124 [BONUS] Kill Steal

BONUS Chapter for reaching 700 GT last month!

Thank you!

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While Isolde, Leonel, and Roz were busy fighting the Ice Troll, they didn't notice another group approaching them on the other side of the frozen lake.

The fog covered their existence, and they tiptoed towards a pile of snow from another side of the mountain's base. From their position and angle, they got a clear view of Leonel's group's fighting the Ice Troll.

Jenney used a monocle and gasped. "It really is a Hidden Boss!"

"Shh!" Li covered her lips. "Not so loud."

Jenny pouted and swatted Li's hand away. "They won't hear us from this far away. Besides, they're occupied with that Troll."

"Good thing that we followed them." Ken chuckled. Amongst the players, their group was the only one who took Leonel's words seriously, and their decision bore fruit.

"I heard that you can KS (Kill Steal) any beast as long as it isn't a beast inside a Boss's room." Jenny's eyes shone with greed. "I heard that getting firstblood from a Hidden Boss would grant a Crystal Chest that contained skill or spell books."

"That's right." Ken couldn't contain his excitement, and his breathing turned ragged. "Would you believe that selling those things online would fetch hundreds of thousands?"

"Really?" Li's eyes bulged before he stared at the Ice Troll like it was a big bag of gold. "Those things are that expensive?"

Ken nodded. "It could even fetch to a million if we auctioned it!" He exaggerated.

Jenny and Li wanted to steal the kill all the more. They couldn't see anything but the prize at this point.

"How do we kite it?" Li asked, readying his bow.

Ken stopped him and said seriously, "Let's wait until the opportunity present itself. The beast will enter Berserk Mode, and after that . . . Jenny, you're a mage, so cast your fire at my signal. The same with you, Li. Since you're a hunter, you can also deal damage from a distance. I want you to fire the most devastating attack on your skill list. We want to make sure that it's us who get the kill. Alright?"

Li nodded while Jenny gave a thumbs up and winked. "Okie-Dokie."

As they watched Leonel's group take on the Ice Troll, they couldn't help but be amazed at their coordination. With a Tank defending the front, the Ice Troll couldn't come close to the DPS and Mage. And little by little, they managed to reduce the Ice Troll's HP to less than half.

"I think we need a tank in the future," Li said without thought.

The other two nodded in a daze.

Jenny shook her head to get out of her stupor and asked, "By that way, how do you suppose they triggered that Hidden Boss?"

They were far away, so they couldn't hear what Leonel and his group were talking about. They were tailing them when they crossed the frozen lake, and the next thing they knew, Isolde killed an ice deer, and a scary, ugly, deadly-looking Troll attacked their group next.

Ken shrugged. "Who cares? The important thing is, we get to KS it before those guys. So the loot would belong to us."

While Ken's group was busy scheming, Leonel's group was busy reducing the Ice Troll's HP.

It was hard because the Ice Troll's HP was high while their damage could only chip its HP a minute at a time. Not to mention that Leonel and the others had to frequently take a step away from the Ice Troll so they wouldn't be frozen by its passive skill [Freezing Aura].

Leonel panted, hot breath rising over his eyes as he took another [Health Potion]. His Health Potions were running thin, just like the HP of the Ice Troll.

Just a little more, and they would kill the Ice Troll completely. Leonel was getting excited at the loots. While Roz drank another [Mana Potion] that Isolde handed to him.

"Brace for another breath!" Isolde warned.

The Ice Troll took large intake of air, stomach bulging at it did so. Leonel immediately sprung back to Isolde and Roz and raised his shield.

"Stay behind me!"

At Leonel's warning came the Ice Troll's [Freezing Breath]. A large gust of wind with sparkles of snow smashed against Leonel's shield, freezing the outer layer of the carapace in the process.

Leonel took a large intake of air and released it through his nose, smog rising over his face before he raised his shield and dashed towards the Ice Troll after that gust of wind settled.

Shield in hand, he hammered it against the Ice Troll before he swung his hammer up, and the Ice Troll was knocked back.

"Isolde, Roz, now!"

Isolde took a swift advancing step before skilfully launching a shot that rattled across her enemy while Roz simultaneously attacked it with his [Fire].

RoOaArR!

The Ice Troll let out an ear-piercing roar before its eyes glowed red while its wide jaws almost ripped its head into two.

[The Ice Troll entered BERSERK Mode!]

"Yes!"

Leonel and the others were in glee. Finally, after almost thirty minutes of expending so many potions and skills just to reduce the Ice Troll's HP, it finally entered Berserk Mode.

Roz didn't know if defeating a Hidden Boss was this easy or not since it was his first time. But he did know that having Leonel, a tank, in a group helped make things easier.

"Be careful!"

At Isolde's shout, Roz was surprised to find that the Ice Troll was already in front of him.

Did Leonel's skill [Aggro on Me] didn't work against its Berserk Mode? Roz didn't have time to think of an answer because the Ice Troll's sharp enormous claws were a meter away from cutting his head from his neck.

"Roz!" Leonel wanted to dash to Roz in an attempt to take the hit since his DEF was high. Compared to Roz who was a goner the moment the Ice Troll hit him only once.

However, Leonel was far from Roz, and his skill [Aggro on Me] didn't work against the Troll's Berserk mode.

Roz turned to get away from the giant Troll, but he made it worse when he showed it his back.

The Ice Troll let out another deafening roar and swiped its claws against Roz with the intent to kill. But at that exact moment, Isolde appeared in front of the Troll, raising her weapon, she attempted to defend herself with the incoming claws.

Yet, her attempt was useless when the impact from the Ice Troll sent her flying a few meters back. She smashed on the snow-covered ground and rolled some more before a pile of snow cushioned her momentum with only a +10 HP flashing on her screen.

"Isolde!" Leonel didn't know which person to help first. Isolde, who was down on the snow, or Roz, who was still not safe from the Ice Troll's clutches?

However before Leonel could even make a decision, a whooshing and whistling sound passed beside him. And he was surprised to find that the Ice Troll let out another roar while Fire and arrow hit it straight on the head.

"Woohoo! We did it! The loot is ours!" Jenney, Li, and Ken all jumped from their hiding spot and went close to where Leonel stood.

"Y-you . . ." Leonel was speechless at the trios' sudden appearance that he momentarily forgot about Isolde and Roz.

Isolde shot to her feet while she drank [Health Potions] to recover her HP. "I knew that you guys are up to no good."

Leonel blinked. "No good?"

"Those bunch wanted to KS our boss and steal our loot," Isolde said, glaring at the three.