BAM!!!!
With a desperate surge of all her augmented strength, Cupcake, still in her giant form, smashed her massive claws against the downward-slashing broadsword. The impact was ear-splitting, a sonic wave of metal and magical force.
BOOOOOM!
The collision pushed both the Metal Ogre and Cupcake backward. The Ogre's blade was deflected, but the sheer force was too much.
BAM!!
Cupcake slammed into the ground, a whimper escaping her as a deep, bloody fissure appeared along her foreleg.
"No!" Mirabella cried, rushing to her familiar. She saw the huge blade wound. "Even deflected, the impact force transferred. Her claws saved me, but she still lost 5,000 Health Points."
Mirabella stood up, her fear replaced by cold, incandescent rage. She stared at the Ogre, which calmly rested its broadsword on its shoulder, a distinct sneer visible on its scarred green face.
"You are making fun of me, relying on my exhaustion, are you? Let's see if you'll still have that look after this!"
Driven by a desperate, final theory, Mirabella created four Arrows, using the last dregs of her Spirit Energy, and sent them not at the Boss, but straight toward the Black Coffin.
"...?!"
The Ogre finally reacted, turning its massive head to the sudden attack on its resting place. The arrows struck.
BOOOOOM!
The Coffin, weakened by the previous stray shots, shattered instantly. A brilliant golden light exploded outward, and a muscular, shirtless man with cascading golden hair and pure white eyes rose into the air. He radiated an overwhelming, ancient power. He was the Armor God, and he was furious.
"How dare a mere monster trespass and enter my sacred resting temple!?" he thundered, his voice shaking the cavern. White, ethereal chains burst from his body, heading straight for the Ogre.
The Boss let out a panicked groan and tried to flee, but it was too slow. The chains wrapped around its massive body, tightening mercilessly, visibly draining its power and health.
"This is my chance!" Mirabella used her absolute final resources, summoning a single, perfect arrow, waited for the Boss's health to drop below 20,000, and then sent her arrow toward the captured World Boss.
BOOOOOM!
The final arrow struck the Ogre's exposed skull, shattering it into pieces. The creature went instantly limp, collapsing in a heap of broken armor and green flesh.
"I... I did it! It's dead!" she exclaimed, collapsing onto her knees in a mixture of disbelief and relief.
The next moment, the announcements exploded across the cavern:
[Congratulations Played Spectral for killing a World Boss. Gained 1,000,000 galaxy Fall coins.]
[Gained +20 Neutral Reputation.]
{Congratulations!! Host killed a World Boss, gained 100,000 EXP.}
{Level Up!!}
{Level Up!!}
{Level Up!!!}
{Congratulations, Host reached Lv20!}
Mirabella blinked in shock, staring at her profile before her.
{Name: Mirabella Sunny.}
{Game Nickname: Spectral.}
{Level: Lv20. (0/60,000 Exp).}
{Age: 22.}
{Physical Attack: 290.}
{Agility: 204.}
{Defense: 220.}
{Health: 125,600.}
{Magic Attack: 290.}
{Spirit energy: 10,000/10,000.}
{Kills: 315.}
{Boss killed: 7.}
{World Boss Killed: 1.}
{Neutral Reputation Gained: 20.}
Mirabella blinked, staring at her updated profile as a powerful, warm light enveloped her, healing her injuries entirely. She turned to Cupcake, whose bloody wound was already stitching itself closed.
"It seems we both leveled up," she murmured.
"Child."
Mirabella turned her head. The Armor God slowly descended, landing gracefully before her.
"Why did you wake me?" he asked, his tone calm but profoundly powerful.
"Wake you up? Aren't you already… deceased?" Mirabella asked, getting shakily to her feet, her exhaustion forgotten in the presence of this being.
"You can understand me?" The Armor God was mildly taken aback, clearly not expecting a low-level human to comprehend his ancient language.
'Right.' She thought:
'In my past life, none of us understood him. He vanished after a moment, giving us nothing but the loot drop. This time, things were fundamentally different.'
She bowed deeply. "Yes, Senior. I can understand your words. Thank you for your assistance. I needed help with that monster."
'This being is beyond powerful. Restricting a Level 50 World Boss that easily, and the system can't even display his profile.'
"I understand. Thank you for ridding my temple of that filth." The Armor God surveyed the cavern and shook his head.
"No one can hold the flow of time. I died during the Great Fall, and now I am merely the guardian echo." He snapped his fingers.
A golden pannikin materialized in his hand. He used a flicker of his energy to cut his palm and let his golden blood—the purest form of his life energy—drip into the cup until it was half full.
"Here," he offered the cup to Mirabella. "This is my gift to you. Consume it. With time, it will make you the strongest player, with the greatest defense, necessary for the war to come."
Mirabella took the cup with trembling hands. "Wow… Thank you, Senior." She raised the cup and drank, savoring the surprisingly sweet taste.
'Um... it tastes sweet.'
She turned to Cupcake, who had shrunk back to her small cat form. "Cupcake, open your mouth."
Mirabella poured the remaining blood down Cupcake's throat.
"It seems you value this companion of yours," the Armor God said with a gentle smile.
"Yes. She is the only family I have left," Mirabella answered honestly.
"Then protect her, child. And listen closely: stay safe and make sure to keep your distance from the Corpse Domain." With that, the Armor God vanished, leaving only a lingering scent of ozone and ancient metal.
"Corpse Domain? What the hell is that?" Mirabella was confused. Even in her past life, she had never encountered a geographical designation like that.
'But if this senior warned me about it, I must heed his advice.'
Suddenly, she collapsed onto the ground, her body going completely limp.
"What... what's happening?" she asked, a wave of profound dizziness washing over her. Cupcake collapsed immediately beside her.
{Altering Blood of the Armor god.}
{One hour for altering.}
"Altering...." That was the last thing Mirabella registered before losing consciousness, the golden blood rewriting her very being.