I'm a Healer But My Butt is Busy - Ch11
Screeeech!
I clenched my teeth and turned back. The Acling’s hooked nose was close enough to graze my arm.
I retreated backward to get out of its attack range and chanted Seed of Malice again, now that the cooldown was back. As I began the spell, the Acling shot a poison dart at me.
The sharp sting was tolerable, but the HP draining every second definitely wasn’t. I stacked HoT and defense buffs on myself, then threw an Ice Spear—my Lvl 15 attack skill.
Frost formed at the tips of the Acling’s claws. Its slashing and striking slowed dramatically. I didn’t miss the chance and stepped back; even its chasing speed lagged.
I cast Ice Spear repeatedly, and frost crept up from its fingers to its toes until it finally froze in place.
I wrapped myself in continuous healing and took out my staff.
Bang!
You little shit! Cow shit! Crazy bastard! Every b*tch in the world, get over here!
I cursed every possible creature under the sun while beating the Acling’s frozen body senseless.
The frost debuff I’d stacked broke apart, but my attacks were draining its HP even faster. That was thanks to the title “Swift Ankles” I had earned after killing the Carrot Butcher last time.
Huff… huff…
After pounding it for a while, the Acling finally turned to ash and scattered.
“Whoa, how is a healer that strong? Does your damage look like that too, Jeshigan Alba?”
“I put all my stat points into Intelligence, so… no.”
I heard the party members marveling, but what really stuck in my ears was Tumzomalgeyo’s comment.
“…so you’re not completely useless.”
Not completely useless?
Oh, you’re dead. I may not be able to beat you in level, but my mouth can absolutely beat your ass.
I took a breath and was about to run up to Tumzomalgeyo and chew him out—
Screeeeeech!!
[A Hidden Boss: Acling Chief has appeared!]
Huh?
What did it just say? A hidden boss? That’s impossible.
“Wooooah! A hidden boss!!”
“Oh my gosh! I’ve only seen that boss in videos, never in person!”
The chance of a hidden boss appearing in Tisiphone was 0.03%. Getting one right after the one in the previous dungeon? Impossible.
Boom!
My anger at Tumzomalgeyo and my shock at encountering another hidden boss both vanished with the Acling Chief’s single strike.
When it swung its club, the ground beneath my feet sank like a grave pit. One hit from that and I’d be dead for sure. I turned around and sprinted with everything I had.
Thankfully—maybe—I saw Tumzomalgeyo run past me. Looked like he intended to help with the boss after all. He blocked the Acling Chief’s attack with his shield and signaled behind him. The quick-witted newbies and Harusari grabbed their weapons and rushed forward.
I positioned myself behind healer Jeshigan Alba and drank a mana potion from my inventory. I had lost almost two-thirds of my mana just fighting a single Acling.
No need to hurry. We can take our time. With a ranker here, no way we can’t beat it.
I calmed my pounding heart and watched.
But Tumzomalgeyo wasn’t normal. Instead of attacking, he only blocked the Acling Chief’s attacks with his shield, doing absolutely nothing else.
What the hell was he doing? There’s no way newbies can beat an Acling Chief on their own.
Boom!
[Critical! Harusari dealt a fatal blow to Acling Chief! Bleed status inflicted, causing continuous damage for 10 seconds.]
That maniac! He was only 9 levels above me, yet he swung in and lodged his axe into the Acling Chief’s neck without fear.
The monster was huge and its hide was thick, so the blood wasn’t much, but the system clearly recognized the wound—big red damage numbers flashed.
The system alert seemed to embolden the others, and their attacks became fiercer.
I focused on refilling my mana.
Once my mana was almost full, I considered joining in, but the boss fight was going smoothly.
Maybe I don’t even need to step in.
KRAAAAAAH!!
The moment I let my guard down, the Acling Chief roared savagely. I looked up—its HP bar was exactly half, and its eyes glowed so bright they were practically shooting green beams.
It had entered Phase Mode (when boss monsters change patterns after reaching certain HP thresholds).
BOOM!
Yellow powder burst out from the Acling Chief’s wings. Instinctively, I covered my mouth with the back of my hand—and that turned out to be correct, as system messages popped up saying that everyone except the boss had been poisoned.
Cough, cough!
Fortunately, veterans like Harusari and Tumzomalgeyo were prepared; the pollen attack didn’t affect them.
I dragged Jeshigan Alba and Byeorak Sikhye out of the attack radius while holding my breath.
“Hah… thank you.”
Jeshigan Alba wiped tears—maybe from the sting of the poison, maybe from gratitude.
“If not for you, hyung, I’d have died,” Byeorak Sikhye added, bowing his head.
Feeling awkward, I changed the subject.
“Since you both use ranged skills, keep your distance and support from far back.”
I took out an old towel from my inventory, covered my mouth, and walked toward the Acling Chief again.
“That’s dangerous.”
“Hyung, maybe you should stay behind.”
How simple-minded they were. Until moments ago they practically hated me, and now that I showed a little kindness, they immediately softened and worried about me.
Sure, it didn’t feel bad—but it didn’t feel good either. People change their attitudes like flipping a hand; I didn’t want to be affected by that anymore, so I ignored their attempts at friendliness. Embarrassed at my coldness, they stopped trying to stop me.
“Why did you come back?” Harusari asked, confused that I hadn’t run away permanently.
“To heal. What kind of greeting is that to someone coming to help?”
While Tumzomalgeyo held aggro, Harusari backed up to assess the situation. He apparently only now noticed Jeshigan Alba and Byeorak Sikhye far away; he frowned and clicked his tongue, annoyed.
“Useless things.”
He had been laughing with them earlier. His two-facedness made me let out an incredulous laugh.
“They’re both newbies. They don’t even understand the gimmicks yet.”
As I half-defended the two, Harusari looked down at me.
“And you.”
“Huh?”
“Aren’t you a newbie too?”
“Why pretend you don’t know? You and I both started new characters.”
His eyes sparkled with interest.
Uncomfortably so.
I couldn’t hide the displeasure twisting my expression.
“What was your previous class?”
“You don’t need to know that.”
“But I’d like to.”
“Drop it. Don’t get curious.”
I waved him off, annoyed. Harusari chuckled and shook his head.
“I don’t want my hard-earned leveling to go to waste because you die and lose experience.”
“Well, I may not heal like other healers, but I can take hits. I don’t die that easily.”
I had endured a much higher-level Acling earlier, after all.
“I can probably tank a few AoE attacks too.”
Hearing my resolve, Harusari’s lips curled in amusement.
“Alright then, let’s see what you can do.”
“What do you mean, see? Didn’t you watch me kill that Acling earlier?”
“If that is the full extent of your skill, I’d be deeply disappointed for giving you the opportunity to prove yourself.”
The more we talked, the more dread pooled in my chest. What was this lunatic planning now?
“Tae-Seok, move.”
BOOM.
Before I could wonder who Tae-Seok was, Tumzomalgeyo swung his shield wide.
[Acling Chief is stunned!]
Stars glittered above the boss’s head as it staggered. Tumzomalgeyo stepped back.
“What the hell are you doing!?”
We were all stunned—me and the other players alike—completely dumbfounded by what we were seeing.
“You said you wanted to show me your skill.”
Harusari’s eyes gleamed with unnerving brightness. Something twisted and grotesque crept up from within, sending a chill down my spine.
It was madness.
Kraaaaugh!!
The Acling Chief regained its senses, shaking its head violently. Its green eyes flared as it searched for prey, wings fluttering like a giant grotesque fly.
“Damn it! You take point!”
“That’s what I wanted.”
With Tumzomalgeyo already far away and impossible to call back, I shoved Harusari forward. Even as he stumbled into position, his crazed smile didn’t fade.