I Leveled Up to Level 4
After fighting for a while, I leveled up again.
Now, if this were the game First Final, a very important choice would appear here… And just as I was thinking that, the prompt showed up.
“Oh, it finally appeared…”
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Please choose one of the following skills:
- Shield Bash
- Parry
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This choice is irreversible if you make a mistake.
Shield Bash is a skill where you slam your shield into the enemy. It’s very simple and can be used even by beginners. There’s a 30% chance to stun the enemy, which can leave them immobilized for 3 seconds. However, the enemy will be knocked back, making it unsuitable for solo combos.
Parry, as the name suggests, is a skill that deflects enemy attacks. If you can time it perfectly, it can stagger the enemy. The timing is extremely tight, but for someone like me, who has mastered the game, I can stagger the enemy 100% of the time.
People who don’t know better tend to choose Shield Bash because of its easier timing. But doing so would take me off the path of the strongest build for the job I’m aiming for.
Without hesitation, I chose Parry.
“…Now, I’m ready to take on the second-floor boss.”
I know the dungeon’s maze inside and out from playing the game so much. Without any hesitation, I headed straight for the shortest route to the boss room.
“Alright, let’s do this.”
I opened the door to the boss room and entered. The entrance automatically closed behind me. Once this happens, the door won’t open again until the boss is defeated.
“Come at me!”
Inside the room was a red-skinned Ogre. It held an axe in its right hand.
The Ogre charged at me, roaring as it swung its axe.
“UGAAAAAH!”
Even though I’d seen it in the game, seeing it up close in real life was something else. It was huge and incredibly intimidating. But surprisingly, I felt calm—calmer than I expected.
I felt no fear at all.
I jumped to the right.
The Ogre’s axe struck the ground where I had just been standing. The ground shook slightly from the sheer force. If I had taken even one hit at my current level, it would have been an instant death.
Even though I had a beginner’s Mithril Sword, with my current level and equipment, initiating an attack on this thing was out of the question. The Ogre’s recovery time after an attack was too short, and trying to attack recklessly would surely result in a fatal blow.
The Ogre swung its axe down and immediately followed up with another attack. I jumped back to avoid it.
Then, I noticed the Ogre’s right shoulder twitch in a unique way.
“It’s coming…!”
This was the signal for its most terrifying horizontal slash attack. The attack had a long reach and covered a wide area as the Ogre stepped forward. Whether I jumped to the side or backward, the attack would still hit me, dealing massive damage.
I timed it perfectly and executed Parry with flawless precision. Not a single frame off.
Yes, it worked.
If my timing had been even slightly off, it would have been instant death. Only someone like me, who has played the game to death and is exceptionally skilled, could pull off such a crazy, high-risk strategy.
The Ogre staggered, losing its balance. Without hesitation, I stepped in and unleashed a three-hit combo.
“GRUUUHH!”
The Ogre let out a pained groan.
The Ogre attacked again, launching a relentless three-hit combo. At my current stats, I couldn’t interrupt this sequence. However, there was a brief window to strike before the fourth attack.
I timed it perfectly and used Parry again. The recoil from my sword caused the Ogre’s axe to bounce upward. As the Ogre staggered back, I landed two quick hits, followed by a skill activation on the third strike.
“Power Attack!”
With a powerful step forward, my sword slashed through the Ogre. The blade moved astonishingly fast, cleaving the Ogre’s body in two.
“KUUUUH…”
With a final death cry, the Ogre fell.
I did it…
An Ogre that had given seven police officers trouble was defeated in such a short time. And I did it all by myself.
I’m pretty strong, huh? And from here on out, I’ll keep leveling up and getting even stronger…
