Chapter 4 - Fake Ally

Maybe it’s just my imagination but are those red eyes that I can see beneath the helmet? Karna wondered as he observed the boss.

He had to give props to the developers of Xion Online for the realistic graphics. Heck, it was too realistic. Even a little scary.

But with its white armor, the boss looked more like a knight instead of a champion goblin.

How is it even a goblin anyway?

The champion goblin didn’t give much time for Karna to observe. It crouched low onto the ground. Karna knew that stance. It was the [Charge] skill Shoji had demonstrated just a moment ago. With a roar, it charged at Shoji. Shoji was the one who had last attacked the boss so it was natural for the aggro to still be on him.

“Buddy, you’ll make me sad if you ignore me.”

First, Karna wanted to test his new Shockwave skill. Skills in Xion Online required a certain stance or action to activate and usually, the required action would be described in the skill menu. The problem was the vague description of the Shockwave skill.

The type of shockwave depends on the hand movement? He had no idea what to do.

But there was no time to think. The boss accelerated towards the four-man party. Karna threw a palm strike.

This is gonna be so embarrassing if nothing happens.

The boss stopped. No, it was pushed back; its charge skill got interrupted and a damage value popped up.

Champion Goblin [HP: 9912/10000]

Karna felt surprised that his random attack had worked. Obviously, it was a pleasant surprise.

So this palm strike is considered as a knock-back skill?

A red indicator appeared above his hp bar. He knew what that meant. The boss’s aggro was now on him. It could have been his imagination playing tricks on him but he felt like he could sense the red eyes underneath the helmet shifting onto him.

“Aika, I would appreciate it if you could do something to get the boss’ attention.”

“I don’t want its perverted eyes to look at me.”

“I’m sure its desires are something different from lust.”

“Fine. I have no choice if you’re begging me.”

Aika started tapping at the air in front of her. She was probably looking at her skill menu.

Karna turned his attention back towards the boss. It didn’t seem interested in initiating another charge. Not that it would work. He could easily stop it with another shockwave.

“Grrrr…” The champion goblin raised its mighty club above its head.

Another skill? Karna immediately threw a palm strike.

Champion Goblin [HP: 9869/10000]

But it still deals damage, huh?

The air suddenly turned red. Karna remembered reading about it in the guide. It was an indicator for the most annoying type of skill that boss-level monsters had; a warning for an area of effect skill.

He turned back to look at the rest of his party. Chiyuri and Shoji were out of the skill’s range.

Just Aika and me.

A heartbeat later, the skill activated. The spiked metal club cleaved through the air. Karna managed to push Aika and himself onto the ground, barely dodging the attack in time.

He didn’t know how much damage it would do but it was best not to risk getting hit by unknown skills.

“Even if you are desperate, there’s a time and place for these kinds of things, you know? You need to set the mood and ask for the girl’s consent first.” Aika said in a calm voice.

“I know that!” Karna retorted and helped Aika get back on her feet.

“But thanks to you, my preparations are complete.”

Aika raised both of her slender hands above her head in a strange pose. The pose might have looked ridiculous if it was anyone else but Aika looked quite cool.

“Bloodfallen Night!”

A red magic circle appeared on the ground, encompassing the whole area. The circle flashed and burned bright. Droplets of red slowly rose into the air. In the middle of the circle was Aika with her jet-black hair fluttering wildly. She looked like a real vampire princess with her pale skin and flawless facial features. Unlike Karna, she had not changed any part of her appearance in the character customization; it was all just her natural beauty.

An AoE vampire skill? What the heck?! So flashy!!

If Karna could go back in time, he would have gone full-VIT and unlocked the class instead of with its lame-ass shockwave skill, even if it meant dealing less damage.

The indicator for the boss’ aggro disappeared from Karna’s screen. Its attention had most likely gone to Aika.

The boss initiated another charge which was quickly interrupted by a palm strike from Karna. A damage value similar to the first appeared.

Champion Goblin [HP: 9869/10000]

The aggro didn’t come back to Karna.

It was probably due to the effect of the skill Aika had just used. That was the power of a tank, able to make the enemy focus on them and no one else.

Karna started launching palm strikes like crazy, dealing around forty damage. He wasn’t trying to interrupt any skills; just dealing damage to the boss. There was no cooldown or mana cost and his in-game character didn’t get tired so he could throw around a hundred palm strikes or so in the span of a few minutes. The boss kept using [Charge] which never succeeded. Occasionally it would also use the AoE skill but that was easily dodged by Karna. Only the first time had been unexpected.

Champion Goblin [HP: 6019/10000]

At this rate, we might even be able to defeat it.

Karna had to admit that the combat in Xion Online was exhilarating. Especially going up against a scary-looking monster and managing to bully it.

“Aika, you don’t want to test any of your other skills?”

Aika had long finished channeling her flashy vampire skill. She was currently sitting on the ground, watching Karna and the boss from the sidelines with a bored expression on her face. The reason she wasn’t standing was simple. She didn’t want to go through the trouble of dodging every time the boss used its AoE skill.

“Nope. You do your thing, Yuu. I’m too lazy to fight.”

“Okay… If you say so.”

Still… just using palm strikes is lame. There must be other types of shockwaves, right?

What about a fist instead of a palm?

Karna punched the air.

A cracking noise resounded. A clear distortion formed in the air around his fist and the shockwave pulsed outwards, crashing into the boss.

Champion Goblin [HP: 504/10000]

Karna was speechless.

Over 5k damage?!!! Now that’s a true shockwave.

He could end the boss with another punch.

“My turn!” Shoji shouted from the back.

Chiyuri had finished healing and buffing him. He was raring to go back into battle.

Of course, Karna had no intentions to let the idiot steal all the glory.

He just had to throw another punch to end the battle.

The boss prepared to use a final AoE attack.

Shoji went into the stance for [Charge]

Karna formed his fist.

From all the knockbacks it had received, the champion goblin was almost ten meters away from Karna. And albeit only a few steps, Shoji was still behind Karna. It was obvious which of the three attacks would land first. Karna’s shockwave was faster than Shoji’s Charge.

But the result was something Karna would have never expected. Before he threw the punch, he felt an impact on his back. A paralysis indicator appeared beside his HP bar.

Huh?!!

What?!

“Oh. Sorry.” Shoji’s voice came from behind him.

Karna finally realized what had happened. Shoji had crashed into him with [Charge] and had applied the Paralysis effect. Friendly fire was indeed allowed in Xion Online. The only place it was restricted was in safe zones such as cities.

Friendly fire alert! Dirty bastard! Karna wanted to scream but he couldn’t move. The boss’ massive club came straight at him. He could see Aika rushing to help him at the corner of his vision but it was too late.

All he could do now was to pray that he wouldn't take too much damage.

But the god of misfortune loved him too much.

Karna [HP: 0/1500]

⧫

Karna found himself back in the central square of Altean city.

That Shoji bastard!! I’ll rip him to shreds the next time I see him. Knowing him, it had definitely been intentional.

He could imagine Shoji laughing his ass off after getting the last hit on the boss. Still… he couldn’t deny the fact that he had only gotten to Level 15 and had unlocked Shockwave thanks to Shoji. He sighed and opened his status menu.

Karna

Level 15

HP:1500/1500 MP:1500/1500

STR:10

DEX:110

AGI:10

INT:10

VIT:10

FREE ATTRIBUTE POINTS: 50

In Xion, dying meant only the loss of experience points. Karna saw that the green EXP gauge beneath his HP bar was empty.

Well… it’s not that bad. It doesn’t require that much EXP to level early on anyway.

At least they will share the drops from the dungeon with me, right?

Karna opened his friend list. There was only one person he had added as a friend in this game— Aika. He wanted to use the Message function and ask whether the party had cleared the dungeon.

The friend list did not open.

Hm? What’s wrong?

He tried again. Still no luck.

Did I accidentally change something in the settings?

The main menu which included the settings and logoff button also did not open.

A bug?!

Karna looked around. People were walking through the square but he didn’t dare talk to them. Not when Aika was absent.

“Yuu? Why are you spacing out?”

“Aika! Perfect timing!”