Chapter 114: Blue Plague, Aosa (5)

[

Spring of Restoration

]

Installs a holy well that heals an ally's health and stamina.

Can deal damage to nearby undead or demon-type monsters.

As the skill description suggested, the Spring of Restoration was primarily a support skill. However, it was often neglected by many Clerics and Paladins.

Naturally, the reason for this skill's neglect was simple.

Spring of Restoration? Yeah, I learned it when I was a clueless newbie. It's a placeable skill, so once you set it up, it steadily restores HP and Stamina, which is nice... but it's kinda awkward.

Why? Listen. Do you expect the notoriously cowardly MID Online monsters to just crawl into a spring that deals damage to them and take a swim? The moment you place it, they wise up and avoid it. And if you're placing it to heal allies, if the enemy moves, your allies will need to keep changing positions too, meaning it won't heal if they're too far away.

In short, it's a shitty skill. Don't learn it! It's a waste of money.

It was a skill that was too difficult and awkward to use in combat, and its performance was never outstanding! That was why this skill was neglected by those in the Holy class.

Of course, it was quite useful during rest periods, but in such situations, there were plenty of other ways to restore HP and stamina, like potions, food, or campfires.

But all skills are as good as the player makes them.

Kai believed that this skill was the best way to torment Aosa. Of course, he did have other holy skills like Holy Explosion, Holy Chains, and Sacred Flare. Nevertheless, he chose to use Spring of Restoration for a simple reason.

The Spring of Restoration has an indestructible option and no limit on the number of summons.

Despite its ability to deal damage per second, being a placeable skill meant that the enemy could simply avoid it.

However, if Kai decorated the back of this massive beast with multiple Spring of Restorations wells...

Unless Aosa tears off its own back, there's no way to avoid the springs’ attacks.

It was a strategy that came to mind the moment Aosa transformed into a colossal beast in its second phase.

Kai's hands began to glow with holy power as he cast Spring of Restoration, adjusting the placement in his mind. Once the process was complete, a peaceful spring was installed, along with a burst of white light.

—

Kraaaah

!

Of course, Aosa wasn’t the type to sit back and allow Kai to use its back as a playground.

Vwooom!

It tried to swat Kai away with tentacles pulled from its side and street.

Whip, whip!

It was like dozens of giant jump ropes slapped the ground simultaneously!

However, Kai remained calmer than ever even as he faced this overwhelming attack.

It would probably hurt if I get hit, right?

He knew from experience. Even though it was a game, the sensation of gravity twisting and the accompanying pain was far from pleasant.

I have to avoid getting hit.

It would be a different story if he couldn't dodge, but Kai had the ability to dodge those tentacles now. He quickly scanned the numerous tentacles surrounding him.

There’s a total of fifty-four tentacles.

Having taken Higher Way—the advanced concentration potion—Kai could see the trajectories of all the tentacles. No, saying he could see them was a bit misleading.

As soon as the roots and main bodies of the tentacles slightly shifted, Kai's body began to move.

That one's coming this way.

A certainty filled his mind without a shadow of doubt.

Observing how the tentacles twisted, he could predict exactly when and where they would strike, a remarkable foresight that could almost be called precognition.

In fact, the tentacles struck not Kai but the unfortunate Aosa's back. Of course, that damage also chipped away at Aosa's HP.

Well, that’s a shame, but it seems like this is the limit for now.

𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

Kai had set up six of the Spring of Restorations on Aosa's back and looked around with some regret. The tentacles aiming at him kept multiplying endlessly, and if he stayed any longer, he wouldn’t be able to escape.

Time to pull back for now.

Kai swung the Holy Chain and this time retreated to the high roof of a church. The large, sacred church was embedded with the emblem of the Church of Solaris!

From there, Kai glanced at Aosa’s HP bar.

Six springs aren’t enough for effective damage.

That was because the skill wasn’t originally designed for offensive purposes.

After about a minute, Aosa's HP had only decreased by a mere 0.3%.

I’ll need to set up more springs to deal significant damage.

However, to install more springs, he first had to deal with the tentacles that now numbered over a hundred.

“There’s a simple way to do that.”

Kai's battle brain kicked into overdrive as soon as he entered combat.

He easily dodged the tentacles targeting him and calmly dropped down into the back alley behind the buildings.

Crash!

The hundred or so tentacles chased after him, piercing through the buildings.

Even a single hit could bring him to a critical state, but Kai remained calm as he summoned the Holy Chain.

No problem. I’ve tied plenty of shoelaces before.

Kai treated Aosa's tentacles like shoelaces! He dodged the tentacles' attacks while starting to tie them together little by little. Of course, he couldn’t just tie them any old way.

I can’t tie them orderly. Doing that would just make them into a thicker tentacle.

They needed to be tied in a very disorderly fashion. Chaotically enough to drive anyone mad, like tangled earphones coming out of a pocket!

Kai sprinted across the rooftops, dodging the tentacles while diligently tying them together.

He endured the attacks this way for a full ten minutes!

Equipped with the Tyrant’s Wrath, sweat poured down Kai's body like a waterfall. It wasn't just the game character, but Han Jung-Woo, lying in his capsule, felt the same way.

Huff, huff. This is killing me.

For the average person, running at full speed for ten minutes was tough. Moreover, Han Jung-Woo had run for ten minutes while dodging obstacles and playing cat's cradle!

Naturally, the physical and mental fatigue and stress he experienced were on another level.

But... thanks to that, I see a way.

Kai's eyes gleamed. What came into his sight was the still imposing figure of Aosa!

However, the countless tentacles it boasted were no longer a threat. The tentacles, entangled like a tangled yarn, lay pinned under the clock tower or the debris of collapsed buildings!

Phew, now there's really not much time left.

He had estimated that the rankers would arrive in thirty minutes. With more than fifteen minutes having already passed since then, it was time for the final preparations.

"Here we go."

Lightly leaping off the ground, Kai climbed onto Aosa's back. He now evaded the tentacles as naturally as breathing, leaning, and ducking with ease.

“Spring of Restoration, Spring of Restoration, Spring of Restoration....”

He endlessly cast the skills! It didn’t take long for forty-two springs to be installed on Aosa's back.

Simultaneously, Aosa’s slowly diminishing HP started to drop noticeably.

—

Krooooar

!

Aosa's agonized wail echoed throughout the city.

Drawing his cherished sword, the Long Sword of the Enlightened One, Kai grinned and said, “It’s been fun, but let’s not meet ever again.”

His sword, imbued with lots of holy power, plunged into Aosa's back.

***

“Whitehall Fortress ahead!”

“We’ll arrive soon!”

“Estimated time of arrival is two minutes!”

The first assault team of the Cheonhwa guild sprinted across the plain. They were members of the elite unit from the country's largest guild.

Boosted by Haste, Seol Eun-Yeong—the woman leading them—moved easily as she gazed at the fortress ahead. She usually maintained a poker face, but she couldn’t hide her excited expression.

Turning her head, she asked Boyd, who was beside her, “What’s the status of the top ten global guilds?”

“We’ve pinpointed the locations of their elite assault teams. According to our intelligence, they’re all still preoccupied with tracking down the Church of Muldine’s Inquisitor Kazier.”

“So we can assume they’re giving up on Aosa, right?”

“I can't say for sure, but it does seem that way. Only four of the top ten guilds are based in the Kingdom of Rashion, and they’re all currently very sensitive about controlling hunting grounds and Kazier.”

In other words, they wouldn’t be heading to Whitehall.

Of course, a top ten global guild would have the resources to send their second or third assault teams.

However, Seol Eun-Yeong felt reassured.

Even if they are one of the top ten global guilds, there’s no reason for Cheonhwa’s first assault team to be outdone by a bunch of benchwarmers.

The guild was built by providing the best treatment to the best talents for this very reason.

Her group quickly passed through Whitehall's fortress.

“Where is Aosa?”

“Using tracking skills, we estimate it to be beyond that blue smoke ahead!”

“Break through.”

If they were of a level to be included in Cheonhwa guild’s first assault team, they wouldn’t be rookies with low magic resistance who couldn’t pass through the poisonous smoke.

We’re almost there.

Seol Eun-Yeong’s cheeks flushed even more. Her heart pounded like it was about to burst, just as it did when she saw the first snowfall she had longed for in her childhood.

The Cheonhwa guild had spectacularly defeated the King of Looters, Veghas, and challenged the stronghold of the world’s top ten guilds. If they managed to take down Aosa as well, the guild’s reputation would skyrocket.

If we reach that point, there would just be one conclusion.

They would either bring down one of the top ten guilds or become the eleventh. Either way, they would have the summit within their grasp.

At the same time, Seol Eun-Yeong bit her lower lip hard.

Don’t let your guard down, Seol Eun-Yeong. Unless you prove yourself as the best, there’s no reason for you to play this game...

Her thoughts were interrupted when the blue smoke surrounding them suddenly disappeared as if it had never been there.

“...What’s going on?”

“Th-that is...”

“I don’t know either...”

The next moment, identical messages flashed before the eyes of the startled assault team members.

[Aosa, the unleashed Blue Plague beast, was defeated.]

[Blue mist shrouding the city is now dissipating.]

[All villagers infected by the Blue Plague are now cured.]

[The Church of Solaris’ influence has grown stronger throughout the land.]

“...What?”

Seol Eun-Yeong's eyes, which seemed unshakable, wavered like a candle in the wind.