1 Chapter One: I did (not) kill the final boss
Zane Jihan was an ordinary gamer, who like many others, joined the new and upcoming virtual reality game 'Synchronize'. A game that used such advanced technology was just as deep and full of adventure as real life, providing a second life to anyone who wished to play it.
Or so they said. Synchronize quickly took the hearts of the entire world, even those that hated games found themselves wanting to try it. However, due to many requests Synchronize linked with the online market. This meant that cash, items, and gold could all be exchanged at a fixed rate online.
Jihan was one of the ones who wanted to live a better life, free from the bullying at school due to the fact that he was an orphan. And so he joined Synchronize, and for ten years he played the game. However, his skill was only slightly above average, and he could not make it into the top 1000 players even as a launch player.
"Well, I bet my last 50000 gold on this raid. With some luck, my debt will be cleared and I can finally quit this fucking game for good!" Jihan's face was that of a near thirty year old alcoholic smoker, who's life had fallen into ruin at the hands of his gaming addiction. Debt consumed him, his looming pay by dates haunting even Jihan's dreams.
But he could turn it around! Even though he was not the best player, he was confident in his skill and game knowledge from over ten thousand hours in Synchronize.
[Player 'Ghost' has challenged the raid 'Primordial Demon of Darkness, Azaroth.']
The world around the avatar 'Ghost' rapidly changed, grass and lush forest turning into a black and purple hell, the only light sources being violet flames that shot from the demons below.
[Challenge Requirements:]
[Kill demons 0/1000]
[Kill Azaroth, Primordial Demon of Darkness 0/1]
[Complete in under 3 days 0/1]
It was doable. He had taken out another massive loan to purchase the S grade Halberd of Holy Light, which boasted a massive 300 attack power and 200% more damage to demons of all kinds.
As swarms of lesser demons approached Jihan, golden waves of energy tore through their ranks with ease. Even level 80 Lesser demons were no match for the level 150 player with an S grade weapon that was already strong against them.
Cleaving his way through the demons without even one skill, the smile on his face grew slightly.
[Demons killed 17/1000]...
[Demons killed 126/1000]...
[Demons killed 398/1000]...
It was like a light bulb illuminating a completely dark room, as demons dropped like flies before him.
This seemed impressive, befitting of an S grade weapon. Despite this, Jihan had already noticed a problem.
[Halberd of Holy Light (S):
Damage: 300
Passive: Deals 200% damage to demons
Skill: Divine Retribution (S) Mana cost: 500
Durability: 67/100]
The halberd was not a true S grade weapon, and was truly a martyr's weapon that never intended to be used in more than one battle. As such, the Durability was very low.
Yet he continued to carve a path to the boss room, weaving through attacks as the number of killed demons rose higher and higher.
[Demons killed: 887]...
[Demons killed 952]...
[Demons killed 999]...
A final slash cut the final lesser Demon in two, black blood spurting from its body as it fell lifelessly to the ground. The expression it had even in death was that of fear. Fear of the man who was now covered in black blood, the once spotlessly white halberd now drenched in its enemies' vital fluids.
But Jihan had seen the clears of this dungeons from pros like the 'Godblade' Taek Jinsoo. The horde up until now was nothing but a warmup.
The reason why this raid was considered the hardest in the game was very simple.
A smoldering figure about twice the size of Jihan appeared from the endless void, purple flames flickering from its edges and eyes. The sword it wielded was ginormous, a simular wave of flame trailing behind its abyssal blade.
[The Lvl.300 boss, Azaroth, Primordial Demon of Darkness has appeared.]
The highest level in Synchronize was 200. Even amongst the top 100 players, only 20 had actually reached the level cap. Yet this boss was level 300, and was the game's hardest final boss.
Levels in Synchronize largely altered your chances of winning. For every Level difference between a player and an enemy, there would be a 1% difference in damage and health.
For example, the level 80 Lesser demons did about 100 damage per hit and had about 500 health.
Azaroth was a boss, so at level 80 his stats would be something like 500 damage per hit and 10000 health.
However, at level 300, such stats became obscene.
[(Boss) Azaroth...:
Health: 55,000/55,000
Damage: 1,800
Passive: Summons ten lesser demons every minute to absorb, healing Azaroth as well as restoring limb damage.
Skill: Eternal darkness (Ex)]
his halberd that dealt 600 damage to demons would need to land almost one hundred hits on the boss while killing the lesser demons before they could heal him.
It would be incredibly difficult, but he had challenged this raid almost five hundred times already.
Azaroth stared at Jihan, waiting for his first move. Jihan immediately threw several knives behind him, killing the lesser demons hidden behind the boss in an instant.
Azaroth's gaze changed to one of amusement, slamming his abyssal greatsword into the ground.
It was an Easter egg discovered by 'Godblade' Taek Jinsoo on his 13th consecutive no hit run of this raid, which became known as his 'Azaroth Thief no hit run' and exploded on LiveTube. Jihan had watched that video more times than he could remember, carefully copying and breaking down the strategies used during both of the boss phases.
The first phase was not very difficult with either method. Jihan weaved through the onslaught of flaming fists, his halberd piercing the boss again and again through each and every opening. This was going to be his best run, he could feel it.
Summoning a dagger in his left hand, Jihan jumped off the halberd stuck deep within the demon's chest and stabbed his dagger into the boss's back.
The blade tore downwards through the demons armor and flesh, black blood splashing onto Jihan's face as he watched in awe as the boss's hp shot down to 80%.
[Skills (Backstab) and (Critical Strike) have been activated.]
The blade swung down with such force that it sent the demon flying away, blood gushing from the enormous gash that tore through its entire back.
Azaroth's hp had already dropped to 50% from the one strike, a clever combination of abusing the thief class Skills and the Halberd's damage bonus due to it being engorged in the demon's chest.
A dark screech cascaded through the abyssal chamber, purple flames exploding from the downed boss.
The greatsword from earlier ripped free of the ground, flying into the palm of the now enraged boss. The true boss battle began now.
[(Boss) Azaroth...]
Hp: 22,000/55,000
Damage: 3,000
Passive: Takes 5% less damage and deals 10% more damage for every one thousand health lost.]
[!]
[Boss has used Exclusive skill: Eternal Darkness. You will take 1% of your total health as damage for the next 720 seconds.]
The second phase of this boss was unique because it required skill, speed, and incredible reaction time. The skill [Eternal Darkness] was a death sentence to anyone who did not have at least a level 150 Mage and level 150 healer in their party, making solo runs almost impossible.
Each and every opening required action, as the player's health slowly dwindled away. It could be negated by health potions and healing spells, but as a solo player finding time for such actions was harder than just not getting hit.
The halberd flew at lightning speed once more, it's divine aura encompassing it's length as it exploded in a burst of divine light.
[Skill Divine Retribution (S) has been activated.]
Jihan expected to hear shrieks of pain and anger from the demon, yet he only heard one sound.
Clang!
The light faded in an instant, the halberd's shattered remains splintering down from the enormous blade that had blocked the blow.
Ah, right. The halberd's durability.
"Fuck." Jihan raged as he summoned another dagger and flew at the boss.
He was confident in his speed even without the halberd, and refused to let such an expensive weapon go to waste in his hands.
[Skill 'Smokebomb' has been activated.]
[Skills 'Backstab' and 'Critical Strike' have been activated.]
So why was there no damage being done? Jihan swung again and again, but his daggers did not breach the surface he was attacking.
When the smoke finally cleared, he understood why his assault had failed the second time.
That colossal blade once again blocked his attacks, unmoving and undamaged against his strongest blows.
"Pull the plug."
Huh?
"We wasted our time, just kill him and pull the plug."
Why? Why were they not giving him a chance?
He could win. He could kill the boss! So why?!?!
His daggers swung wildly at the boss, but the enormous blade smashed into his body, cleaving his torso in two.
blood splashed everywhere, his avatar's corpse gruesomely splayed out before his eyes.
[You died. Beginning 24 hour death penalty cooldown.]
Jihan was both depressed and enraged, his near flawless run ruined by item durability and those bastard like loan sharks.
"Log out..." He sighed. This was the last straw.
[Error. Cannot log out at this time.]
"Jesus man, you really shot him in his own home?"
"Who cares, we can sell his body to the black market to get our money back anyway."
He could just barely make out the words of the loan sharks before his vision darkened, his brain no longer functioning.
[Err. 0.0001. Player cannot log out. Critical malfunction...]
[Player 'Ghost' will be granted the skill ?err-code.01? [[Bug-Entity_1:Err.]]]
[Beginning emergency maintenance...]
