An undead horse. One without skin and meat. A dark aura radiates out of it when a black substance leaks as it steps. Then all of a sudden, it was blasted by the impact of powerful wind that is as cold as living in an environment filled with snow. The monster groan in its horse’s sound. But up in the air is Kurira with her wand swinging in the sky.

*BOOM*

{694}

Followed by a spectral arrow piercing its bone.

{20}

It stopped moving after being struck by that chain of attack. The third boss has been defeated and without delay, she ran towards the last boss, one who guards the portal to the outside world.

[Frost Breath / Tier 4 – Expert / Frost / Unleashes a powerful burst of wind in the element of the cold, its strength is based on the user’s Intelligence / Cooldown: 25 Seconds / Cost: 400 Mana, 50 Stamina]

! {Boss Defeated}

~ {Loot Obtained: 1 [E-Grade Random Weapon Box], 1 [E-Grade Random Item Box]}

~ {Special Loot Obtained: [Dread Mount] Quest}

“Useless, I’ll check it out later though.”

She opens the two boxes she has obtained. The item box gave 3 bronze cards and 2 silver cards with the bronze all going into potions.

“Goodness, even if it’s bronze, it shouldn’t be just all potion. What about the other two?”

{Silver Boots / Rank E / Rare / Physical Defense: 80 / Magical Defense: 40 / Effect: Reduce incoming damage from undead-type enemies by 10%}

“Another duplicate, nice.”

{Plague Orb / Rank E / Uncommon / Physical Attack: - / Magical Attack: 80 / Can be used as Catalyst for hex-type spells}

She stopped running and slapped the card to the ground, “That’s the wrong orb!!! God, where are all the uni catalysts? At least, give me something that I can actually use? Like, come on!!!”

It still transferred into her inventory.

“Hah… I don’t think I can beat the next boss, everyone. Ya see, the reason why people don’t want to go through the South Gate. On top of those mini-bosses, the next guy is gonna be a real one, and the worst part is that… it’s randomized. And it’s not like random where you can get lucky and got a weak one. No, not at all. Any one of em is tough, you just gotta practice and hope that you get into a fight with the one you already practiced with.”

She opened the weapon box and got 4 bronze cards and 1 silver card. Groaning. She had expected to get another gold card before she enters the main boss area, but it doesn't stop her.

{Steel Longsword / Rank E / Common / Physical Attack: 45 / Magical Attack: 0}

{Oakwood Staff / Rank E / Common / Physical Attack: 5 / Magical Attack: 45 / Can be used as Catalyst / Requirement: 40 Intelligence}

“Finally! It’s common, but whatever. I can now use those two OP spells! Amazing!” sarcastically yelling in wonder. She sighed afterward.

{Iron Dagger / Rank F / Common / Physical Attack: 10 / Magical Attack: -}

{Longbow / Rank F / Common / Physical Attack: 15 / Magical Attack: -}

{Falcon Spear / Rank D / Rare / Physical Attack: 210 / Magical Attack: 0 / Effect: On Hit, bolster the user’s movement and increases their jump ability for 5 seconds, negate fall damage while the effect is active / Requirement: 80 Dexterity}

“…”

“Another dupe. Nice!”

Sighing once again, “Seriously, they need to reconsider changing it. At least, make it non-duplicate for those gate bosses only.”

“I agree.”

Familiar voice, it was Rakuri. She has caught up despite being left so far behind. Kurira chuckled, “Heheh, I’ll be damned. You should’ve been the one doing the run instead if you’re gonna come back in that getup.”

A full dark leather armor with boots and gloves without a helmet on.

“Nothing protects your head though.”

“Inconvenience. I’m not used to covering part of my sight.”

Regrouped, the two went together to the last boss. As they went deeper and deeper toward the exit, the path becomes narrower until they found a man-made hole on a wall of stone. Passing through it, they stepped on a majestic flooring that extended so far and wide. At the end of it is the portal to the outside world, but guarded by a terrifying monster.

Its transparent wing that glitters black sparkles, its all-menacing appearance full of scales with a shape of a human. Dark substance leaking out of its claws, as it turns its head around, one can see the inhuman part of its body. The fact that its entire body is not that of a human, but a common insect that can be found anywhere, an ant.

! {Boss Encounter}

~ {Zombak, Guardian of the Righteous End | Lv. 50}

“A named monster, huh, titled as a guardian of the gate too,” muttered Kurira, “But the goal is to escape. We don’t need to kill that thing because, if I'm being honest, I don’t think the current you and I can do anything against that.”

“I’m gonna head out first, think you’re gonna be alright?”

Summoning the [Oakwood Staff] and [Thunder Totality (Bow)] with the latter unequipped, “Don't worry about me. And we’ll be back together soon anyways. I promise.”

“Heh, well then, good luck, sis.”

Rakuri dashes towards the monster with it extending its claws. When she leaped in the air, the monster slashes toward her, powerful wind reaches the ceiling with the shape of a claw cut her into pieces, but it was only an afterimage. “Heheh,” the monster turned around and sees that Rakuri has already standing in front of the portal, grinning widely. The monster's eyes widened. Dashing towards Rakuri, trying to reach her before she enters the portal.

“Kuhe.”

Was the only thing it heard before she made herself fall to the portal. Kurira noticed something, ‘Hunh, this is a new one. A monster that worries about one entering the portal instead mindlessly attacking anything it sees. Didn’t know the earlier version of Ekolia has this thing.’

*Fwoosh *Takk

An arrow sticks to its shoulder.

{0}

It turns around menacingly.

“Heh, how I wish we can have a proper fight, but I'm so damn weak right now.”

The ant monster started to approach her, carefully. She scoffed, pointing her staff at the ground and creating a dark circle. Soon, a ghastly flying creature with a small figure appeared. Its appearance is that of a demon with a spear in its hand.

[Summon Imp Familiar / Tier 1 – Basic / Dark / Conjure a spectral of [Imp] as your companion. Lasts 50 Seconds / Cooldown: 2.5 Seconds / Mana Costs: 100]

It assumed a stance position before flying towards the monster with its spear pointing at it but then suddenly, it was torn to pieces when the ant monster waved its claws furiously.

“Oof.”

Narrowing her eyes down. For the first time in a while, her expression becomes tense as she became serious. She raised her staff high and chanted, “Fuming Bolt.”

A small sphere of cloud appeared above her.

[Fuming Bolt / Tier 3 – Advanced / Fire / Conjure a cloud of flame at the current location that fires consecutive bolts of fire. Lasts 10 Seconds / Cooldown: 10 Seconds / Mana Cost: 250]

When the first bolt fires. It touches its chest.

{40}

For a moment, it looked at its own chest and almost couldn’t believe that it got damaged by that attack. Kurira noticed it, 'So, it's an undead. One without resistance to its common weakness.'

It shifted its attention to Kurira and quickly dashed towards her while swinging its claw, she widened her eyes as she readied herself to jump, and when 3 claws split the wind, she swiftly jumps and rotate mid-air. At a precious moment when she went sideways, the wind passed without damaging her.

But then, the ant monster does another slash with its other claws. Splitting the wind once more. Kurira acted appropriately, and do a flip with one leg far ahead of the other. At the same time, a bolt of fire was fired from the [Fuming Bolt] spell and Kurira pointed her staff in the opposite direction of her, summoning another imp.

The ant monster did not stop its attack, it continues to slash its claws multiple times, but the direction changes towards the imp familiar. Resulting in Kurira passing him and now on her way towards the portal, but then she notices a bright green hue of light at the edge of her eyes. She made a jump towards the portal while turning backward with her mouth ready to unleash a cold breath.

She sees the monster firing a blast of green energy smoke followed by a laser towards her, but when she opens her mouth, roaring, a breath of cold air that summons snow in her direction. She fires her [Frost Breath] skill. When the heavy blast touches the green laser, it cancels enough of it to give her time to reach the portal. At that moment, she formed a grin.

“Heheh, hope I can see you again, little ant.”

The laser soon pierced the [Frost Breath] but it could not reach her in time. When the laser touches the portal, it was reflected randomly, creating clouds of green smoke upon impact. The ant monster pulled its hand and roared, “Groooooghoghoghok!”

It went to the portal and try to chase them but only for it to get it reflected instead. It stung the monster as if it has been electrified. Then suddenly...

*Step *Step *Step

A footstep soon was heard, followed by a voice of a woman, “Zombak?”

It looked to the back to see her. Donned an outfit of the night, a simple hooded robe with many jewels and gems on her collar. She walked with a staff in hand, wood twisting like the head of a serpent and it holds a glowing gem that radiates a dread aura. Her white hair shaded in pink, her silver eyes widening and her thin brows tilting. She approached the ant monster, asking, “What are you doing?”

! {Luosa, Guardian of the Gifted End | Lv. 246}

***