Chapter 98: Blue Giant Hull
Translator: Zenobys Editor: TheRealSeal
[Blue Giant Hull] (Elite)
Level: 30
HP: 30,000
Defense: 0
Melee damage: 500
Attack interval: 2 seconds
Immediately after entering the battle, Zhang Yang’s equipment was all muted. Every skill level was reset down to Level 1! To ensure a fair battle among all players, every player that underwent this test would have the same stats. All players would have equal Attack power, HP, and MP.
[Player: Zhan Yu]
Level: 30
HP: 3,000
Defense: 0
Strength: 100
Melee damage: 100
Attack interval: 2 seconds
Critical chance: 0
Lucky strike chance: 0
The monster he was about to fight was much stronger than he was! If they were to compare with each other, numerically:
30,000X500 : 3,000X10
That’s 50:1! The player would not have a chance based on statistics alone!
Furthermore, when Zhang Yang had entered this battle field, all buffs and boons were purged1. All items in the inventory would be locked out from use. The only good thing in this field was that the system did not lock the 3 optional skills he had! <Vanguard’s Aggression> and <Eagle Eye> may not be useful against this monster, but <Horizontal Sweep> would serve him well enough!
In his previous life, Zhang Yang had been trying repeatedly to clear this quest in S level difficulty. But since his skill was not as polished as he was now, the best results he could manage was to bring the boss down to 37% of its HP. However, he was not patient enough to endure it and ended up completing the A level difficulty.
However, as he played on, he had regretted that decision thoroughly. He should have simply endured the hardship and completed the quest in S level difficulty! Even though the quest rewarded everyone with the same skill, the difficulty level determined the strength of the skill! If he had been patient enough, he could have cleared the quest. But since he was still new to the game and way behind the first generation of players, he thought that a single difficulty level would not do much harm. He lived to regret that decision!
The reward was a skill called <Destructive Smash>. Back then, what Zhang Yang had obtained was from the A level difficulty quest.
[Destructive Smash]: Immediately attacks a target with destructive strike, causing 150% melee damage and reduces all healing effects received by 50%. Lasts for 10 seconds.
Cost: 30 Rage
Requires: Melee weapon
Cooldown time: 8 seconds.
Less than 100 players around the world had cleared the S level difficulty, and out of that, only 10 players in entire China! These 10 players would be the S tier Professional League battle team’s trump card!
Zhang Yang gathered his thoughts and focused on the battlefield. The opponent attacked with its fists. Zhang Yang activated <Block>, gaining 10 Rage and dealing 100 damage in reflect damage. He pivoted and swung his sword in a backhand, dealing another 100 damage and gaining additional 25 Rage.
Boom!
Zhang Yang stomped on the ground and activated <Thunder Strike>.
‘-100!’
‘-200!’ <Shield Bash>.
The blue giant began moving in slow motion, debuffed with a <Slow> status.
Zhang Yang quickly turned around and started to run away, increasing the gap between them.
He was completely outmatched in terms of attack power and HP. He could not just simply take the monster head on! He needed a plan of attack! This giant monster’s attack speed was another damned matter altogether. No human could evade its light-speed attacks. One could only survive this Deathmatch by properly utilizing the skills of a warrior!
5 seconds after, the slow effect wore off and the giant, in huge giant stomps, quickly caught up to Zhang Yang. Zhang Yang kept calm and waited until the distance between the two of them was reduced to about 3 meters, before using <Charge> to stun the giant. He then dealt a normal attack and gained 40 Rage, just enough for him to cast a <Horizontal Sweep>.
‘-100!’ Normal attack.
‘-200!’ <Horizontal Sweep>.
Zhang Yang did not fret; he ran and kept his distance again from the monster.
Once Hull recovered from the stun, it moved its massive feet and gave chase.
In only 3 seconds, Zhang Yang was beneath Hull’s shadow, the blue giant growling loudly and raising both its fists, ready to flatten Zhang Yang.
<Block>! +10 Rage.
‘-100!’ <Block> reflect damage.
‘-100!’ Normal attack.
‘-200!’ <Shield Bash>.
Zhang Yang ran away again. One second passed and his <Thunder Strike> was ready to be used again. He stomped the ground and reapplied the slow effect on the monster, before running circles around the monster.
The monster suddenly growled deafeningly and his body started to give off a faint, blood-red glow.
‘Ding! Blue Giant Hull has gained <Enraged>! All attacks increased by 10%. Lasts for 10 seconds!’
Zhang Yang remained calm, unwavering, and focused. With the 5-seconds of slow effect on the monster, Zhang Yang could properly maintain a safe distance from death. The cooldown time for his <Thunder Strike> was 8 seconds, which meant that there was a 3-second gap where he would be within reach of the beast! Zhang Yang could use <Block> to protect himself during that time in case the monster catches up. This was his plan, to kite the monster around.
However, to properly execute the kiting strategy required a good, calculative mind. He would need to properly calculate the time and match the rhythm of the fight to cast <Thunder Strike> accurately. Since this skill was an AoE attack and debuff, he needed to gauge his distance. Cast it too far away and it wouldn’t affect the monster. Too close and he would be struck even if <Thunder Strike> hit. This quest would not only test a player’s skill but also his patience. There was no other way but to slow the monster down and gradually attack the monster until all 30,000 HP is drained. If he slipped up even once, everything would be a waste and he would have to start the fight all over again.
Zhang Yang was only dealing bouts of 100 and 200 damages to Hull each time he attacked. Even though it may seem insignificant, but the overall damage accumulated was good enough to gradually cut its HP down. Zhang Yang was doing a good job so far. After only 5 minutes, Hull’s HP was reduced down to 11%.
Still, Zhang Yang did not dare to lower his guard. On the contrary, he gathered his mind and focused even harder.
10%!
‘Ding! Blue Giant Hull has gain <Uncontrollable Rage>. Gained immunity to all debuff and +100% attack damage!’
The last 3,000 HP; the most dangerous part of the entire battle! Since Zhang Yang could no longer rely on any slow and stun effect, he had to fully endure the giant’s monstrous speed and colossal attacks!
Zhang Yang first activated <Block> to negate the first attack and took the chance to deal as much damage as he can.
‘-100!’ <Block> reflect damage.
‘-200!’ <Shield Bash>.
‘-100!’ Normal attack.
‘-200!’ <Horizontal Sweep>.
‘-100!’ <Thunder Strike>.
‘-100!’ <Force Strike>.
Zhang Yang dealt a total of 900 damage just as he completely used up all his Rage.
Two seconds later, the blue giant growled and swung its fists to pulverize Zhang Yang.
Zhang Yang immediately activated <Shield Wall>.
[Shield Wall] (Level 1): You are protected by a shield. All ill effects purged, and reducing all incoming attacks by 75%. Lasts for 10 seconds.
Requires: Shield.
Cool down time: 10 minutes.
‘-200!’
The damage Zhang Yang was receiving had already gone through significant reduction, thanks to <Shield Oath> and <Shield Wall>. He ended up receiving only 20% of the onslaught. (Shield Oath Level 1). He then begun his counter attack. The last ten seconds was where the curtain closes, it was now up to the amount of damage he could deal before the 10 seconds ends.
8 seconds, Zhang Yang: HP 2,600, Blue Giant Hull: HP 1,700!
6 seconds, Zhang Yang: HP 2,400, Blue Giant Hull: HP 1,600!
4 seconds, Zhang Yang: HP 2,200, Blue Giant Hull: HP 1,300!
2 seconds, Zhang Yang: HP 2,000, Blue Giant Hull: HP 1,200!
<Shield Wall> duration ends! Zhang Yang will now receive damage in almost all it’s entirety!
<Block>!
‘-100!’ <Block> reflect damage.
‘-200!’ <Shield Bash>
‘-100!’ Normal attack.
The giant roared and smashed Zhang Yang with its fists.
‘-800!’ With no way of defending himself, Zhang Yang finally received a direct hit. His Rage was completely filled. Remaining calm, Zhang Yang returned fire!
‘-100!’ <Force Strike>.
‘-100!’ Normal attack.
‘-100!’ <Force Strike>.
Zhang Yang: 1,200 HP.
Blue Giant Hull: 500 HP.
‘-800!’
This time, Zhang Yang let everything lose like a Berserker. Every time he received a hit from Hull, his Rage instantly filled up!
‘-100!’ Normal attack.
‘-200!’ <Horizontal Sweep>.
‘-100!’ <Force Strike>.
‘-100!’ <Force Strike>.
“GRAaaa…”
Thud!
The monster fell, defeated. The colossal body slammed against the ground and sent a slight tremor throughout the arena.
Zhang Yang drew a deep breath and let out a sigh of relief. His pulse shot up as he did a double take on his HP bar, with only 400 HP remaining.
“Cheers for the mighty warrior!” A round of a applause rang throughout the entire arena as the many races gave him a standing ovation!
“Zhan Yu!”
“Zhan Yu!”
“Zhan Yu!”
He knew that this was all scripted, nothing more than a programmed response to a player’s victory. Still, he reveled in the applause and bathed in its afterglow. He felt as if he had teleported back to ancient Rome and became one of the gladiator champions.
Foosh!
A sudden flash of light blinded him momentarily and Zhang Yang was teleported back to the city, standing in front of the sexy Warrior class Instructor, Emmy.
“Congratulations young warrior! You have passed the most difficult test! Praise the God of War, I believe that one day you could be a great hero of the land!” said Emmy with great excitement. Who said that NPCs couldn’t bootlick.
‘Ding! You have completed the quest: The Path Forward (S level)!’
‘Ding! You have obtained a system reward: Luck +1!’
‘Ding! You have learnt a new skill: Destructive Smash!’
Zhang Yang quickly opened his Skill Window to check on his skill description. He had to see for himself, the power of a skill gained from an S class quest!
[Destructive Smash]: Performs a destructive strike at a target, dealing 200% melee damage and cause all healing received reduced by 75%. Last for 10 seconds. Effect cannot be stacked.
Cost: 30 Rage
Requires: Melee weapon.
Cool down time: 8 seconds
The high attack was nothing to be surprised about. The main factor that made this skill so strong was the reduced healing effect it inflicted on its targets! In dungeons, there were bosses that leeched HP from its enemies, while many others had healing skills! However, if he were to use this skill on such bosses, they could only heal by about 25% of their original power!
On the other hand, in the Professional League, this skill had always been considered to be an overpowered skill. In every 5v5 team battle, there would always be a warrior in the team, and it was all because of this skill’s power and potential. Some of teams did not even need you to be strong and powerful. All you had to do was to make sure that every opponent player was struck with the healing reduction effect!
Normally, the majority of players would only complete the B level difficulty quest and obtain the <Destructive Smash> which had only 25% healing reduction effect. Only a handful of people could complete the A level difficulty, with a rate as low as one out of a thousand!
According to Zhang Yang’s memories, there was only one person who completed the quest in S level difficulty and he was called One Sword Stroke the “Peerless Blockade”. This guild master of Imperial Sk, naturally became China’s number 1 tank! He was the team captain of “Sky and Ocean Electronic”, the strongest S-level Professional League battle team in the China server.
According to rumors that spread across the internet, One Sword Stroke was Sky and Ocean Electronic’s only successor, his real name was Cheng Ran. People called him ‘Son of the Heaven’.
Zhang Yang looked at the time. It was almost for him to step out and show his achievement off to the world!
Translator Note:
1 Purged: Purged is the verb used to get rid of any beneficial effect on a player.