Chapter 65: The Cunning Gamer
[Name: None]
[Classification: Golem]
[Specification: Steel Golem]
[Rank: D+]
[Information: This creature is made up of sturdy materials which makes movement difficult for the creature. This lack is greatly outweighed by the amount of defensive capability which the creature holds. Aside from its health, the monster has an outer layer which can deflect most attacks instead of just absorbing or taking them in them. Hence, it makes the [Steel Golem] impervious to a lot of head - on assaults.]
[Information: Though the core is the most vulnerable part of the creature; this same item is hidden within the deepest layers of its armor. Hence, the weakness cannot be treated much as one since it is nearly impossible to reach it through normal means.]
[Information: The monster can use only two skills. The first is [Ultimate Defender] which raises the defensive capabilities of the monster by twice the amount. With this skill, any attack that is within the scale of causing it damage, would only leave dents once the skill is activated. The other skill of the monster is [Ground Shatter] which creates an earthquake that selectively opens up the ground on areas where any hostility is located. The same skill can close up the opened cracks on the ground, trapping any opponent and crushing them to their deaths.]
[Information: Although having a powerful dual skill, the creature does not have any other skill to back these up. Hence, its rank is only a [D+] although it could go higher if it had two more skills up on its arsenal.]
"This is bad." Zeke said to himself as he viewed the monster from a distance. The [Steel Golem] is as large as the [Carnivorous Turtle] and yet, it seemed to be much larger with the set of skills and attributes it has.
Zeke can see the monster's information clearly. With the leveling up, various operations of the [Gamer's System] also gained some patches and updates. However, none has taken any nerfing so far which made Zeke a bit worried. After all, a game always has debuffs especially on areas where players deem it to be necessary.
Zeke got this out of his mind as quickly as the thought rose. He has larger problems to worry about after all. And, this isn't in the figurative sense.
With his upgraded [Analysis] Zeke can see more details about the monsters and, even the information on their skills. The same system function cannot work on higher level beings however – only displaying the names and levels of these creatures. Also, the [Analysis] skill has a weakness against cloaking spells, those which can hide a person's identity and specifics.
However, at that moment, he could see the [Steel Golem's] attributes and skills quite clearly. The monster walked through the poison, receiving an almost unnoticeable amount of damage from Zeke's most trusted spell.
Aside from this, all the monsters Zeke sent only got captured in the monster's skill. Every conjured being that comes attacking it would eventually fall for the [Ground Shatter] as the skill would create more and more areas for the golem's enemies to fall off to.
Zeke even tried hitting it with [Death's Symphony Mk.II] yet, even his otherworldly weapon only created a small crack to the monster's defenses. As soon as he tried firing again, the [Steel Golem] simply used its [Ultimate Defender] skill, making Zeke's bullets seem like pebbles hitting a wall of bricks.
"Okay change of plans, I need to see what the other opponent is capable of." Zeke told himself, using the [Teleportation Scroll] to transport immediately to where the next opponent is located.
[Name: None]
[Classification: Snake]
[Specification: Corrosive Viper]
[Rank: D+]
[Information: These creatures prolong their lives by devouring other creatures and consuming their life essence. The longer these creatures live, the longer and bigger they also get. With this, they also grow stronger, gaining an increase in their attributes the longer they stay alive.]
[Information: These creatures aren't physically strong. They rely on their speed in order to fight and, tangle their opponents using their bodies. They have deadly fangs that contain a [Corrosion] which is thought to be one of the deadliest in the whole of Mythos.]
[Information: Depending on the number of creatures which the monster kills, it will be able to drop out better materials once defeated. However, this will also cause its growth. This forces its opponents to kill it off. Not minding the absence of the reward which may jeopardize their lives if they choose to let the monster grow any stronger.]
[Information: The amount of corrosion which the creatures can use is on the level of melting most sturdy materials. This makes them even more dangerous as they can easily pass through the vanguards of any opponent.]
A different feeling rose as Zeke saw the enemy viciously devouring all his summons. The poison is working its way to the creature unlike the [Steel Golem]. However, there is something troublesome with this monster as well.
The [Corrosive Viper] shocked Zeke with how fast it killed off the conjures. Right then and there, Zeke knew that, he'd run out of [Mana Potions] before he could take out the monster. If he relied on his conjures to face it, the onslaught will only continue and, although the reward also tempted Zeke, he knew that allowing the monster to grow any stronger is not an option.
Zeke tried shooting at the monster but, his bullets only caused the monster to grow even more ferocious and, as it ate more of Zeke's conjures, its health went back to full. This meant that, the conjures aren't much of an option and, if Zeke chooses to drag the fight using his poison, the creature may just escape to safety.
"I'm in a tough pickle right now." Zeke thought to himself, thinking of the two monsters which are the complete opposite of one another. One focuses on its force while, the other focuses on its defense.
But, just as disaster stroke, an idea came to Zeke. One which he wanted to risk things on at the moment, knowing that it has a high possibility of working out. At this, he went down from the trees, positioning himself to where the [Corrosive Viper] could see him. He smirked at the creature as he shot it in the eye.
This caused the monster to give Zeke its whole and undivided attention. Chasing down the human who used a [Teleportation Scroll].
The [Corrosive Viper] immediately looked around, searching for the prey which magically vanished. And then, it received another bullet to the body, making the creature hiss in pain as it saw Zeke on a far away area.
The [Corrosive Viper] slithered its way to where he is, dodging the next set of bullets as it quickly made its way to him. But just as it opened jaws for the strike, Zeke disappeared again, using another [Teleportation Scroll] which made the [Corrosive Viper] bite on a tree that immediately melted due to the [Corrosion Effect].
"I definitely don't want getting hit by that." Zeke said as he saw what happened to the helpless tree. He then continued firing at the monster which chase him down, getting more and more furious as the chase continued.
Zeke doesn't' plan on using this mechanic to kite the monster until it gets killed. Rather, he'll use the same mechanic for another function – one that is similar to the kiting system in some games.
Kiting is mechanic used by ranged and nimble characters. This tactic is only possible if one is sure that their character can continually get out of range from a hand to hand melee with a usually stronger opponent. And this is to secure one of either two goals.
The first possible goal of kitting is to drain an opponent's health points in a safe manner. Moving away from the opponent as the character deals damage ensures a kill without much of a threat. No matter how strong a melee character is, if it can't get a hold of a ranged kiting character, then it would only result in the death of this unfortunate player.
Zeke cannot employ this tactic as, the continuous use of [Teleportation Scroll] would use up all his [Gamer Coins] and, even at this, there is a high chance that the [Corrosive Viper] would just run away once its health goes down to a critical level. Zeke cannot risk this possibility which led him to using the same mechanic for its second function.
Kiting, though popularly used to kill off a strong melee opponent, may also be used for a strategic trapping or luring of an enemy. And this is what Zeke is currently employing. With the amount of [Teleportation Scrolls] that he is making use of, Zeke lured the [Corrosive Viper] slowly within the terrain of the [Steel Golem].
He has never seen monsters attack each other within the forest. But he has seen a boss monster kill off smaller and weaker opponents. Meaning, if the [Corrosive Viper] suddenly goes within the range of the [Steel Golem], there is a high possibility that the [Corrosive Viper] will get stuck on one of the [Steel Golem's] attacks. With this, the monsters will need to deal with each other and, Zeke will be able to be in the middle of this fight, angering both creatures to the point that they contrinually damage each other.
"Come on then, keep chasing me down you idiot." Zeke said, firing another bullet at the [Corrosive Viper] which has noticed him appearing once again. This time, Zeke didn't use another Teleportation Scroll. Rather, he used his conjures to delay the movement of the angered viper. This allowed the creature to restore its health as the monster continued eating through the wave of Zeke's summons.
This is also part of his plan. The [Corrosive Viper] will be too busy eating through the conjures to realize where it is heading and, this assumption is as good as a scientific fact because, without the creature even noticing, part of its body fell into a large crack in the earth made by the [Steel Golem].
��Perfect." Zeke said, taking down all his conjures and letting the two monsters meet each other's gazes.
The [Steel Golem] seem to be indifferent to the new creature's presence but, the [Corrosive Viper] which has been continually angered by Zeke wanted to throw its frustration at any creature it sees and, fortunately for Zeke, it has now set its eyes on the [Steel Golem].
The [Corrosive Viper] hissed as part of its body went underground. Soon after, a large part of its tail section came out to where the [Steel Golem] is. The monster could not react to the swift creature as its movements are too sluggish. This cause the golem to get wrapped.
However, it continued fighting back, using both its offensive and defensive skill. The ground where part of the [Corrosive Viper's] body is located suddenly got tighter – crushing the monster inside and, making it pull back its tail immediately. The viper proceeded to slithering its whole body out of harm's way.
At this point, Zeke didn't even need to intervene. Within an area surrounded by his [Poison Cloud] the two bosses are about to kill each other off.