, the 9th floor gatekeeper, ‘Ice Ogre King’ after all. It’s definitely not an easy opponent.
Whoosh, clang!
Meeting the Ogre King’s left and right arm swings, I pulled my body back slightly and immediately raised my sword to approach. It’s a strategic use of the blocking skill to obtain the vitality buff by using the just guard judgment.
The Ogre King spread its arms wide as if to crush me digging into its embrace.
The clap pattern. Here, I use counterattack.
Swish, slash slash slash!
My Astaroth, having caught the Ogre King’s back, hacked at its back shedding silver and starlight.
Grrrr!
The Ogre King let out a strange cry and turned its body to glare at me head-on. Its movements themselves are rather slow.
Whoosh!
The Ogre King’s huge body soared into the air, and fell as if to crush my body.
Tap tap.
Crash!
I turned around at the exact timing and used ‘Backward Evasion’. The Ogre King’s slam left a huge shockwave, but couldn’t damage me who used the invincibility judgment of Backward Evasion.
If you turn around and use Backward Evasion, you can catch the Ogre King’s back again and skip the process of using an approach skill. It’s a different level from maintaining position with digging counterattack, a way of using invincibility skills to catch the back when soloing.
I glanced at the Ogre King’s HP.
Still 87%.
Certainly, the speed of HP decrease is noticeably slower.
This is the penalty due to level difference.
There’s even enrage on top of that.
It’s not a boss with difficult patterns itself. The only threatening things are the pressure of approaching enrage moment by moment and the 8-consecutive cold emission pattern that will appear below 60% HP. Whether it can be conquered depends on how much each class maximizes their damage potential.
It’s truly a boss to measure the limits of individual damage output. If you can’t produce enough DPS to take it down before enrage, it’s saying you don’t even qualify to challenge above this.
Because it’s a huge boss, it takes all attacks. The patterns are slow and simple too. From my perspective of maximizing agility for speedy combat, it’s rather a boss where the gap with other users can narrow. My advantage of widening the difference with other users through nimble movements when facing multi-opponent bosses or bosses with difficult patterns becomes faint.
But if I steadily input a damage cycle measured precisely using my Astaroth, it will definitely produce enough damage to not be blocked by enrage.
I kept my eyes wide open and continued the precarious battle to squeeze in even one more sword strike between invincibility skills and response skills.
[Level 50 Ice Ogre King]
[HP 8,970,551 / 15,000,000 (59%)]
Grrrr!!
Whoosh!
Suddenly, the Ice Ogre King let out a strange cry and jumped as if to touch the ceiling.
It’s the sign of the special pattern, cold emission.
Boom! Rumble.
Boom, boom, boom!
The Ice Spire Tower shook from the impact of the Ogre King’s huge body slamming into the floor. At the same time, huge ice spires started falling from the ceiling to the floor.
The fallen ice spires became ice shards, forming cold floor signs.
The number of cold floor signs spread on the floor is 8 in total.
Screech!
I grasped the straight distance not touching the floor signs and used an approach skill to stick to the Ogre King. My form shot like an arrow immediately started hacking at the Ogre King’s body shedding silver light.
The free damage time is longer than expected. 30 seconds? 40 seconds? While swinging my sword incessantly, I glanced at the tower walls where torches were stuck.
I had already grasped information about breaking the gimmick using the ‘torch objects’. It means to erase the cold floor signs by pulling out and throwing torches during this time. But at my current level, I can’t rest from dealing damage even for a moment. I can enjoy the leisure of performing the gimmick later.
Woong.
The Ogre King that had been crouching still and taking attacks for dozens of seconds finally spread its body wide and opened its mouth.
Grooar!
In the interior of the Ice Spire Tower where wind shouldn’t blow, the flow of air changed.
All the cold air in here was being sucked into the Ogre King’s mouth.
Even the eight cold floor signs spread around.
Flash!
After beating its chest several times, cold air suddenly burst out from the Ogre King’s body.
The start of the 8-consecutive cold emission pattern.