Corwin used wind charge and was met with a cast of the debuff slow. His charge was neutralized and his approach towards Haldrofir started to take an eternity. Magic missile was cast next and it was one of those unblockable spells, the three missiles slammed into Corwin, dealing 100 each. Fortunately, knockback didn’t trigger and Corwin was able to close the distance reaching sword range. He led with thunder slash and was happy to see damages of 150 and 100. A double slash follow-up did similar damage. He continued with Slash and Pierce before hitting with a regular attack. In this time, Haldrofir cast a fireball at point blank range but Corwin got his sword in front of it to just barely parry it.

A few attacks later Haldrofir reached 80% health. This triggered the first instance of his special attack Starfall. Corwin wasn’t able to leave the AoE’s radius fast enough due to the slow and got hit by the first falling star, taking 400 damage. Fortunately, he still had the enhanced recovery from the potion and was at full otherwise. Unfortunately, a barrage of magic missles came next reducing him by another 300. If he kept getting hit by starfall this fight would become unwinnable. Corwin avoided panic, and continued to attack. Right as Haldrofir hit 60% health Corwin used Vanishing steps to back away as quickly as possible. It wasn’t enough and Starfall still hit him once. His health was down to 600 from after the recovery and Magic Missile would soon be up again. Corwin realized he was fighting a losing game and something needed to change. He quaffed another health potion, deeply regretting not having bought more while he attacked. His mind wasn’t fully into it and he almost got hit by a fireball through carelessness but a last-minute parry saved him.

Finally, Corwin had a plan. He activated ring of space and attempted to create a portal back to town. It worked. He had forgotten what the game was like before the developers closed all these loopholes. Unfortunately, there was a 3-hour time limit for the fight, if Corwin didn’t finish off Haldrofir by then he’d lose the trial and miss out on the item he wanted.

Corwin went to the market sincerely hoping to find something that would help. As luck would have it someone was selling the rare skill, Disrupting Blow, which interrupted a spell as it was being cast. They wanted an outrageous 50 gold, when normally it was only worth 30. However, given the need Corwin cursed under his breath as he accepted being ripped off. He decided to buy 50 health potions from the market as well, temporarily buying them out of stock. He’d be a lot poorer when done this trial but hopefully he’d have some shiny new boots to show for it.

Corwin returned to find something rather troubling had happened. Someone had found his portal and entered it just as he was stopping. The trial was now contested. Fortunately, whomever entered should have to start at step 1, which left Corwin less worried. The bigger risk was if people started searching for these lucky locations if this guy brags about it on the forums. After all Corwin still had many more of these trials to go through to get the items he wanted. He set all those worries aside for now and focused on the matter at hand,

returning to fight a fully healed Haldrofir.

Once again, Haldrofir cast slow before Corwin could complete his wind charge. Once more Corwin got hit by magic missiles and lost 300 health. This time every time Haldrofir started to cast Starfall though, he’d be met with a disrupting blow. The spell disruption had a 90% chance against lord level monsters at level zero, and fortunately it worked. Fairly quickly, Corwin had used two health potions and Haldrofir was down to 2000 health, triggering his berserk. Another disrupting blow hit cancelling the Starfall.

When magic lords go berserk, they get a new spell. In this case, it was lightning bolt. Lightning bolt was a virtually undodgeable spell due to its very rapid movement. The only way to avoid it was to dodge it before it was cast. Facing the accumulated damage from magic missile, Corwin would have to do exactly that. Right as Haldrofir made the motion to cast lightning bolt Corwin used vanishing steps. The lightning past by his chest missing by the narrowest of margins.

When the second lightning bolt cast started Corwin used disrupting blow. Unfortunately, the 10% happened and the spell cancel chance failed. Corwin used vanishing steps immediately, but he was a second too late. He watched helplessly as the lightning hit him and his health bar ticked downwards. It reached double digits and kept going lower. It finally stabilized at 13 life. With a sigh of relief Corwin doffed a health potion and his health rocketed up to 213 instantly before continuing to climb. It was at 280 when Haldrofir started to cast magic missile. The first two missiles slammed into Corwin reducing his health to 80. The third missile hit a second later. But, in that second his potion enhanced regen had ticked bringing his life to 105. His health fell to 5 and Corwin was extremely relieved to still be in it. He couldn’t let his guard down anymore though. He used thunder slash and double slash on Haldrofir, parried a fireball and followed up with slash and pierce. Haldrofir started to cast lightning bolt and disrupting blow was not yet off cooldown. Corwin attacked relentlessly, using every skill just as it came off cooldown. Haldrofir raised his hand to beckon the lightning, but right as he did he fell to the ground. The last of his HP had been removed. No lightning came and Corwin had survived by the thinnest of margins.

Corwin settled in to wait for his health to come back to full. While he was waiting he looted Haldrofir, getting 2 mana crystals (11 total) and a level 7 iron-tier off hand short sword for his trouble. While Corwin still wanted to see what powerful ability was next on the ring of elements that would take 20 mana crystals and wouldn’t happen this trial. He upgraded his ring of hidden attributes. It now gave +28 to all base attributes and all hidden attributes. It also required 20 mana crystals to evolve from silver to gold tier. Corwin hoped the gains would be enough for whatever came next.

As his health bar filled up Corwin resolved to continue and see the trial through. He stepped onto the next stair and assessed his opponent.

Ba’al, the lesser – Demonic Lord

Level 8

HP 25,000/25,000

MP 20,000/20,000

It had been a while since Corwin had fought a demon, but he remembered it well from his ‘future’. Demons were mostly hybrid fighter mages, but fortunately tended to not have undodgeable spells like magic missile. He unfortunately only had 1.4 levels of level suppression so his damage would be reduced and the damage he would take increased. Corwin looked himself over and prepared himself for what was certain to be another hard fight.

Corwin Swordborn

Spoiler : Level 6: 32% of level 7

Str: 149 (base:5)

Agi: 169 (base:30)

Con: 149 (base:5)

Int: 52 (base:5)

Cha: 52 (base:5)

Lck: 33 (base:5)

Cnc: 33 (base:5)

Sta: 33 (base: 5)

Def: 349

MDef: 152

HP: 1494/1494

MP: 912/912

MW: Iron Tier Level 7 Longsword, +14 Str, +14 Agi, +14 Con

Base Damage: 56-64, Durability 24/25, Requirements: 42 Str

OW: Iron Tier, Level 7 Shortsword, +14 Str, +14Agi, +14 Con

Base Damage 42-49, Durability 25/25, Requirements: 42 Str

MA: Iron Tier Level 6 Plate, +12 Str, +12 Agi, +12 Con

48Def,24MDef, Durability 29/30, Requirements:36 Str

LA: Iron Tier Level 6 Plate Cuisse +12Str, +12Agi, +12Con

48Def,24MDef, Durability 29/30, Requirements:36 Str

B: Iron Tier Level 6 Plate Gloves +12 Str, +12 Agi, +12Con

48Def,24MDef, Durability 29/30, Requirements: 36Str

G: Iron Tier Level 7 Plate Boots, +14Str, +14Agi, +14Con

56Def,28Mdef, Durability 35/35, Requirements: 42Str

RR: Silver Tier, Level 7 Ring of Hidden Attributes (+28 All base attributes, +28 All Hidden Attributes)

LR: Iron Tier, Level 5 Amulet (+10 All base attributes)

AM: Silver Tier, Level 7 Ring of Elements (+28 All base attributes,

Ignore 1.4 Levels, Ignore 1.4 Equip Levels

Skills:

Time Manipulation, Special, Tier 0, Level 0

Space Manipulation, Special, Tier 0, Level 0

Thunder Slash, Rare, Tier 0, Level 1

Wind Charge, Rare, Tier 0, Level 1

Disrupting Blow, Rare, Tier 0, Level 1

Double Slash, Uncommon, Tier 0, Level 1

Slash, Common, Tier 0, Level 1

Pierce, Common, Tier 0, Level 1

Parry, Common, Tier 0, Level 1