Chapter 178: Awakening
Thump! Thump! Thump!
Archibald's heavy footsteps echoed as he strode down the other end of the passageway. As he drew closer, Zhou Ning could finally make out his features:
He wore a black hooded cloak, and his face bore a rugged, masculine look, with faint frown lines on his forehead. Strands of brown hair peeked out from under the hood. If not for his deathly pallor and the scattered corpse spots on his face, he would've been perfect for a leading heroic role.
"It really is you, Sir Archibald," Edwin said in a low voice, pupils narrowing slightly.
The other man didn't respond. His eyes, glowing faint blue, merely flickered.
Zhou Ning cast a scan on him. Sure enough, the danger level showed as Extremely Lethal. What now? Run?
That thought flashed through his mind briefly before being dismissed. He still had a bunch of trump cards he hadn't played. Turning tail now would be nothing short of cowardly. Besides, what if Archibald still retained some human consciousness?
After some consideration, Zhou Ning made a decision.
He opened the mission editor and quickly created a one-time quest, tossing it to the other two. One person stepping on the landmine would be enough.
[Communication Attempt: Use the intelligence and charm of a Chosen One to attempt communication with the undead creature ahead. Whether you succeed or fail, you'll receive generous rewards.]
Qingbai Wild Sake and Haicheng: ?????
They stared at the mission in disbelief, then looked at Archibald walking toward them from across the corridor. He didn't look like someone you could talk to!
"Go on. I believe in you guys," Zhou Ning said with a smile.
"Whatever, fortune favors the bold!" Haicheng gritted his teeth and accepted the quest ahead of the others. The reward was hefty enough that even dying once and losing some XP would still be a net gain.
Following the mission's instructions, Haicheng mustered his courage and approached Archibald. Edwin, knowing Haicheng had resurrection capabilities, didn't stop him and silently watched him go.
Fifty meters flew by in a flash, but before Haicheng could even speak, Archibald's hand suddenly manifested a nearly two-meter-long runic greatsword and brought it down on him.
Haicheng didn't even get a word out before he was smashed into a blur of pixelated chunks.
Seeing this, Zhou Ning couldn't help but flinch. Damn, this bastard hits fast—and hard.
Half a minute later, Haicheng respawned just outside the corridor with a grin, delighted by the reward: 12,000 XP and 100 contribution points!
When he posted the rewards in the party chat, Qingbai Wild Sake was immediately consumed by jealousy and regret. If only he'd been a little quicker!
But before Haicheng could savor his gains, a massive shadow appeared before him. Half a second later, he was slammed again—this time like being hit by a dump truck—flying through the air and once again becoming pixelated carnage.
Standing nearby, Qingbai Wild Sake witnessed the carnage and shouted, "Enemies behind us!"
Startled, Edwin quickly led the group out of the corridor. To their shock, three more cold, lifeless figures had appeared in the main hall.
The one in the center was a hulking half-mammoth humanoid over three meters tall and four meters long. Its decaying body was riddled with pits and gashes, one horn broken, a crack across its skull. It held a massive bloodstained warhammer.
Beside it stood a female elf, relatively more intact, clad in tattered elven floral garb, with patches of grayish-white skin exposed.
The last was a tall Northern woman, around two meters in height, wearing a pirate-style captain's hat. She had no weapon but radiated a dense aura of death.
Zhou Ning's gaze instinctively drifted to the statues he saw when they first entered—and as expected, three were now missing. No doubt, they were the very figures now standing before them.
Just then, the three newly awakened statues simultaneously fixed their chilling gazes on the intruders. The half-mammoth charged straight at Rosy, the closest one. The elven woman conjured a crackling black energy sphere in her hand, while the Northern woman mimed drawing a bow, pulling an arc of energy taut as a glowing arrow began to form.
Meanwhile, from the corridor, Archibald's heavy footsteps grew louder—he was clearly on his way.
Professor Raleigh reacted first. To Zhou Ning's surprise, it turned out he hadn't even been going all-out earlier. As his body expanded, his head transformed into that of a leopard, his speed abruptly spiking. Sword in hand, he dashed toward the half-mammoth, moving so fast Zhou Ning almost couldn't track him.
Bang!
His greatsword clashed with the mammoth's massive hammer, sending both combatants skidding back seven or eight steps. The half-mammoth's charge was completely halted.
Zhou Ning: …
So Raleigh was one of his Devil Fruit customers all along? If he'd known, he would've charged him double!
With a helpless sigh, Zhou Ning realized they had no choice but to fight. And they had to do it fast.
Compared to the three undead, Archibald was still the greater threat.
He muttered silently: Knowledge is power. Sparks of electricity flickered in his eyes. With the clan teachings activated, his skill levels surged dramatically.
In his mind, he saw the Northern woman's energy arrow nearing completion, about to be loosed toward the group.
He pulled his hand from his coat pocket—arm bent, two pistols appearing in his palms, one black, one white. Casually, he raised the ivory gun and fired at her.
The bullet seemed to land with prophetic precision, striking her nearly complete arrow. The arrow disintegrated instantly in a flash of energy.
Meanwhile, agile as ever, Cress launched herself at the half-mammoth's head. The beast didn't even flinch, swinging its hammer at her. Cress used the impact to spring away early, then bent low and charged again, her blade slashing across its waist with a loud clang.
It's happening! Qingbai Wild Sake perked up and quickly aimed the recording view at Zhou Ning.
Zhou Ning glanced briefly at Cress, not yet joining the melee. Instead, he quickened his pace toward the center of the battlefield. As he neared the half-mammoth, he had already "seen" its next attack. With a swift sidestep, he slipped past the hammer blow like a walk in the park, coat flaring as he passed.
He raised both the black and white pistols. With a thunderous shot, the bullet traveled a short distance and struck the Northern woman.
"-965!" With the clan's power boost, it was a rare critical hit—the highest single-shot damage Zhou Ning had dealt so far. A screen popped up:
[Based on your level, you've gained the following intel:]
—————
Boudica
Total Level: 66
Class: Arrow Deity
Template: BOSS
Stats: Strength 51, Agility 154, Endurance 90, Spirit 25, Willpower 64, Charisma 12
Status: Weakened
HP: 2235 / 3200
Special Traits: Undead Body, Pain Immunity, Dark Resistance, Eagle Eye (others unknown)
Skills: Archery (Divine), Eagle Eye (Divine), (others unknown)
—————
A triple-advanced class, Boss template—yet Boudica's stats, in her weakened state, were barely on par with Zhou Ning's first-tier self. Classic glass cannon. As a ranged class, she clearly couldn't handle close combat. A total pushover.
"Goodbye," Zhou Ning muttered. He didn't plan to show mercy.
He raised the muzzle and pulled the trigger.
"-434!"
"-512!"
"-426!"
On the fourth shot, the bullet's Ice effect from the enchanted ammo activated, slightly slowing Boudica's movement. As she faltered mid-aim, Zhou Ning fired again.
The fifth bullet sealed her fate. Empowered by both Haki and Ripple Energy, the golden bullet pierced her forehead, igniting a sacred, pure flame where it struck.
"-795!"
[You have slain the Boss-class creature: Arrow Deity Boudica. 100% participation. You gain 76,000 XP.]
[Boss-kills with firearms: 2/5.]
At that moment, Archibald reached the corridor's exit. Edwin, already prepared, activated the mysterious artifact necklace.
A holy light beamed down from above, enveloping Archibald. The entire hall was lit up like daylight. Archibald seemed largely unaffected—only minor burns marked his face and hands. His eyes glowed bright blue as he raised his two-meter-long runic sword and charged at Edwin.
A black sword slash followed in its wake—but Leandro intercepted it, coughing blood as he was flung back. His left arm became sheathed in thick frost.