Realm of Myths and Legends Chapter 5 Luna

"This is bad... I’m running out of MP and I only have a single MP potion remaining. It isn’t enough... I can’t hold on healing for much longer...!" Luna appeared outwardly calm, yet her inner thoughts were a tempest. She had joined this party purely by chance while completing her tutorial quest. Clerics were always a welcome addition to any group, as every party desperately needed a healer. Not having any friends playing, she saw this as a golden opportunity to make some new ones.

Little did she know, she would soon find herself entangled in such a dire predicament, left in such a wretched state.

"Gah!!" one of her party members was sent flying, instantly impaled and killed by the wolf’s bite! Only she and four other players remained from the original formidable party of ten. Two were from her initial group, and the other two were from a party they had allied with to take down this formidable boss. A lone warrior, one fighter, two mages, and a single cleric – that was all that stood.

"T-This is impossible to defeat right now...! We have to escape from here!" declared one of the mages from the party Luna’s group had teamed up with, his voice laced with nervousness. He kept glancing furtively at his other party member, the fighter within the remaining group, as if trying to convey a hidden message.

The warrior, utterly consumed by the task of fending off the monstrous wolf, couldn't perceive their subtle scheming. Meanwhile, the fighter was stealthily retreating further and further from the fray, drawing closer to his fellow mage.

Their plan was to seize the moment the warrior diverted the wolf’s attention to slip away! After all, dying in this game carried the risk of dropping gear and losing precious EXP! How truly tragic would it be to simply linger and await their inevitable demise!

Although the warrior and the mage from Luna’s own party were oblivious to the subtle movements of the other two members, Luna herself was not. A dark gloom settled over her as she contemplated, "Even if I shout out to warn my party members, I might only end up distracting them, inadvertently causing one of them to perish." Luna seethed inwardly at the treachery of those two players.

RIIIIIIIP!

The horrifying sound of claws rending through armor echoed as the warrior sustained a grievous wound! Luna was barely managing to keep him alive with her heals, her mana reserves plummeting. If he were to suffer another blow like that too soon, their fate would be sealed!

The instant the demonic wolf monster struck the warrior, the fighter and the mage bolted! They actually fled the battle! The remaining warrior and mage stared in stunned disbelief! However, their shock swiftly morphed into incandescent rage! They had been abandoned without a word! Anyone would be burning with fury after all the sacrifices made for this arduous fight!

"COWARDS!" the warrior bellowed, his voice a thunderous roar of rage, before unleashing his fury upon the demonic wolf beast before him.

"Halls, Luna, we'll likely all perish here, but I’d rather lose a bit of experience and an item than run with my tail between my legs like those two!" the mage declared, his voice tight with anger and a cold glint in his eyes as he watched the two cowards flee.

"Focus on the fight for now; we still have a chance if we coordinate properly," Luna responded, mostly uttering those words to bolster her own spirits. She knew, with a sinking heart, that victory was nearly impossible as she gazed upon the monstrous beast before them.

Name: Demonic Beast Shadow Wolf (WORLD BOSS)

Level: ??

HP: 3,645/10,000

ATK: 200

DEF: 60

AGI: 80

Skills:

???

???

???

Halls and Quince wore grim expressions upon hearing Luna’s words. They understood she was merely trying to encourage them and instill hope, but the situation was utterly bleak. Nevertheless, even with this grim realization, they resolved not to surrender!

...

"A world boss!" Mick exclaimed, a flicker of avarice igniting in his eyes. Ryder and Tina mirrored this same expression. It was a world boss! Perhaps even the sole one discovered thus far! If they could conquer it, the EXP and rewards would be beyond imagination!

"Look! Its HP is nearly down to a third! If we help them out, maybe we can actually defeat that thing! As for the rewards..." Mick needed no further words. The trio understood each other implicitly, grasping the unspoken implications.

While they were consumed by greed, Izroth’s gaze drifted towards the direction the two deserters had fled. Cowards! That was the sole thought that crossed Izroth's mind as he scoffed at their actions. He then redirected his attention back to the ongoing battle.

"The monster's stats are quite formidable..." Izroth paused, delving into his memories, or rather, the ones he had inherited.

"I see, so that’s why it boasts such formidable stats. A world boss is designed to be challenged by a significant number of players. Considering its might, this could be deemed one of the more accessible world bosses. It seems being a dedicated gamer truly has its advantages," Izroth mused internally as his focus shifted to the Cleric positioned at the rear, Luna.

"Her healing is executed with flawless timing; not a single drop of MP or a heal has gone to waste. Moreover, she maintains composure amidst this intense confrontation. Remarkable. Achieving such calmness in dire situations is a rare feat," Izroth commented in his thoughts. He held a profound respect for individuals possessing such a temperament. After all, while techniques and skills can be imparted, cultivating a calm demeanor under extreme duress is something few can truly master.

While Izroth was meticulously analyzing the unfolding battle, an alert suddenly materialized!

Ding! You have been removed from the party!

The maximum party size was capped at six members. With three of them already present and three others actively engaged in combat, space needed to be made. Naturally, they couldn't fathom this novice would dare to flee so deep into the perilous forest. Furthermore, there was the tantalizing possibility of acquiring loot far superior to a mere rare weapon from this world boss! Of course, they had no intention of letting Izroth off the hook easily, especially after the ordeal he had subjected them to.

"Remain here. We are going to assist them in vanquishing that boss! If you even consider attempting to escape, heh, then don't blame me for resorting to impolite measures!" Mick declared, his gaze fixed upon Izroth, disdain evident in every line of his face. This marked the very first occasion Mick had cast aside all pretense, finally revealing his true, unvarnished nature!

Izroth’s heart turned to ice as he was subjected to such condescension and threats, staring directly at Mick. The audacity to threaten him! Izroth struggled to recall the last instance anyone had dared to utter such a threat in his presence! He was revered as the paramount cultivator across all seven realms; not even in their wildest dreams had anyone conceived of threatening him.

Mick's face twisted into a smug expression as he observed Izroth’s lack of response and his refusal to flee. He erroneously concluded that he had petrified Izroth into utter submission, paralyzing him with fear. Little did he comprehend that in doing so, he had inadvertently sealed his own doom.

Mick gave a nod to Ryder and Tina, who now appeared content, believing Mick had firmly put Izroth in his place. They harbored their own intentions, planning to exact revenge and repay the humiliation they had endured earlier at a later juncture.

The trio emerged from the treeline and advanced toward the world boss. The situation had deteriorated further, becoming even more dire than it had been mere moments prior! The very fact that the remaining three players were managing to hold their ground could only be described as miraculous. However, Luna’s healing, executed with such impeccable timing and serene precision, was prolonging their desperate struggle far beyond what should have been possible!

Yet, she couldn't claim sole credit. Halls consistently proved to be a steadfast tank, timing his blocks to perfection and expertly evading incoming damage whenever feasible, all while diligently maintaining the aggro on the menacing Shadow Wolf.

Cling!

-50 HP!

3,250/10,000 Remaining! (Shadow Wolf)

Halls’ sword lashed out, inflicting some damage upon the wolf. Nevertheless, at this pace, their efforts seemed utterly futile.

A blazing fireball coalesced within Quince’s palm as he directed its trajectory towards the Shadow Wolf!

Wooooooosh!

The fiery projectile streaked through the air, impacting the Shadow Wolf near the right flank of its head!

-150 HP!

-3,150/10,000 Remaining! (Shadow Wolf)

The Shadow Wolf let out an enraged howl before unleashing a devastating downward smash with its colossal claw aimed at Halls! Halls managed to intercept the claw with his shield, yet he felt as though his very knees were on the verge of buckling under the immense pressure!

BLOCKED!

-120

170/700 HP Remaining! (Halls)

A mere 120 points of damage from a standard attack, even after being blocked by a shield! That was an astonishing amount of damage!

Abruptly, a warm, verdant light enveloped Halls, mending a portion of the damage he had just sustained. It was Luna, who had cast Cure upon him!

"Excellent heal!" Halls exclaimed inwardly. All the previous encounters had been remarkably easy, almost as if no effort was required. Now, he finally grasped the reason why. Luna was an absolute powerhouse of a Cleric! The precision of her heals was so uncanny; it was as if she were a meticulously programmed machine executing a specific task!

+100 HP

270/700 HP Remaining! (Halls)

"My MP reserves won't last much longer. I have approximately three more Cures before I'm forced to consume an MP potion," Luna confessed, her voice tinged with weariness. Maintaining such a high level of concentration under such extreme duress was mentally taxing. A single lapse in focus could lead to the complete collapse of their efforts, underscoring the critical importance of her steadfast calm.

Upon hearing Luna's words, Halls and Quince fell into a heavy silence, their battle continuing unabated. They understood that Luna was exerting her utmost effort, and they acknowledged that any other healer would have succumbed long ago. All they could do was silently await the inevitable depletion of her mana and the subsequent arrival of their doom.

Just as their spirits sank into a profound gloom, a distant shout pierced the heavy air.

"Hey, we're here to help! Make us part of your party!" Mick shouted as he charged forward, followed closely by a woman wielding a cleric staff. Another individual was present too, but they vanished the moment they entered the combat zone – most likely a rogue!

Halls appeared utterly stunned for a moment but quickly regained his composure. Help had arrived! A flicker of hope ignited within them! He swiftly created some distance between himself and the Shadow Wolf, then invited Mick and Tina into the party.

Luna's brow furrowed slightly. For reasons unknown, a peculiar sense of coldness and detachment emanated from the newcomers. She might be mistaken, but she remained cautious, trusting her intuition.

"Could you hand over party leader status? I need to invite a rogue to our group as well," Mick inquired, a friendly smile gracing his lips.

Halls felt a twinge of unease. Requesting party leadership felt like a bit much, especially from a complete stranger! However, the dire situation necessitated all available aid, leaving him no choice but to place his trust in them. "Once you've invited them, return party leader status to me," Halls agreed, transferring leadership to Mick. Shortly after, another member joined their ranks. Now united within the same party, the others could clearly observe a rogue stealthily positioning themselves behind the Shadow Wolf.

A subtle grin spread across Mick's face as he charged towards the Shadow Wolf! "Watch out!" he exclaimed, intercepting an incoming strike from the beast!

BLOCKED!

-180 HP!

270/450 HP Remaining! (Mick)

Halls seethed with anger, Mick's refusal to return party leadership irking him immensely. Yet, the Shadow Wolf's renewed assault on him left no room for words.

Luna's expression turned icy as she witnessed the shameless actions of this individual.

Party:

Name: Halls

Class: Warrior

Level: 6

HP: 270/700

MP: 60

Name: Quince

Class: Mage

Level: 6

HP: 250/250

MP: 70/260

Name: Luna

Class: Cleric

Level: 6

HP: 220/220

MP: 60/250

...

Izroth observed the unfolding events, his gaze inevitably drawn to Mick and his companions. A look of disdain and contempt crossed his features as he accurately surmised their intentions. He knew there was no way those three selfish individuals would ever share anything willingly. The moment an opportunity arose, they would undoubtedly betray their allies.

A faint smile touched Izroth's lips as he watched the battle. Finally, his attention shifted to the trio now radiating intense killing intent. "Do not fret, if any of you manage to escape this forest alive, may I be struck down by the heavens themselves!" Izroth uttered a solemn oath. It was crucial to understand that upon embarking on the path of cultivation, any vow sworn to the heavens carried immense weight; failure to uphold it would result in dire consequences, truly striking one down.

Izroth slowly emerged from the concealing trees, stepping into the open where the group battled the Shadow Wolf.