I tried to stand up, feeling pain all over my legs. My health had dropped to 98. In the courtyard, Bunglin was barking orders at his minions to reload his gun.

Carol rushed towards me.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

"I'm in pain, but I'll manage," I replied.

She helped me to my feet, and I consumed my last Tiwuiwui. My health increased to 123, and my legs began to heal. The pain still lingered, but I could at least walk.

Before we could speak, Bunglin fired again. We quickly dashed away as a barrage of bullets crashed around us.

"Stop moving!" Bunglin shouted.

I quickly used FOCUS on him :

" Bunglin Level 18; Camp Boss

Bunglin, known for his cruelty, is sometimes referred to as 'Bunglin the Savage.'

He is protected by a special armor that can block any type of elemental and magical attack.

Bunglin's mini-gun is a unique weapon that can only be used by him."

"I used FOCUS, but I couldn't find any weaknesses," I reported to Carol.

The boss fired again, and we dodged in different directions as his mini-gun unleashed another rapid stream of bullets, creating holes all over the metal walls.

Bunglin waved, and the goblins behind him split into two groups, rushing towards Carol and me. Meanwhile, his minions continued to reload his gun.

SIMON : "We need to eliminate the smaller ones who are reloading the gun."

CAROL : "I'll handle the ones rushing us. Since you're faster, try using your crossbow to take them out."

SIMON : "On it."

Carol ran towards my position, drawing the attention of the attacking goblins, while I reloaded my crossbow. But before I could take a shot, the boss opened fire once again. I leaped as high as I could, while Carol moved back. The hail of bullets tore through the attacking goblins, eliminating at least half of them.

"Idiots!" shouted Bunglin. "Get out of my way!"

Before they could react, I aimed my crossbow and shot one of the smaller goblins who was holding the ammunition backup for the mini-gun. My bolt struck its target with precision.

As the goblin fell, dropping the weapon crate, Bunglin turned his attention towards him then looked at me with rage. He shouted and opened fire in my direction. I dashed out of the way, attempting to move behind the remaining goblins. Once again, the bullets claimed the lives of some of them. Only five were left.

"Good job!" shouted Carol as she returned to our vicinity, swinging her hammer to the remaining goblins.

She took out two more.

"We need to disable his mini-gun," I said.

Carol nodded.

"You focus on the smaller ones helping him with the reload," she replied.

I reloaded my crossbow, while Carol protected me by engaging the remaining three goblins in combat.

Before I was ready to shoot, Bunglin unleashed another volley of bullets. I evaded the onslaught, but Carol didn't anticipate it and was hit multiple times. She was thrown into the air by the force of the bullets and crashed onto the ground.

"Carol!" I shouted.

Before she could respond, Bunglin opened fire again. I pushed myself as hard as I could, using my legs to sprint toward her at incredible speed. With my momentum, I carried her away, crashing against a nearby metal wall. I quickly grabbed hold of her arm and moved her behind a pile of debris. She leaned against it, using it as cover.

"Come out!" shouted Bunglin.

He opened fire once more, shredding the small protection we had found as Carol and I covered our heads.

Carol was severely injured, with one arm bleeding and her skin and flesh torn open.

"Do you still have cooldown for heal?" I asked Carol.

"Yes, another three minutes. But I have a last snack," she replied.

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She retrieved a Tiwuiwui from her inventory and consumed it. Her skin slowly began to mend, and the bleeding stopped.

"We need to neutralize his mini-gun," I said.

"His armor can withstand magical and elemental attacks," Carol said. "So my Gem attack won't be effective against him. However, I'm thinking it could take out his two minions."

"That's a good idea, but you need time to prepare that attack," I said sadly.

"Correct," she acknowledged.

"I can use my crossbow to eliminate them," I suggested. "I just need Bunglin to focus on you momentarily. It's faster than your attack."

She nodded.

"Let's do this," she said.

As soon as she finished speaking, we heard the mini-gun revving up its barrels as another hail of bullets flew toward us, causing further damage to our cover.

"We need to get out of here!" I shouted.

We both ran in different directions, away from our cover, attempting to get closer to Bunglin.

He took aim at Carol and unleashed a torrent of bullets. She swiftly slid along the ground and found cover behind another obstacle. It was my chance. I aimed my crossbow and shot the goblin holding the ammunition belt.

Bunglin noticed me and abruptly halted his gun, slamming the ground with his fist, which glowed red. In that moment, a protective shield formed around him, creating a brief barrier that deflected my bolt. Then the shield vanished.

"Damn it!" I exclaimed.

He redirected his gun toward me and opened fire. I leaped as high as I could, narrowly evading the incoming barrage of bullets. Taking refuge behind a pile of metal debris, I watched as Bunglin continued to unleash his relentless assault. Bullets ricocheted in all directions, tearing apart my makeshift cover piece by piece.

I wondered if he had a cooldown for his barrier, so I tried again.

I reloaded my crossbow and cautiously peeked out, taking another shot. Once again, Bunglin activated his protective bubble, successfully blocking my bolt.

"No cooldown," I said to myself.

Bunglin started shooting again in my direction.

My cover was torn apart, so I quickly dashed out, evading the projectiles, and sought refuge behind a new barrier. As I looked around, I couldn't spot Carol.

CAROL: "Get ready to shoot them with your crossbow the next time he reloads."

SIMON: "Okay, but he has some form of protection."

CAROL: "I'll take care of that."

SIMON: "Got it."

"Reload!" shouted the boss.

In that moment, I peeked out and aimed at one of the minions. Bunglin noticed me and prepared to trigger his barrier. However, from one of the ramparts, Carol leaped, soaring at least 15 feet into the air.

Bunglin smashed the ground, and the barrier absorbed Carol's blow, sending her crashing violently to the ground. As the barrier faded, I took my shot.

My bolt flew directly into the head of the minion who was reloading the ammunition, and he fell to the ground.

Bunglin glared at his minions and bellowed in anger. Only one of them remained.

The boss lifted his mini-gun and struck down his last minion, reducing him to a pool of blood and guts. Spikes protruded from Bunglin's fists as he charged toward me.

I fired another bolt, but he casually brushed it away with the back of his hand, showing no signs of slowing down. I drew my sword, preparing myself for the impending confrontation.

Bunglin lunged at me. I crouched and evaded his attack, pivoting swiftly to swing my sword. To my surprise, the monstrous creature effortlessly blocked my strike with his hand, smoothly catching the blade. He then flung the sword into the air, with me gripping tightly to it. I collided with a wall and crashed to the ground.

Right behind me, Carol swung her war hammer toward his head.

BOING!

She struck him with full force, but he didn't budge an inch. His skull-shaped helmet barely showed any sign of damage.

"Ha, hello there," he sneered, punching Carol in the stomach. The spikes on his fist tore through her armor, sending her hurtling backward.

"This guy is insane," I muttered.

Bunglin advanced toward Carol, laughing triumphantly.

"And now, time to say 'bye-bye'," the boss taunted.

Carol quickly rose to her feet and swung her war hammer with all her might. Bunglin crossed his forearms to protect himself. The hammer struck his armor with a resounding "bong" noise, but he remained unfazed. He retaliated, delivering a devastating punch to Carol's face. She was sent hurtling backward, blood flowing from the wounds caused by the spikes on Bunglin's fists.

This was the most formidable enemy we had faced since I arrived. Suddenly, it reminded me of my initial "fight" against the goblins, how terrified I felt at that time, followed by the encounter with the bears, and ultimately, that first boss battle with the...

Suddenly, an idea struck me.

SIMON : "Carol, I need you to distract him."

CAROL : "I'm already doing that, aren't I?"

SIMON : "Keep doing it."

CAROL : "Sure, no problem at all. It's not like I'm injured or anything. Not bleeding or anything."

SIMON : "I'm sorry, but you'll have to endure a bit longer."

Carol stood up as the boss leisurely approached, taking his time.

"I think I'm going to enjoy devouring you," he jeered.

The Frenchwoman glared at him in fury.

"I'm going to tear you apart, you piece of merde, enfoire de ta mere!"

She prepared to strike with her hammer as the boss lunged toward her.

Suddenly, he dashed forward, and she swung her weapon.

Bunglin effortlessly deflected her attack with one hand and punched her with the other, sending her flying once more until she crashed forcefully against a metal wall.

He burst into laughter. Careless in his triumph, I seized the opportunity and leaped onto his back, sliding two sticks of dynamite into the small opening at his neck before quickly retreating.

"What?!" he shouted as an explosion erupted from inside his armor, propelling shrapnel and blood in every direction.

As the dust settled, I anxiously scanned the scene to see if he was still alive. The absence of XP had me worried. He was still there, but his body was ravaged, missing an arm, with his armor and helmet severely damaged, exposing part of his burned chest. He struggled to remain upright, blood dripping onto the grimy ground. I could finally glimpse his face, or what remained of it. Half of it was gone, revealing his skull and the muscles beneath.

"I will... I will kill you both..." he growled in anger.

His body still emitted smoke and continued to bleed.

Carol launched an attack from behind, and to our surprise, he managed to grab her hammer with his remaining hand, clutching it tightly.

With both hands, Carol exerted all her strength, desperately pushing against him, causing him to slowly step backward.

Seizing my opportunity, I rushed toward them, drawing my sword. He noticed me and attempted to turn, intending to use Carol as a shield, but she swiftly pulled back on her hammer, not allowing him to turn.

I stabbed into the opening in his chest, aiming to reach his heart through his right flank. He couldn't stop me as Carol tugged him in the opposite direction, exposing an unprotected part of his body. My sword slid through his muscles, breaking his rib cage, and with both hands, I pushed with all my might, colliding my entire body against him. Exhausted, in pain, and filled with rage.

He gazed at me silently, his body swaying back and forth. Then, he suddenly collapsed, and both Carol and I collapsed with him.