Chapter 31.1

King Aurelius

Hp: 44%

Novo

Hp: 72%

The main thing I noticed in my observation from earlier in how the boss fights against my party is that his arsenal of weapons only encompasses a spear for mid-range attacks, a sword for quick melee combat, a giant broadsword for sweeping attacks, a mace for heavy blows, and shield for defensive purposes like the time when he blocked the spell earlier from Clarissa. Each of the shifts of his weapon completely changes his stance and gameplay, likely incorporating the move and play style of the player it was based on. This doesn't bother me at all, as I had more than plenty of my fair shares of battle with veteran players of each of the aforementioned weapons.

I took a deep breath. Steadying my nerves, I entered the state of intense focus I usually do to perceive his every movement, the zone state. I paid exceedingly close attention to his body language. The way he moved, the shift of his weight, the focus of his eyes - these were all cues that helped me anticipate his next move. As I got close enough, he lunged at me, his weapon morphing into a long, wickedly sharp spear. I sidestepped easily, his attack missing me by a hair's breadth.

Having haste cast on me would have been perfect here, but I don't have the mana nor the weapon equipped to self-cast it. I would just have to win this the old-fashioned way.

He was fast, but I was faster, especially since my stamina bar was completely full. I darted in and out, my every move calculated to keep me one step ahead of his attacks. Everything else melded into the background as I focused solely on my opponent.

Suddenly, his weapon shifted into a broadsword, and he swung it towards me. I rolled to the side, feeling the wind from the blade as it narrowly missed me. I sprung back to my feet, using my momentum to spin and land a quick strike on his arm.

King Aurelius

Hp: 41%

My attack was a quick blow without much power, but it helped me gauge his reactions. It made me reassured that he also has the same habits as players when taking hits from enemies, namely going on defensive to avoid further damage instead of going full aggressive to counterattack.

His ability to change his weapon at will made him a formidable opponent, even if not as skilled as the best players. He was constantly shifting his tactics based on the weapon he was wielding at any given moment, keeping me on my toes.

When he wielded a spear, he would try to keep me at a distance, using the weapon's length to his advantage. He would thrust and jab, forcing me to keep moving and dodging. I countered by relying on my speed and nimbleness to stay out of his reach, using quick, darting movements to narrowly avoid his thrusts and jabs. I kept a close eye on his body language, anticipating his movements and reacting accordingly.

When his weapon morphed into a broadsword, he switched to powerful, sweeping attacks, trying to use the sword's weight and size to overpower me. He wanted to force me into a corner where I wouldn't be able to dodge his strikes. I countered by using my agility to dodge his sweeping attacks, often by a hair's breadth.

When he used his short sword, he did quick slashes and thrusts to keep up with my dodging speed. It was actually the hardest gameplay to counter for me. I just focused on playing defensively by dodging and limiting my attacks when he was on this type of gameplay.

And when he had a mace in his hand, he aimed for crushing, direct blows, hoping to end the fight with a single, powerful strike. I had to avoid direct hits at all costs, so my counter tactic was to use misdirection and feints to confuse him, making him think I was going one way when I was really going the other.

His strategy, if an artificial intelligence even has one, was to keep changing his attack patterns, hoping to catch me off guard with the constant shift in tactics. That won't work if I have countermeasures in his every stance though.

He never went for a shield throughout the fight since he is probably programmed to only use it against spells or unavoidable attacks.

The fight continued, a dance of speed and agility versus raw power and versatility. He was strong, but not strong enough to be comparable to those veteran players I battled back then in my prime. His only advantage against me is his extremely high stats, but stats matter little if you can't hit your opponent.

I dodged his attacks, waited for openings, and struck when he least expected it.

My agility and fighting experience managed to keep me one step ahead of his attacks. It was a truly exhilarating experience. I hadn't fought like this since three years ago at the tournament, and it made me a little giddy inside despite the constant pressure from the boss's attacks as one wrong move will be the end of me.

I didn't get my moniker through my speed and flexibility to dodge alone, though. It's not just about agility but also about understanding your opponent and anticipating the enemy's moves.

And I read the boss like a book.

The boss's strength lay in his ability to change weapons and tactics on the fly, so I stayed adaptable and ready for anything.

I would dart in when the boss was recovering from a swing or when he was changing weapons, landing quick strikes before darting back out of reach. A quick tried and true poking tactic for high HP enemies.

I would hang back, creating uncertainty about when and where my next attack would come from. This unpredictability kept the boss guessing and made it harder for him to anticipate my moves.

I knew when to strike, when to retreat, and when to bide my time. I understood the rhythm of the fight and used it to my advantage, choosing the right moments to attack or change tactics.

Anything that I thought would be useful in the fight, I used it without hesitation.

I didn't know how long it took. I was so engrossed in the fight analyzing my opponent that everything else melded into the background. That includes my sense of time. It could be minutes, hours, or even days. I couldn't care less. The only thing in my mind is winning against this insurmountable foe.

I did a counter at his broad swing by dodging it narrowly and stabbing his head in quick succession. After that, I saw that he stopped moving abruptly.

"Khuagghh!" The boss made a death cry.

I was cast out of my reverie when I saw his HP bar.

King Aurelius

HP: 0%

"...Huh?" I murmured.

I blinked a couple of times, a bit shocked with a hint of disappointment. Is it over already?

As the boss's HP bar was depleted, all my party members were revived. This was a feature of abyss dungeons made for everyone to have a fair chance at the loot regardless of who stayed alive in the end. It is made so no one would play too passively or would be too afraid to tank to give the party a higher chance of completing the dungeon without self-preservation and greed hindering them.

The three of them looked at me with varying expressions. They all saw the fight from a ghost perspective when they died, and they had just watched me solo the boss.

Clarissa was as happy as when we finished a normal dungeon. She didn't comprehend how difficult it was to clear an abyss dungeon with us three carrying her. She also likely did not doubt that I would lose the fight, which makes me happy she has so much trust in me.

Liz was more or less the same but was more ecstatic since she knew how hard-fought it was. She is grinning from ear to ear.

Ariadne, on the other hand, wears an unreadable expression, a face so bizarre that I have no grasp on what she is thinking right now.

"That was AMAZING Kat!" Liz cried out.

Before she could continue her praise, all of our attention was shifted to the boss when he started his monologue.

"Well, well... So, this is what defeat feels like. It's been so long; I had almost forgotten. You fought well, better than I expected. You've certainly earned your victory." He credited.

"T-thank you, Mr. Aurelius, but I-I didn't do much..." Clarissa mumbled in a voice I could barely hear.

"I can see now; the world has changed. It no longer needs an old king in a ruined castle. It needs fresh blood, new ideas, people like you. You who carry hope and determination, who fight for what you believe in." The boss continued.

"I suppose it's a relief, in a way. The weight of the crown, the burden of rule, it's a heavy load to bear. Perhaps now, I can finally rest..." He said solemnly as he disappeared into motes of light.

I could feel the serenity in his voice. It made me pity him a little bit despite knowing that he is not a real human. Maybe Clarissa was right all along. Maybe the AI had become so sentient that they could feel emotions, too. It's best not to think about it, though, or I would be opening a different can of worms with how many NPC characters I have killed over the years I've been playing different VR games.

"You did it, Kat! We beat the abyss, thanks to you! I never doubt you for a second! Well, I did at first when I saw how much of a cheat that boss was, but when you outplayed him hard like that, I went instantly back to team Kat! I mean, he didn't even get to land a single blow!" she said as she gave me a celebratory hug.

I wanted to dodge her, but I was too mentally tired to be even bothered to.

"It's not that hard once you know the enemy's attack patterns." I reasoned.

"That's what a genius in class would say to someone who doesn't get the lessons," she said sardonically.

"I did not doubt you for a second, Novo!" Clarissa darted to my side.

She hesitated for a bit, looking a little left out. She likely wanted to join the victory group hug but was too shy to.

"Too bad I didn't get to stream it. My viewers would've loved to see a fight like that!" Liz added.

"We likely would've lost if you did, as it would surely distract me," I replied, exasperated.

"Oh, don't be like that! I think you should start streaming, too. There are a lot of people who would want to watch you play! Your movements are so refined that I was so captivated by the fight!" Liz exaggerated.

"Save your banter for later; let's get the loot first," Ariadne interrupted.

She walked past us in a somber mood, urging us to hurry.

Liz gave me a questioning look at her attitude but proceeded to follow her while Clarissa and I did the same a second later.

After a short walk, we stumble upon a door that looks like a treasury room.