Chapter 116 23.3 Prog?

My eyes almost bugged out of their sockets as I stared at the boss's stagger animation playing out in front of us. In my HUD, the cast bar's frozen progress meter was a welcome addition to the fight as we kept on wailing at the one thing keeping us stuck in this stupid dungeon.

"We're in uncharted territory now, right?!" Guidance practically screamed to the side of me, her own excitement bleeding through as she went through the motions. "We have to stay vigilant, see what kind of attacks this thing might have!"

"Of course!"

"Got it!"

I couldn't help but laugh as we all went ham at attacking the stunned boss. It was a window for free damage, and we'll get everything we can get with this until the next inevitable mechanic appeared and killed us all.

Still, it was actual progression!

[HELLFIRE: 2%]

"New mechanic!" I yelled out, my laugh stopping midway as I looked down at the ground. "Circle around the boss! Get away from it!"

At my callout, Shizu and Maruki promptly kept their distance, letting the boss charge up its attack while Guidance and I kept on attacking it from a distance.

[*FWOOM!*]

Sure enough, a blazing hellscape surrounded the boss with flame and heat. The sheer amount of energy this thing was giving out was even making me sweat despite being a bit away from it. I could only imagine what Shizu and Maruki were going through right now by standing just about an inch away from the actual AoE.

"Shit!"

Guidance?! "What's wrong?!"

"Our health's dropping!" the dev yelled out.... wait, what?!

[HP: 260]

[HP: 250]

[HP: 240]

[HP: 230]

Sure enough, my health was indeed dropping, much to my actual confusion. Just what the hell is happening?!

"Maruki! Shizu! Get in here!" Guidance called out. "Moriya, keep shooting!"

Nodding as one, we all heeded our shot-caller's advice as we all stood beside her. She, meanwhile, seemed to be casting yet another [Move]. Was it the regen? An AoE heal?

[HP: 150]

[HP: 140]

[HP: 130]

Oh dear... "I really hope that's a heal!" I chuckled out despite my falling health. "I'm kind of running low here and I can't keep shooting forever!"

"Then stop shooting!" Guidance yelled out, her hands still over her [Keystroke] as it continued to glow. "We need to survive, and you dying won't help solve anything!"

Rolling my eyes, I ceased fire as I wiped the sweat off my brow using my arms. The heat was getting unbearable now. Wait... Are we just going to burn to death again?

Looking to Guidance, I still had no idea what her plan was as her [Manifest] just kept on glowing in what I could only assume was her casting something. Shizu was panting on her knees, while Maruki, well, stood like the tank that he was.

[HP: 70]

[HP: 60]

[HP: 50]

"Any time now, Guidance!" I called out to our casting healer. "I'm about to die in a few seconds!"

"Maruki! Shield us!"

"Of course!" our tank nodded at our healer as he then raised his shield out in front of him. "[SHARE!]"

I almost let out a sigh of relief as the heat threatening to smother me earlier suddenly disappeared. Of course, I also knew that all of our collective pain as a party was all going to Maruki as he hunkered down behind his shield.

"Ahh! Sweet DUTY!" our tank reverently praised the heavens even as he knelt down on the ground. "I'll take it all!"

...

...

In spite of the life-or-death situation we found ourselves in, the three of us managed to all share a concerned look with one another as Maruki seemed to enjoy his pain. Was he a masochist or something?

"Okay, time for the hard part... [Mass Medica]!"

And just as I was about to say something, Guidance finally let out the [Move] that she had been casting for so long. A cool sensation washed over me as I relished the heal, twirling my guns in my hands as I prepared myself for another round of attacks.

"Ohh~ That feels so good~" Shizu practically rejoiced, finally standing up straight again with as much energy as before. "I can go back in again!~"

"Not yet!" Guidance quickly scolded. "Not until that thing stops pelting us with fire!"

"Yeah," I clicked my tongue. "That seems to be a problem, huh."

Sure enough, the boss hadn't let up with the [HELLFIRE] despite time moving past us. It just kept on going, its flames shooting out of it like it was going out of style. And of course, the heat was giving us damage that was thankfully all going to Maruki.

And speaking of our tank...

"[Cure]! [Cure]! [Cure]! [Medica!] [Cure]!"

I could only watch as Guidance kept on pouring out the heals for our poor tank. He was shouldering all the damage this thing was dishing out all by himself, and our poor healer was working double time just to keep him alive. And with how long this thing was lasting, I don't think her mana pool would even last for the entirety of the fight.

"Go! Attack it!" Maruki proudly called out, his martyr complex coming out in between grunts of pain. "I can handle all of your pain!"

"But then you'll die, and we'll die with you," Guidance chided him in between heals. "So shut up and let-"

"Uhh, guys?"

Oh dear... I could already tell from Shizu's tone that something was wrong.

"What is it?" Guidance almost snapped, her casts still ongoing as she turned her head towards the princess.

"We have a problem!" Shizu yelped out, her fists raised at the ready. "It's coming for us!"

Huh?!

Looking up, sure enough, the boss was slowly walking towards us. It was still flaming from all sides, but the damn thing lumbered towards us at a speed that we couldn't ignore.

"W-What the hell are we supposed to do?!" Guidance cried out in annoyance. "I can't run and heal or we'll all die with Maruki!"

Shizu and I quickly established some distance away from our two other party members. Sure enough, the boss kept walking towards Maruki, its aggro still held by our tank despite him no longer being able to even stand and fight.

"Shit... Shit!"

Guidance was right... this was kind of a shit situation.

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