NOVEL NEXT Chapter 77: Blackwater Baptism
The fight would take place in a small, recessed area carved into the mountain wall, nestled low within the forest. Once inside, if combat began, an invisible barrier would rise—cutting off all escape routes.
In other words, the BOSS battle was confined to this tight, closed-off space.
The arena was no more than forty yards across. Despairer Hughesman, the final boss monster, loomed large and took up half of it on his own. No matter where the tank tried to drag him, ranged classes could still hit him from any angle.
To put it bluntly: the space was perfect—not for the players, but for the BOSS to slaughter them.
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Despairer Hughesman
BOSS
Level: 16
Health: 65,200
Type: Elemental
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Of all the things Ryan remembered about this BOSS, one stood out: Blackwater.
Technically, it was called Shadow Mire, but most players just referred to it as Blackwater—a name that better captured its doom-laced presence. In tight arenas like this one, it was the number-one cause of full-team wipes.
The mechanic was simple but brutal. Periodically, Hughesman would summon two or three Shadow Orbs that locked onto specific players. After about two seconds, the orbs would land at those players' locations, regardless of whether they hit or missed.
Wherever a Shadow Orb landed, it created a dark, spreading pool of energy—a Shadow Mire—fifteen yards wide.
Step on it, and it would grow.
As long as even one player stood inside it, the pool would continue to spread until it consumed the entire arena.
Anyone caught inside the mire would take a steady 200 damage per second.
That might not sound too punishing at first—until there was nowhere else left to stand. Then, it was a death sentence.
There was a way to handle it. If no one touched the Blackwater at all, the shadow pool would shrink on its own, one ring every five seconds, vanishing completely after half a minute.
Aside from that, Despairer Hughesman didn't have a huge list of tricks. He dealt consistent shadow damage, like the elite mobs players had faced earlier, and occasionally cast a group Shadow Bolt.
Simple as it seemed, Hughesman served as a rite of passage—the first BOSS that really punished poor positioning. For many players, he was a brutal crash course in raid mechanics.
Ryan was calm as he looked over the team.
"Everyone get ready. This one does magic damage too. Riverbank Grass, keep an eye on my health," he said evenly.
He was already resigned to the first wipe.
There was no way around it. This fight was all about positioning, and most of the team had never experienced anything like it. The learning curve was steep, and the early attempts would be slow and painful.
"Boss, what kind of skills do you think this guy has?" Nightwalker crept cautiously into the arena, staying close to the edge. His voice came through quietly in team chat.
"Group Shadow Bolt, for sure," Ryan replied, keeping his tone light. "Probably some kind of bomb mechanic... and a few surprises."
He didn't name Blackwater directly, but the hint was there.
"Let's go! We're taking it down in one shot!" Moonlight Beauty couldn't hold back her excitement. She kept bouncing in place, her avatar practically trembling with energy. The others joined in, egging Ryan on.
"Alright, I'm going in," he said with a grin.
He stepped forward, raising his shield and weapon. A gleaming Avenger's Shield flew from his hand and smashed into Despairer Hughesman's shadowy face.
The moment the blow landed, the invisible wall shimmered into place behind them, locking the team inside.
Moonlight Beauty surged forward the moment Ryan threw his Avenger's Shield. She activated Charge and reached Despairer Hughesman a split second before the shield did.
It was a risky move—rushing in early to take damage on purpose, just to generate more Rage.
"Damn it, cut that reckless crap out," Ryan muttered, exasperated, though he didn't rush to yank aggro back from her.
There was no real danger. Protection Paladins had a toolkit full of threat-generating skills, and Ryan's most powerful one was already in motion. He had no doubt the BOSS's attention would stay on him.
"Alright, I'm pulling the BOSS to the corner. I'll keep its back to you all. Ranged DPS and healers, stay at max range."
His voice was steady and composed, the kind of calm that made people follow orders without question. The team instinctively fanned out, adjusting their positions for optimal spacing.
It didn't take long.
After just a handful of exchanges, Despairer Hughesman cast its first spell.
Instant Group Shadow Bolt.
A flicker of light pulsed from its body—and five Shadow Bolts shot out in unison, striking every player for 300 damage.
Riverbank Grass immediately began casting heals, spreading HoTs across the group. But before the wave of pain was even fully patched up, Hughesman shimmered again.
This time, three Shadow Orbs floated up from its body, rising high into the air like glowing wraiths.
"Are those bombs?" Nightwalker shouted, still recovering his energy and glancing upward. "Heads up! They're targeting specific players!"
His eyes scanned the battlefield. "Featherlight! Moonlight Beauty! Riverbank Grass!"
He barked out the names one after another, locking on to the orbs' targets.
"Spread out!" Ryan ordered.
Just as the words left his mouth, the orbs began descending fast.
Ryan didn't hesitate—he shifted Hughesman's position, dragging the BOSS away from the center of the room.
The melee DPS followed instinctively. Moonlight Beauty broke from her previous spot and stuck to the BOSS's flank.
A beat later, one of the orbs landed. It splashed against the stone, releasing a pool of viscous black water that pulsed with a faint, eerie glow.
Riverbank Grass had flinched at Nightwalker's shout and moved just in time. She looked back and saw the dark mire right where she'd been standing. Her heart skipped a beat.
"That's black water..." she whispered.
"Nightwalker," Ryan said sharply, "when those orbs show up, watch who they're targeting and call them out immediately. Everyone else—if you're near the target, get away, fast."
Then he turned to Archress. "Archress, I need you to step into the black water—just for a moment—then back out. Carefully."
"Got it," the mage replied, backing off from the BOSS and edging toward the newly-formed pool.
She hovered at the edge, then stepped in—just briefly—before retreating.
"It hits for 200 damage," Archress reported. "And it expands. If anyone stays in it too long, it'll flood the whole field."
The implication was clear: a wipe would follow.
Everyone tensed up. The danger wasn't in the BOSS's direct damage—it was in the arena itself.
"Good," Ryan said, his voice low and measured. A faint smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.
They were learning.