Healing at the Academy convenience store

The weekend had come, and we quickly set out on an adventure.

Eve made a fuss about me going out on my own and possibly dying, Chick offered to come along but was refused, and the relationship between Rudika and Nephti almost fell apart.

All the pre-adventure preparation, which would amount to roughly 5,700 characters if written as a novel, was erased from my mind. It will live on as a shared memory in everyone’s hearts.

I climbed onto the rickshaw that Patrasch was pulling, and we entered the forest and fought monsters.

While Rudika used corrosive spells and Nephti cast protective magic, we quickly completed our roles on the map and left, claiming only the rewards.

“···We, did well.”

“You’ve worked hard.”

“···Anyway, that’s a lot of herbs. And aren’t those some rare ores?”

“Indeed.”

“Hmm. But there’s something I don’t understand.”

“What is it?”

“Why was there a small wooden box on the detour we took?”

“···That is odd.”

“And didn’t it contain a dagger and herbs? Why?”

“······.”

“······.”

Both people tilted their heads. In truth, stumbling upon a neatly packed wooden box in the field, and finding well-maintained equipment inside, is hard to comprehend.

“That must be the foresight of our great ancestors.”

“···I see. I’m convinced.”

Rudika nodded her head. The First Emperor can really do anything.

“···Ah. We’ve arrived. Is this the place you mentioned?”

“Yes. Look at the ground closely.”

“Ah.”

From the brown dirt road, it changed to a brick path with moss filling the gaps between bricks. Surrounding us were ruins of weathered brick structures that clearly looked man-made, rather than natural trees.

It was a forgotten relic in the middle of the Eastern Forest, where the Act 1 Scene 4 boss fight would unfold.

“There’s the boss.”

“···Yes.”

In the distance, you could see what was unmistakably a ‘suspicious pile of rocks that could stand up at any moment.’ It actually stands up. It’s difficult to defeat. Even if you’re fully geared, there’s a good chance you’ll die.

We were standing in front of the boss fight.

Boss Fight.

In the original game, you couldn’t resurrect if you died during the Act 1 Scene 4 boss fight. That was due to this boss’s unique characteristics.

If you die to it, you get literally crushed under its debris. That makes sense. The boss is a giant golem that towers over humans.

“It’s huge. Is that the golem?”

“Hmm. Is the treasure of the great First Emperor behind it?”

“It must be, right? So, Senior Wolfram, will you really proceed like this?”

“Hmm. Let’s do it. Patrasch, quickly pull the rickshaw up the hill. You two wait below.”

“Yes, yes.”

“Take care, Wolfram.”

As I received the farewell of the two, I headed toward the hill of the relic, led by Patrasch, where I could look down upon the golem.

“I heard the strategy, but how do you know its identity? I can’t comprehend.”

“Inference is also a form of enjoyment. Think hard.”

“Well, that’s true. Haha. You’re an entertaining master.”

Patrasch chuckled, and I moved the potions I had loaded onto the rickshaw one by one to the side.

Then I raised my hand and threw one of the potions onto the ground.

Naturally, the target was the ‘boss monster,’ the golem.

I rolled the potion down the hill so that it landed on top of the golem’s head. A system message rang in my head.

[Potion Feature Activated]

[Throwing Paralysis Potion]

[Hit the Target]

[Potion Feature Activated]

[Throwing Fire Potion]

[Hit the Target]

However, despite repeatedly throwing potions, the golem did not budge. Of course, the golem won’t react unless a person comes right up to it. It’s a type of boss that doesn’t activate unless the trigger is satisfied.

“It really doesn’t react.”

“Of course.”

Isn’t this a common occurrence?

[Wouldn’t this also rise if touched?]

[Wait, don’t just touch it carelessly···]

[Purr]

[Ahh! It moved!!]

[You idiot!]

That’s how early-stage bosses are usually designed. Most are made of rocks or are guardians protecting something. Such creatures.

Surprisingly, those lines were the ‘real lines to be played’ by Kelters and his jovial companions.

‘But I have no intention of doing such idiotic things.’

Once again, the potion is thrown.

Clink.

The fire potion hits the immobile golem again.

Now, the question is, what’s the easiest way to defeat those guys? Level up and hit with basic attacks? That’s third-rate. Memorize tactics to dodge and attack? That’s being drunk on physical abilities, second-rate.

The real first-rate approach is to one-sidedly hit them from outside the map. Start by dealing damage without waking them up.

Normally, one would snipe from outside the map with [Ultra Long-Range Sniping], but I don’t have the skill or strength for that.

So, the solution is to deal damage from atop a hill using potion features. One-sided attacks.

Hill bug. Wall-through bug.

Countless developers have tried to stop this, but ultimately, these location bugs cannot be eliminated.

“Ah, bugs are really sweet.”

Ah, even loving bugs is a quality of a veteran player.

***

“Ah. It exploded again.”

“Wow…”

Nephti and Rudika were initially skeptical when they heard Wolfram’s strategy, but they couldn’t keep their mouths shut at the strange spectacle unfolding before their eyes.

“When did Wolfram come up with this?”

“…Rudika wonders too.”

[After comparing Patrasch’s information and the ancient documents, it appears that there is a relic inside the eastern forest, and we are likely to encounter a giant golem.]

[The golem seems to be guarding the relic. It doesn’t activate unless someone approaches too closely and it seems to have high magical resistance.]

[A formidable enemy.]

[But what if you can hit it without getting too close? Wouldn’t you easily win the fight?]

At first, it sounded crazy, but Wolfram made it happen.

He manufactured offensive potions through potion making and was hitting the target one-sidedly. Even if one has a high level of skill, it’s hard to hit a moving or small target.

But from the hill, he’s throwing potions one-sidedly at the massive rock. Whether it’s a loud bang or the sound of boiling stone, various noises ring out.

“Did you know, senior Rudika?”

“Know what?”

“Throwing potions is not magic.”

“I see. I didn’t know that.”

Wolfram had said that the golem has strong magical resistance, but the potions seemed to be effective.

In other words, potions are not magic.

“Where did you get that information, senior?”

“I don’t know where he got it, but he must have worked hard.”

“Worked hard?”

“Yes.”

Rudika knows Wolfram von Roengreen well. They are in the same year and department. Wolfram, the prince, has done many wrong things during his tenure, meddling between the Department of Magic and the Department of Knights, and frivolously purchasing swords and magical tomes.

But all that changed when he started planning to go into the vast world, successfully going out into the Eastern Forest or dormant mountains, making a contract with a never-before-seen fairy, and now his strategies even work on a giant golem.

In a shop that no one visits after being kicked off the throne, he continued to think, train, and refine himself. When he stepped into the unknown world, he thought every day about what role he would play there.

And eventually, he threw down the gauntlet to the world. While low stats might bring discomfort, it couldn’t make him unhappy.

“Wow, cool.”

“Senior Rudika?”

Unaware of Nephti’s call, Rudika engraves the image of the man who made his dream come true into her eyes.

***

Before I knew it, the potion had run out, and I took a quick glance down the hill.

Paralysis potion. Flame potion. Poison potion. They beautifully burn, oxidizing the golem’s back.

It’s strange that even a boss, or in this case a golem, is affected by status ailments, but this is Act 1 quality.

Though magic resistance is high, making it risky to recklessly bring a mage, the damage dealt by throwing potions made through alchemy is considered physical damage.

I’m not sure if the game was made poorly, or if it’s the developer’s consideration, but this hasn’t been patched in the latest version.

As I kept bursting the golem’s shell with potions, eventually a hole appeared, revealing the core hidden within.

From this point on, this method probably won’t deal any damage. If there’s a drawback, it’s that I have to deal physical damage to defeat the boss somehow.

That’s why I only brought along the agile Rudika and the tank Nephti.

“Alright, have we thrown enough? Time to signal.”

“If I were that golem, I would’ve asked to be killed right now.”

“What are you talking about? The golem can’t possibly be alive.”

I chuckled and signaled to the two below.

Awaken the golem. At the sight of my gesture with a single meaning, the two swiftly moved, and the giant soon began to stir.

Grrrrr… Grrraaaah!!

I felt as if the whole ruin was howling. The loud noise was shocking, ringing in my ears.

Of course, I knew about this event, so I had blocked my ears.

“I have no idea why a golem would have vocal cords.”

And then, with a thud, the golem took a step forward.

“Alright, time for the final strategy.”

In my mind, I recalled the instructions I had given to Rudika and Nephti.

[Rudika, once you receive Nephti’s protective barrier, I have just one thing to ask of you.]

[Are you asking me to stab the golem’s core?]

[No, block the golem’s attack just once.]

[…? Understood.]

The reason I gave such an order is simple.

The reason was because of the memory when I defeated the golem in the main storyline. Even if I use skills like [True Greatbow], [Formless Strike], or [Heavenly Thunder] outside the map, where would a first act boss have the capability to withstand them? But the boss had to show at least one event and take at least one more point of additional damage to die.

“That’s exactly the second phase.”

Grrrrrrr!

“Yes, no matter what strategy you use, it will trigger the second phase.”

[The golem roars.]

[It strikes the ground, attacking the entire field.]

[It inflicts the entire field with the status effect: Stun.]

Isn’t this truly a textbook-level excellent boss battle?

“Patrasch.”

I precisely took two steps back and called Patrasch. After taking a deep breath, the charging Patrasch countered the golem’s howling with its own.

“Kwrrrrrr!”

Immediately after, it intercepted the incoming stone with flames. Normally, it’s an attack that would deal just one or two points of damage and stun, but I’d die if I took even one of those.

“You blocked it well.”

I chuckled and shook the last remaining potion before throwing it at the golem’s core, which was still exposed.

[Potion feature activated]

[You have thrown an explosive potion.]

[Hit the target.]

A pleasant message rings in my head.

Kwung, Kwarrrrrr.

The sound of something enormous crumbling hits my ears, and dust that rises sky-high grazes my nose. However, I had no time to care about such things.

[Incredible achievement!]

[You have defeated the giant monster!]

[You have acquired the golem’s core 7T!]

[You have earned the title Giant Slayer!]

[You are awarded a 9T skill selection option!]

[You are awarded an 8T skill selection option!]

A pleasant settlement window. The title of Giant Slayer is quite satisfying, and there’s nothing to say about the skill selection options. As I was smiling and looking at the settlement window, my expression suddenly hardened at the text below.

[A deep bond with your comrades is felt!]

[If the bond deepens further, you can designate a ‘special someone’.]

[※Choosing a heroine should be done carefully, and it may be irreversible.]

…?

“Why is this popping up for me?”