Chapter 303 - Devilfish Stomach Labyrinth (IV)

Even though it's just a heart, I am not going to just lower my guard. As long as they have an HP and they are an enemy, there is a big possibility it will fight back.

"Lina, Lucia, support us from the back, Tina and I will assault the heart."

"Roger!"

The two immediately assumed their positions at the back and started channeling their abilities.

"Tina, let's go!"

Tina draw her blade out and sprinted towards the Heart. As for me, I started to apply debuffs. First is the [Russian Roullete] ability of my Versatile Weapon.

CLICK!

BANG!

The bullet shot through the Heart and the crimson heart shook after it took the bullet. Of course, it didn't burst like the usual hearts shot by a gun. If that was the case, things would be much easier.

-you have inflicted Curse(Moderate)!

Well, that went well, curse can degrade the max HP of the target and will continue to do so until the effect stops. As for this, the effect will end once the target died so it will continue to drop, slowly but surely. Even if it takes forever to damage it, waiting here will eventually kill it unless it can heal.

After getting one of the debuffs, I activated [Defense Down] and also activated [Stopwatch] just in case. Besides, with my passives, [Stopwatch] can also reduce the defense values of the heart this way.

After stacking up the debuff, Tina is already close to the heart. Upon getting very near, the heart responded and black energies suddenly lunges towards Tina. Tina is very quick and just casually slide off from the dark energies.

"HA!"

SWISH SWISH SWISH!

After dodging the energies coming at her, Tina followed it up with 5 consecutive thrust from her rapier, dealing piercing damage to five points of the heart. I also followed up her attack and changing my sword to a normal sword, I closed the gap between me and the heart.

"[Triple Slash]!"

KACHA! KACHA! KACHA!

A layer of membrane suddenly peel off from the heart and the crimson color of the heart started to get really darker than the usual. It also started to emit a hot wave of air and it started beating fast. Not only that but a miasma started to build up around the heart. I glance at Tina and she nodded in response.

"Lucia, Lina! Now!"

"Release thy anger! [Blitz of Burning Grudge]!" Lucia unleashed a heat wave in the form of cinders that flew straight to the heart. The moment the cinders get in contact with the heart, it exploded one by one that it was like time bombs planted straight to the devilfish's heart.

"We are not yet done! [Ifreeta]!"

A female elemental djinn appeared right in front of the Heart and it blows a fiery hot flame out of her mouth, burning the heart alongside with the explosions from the previous skills. After she did that, she releases a few punches with flames on her hands. It was quick that even the small explosions that occurred outside the heart were all pushed back to the heart, dealing additional damage. After that, she disappeared like a smoke.

"Did we got it?" Lucia is still battle ready and is still preparing if she needs to fire another one.

"Not yet!" I confirmed seeing the HP bar is still up and about though at least quarter of the HP bar is gone already after the attacks.

The smoke started to fade and the heart revealed to be the same as ever though there are some signs of peeling membrane coming off from the heart itself. Of course, just from the peeling alone, the crimson color from before is no longer bearing any significant color to the red color at all but it is now officially a black colored heart. Every beat it makes causes the surroundings to shake and rumble.

"Master, something is wrong," Lucia who is also sensitive in slight magic movement gave her warning.

The heart then started to wriggle and it started to...open?!

POP POP POP

Small creatures similar to the creatures we killed before we arrived here appeared before us. 

"Wait, so those f*ckers are actually the nervous system's cells of the Ice Devilfish?!"

They keep popping up from the heart like they were born there. Though that shouldn't be the case if we are talking about the actual heart here, we don't know if the Ice Devilfish has a different take on how to release the soldiers of the nervous system.

The amount of the things appearing is no longer something we can just ignore.

"Everyone! Attack!"

The new monsters responded to my attack and they started to flock together while they branded their weapons to attack us.

Lina joined the fray of attacking and abandon her mage status for the moment and pulled out her Morning Star.

"[Cry of the Warmonger]!"

Lina screamed on top of her lungs and her statuses rose up permanently. The surrounding team members including myself suddenly received attack buffs which is part of the effect of the [Cry of Warmonger]. It's effects might be similar to the [Berserk] but it also gives out buffs to the surrounding allies, giving it a nickname, "Ther Better Berserk"

The white monsters didn't back down and continue pouring itself out of the heart.

"I will make way towards the heart while you guys follow suit!"

Everyone nodded and I changed my weapon to spear and shield. This time, I will test one of the skills that Paladin users do to make a sweep attack against multiple enemies. I thump the shield using my spear and activated one of the beginner attacks of Paladins.

"[Shield Bash]!"

The moment I activated the skill, I also started running towards the heart. The [Shield Bash] can attract enemie's attention so the moment I unleashed it, the monsters also rush towards me head-on.

PENG PENG PENG PENG!

Metallic sounds bounces off from my shield after every monsters rushes towards the shield. I didn't stop of course and as I continue, the closer I get to the heart of the monster.

"Get it done everyone!"

Lucia, Tina and Lina following behind then unleashed their abilities to the fullest. Lucia leaping in the air and shot some cinders up in the air and releasing it straight to the heart. Lina on the other hand unleashed her anger and wildly beat up the heart with the Morning Star. Tina on the other hand, continuously attack the points she previously pierced with her rapier.

As for me, I decided to deal with the small fries. No matter how small and easy to kill they are, they are far too many in number departments. We are seriously in a very disadvantage position.

"[Stopwatch]!"

I had to cast [Stopwatch] again to the enemies as they are getting too troublesome to handle. Not only do they keep on getting into the way but they are also trying to break through and interrupt the girls from attacking the boss.

As we get overwhelmed a lot due to the little bastards, I decided to unleash everything I have with me. Due to my recent level up, I received universal SP which I can use on all of the skill trees. I didn't have much skills I bought since most of the skills I recently emtied my SP bank are mostly on passives and the most skills I purchased are good for most of the time against a single boss.

While defending, I quickly opened the skill tree. The remaining SP I have for universal SP is just 5 SP which is only enough for purchasing a single skill from tier 1. Looking at the other classes, there isn't much to say on the tier 1 skills. They might be good skills but I have less Sp to use to make it stronger in upgrades.

Then, I come across one of the skills that I keep neglecting as it doesn't entice me for a bit due to how I am not into furries. However, if I remember correctly, despite being tier 1, this skill is always part of the skill abilities of a druid. I rarely encounter druids in the past timeline as they are usually not a combat type in the past timeline and rarely see anyone who plays it.

I can only say I am not so expert in this skill as I rarely see any druid use this skill so perhaps I am wrong. However, this is the only skill that might have a chance.

"[Shapeshifting] has been selected."

Let's see how this works out.

"Shapeshifting]!"

"[Please just use the command mentally please.]"

Crap, its like how the Versatile Weapon, in changing shapes. F*ck, that's a bit embarrassing. Still, I followed the instructions and mentally activate the skill.

"[Please choose an animal to shapeshift from] Note: Only those creatures you saw will be possible to shapeshift into.]"

I checked to see any noteworthy to choose. I thought I would see a dragon or Gryphon like Leona. However, there is nothing of that sort. However, one selection caught my eye.

[Great White Wolf]

If I remember correctly, [Great White Wolf] is similar to the Elite White Wolf I defeated during the very beginning in which I received the mask. However, they are far too big compared to the latter. Out of all the options given and available, this option is the strongest I have seen. I don't know what will happen but I have to see it for myself.

"[Great White Wolf] selected.. Transformation will commence.]