Chapter 177: Battle with the Hags Xin had anticipated their assault, and swiftly commanded his Titanium Golem to step forward.
The Titanium Golems gleaming metallic body absorbed the brunt of the fiery onslaught, flames dancing harmlessly across its durable frame.
The impact of the spell barely fazed the sturdy construct, and it stood resolute, ready for the next attack.
As the shadows descended upon them, Midnight Duchess sprang into action. With remarkable agility, she evaded the looming tendrils, her sword slashing through the darkness.
Rever deflected the residual spells away from him and the others while Victor weaved through the encroaching spells.
The next thing that happened, darkness fell upon the room like a heavy shroud, engulfing Xin and his companions.
It was the effect of the [Hag Eye].
A wave of malevolent magic had left them blinded, each member of the group struggling to see through the pitch-black veil.
Luckily, Xin and Rever relied on their racial abilities to navigate the darkness, granting them sight even in the pitch-black void.
Victor and Midnight Duchess, on the other hand, owed their vision in the dark to their unique class skills, which proved invaluable in this shadowy battle.
Yuzuro was the only one who couldn’t see in the dark but that didn’t pose any problem for her.
Taking a deep breath, Yuzuro focused on her magical abilities, her hands moving in intricate patterns. A soft glow emanated from her fingertips, illuminating the immediate surroundings.
"I can see now," she said, relief evident in her voice.
"I’ll take care of the Hag’s Eye. We cannot let it manipulate this darkness to its advantage," Midnight Duchess said and quickly added, "Destroying it will also make the Hags blind for thirty seconds."
Rever unleashed his beastly transformation. Fur sprouted across his skin, and his muscles rippled with his lycanthrope linage.
With a low growl, he lunged at one of the hags, his claws slashing through the air. His attack, guided by the keen senses of his beast form, found its mark, eliciting a pained scream from the Hag.
In a blink, Victor closed in on the other Hag. His blade glinted in the dim light as he struck the hag with the intent for critical hits.
Each blow was aimed with deadly accuracy, his class skills enhancing his speed and agility.
The Hag caught off guard, struggled to defend herself against Victor’s relentless assault.
Meanwhile, Xin’s golems advanced on the final Hag. They attacked in unison, their physical prowess wreaking havoc on the Hag’s defenses.
In the distant, their attacks were reinforced by the Elemental Golems. Bolts of lightning crackled, fiery fists pounded, and powerful gusts of wind buffeted the Hag from all sides.
The Hag outnumbered and overwhelmed, fought back desperately, but the golems’ relentless assault proved too much.
In the midst of the chaotic battle, Yuzuro maintained her concentration, her spell illuminating the room and guiding her companions’ attacks.
With each moment that passed, the darkness lifted, pushed back by the combined efforts of the group.
The hags, once powerful and menacing, now found themselves on the defensive, their spells faltering under the relentless onslaught.
The battle raged on. The hags were relentless in their magical barrage. Bolts of lightning crackled through the air, aimed at Xin and his allies.
The Titanium Golem absorbed the shocking assault. The golems were strategically positioned, and became the bastions against the magical onslaught, their sturdy forms shielding the group from the worst of the attacks.
With the golems drawing the aggro, Midnight Duchess, Rever, and Victor could move freely.
In the heart of the battle, the hags unleashed their arsenal of sinister spells, casting them with a malevolence that sent shivers down the spines of Xin and his companions.
The air crackled with dark energy as the hags chanted ancient incantations, their voices echoing through the chamber.
One of the hags, her eyes ablaze with malicious intent, cast a plane-shifting spell, causing ethereal energies to swirl around her.
With a flick of her bony fingers, she unleashed a barrage of magic missiles that streaked through the darkness, seeking out their targets.
The missiles found their mark, striking Rever, who roared in pain but stood his ground.
Simultaneously, the second hag, her voice dripping with venom, conjured a ray of enfeeblement. A sickly green ray shot forth, enveloping Victor in a weakening aura.
Despite the spell’s effects, Victor’s DEF and items keep him on his feet.
Amidst the chaos, Midnight Duchess found herself face to face with the Hag’s familiar, a devilish creature playing the Hag’s eye in its tail.
The devil sneered, its eyes glowing with infernal intelligence, as it attempted to outmaneuver Midnight Duchess.
She countered its every move, her knives slashing through the air with lethal precision, determined to sever the link between the devil and its mistress.
Meanwhile, Yuzuro focused her magical energies, shielding her companions with protective spells.
Yet, the hags were relentless. With a curse, one of them attempted to bind Xin, her words echoing with dark power.
Yuzuro, quick on her feet, countered the curse with a dispelling charm, lifting the malevolent enchantment before it could take hold.
However, the hags had an ace up their sleeves — the dreaded [Nightmare Haunting].
With a sinister grin, the Old Hag targeted Yuzuro, her eyes glowing with an unholy light.
In an instant, Yuzuro fell into a deep, nightmare-induced slumber. The curse was unbreakable, and before anyone could react, the Hag seized Yuzuro’s soul though [Etherealness], her form disintegrating into particles.
The room trembled with dark energy as the hag harnessed Yuzuro’s essence, and summoned her soul into their ranks, healing them and bolstering their power.
"Yuzu!"
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The DEVELOPER’s Distress
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"Hey, have you heard about the Abandoned Dwarven Fortress?"
"Yeah, it’s the latest addition to Guildbane. Players are going crazy because of those Hidden Boss appearances."
"All the top guilds are diving in, but no one’s managed to find this elusive Hidden Boss yet."
"Is there even a Hidden Boss? Players see something they can’t defeat, and suddenly it’s a Hidden Boss. Happens all the time."
"Who cares about that? What I’m interested in is if anyone has cleared the entire dungeon, yet."
"Nobody has made it through the last dungeon yet."
"Good, that’s good news. We definitely don’t want anyone clearing that dungeon and stumbling upon the ’Prisoner’ this early."
"I’m so intrigued about this Prisoner. Any ideas who it might be?"
". . . Well, it’s . . ."