Ryou's gaze trembled anxiously as it oscillated between the imposing figure of the Devoted Spirit Paladin and the ominous presence of the Dark Zombie Bear. Doubt insidiously infiltrated his mind, casting shadows of uncertainty, whether he win or not if he could fight against these two formidable Boss monsters at the same time.

Abruptly, the undead Paladin, its once guard granted by [Divine Protection] dissipating, lunged with menacing determination towards Ryou. In that fleeting moment, Ryou swore that the grotesque features on its face gave a sinister twitch as if attempting to sneer through the veil of rotten flesh.

In the throes of battle, Ryou prided himself on a focused mind akin to a cat mesmerized by a laser pointer—closed and impervious to stray thoughts

Yet, this moment was an exception; confusion gripped him, diverting his attention from the skirmish. His thoughts strayed to the perplexing presence of the bear in this battle. Unable to fathom why it had joined the fray, as the bear's supposed location was hundreds of meters below, making its sudden appearance improbable. Ryou also dismissed the notion that Elsa's nymphic scent had lured it, convinced that something else, something enigmatic, was at play since they entered this ‘Hell mode’ dungeon.

His contemplation abruptly ceased as he caught sight of Elsa's face, glistening with cold sweat, her vibrant green eyes flickering with panic. Following her gaze, he turn only to discovered a massive, black, decaying metal looming menacingly towards him. Helpless, he couldn't react in time as the undead Paladin's [Shield Bash] skill made its first impactful contact. A resounding groan escaped Ryou as he was sent soaring into the air, absorbing a substantial -230 damage.

Midair from the forceful impact, Ryou finally regained his composure, from the momentum, he executed a skillful roll upon landing and when he sprung back to his feet, he activated [Jump] and gracefully propelled himself to Elsa's side. Meanwhile, the Spirit Paladin, unleashed another [Shield Bash] where Ryou had stood moments before.

Ryou swiftly turned to check on the encroaching Zombie Bear at his back and saw it still some distance away, he felt relieved that the expansive area on the summit allowing him some precious moments. With a quick glance at Elsa, he urged, "Miss Elsa, I'll handle both these monsters." His words hung in the air briefly before the undead Paladin closed in, leaving no room for further discussion.

In a panic, Ryou dashed to the left, deftly kiting the pursuing Paladin toward the looming presence of the Dark Bear. His urgent cries echoed, "Focus your attacks on this Spirit Paladin!" Ryou's words hung in the air momentarily, hoping that Elsa would grasped his strategy.

He didn't have time to speak more as the relentless Paladin was closing in, poised to unleash another [Shield Bash]. The resilient Paladin, had already regained 96 HP, and now it stood at 455 HP, representing 19% of its total HP.

Despite the perilous situation, Ryou approached the menacing bear with unwavering determination. The looming presence of both bosses created an atmosphere saturated with condensed air of danger, and Ryou keenly felt the weight of their combined threat.

However, exhibiting remarkable composure, Ryou activated his [Fast Step] ability, executing a nimble dodge to evade the Bear's menacing claw swipe. With expert finesse, he sidestepped the Paladin's double [Shield Bash]. Swift as a shadow, he circled both boss monsters; the Paladin, slowed by previous movement debuffs, posed little challenge as Ryou hurled the Ice Bomb in his hand toward the vulnerable, unshielded region. The explosive impact inflicted a significant 50 points of damage.

Ice bombs were invaluable for tactical advantage and battlefield engagements. Yet, its limitations was a brief five-second cooldown and a three-second delay before detonation. One also needed a precise time to take out the Bombs and also choose a time to throw the bomb precisely, making it a calculated 8 to 10 seconds between deployments.

Elsa's [Leave Cutter]’s spells had a cooldown of 9 seconds and [Razor Wind] had 5 seconds, Ryou had astutely calculated that within a 10-second window, she could unleash a damage output ranging from 61 to 68. The additional impact of +50 damage from his well-placed bomb was enough to do more damage than the regeneration of the Paladin.

And, as Ryou unleashed another ice bomb, a disheartening scene unfolded. The undead Paladin, regenerating 4% of its HP, witnessed a surge from 297 Hp to 383 Hp. This unforeseen resilience cast a shadow of mental discouragement upon Ryou, challenging the carefully laid-out tactics in the midst of the chaotic confrontation.

‘This sucks’ he felt depressed.

His dodging maneuvers while in [Fast Step] resulted in rapid depletion of stamina and it weighed heavily on his physical state. Moreover, fighting both Dark Bear and Spirit Paladin had not only drained his physical strength but also taxed his mental resilience and the thought of a prolonged battle while moving non-stop sapped his motivation.

While the idea of death within the game didn't daunt him, however, the moment he caught sight of the trepidation in the emerald-haired woman standing behind these formidable Boss monsters, a deep-seated sense of responsibility surged within his heart.

Her fear-laden visage invoked recollections of his own sister's fragility in his previous existence, especially during those solitary moments in the sterile confines of the hospital. Similar to Elsa, his elder sister too had replaced her playful demeanor by the palpable anxiety of death. Observing this, a determination to not to let her down kindled within Ryou, igniting an earnest desire to save her.

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

Elsa had been an NPC just days ago, so he could comprehend that the fear of death for her were higher than for players like him. His focused to winning this battle kindling again, Ryou honed his focus on evading the relentless attacks of both monsters. Coordinating with Elsa's spells and strategically deploying ice bombs, and within 5 minutes, they managed to whittle down the Paladin's HP to a critical 10%, which marked the resplendent glow of golden runes to show again.

Ryou urged Elsa to cease her assault, advising patience until the runes dissipated. Surprisingly, the Paladin, seemingly influenced by the mystical cocoon, halted its pursuit, granting Ryou a momentary reprieve from fighting two bosses simultaneously. Yet, the respite was short-lived as a sudden surge of +96 appeared above the Paladin's head, catapulting its HP to 336.

Frustration and fear intertwined as Ryou, in a burst of outrage, exclaimed, "You fucking cheater."

The battle continued as the golden runes vanished six seconds later. Elsa unleashed her [Leaf Cutter] spells, dealing -11, -9, -12 damage. When the Paladin's HP hit 10% again, however, the runes didn't reappeared again, which made Ryou let out a sigh of relief, because if [Divine Protection] could be used without cool down then he might just pack his ass and deliver it to the undead to kick till he resurrected again.

In the face of the two bosses, Ryou and Elsa, employing their restraining abilities, [Shadow Bind] and [Vine Marsh], deftly interrupted the monsters' impending skills that helped Ryou in dodging one monster while one is slowed down.

In New World battles, interrupting a monster's skill during its preparation was a fundamental tactic to use and it required an understanding of precise timing. Ryou, with his reincarnated experience spanning a decade in the game, excelled in this art. His innate intuition and honed instincts allowed him to discern the timing of monster skills, anticipate their nature, and expertly deploy his allies' skills to disrupt and control the battlefield.

As the Spirit Paladin teetered on the brink of 6% HP, a synchronized onslaught of Elsa's spells brought the Paladin's HP down to 5%, triggering yet another shimmering veil of runes which halts its movements again, however, this time it was blue instead of golden.

Observing the azure runes with a discerning squint, Ryou deftly sidestepped a charging bear claw, effortlessly evading the looming tackle and another powerful paw swipes. Without missing a beat, he relayed the critical information to Elsa.

"Miss Elsa, this time it's a different set of runes. Once the cooldown is over, you can unleash your [Razor Wind]."

"[Endow Haste]," Ryou announced the skill's name aloud, standing still in deep contemplation, and cupping his chin in thought.

However, his reverie was abruptly shattered as the blue runes disintegrated, unveiling the Spirit Paladin now wielding a colossal greatsword in both hands, a stark departure from its previous form. Despite his fatigue, Ryou couldn't help but break into an ear-to-ear grin, showcasing his white teeth as he taunted with gusto, "You've chosen the wrong attributes to buff."

[Fast step], [Shadow Bind].

In a decisive maneuver, Ryou abandoned his cautious stance and ceaseless evasion, wielding both his swords with a newfound vigor. Instead of opting for a direct clash, he expertly parried and defended against the undead Paladin's sword strikes, deflecting them with precision. Though he sustained minor damage ranging from 30 to 50, his skillful defense showcased his mastery in combat.

Despite the recent buff to its agility, the undead Paladin remained hampered by debuffs on movement, lingering from the earlier onslaught of ice bombs and also from the effects of [Shadow Bind]. This provided Ryou with a significant advantage in the ongoing duel.

In collaboration with Elsa's relentless spellcasting, the Spirit Paladin's HP plummeted rapidly. Before the Paladin could regenerate, two [Razor Wind] were casts which inflicted -18 and -19 respectively, while [Leave Cutter] contributed with consecutive damages of -12, -11, and -13.

With a mere 47 HP left, Ryou discarded his sword and delivered a resounding fist to the Spirit Paladin's decaying face. The impact unleashed a puff of white smoke, dealing 50 damage to both Ryou and the Spirit Paladin. Remarkably, Ryou emerged with 60% of his HP intact, a total of 462 HP, while the Spirit Paladin's HP plummeted to 0.

"Eat that, fucking rotten bastard!" Ryou smirked, reveling in his victorious strike.

The defeated Spirit Paladin lay sprawled on the grassy field, a peculiar relaxing in its temple almost suggesting relief. Gradually dissipating into thin air, it left behind six loot drops.

System: Level 12 Devoted Spirit Paladin killed. Level difference of 3. EXP obtained increased by 3 times. Obtained 2600 EXP.

He didn't have time to look at the loots or even appreciate the EXP gained, as his attention quickly shifted to the Dark Zombie Bear, which was freeing itself from vines of Elsa's [Vine Marsh] spell. With a sigh, he retrieved a stamina potion from his space bag, downing it in a single gulp before briskly advancing towards the formidable creature.

Ryou recalled that the Bear had limited intelligence for a boss monster. Its actions were predictable, relying on basic attacks like [Swipes] and [Tackle], and it used [Shockwave] at 50% health and [Glare] at 15%. These were familiar patterns he remembered from his previous life, though he was uncertain on whether the bear too, like the Spirit Paladin might have some upgraded skills.

However, battling this bear felt more bearable. Beyond evasion tactics, his offensive arsenal, including [Chop] and [Shadow Flash], added considerable damage to the monster. The combination of strategic maneuvering and a diversified skill set provided Ryou with a tactical advantage in confronting the formidable rotten animals.

After surviving the epic showdown with the Spirit Paladin, Ryou couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief when the Boss's HP at 50% used [Shockwave], the skill he already knew. He had braced himself for any unforeseen divine skills or unexpected spells and to his gratitude, none such challenges presented themselves.

In tandem with Elsa's ranged assaults and employing his versatile melee skills, they dealt a decisive blow to the Dark Zombie Bear, triumphing over the formidable foe in a total of 10 minutes.

System: Level 10 Dark Zombie Bear defeated. Level difference of 1. EXP earned increased by 1.5 times. Acquired 565 EXP.

System: Congratulations on clearing Level 10 Black Mountain Dungeon in Hell mode. You are the first player to achieve this feat, your name would be etch in the book of history.

System: {World Announcement} Player Rem and his aide Elsa Granloe are the first player to triumphantly conquer Level 10 Black Mountain Dungeon on Hell mode.

The same world announcement continued to announced 3 times in the World Chat of every Server.

Looking at the Announcement, Ryou grunted, "Trouble would surely come from this one,"