Chapter 309: Turning Point

Skills were raining down like a thunderstorm of unlimited budget, shooting towards the massive dark eyeball hovering in the sky in an all-encompassing assault.

It was not really effective, however, as the Players could see that Aojo’s HP bar was only reduced by a minor fraction.

That said, it was not as if Aojo was so exceedingly powerful that the Players’ skills were harmless because had yet to reach the lower threshold of the gods. It was at best an Abomination, and the Players attack was actually effective.

Even so, the monster which was a namesake of ‘evil eye’ (in Spanish) had an attack called Gaze, dealing continuous damage to anything in its vision aside from what it willfully exempted.

That naturally includes the skills that the Players were bombarding it with. Every skill launched at it would be nullified preemptively by its gaze, and only some high-level damage skill beyond level 40 would survive Gazeeven then, the skill would be having less than one-tenth of its original effect, and the damage would naturally be very low.

What was more upsetting was that even though the monster was basically one big eyeball, there was not just one crimson pupilthere were actually several, that kept darting around the eyeball.

In other words, Aojo could stare at multiple directions at the same time with no chance of leaving a blind spot! “We can’t go on like this. We won’t kill it even if everyone drains themselves dry!” Edward panted, not because of physical fatigue but because of slight mental weariness. After all, ultimate skills beyond level 40 were as devastating as it was heavily taxing. Even Edward’s MP bar could barely last a few shots —he would need to have some Pepsi when he’s drained, and that potion-chugging strategy had its limits.

It was not as if he would develop immunity towards the potion itself, but the problem was very real: colas always leave drinkers feeling bloated and they couldn’t drink too much in a short time. In fact, imagine how awkward it would be if you start burping halfway through a spell chant…

“You could try throwing me up there.”

Beside Edward, Joe offered a suggestion to the group-he had been idling because his range of attack wouldn’t reach Aojo.

He usually would be taking the role of tank, but the enemy this time was unique which left the tank position ineffective. After all, Aojo’s vision would constantly deal damage to the Players around it, just as the tanks’ Taunt skills wouldn’t work at all.

Now, Edward and the others shared a glance before he nodded at Joe. “Got it. Be careful.” Jessica flicked Sefarim to cast a shield over Joe, whereas Gou Dan promptly turned into a black bear, picking Joe who was a head shorter now and flung him into the air with all his strength.

After that, Edward brandished Happy Flames and unleashed a powerful black fireball that sent Joe flying once more towards Aojo just when he was about to be pulled down by gravity.

As the black fireball’s momentum waned, Eleena’s Spear of Victory came as expected, bursting apart Jessica’s shield (which was cast to prevent friendly fire) over Joe and shredding his HP bar by a small notch, although it sent Joe flying even quicker towards Aojo. Still, Aojo naturally noticed the Flappy Bird strategy as well as the person who was rapidly approaching it.

Hence, it instantly directed several of its crimson pupils towards Joe, intent on vaporizing him before he could reach it!

“I knew you would do that! Spirit Familiar!”

Joe laughed cheekily as a human silhouette appeared before him, making a cool pose as it appeared… just before it was mostly vaporized in the next split second.

Spirit Familiar: …

Joe finally reached his enemy after sacrificing his spirit familiar, and he clutched Aojo tightly with an embrace.

The tainted divine energy within the Abomination’s body became agitated just as its energy went on a frenzy, tearing wounds all across Joe’s body-he would be bleeding all over by now if the Players’ blood hadn’t been harmonized by Xi Wei.

“It’s over! Eat this!” Every muscle over Joe’s body tightened as his veins bulged, while his MP bar was being converted to physical strength similar to aura.

Thus, he roared.

“Suplex—!”

Nothing happened.

Joe was bombarded by Aojo’s pupils even as it sweated buckets, and he fell to the ground below while billowing smoke.

Edward: …

Jessica: …

Eleena: …

Gou Dan: “That idiot! That boss is permanently immune no matter how you look at it! You should be using an ultimate skill at that point!”

After foiling the sudden strike, Aojo began to reorganize its defenses against the Players. With ordinary measures now ineffective, the battle became attritional once again.

Even so, the Players were losing people quicker than Aojo was losing HP-after all, not every Player could afford Resurrection Ankhs or Reviving Armors, and anyone not revived by Holy Lancers or clerics were going to be locked in the black hut for three days.

As the losses piled, even Xi Wei couldn’t bear to watch in his divine kingdom.

If the battle hadn’t started so suddenly, Xi Wei could have set up a resurrection channel like he did in events before this to prevent losses albeit by consuming his divine power.

Even so, making one now from bottoms-up was too late. He had also used up a lot of his divine power in the Twin City Cup, and there would be unimaginable consequences if he used up all the capital he had right now. ‘Should I just manifest down below, slap that ball half to death and let the Players finish the job?’

Just as Xi Wei decided to risk the other gods noticing himself and attempted to bestow a divine miracle to protect his believers, a turning point had quietly arrived for the battle in the world below.

***

Mufasa was leaping from roof to roof to try getting close to Aojo, but its threefold vision allowed it to easily avoid him.If Aojo was already a poor opponent for tank classes, it was a much worse adversary for Swordmasters who took the Kengyoku route.

There was no parrying or deflecting vision, and they would have to get very close to inflict damage-Mufasa just couldn’t shorten the distance between him and the monster for an attack, let alone the fact that it kept getting away because it can fly!

“Damn it… I’m blurring out…” Mufasa murmured.

His HP was already on a critical level after being Gazed by Aojo for so long.

The world spun around him, but a figure soon appeared beside him just as he was about to drop dead and casted a white radiance at him.

In the next split second, his HP rose by a whole notch and his spirit was reinvigorated.

He looked up, expecting a support Player, only to realize that it was Alfonso, the Brilliant White Church monk who had somehow appeared beside him and healed him slightly with holy light.

“There’s no way I’m letting you die here when our duel is not over…” Alfonso said, turning away and averting Mufasa’s gaze. “We’ll definitely see who’s better after we had slain that malice!”