Name: Yoorth
Title: [Delighted]
Race: Ogre
Family: Mountain Horror
Rank: D
— STATS —
Strength: 699
Swift: 699
Fortitude: 699
Intelligence: 699
Magic Power: 699
Name: Grarth
Title: [Berserk]
Race: Ogre
Family: Mountain Horror
Rank: D
— STATS —
Strength: 699
Swift: 699
Fortitude: 699
Intelligence: 699
Magic Power: 699
Russell and the others inspected the information of the Boss Monsters. Without giving them a break, the Delighted Ogre launched an attack. A metallic mace was aimed at them, with the purpose to crush them.
"Do all of you need assistance?"
Yara asked, one of Rumia's escorts.
"No, we'll be fine."
It was Samantha who answered in everyone's stead.
"ROAAARRRR!"
The Berserk Ogre, on the other hand, also launched an attack. With the almost flat rocky surface, they were in right now, it was easier to dodge the attacks compared to when they were getting speared by Forest Trolls in a cramped forest.
With the exception of Raya and Yara, the group split up into two. This time, two tankers were present; Murktan Khan — one of Rumia's teammates during the first Virtual War against Elizabeth's group, and Marokh Lhan — one of Elizabeth's teammates during the first Virtual War against Rumia's group at that time.
The others were also present, except for some of them, mostly in Rumia's group in Virtual War. Apart from Murktan, the tanker with Brute Enforcer profession, there were also Dessa — the Rod Spinner, Rika — the Ice Mage, and Henriad — the Winter Ranger, as well as Becca, another Ice Mage.
The group that went against the Berserk Ogre was composed of — Elizabeth, Rumia, Murktan, Dessa, Rika, Henriad, Freya, and Amery.
While the group that went against the Delighted Ogre was composed of — Samantha, Russell, Jiho, Anya, Becca, Marokh, and Amelie.
The latter group was short of one player since Celine wasn't didn't have a Fighting-type profession.
***
"C-come to me! T-take care of y-you!"
Russell felt chills run down his spine at the words of the Delighted Ogre. On the other hand, Amelie, who seemed to recall their first Micro-Strayed Dungeon raid, frowned. The Boss Monster, Immunosar's Cancer, at that time, used a skill that would let everyone dream of being chased by the monster itself, which caused Amelie disgust.
Although the Ogres were agile, in contrast to their giant-like bodies, their attacks could easily be dodged since they had limited attack patterns, but these two Boss Monsters were entirely different.
Marokh, the tanker of this group, was blocking the unexpected attacks, while Jiho was fighting it head-on. This time, he was using the golden lightning sword of the Insane Harpy from the 10th floor, but it was transformed into a golden-plated sword with an intricate symbol of lightning carved on its blade. While Amelie and Becca were continuously firing Mana Blast and Ice Blast respectively.
On the other hand, Russell, Samantha, and Anya were aiming for an opening to catch the agile Ogre.
Boom-!
A mace strike landed on the rocky flat surface. The battle was happening at least more than twenty meters apart from each group since the 15th floor or the area they were transported in was a vast rocky wasteland.
'This is a good practice, especially since the Ogre seems abnormal and unpredictable.'
Russell thought. The time was nearing before he and his Chaos Companions started raiding the first Chaos Dungeons.
Russell looked at the Delighted Ogre, who seemed to want to have sinned with Jiho as he was chasing after him. A disgusting sight, indeed.
<Russell, is it still fine to bury that Ogre with my cross? You know, numerous presences were added.>
Amelie asked through telepathy, holding the Staff of the Lost Shade.
<It's fine. I guess it's time to at least slightly deepen our connections for the future.>
Though they somewhat secured an ambiguous connection with Artorious, they couldn't say the same thing with the other High-Rank players like the respective mother of Rumia and Elizabeth.
<Do you think those two, Raya and Yara, aside from escorting Rumia and Elizabeth, are secretly asked to scout the potential players in their group?>
Boom-!
Amelie asked, curious. The battle was ongoing, but Jiho was handling it very well with the help of others.
<It's probable. But I advise you that you should use that dark cross on the 25th floor since we're doing fine on this floor.>
Amelie just nodded at Russell's words.
"I-I t-take care of you-!"
"D-don't you w-want m-me?"
The creepiness of the Delighted Ogre's voice, with an unwavering big smile, caused Russell's and Amelie's intervening conversation to put to an abrupt stop. After that, the two intensified their attacks, showing their desire to put down the smiling Ogre.
Amelie, who was getting pissed inside, fired Mana Blast at the mouth of the Ogre.
Revealing that he could move through shadows, Russell quickly vanished from his spot and aimed for the Delighted Ogre's ankle.
"KUOHHHH-!"
Jiho, who saw Russell, took the faltering momentum of Yoorth, who groaned in pain, to strike back.
"HAAAA-!"
Slash-! Slash-
"KUOHHHH-!"
"W-why h-hurt me..."
'This is f*cking horror.'
Jiho thought, cursing. Every word that came out of the smiling Ogre seemed to envelop him with revulsion.
With his manifested Attribute: Will of the Sword (SSS+), Jiho skillfully cut down the Yoorth with the help of perfect coordination with others.
***
After some time, doing everything necessary at the moment, the eight-meter Delighted Ogre fell to his knees.
Samantha's group, after they split up, glanced at the Berserker Ogre that was also on the verge of collapse. The battle was also intense, especially since Grarth was feeling an eternal madness, thrashing and thrashing his giant spiky club.
Jiho waved at Elizabeth, his first-to-approached friend in the Obelisk Academy during the Banquet of Obelisk.
Elizabeth, who took a second, waved back, but her expression turned grim as he looked in Jiho's direction.
Around twenty meters apart from each other, Elizabeth shouted.
"DODGE-!"
The supposed-to-be dead Delighted Ogre, unlike what the first group against him thought, was breathing just fine as though Yoorth didn't experience getting stabbed or being bombarded by blasts.
Jiho felt chills run down his spine as he clearly heard Elizabeth's words. He was about to reflexively parry the metallic mace of the Delighted Ogre as he turned his entire body.
"W-what?"
He was simply perplexed.
Boom-!
"Argh-!"
Because he heard a groan of excruciating pain. It was from Elizabeth.
The Delighted Ogre, Yoorth, teleported and aimed exactly at Elizabeth.
Soon after, Yoorth's voice reverberated throughout the flat plane, rocky surface.
"Yoorth... Envious."
***
Since there wasn't anything to be hit, Elizabeth was sent flying for how many meters across the area of battle. One of the S Rank escorts caught her gently as though she was waiting for a falling balloon with how easily it was done.
"Princess, are you alright?"
Yara asked, slightly concerned, but she surmised that she was not critically hit. It wasn't only Elizabeth who was caught up in the surprise attack as Murktan, the tanker, reflexively cushioned some of the power of the mace's bash.
"E-excuse me... H-here's an Advanced Health Potion."
Celine scurried around and extended her supple hands with a bottle of potion.
Receiving the Health Potion, Elizabeth drank it since the injury was internal.
"Thank you."
Elizabeth replied, glancing at the raging battlefield from thirty to forty meters away.
***
'The Delighted Ogre was clearly dead...'
Russell thought, scrutinizing the situation.
'The Berserk Ogre is on the verge of dying but regained its vitality after the other half came back to life. The other half...'
Russell paused, glancing at Freya. As if he reached a point of epiphany, Russell shouted at the party, which was previously split up, that was either defending from or attacking the twin Ogres.
"I think we need to kill them at almost the same time!"
His shout couldn't be heard by everyone due to the exchange of blows between them and the Ogres, but those who heard him passed on the message to the party member that was near them until every one of them understood what they needed to do.
They weren't certain about such a twist or condition, but it's better to try it than lose their time and fail.
At that moment, Elizabeth appeared on the scalp of the Delighted Ogre and thrust her sword, White World (Legendary).
"KUOOOOOH-!"
Yoorth groaned as he smashed the ground, causing the party to disperse.
Grarth —who didn't speak a single word — on the other hand, lunged towards the scattered party as he swung his giant spiky club.
Boom-!
It was a total mess since the two Boss Monsters were literally close to each other.
Russell, similar yet different from Elizabeth, appeared on the scalp of the Berserk Ogre as he wore the Mask of Night, allowing him to bend through shadows. He then thrust the unknown weapon he acquired. Its deadly tip with an arc moon protrusion centimeters below it drilled into the tough skin of the Ogre.
"ROAAAAARR-!"
Freya and Amery aimed for his feet, sending him to kneel. It was what the others did to the Delighted Ogre, too.
"KUOHHHH-!"
When the two of them seemed immobile, Samantha performed the swordsmanship she was granted by the mysterious entity within her.
[Self-Sword Sword Technique, First Movement: Vertical Thrust!]
Depending on the target's size, the illusory sword's size changes. This time, as Grarth and Yoorth were rendered immobile, an enormous sword appeared just below them, then thrust itself into their bodies — from their feet to their heads.
Spurt-! Spurt-!
Grarth, the Berserk Ogre, remained in rage in his death, while Yoorth, the Delighted Ogre, remained smiling in his death. Both of them — kneeling.
***
[Duration: 4 minutes, 09 seconds.]
'To think it's only this time remaining...'
Russell thought, feeling a sense of disbelief. If the duration was only ten minutes regardless of the double difficulty, they would have failed.
'No, not necessarily.'
He thought, glancing towards Raya and Yara. These two women wouldn't allow such a failure to happen even though they didn't know the Failure Penalty of the Tower.
"You two. Take their weapons."
Russell advised the two tankers in the party. It would be better for them to use the three-meter spike club and metallic mace. Although Russell wasn't close with them in the academy, and since they were at this raiding party together, it wouldn't be bad for him to interact with them this time.
'Well, I'll be choosing one of you to join my journey, soon.'
He thought, thinking of a way how to convince one of them to join his side.
[...Waiting Room.]
The System's voice cut off his thoughts.
Soon, they found themselves in the grey-walled, plain waiting room.
***
Lying on one of the grey single beds, Russell continued contemplating what had transpired earlier. After some time, three things surfaced in his mind.
Firstly, the Delighted Ogre used teleportation one time after it was revived. Though it might have something to do with Yoorth's Title: [Delighted].
Secondly, he thought about the changes that happened and told himself that he should be more observant of the unexpected variables.
And lastly, Russell thought of the Administrator's identity. Similar to the sudden mysteries thrown into him, the Administrator's identity was also veiled in mystery.
'I know who he is as the author of this story, but I don't know why he seemed to know me.'
Russell thought, but it was cut off by a gentle voice.
"I'm s-sorry if it's late, but t-thank you from earlier. I j-just sorted out my thoughts."
It was Celine, standing in front of him. She was looking in a different direction due to shyness, and her index finger on either hand was subconsciously intermittently touching each other.
As an act of politeness, Russell, from lying down, sat on the single bed before he answered.
"Don't worry about it."
***
"You did well."
Unexpected words came out of Leon's mouth. Mira, his younger sister, felt embarrassed by his praise even though it was plainly spoken. They just cleared the 5th floor of the Tower of Growth.
"Let's go, everyone!"
As the party leader of the raiding party, Leon said.