Chapter 31: Troll Shaman (III)

"So, the human leader thinks himself capable of handling my spells?" she hissed, raising her staff high as the sickly green energy of the summoning circle flared in response. "I will break your mind, flesh, and soul, boy."

Odin responded with a cold smile of his own. "I've dealt with worse."

He lowered his stance, Soulrend at the ready, but the blade started giving off deep purples and black lights out of nowhere.

'Soul Slash'

[User has consumed 750 MP]

Odin wasn't the type of guy to suffer from White Knight Syndrome or Hero Syndrome that many players of Satisfy World have developed along their journey in this fantasy world.

He wasn't a hero or a villain, just a guy who wanted to stand on top of everyone as a King and shoulder his new 'family' against all the bad things life could throw at them.

Of course, he took advantage of the perception the Troll Hag had over him and how she was still drawn to her Summoning Spell or whatever she was doing by sacrificing the innocent peasants to attack first.

As he swung the sword, the energy coalesced into a crescent-shaped arc of shadowy light, trailing behind the blade in a streak of dark brilliance. The arc expanded outward, shimmering with deep purples and blacks, cleaving through Frika, causing her a wound on her chest.

The impact created a shockwave and pushed the Caster back, interrupting her spellcasting. At the same time, the dark energies lingered on the wound created, seeping into it and inflicting a lingering 'Bleeding' effect.

Frika the Accursed staggers, a thin line of crimson appearing where the sword connected, and dark tendrils of energy coil around the wound, slowly draining the life from the enemy as the Bleed takes effect.

[You have dealt 3,782 DMG to the target.]

[Bleed Effect Applied: Target loses 250 HP/s for 20 seconds.]

Frika took a few unsteady steps. Her eyes were confused at first, but the pain from the 'Bleeding' debuff, which continued to drain her HP even while her Regeneration was active (+125 HP/s), made it difficult for her to focus.

Her eyes flickered with confusion and rage as she realized she was losing this battle of attrition. But the Troll Matriarch was not one to be easily undone.

She glared at Odin with eyes full of hatred, the pain momentarily clouding her mind, but her spirit still tormenting and twisted.

With a sneer twisting her grotesque face, Frika spat out her words, venom dripping from her tone. "You think this will stop me, boy? I've torn apart men stronger than you!"

Her voice wavered, but the fury behind it was unmistakable. "I'll rip your soul from your body and feed it to the void itself!"

Without a doubt, Odin pulled 100% aggro on Frika with his stunt. One might say it reached 200% threat levels.

Odin wasn't that affected by her venomous words. Compared to the emotional abuse he suffered in his childhood, this much didn't even faze him.

She raised her twisted staff high above her head, the bones adorning it clattering as if responding to her anger. Sickly green energy crackled along the staff's length, surging into her body as she began to chant in a language as old as the dark magic she wielded.

"Na'quar Malthak... Zix'or'ael..." (A/N: Troll tongue - gibberish)

Her words echoed through the cavern, the oppressive energy in the room growing thicker as the summoning circle beneath her flickered with green light. The dark magic began to swirl around her body, forming a protective barrier that shimmered with an eerie black sheen.

'So, this is one of her spells in Dark Magic? Seems like Yura's Black Magic Barrier.'

Odin could see how the barrier twisted and warped, radiating dark pulses as if it were alive, ready to lash out at any attempt to harm her again.

"Now… let's see how well you fare against this, human. Try and break me, if you dare!" she hissed, her voice filled with malicious glee, the pain from her wound masked by the confidence of her self-preservation.

After wrapping herself in the Black Magic Shield, she raised her staff, the twisted bones at its tip began to hum with dark energy. Her eyes glowed with an unnatural, sickly green light, the power coursing through her body, visibly warping the air around her.

Her voice grew deeper and darker as she chanted a new incantation, drawing upon the forbidden power of her dark magic. The words resonated through the chamber like the tolling of a death knell.

"Xhul'kar Destri... Kael'nar Vostari!" (TL/N: Wither and rot, flesh and spirit!)

Her body pulsed with dark magic, and as she continued to chant, her staff began to glow brighter and crackle with malevolent energy.

Odin began advancing toward her, but he wasn't in a rush to interrupt Frika from whatever she was doing. He could tell from this accumulation of black magic that it should be the S-tier Hex, Curse of Withering.

There was an undeniable curiosity to see what effects this Hex would have on him. Such a Hex was a death sentence for any mortal knight. The curse would sap a warrior's strength, leaving them vulnerable and weak while their life's essence drained.

The blackened energy wrapped itself around her staff like a serpent and then launched toward Odin in a wave of malevolent force.

The curse surged through the air, an oily, black cloud swirling toward him before it gathered as an intangible hand that grabbed his throat. As the energy reached Odin, it latched onto him, wrapping around his body like a coil of darkness, tendrils of corruption sinking into his skin.

'Annoying, I only let one crazy bitch grab my throat in the past when we had sex.'

Frika's voice was filled with the toxicity of a justice keyboard warrior, "This curse has broken knights and champions before you. It will drain your strength, your defenses, and leave you as nothing more than a husk to be consumed by the void."

The dark tendrils of the curse tightened their grip, clinging to Odin like shackles. The oppressive energy clawed at his body, attempting to sap his strength, physical, magical defenses, and will to fight.

[You have been afflicted with the 'Curse of Withering'. Its debuff will be applied.]

[User's attack & magic power, physical & magical defense will be reduced by 30% for 60 seconds.]

The malevolent energy surged, but instead of taking hold, it seemed to pause.

For a brief moment, the curse fought to bind Odin, but then… nothing.

The darkness around him shuddered, unable to sink its claws into his flesh or soul. A radiant power pulse erupted from within him, and the curse's grip loosened, disintegrating into nothingness as if Odin's very presence repelled it.

[A legend doesn't succumb to curses easily.]

[You have resisted all the abnormal conditions.]

'Huhuhu, get rekt, bitch.'

'This is a Uno-Reverse for you.'

Frika froze, her staff still raised, eyes widening in disbelief. She watched as her most powerful curse unraveled into thin air, unable to take hold of the human before her. Her mouth hung open, shock evident as her voice faltered, trembling with frustration.

"W-what? How is this possible?" she stammered, her voice void of the malicious confidence that had been there only moments ago.

"No human… No mortal can resist the Curse of Withering! Not without—" She cut herself off, her words trailing into an incredulous whisper.

The idea that Odin could resist her curse without aid from divine blessings or magic priests shattered her understanding of power. Maybe it was just a coincidence, and a second attempt would for sure work on this arrogant human.

A second casting would surely work, but she would have to wait with the spell on cooldown.

There is plenty of time to torment the human knight.

Odin stood tall, unphased by the curse that had tried to bind him, a cold smile tugging at his lips.

'This changes so many things. I always hated fighting Demons because they had those nasty debuffs that would put you in a state of Fear and Delirium.'

'Not anymore.'

For the first time, he experienced what true immunity to the magic of his foes felt like.

"Well, looks like your curse isn't what you thought it was," he said calmly, his voice dripping with satisfaction.

He took a step forward, Soulrend still humming with dark energy, his red eyes gleaming with a predatory focus. "If that's the best you've got, this is going to be a very short fight."

He could bet that such a powerful Hex would have cost the Shaman entirely the resources from her Mana Tank, but he couldn't rely on this idea because she, at the end of the day, was a Field Boss who was designed to last a full 20-30 minutes encounter if the standards of dungeon crafting applied to the Satisfy Developers.

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The dark magic fizzled against his defenses, failing to take root.

Odin's smile widened. "You'll have to do better than that, witch."

That's when Odin activated one of the new buffs gained from the Saharan Successor Class. It was called 'Imperial Supremacy', which grants temporary access to heightened physical, magical, and mental attributes, reaching a closer state of the Great Emperor.

'I should get this wrapped faster, Purphoros is losing HP as if he's drowning.'

'Imperial Supremacy'

A brilliant crimson aura exploded around Odin. The air seemed to vibrate with raw energy as if reality could barely contain the force of his newfound might.

The shadow of a towering, godly figure, wreathed in red and black, appeared behind him, its form flickering in and out of existence like a phantom of the past. The figure was massive, looming over Odin with regal authority, its presence radiating divine power.

For this brief, glorious moment, Odin became the incarnation of the first Myth in the vast Human History, the Great Red Emperor.

The crimson shadow mimicked his stance, its eyes glowing with a haunting light. This shadowy figure, standing behind Odin like a guardian deity, radiates the essence of kingship and domination outward.

Even the green energy of the summoning circle seemed to dim in the face of the overwhelming might of Imperial Supremacy.

The ground beneath Odin's feet cracked and trembled as the power coursed through him, lifting pebbles and dirt into the air.

'Ahh, this does feel satisfying.'

His body felt lighter and stronger, and his senses sharpened to a razor's edge. The weight of Soulrend in his hand now felt insignificant, as if he was holding a feather in his hand.

[You have activated 'Imperial Supremacy' granting all of your primary stats an increase of 15% for 10 minutes]

[You have consumed (20) Red Energy ]

Frika, still reeling from the failure of her curse, stared in horror at the sight before her. The dark and oppressive energy she wielded paled compared to the godly presence that now surrounded Odin.

Yet, this shadowy figure dissipated into the Abyss as soon as it revealed itself.

Odin's voice reached out, calm but filled with the authority of a sovereign, as it echoed through the chamber. "Your magic is nothing compared to this power."

'Blade Dash'

[User has consumed 500 MP]

[User's Movement Speed has been increased by 30% for 5 minutes. Cooldown: 30 minutes]

With most of his essential buffs activated, he surged toward Frika the Accursed, his form blurring as his movement speed drastically increased.

Yet, Frika, seeing the mana gathered around his feet for his 'Blade Dash' and realizing that she would be besieged, without missing a beat, cast another of her spells.

She slammed her twisted staff into the ground with a guttural snarl. The impact echoed throughout the chamber, sending a ripple of necrotic energy surging through the air.

Her lips curled into a wicked grin as her fingers twitched, dark magic pooling at her feet. The foul energy twisted and writhed like serpents of death, coiling around her as she summoned one of her most potent spells.

"Rise, Totem of Decay! Feast upon the living!"

An eerie totem rose from that spot, formed from twisted bones and rotting flesh. Its surface was covered in necrotic runes glowing with a poisonous green light.

It resembled a grotesque effigy, almost humanoid in shape but twisted beyond recognition, with black tendrils of decayed energy slithering from its form. The totem's face was that of a contorted Troll skull, its hollow eyes burning with Frika's malevolent will.

As the Necrotic Totem emerged fully from the ground, the room darkened even more, the air becoming thick with the stench of decay. The foul aura radiating from the totem spread across the chamber like a wave of death, coiling around Odin's body in a suffocating grip.

[Frika the Accursed has summoned the Necrotic Totem.]

[Necrotic Totem - LV.120](14,225/14,225 HP)

The aura reached Odin within seconds, and though his immunity protected him from the totem's Fear effect, the oppressive decay began to chip away at his health with every passing moment.

A burning, corrosive sensation spread across his skin as though the air around him was imbued with the essence of death itself. He felt the sharp sting of necrotic magic gnawing at his body.

The totem pulsed with every second. Each beat sapped Odin's vitality and sent another wave of rot to assault his body. Its energy, an unholy combination of dark green and black tendrils, weaved through the air like a deathly mist, attempting to rot anything it touched.

[You will suffer 150 - 200 DoT for the whole duration of the Necrotic Totem.]

[Your healing effects are reduced by 50% for the whole duration of the Necrotic Totem.]

In the blink of an eye, Odin felt the first sting of the damage as 168 HP was sapped from his body.

'That's a Nasty DoT skill. If a player used such a skill, so many Dungeons and Hunting Grounds would be wiped in minutes with a strong Tank.'

It wasn't a devastating blow by any means. You had time to kill the Boss before you were sapped of HP. In a sense, the encounter's design was a battle of attrition.

He gritted his teeth, already planning his next move, aware that this was a battle of endurance as much as skill. His reaction time was otherworldly, as if this had become his second nature.

Frika, noticing the totem's effect on him, sneered, her grotesque grin widening. "Feel it, human. My totem will rot you from the inside out until there's nothing left but bones and regret. Only by killing me, will you be able to dispel my Totem."

She cackled, her confidence restored as she watched the aura of death slowly wrap around her enemy.

Odin, barely phased, met her gaze with a cold indifference.

'Bullshit. You think I'm some newb who doesn't know how Totems work? My eyes don't lie.'

'However, I'll play along to lower your guard. It would suck if she's blasting me with constant spells while I try to get to the Totem.'

He advanced toward Frika, fully aware that it wouldn't do much because of her Black Magic Barrier, which would absorb his damage. However, the Totem wasn't a Type of Spell impervious to damage.

A straightforward strategy for dealing with Totems or Pets with strong debuffs and buffs for their Master was to kill them first and then shift toward the Caster.

This was why Agnus never succeeded against Odin as a Necromancer using this 'Caster' playstyle of micromanaging the pets and spells. He, too, could micromanage his inputs and counter you.

The crimson aura trailed behind him like a comet, instantly closing the distance between him and Frika.

Instantly, he was in front of Frika, Soulrend glowing with dark energy as he raised it high.

The Troll Matriarch flinched, her confidence momentarily wavering at his sudden speed. She barely had time to react as Odin brought his sword down in a powerful arc, striking directly at her Black Magic Barrier. The sound of the impact echoed through the chamber like a thunderclap.

[ Critical Hit!]

[ You have dealt 3,527 damage to the target - Absorbed]

CRACK!

The barrier held, absorbing the force of the blow, but a small crack appeared where the sword had connected, sending a ripple of distortion across the shield. The shimmering black energy flickered briefly, and Frika's eyes widened, though she quickly regained her composure.

Odin didn't stop, continuing his unstoppable momentum and ignoring the constant DoTs from the Necrotic Totem that would siphon around 2-3% of his HP pool each second.

Without hesitation, he activated Rapid Assault, unleashing a barrage of strikes with terrifying speed as accuracy and precision weren't required against the Barrier.

Nevertheless, if one focuses on the weakest point inside a Magic Barrier, one would have a higher chance of doing Critical Hits, which is exactly what Odin tried to achieve.

'Rapid Assault'

[User has consumed 50 MP]

His blade became a blur, with each of Soulrend's slashes faster and sharper than the last, repeatedly striking the same spot on the barrier. Only (2/4) hits were critical.

The sound of metal crashing against dark energy filled the cavern as Odin's relentless assault battered the shield, the crimson and black aura surrounding him flaring with each strike.

On the other hand, Purphoros, Malfurion, and Elyse were being pushed around by the Hobgoblin Champion, Dazan, who was their rude awakening, that there existed monsters that wouldn't bite their blatant schemes.

Frika struggled to follow his movements, her grotesque face twisting in frustration.

Her eyes darted wildly as Odin's attacks blurred before her, the force of each strike pushing her back ever so slightly from the fright. Her barrier flickered, the crack expanding with every blow, though it still managed to hold… barely.

"You...!" she snarled, her voice cracking with fury and disbelief. "You're wasting your strength! My barrier will never break before your flesh rots away!"

Frika, desperate to buy herself time, planted her staff into the ground, her eyes glowing with dark energy as she muttered a guttural incantation. A wave of black magic surged from her, forming a shadowy, ethereal hand that lashed out at Odin like a whip.

"You're not getting through, human!" Frika sneered, her voice laced with venom. The dark hand shot forward with the speed of a viper, aiming to strike Odin in the chest and force him away.

But Odin, with his Sovereign Insight buff sharpening his every instinct, saw the attack coming long before it could hit. His heightened perception revealed the intricacies of Frika's spell, allowing him to predict its movements with precision.

With a slight shift in his stance, Odin dodged the black magic, his body moving like a blur as the shadowy tendrils missed him by inches, dissipating into the air with a hiss.

Frika's eyes narrowed in frustration, but she quickly regained her composure, letting out a derisive laugh. "Running away already, knight? Reduced to dodging spells like a coward?" Her voice dripped with mockery as she sneered, hoping to goad Odin into making a mistake and focus on breaking her shield

If she bought enough time, the Necrotic Totem would do its job. She also waited for the cooldown of the Curse of Withering to come up, so she could damn this arrogant human and let Skraag claim his Soul.

Yet, as she locked eyes with him, something changed.

'Huhu, I can smell your fear.'

'Continue worrying, see what I might do next.'

His crimson gaze, glowing with the raw power of Imperial Supremacy, pierced through her mask, sending a chill down her spine.

There was a cold, predatory gaze in his eyes, a look that made her feel, for the first time, that she was no longer in control.

Odin knew better than not to entertain this Troll Hag in her games. His attempt at breaking Frika's shield was a ruse, a distraction that would make her feel more confident that she would kill him.

His mind was already shifting toward his true goal, the Necrotic Totem.

With one final, powerful strike, he slammed Soulrend into the crack in the barrier, sending a shockwave of energy rippling through the shield. The barrier held, but the crack widened, shimmering with instability. Frika, now visibly sweating, gripped her staff tighter, her confidence faltering.

[ Critical Hit!]

[ You have dealt 2,722 damage to the target - Absorbed]

"You're... you're nothing but a stubborn fool!" she spat, her voice shaking with frustration.

Odin's cold malicious smile widened. 'Time to turn the tables.'

Just as Frika prepared to cast another spell, Odin feinted another attack toward her, but he dashed toward the Necrotic Totem in a sudden burst of speed. His form blurred again, akin to a phantom similar to her ancestral ones.

Frika's eyes widened in horror as she realized what he was doing. "No!" she shrieked, her voice cracking with panic. "Stay away from it!"

Her heart raced as panic set in. She had counted on the totem's decaying aura to wear him down, but now, her trump card was under threat.

Desperation twisted her features as she raised her staff, eyes wide with fear. She used a quick Black Magic Spell cast to throw off Odin's concentration. "Face me, you coward! Are you so afraid of a little challenge? Are you really going to ignore me for some worthless totem?"

'Worthless?' Odin mused as he dashed toward the Necrotic Totem.

Frika's taunts fell on deaf ears.

In a single motion, he activated Piercing Thrust, the blade of Soulrend glowing with dark energy as he thrust it forward with devastating precision this time, going straight for the Totem's core.

[ You have dealt 4,222 damage to the target]

The tip of his blade pierced the core of the totem, cracking it with a sickening crunch. Dark energy erupted from the point of contact as though the totem was crying out in agony.

"No!" Frika screamed again, her voice filled with desperation. "You… you can't! Dazan! I NEED YOUR ASSISTANCE!"

"... Frika, I'm entangled with the Human Adventurers. Can't you at least handle one damn human for once?"

Dazan's voice crackled through the chamber, laced with frustration and irritation. His tone was sharp, edged from the ongoing combat.

"If you can't deal with a single knight, what use are you to the Black Wolves? Get your act together and finish him off, or I'll have to come over there and show you how it's done!"

Ignoring both Field Bosses and their dialogue lines, Odin followed up immediately with Mighty Strike, wanting to avoid getting blocked by Dazan since that Hobgoblin was indeed a Hellish Challenge for the newbie trio, and he could put his money on them surviving this encounter.

He summoned the full force of his strength into one brutal downward slash. Soulrend came down like the judgment of a god, cleaving through the already weakened totem.

With a deafening crack, the Necrotic Totem shattered into splinters, a wave of necrotic energy exploding outward before dissipating into nothingness.

[You have slain the Necrotic Totem(Normal), gaining the following rewards: 45,500 EXP, Darkwood Fragment (Rare) ×2 , Ring of Decay (Rare) , Necromancer's Grimoire (Epic), Weapon Enhancement Stone ×2, 11 Gold Coins]

Odin didn't bother to turn back, his voice low and cold as he muttered, "Too late."