The space where the clay soldiers gathered wasn't limited to just this place; there were four more such areas. However, I spoke the designated password which broke their guard, allowing us to pass through all four sections without any harm. Was it bewildering? Everyone turned back with expressions of disbelief. It was certainly unusual for so many clay soldiers to not launch any attack.
Ella remarked, "I don't understand the meaning, but it's truly fascinating. The clay soldiers who seemed ready to attack outsiders at any moment opened the path so readily with just a word."
"It's like a kind of password. It means 'Long live Mahat.' It praises the owner of this tomb."
"How did you know that... Oh, you said it's a secret, right? You said I wouldn't understand even if you explained."
"I'd appreciate it if you consider it as the result of prior research on the underground tomb," I said with a smile, dodging the topic. It seemed that Isabel was already accustomed to such situations—knowing the right strategies—but for first-timers like Ella and Chloe, it was clearly amazing.
"Most visitors would likely die at the preceding section," Ella continued.
"That's right. At first glance, the clay soldiers seem trivial, but among them, there are very powerful ones."
If it were like the level of a guard clay soldier at the entrance, we would have hunted them using Isabel. But that's not possible because among the clay soldiers is one called the 'Invincible Clay Soldier.' This is the one that casually tapped my shoulder.
This creature is completely immune to all attacks. It's under an undead curse, unable to die even if it wishes so. In <Paradiso>, there were many users who, unaware of this, rushed in thinking it was an 'experience heaven' and met tragic deaths. In the game, you can revive after dying, but here it's reality. If you die, you don't start from the beginning again, you just go to the afterlife!
Naturally, I couldn't risk a reckless adventure that risked my life.
Chloe sighed with relief and said to me, "I'm glad my mask was helpful."
"Chloe, thank you so much. This ability was absolutely necessary because those clay soldiers aren't fools. They would recognize us right away without disguises."
"It's fun, raiding a tomb." Chloe, who had never shown a smile before, awkwardly lifted the corners of her lips. It was evident she hadn't smiled much before. True to the nickname 'Queen of Silence' she earned later, her lips were more suitable for staying quietly shut.
"Soon there will be a section where we must combine our strength. Please assist us well at that time."
"If I can be of help." Chloe nodded.
Then Isabel poked me in the side from beside me.
"Why do I...?"
It became clear that I had quickly adapted to her personality. I understood what she was about to say.
"Calm dribbling at the entrance! You did well, Isabel. We'll continue to need your black magic summoning skill. And there are also special gifts I'll arrange for you in the middle," I said.
"Gifts?"
"There's a way to enhance your spells. It's not a facility built for you, but if you exploit it cleverly, it will help improve your skills."
"Improvement... That's what you expect from me. You always wanted a stronger sorceress than I am now, right?"
"Yes, to strengthen my domain, those beside me must also grow stronger. And that includes myself too."
I patted her shoulder. Ever since Isabel reborn in another's body and started practicing her spells earnestly, I had sensed that her emotional fluctuations had become more intense.
Magic can delve deeper and become darker and more insidious than black magic, causing practitioners to become possessed by inner demons. But this is a problem that she must solve herself. The moment someone else lends help, the inner demon becomes an insurmountable barrier.
Knowing this well, I remained silent, always watching over her.
At that very moment.
Clunk, clunk.
A clay soldier, who was kneeling on the ground with its head bowed, raised its head.
Purple aura swirled and rose from its entire body. It was a clay soldier with a different nature than the ones we had seen moments ago.
[Mahat's Armed Officer – Lv. 60]
[Strength: 201]
[Health: 257]
[Magic: 3]
[Wisdom: 3]
[Agility: 2]
[Charm: 2]
[Physical Defense: 229]
[Magic Defense: 3]
[Special Tendency: One-shot Kill A]
[General Tendency: Guardian, Detection]
An armed officer. He's the gatekeeper to the first stage of raiding the tomb.
Conversely, he’s also someone who will dutifully provide experience points.
"It's an armed officer. As briefed before entering, Isabel, you must attack from the rear without fail. Chloe, the same goes for you. Ella, please just provide the promised protection."
"I don't do anything beyond my mission. Don't worry," Ella replied, having sheathed her sword early on.
The method to raid the armed officer is simple. Consistently attack the weak point in the back to accumulate damage. The creature has an exceptionally high health.
Thus, you can't rely on a lucky instant kill with a critical hit, you must steadily inflict damage.
Of course, theoretically, it's easy. What's difficult is that the person tanking up front is taking the heat.
Especially the special tendency of a one-shot kill increases the damage of the spear attack by 1000% in an instant. Considering his strength, if some part of my body gets hit by that spear, it will definitely get torn. Better yet, ending with a tear would be fortunate, if it's the chest or innards, it's a direct ticket to the other side.
Woosh.
I started casting the Flame Arrow spell.
Flame Arrow is a spell that creates as many fire arrows as the caster's class.
Since I'm at 4th class, I can create four fire arrows.
"I'll draw the aggro, I mean, attention, so start attacking exactly 10 seconds later. Got it?"
"Got it," Isabel took the lead and Chloe quietly followed behind. Ella, holding a shield in one hand, was keenly observing my movements with curious eyes.
"Haah!"
With a shout, I shot the fire arrows.
In an instant, they flew in a straight path and embedded themselves in the chest of the armed officer.
Thud! Thudd! Thud!
"...Do not disturb the deep rest of my lord." As expected from a creature that doesn’t feel pain, it approached me without hesitation, speaking in a low voice with fire arrows stuck in its chest.
In <Paradiso>, it didn't matter when confronting it, but seeing its movements in real life was quite grotesque.
Swish!
I used the Haste spell to rush forward, actively charging at the armed officer.
"Huph!"
A shout infused with power.
That sound is the command before deploying a one-shot kill.
After determining the target at this point, it will strike that spot exactly 0.5 seconds later.
In other words, if you don't avoid that spot within 0.5 seconds, you will certainly get hit.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
The sound of my footsteps skimming the cold stone floor of the basement,
Whooosh!
barely passing by as the armed officer's spear slices through space.
'Smooth.'
In <Paradiso>, there was a slightly sluggish feeling due to server lag and response speed differences, but here it was really fast.
It was a good indication that made me realize that this moment was indeed reality.
'Let's focus.'
This creature's mind is filled with nothing but the destruction of intruders. It's a being with no mercy like humans.
While momentarily feeling slightly lenient, I regained my composure and continued the next attack.
Whoosh!
The magic missile, aimed directly to draw attention, struck the chest of the armed officer.
"To intruders ignoring the warning, only death awaits!"
At last, the armed officer shouted, brimming with anger, and began charging at me. The aggro was effectively drawn.
With a signal in my eyes, I directed the three people moving behind the armed officer.
All preparations were complete.
Now it was time for the magic-casting mage to start the close-range tanking phase!
With the bracelet's effect doubling my stats, whether it was a short battle or a long one, I felt confident.
About five minutes after the battle commenced with the armed officer.
Ella focused intently on watching Jared fight, marveling at his movements.
'Mages greatly dislike close combat. It's analogous to why swordsmen dislike long-range contests.'
What she observed intently was how Jared maintained close proximity with the armed officer, concentrating all attacks solely on himself.
Typically, mages instinctively keep their distance.
The closer they are to the enemy, the more psychological pressure they feel, and a small mistake can result in grave danger.
However, Jared continued to harass with magic from less than two meters away from the armed officer, dodging attacks here and there.
The armed officer's spear attacks were extremely sharp. Though it appeared as if Jared was effortlessly dodging, that was not the case at all.
The time from targeting to attacking was less than 0.5 seconds, and the power was immense.
Whenever a spear, missing its target, struck the stone wall, debris scattered as the wall shattered.
At that level, the firepower of the attack alone was comparable to her own.
'But he's moving as if toying with him, buying time leisurely for Chloe and Isabel to attack.'
While the situation was undeniably progressing at a breathtaking pace, Jared's expression appeared serene.
His constant movement had left sweat beading on his forehead, but that was all.
The armed officer did not succeed even once in his attacks and was too absorbed with Jared to notice what was behind him.
Swish. Swish. Swish.
"I-I can't withstand this."
Eventually, the armed officer began stumbling, spewing thick sand-like smoke from its mouth.
This was due to the accumulated damage from the back over nearly five minutes. Isabel's spells had struck more than ten times, and Chloe had driven a dagger deep into the back of the armed officer and its nape with her swift agility.
[*Warning: Mahat's Armed Officer's health has fallen below 5%.]
A red message displayed on Jared’s mental radar, indicating the state of the armed officer.
While it was a warning to it, it signaled the final chance to Jared.
Jared quickly created illusions of himself using Mirror Image magic.
A 2nd class Mirror Image.
At 4th class, it's magic that creates a total of eight illusions.
"......"
As Jared's appearance multiplied suddenly, the armed officer's expression darkened.
But it confirmed the illusion in the center as the clearest and launched its spear at it.
Whoosh!
"Ah!"
Regrettably, the strike cleaved through empty air. At that moment, the armed officer felt a chilling, icy sensation envelop its body from behind.
And in the next moment!
Whoosh!
Ferocious flames clawed through the wound in the back of the neck, burrowing into the space filled with earth.
Simultaneously, the scorching heat consumed every core within the body, from the corroded spine to the vertebrae over countless years, leaving none untouched.
"Grroaaak……."
The armed officer collapsed. Its resilience was indeed strong, but it couldn't overcome the accumulated weak point damage and met its end.
[Level Up! Achieved Lv. 9!]
[Level Up! Achieved Lv. 10!]
[Upon reaching Level 10, you have completed the quest 'First Limit Breakthrough.' You have gained Wisdom 10 as a reward!]
[Level Up! Achieved Lv. 11!]
In an instant, three levels were gained, and simultaneously the quest was completed.
The reward of Wisdom 10 was a perk given every time the level reached a tenfold increment, a delightful bonus stat during the growth phase.
Jared, being a mage, had set it to receive Wisdom as a reward.
In <Paradiso>, based on job inclination, players could receive stats like Physical Defense 5, Magic Defense 5, or combined defensive stats 10, among other options.
"......"
With its death, the clay soldier, the armed officer's entire body began dispersing into dust.
Having always seen this process of disintegration in <Paradiso>, Jared didn't particularly concern himself over it.
But just then.
Tuk!
"What?"
The armor that the armed officer had been wearing fell to the floor.
At the same time, the entire armor filled with dirt and dust got swept away by the wind, soon revealing its gleaming form.
At that moment.
Jared saw it.
[Artifact 'Rohad's Mirror Armor']
An unexpected defensive artifact had appeared here!