Vol. 5 - Ch. 288 - The Last Floor and The Strategy Meeting Inside the Carriage

"We're finally at the last floor."With no more hindrance to stop our footsteps after taking down the wandering boss, we easily entered the safety area of the last floor.

We took some detours here and there but overall, it was a fast ride.

Ester had also become great at driving the carriage. As I was reveling in satisfaction, there was however one person who was perplexed by our speed.

It was Rika.

"I really don't understand if it felt too long or too quick. I understand it's quite fast looking at the clock ticking 11:00 a.m. but it really feels bizarre that we're already at the last floor...... Goodness, I really underestimated this ‹Vehicle› equipment to span all the floors before noon time."

The norm until now was that it's impossible to reach the final floor in just one day.

I guess she couldn't conceal her surprise at the unbelievable performance of ‹Vehicle› equipment how we were able to reach a new dungeon at the day 1一..., No, in just morning.

Fufufu , that was precisely the reaction I was waiting for! As the one who prepared it, I couldn't be any happier at their reaction. Be more surprised! Fuhaha!

"It's finally the boss battle! Let's go dit Zephyr! Get ready the flutes!"

"Hold your horses, Lana. We're going through a strategy meeting and the crucial points we ought to look for first!"

I stopped the excited Lana who was just ready to bolt straight towards the boss room's door, gathered everyone inside the carriage and went through the strategy.

"This ‹Carriage› thing is really impressive. We can also have lunch inside." (Ester)

"You're arranging tables etc until now. Though it was also a fresh feeling to eat in the open." (Lana)

"Then, shall I arrange lunch outside?" (Ester)

"Let's leave it for another time! I also like eating in the carriage!" (Lana)

"You guys, are you even listening to what I'm saying?" (Zephyr)

Seriously, these guys.

Well it's natural to take a short break and have lunch after reaching the safety area and that's what they're for but wasn't Lana raring to have an immediate fight with the boss just now? What a quick change of heart.

Speaking of how everyone was able to gather inside, it was attributed to the ‹Interior Expansion Lv3› skill of ‹Thunder Javelin› which increases the dimension of a closed space's interior, thus increasing the size from inside in contrast to how it looked from outside.

It was also equipped with tent features to sleep inside as well. It was completely fitted with necessary facilities to live. The closest analogy I could say it's like the Camping Car, I guess? Though not that I have ever experienced being in one.

That being said, It initially didn't have showers, thanks to Ester, who had bought some kind of cartridge and installed it in the carriage, we didn't have to worry about water either.

I had never seen that thing in the game. I assume all the life related items were skipped in the game.

Though I do wonder if we can also have shower inside one day if I raise the ‹Tent› skill level. I must search about it later.

Anyway, we used to set-up leisure seats and tables until now after coming to the safety area but ‹Thunder Javelin› saved us the time to spend on it.

Well that's enough sidetracking, let's quickly start the meeting.

"The regular boss of this dungeon is ‹A Squirrel plagued with lightning›, or also known as ‹Troubled Squirrel›. It's because its body is in continuous electric discharge mode. Its size is almost the same ‹Electro-Charged Fox› guardian boss we fought earlier. The boss has good number of AoE attacks so beware about the distance lest you face the problem but on the brighter side, it doesn't have much long-range or multi-target attacks so the best way to take it down is through bashing it with magic from a long distance."

First, I explained about the regular boss. To be honest, it's an easy boss to take down. ‹King Dinosaur› on the other hand could be said to be a beast regarding strength comparison.

Though a tank has a bad comparability with it since members have to be constantly on the move. However there's nothing to worry about if you're already familiar with its pattern.

"Next is the rare boss ‹Electric Bear-cum-Squirrel›, also our goal. It is a 3m huge squirrel like...... yeah, it's basically a monster with more prominent squirrel features unlike the ‹Spooky Bear-cum-Armadillo›."

"A squirrel?"

"That's right, the rare boss is a squirrel."

This time, I replied without hesitation to Lana's question.

I guess they should be able to picture it out somehow, it follows the same type of template as ‹Bear-cum-Anteater› in the Beg-low.

The boss movement was more like a bear than a squirrel. I bet all my money that a bear lover must have been hiding among the developers camp.

"Cough. ‹Electric Bear-cum-Squirrel› pattern mostly follows fighting in close-combat while cladding itself with the lightning. Furthermore, it also has a powerful self buff skill ‹Charging› which greatly increases its attack and agility. I have prepared some countermeasures but remember that it's hard to escape from the boss's grip if it successfully activates its skill. Lana, an attack of it would be suffice to throw you out of battle so you and Rika be careful about keeping its aggro in check."

"Zephyr, thrown like a boomerang?"

"Stab"

The unexpected words from Karua gouged my heart out. Had this scene been in a manga, it would have drawn like a spear of words piercing me.

Yes, I'm the one who was punched away earlier by surpassing tank's aggro. Ah, Karua may have meant no harm but it hurts my heart.

I somehow recollected myself while following with a spewing blood gesture. I am not going to give up at this place!

"Ahem, yes. Now I will explain about its unique skill which you guys should be careful about the most."

"Ah, revived."

"I know that wasn't enough for Zephyr-dono to lose his bearing."

I'm not going to feel any better even if you praise me you know.

"Karua, don't interrupt the meeting too much."

Rika chided Karua who was unusually interjecting with her remarks today, I guess the boss' explanation must have been boring to her. We're going to play a lot later, so just listen to my explanation for now.

"AHEM. Where was I, yes, the unique skill of the ‹Electric Bear-cum-Squirrel› is ‹Bear-cum-Squirrel style • I'm the tribulation Lightning›. The boss covers itself into big lightning stripes which follows by a charge attack, and is absolutely dangerous. This is a must avoid attack. Avoid the charge attack by jumping to the left or right if you see it charging at you."

The boss's unique skill's another interpretation among the player base was ‹I'm the Wolf›. It was another nickname where I would want to make a jab on where in the nine world did the bear and squirrel part went to?

Because if you look closely at the big lightning stripes coiling around the boss, you will see it strangely resembling a wolf. I really don't know what the hell was going inside the developer's brain when they're designing it but the majority of the boss follows the same playful criteria.

It was a move that resembles an electric type tackle attack used by the mascot of a certain pocket.

It's quite a cool skill if you look at it from the bystander perspective, but not when you're on the receiving end of the skill.

But on the brighter side, it's easier to dodge, so everything is fine as long as we don't get hit by it.

Following that, I explained to each one in detail about their respective roles and ended the meeting.

"It's finally over."

"Was Karua even listening properly..."

"Don't ask, let's leave on the note that she properly listens to everything."

Rika expressed her uneasiness at Karua's remark. Let's not dig in this matter further and just hope she did. For the solace of my heart.

"Alright, it's boss battle time! I'm sure the lunch would taste even better after our victory over the boss!" sᴇaʀᴄh thᴇ N0vᴇlFire(.)nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of nøvels early and in the highest quality.

"Yes, let's do our best, Lana-sama. The lunchbox today is made by Hannah-sama herself using all her skill."

"No more Ester, that's enough to spell the boss's doom!"

Lana was filled with the winning aura when Ester informed that Hannah had made today's lunchbox. Well not that her enthusiasm is wrong, we're definitely going to win.

I took out ‹Flute› and slowly blew it.

And the boss that welcomed us when we passed through the gate was 一一 ‹Electric Bear-cum-Squirrel›.