I stared at the Kobold Champion standing far in the distance.
‘There’s no sense of oppression.’
It lacked the overwhelming presence that I had felt when I faced the Orc Legion Commander.
But that was only in my case.
Except for Laura, the five others standing in front of me seemed to be feeling quite pressured.
Jake was retreating, within my sight.
At this rate, it seems like the line is going to collapse.
Not that there was much of a line to begin with, considering we were only seven.
When the tank gets scared like that, it’s only a matter of moments before everything falls apart.
I gripped the black javelin in my right hand.
The target wasn’t the confident Kobold Champion standing there.
The Kobold guards standing guard around him were in the way.
“Keeeee!”
Among the Kobold soldiers standing in front of the Kobold Champion, the one in the center was pierced through the chest by the dagger I threw.
When one of them dies…
“Crwaaaaaaa!”
The rest react.
The Kobold Champion slammed the shaft of his massive spear vertically down.
“Kuuuuuung!”
Was that the spear landing a signal for the champion to issue commands to his soldiers?
More than twenty Kobold soldiers surged forward all at once.
Laura started dashing around wielding her longsword.
It was probably because she’d fought these before, but she definitely seemed more agile than yesterday.
“Kiikiiiik!”
Miski was an unusual player. One who used a bow, and quite skillfully at that.
“Fuuk!”
“Kaah!”
Miski’s arrows piercing the Kobolds’ bodies did not result in immediate kills, but they served well enough as openings for Laura and Suun Haoran to seal their fates.
My vision was scanning the entirety of the dungeon room.
“Keeek!”
The two Kobolds charging at Miski got bisected.
“Uh, thanks.”
Miski didn’t bother wiping off the sweat covering her face, only thanking me as most of the Kobolds had already met their ends.
When only about four of them remained…
“Chheeeeng!”
The Kobold Champion leapt into the air.
Landing.
The problem was where the Kobold Champion landed.
Right on Jake’s shield, the sole tank of our group.
“Chjerjerjerjerjerik─!!”
The shield shattered without mercy.
It was hard to believe that a shield that had previously repelled numerous attacks from Kobolds could break this easily.
The broken fragments of the shield scattered widely, like the shards of a broken mirror.
“Krhaaaack!”
A cry of pain like I had never heard since entering the exchange gathering rang out.
Jake had been struck square in the abdomen by the sharp claw on the right foot of the Kobold Champion, a wound akin to that from a spear.
I pulled out the black javelin I had embedded in the shoulder of a Kobold in front and swiftly ran forward to where Jake stood.
“You!”
Laura glared at me as I suddenly dashed forward. She slashed at the Kobold Champion’s ankle with her straight sword.
“Kaaah!”
Ignoring the enraged voice of the Kobold Champion, I lifted Jake with both hands and leaped backward.
Miski and Chyuiyan valiantly covered my retreat, holding off the Kobolds as I returned.
“Gek… kefph!”
A mouthful of blood flowed out from the corners of Jake’s mouth.
I had heard that in battle, most potion users kept them in pouches tied around their waists for quick access during emergencies.
Jake was one of those players. He pulled out a low-grade potion from the pouch tied around his waist.
He spilled the contents precisely onto his wound.
There were also some bandages in the pouch, and I quickly wrapped them around the injury as best I could.
“Alright, if I die now, I won’t blame you.”
Jake smiled awkwardly at me even amidst this chaos.
“His movements are getting slower! Attack all at once!”
We heard Laura shout.
The reason for the Kobold Champion’s slowed movements was probably the stab wound I had inflicted on his ankle.
Before entering this exchange event, I had discussed the concept of a killing blow at the Elysian Gallery.
Title: How is experience distributed when killing monsters in the exchange gathering?
Author: A.A.
– Does the person who lands the final hit get more?
Reply: Yes, but not much applies to you. Even in group play, not exchange gatherings, the one who finishes off the monster gets the most experience.
Reply: Spear King) If you’re overly excited about throwing a spear to get the kill, you’re trash.
Reply: A.A.) Trash.
Reply: Got it!!!
Reply: You all play too much.
Reply: Light Sword) Why throw a spear, send a ranged slash instead.
Reply: Light Sword) Ah, but I can’t do that yet, I’m below level 20.
Reply: (Laughing noise) Click to see.
Reply: But with this growth rate, he’ll get it soon enough.
Reply: Sorceress) It’s easy to get the killing blow with curses; learn them.
Reply: Demon Dragon King) Vel-tui- getting the kill is so fun!
Reply: Ice Queen) Hehe! I once stopped the heart inside an Ogrer Lord’s body without anyone noticing. Hehe!
Reply: If there’s a hidden boss room, let’s head there. If we clear it, we’ll get double experience.
Reply: If you see five stars, you might want to avoid.
Reply: Heaven’s Devil) Five stars why avoid? It’ll only increase excitement.
Reply: I’m normal trash, I never enter rooms beyond three stars.
Reply: Wise trash who knows their limits.
Let’s land the killing blow in this boss room.
Any lost experience from observing now can be made up later in the hidden boss room.
Now, nearing the end of the exchange gathering, the formerly uncoordinated rhythm of the five members appeared to synthesize.
The soldiers guarding the champion were all wiped out.
Laura and Sun Haoran approached the single remaining Kobold Champion simultaneously.
“You attack the right side!”
As Laura shouted, she swung her sword towards the Kobold Champion’s left shoulder.
“Kaang!”
However, her sword didn’t so much as tear the skin. The spear in the champion’s left hand blocked it; the blade of the spear locked with Laura’s longsword.
The spear thrown by Haoran was halted mid-air by the bare hands of the champion.
“Fuuk-!”
Still sweating profusely, Miski’s arrows pierced the upper body of the Champion.
Her accuracy was impressive, but concerning was the lack of any change on the Champion’s face after taking those hits.
The other members were diligently distracting him, creating an ideal situation for landing the killing blow.
[Mana Body Enhancement Lv.3 – Skill activated.]
The mana flowing from the mana core spread throughout my body.
The muscles hardened through discipline swelled naturally.
[Focus Enhancement Lv.3 – Skill activated.]
It had been a while since I self-induced a trance.
This is the mound.
Placing one foot forward and leaning back slightly, I turned my hips while swinging my black javelin in my right hand.
“Kaeaeaeaeaeae!”
The javelin cleaved through the air.
“Kwajic.”
The speeding javelin accurately slammed into the Kobold Champion’s forehead, just above the nose.
Strike.
[Boss Monster ‘Champion Kobold’ has been defeated.]
[Level increased!]
[Lv.12 → Lv.13]
Finally, I leveled up.
[Strength +7.]
[Agility +6.]
[Vitality +6.]
[Mana +5.]
[Cobalt’s Cradle dungeon cleared!]
I could feel the gazes of all the group members on me, every single person wearing a look of stupefaction.
[‘Tower Exchange’ dungeon contribution score is being calculated.]
[You are ‘1st place’.]
[1st place reward: 1000 Coins granted.]
[1st place reward: Item granted.]
[Counter Sword Carnavalt.]
Category: Weapon (Sword)
Attack Power: +50
Effect: Critical hit probability increases when facing 2 or more enemies.
Required level: Level 12+
Grade: B+
Senior Spear King.
The killing blow with a thrown spear was a resounding success.
Laura approached while wearing a forced smile.
“1st place, was it you?”
“Yes.”
“Curious how you didn’t know?”
I nodded to Laura’s question. Of course, I already knew the reason from the seniors at the Elysian Gallery, but I was still in character as a newbie.
“Lower-level exchange gatherings mostly consider whoever delivered the finishing blow as the winner. Wow, your talent is really excellent. Your spear skills are astonishing.”
Helpfully explaining the reason, Laura was holding the black javelin I had thrown.
What is this.
Pierce? Throw?
I momentarily doubted her intentions, but she handed me the spear in a safe direction with blade retracted — relieving my unnecessary embarrassment.
“Still, I’m not bitter. If you hadn’t thrown that spear, I would’ve continued to struggle with that guy.”
Level-up had restored Jake right away, and he was standing next to Laura, bowing gratefully to me.
“Thank you. Because of you, I survived.”
Miski cautiously approached.
“Thank you for your hard work!”
Tzu Shiuan merely shrugged.
“Well, I’m satisfied just to have survived.”
Laura was waving her longsword in the air while standing, its movement easy to identify.
“I’m leaving first.”
Laura spoke lowly.
“Though unlikely, if we meet in another exchange gathering with these members, let’s at least greet each other.”
A white circle formed beneath Laura’s feet.
When it burst into white motes of light, they swirled around her.
Thus vanished the tough German woman.
Miski suddenly approached me.
“Ah, would you like to become friends?”
I have no intention to.
Because these novice acts are not yet over.
“Not now, maybe next time.”
Neither is there any value to it.
The latter reason being the far more evident one.
Miski, guessing why I had refused, smiled wistfully.
“Alright, till then!”
Her voice remained cheerful.
“Then we bid our leave too!”
In one go!
Cheerful Miski and her friend Tzu Shiuan disappeared with a flash of light.
“I’m leaving too!”
Jake waved as he disappeared.
Now excluding myself, there were two remaining players who hadn’t returned to their tower.
Once they return, I’ll head directly to the hidden boss room.
“Tsling.”
Bak Jin-yeong pointed her sword at me.
“If you don’t want to die, do as I say.”
Next to her stood Ssunny Haoran, holding a spear pointed at me as well.
Even if I were to die, according to his words, it would hurt less.
Let’s go then!
